Eternal Hearts Read online

  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2013 Tamsin Baker

  ISBN: 978-1-77130-430-6

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

  Editor: Karyn White

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  To the lovely author Khloe Wren. She is not only a brilliant friend, author and critique partner, her menage dragon shifter series was the first menage I ever read.

  It is mostly thanks to her that the Third Bite series exists. Thank you so much, missy! xoxoxo

  ETERNAL HEARTS

  Third Bite, 1

  Tamsin Baker

  Copyright © 2013

  Prologue

  London, 1811

  All vampire unions are designed as ménage relationships. Three generally, although legend has it that four is also possible. Without all three or four of the vampires united, the others feel incomplete and often fall into a depressive state. When and if they do find their third or fourth, the soul rests happy forever.

  Chapter One

  A whore’s blood was not his first choice. They were malnourished and often abused, but this one was simply delicious. Her blood was thick and sweet, well worth the money he had paid for her.

  Nathaniel sucked once more before extracting his fangs from her neck. The whore’s heart had begun to slow. He didn’t want to kill her. She would be a great source of blood in the future.

  The girl staggered away and turned around to stare at him with horrified blue eyes.

  “You’ll be fine. You won’t die, and you won’t become like me. Thank you.” Nathaniel bowed and smiled charmingly at her.

  A ghost of a smile lifted her lips as she turned and ran for the brothel from whence he had obtained her.

  “I hope you didn’t fuck her, too. She smelt like at least ten other men.”

  Nathaniel shivered despite the crude words, his long-time lover’s whisper moving over his skin like a caress. He had missed that voice, missed the feeling their connection gave him even more.

  He turned and smiled towards the voice he knew so well. Normal human eyes wouldn’t be able to see the tall blond vampire within the shadows. His eyes however, were not human.

  “Michael. Hungry, my love?”

  Nathaniel moved closer, and his cock hardened, the whore’s recently ingested blood increasing his already ravenous lust.

  Michael, the blond bastard, smelt divine to Nathaniel and tasted even better. Nathaniel didn’t stop moving forward until he had pressed his whole body up against the other vampire, his mate. Nathaniel moaned as his blood sang in recognition.

  He dropped his head and sucked Michael’s beautiful bottom lip into his mouth. He grabbed Michael’s arse with both hands and pulled him in tighter, grinding his hardening cock against his long-time lover in welcome.

  Michael threw his arms around Nathaniel’s neck and kissed him back. Michael thrust his tongue between Nathaniel’s teeth, and Nathaniel groaned. Fuck, that felt so good.

  Michael turned quickly and reversed their positions, pushing Nathaniel up against the solid stone wall and tearing Nathaniel’s breeches open.

  “It’s been a while, Michael.” Nathaniel panted, spreading open the flap on his breeches as his lover dropped to his knees. It had been three hundred and two days, but he would never admit to his lover than he had been counting.

  Michael looked up with a hungry expression.

  “Too long.”

  Wet suction engulfed the end of Nathaniel’s cock, and he moaned. His head fell back against the wall as he slid his fingers into Michael’s hair.

  Michael moved on him with expert rhythm, taking almost all of Nathaniel’s length into his mouth and cupping his balls with a warm palm.

  Nathaniel felt his orgasm racing down upon him. He gasped with the effort and pulled Michael’s head back, forcing him to look up.

  “I’m going to come. Is that what you want?”

  Michael shook his head and stood up, opening his own breeches and exposing his long, thick cock.

  “No, I want to fuck you tonight.”

  Nathaniel’s balls throbbed with having to wait, but his body tingled with anticipation. He dominated with all other males except Michael. They shared the role, and each knew what the other needed. Michael wanted him more tonight, and Nathaniel was happy to give it to him.

  Nathaniel turned around, braced himself against the wall and dropped his head down on to his arms. He spread his legs a little and waited for his lover.

  It had been months since he’d been with a male and just under a year since he’d seen Michael. His arse was going to be sore in the morning, but he didn’t care. His need for his mate had always overruled any fear of discomfort. As he felt Michael’s lips press against his arse he moaned in appreciation. Michael’s wet tongue rimmed his arse hole, loosening him, preparing him.

  Nathaniel felt Michael’s love for him flowing through their physical contact, and he shuddered to think of what was to come.

  Nathaniel tilted his hips in invitation and soon felt two saliva-wet fingers sliding into him. He groaned and bumped his hips against Michael’s fingers. It burned a little but soon turned into a pleasant throb and then an ache.

  “Fuck me, Michael.”

  He spread his legs wider, groaning in relief when he felt Michael’s cock at his entrance. Nathaniel pushed back, eager for the feeling only Michael gave him.

  Michael’s strong hands gripped his waist, and Michael thrust in, right to the root in one mighty push.

  Burning pain burst through him, quickly followed by the most intense pleasure. No pleasure felt like the pleasure a vampire received from their true mate. Michael was Nathaniel’s true mate, and he thanked God for him every single day.

  “Fuuuuuck...” Nathaniel squeezed his eyes shut and squeezed his arse tightly around his lover. Nothing felt as good as sex with Michael. If only they could make their relationship work as well as the sex.

  Michael’s deep voice moaned in his ear before saying, “You better not have let anyone else in my arse.”

  Nathaniel moaned, ignored the statement and moved his hips. He was aching for the deep arse fucking that only Michael gave him. No, that he only allowed Michael to give him. No one else would do.

  His lover pulled back and thrust deep again. Stars splintered on the edges of Nathaniel’s vision. Pleasure tingled down the backs of his legs, but Michael had stopped again.

  “Tell me, Nathaniel, now!”

  Nathaniel let his head fall back so that it touched Michael’s shoulder. He whispered to his lover.

  “You’re the only one who has ever fucked me, Michael. And the only bastard who ever will.”

  Michael bit into his neck, the pain sweet and possessive. His big vampire wanted all the words but never returned them. That saddened Nathaniel, but he knew his lover’s limits. It was part of loving Michael.

  Michael moved deep and fast, thrusting in the exact right way to push Nathaniel over the edge in record time.

  Nathaniel put his forehead back down on his arms and tilted his pelvis again. That was it. His balls tightened, and his cock tingled.

  Nathaniel moaned aloud as his orgasm swept him up, his seed shooting through him and out, blasting the wall, the ricochet effect within his body just as huge. His legs shook, and
he fell forward. Michael fucked him deep one more time, then with a loud moan, pulled out and came on the ground between them.

  Michael slumped onto him. His hot breath, sweat, and cum smells were designed to raise Nathaniel instantly.

  Nathaniel turned around and pulled Michael into his arms as they fell against the wall.

  “I have missed you so much, my love.” He stroked Michael’s hair as his lover held him tightly.

  “I’ve been in France.”

  Nathaniel laughed and pushed his lover off him, rearranging his clothes to cover himself again. Why couldn’t Michael just say it back?

  “I’ve fed enough to last me for the next few weeks. Do you need to? Or do you just want to come back to my place and fuck to insanity for the night?”

  Michael rearranged his own clothes, his cheeks pale.

  “I do need blood, but I’ll wait ‘til tomorrow.”

  Nathaniel shrugged and slung his arm over Michael’s shoulders.

  “Follow me.”

  Nathaniel took his long time lover and friend home where they sucked each other dry before passing out in each other’s arms to rest for the daylight hours.

  ****

  Michael woke first, his eyes still slightly blurry from fatigue and hunger. He had refused to feed on any of the starving people aboard the ship that had travelled from France, wanting nothing more than to see Nathaniel.

  Why did it feel so perfect to be together when that elusive missing piece was always there? It was cruel really.

  “Are you here for long?” Nathaniel’s voice surprised him. Michael hadn’t realized his lover was awake.

  He turned onto his side and faced the man he had loved for almost five hundred years. Nathaniel was as dark as he was fair, but Nathaniel was far more beautiful. Big brown eyes, solid jaw, and thick, full lips.

  Michael leaned forward, kissing the mouth that had brought him untold pleasure for centuries. It was time for him to be brave. Being honest about how he felt was something that did not come easily or naturally to him. But if he wanted a future with Nathaniel, then he would need to find the courage to say aloud how he felt.

  “I’m here for as long as you want me.”

  Nathaniel’s eyes widened in surprise, and Michael understood why. It no longer gave him any power or pleasure to hold back on his lover. Paris had changed him.

  Nathaniel spoke casually, but his brown eyes were watching Michael’s face with an unnerving intensity.

  “You haven’t been here for a year, Michael, and you were missing for a decade before that. Why would you stay indefinitely now?”

  Nathaniel’s answer pleased him, and he smiled. Did his mate wish for him to stay forever? Despite everything?

  “You wish for me to stay forever?”

  Nathaniel clucked in his throat, rolled onto his back and pulled Michael into his arms.

  Michael licked the tiny pink nipple closest to him, then laid his head on his mate’s chest. Love flowed through him, over him, and around him, but there was the cold, empty place beside them. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to ignore it.

  “You know I love you, Michael, I always have. But I don’t think I can handle another hundred years of passion and pain only to have you leave me again.”

  Michael sighed, and his eyes slid open again. Nathaniel and he had lived together on and off for their whole existence. They had met within five years after being turned and had been in love for the whole time since then.

  Unfortunately they both knew they weren’t complete as a couple. Something was always missing, and they had both tried to find it in other things. Humans, vampires, women, men, it didn’t matter. They couldn’t find a way of filling the hole they both felt. It drove them both insane.

  Michael knew he was the generally the one to start the fights, and he was the one to shut down emotionally. He had barely told Nathaniel how he felt over their time together, yet he relied on his mate’s easy tongue to keep him content and satisfied.

  It was time for more honesty. It was Nathaniel’s time to feel that happiness.

  “Nathaniel, I can’t be apart anymore. The older I get the harder it’s getting. I will stay forever, with you. No matter what.”

  Nathaniel gasped and gripped Michael, forcing him up so they could look at one another in the eye.

  “You love me?”

  Nathaniel’s words bit into Michael’s soul, demanding more. Those words brought so much pleasure to him when Nathaniel said them to him, but how could he return them?

  He dropped his eyes, and Nathaniel’s hand tipped his chin back up.

  Nathaniel’s brown eyes burned into his, wanting the love Michael always gave but was reluctant to name. He had always thought actions were enough, but evidently not.

  “Of course I love you, Nathaniel. We can continue to look for whatever is missing if you like, but I’m happy with you. Now and forever.”

  Nathaniel launched himself at Michael, knocking him onto his back. Michael tried to laugh, but felt the wet tears upon his neck.

  He stroked Nathaniel’s lovely thick brown hair and ran a hand down his smooth back. He had missed this so much.

  “Nathaniel, my lover, stop. Do not lose all that lovely blood you consumed last night.”

  Nathaniel made a noise between a sob and a laugh. He then moved slowly down Michael’s chest, kissing each inch by inch as he went. Michael watched as his mate sucked a nipple into his mouth, the pressure perfect.

  Michael sighed and opened his mouth to voice what was in his heart.

  “I have missed you so much.”

  Nathaniel looked up, his eyebrows drawing together. It would take a few years before Nathaniel got used to Michael speaking his feelings aloud, but he was willing to put in the time.

  “What has happened, my love?” Nathaniel looked up from Michael’s belly, his concern palpable.

  Michael shifted, uncomfortable with the level of understanding his mate had. He wanted to make Nathaniel happy, but he wasn’t ready to reveal all, right away.

  “Just love me, Nathaniel. No one feels like you.”

  Nathaniel’s brown eyes looked at him for one more assessing minute, before he moved down.

  Nathaniel’s tongue flicked the slit on Michael’s cock, and he thrust up, wanting more. Nathaniel laughed and avoided him, licking the head lightly again.

  Michael gripped his lover’s thick brown hair and forced him over his cock. Thrusting up, Michael gasped as Nathaniel opened his mouth and slid Michael’s cock straight in. Wet, silky suction enclosed him. Nathaniel had a mouth like no other.

  Michael lifted his hips higher and thrust up over and over again, ready to come straight down his lover’s throat.

  His balls were tightening, his cock about to explode, and the suction was gone. He was flipped over, and Nathaniel’s hands pulled him back onto his knees.

  Michael chuckled, shocked and frustrated. He had been so ready to come, to take without thought, as he often did.

  Nathaniel wasn’t taking any shit this time, and the message was clear.

  Oiled fingers circled his arse and pushed into him.

  Michael gasped and consciously relaxed his muscles. He’d accept Nathaniel, everything about him. Even Nathaniel’s need to top occasionally.

  Nathaniel wasted no time kneeling behind him and sliding his well oiled, thick cock, straight into Michael’s arse. Michael moaned and threw his head back as Nathaniel slid in and out, slowly building up in rhythm.

  It was there, that missing piece. Michael closed his eyes and focused on Nathaniel’s breathing, his mate’s hard cock filling him and pushing him towards a massive climax.

  Michael reached up to his hip with one hand and linked his fingers with Nathaniel’s.

  His mate moaned, tightened his hold and thrust harder, panting.

  “I know Michael, I can feel it, too. We’ll find them one day I promise.”

  Two tears slid down Michael’s cheeks as his other hand dug into the mattress, seekin
g out the other part of him.

  Michael tilted his pelvis and cried out. His balls tightened. His cock thickened even further, and he came all over his belly and the bed.

  He fell forward, Nathaniel still riding him hard, pounding him into the mattress.

  “Say it, Michael. Say we will find them.”

  Nathaniel’s desperate words broke through his post orgasm daze, ricochets of pleasure still bouncing along his legs and belly.

  “Of course we will, Nathaniel. Whatever it takes.”

  Nathaniel moaned loudly, readying himself to pull away.

  This was something neither of them particularly enjoyed whilst being the bottom. The mess, the extra intimacy and the feeling of being totally possessed. Well, Michael was putting an end to that. It was time for him to commit to Nathaniel. In every way he could.

  Michael smiled into the mattress and gripped the hand he still held, hard. “It’s all right. I want you to. Come inside me.”

  Nathaniel stilled in surprise, thrust once more, moaned and shuddered. Warm seed flooded Michael, and he gasped at the renewed heat, his cock hardening beneath him again.

  Nathaniel collapsed on top of him, his weight welcome and perfect.

  Michael slid further down so that he was lying on his belly and raised his free hand to run through Nathaniel’s hair.

  He loved this man more than his own life, and nothing was going to impinge on that. He repeated the vows they had just taken.

  “Whatever it takes.”

  Chapter Two

  Lady Tonnington could not be more bored. She had spent the first sixteen years of her life preparing for her marriage to the horrible and ancient Lord Tonnington. Now sixteen years later she was a wealthy widow who didn’t know what she wanted out of her life.

  “Do you think you will marry again, Lady Tonnington?”

  Margaret turned to Teresa Osborne, the woman standing on her right. She’d known and disliked the older lady for almost a decade.