“A penny for your thoughts?”

“It’s just—well, Ian is speaking to me right now, and It’s a bit distracting.”

Aiden’s body went rigid and his hands curled around the arm of his chair, the wood cracked under the pressure.

“I see. That can be a bit frustrating. It took me awhile to get the hang of it myself,” Aaron sympathized.

“You’re bonded?” The question came out a little more skeptical than I intended, but Aaron didn’t seem to take offence.

“The entire council is bonded to one another. It helps us communicate when we are far from each other.”

“You can be bonded to more than one person?” I sat up closer to the table, interested in learning more about the vampires.

“You can if you all share the same blood line. It seems Aiden hasn’t taught you much about our kind,” Aaron sent Aiden a pointed look. “The vampire council consists of the original six, all turned by Nufesum, our God you might say. We were chosen for our positions, not voted in like some councils,” he finished. The last part of what he said was directed towards the witches. Every twenty years we elected new council members. “Who’s Nufesum?” A waitress walked over and set a glass of something purple in front of me and walked away after Aaron nodded.

“Please drink, and I’ll tell you all about it,” Aaron smiled as he leaned back. I eyed the purple concoction with uncertainty. But when Aaron remained silent, I knew he wouldn’t speak until I drank whatever was in the glass. Picking up the drink, I brought it to my lips and allowed a small amount to fill my mouth. It tasted sweet and crisp. I took a larger drink. It prickled my tongue and sent waves of euphoria washing through my veins.

“Okay,” I mumbled. “Tell your story.” My body was warm like being wrapped in an electric blanket, and my frustrated libido awakened in a frenzy. I rubbed my legs together as I tried to concentrate on Aaron. Aiden’s eyes shot over to me, and my hand caressed his face. His skin was course under my fingertips as I trailed my hand across his five o’clock shadow.

Aaron chuckled, bringing my focus back to him. “You like the drink?”

I nodded in slow motion, everything lingered longer than it should. “It’s delicious,” I purred, my voice huskier than normal. I reached for the glass again and downed the last of its contents. Aaron raised his arm in the air and motioned for someone. The waitress appeared beside the table and another purple drink was set in front of me.

“I think one is enough,” Aiden said.

“Nonsense, let the girl enjoy her drink Aiden,” Aaron said with a smile, but even I could hear the threat in his voice.

Lifting the glass, I took another drink. An explosion of desire and heat surged through my body the moment the contents slid down my throat. My chest heaved as I breathed deep, my eyes glued to Aiden’s.

“Nufesum,” Aaron began. “Is a demonic vampire—one of the originals. He’s not much to look at, but he is powerful. When the vampires were created by the Devil, Nufesum was the commander in charge of all of the Dark One’s children. But Nufesum couldn’t stay on earth all the time, so he set out to build a council to watch over the children. I remember it as if it were yesterday. I was tending the farm when the sky blackened with winged creatures. I was nineteen then and frozen with fear as I watched the monsters descend upon me and my family. Nufesum ordered for me to call for my brothers and sisters and when we all stood in front of him, he hypnotized us so we would remain silent and obedient. One by one he bit my brothers and sisters, draining them of their blood and then refilling their veins with his. I still remember my siblings tear streaked faces and soiled trousers as the monster came for them. I was the last in the line and watched his show so I knew what I was in for.” Aaron stopped when I giggled. My hands searched for the glass again, but Aiden snapped it off the table before I realized it was gone. I stared at the spot it had been and frowned.

“No more,” Aiden said, more to Aaron than me.

“When did you get so uptight, my friend?” Aaron questioned with a grin.

Even in my intoxicated state, I could tell the difference in the air around our table. It was suffocating compared to my relaxed and aroused body. Aiden and Aaron’s energy swirled like an angry tornado within the small space and rippled across my skin.

“What’s in that dink,” I busted out laughing. “I mean drink, not dink.”

“Vampire venom,” Aaron spoke, but his focus was on Aiden. “My venom.” The energy grew thicker, and I could almost feel Aiden and Aaron’s energy fighting each other. Aaron’s rubbed against me like a soft caress, whereas Aiden’s energy whooshed in and tried to eradicate Aaron’s power from me.

I never quite understood what vampire’s energy was. Aiden once explained it was their influence. Humans could sense it. It caused their fight or flight switch to kick into overdrive, but they weren’t affected by it unless a vampire caught their gaze. Witches, however, are sensitive to magic and auras. So when a vampire was using his influence, or vamp juju as I called it, it felt like tingling prickles along our skin.

“It’s not wise to fight me, Aiden,” Aaron warned. “Gwen has asked for our help and everything has a price. You cannot pay her debt.”

Aiden’s energy withdrew, and a smile spread across Aaron’s face. The warmth in my body amplified and my hands gripped the side of my chair to keep from slithering out of it.

“Gwen, Aiden has told you of your debt I assume?”

I nodded my head as I clenched my teeth to keep from moaning. Vampire venom was what made their bite so desirable, or painful, depending on what the vamp was in to. Ian had shown me exactly how painful those types of bites could be. Luckily, Aaron preferred to inflict pleasure rather than torture. Or he could have been turning me on just to piss Aiden off. Vampires loved having pissing contests.

“And what is your answer?” Aaron asked, tilting his head back as he observed me over the brim of his nose. “Remember once your word is given, it cannot be taken back.”

The currency for my debt wasn’t money, it was my blood. Aiden called it a blood gift, but I knew better, and I knew what kind of power a vampire could hold over you once your blood hit their tongues. Aiden drank from me once and the exchange of blood and venom left us hyper aware of each other’s emotions. This time around it would be six vampires drinking from me, six different types of venom traveling through my veins. While the price seemed high, the reward was bigger. I would be rid of the bond with Ian, and I could kill him.

“I accept the offer and willingly gift my blood to the VC,” I told him breathless. Aaron’s energy traveled up my legs, curling around my calves and ascending up my legs. The invisible caress was like warm hands charged with electricity that set every one of my nerve endings on fire.

My back arched against the chair as my head drooped and lips parted. A soft moan escaped from deep in my throat. Aiden snarled next to me, but I was lost in a sea of euphoria, unable to see the lighthouse that would guide me back to sanity. My neglected libido yearned for the sensation of Aaron’s influence, or at least that’s what my body said. In my mind, I knew Aaron was controlling the venom.

“There, you have your answer. Leave her alone,” Aiden bit out.

The waves of sensual energy withdrew bit by bit, almost hesitate to leave. Feeling lightheaded, I inhaled a deep breath and released it slowly. My body was relaxed, and I was still turned on, but without Aaron pushing his influence, I could handle the emotions better. My eyes met Aaron’s blackened eyes. His fangs peaked from under his lips and ever so slowly, they spread to reveal a satisfied smile. His tongue darted out and caressed his upper lip as our gazes locked onto each other. Like a flash of lightning, Aaron sunk those fangs into the girl next to him. Her wrist was brought up to his mouth as he drank greedily. His eyes never lost contact with me. Lust and desire swam through his eyes, a look much too mature on a face so young.

Aiden grabbed my hand and squeezed. I appreciated the gesture, but I couldn’t look away from Aaron. I wasn’t sure if he was using hypnosis on me, or if I just found him eerily fascinating. He was far more powerful than any vampire I’d encountered. The girl’s wrist thumped on the table when Aaron finished drinking. Trails of blood traveled down his chin, that his tongue darted out to catch. “I look forward to tasting you, Gwen Sparks,” he said as he swiped his thumb across his bottom lip.

A shudder of fear crept through me at the direct statement. “When?” I asked through trembling lips.

Don’t do it, little witch

I didn’t know how he did it, but Ian always knew what I was doing. Our bond worked both ways; I could sense him just as much as he could me, but I didn’t know where he was or what he was doing at every second.

Scared? I thought.

It’s a trap. The council doesn’t give a rat’s ass about a witch being bonded to a vampire. Think about it, little witch.

Ian was doing his best to intertwine doubt into my mind, and it was sorta working.

“When you get your council to meet with us,” Aaron said.

“And if I can’t?”

“You will. Breaking the bond with Ian is too important, is it not?”

“It’s important to me, but that doesn’t mean I can get my council to meet with you.”

“You’ll find a way, I’m sure,” Aaron smiled and then flourished his hand.

Aiden stood. “Come on, Gwen.”

With one last look at the elder vampire, I followed Aiden out of the club. “What the hell was that?” The cold air bit at my exposed skin and caused goose bumps along my flesh.

“His way of dismissing us,” Aiden said as we walked down the sidewalk to his SUV.

“Not the hand thing, the drink thing.” I could still feel the effects of Aaron’s venom in my system, but it was waning and rational thoughts were slowly coming back.

Aiden’s SUV beeped as he unlocked it. He held my door open, and I climbed inside. Once he was situated in the driver’s seat he looked over and said, “His way of controlling you and showing me I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. The council members are old and primitive in their ways of thinking. They enjoy controlling and playing with people.”