Somehow, some way, he and Joseph would need to ease her into this world and convince her they both needed to claim her with fangs and cock.
Otherwise, they’d slowly go mad.
However, they had some time before that happened. So for now, excitement hummed through him. After so many years in his frozen state, wishing and hoping for his fated one, he was eager to get everything started and finally begin the future he’d always wanted.
Joseph Hope watchedas Meadow Vale kept her back to the wall, her eyes darting between the door and himself.
He hoped Laurie didn’t take too bloody long. After what had happened with first Yesenia, and then River and Reika, Joseph was familiar with the shock of first arriving in a different time period. At least now there were several others to help convince her of the truth.
He still couldn’t believe the female had blooded not only him, but Laurie as well. Part of him worried that too much time had passed since he and Laurie had firmly put their relationship into only being friends and business partners. The fact Meadow had blooded them both meant they would have to claim her, but it wasn’t necessarily required for he and Laurie to claim each other as well.
And yet…he hoped they could be close again. Him, Laurie, and a female third had always been his preferred method of enjoying sex. Just imagining the voluptuous female nearby being naked, her softness against his front with Laurie’s hard, muscled chest at his back, made blood rush to his cock.
Stop it, Joseph. She’s scared out of her wits.In less than a minute, he had his cock under control and tried to think of what to say to the fae witch.
For years, he’d tried so hard to blend into the background. Because while he could be more himself within these walls, not everyone was as understanding and open-minded about his presence. Humans, especially, resented that he hailed from a vampire horde that covered most of Western Africa.
The female’s voice brought him back to the present. “Can I have some water? Please?”
He nodded and gestured at the long, decorative bellpull by his desk. “I need to pull that rope over there to call for a maid. Is that okay?”
Her eyes darted to the rope and back to him. She edged closer to the fireplace, no doubt wanting to pick up the fire poker. “I guess so. But if you move any closer to me than that rope, you’ll be sorry.”
He resisted smiling. Since her powers couldn’t affect him as long as he wore his ring, he didn’t think she could overpower him, not even with the iron poker. “I won’t, I promise.”
Doing his best not to make any sudden movements, he walked to the bellpull and tugged. Instead of retreating, he remained where he was. When Meadow didn’t inch away, he stated, “You have unusual clothing.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, which only plumped up her breasts. Before his mind could dwell on what color her nipples were, she replied, “I’m in my pajamas. Since I had to run away from some vampires trying to kill or kidnap me, I didn’t have time to change.”
His gaze shot to hers before demanding, “Who was trying to kill or kidnap you?”
Her eyes moved to his mouth and fangs, and she inched away. “No one.”
Aware his brusque tone had frightened her, Joseph reined in his anger and asked, “Whoever they were, they won’t find you here. Unless there’s a time-wielder in your time period, no one except Yesenia will be able to move you again.”
“Time-wielder? Yesenia? What are you talking about? My sister doesn’t have any magic.”
He could hold back and brush off her comment. Joseph, like most vampires, learned early in life how to dance the line between truth and lies since vampires experienced debilitating pain when they lied. However, he didn’t want to do it with this female. Truth had worked better with her siblings, after all. He replied, “Yesenia has magic, and she brought not only you, but two others from the future to the past, one of whom is your brother, River.”
She wrapped her arms tighter around herself. “No, you’re just making stuff up to get me to trust you. Then, when I least expect it, boom, you’ll hand me over to Derrick and his lackeys.”
Joseph resisted a frown and wondered how he could get her to believe he had no ties to this Derrick person?
Then he decided more truths might help. Maybe. “If I were selfishly trying to gain your trust, it’s because you blooded me and Laurie, and we need to claim you, eventually.”
She studied him, probably trying to dissect his words and see if he was skirting the truth.
And Joseph let her. Because sometimes, waiting was more effective than more words.
“Tell me plainly I’m your fated one, with no filler words.”
“You are my fated one. And Laurie’s. You started both of our hearts.”
After a few beats, she replied, “So that just means you’ll be nice to me until you can claim me, and then you’ll look for a female more in your guys’ league. Someone you want to parade around half-naked in this place and be the envy of all. Which isn’t me, of course.”
As happened with others from the future, Joseph didn’t understand the meaning of some of her words or phrases. However, he understood the latter part completely. “If you were to ever grace the halls half-naked, Laurie and I would have to fight off most of the males, and quite a few females, who’d want to bed you.”
Her eyebrows drew together. “Vampires aren’t supposed to be able to lie.”
