Crimson Dichotomy (Dichotomy Saga) Read online

  “Every time a vampire creates a blood slave or uses any of their abilities indiscriminately they risk exposure.” His hands lingered against her shoulders before he regained enough composure to pull away. “Anonymity is essential to their survival.”

  “You speak of vampires in the abstract.” She rubbed her neck, half expecting to find a bite mark marring her skin. “If you’re not a vampire, how were you able to create that illusion?” There was no delicate way to phrase it, so she just spit it out. “What are you?”

  “We’re called Sentinels.” Dragging his passion-bright gaze away from her mouth, he finally stepped back from the desk. “We investigate situations involving supernatural beings and act according to the laws governing their particular species. My specific physiology is…unique.” His expression was carefully guarded, his tone curt and informative. “Taerok is our primary concern. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by unimportant details.”

  She wasn’t convinced his unique physiology was unimportant, but she let it go for now. “If Taerok is so powerful, how do we fight him? There has to be a way to keep me safe without turning me into a prisoner.”

  “The precautions will only be necessary until he’s apprehended.”

  “What are the chances of that happening before next Saturday?” She scooted off the desk and smoothed down her skirt. “I can’t cancel the benefit.”

  His gaze narrowed, but a reluctant smile bowed his lips. “Are you always this stubborn?”

  “Always.” Refusing to dwell on the vision or the unbelievable sensations still echoing through her body, she took a deep breath and pointed out, “We’re expecting around six hundred people. Will he risk an attack with that many witnesses?”

  Steffen sighed and his expression turned thoughtful. “I’ll talk to my supervisor. See if we can work out a compromise.”

  “I’d appreciate it.” Despite her best effort, she still felt uncomfortably aware of her uninvited guest. “The Serenity Foundation is my life.”

  “You’ve made that abundantly clear. Now you need to decide if the Serenity Foundation is worth your life.” Without waiting for her reply, he turned and left the room.

  Chapter Two

  From the darkened corner of the bedroom, Raze watched his companion enter. Waking up alone was nothing new. Taerok refused to explain himself to anyone. Still, Raze sensed significance in Taerok’s mysterious errands that went far beyond fresh blood and wet pussy. He knew Taerok craved variety and Raze understood his place at Taerok’s side depended on his willingness to indulge his master’s every desire.

  Still, this was their bedroom, their private haven away from the hedonistic life of a vampire leader. Taerok cradled the unconscious woman against his chest. Raze could see no more than her long blonde hair, but the care with which Taerok touched her irritated him. Taerok kicked the door closed and headed for the bed. Their bed.

  “Is this why you’ve been so secretive lately?” The words were out before Raze considered the jealousy revealed by his sharp tone.

  Taerok didn’t even turn his head as he deposited the woman in the middle of the bed. “I’m your sire, not your mate. You’re well aware of my needs.”

  “I’ve never begrudged you your entertainments, sir. Why have you hidden her from me?”

  “She’s not merely an entertainment. This one is special.”

  Pushing away from the wall, Raze crossed to the bed and surveyed his rival. She lay on her back, legs bent and angled to one side. Silky blonde hair streamed across the pillow and framed her oval face. Her features were delicate, almost childlike. He grasped her chin and turned her head to one side and then the other, noting numerous puncture wounds on her slender throat.

  “How long has she been feeding you?” He’d barely seen his master in the past few weeks and Taerok often fed every other day. Still, he hadn’t expected Taerok to bring his new toy home with him.

  “This isn’t about blood. She isn’t human.”

  Raze stiffened and inhaled deeply, searching for the familiar scent of his master’s blood. “Has she been awakened?”

  “You misunderstand. She was never human. Her people are called the Dichotomy.”

  “I’ve never heard of them.”

  “That’s not surprising.” Taerok’s eyes glittered and his nostrils flared. “I awakened you seventeen years ago. Your education is far from complete.”

  “Then teach me, sir. What is so special about this female?”

  “The Dichotomy are unique. I’ve never encountered a species quite like them. They are two distinct beings and yet they are one.”

  Reinforcing his composure with another deep breath, Raze admitted, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “During the day each Dichotomy has one personality and appearance. At dusk they transfigure, becoming a completely different person.”

  “What happens to their original persona?”

  “The day-dweller exists in energy form during the night and the nocturnal half is energy during the day.”

  Raze returned his gaze to the woman on the bed. “This is her nocturnal appearance?”

  “Yes.”

  “Does she have other abilities? Why are you interested in this duality?”

  “Unlike the majority of her kind, her nocturnal half is in control. Twelve days ago I fed her a small amount of my blood and she was able to trap her day-dwelling half in energy form. This persona has been in control ever since, both day and night.”

  He couldn’t imagine such a creature, but Taerok had no reason to lie. “How does this benefit you?”

  “She wants me to awaken her and I’ve decided to grant her request. My blood allowed her to control her day-dwelling half. After she’s been awakened, I will continue to feed from her. I suspect her transformed blood will give me more control than I ever dreamed possible.”

  “What are you hoping to control? Your compulsions are already—”

  “This has nothing to do with compulsions. I want to resist my solar trance and venture out in the light of day.”

  “Everyone covets the things they cannot have.” The flash of irritation in Taerok’s eyes should have silenced him. He knew better than to argue with his master. Even so, the woman threatened his position and implied a need he was unable to fulfill. “You go wherever you want and do only what pleases you. How would gaining access to the day change your life?”

  “It’s a weakness,” Taerok snapped. “A weakness my enemies might exploit. Now stop arguing with me. We are going to awaken this female.”

  “We?”

  “Yes, we. She must want this with every fiber of her being or she will not survive. She cannot submit to transformation out of some misplaced emotional connection. If she has romantic notions about what her life will be like, we must strip them away before we begin.”

  Raze knew from experience what Taerok meant. Fledglings had no rights. They were treated with contempt for the first few years of their transformed lives, especially by organic vampires. It was only as their strength increased and they developed vampiric abilities that they were afforded any measure of respect. Raze had been fucked and bitten, beaten and abused by every vampire he encountered until he became strong enough to put up a fight.

  Taerok refused to protect him. That was not the vampire way. Only the strong survived within their society. Positions were established by domination or destruction. No wonder there were so few left.

  Raze looked at the blonde with new interest. It had been a long time since anyone had been in a position less powerful than his. Taerok was still his master, would always be his master, but the thought of the female on her knees, obediently offering her mouth or her tight pink ass sent lust rushing through his body.

  “Valerie.”

  Her name sounded distorted and far away. Why did she feel so odd? When had she fallen asleep? She raised her lids and golden candlelight wavered across stone walls. “Where am I?”

  She’d been in her apartment, t
rying not to think about her sister’s recent death. A rush of anger cleared some of the confusion from her mind. Like her parents and her brothers, Brook had been murdered in the name of justice. Would the hypocrisy never end?

  Determined to make sense out of the jumble, she struggled to a sitting position and looked around. She was on a bed in a large, barren room. A faded oriental rug covered the floorboards, but the walls were unadorned, the only window tightly shuttered. She was fully dressed except for her shoes. She hadn’t been wearing them when Taerok came for her.

  In her sorrow, she’d cried out to Taerok. He’d appeared, as he always did when she needed him most. He’d taken her in his arms and placed his mouth over hers and… She couldn’t remember anything after the kiss.

  He stood now at the foot of the bed, silent and still. His hands were clasped behind his back, drawing his T-shirt tight across his lean chest. Candlelight picked up the lighter tones in his warm brown hair and accented the sharp angles of his features.

  “You want to be transformed,” he said without preamble. “Before we begin, I insist you understand exactly what that means.”

  “I do understand.” She curled her legs beneath her and folded her hands in her lap, wanting to appear calm and composed. They’d discussed the possibility several times before, but never had he indicated he was willing to grant her wish. “My life as a Dichotomy will end and I’ll be reborn as a vampire.”

  “It’s not nearly that simple. We do not know what will happen to your day-dwelling twin. I’ve never awakened a Dichotomy before.”

  “A few drops of your blood gave me complete control over Emily. My transformation will only make me stronger.”

  He moved to the side of the bed, his stride rolling and unhurried. “I hope for that outcome as well, but we have no guarantee. You are nocturnal by nature. It is likely Emily will fight the transformation with every fiber of her being.”

  “I can control Emily. You have no idea how much I want this.”

  “Your true determination is what we need to ascertain. My world is very different from yours. Vampires survive by their instincts and their brutality. I have shielded you from the harsher realities of my existence.”

  He raised his elegant hand and a shadow separated from the darkness. The aberration rolled across the floor like smoke, then swirled into a column beside him. A shape formed within the vapor and Valerie pressed her hand to her chest. The smoke dissipated as suddenly as it had arisen, leaving a man, or rather a male vampire.

  Taerok always flashed into sight without dramatics. Who was this other man? Half a head taller than Taerok and more heavily muscled, the stranger studied her as intently as she studied him. His dark hair had a hint of red and his eyes were emerald green. Taerok’s allure was almost indefinable, while this man was downright gorgeous.

  She looked from Taerok to the newcomer and back. “Why is he here?”

  “Raze is my companion. If anything, you are intruding on his domain, not the other way around.”

  Her eyes rounded and she scooted back toward the wall. “Why did you…sleep with me if you were already involved with someone else?”

  “This is your first lesson and it is an important one. Vampires often fuck when they feed. Sexual arousal infuses blood with energy. The concept works in the reverse as well. Vampires often become sexually stimulated when they take a person’s blood. You offered me your blood and when I accepted your offer, I became eager for your body. Do you understand?”

  She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling ridiculously naive. “That’s all I mean to you?”

  “I’m fond of you. I enjoy spending time with you, but there is no grand passion between us. I find pleasure in your body and your blood is unusually potent. Monogamy and love are concepts that have little meaning in my world.”

  “A vampire can’t love?”

  “I didn’t say that. Some vampires form a sort of symbiotic union, where all they need is each other, but those bondings are few and far between. Far more of us abandon ourselves to the freedom of fucking without regret or shame. There is no risk of pregnancy and no sexually transmitted diseases, so why not indulge the flesh?”

  She wasn’t opposed to the idea. She’d always had a healthy sex drive and the pleasure she’d known with Taerok had been far more intense than with any of her other lovers. Still, social standards couldn’t be dismissed with a shrug and a smile.

  “Will I have to fuck every time I feed?”

  “No, but you’ll want to.” Raze spoke to her directly for the first time. “How often do you come when Taerok does no more than take your blood?”

  She looked away to hide her guilty blush. She became aroused just thinking about Taerok’s fangs pushing into her flesh and the strong pull of his lips.

  “The sensation is even more intense when you’re the one feeding. Bloodlust and sexual hunger are interconnected.”

  Still unsure why Raze was here, she looked into his glimmering eyes. “It doesn’t bother you that he’s spent most of the last three weeks in my bed?”

  Raze shrugged. “Jealousy is a useless emotion. Do you begrudge those you care about the things that bring them pleasure? You’re still thinking like a human or a Dichotomy. Vampires live by different rules. The older and more powerful they grow, the more demanding they become. Taerok is my sire, my mentor, and my master. I serve him willingly and without reservation.”

  Her gaze flew back to Taerok as her heart lurched within her chest. “Is this what you want from me? Blind obedience?”

  “It’s what every sire expects from those they awaken. I will give you immortality and in exchange you will serve me in any way I choose for a minimum of twenty-five years.”

  “Twenty-five years is nothing when you gain centuries of life, health, and prosperity,” Raze pointed out.

  “You will be my obedient slave, submitting completely to my every desire. If I want to watch Raze fuck you, you will get on your hands and knees. If I want to share you with my friends, you will freely offer your body and your blood to anyone who wants to sample you.” He paused, his dark eyes boring into hers. “Are you starting to see more clearly?”

  “I have no problem fucking you. I’ll do anything you want me to, but can’t—”

  “Vanity is common among vampires. We like to show off our slaves. You will be shared, Valerie. If you cannot accept this reality, I will not transform you.”

  Uncertainty welled within her. She wanted the power and longevity he promised, but could she submit her body to multiple partners, in any way they chose to use her? She’d be little more than a blood whore for twenty-five years.

  Raze lightly touched her knee, drawing her attention back to his handsome face. “Being fucked by a vampire is not nearly as amazing as fucking once you are a vampire. Your inhibitions will melt away and you will wonder why you ever hesitated.”

  “How long have you served Taerok?”

  “Seventeen years. I won’t lie to you, the first few were challenging. I caught the eye of Taerok’s cousin and my entire concept of pleasure evolved. I’d never known anyone who could be that vicious.”

  She looked at Taerok as pity and anger eroded her composure. “Why did you allow this man to abuse someone under your protection?”

  Taerok laughed. “My cousin is female and Raze learned to crave her cruelty. Whenever he is slow to respond now, all I have to do is mention her name and he blasts off like a geyser.”

  Bloodletting ogres, vicious pleasure? Was this really a world to which she wanted to belong?

  “I see doubt in your eyes,” Taerok noted. “I thought your decision was made.”

  “I’ll admit I’m apprehensive, but I think that was your intention. I haven’t changed my mind.”

  “I require more than your word. Demonstrate your willingness to obey.”

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “Stand here.” He motioned to the floor in front of him and Raze.

  They were going to tag team
her, or worse, fuck her at the same time. She had no doubt that’s what he intended. And this would be the first of many. Her pulse finally found a comfortable rhythm, slightly faster than normal, but steady. Excitement blossomed within her trepidation. Taerok had never hurt her and Raze was certainly attractive. She could do this. As Raze had said, it was a small price to pay for immortality. She scooted off the bed and slipped past Taerok, positioning herself in front of the two men.

  “Undress. I’m well acquainted with your charms, but Raze has never seen you.”

  She kicked off her shoes and worked the buttons on the front of her blouse. “May I ask a question?”

  “Of course.”

  “You two obviously enjoy both sexes. Are there some vampires who prefer one or the other?”

  “I can’t speak for all vampires,” Taerok said, “but I enjoy fucking—period.”

  “Can vampires have children?”

  “The vast majority of vampires reproduce through transformation, so gender is irrelevant,” Raze offered the answer this time. “Only organic vampires can procreate and only with other organic vampires. So all the gender-related categories humans adore have little meaning in our world.”

  She tried to accept the information as casually as it was offered, but her mind was spinning. They were going to fuck her, drain her blood until her heart stopped, and then feed her their blood. Would she drink from both of them or just Taerok? Did it matter?

  Desperate for a distraction from her fear, she folded her blouse and placed it on the floor. Her bra followed and then her pants. She pulled off her socks, wishing they would say something.

  Taerok watched her in silent assessment, his expression inscrutable. Raze had begun a lazy orbit that was even more disconcerting. She finally pulled off her panties and straightened her arms at her sides. Her body wasn’t bad. She had nice, full breasts, but her waist was a bit thick and, despite hours on a treadmill, she couldn’t slim down her thighs.

  “Sit on the end of the bed. She can prepare you while I prepare her.”

  When Raze walked back into her peripheral vision he was naked too. Holy mother of God! The man was sculpted like a champion bodybuilder. Had his body looked this good before he was awakened?