Alchemy Mates 3

  Necessary Passion

  Aidan MacGregor is a vampire hunter who owes his life to a vampire. Despite his reluctance to interact with the vampire who saved his life, it is time to pay his debt. He must travel to Prussia in order to train for the upcoming challenge between Sky and his rival Jessup. Little does he know, the vampire he’s made a deal with will pose a greater temptation to his lust than to his anger as the true extent of his role in the conflict is revealed.

  Sky Engleman is a vampire prince down to his last resort. He didn’t expect the child he’d saved would grow up to be the man fate made his alchemy mate, but he will stop at nothing to show Aidan that being with him is the greatest adventure the vampire hunter could ever desire. Aidan wants his freedom, but he also wants Sky. Can they come to a compromise in order to find happiness?

  Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Paranormal, Vampires/Werewolves

  Length: 35,286 words

  NECESSARY PASSION

  Alchemy Mates 3

  Jana Downs

  EVERLASTING CLASSIC

  MANLOVE

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  NECESSARY PASSION

  Copyright © 2013 by Jana Downs

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-62242-280-7

  First E-book Publication: February 2013

  Cover design by Harris Channing

  All art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

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  NECESSARY PASSION

  Alchemy Mates 3

  JANA DOWNS

  Copyright © 2013

  Chapter One

  Prussia, 1816

  He had arrived. Sky watched the travel carriage pull up to the front of the house from the second floor of his estate home with a combination of anticipation and dread. Aidan MacGregor was the second-oldest son of a branch of vampire hunters that had been around for centuries. He was often described as possessing little humor, a lot of drive, and a stronger sense of duty than any other vampire hunter in existence. He also was a vampire’s human servant. The Prince of the German state of Prussia had saved the hunter’s life when he was a mere child. In doing so, Sky had bound the hunter’s destiny inexplicably with his own. It wasn’t until this exact moment that he wondered about the intelligence of the decision.

  He had been careful to keep his distance while Aidan was growing up, but in his adulthood Sky had had no choice but to bring him into his world. He’d traveled to London last year to seek out the hunter to do just that, but had had difficulty in getting into contact with him. Then in a turn of luck, Aidan and his family had busted into his room at the inn he was staying at and Sky had been given his chance. Aidan, of course, had wanted no further contact, but again fate had been in Sky’s favor. At a confrontation between his younger brother turned vampire, Andren, and the vampire Prince of Britain, Jason Romanoff, over Andren’s vampire lover, Aidan had called out for Sky’s interference to save them both.

  In exchange for Sky’s help, he’d demanded that Aidan come to Prussia the following spring to hear him out and possibly come to some sort of an agreement. The price for Sky’s assistance was an unexpected passionate sexual exchange to prove to the Prince of Britain the legitimacy of their bond. In the months since, the German vampire severely doubted that Aidan had forgiven him for it.

  The soft voice of his butler, Mahogany, interrupted his thoughts from the doorway. “My lord, your guest the honorable Aidan MacGregor has arrived and is awaiting your lordship’s presence in the foyer.” Sky turned and gave the young man of one and twenty a brief smile. He was as soft-spoken as his father before him and four times as jumpy. If Sky didn’t use those reassuring motions, he’d bolt like a skittish foal. His father had had to stop serving as Sky’s main butler around six months previously due to a bad back and a severe case of the gout. His son had stepped into the main position at his father’s behest and had been terrified of the man he’d served ever since.

  “Thank you, Mahogany. I’ll be right down. Please have Everest take Aidan’s things to his rooms and have Lucy bring some tea in the drawing room. Oh, and if you can remember, please ask MacGregor if he has a preference of entrées. I hired a cook, and he asked if I preferred lamb or duck for dinner this evening, and I have no clue what Aidan likes.”

  Mahogany blinked rapidly in confusion. “So…Everest gets the luggage, Lucy gets the tea, and Aidan gets duck or lamb?”

  Sky nodded encouragingly. The boy was truly not that bright. Or perhaps his fear made him have a less-than-average remembrance level.

  Mahogany smiled brightly. “Very well, my lord. I’m on it.”

  Sky made his way to the first landing of the staircase that overlooked the first floor and foyer. Aidan stood by the door in a traveling suit that was grossly out of fashion. Sky was struck by the difference between the two of them. Sky was the well-dressed nobleman, hosting his guest with all the stilted formality that he knew of. Aidan, on the other hand, was distinctly common. He was dressed in practical clothing with very few pieces of luggage and was probably extremely uncomfortable with the huge mansion he was to be staying at and the formality with which he was being treated. Sky wanted to smack himself in the head for his stupidity. He should’ve realized that before now. He should’ve at least made this an informal process.

  “I’m not going to be happy here no matter how homey you make it,” Aidan promised, reading his mind. Sky was shocked at the ease with which he did so. “The blood we exchanged last year.” Aidan crossed his arms over his chest. Sky supposed that was a good enough explanation. “I’ve been getting your emotions for months. Anything beyond your normal range of feelings hits me like a roller coaster. Over holiday I was having dinner with my family, and I felt a spike of anger so sharp I started acting like a loon, pissed beyond belief for no bloody reason whatsoever. It’s rather disconcerting, you know.”

  “I can imagine so. I do apologize for that. I was unaware that such an intense exchange was occurring. I’ll teach you to shield if you like, while you’re here,” Sky offered nervously. He came down the stairs a bit faster than was humanly possible and saw Aidan’s jaw tic in anger.

  “Let’s not pretend this is a pleasant visit between friends, shall we? I am here to fulfill your condition for saving my brother and his lover. What occurred between the two of us that night will not be discussed, and under no circumstances are you to talk to me in my mind, touch my person, or interfere with my life. Got it?”

  Anger spiked with each clipped tone of Aidan’s voice. “This isn’t any easier for me than it is for you, Aidan MacGregor. I wouldn’t have imagined that saving your life when you were ten would have such far-reaching consequences. If I didn’t absolutely have to ask you here, believe me, I would not have s

ought you out. Your reputation of blind prejudice concerning vampires is well noted. I’m attempting to make this as painless of an experience as possible for the both of us, and I would appreciate a little courtesy.” He paused as Aidan’s eyes bulged almost comically. He couldn’t resist the last jab. “And by the way, when I fed off you in London, it did happen, and I know you enjoyed it, and I will talk about it if I damn well feel like, jäger.”

  Aidan dropped the bag he was carrying and tossed off his jacket with a bellow like a bull before leaping at the vampire in pure unadulterated rage. Sky squared his shoulder in preparation for the impact. Very well then, he thought with answering anger. We’ll have fisticuffs.

  * * * *

  Aidan drew back his fist and tried to drill it through the smirking face of the vampire. “Son of a bitch!” he screamed in the vampire’s mind. How dare he bring up his moment of weakness in such a flippant fashion? The frustrations of the past eight months couldn’t be described. Every time Sky found something that amused him, every time Sky got pissed about something, every time Sky had gotten melancholy, every time the bastard had had a bloody hard-on, Aidan had felt it. He’d spent more time in the vampire’s head than his own, and worse, he found himself liking the bastard a little more every day. By the time he’d arrived in Prussia, admiring the towering pine forests that surrounded Sky’s estate and seeing all the features of Sky’s homeland that gave the vampire joy, he’d been fighting mad. How dare he make Aidan like him against his will?

  Sky’s hands clamped on Aidan’s after the first swing, and he tossed Aidan over his head like a child would a doll. He hit the wall with a thud that knocked the wind from him, and just as suddenly Sky was there, pinning him there, using his body to immobilize Aidan’s own.

  “Are you done?” Sky asked, his eyes sparking with dark amusement.

  “Let me up.” Aidan growled. This wasn’t like him. He was the even-tempered ice prince. He was the one who never got this upset. This vampire was changing him in ways that he was terrified of.

  “If you are finished trying to get into a brawl with me, I’ll let you down.”

  Aidan squirmed against his hold, unwilling to concede the point. He bucked, trying to dislodge the vampire with heaves of his torso. He managed to get a little motion going but realized his mistake when a bolt of lust hit his mind from their mind link. He froze staring into the eyes of the German vampire. Sky’s blue eyes tinged with burgundy were filled with heated awareness. Oh shit, he thought, feeling his body start to respond in kind.

  Sky’s soft chuckle sounded. “What did you expect, Aidan? You’re young and virile and attractive. However, you need to realize one thing.” He paused to press his hips against Aidan’s own so that their arousals bumped. Aidan gasped and squirmed uncomfortably. Aidan gleaned his intentions the second before Sky’s lips crashed down on his own.

  “No. Stop,” Aidan whimpered, fighting their dual arousals. “I don’t want this.”

  The kiss was sweet, so very sweet. Aidan had expected a harsh, punishing kiss that he could use as ammunition for his anger, but this…this was a gentle probing, a coaxing to gain a reaction. Aidan knew that he was no match for the sheer expertise of the being kissing him. He found himself responding to Sky’s desires, sighing into his mouth and opening his own to accept the gentle licks of the vampire’s tongue. Sky drew back slowly, letting Aidan know that he was relinquishing the control back to the hunter.

  “Are you calm now?” Sky asked. His breath was coming out in soft pants. Aidan nodded, his embarrassment acute. Sky favored him with a smile. “What I was telling you was that you have to realize that your reaction to me doesn’t matter. It’s expected from our bond. Don’t judge yourself too harshly for it. It’s a natural reaction.”

  “There is nothing bloody natural about this,” Aidan said, closing his eyes in shame. “Let me up.” With a sigh Sky did as he asked, adjusting himself as he did so.

  “I’m guessing you will not be taking tea?” Sky asked lightly, obviously trying to salvage the situation. Aidan looked at him like he’d lost his mind. Sky sighed. “I thought not. Here, I’ll show you to your rooms.”

  * * * *

  Aidan’s room was beautiful. It was done up in various shades of greens, the most prominent of which was a dark emerald color. Like a peacock’s feathers, the room was both mesmerizing and infinitely beautiful. The dark oak furniture complimented the theme, and the fireplace was already bursting with a warm glow that cast the room in comfortable light.

  “This is nice,” Aidan said before he could help himself. This room was definitely better than any of the inns he’d stayed in the past five or so years. He was rarely home because of his missions, and the hunters’ guild didn’t exactly pay for high-pound rooms.

  Sky favored him with a smile. “This is actually my favorite room in the house. It overlooks the river that runs through my land as well as the mountains in the distance. That chair by the window is the one I use to sit when I need to get away from the responsibilities of the country.”

  “Perhaps I should move to another room. I don’t want to deprive you of your contemplations,” Aidan said quickly. He didn’t want to have any part in Sky’s enjoyment, not that he wouldn’t feel it anyway. Bloody bastard. Fighting him was proving to be a lot harder than he’d originally expected.

  “No. Please don’t think that,” Sky said. “I wanted you to see this. I wanted to share it with you.”

  Aidan sighed. “Why are you being so nice to me? It’s very hard to hate you when you keep doing things like this. First you booked me a private room on the boat to help with my seasickness, then you hired a private travel carriage, again for my comfort, and then you give me the best room in the house. I just don’t get you, Sky.”

  Sky’s smile softened. “Perhaps I feel a bit guilty for turning your life upside down. I feel that I took advantage of you last year and contrary to your opinion, I am not the sort of man who preys on unwilling people.”

  Aidan gritted his teeth at the mention of that incident but cautioned himself against being rash. “You saved my life, Sky. I don’t remember much of it, but I know that without your interference I would be long dead. I owe you for that. Last year you saved it once again. God only knows what Romanoff would’ve done to us without your help. Our…interaction was necessary. I’m sorry for jumping you earlier. I’m just very much out of my element.”

  Sky stepped into him, and he was immediately enveloped in the vampire’s strong arms. He froze. What the hell? He was about to extricate himself from the embrace when he looked up to see the sheer joy in Sky’s face.

  “I will not betray your trust in me,” the vampire offered, tightening his hold and squeezing the life out of Aidan. The hug felt strange because Aidan was far from used to the physical interaction between males, but it was in no way inappropriate. Aidan relaxed a fraction of an inch.

  “So, uh, when are you going to tell me why I’m here exactly?” Aidan asked, fighting his reaction to the German vampire. He just wanted to take a bite out of him, and that thought scared the hell out of him. Contrary to what he kept repeating to Sky, it was not the vampire’s desires that he was having issue fighting. It was his own.

  “At dinner,” Sky said merrily, releasing him and taking a step back. “I have another surprise for you then.”

  Aidan doubted very much if he could handle any more surprises.

  Chapter Two

  Aidan gasped. The soft feel of Sky’s hand on his hard length caused him to shudder. This was beyond anything Aidan had ever felt. He loved the feel of Sky’s lush mouth working on his pulse, drinking down his blood, the vampire’s venom intensifying the sensations until Aidan was writhing in ecstasy.

 

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