Saving His Mate

Published by Evernight Publishing at Smashwords

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2013 Marie Medina

ISBN: 978-1-77130-457-3

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 Howard

SAVING HIS MATE

The Year of Hearts, 2

Marie Medina

Copyright © 2013

Chapter One

Valladora

3150, The Year of Hearts

Lance felt the air cooling around him as he watched the suns sink below the horizon. He could feel Lord Tavok’s presence behind him. The vampire hovered constantly. Lance didn’t truly mind, but he wasn’t sure how to handle Tavok’s attention. His mind still reeled when he tried to face the fact that he was the vampire’s mate. He’d spent ten years serving another vampire, and only yesterday he’d watched her being lowered into the ground. Lady Elizabella had been beautiful and loving and carefree. Five years earlier, she’d come to him in raptures because she’d found her mate. Every vampire had a mate, another person whose blood called to him or her in a special way. This person could be of either sex, and could be another vampire or a human. Elizabella’s had been human. Unfortunately, this human had also been married with three children. He’d refused to leave them, rebuffing all of Elizabella’s pleas and even forbidding her from touching him. Elizabella’s attempts to force him to submit had resulted in his suicide.

Lance sighed as he remembered the cry that had pierced the night when it happened. Elizabella had been both inconsolable and uncontrollable. He’d been forced to tie her down to keep her from taking her own life, and she’d ranted and raved at anyone, aside from him, who came near her. She had recovered, but then she’d set her sights on another vampire, Lord Ettore. Being rejected a second time had affected her mind, but Lance hadn’t seen it until it was too late. Just over a week ago, she’d kidnapped Simon, Ettore’s mate, thinking Ettore would finally be hers if his mate were gone as well. Lance had refused to help her, and that had been the end of her favor.

Lance had been imprisoned with Simon and then rescued by Tavok, so he’d been safe in Ettore’s castle when Elizabella killed herself. In a way, he felt grateful he hadn’t been there to see her jump and break her neck, but he also felt guilty, believing she never would have killed herself if he’d been there to talk to her. Everyone told him to stop thinking that way, but it was proving very hard.

Being denied her mate had driven Elizabella mad, so Lance knew all too well that keeping his distance from Tavok was causing the vampire pain. Lance had been with many women, but he’d also had a male lover once. Henri had left him to get married because he wanted children, but Lance had never forgotten their time together. Tavok had lots of appeal for Lance. He was exactly Lance’s height, but his frame was slight, his muscles leaner. Lance liked that, and he was very tempted to invite Tavok to his bed and keep the vampire pinned beneath him all night. Two things had been stopping him up to this point. First of all, though he had not been in love with Elizabella, he had loved her with his whole heart, and his failure to protect and save her would likely pain him for a long time. He felt guilty both for thinking of his own pleasure and for expecting Tavok to deal with him as he grieved. Second, Tavok was a vampire and an aristocrat, so Lance doubted he, a former servant, would be allowed to be the dominant partner in their relationship. However, that was what Lance craved above all else. With the funeral over, Lance knew Tavok was anxious for their relationship to move forward.

Tavok had come on strong from the beginning. Lance had been bleeding when Tavok rescued him and Simon, and Tavok hadn’t been able to take his eyes off of Lance. Tavok had healed Lance’s wound, the feel of Tavok’s mouth and tongue sending Lance into a state of high arousal; a sure sign Lance was indeed the vampire’s mate. The need to pull Tavok to him and take him roughly had overwhelmed Lance, and he’d pushed it back with all his might. He still remembered trembling in Tavok’s arms, forcing himself not to give in to the sudden wave of lust. His efforts to keep his distance from Tavok seemed to be working for now. He endeavored not to spend too much time alone with him, and he remained deferential, even though Tavok insisted he cease such behavior. He even avoided eye contact as much as possible. Vampires’ eyes changed colors with their moods, turning crimson when they needed to feed and darkening to almost black when their needs became more carnal. Lance didn’t know what he’d do if he saw such a look in Tavok’s eyes.

However, Tavok didn’t understand any of this because Lance hadn’t allowed the topic to come up. He’d allowed Tavok to place his arm around him during the funeral, and he’d even cried in the vampire’s arms afterwards, appreciating how undemanding Tavok’s consolation was. The comfort of that sweet and loving embrace had stayed with Lance well into the night. He’d spent most of the day alone, and now he felt he owed Tavok something. Lance turned and looked behind him, searching for Tavok. Movement within an archway caught his eye, and he stood and walked in that direction. He found Tavok concealing himself in a corner, looking guilty and partially hiding his face behind his long blond hair.

Lance bowed slightly. Your care is appreciated, my lord, but you’ll only tire yourself worrying about me all the time.

You’re all I can think about, Lance. I can’t help it. Tavok came out of the corner and stood only inches away. And please use my name. It makes me happy.

Lance appreciated Tavok’s bluntness, yet something about it felt very demanding now. I’m adjusting. Forgive me, Lance said. Tavok licked his lips, and Lance mirrored the gesture, longing to kiss him. They had not kissed yet, though Tavok healing his wound had made Lance’s blood boil like no kiss ever had.

How are you? I know you need time, but I want nothing more than to comfort you.

My greatest comfort would be found with my cock