Heart of Stone - Book 2: Hearts Collide
Chapter 34 - Aubree (Part 1)

Aubree could feel Stone’s urgency to get out of here, but also a growing sensation of anger bubbling up under the surface of his skin. She wanted to ask about it but knew better than to say anything that would draw attention to the vampires.

While she and Dan searched for the exit, Dan had explained to her that he had sharper hearing capabilities and sense of smell, but that his sense of smell was largely attuned to blood. More than once she caught him looking at her as if he were in some kind of predatory trance, which he managed to shake off when she called his attention.

Despite his apologies, he still made her edgy, even though she knew she could trust him. He was still Dan... just in another form, sort of.

When Stone and Alistair showed up, she was beyond relieved, until Alistair advanced on Dan.

Vampire or not, she couldn’t have any of them hurting Dan. She may not love Dan the same way he loved her, but she still cared about him. Once they got out of there, she would explain everything to them as Dan had told her. He wasn’t a threat to them. He was her friend. Surely, they could make an exception for him?

“Hold tight,” Stone told her in a low voice before he picked up his speed. “And close your eyes and ears.”

What? How could she—

There was a hiss, like the threat of a cat, before a sickening crack of bones and a splattering of blood against the wall behind her. She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her face into Stone’s shoulder, her arms tightening around his neck as something heavy fell to the ground with a thud. A hint of vinegar and copper met her nose before disappearing behind her.

She didn’t need any more explanation. Vampires were coming out at them as she bounced along on Stone’s back, while he ran to get them all out of there.

Another hiss met her ears, this time ahead of them. Instinctively, she tightened her hold around Stone as his arms released her legs and a split second later she heard another crack, splat, and thump. She held her breath as the toxic fumes flooded over her. Another crack sounded further behind her followed by another thump on the ground.

Stone slowed as he turned a corner but immediately pulled back. An inaudible growl vibrated within him and she felt a ripple of fear through his touch as he paused in his tracks.

Without a word, a rush of air blew past her and she heard grunts of a struggle around the corner.

“Eyes closed,” Stone commanded in a whisper to her again.

A screech of agony squeezed her heart before another crack of bones invaded her ears, but the grunts and hisses continued.

“Mistress!” a male voice called out, making Stone’s grip tighten around her legs.

Another screech, crack, wet smack against a wall, and thump later, Stone jumped around the corner, ordering her to hold on tight again.

He leaned back on one leg as the other kicked up and Aubree heard the hiss of air as his foot collided with a vampire. A sickening crunch made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, but then they were moving again.

She held her breath as they bounced forward.

A whoosh of cool air flooded over her and then she felt Stone’s shoulders moving up and down, and she realized he was climbing.

“Almost there,” he said.

Opening her lungs, she gasped at the putrid stench that greeted her. Darkness surrounded her when she opened her eyes. Loud banging fists against a thick wooden surface pounded below.

Stone growled in agitation and hurried up the last few feet before stopping.

Aubree tightened her hold again as he tore a wooden door off its hinges and threw it down. Wood scraped against cement as Alistair tried to use the wood Stone tossed down to barricade the door below.

Firm hands pulled her forward, over Stone’s head, and through a hole in the brick wall. Aubree couldn’t see who was there, but she could tell through touch that it was Gunner.

“Where are we?” she asked as Stone’s hands gripped her hips and helped her through.

Her feet touched water and she grimaced, hoping that she wasn’t where she thought she was.

“The sewer,” Gunner said, confirming her suspicions.

She groaned in disgust, hiking her pencil skirt up higher over her thighs.

Stone clambered out behind her before Gunner took his place on the ladder and began to climb down.

“Hop on,” Stone ordered, getting back down on one knee in front of her. “I have to get you home. We’re sending in the werewolves to finish the job.”

Her mouth fell open. “What about Dan?”

“He’s not your concern anymore.”

Pain seized her heart as her breath caught in her throat.

Oh my God... “No... you guys didn’t...”

He whirled around and gripped her arms in his hands. She could feel his anger and jealousy pulsing through his touch as he snapped at her. “Why? You want me to take you back to that bloodsucking leech?”

What the fuck? “No,” she gritted out.

“Good,” he growled out, the vibrations and the timbre of his voice made her shiver in delight as he pulled her closer to him. “Because I’m never giving up on you. You hear me? I want you by my side, leading this pack with me. I want you to wake up next to me in the mornings, your heart beating against mine. I want you to grow old with me, and die an old woman in my arms with a smile on your face so that I know I’ve given you the best I could offer. I won’t be satisfied if I don’t see your smile and hear your laughter every day of your life. Understand?”

She gaped at him, her chest heaving, her heart feeling too big and pounding too hard against her ribs. “Stone, I—”

His lips cut her off, grasping hers hungrily, possessively, dominatingly. The force of it took her breath away, and yet it was as though she was kissing another side of him—a wild, primal, animalistic side.

And she loved it. Craved it. Her body responded like a starved beast, hungrily devouring his mouth, raking her fingernails over his chest, matching his need, his possession, with equal force of her own.

Where was this coming from? She had no idea, but the fierceness within her was empowering.

A series of snarls and screeches echoed up from the hidden tunnels, interrupting them. Wrenching apart, reality smacked Aubree across the face as she gripped tightly to Stone. The reminder that the vampires were merely fifty feet underfoot made her blood run cold as she froze against him.

Breathing heavily, he grasped her face in his palms and tilted it up to press his forehead to hers. “Dammit. Let me get you out of here, Love.”

Love?

She melted under his touch and nodded before he swiped his lips briefly over hers. She climbed onto his back and locked her limbs around him.

“Dan’s fine, by the way,” Stone said before he picked up his feet and began to splash down the dark passageways at a quick and even pace.

Aubree heard others running past her to the entrance of the vampire’s underground hide-out and squeezed her eyes shut, praying that Dan would be okay. She didn’t know what she’d do if one of them tore him to pieces like they had the other vampires.

He shouldn’t have become one, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

“I don’t want anyone hurting him, okay?” she said as Stone rounded another corner. “It’s my fault he became a vampire.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“Please? Just order everyone not to hurt him. I can’t have his blood on my hands.”

He sighed, slowing as the tunnel began to descend. “If you insist, it shall be done.”

“Thank you.”

“But if he attacks anyone...”

Heart growing heavy, she pressed her lips together and swallowed, knowing fully well what he meant.

“They have the right to defend themselves,” he finished.

“Yeah,” she agreed softly.

She couldn’t imagine Dan willfully hurting anyone, but he had changed. As a vampire, he fed off of humans. As a vampire, he had to protect himself against lycan and werewolf attacks.

Unless he wanted to die.