Kerrelyn Sparks - How to Seduce a Vampire (Without Really Trying)

“Who is Jia?”

“She’s the one in charge right now while the Grand Tiger is gone. She’s his cousin.” Zoltan escorted her up the steps to a small building and kicked his shoes off at the door.

“I haven’t had a chance to meet her. It’s been very hectic here with all the soldiers coming in.” Neona stepped out of her shoes. “Which one is the Grand Tiger? Rinzen or Tenzen?”

“Neither. They’re Rajiv’s uncles. He’s the Grand Tiger.”

Neona gasped. “Rajiv? But he’s so young.” She winced. “I don’t think Freya knows.”

Zoltan shrugged. “I’m sure he’ll tell her when he’s ready.” He led her inside the bathhouse, then closed the door and slid the bar into place. “I promised you a date. I hope this will do.”

She looked around. “It’s lovely.” The room was dominated by a large sunken tub. The surface of the water glimmered in the light from two candles.

She knelt down to touch the water. “It’s warm.”

With vampire speed, Zoltan threw off his clothes. She straightened slowly, watching him. Then she smiled as he approached her.

“I won’t undress you that fast. I enjoy it too much.” He untied the sash at her waist and peeled off her tunic.

She smoothed a hand down his chest. “I enjoyed watching you. If I were a vampire, my eyes would be glowing red.”

“Like this?” He cupped her bare breasts, and his vision turned pink. His groin tightened at the thought of giving her climax number eight and nine. He teased her taut nipples, pinching gently at the hardened tips.

“I want you. Now.” She wiggled out of her pants. “Actually, I’ve wanted you since last night. Ever since you came to rescue us at the monastery.”

“Did I tell you how terrified I was? I thought I’d lost you.” He climbed into the tub and pulled her in with him. “I’ve been desperate to hold you.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I didn’t realize how much I loved you till I feared I would never see you again.”

He kissed her hard, and she kissed him back. He couldn’t get her close enough. Couldn’t kiss her enough. Or touch her enough. He lifted her so he could suckle her breasts. Then lifted her more till she was perched on the edge of the pool and he could dive between her legs. Within seconds, she was crying out and her core was throbbing against his mouth.

With a satisfied growl, he plunged inside her. She wrapped her arms and legs around him. His pace was fast and hard, but she urged him to give her more. Desperation drove their desire. He pumped harder, faster, deeper, and she bucked against him, matching his every move.

With a shout, he grasped her hips and ground himself against her. She shattered with a scream just as he climaxed.

They slumped back into the pool, clinging to each other as their breathing returned to normal. And still they held each other, even as the water began to grow cold.

The first tug of death-sleep pulled at Zoltan. “The sun will be up soon.”

She nodded. “When will the army arrive at Beyul-La?”

“The night after tomorrow. Can I talk you into staying here, where it’s safe?”

“No.” She kissed him. “I’m going to be with you.”

The night arrived, and everyone was in their appointed place. Russell confirmed the army was crossing into Frederic’s valley. Zoltan waited with Neona at the top of the rock wall. Lydia, Freya, and Freddie were there, along with Angus, Robby, and J.L. Tashi was in Tiger Town, helping Emma take care of the dragon babies.

Zoltan squeezed Neona’s hand, then they readied their weapons. The Vamps were using dart guns. The women had bows and arrows, with the arrowheads treated with the same drug as the darts.

With his superior hearing, Zoltan could detect the soldiers coming down the hillside. “Just a few more seconds,” he whispered.

Neona drew back her bow. He readied his pistol.

As soon as the soldiers cleared the forest, Zoltan and his companions let loose the first volley. Eight targets hit, and they reloaded to fire again. Eight more.

“Down!” Angus yelled just before a spray of bullets went over their heads.

“Let’s go,” Angus ordered, and each Vamp grabbed a warrior woman to teleport away. They’d done their job, luring the soldiers to the rock wall, which was the best way to access Beyul-La.

Zoltan materialized with Neona at the fire pit. Damn. They were supposed to have landed next to the cave entrance. He picked her up and zoomed to the cave at vampire speed.

“What the hell was that?” Angus asked. He and the others had arrived at the right place.

“Long story,” Zoltan muttered.

A series of explosions sounded at the end of the valley. Han’s army was acting just as expected. They’d used grenades to blast away the rock wall. Any second now, the soldiers would be streaming into the valley.

“You know what to do?” Angus asked the women.

“Yes,” Lydia whispered. “We scream ‘Save the dragons’ and run into the cave.”

“Start screaming as soon as they draw close to Nima’s house,” Zoltan said. “By the time they reach Neona’s house, you’ve got to be in the cave.”

They nodded. The night before, the Vamps had tested the range of the AK-47s to make sure the women would be out of range of the approaching army.

Zoltan squeezed Neona’s shoulder. “Be careful.” He and the other three Vamps slipped inside the cave.

Since they wanted to lure the soldiers quickly into the cave, it had seemed best to make them believe that only a few frightened women were guarding it. Then they would charge straight for it, thinking an easy victory was in their grasp.

Zoltan waited, his fists clenched as he imagined an army charging straight toward Neona. He and the other Vamps had captured more raiding parties the night before, so Han’s army now numbered around one hundred and ninety.

He heard the women scream, then shout in Chinese. Then explosions burst so loud that he could no longer hear their voices. His heart lurched. Had the bastards shot some sort of rocket at the women? He lunged toward the cave entrance.

The women stood just outside, staring at the valley with stricken looks on their faces.

“Neona!” he shouted. “Hurry!”

She and the other women ran inside, and he grabbed her.

“What’s wrong?” His heart clenched at the tears in her eyes.

“They blew up my house!” she cried.

“Let’s go!” Angus shouted.

They teleported the women away before the soldiers could reach the cave. The designated landing spot was the forest above the burial mounds.

Zoltan landed with Neona behind Minerva’s burial mound. Quickly he pushed her down so they were flat on the ground. Below, in the valley, soldiers were charging for the cave. Smoke rose from the ruins of the houses.

“What’s wrong?” Neona whispered. “We’re supposed to be in the forest.”

He winced. “My teleportation is off. I think it’s because of the Living Water.”

He scooted to the edge of the mound and peered down into the valley. As expected, many of the soldiers ran straight into the cave, hoping to be the first ones to find the dragons so they could share in the glory of pleasing Master Han. To lure them into the second, larger cavern, the shifters had moved the empty nests there and hidden a tape recorder that played the sound of crying babies.

Some of the soldiers lingered outside the cave. It was the shifters’ job to make them go inside. The shifters were hidden in the nearby woods and fired AK-47s at the ground in front of the soldiers. The soldiers retreated inside the cave but remained in the first cavern room. Tremendous roars shook the forest, then three grizzly bears, three tigers, and two panthers charged toward the cave. The men screamed and ran toward the second cavern.