William Read online

  Was she still alive? Or was he deluding himself by refusing to believe that she was already dead?

  What did James have planned for her? The potential list was huge. The only witch at the beginning of a war, she would be a vital asset. One James would use without a care for helping her to keep her magic balanced.

  Questions filled and consumed his every waking thought. She was a new witch, unstable. Surely she wasn’t worth killing?

  Running a hand over his face to try and clear his jumbled thoughts, he sat down at the side of the room. His eyes never left that space where, a few weeks ago, she’d come to life within his arms. He drank gulp after gulp of the potent whisky, until nothing was left in the bottle. He didn’t get up for more. He allowed the liquid to do its work. He refused to blink, tears running down his cheeks as the bitter loneliness broke through him. He kept his eyes on that spot. Like a child, he wondered whether, if he prayed enough, she would respond and appear. The middle of his living room floor remained empty and his heart broke a fraction more at the wasted effort and energy.

  After a while, his gaze began to drift. He fought sleep. He tried to force his eyes open, slapped his own face, but nothing could stop the weight as he drifted off into a blissful sleep.

  William opened his eyes. He gasped at the marvellous beauty of the meadow. He’d not come to this place in such a long time. William usually made sure the liquor drowned him enough that he wouldn’t have to wander through this world alone. His subconscious world—beautiful, peaceful, built for him to walk around with his bonded mate as they slept.

  Since the death of his beloved, Emma, his place had been corrupted by her death. A darkness had seeped into his soul and turned everything he knew to hell. With Katie, everything was different. His paradise was different now. He couldn’t recall the lake, or the deer running across the field. The air smelt fresh, no waves of pollution.

  Magical.

  Mystical.

  William felt the pull of the lake and he strode over to the calm, serene expanse of blue—the clearest blue he’d ever seen.

  He knelt down to touch it, a single finger marking the placid surface.

  William jumped back as somebody erupted out of the water, gasping for breath.

  William gazed at that face and cried inside with joy.

  “Katie?” he whispered, not wanting to disturb the image. He could live with her here, like this. He didn’t want her to disappear as she had so many times before in his mind. He wanted this to last as long as possible.

  She stood twisting the water from her hair.

  “William.” He heard the laughter in her voice as she said his name.

  Getting to his feet, he approached the water, holding out a hand for her to take.

  “No taking my blood, now.” She wagged a finger in his direction.

  “Not without your permission,” he promised.

  Their hands touched and any doubts he’d had came crashing down, rushing away from his body like a bad cloud. This was the person he wanted. The woman he wanted to be with.

  They were mated in the most basic of terms, just enough to satisfy the council and keep them from hurting her, but they hadn’t had the time to complete the mating, for him to speak the bonding words as he took her innocence and made her his.

  He wanted to find her and make the mating complete. To feel Katie’s naked body within his arms. To take everything she had to offer and to give her all of himself as well.

  No protection, just sheer, naked need consuming them both.

  William shook his head, trying to clear the erotic images from his mind. There would be time for him to make love to her soon enough. Seeing her could only mean she was out there, somewhere.

  He guided her from the water, his eyes never leaving hers.

  “You look beautiful,” he murmured.

  “I bet you say that to all the girls, especially if they’re wet,” she teased, chuckling at his comment. William blushed at the innuendo.

  “No, I never do,” he protested. He’d never taken the time to be like this with another woman. Not even with Emma. By the time they’d become a couple the trouble had started with the witch and demon hunters.

  She smiled and for the first time looked away, blushing and shy, as he concentrated all his attention on her. Absorbing her into his mind; greedily taking her in.

  “Is this real?” she asked.

  William didn’t care—he just wanted to stay there and be with her. “Does it matter?”

  She shrugged, looking around. “It’s beautiful.”

  “This is my world,” he confessed.

  “Your world?”

  “Yes, every vampire can do this. When we sleep there is a place we can take our mate. Part of the first natural, initial bond.” He smiled as a deer ran past them.

  Katie was laughing, the sound sweet music to his ears. He’d not heard her laugh much prior to her abduction.

  “So we’re mated?” she questioned.

  He nodded. “Partially.”

  “When?” The attitude was returning thick and fast.

  “The night I took your blood…” He paused to really look at her. “The night you were taken.”

  Her eyes dimmed and a wind blew her white dress around her body. She winced as the chill bit into her body.

  “I remember,” she whispered. It was like she couldn’t remember anything past him. All of her memories had grown hazy since her capture. The one constant thing she remembered was William.

  William was about to ask her more questions when she moved out of his hold.

  “Why is that here?” She pointed over the meadow to the dark forest looming in the distance.

  William couldn’t recall it ever being there before.

  “I don’t know.”

  “That was the first place I used my powers.” She seemed shocked by the memory. “I remember.” She turned abruptly, knocking into him. “Why am I remembering now?”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “When I first got here, I didn’t know who I was—what I was—but it’s like everything is becoming clearer. I can see and I know what’s happened to me.” Her voice grew louder and more frantic with every passing second.

  William needed to calm her down. If she freaked out too much, she would wake up and this moment would be lost. He wanted it to last as long as possible.

  “What is it about the forest?” he asked, wondering what had got her so spooked. It was just a load of trees.

  She took him by the hand and walked with him all the way to the forest’s edge. Even though it looked far away, in his world, the distance was only very short when thinking of the destination. William tightened his hold, not wanting to let go. He watched Katie as she hesitated at the entrance to the forest before shaking her head and stepping into the darkness.

  William followed her all the way through to the centre, not talking but remaining a constant presence for her to turn to if she needed him.

  “This is Beyer Forest.”

  William glanced around before he settled his gaze on her. “What has this place got to do with anything?” he asked her. It was just a forest like any other. Trees, whole, shattered and broken dotted the ground, along with a lot of surface plants.

  She ran her hands through her hair and he noticed the streaks of white in contrast to the rich, dark brown strands that reminded him of amber honey. He reached out and touched her.

  Electricity shot up his arm, making his body tingle. His head snapped back as the connection with her locked into place. His mind processed scenes as they ran through Katie’s mind.

  She was here with Sophie. Scared, tired and feeling alone. He saw it all—the snapped piece of wood, the fear and the first awakening of her power.

  He also saw the shadow of a wolf, which Katie and Sophie had overlooked.

  William severed the connection, looking at the forest around him. There was something missing—something he should be understanding.

  “You cre
ated this in my world.” Never before had he heard of a mate, human or otherwise, being able to manipulate their vampire partner’s own personal universe. She had imprinted her experiences onto the sanctuary of his world.

  “What do you mean?” she whispered, standing close to him.

  William inhaled her fragrance. She smelt like ripe peaches and honey. Sweet and juicy.

  “You’re so beautiful.” He tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear, enjoying the touch of the silky strand. William wanted to run his fingers through her hair, wanted to awaken her the way she’d awoken him. After years of feeling nothing but death and thoughts of bitter revenge, he now had a light, shining brightly. A light telling him to move on, to move forward and embrace this new future awaiting him. Katie was his and he would never forget it.

  Katie blushed and chuckled.

  “You don’t like me,” she teased as she moved against him. William reached out to her, circling her slender waist with his arms.

  “No, I don’t, you’re a pain in the arse,” he said, his body responding to her closeness. He leant down and pressed his lips against her head. “But I could never hate you.” His breath fanned the hair on her head. William heard her sigh, then felt her slump against him, defeated.

  “I’m so sorry,” she cried against him.

  He held her as the tears began to fall. His only regret was that he was holding a shadow of her and not the true, human form.

  “Nothing to be sorry about.” He soothed her—or at least tried to.

  “If I hadn’t sent Sophie to the council, then I wouldn’t be here now and your father wouldn’t have been killed.”

  William tightened his hold. He didn’t want to hear those words. Words of guilt and regret. He wished with all his heart that when he woke up she would still be there, so he could show her how much he loved her.

  Katie had got under his skin. He needed her; craved her. He loved her. It seemed impossible but he knew it was true. A short time was all it had taken for him to become hooked. Katie was like an addiction he didn’t want to give up.

  This little witch had given him something to fight for.

  “If you hadn’t done all those things, you could have already been dead.” His heart hurt just from speaking the thought aloud.

  Katie sobbed harder in his arms. He held her as his heart broke.

  “Where are you, Katie? Where are they keeping you?” He asked the questions he would give his life to know the answers to.

  He was desperate, now. Having her in his arms had given him a new desire to find her and a new hope that he would.

  “I don’t know,” she screamed. “Find me, please, William. I can’t last much longer.”

  Taking her face between his hands, he stared at her.

  “Look at me, Katie. Don’t give up. I swear I’m coming for you. I’m going to find you and when I do I’ll kill the fucking bastard myself.” William made her stare at him, so she could see how serious and determined he was.

  “I’m dying, William,” she croaked, looking down at the ground.

  William tensed. With her white hair and the weight loss, he’d known she was close to losing the battle.

  Tilting her head up, without saying another word, he kissed her.

  Her lips were plump beneath his harder ones. She gasped, opening up, giving him access to her vulnerable mouth. He tasted her, absorbing her delicious scent and the delicate beauty that was his Katie.

  His witch—his woman—and no one was going to take her from him.

  She brought her arms up and held him. He loved having her arms around him and holding her. He wanted this in the real world. But he was thankful for the moments he had with her. Even though it was in a dream, at least she was in his arms.

  Their tongues danced together, tasting and touching. He moved past her lips, down her cheek, until he was laying kisses along her collarbone, inhaling her.

  It was torture knowing she was here yet not here—but it gave him hope. At least she was still alive.

  “Promise me you’ll fight, no matter what, you’ll hold on and you’ll wait for me. I’m coming for you, Katie. I promise.” His voice was fierce.

  She nodded, licking her lips.

  He groaned, a pulse of arousal making his dick harden, the response delighting him, as he’d given up hope of desiring anyone but Emma.

  “Do you promise, if I stay alive and fight, that when you find me you’ll take me to your house…and to your bed?” She gave him a saucy smile through her tears.

  William growled, giving her another fierce kiss.

  “Is that all you can think about, sex?” he asked, his voice teasing.

  “I’ve never had it, and now it’s like an obsession. I want to feel it with you. For you to be my first. Please, promise me,” she begged.

  “I promise that I’ll take you to bed, and more.”

  “More?”

  He nodded. “I’ll make you my wife.”

  Katie sucked in a breath, looking at him with wonder and, he hoped to God, with love.

  “Really?”

  “I promise. A real wedding.”

  She threw her arms round him, laughing, giggling and finally happy with life.

  William caught her head between his hands, the need to possess her plump lips driving him to distraction.

  “What are you doing?” she whispered. He saw the shock but also the glimmer of excitement in her eyes.

  “Giving you a taste of what’s to come,” he said.

  Her eyes closed and William took her lips, plunging his tongue deeper into her mouth. He wished with all of his soul that he could be plunging his dick inside her pussy, to show her how much he desired and loved her. His hands moved down past her neck to the straps of her dress on her shoulders. Slowly, William eased the straps down, exposing her full breasts to his view.

  He pulled away and gazed at the perfection of her mounds. William wanted to suck and taste her. To have her writhing underneath his hands in pleasure.

  “I can’t breathe,” she said. William smiled. He knew how she felt. The pulse of pleasure was affecting him as well.

  He knelt down on the ground before her and took the rest of the dress with him. Her chest heaved with each deeply indrawn breath she took. She looked like perfection. Firm, round tits he could suck on all night, rounded hips and a small waist. A thatch of hair covered her pussy. Everything about her was addictive. William felt like he was worshipping at her feet.

  “Come,” he said. “Sit with me.”

  Katie, naked, knelt within his arms. William laid her on the ground.

  “You’re still dressed,” she said.

  “This isn’t about me. I’m going to give you so much pleasure you’ll be begging for me to fuck you by the time I get to you,” he promised.

  “What if you don’t find me?” she asked. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him.

  “Nothing will keep me away from you. You’re mine, Katie.” His hands went to the apex of her thighs. Her gasp and widened eyes made William chuckle. The only way to distract her was to use her innocent body against her. He slid his finger between her molten folds with such ease that it delighted him. William wanted to drink from her, to taste her essence on his tongue.

  “When I get you into my bed, I’m going to kiss every inch of your body.” He stopped and pressed his lips against her neck. Her body shook beneath his touch and he pulled his fingers from her glistening cunt. William wanted to give her everything. “I’ll drink from you and bring you to climax over and over again. When you’re in my arms I’ll want to see nothing but the beautiful, aroused flush of your skin.”

  He moved his hands and lips down her body, her nipples his next target. William circled each bud before nibbling on it with his teeth. So full—beautiful and perfect.

  He kissed down past her belly. Her tummy quivered and he bit into her flesh. His hands went from her rib cage and down to the smooth flesh of her thighs. Opening her wide, he gazed down at her
innocent pussy glinting at him. The scent of her arousal permeated the air.

  “You’re going to love me for the rest of your life,” he promised. Seconds later, he swiped his tongue from her entrance all the way up to her delicious little clit. Her taste exploded on his tongue and he growled in satisfaction. Katie White was his for the taking. Her fingers gripped his head.

  William pulled away. “When you’re spread on my bed I’ll lick you until your cum explodes on my tongue.”

  “What about you? I want to see you,” she begged.

  He needed to release himself. In one smooth move he got to his feet and dropped his trousers. His cock stood out, firm and hard. He moaned as she licked her lips.

  William took his shaft in hand and stroked himself, the tip leaking his pre-cum. He gazed down at her weeping pussy and groaned. It would be so easy to put his chivalry to bed and take her, here and now. But he couldn’t. He’d promised her and forcing himself to wait would be the greatest torture and provide him with the biggest need. No other woman would stand a chance.

  He went back to her side and watched as she moved her fingers over his where he held his dick.

  “Do you want to touch me?” he asked.

  Katie nodded, not moving her eyes from his cock. William released his hold and allowed Katie to grasp him.

  “I don’t want you to lick me,” she said. “I want you to play with me while I’m playing with you. Only, I want you to tell me what you want to do to me.”

  She was slowly killing him. Her innocence astounded him. Did she have any idea how erotic she sounded?

  He cupped her sex and ran his fingers over her creamy clit. She’d asked this of him and he’d give her it. She ran her hands up and down his shaft.

  “I’m going to get you on my bed. Tie you up so you’ve got nowhere to go. Your legs wide, showing your wet cunt. I’ll make you wait and beg for it and then I’ll make you come so hard you’re screaming with pleasure.”

  William circled her clit and ran down to her centre. He didn’t enter her. The taking of her virginity would happen in his bed. With warmth and caring and knowing that when she woke up he’d still be there, waiting for her.