Fear skittered along Syndelle's nerve endings as the Viper pulled away from the hotel. She could feel Brann's immense power moving against her own like a hungry tiger rubbing its face and body against the bars of a cage-only it was the prey trapped inside the cage and not the deadly predator.

Her blood sang with Sabin's ancient knowledge of who Brann was, what he was.

Sorcerer. Executioner. Vampire. A being who would recognize what she was, a being who could unleash the ancient magic inside her and use it for his own purposes.

The mate of her nightmares. The bogeyman she'd feared her entire life.

But even so, the melody of a thousand chimes sang in her mind, insisting that she finish what she started, that the bond be closed. The feel of Rafael's hard cock against her bottom as he held her on his lap in the tight confines of the sports car, adding to the need.

She pressed her forehead against the window and closed her eyes, trying to block out the sound of the chiming, the urgent, primordial call to merge with these two men.

That she would ultimately yield her body was a foregone conclusion. She knew it, accepted it. Only death would free her from the demands of the Angelini magic that had created her, and she had no death wish.

The call to mate with Rafael had overwhelmed her, surprised her, pleased her. He was human and she did not fear humans. He was what she'd once hoped for, a human mate.

Like a turtle, she pulled deeper into her shell, retreating to a place where neither the chiming, nor the heady scent of Rafael, nor Brann's power could reach her, retreating to a place where she could pull her strength and courage around her.

Syndelle. Already the name resonated within Brann, calling to his body, his soul, his heart.

She was a prize beyond measure, beyond compare, one he'd thought might be more vampire myth than reality.

The Coronado family had guarded her and kept her secret well. So well that there was not even a whisper among members of the council of her existence, of what she was, what she would be to the vampire who could possess her. He doubted that even the Angelini knew what she was. There would be those among them who would want to see her dead if they knew, who would fear the return of the old magic, the old days, should she fulfill the destiny carried within her blood.

Brann pressed against her shields again, harder this time, using his link with Rafael to try and move into her mind. The way was blocked. Impenetrable.

Only the most ancient, the most powerful vampires had shields so strong. But he would have expected nothing less from Sabin's daughter. He would have expected nothing less of the Coronado line. Or from The Masada.

He pushed again, trying to gauge whether his attempts to breach her barriers were weakening her, but felt only the flare of her power countering his own. They were well-matched, a perfect complement to one another.

Brann smiled in the dark interior of the car. The battle would be delicate, though hard-fought, but in the end his will would reign. In the end, she would be the answer to his centuries' old prayer, one that had started the first night he awakened as a vampire. In the end, she would be his companion-bound to him by blood, his in every way, his to command even as it was his duty to protect and provide for her.

Rafael shifted in his seat, his cock so hard and full that he felt more animal than man. A multitude of feelings and conflicting desires warred along his nerve endings and down his spine. Brann's powerful will pressed through his veins, adding to the tangle of emotion and sensation swirling inside Rafael until he couldn't stand it anymore. "Enough already. Get out of my fucking head!"

His harsh snarl made Syndelle tense on his lap, the involuntary clench of her buttocks sending a shockwave through his penis. Rafe's arms tightened around her, forcing her body down hard on his erection. Fuck, after years of not being allowed to come, he was about a breath away from shooting his load into his own pants. "Don't move," he growled against Syndelle's neck, his teeth automatically clamping down on the place where he'd bitten her earlier.

She whimpered in response, her body going soft and submissive, and Rafael knew he'd be lucky to make it out of the car before taking her again. He groaned against her spring-scented flesh, his heart racing as the Viper moved through the wrought iron gates of Brann's most heavily protected home. A thin layer of sweat coated his body as he fought off the need to rut like a crazed wolf.

Brann's anticipation stroked along their link and he knew the vampire wanted this. Wanted to see him fucking her. Wanted much, much more than just that.

Rafael didn't know which was worse-what the vampire's bond had done to him or what the Angelini mating had done to him.

He was panting by the time the car came to a stop.

Rafael's harsh challenge to the vampire had jolted Syndelle out of her protective shell and into a maelstrom of emotion and desire. There was no fighting the need to mate. Rafael's cock burned through their clothing, his heavy breathing and the feel of his teeth awakened the wolf and the Angelini magic rose with it.

Brann got out of the car and moved to the passenger side, opening the door and easily lifting Syndelle from Rafael's lap. It was the first time he'd touched her and a whimper escaped as the dark melody of his power poured through her and the wolf lifted its head, howling, its song blending with the music of a thousand chimes. She shivered, resting her head against the waterfall of Brann's hair, its deep red color a reminder of what was to come. She wouldn't escape this night without exchanging blood with him. He would never allow it.

They moved through the house, so quickly that Syndelle was left with only vague impressions of rich colors and priceless artifacts. Brann stopped in a room with no windows, though Syndelle could still feel how close the sun was to rising.

Rafael joined them, reaching for Syndelle as Brann lowered her to her feet, his need was a furnace blast across her senses and Syndelle offered no resistance as Rafael's hands roughly stripped her of her clothing. She could do nothing but yield as he fell to his knees, rubbing his face in the soft down of her pubic hair before forcing her legs apart and driving his tongue through her flooded, swollen slit.

Syndelle cried out, her back arching, her face lifting as the wolf's face lifted to howl its pleasure. Brann's hands covered her breasts then, pulling her back to his now bare chest, holding her there, imprinting his heat and scent on her.

"We will mate, Syndelle, and you will become my companion," he purred, letting her feel the brush of his fangs against her neck as his fingers squeezed her nipples, demonstrating how much her body wanted his. She cried out, unable to do anything other than push into his palms as his possessive touch burned like a hot wire from her areolas to her clit.

Rafael growled against her wet pussy, claiming her attention and making her go weak as he took her swollen knob into his mouth, torturing her by striking the sensitive bud with his tongue, by swirling over and around it, and then by sucking hard and fast, his continuous moans and wet sucks washing over her, sending the wolf into a frenzy that wouldn't be eased until it was mounted.

She thrashed against Brann's body, crying out, alternating between trying to escape the extreme pleasure and trying to thrust her clit deeper into Raphael's mouth. Their hold on her was ruthless, forcing her to stay still, to endure until she was panting, pleading, sobbing for release.

With a deep growl, Rafael shoved his fingers into her cunt, going unerringly to her most sensitive spot and stroking as his tongue and lips feverishly worked her clit, sending a convulsive, scalding wave of orgasm through her just as Brann sank his fangs into her neck.

Oblivion threatened, a dark wave of exquisite pleasure as climax slammed through her, opening her senses, lowering her shields so that the hot magic of her Angelini blood collided with Brann's ancient vampire power as he took her blood, drinking of her essence in deadly, seductive pulls, and forging a link between them.

Rafael's teeth stung her thigh as he clamped down on the mark he'd left during their first mating and an erotic current whipped from Rafael's bite to the place where Brann's teeth pierced her skin. Syndelle screamed, thrashing wildly, instinctively fighting against a pleasure so extreme that it threatened to annihilate all her defenses and leave her completely helpless. Their hold on her tightened as the white-hot shocks of ecstasy escalated until the only escape was to yield to her body's demands and let the tidal wave of release roll over her, spinning her and sucking her under, embracing her, until finally stilling and cradling her in its dark depths.

Rafael's hand went to his jeans, unzipping the fly and pushing them down, freeing his cock and gripping it tightly to keep from coming. He'd only been able to last this long because of the companion bond, because Brann's will, his command made it possible.

Fierce masculine satisfaction surged through Rafe at the sight of Syndelle passed out from the pleasure, but he prayed her faint wouldn't last. He was desperate enough to rut on her unconscious form.

She stirred and Rafael eased back on his heels, watching as Brann pulled away from Syndelle's neck, his fangs slowly retracting. Syndelle's eyes fluttered open and a wash of embarrassed color flooded her face, unexpectedly filling Rafael with tenderness.

Brann's voice stirred in Rafael's mind. The sunrise grows closer. Put her on her hands and knees and mount her.

The command chased away Rafael's softer emotion. He grasped Syndelle's hips and eased her down, settling her on her hands and knees as Brann freed his own penis, taking it in hand. Rafael tried to look away from the sight of Brann stroking his own cock, but he was trapped, the bond between them making it impossible to escape the knowledge of what Brann ultimately wanted from both his companions. Of what Brann wanted him to willingly offer and accept. What he had not yet succeeded in getting from Rafael.

But there was no refusing the command to mount her. He would fuck her. He would take her while Brann watched and he would know just how much the vampire enjoyed it.

Animal instinct took over, Angelini magic and vampire compulsion, and Rafael could do nothing but cover her body with his, mounting her and thrusting his penis into her in one fierce stroke that had her lifting her head, crying out.

Brann joined them on the floor, one hand on his shaft while the fingers of the other speared into Syndelle's hair and guided her mouth to his hungry cock.

She whimpered, fighting Brann's silent command, her sheath tightening in reaction and sending unbearable pleasure through Rafael's penis. He groaned and thrust faster, harder, his teeth automatically sinking into the place where Brann had taken her blood.

Syndelle submitted instantly, burying her face in Brann's groin, licking and sucking, her moans adding to the frenzy that Rafael felt. He pounded in and out of her, suddenly desperate to reach the deep ring of muscles that would clamp down on the head of his cock and lock him to her body.

Sweat poured off him, his breath heaved in and out of his chest in panting groans. She shifted so that he went deeper and lust roared through him like a freight train. He clamped down harder on her tender skin, tasting her blood, hearing its call.

She shivered and whimpered and he felt the last deep barrier yield in the instant before she trapped him in her body, triggering one orgasm after another for all three of them.

When it was done, Rafael only barely had enough energy to roll off her. His hand moving to her hip, intending to pull her down and cuddle her against him in contented sleep.

No. Brann's sharp command brought Rafe's attention to where Syndelle's face was still buried in the vampire's groin. He couldn't look away as Brann eased Syndelle's mouth from his cock and held her lips against his inner thigh.

"Finish it, Syndelle," Brann ordered and along the Angelini bond that Rafael shared with her, he felt something dark and primordial stir in anticipation as Syndelle obeyed, clamping down on the offered flesh, giving Brann the first mating mark.

Rafael felt the vampire's satisfaction. It washed over him along with the knowledge that Syndelle's taking of Brann's blood was almost as pleasurable to the vampire as the taking of his seed.