Claw Mark

I threw my stuff into a bag then rammed my feet into flat sandals. Ryle and Aimery’s words and the concern on their faces had set off a chain reaction of panic inside me. Each worry was rattling to the next like dominos toppling over, and each crash was devastating the perfect harmony that had ruled my world only moments ago.

Elfrida had followed me here to our paradise island? Was she really that thirsty for my rare Bombay blood that was considered a vampire delicacy? Did she care so little about the Worshipful Company of the Ancient Order rules and my husbands’ commitment to my safety and wellbeing?

It seemed she didn’t give a hoot. She’d set her target as me and nothing could change her focus. What was she planning on doing? Stealing me out from under their noses? Surely not. I’d seen my two vampire men in action—they moved like the wind, had strength I had nothing to compare it to and they would not tolerate any threat to my security.

“Beatrice, it is time to go.” Aimery stood in the doorway, his wide shoulders filling the frame and his black, short-sleeved shirt and trousers making him as dark as any shadow—a very dark, very dangerous shadow. He had his cane in his hand, not that he needed it, he just liked the feel of it against his palm and the noise it made as he tapped it against the pavement.

“Where are we going?” I shrugged into a light sweater.

“Far away. Somewhere she will never think to look for us.”

“Not back to England then?”

“Definitely not.” He stepped in, reached for my bag and curled his arm around my waist, the cane scraped a little on the floor. “That would be foolish. She might be bloodthirsty and prepared to break rules but she is also on the high council. She has eyes and ears everywhere and many contacts. Vampires will help her in the hope that one day she will remember the favor and treat them to one in return.” He shook his head and pressed a kiss to my temple. “England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland aren’t safe for us. Actually I think it fair to rule out Europe altogether.”

“So where will we go?” I leaned into him, his permanently cold, rock-hard body reassuring in the feverish state I was in.

“Canada, into the mountains. It’s not ideal but it should disguise your scent.”

“Disguise my scent?” I looked up at him and studied the neat whispers of hair that made up his sideburns.

“Yes, it will confuse her. A lot is happening in the Rockies at the moment, so rumor has it.”

“What do you mean?” I put my hand on his chest, nudged him to go on. “What rumors?”

“The Carlton Pack have, despite what we thought, become very settled there. So it is a dangerous place for a vampire, plus their wolf stench all over the place will be repugnant to her vampire nose.”

“But…?” My head spun. If it was dangerous for Elfrida, surely it was also dangerous for Aimery and Ryle. I’d seen the gruesome tapestry at the company headquarters in London. I’d also heard quiet conversations in the dead of the night and seen the rigidity in the council’s shoulders when the wolves were mentioned in session. The Carlton Pack was not something I wanted to go anywhere near and certainly something I wanted my two lovers to steer clear from, despite their superhuman abilities.

“Shh, do not worry, darling Beatrice. It will all be okay. Plus we will complete the last leg of our travels in the most elegant of ways, something befitting for you, our adored wife. Ryle is organizing it right now.”

“He is?”

“Yes, we will take my boat back to the mainland, fly to Chicago and then Greyhound to Calgary. That way we stand the best chance of losing her. Elfrida doesn’t like to travel in daylight, she’s also has a complete aversion to crowds.”

“An agoraphobic vampire?”

Aimery snorted. “More of a case of she doesn’t like humans at all.”

“And you think that will work? That we’ll lose her?”

“We can only hope that by zigzagging up the States and using every mode of transport, that she’ll either be unable to trace our scent or grow weary of trying to hunt you. There are other fish in the sea. She’ll find something else to do I’m sure.”

He pulled me close and wrapped me in his arms.

I melted into him and wished I could believe that Elfrida would grow tired of trying to find me and my Bombay blood. But it was a fanciful thought as she’d already journeyed from London to a remote island in the Caribbean. She’d stepped away from her respected position within the Order and no doubt been living rough as she staked us out. She seemed to be pretty damn determined to get to me.

“Come on. Come on.” Ryle stood in the doorway and clapped. “Plenty of time for that once we get on our luxury train.”

“What luxury train?” I asked.

He winked, walked over to me and smoothed my hair from where it had messed against Aimery’s chest. “Oh, yes, that’s how we’ll travel from Calgary into the mountains. We may be on the run but there is no reason why we can’t have fun.”

“What have you done?” I narrowed my eyes. Recent revelations had shown me that Aimery and Ryle had no qualms when it came to spending money on having fun. They didn’t eat or drink, unless you counted blood, had seen the world ten times over and had no desire for material goods. It seemed they just wanted to spend their vast bank balances on having a wild time with me while I was still young enough to enjoy it.

They would always be young.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Ryle said, pretending to be hurt by my stern expression.

“Well…?” I asked. “What have you done?”

He grinned suddenly, showing me neat white teeth that I knew held a hidden set of fangs. “We’re booked on the Rocky Pacific.”

“And…?” I’d never heard of the Rocky Pacific but I could tell it was going to be decadent and extravagant by the look on Ryle’s face.

“It’s the Canadian equivalent of the Orient Express. Silver service, fabulous food and wine, views to die for.” Ryle slid his hand down my back and squeezed my arse cheek. “I’ve booked us a first class private carriage. We have our own compartment on the train to secret away in and watch the mountains sweep by. I’m sure we’ll be able to keep ourselves entertained as we slip toward our hideout.”

I couldn’t help but grin. It wasn’t just the memory of us having our first, proper threesome sex just a short time ago, both of them inside me at once. But also, imagine it, me, Beatrice from the meat market, going on a private carriage through the Rocky Mountains. The way my life had changed in the last few months was beyond anything I could have ever dreamed of. And to top it all I was having this wonderful physical and emotional relationship with two men who made me happy, content, satisfied and delirious with pleasure. Life was good, more than good, I was living in ecstasy.

Except for the fact Elfrida wanted to drain me dry.

“We should get going,” I said as Ryle peppered kisses over my ear and onto my neck. “Let’s get there before we relax, yeah?”

“Sensibly said.” Aimery released me and nodded at the door. “We shouldn’t waste another minute. Elfrida isn’t someone I’ve ever underestimated.”

“I agree.” Ryle pressed a quick, hard kiss to my cheek. “But I’m holding the wicked thought I’ve just had, Bea.”

“Good.” I twisted to look at him. Something about his expression made a little bubble of anticipation pop in my belly. I was never quite sure what Ryle had up his sleeve. He was a loose cannon, a man who liked to hit extremes and, it seemed, I would be going along for the ride on this one. “What wicked thought?” I asked.

“Let’s just say,” he said, “it involves handcuffs, a blindfold and a flogger laced with silver strips.”

“Come on,” Aimery said sternly. “Later, let’s do this later.”

* * * *

By the time I stepped onboard the Rocky Pacific I was tired and weary. My hair was tangled and my body travel-grimy.

Elfrida felt like a million miles away and I was happy to push her from my mind and link arms with Ryle as we were shown to our private carriage. He’d assured me I’d be able to take a long, hot shower as a matter of priority, and then he’d organize dinner for me.

“Blimey,” I whispered in his ear, perking up at the opulence surrounding me. Walnut paneling, golden light fittings and a rich scarlet carpet led past a string of windows and numbered doors. “It’s like a five-star hotel on rails.”

“That’s exactly what it is,” Ryle said, squeezing my hand. “Elegant and charming and it has everything we need to keep us satisfied while we’re busy getting lost.”

A member of staff, dressed in a suit complete with a smart burgundy waistcoat, stopped and turned to us with a smile. He had Thomas written on a small brass badge. “Madam, sirs, here is the first of your two rooms.”

Aimery smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”

I pressed my lips together and held in a comment about us only needing one because I knew Ryle would have booked two so that it looked decent. It would have been on Aimery’s insistence, he liked things to be right for the sake of my reputation. It was sweet, but I wasn’t ashamed of being in love with two men; it was how it was for me.

Our onboard butler, Thomas, opened the door and I peered into the room. Like the corridor, it was wooden paneled but it was much bigger than I’d thought it would be and the plush bed was certainly large enough for three. The curtains were made of dense navy material and held open in a soft curve by creamy tasseled tiebacks. There was a wardrobe and a TV, table and chairs and an ice bucket and glasses held in place with thin metal horizontal bars.

“Wow, this is lovely,” I said, stepping in, scanning around and then looking at the three men crowding around the doorway.

“The champagne is chilling, as you requested, sir.” Thomas bowed his head a little at Ryle and took a step backward. “The room immediately to the right is also for your use. The key is next to the flutes. Please don’t hesitate to call for anything you need. Dinner is served, as you requested, at nine in the main dining carriage.”

“Perhaps we could take our meal in this room,” Aimery said, propping his cane against the wall. “Unless of course that is too inconvenient for the waiting staff?” He smiled his most charming smile—the one that made it impossible to deny him anything and changed his face from sternly controlling to softly persuasive.

“Not at all, sir. Nothing is an inconvenience. Our job is to make sure everything is perfect on your trip. Would you like to eat earlier than nine?”

“Thank you and yes please. We’ve had a long day. Getting dressed up might be overstretching us slightly. A tray of supper each will be perfect, as soon as you can manage it.”

“Certainly, sir. That will be in an hour, sir.” He turned and pulled the door shut with a click.

“Bloody hell,” I said, sitting on the bed and giving a little bounce. “I never even knew they had trains with beds. This is so cool. I’ve only ever been on The Tube and then it’s usually standing room only.”

Ryle grinned. “Well this will really blow your mind, Bea. Look.” He flung open a narrow door leading to a luxury white bathroom.

“Er, yes,” I said, “it has, and not least because that shower is calling me.” I stared at the brass showerhead and the tiny purple bottles of luxury products lining the shelf next to it. “If I don’t shower soon, I’ll never get clean.”

“Mmm, maybe I like you dirty,” Ryle said, suddenly tugging me close. “Perhaps I should make you dirtier.”

“You don’t like me dirty in this way.” I pushed at his chest. “I need a shower to feel human again before any of your wicked thoughts are turned into reality.” Though I had to admit, that glint in Ryle’s eyes got me every time. Perhaps I could be persuaded to have a quickie with my very own bad boy vampire.

“If a shower could make us human again,” Aimery said, flicking the water to full blast. “It would be a miracle.”

“You don’t even want to be human again,” Ryle said to Aimery. He dragged me up against his now hard cock and ground against me, enough to make a zing of arousal spark through my body.

Aimery laughed. “You’re right, I like myself better as a vampire. My human soul was a wicked bastard.”

“Aimery.” I reached for his hand. “Don’t say things like that.”

He wrapped his arm around me so that the three of us were snuggled close with me nestled between them. “Just saying it how it is, Beatrice.” He dropped a kiss to my lips as Ryle stroked his fingers down my back.

I fluttered my eyes shut and relaxed into their embrace. Contentment washed over me and I sighed. I worried about Aimery’s hatred of his human self. He had never confessed all the details, but he seemed to have come to terms with it and I supposed that was what was important.

Suddenly we lunged forward.

Ryle laughed and gripped the sink.
I gasped and clung to his shirt.


Aimery squeezed me closer and widened his stance, trapping me between his legs. “We’re on the move,” Ryle said.

“Heading into the safety of the mountains,” Aimery added and glanced out of the window at the empty platform slipping past us. “Finally. The last leg until we reach the lodge.”

“Lodge?”

“Yes, you don’t really think we were going to be hiding out in a cave do you, Beatrice?” Aimery huffed. “We have a beautiful mountain lodge waiting for us. It’s just outside a small, remote town and it’s fully stocked. It will be home for the rest of the winter or until we discover Elfrida’s whereabouts and intentions.”

“Sounds like a good plan,” I said. “But about that shower.” A sense of purpose came over me again. “I really should get in it.”

“Would you like company, beautiful lady?” Aimery asked, reaching for the top button of his shirt and popping it open.

“Mmm, that would be nice.” I eyed his chest and then the shower cubicle. “But I don’t think there’s room for three.”

“Hey, you two go ahead. Have fun.” Ryle released me and whacked Aimery on the shoulder. “I’ll shower next door and catch up with you in a bit.”

“But—” I wanted it to be the three of us. It was the way we were.

“Hey, hey,” Ryle said. “Aimery just reminded me about the lodge. I need to get the housekeeper to add a few finishing touches for our arrival.”

“But, maybe later you could—”

Ryle frowned. “Even if you can’t see me, Bea. Even if I’m not physically with you please remember that I’m always at your side. You own this soul of mine, if you can even call it that, until the day you die, an old and satisfied woman, and then beyond. I am yours for eternity.”

“And I yours.” I swallowed a lump in my throat. The emotion of the day and our fleeing from the island was getting the better of me.

His eyes, an ethereal blue, paler than any human’s, gazed down at me as he crooked his index finger and tipped my chin. “Don’t be sad. We have no time for that. There is only pleasure.”

I nodded and blinked back a tear. I was determined to stay strong the way Dad had taught me to be. Tears were for wimps, for soppy girls, not women who had control over their lives and worked amongst men who were tougher than old boots.

“And then,” Ryle said onto my lips, “after we’ve showered, those thoughts—”

“The ones that involve handcuffs and blindfolds and floggers?” My heart rate picked up at the thought of playing some kinky games on the train. They’d tied me up before. It was hot and naughty and pressed all of my buttons.

Ryle’s soft mouth stretched into a broad smile. “Yeah, but maybe it’s time to switch, eh?”

“What do you mean?”

He winked. It was an infuriating habit of his when he knew something I didn’t. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”