Fangtastic Four Read online

  Bertram nodded and gave me a sly wink. “Sleep well. I’ll have your necessary refreshments brought over for your evening repast.”

  “You’re a blessing, Bertram, thank you.”

  I left my two gentleman friends in the kitchen and trudged up the stairs, yawning so wide my jaw cracked.

  My room was where I’d last seen it, at the top of the stairs and to the right. I’d seen Bertram lead Gus and his cousins to the left, but I had no idea where they’d ended up, so if I were brave enough to go in search of Gus, I’d have asked him, which would probably give him a flash of satisfaction.

  He didn’t have to tell me that he was supportive of this mating. He’d mentioned a few times that the only way he’d ever experience love again was vicariously through me, when I got mated. I’d assured him that would likely never happen. Then a handsome, newly Turned vampire came barreling out of the woods and crashed into me.

  My whole world was turned upside down, and I kinda liked it.

  Well, aside from my magic going wild. I’d been so scared at first, but now that I’d had it for a little while, it was exciting. I was still afraid I’d hurt someone, but I felt like the part of me that had been missing all my life had made first contact. It was awkward, chaotic, and a little bit uncomfortable, but I wanted this…

  First up, though, was sleep.

  I opened my door and sighed at the lovely space I’d created. Different shades of purple fabric added color to every surface of the stone room. The deep-plum velvet duvet on the four-poster bed, the lilac sheers draped from the canopy, the amethyst curtains, and the sangria-colored throw rugs…the mauve settee and eggplant throw pillows…I’d chosen them all, making up for the fact that my childhood was filled with drab, colorless rooms filled with efficient but plain furniture.

  Now, I felt like a movie star, what Bertram insisted every woman should feel like.

  I went to my closet, stripped out of Goddess-knew-what I had on. Were these even my clothes? No, I was still wearing the things I’d gotten from Zelda. When was that? Three days ago?

  I couldn’t believe how much my life had changed in such a short time.

  Would I go back?

  No way.

  But for now, I needed sleep so I could face whatever new cataclysmic event awaited me.

  I showered in a hurry, dressed in a silk nightgown I’d splurged on, and sank into my fluffy and fabulous bed.

  And proceeded to dream about Gus.

  Chapter Four

  Gus

  * * *

  Wilma’s luxurious hair spilled over my chest as she kissed her way down my torso, her fangs scraping as she went.

  My Wilma, my mate, was dressed in a cream silk nightgown that heightened all of my senses. The cool fabric brushed over my heated skin and slipped through my fingers as I reached for her.

  “Corazón,” I murmured. “Venga aqui. Necesito más.”

  “Uh, primo?” Vinny’s voice filtered into my consciousness.

  What the hell is Vinny doing in my dream?

  “Go away,” I said, waving my hand at him.

  Above me, Wilma smiled and licked her lips, her eyes fixed on my throat.

  “Oh yeah, baby,” I moaned. “Take me.”

  This time I heard Freddy and Vinny.

  “Ohhhh baby,” they moaned, and kissing noises filled the room. Wilma put a hand over her mouth and giggled—then disappeared.

  I opened my eyes to find my cousins standing at the foot of my bed with their backs to me, their arms wrapped around themselves and their hands running up and down their sides as if being embraced by someone other than their dumb selves.

  “Get the fuck out of here,” I said and threw a pillow at them. Then grabbed another one to hold over my nether regions. Jeez, that was some dream.

  “Take me! Take me!” Freddy swooned in a falsetto, and I wanted to throat punch him.

  “Go back to your own room, cabrones.”

  “We can’t,” Vinny said, chuckling at Freddy’s continued antics. The dude was doing some sort of one-man burlesque show and looking ridiculous. “Jacob sent us to get you. It’s time for your ‘evening repast,’ as Bertram likes to call it. Man, I love that guy. You know, he had no clue people still watched his films. Says he hasn’t seen anything since he, well, since he died.”

  Freddy elbowed him. “Can you believe we were conversating with a whole-ass ghost? That we’re living in a haunted freaking castle?”

  Vinny held up his hand. “Let’s do some exploring after repast, dude. For real, I want to check out that interdimensional well thingie he was talking about—”

  “Hold up,” I said, sitting up now that other parts of me had calmed down. “You can’t just go traipsing off in Wilma’s house. We’re guests here.”

  The two of them had some sort of wordless exchange, then Freddy turned to me.

  “Sure, uh, but I don’t think you’re going to want us hanging around you and your lady.”

  “That’s right,” Vinny said. “Seems to me like you have business to attend to, primo.”

  And they started up with the kissing sounds again until I was forced to get out of bed or I’d bite both of their heads off.

  “Whatever. I’ll be right out.” I stumbled over the fluffy sheepskin rug and nearly took out the stuffed grizzly next to the bathroom door.

  “Oh, excuse me,” I said absently as I passed.

  And it nodded.

  I sprang about four feet back and yelped.

  “¿Que pasó?” Vinny asked.

  “Did you see that? It freaking nodded at me!”

  “Hey, snap out of it, dude,” Freddy said. “It’s a dead, stuffed bear. You probably have eye goobers and thought you saw movement.”

  “I don’t have eye goobers,” I grumbled.

  “You always have eye goobers,” Freddy said.

  “It wasn’t eye goobers!”

  My voice boomed through the room, rattling the windowpanes. A poker fell off the rack next to the fireplace and we all jumped.

  “You better be careful, primo,” Vinny said. “There are eyes everywhere.”

  And with that, I looked around more carefully than I had when we’d come upstairs the night before. I’d been exhausted. That had to be the reason why I’d missed the collection of terror in this room. If I’d seen it, there was no way I’d have slept in here.

  In addition to the massive bear, there was a giant tiger on the other side of the fireplace, huge 12-point buck racks mounted on either wall, a hyena near the window, and about ten other small creatures on shelves and mounted on plaques on the walls. This room was a damned taxidermist’s paradise—and sure enough, every last eyeball in the room was fixed on me.

  “You got the spooky room,” Freddy said. “Our room just had a bunch of kid stuff in it.”

  “Those dolls were pretty scary,” Vinny said. “Reminded me of Tia Linda and her collection.” He shivered so violently, he stumbled and had to catch himself on the post of the bed. “We used to have to stay there a lot when our parents were traveling for shows, and I always got stuck sleeping in the doll room.”

  “Yeah, well, at least you didn’t have Primo Gordo kicking you all night in the twin bed we had to share. I’d gladly have traded with you.”

  I left the brothers to reminisce about their childhood spooks and went into the bathroom.

  The whole thing was black with the exception of the gold fixtures, the gold and white tiled floor, and red roses in a black and gold vase on the counter. There was a black clawfoot tub nearly the size of a VW bus, as well as a walled-off shower. I used the black toilet and then washed my hands in the black sink before checking myself in the mirror.

  I looked the same. A little paler than usual, but my hair was coiffed as if I’d never slept on it and, despite my restless sleep, I didn’t have dark circles under my eyes.

  The door at the far end of the bathroom opened and Wilma came in.

  We both gasped and jumped, then laughed.


  “Good…evening?” I said.

  She gave me a curtsy in her long black robe. “Good evening,” she murmured, smiling at me.

  We stared at each other with five feet separating us for several moments. Would this ever get less awkward?

  “I didn’t know there was an adjoining room,” I said lamely.

  “Oh, well, there may not have been when you went to sleep. The rooms change frequently.” She giggled. “Once I couldn’t find my own room for a week and I had to sleep with all the stuffed animals.”

  “That’s my room! Did you see—”

  “The eyes moving? Yes! I feel so guilty for all of them, but Bertram explained to me they were all creatures that belonged to powerful witches, who left them behind when they passed and they like being here. I guess he knows because they’re all ghosts. Their spirits roam the grounds, so they’re not trapped. Apparently he tried to release them, but they want to stay. And I’m rambling.” She shrugged and grasped the lapels of her robe, pulling them a little tighter and calling attention to her neck.

  I swallowed hard, my mouth filling with fang and venom.

  “I hope you slept well. It was late when I went to sleep. I…made a new friend. A familiar! I can’t believe I actually have a familiar.”

  “That’s great,” I said. “I don’t know what that means, but I’m happy if you’re happy.” And it was true. I felt the joy emanating from her. I’d love to be the cause of that.

  “Oh, uh, a familiar is an animal that assists witches with their magic. I’ve never had one, never thought I would have one, but he showed up and he wants to stay. It was a wild night after you guys went to bed.”

  “Good, that’s good,” I said, her excitement contagious. “Um, did you sleep okay?”

  She blushed profusely, her cheeks turning as red as the roses on the counter. “I had a, um, a vivid dream.”

  My skin stood up in goose bumps and I took a step closer. “Me too,” I said, relieved. “It was…you were…”

  “Mine, too,” she said. “You were so…naked.”

  I looked down and realized I was only in a white t-shirt and white cotton boxers. I put my hands over the front as Junior was excited just talking about dreams.

  “You were lovely on top of me,” I said and then I winced. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be rude.”

  She took a step closer and her hand eased on the lapels. “I want to know more about your dream. I want to do more than just dream.”

  Once more static electricity erupted on my skin, making my hair stand up, and I felt a pull in her direction.

  “Wilma? I have to ask you. I know you said I would feel things because of the, um, the mating, right? Do you feel them too?”

  “Yes,” she moaned. “I feel them too.”

  A whimpering sound came from my throat that sounded so not like me that I actually turned around to make sure the Disgusting Duo hadn’t come into the bathroom.

  “Gus?”

  “Yes, mi corazón?”

  She smiled and her hand slid under the lapel of her robe, pressing against her chest. “I love it when you call me that. It’s so beautiful.”

  “You’re beautiful.”

  She hesitated. Then, “Gus?

  “Yes?”

  “I want to bite you.”

  There was no hiding my reaction to her at that point. I dropped my hands and stalked over to her, wrapping her in my arms. “I so want you to bite me. I dreamed about you biting me.”

  She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and ran a hand up my chest, watching her fingers move over the white fabric. “This whole thing is so strange, but—”

  “It feels perfectly natural,” I finished her sentence. “It literally hurts me not to touch you. But I’m okay with taking it slow, you know. If that’s what you want.”

  Her gaze traveled from her hand to my neck, where it lingered a moment, then on to my lips and finally my eyes. She smiled shyly, and I saw a flash of pink as she flicked her tongue over her elongated fangs. “I’ll be gentle.”

  “Please don’t be,” I said hoarsely, and we both laughed. I picked her up and sat her on the counter.

  “Oh, Gus. Thank you.”

  “For what?” I asked her, cupping her jaw in my hands. I never wanted to stop touching her.

  “For making this so easy, for being so laid-back. I know we have so much to talk about, so much to learn about each other, but I feel so comfortable with you…”

  “Yeah, and it’s a good thing, you know. Because your average Joe might be a little nervous about being bitten.” I winked at her.

  “How about your average Gus?”

  My knees buckled and my eyes rolled back. “Average Gus can’t wait. Give me some fang, baby.”

  She chuckled—then sucked in a breath when I ripped my shirt over my head.

  “Come on. Bite me.”

  Her eyes widened and turned fully black. She ran her hands over my naked chest and licked her lips. I worried she might lose control. She hadn’t had but one beverage the night before, and I was usually famished when I woke, but strangely, once I was in her presence, everything calmed down in my body and all I craved was her.

  I moved closer and rested my hands on her hips. I wanted her to take control so I kept my touch light, though my hands were trembling. She leaned into me, our chests brushing, and her robe fell open. She wore the creamy silk nightgown I’d dreamt about.

  “Cariño,” I breathed, and she hissed.

  She placed her lips over my jugular and sank her teeth in tantalizingly slowly.

  “Dios mío. Tocame. Tomame.”

  She growled as she sucked, and the vibrations ran through my torso and hit me straight in the groin. I cursed and—an orgasm slammed into me like a semi with no brakes. “Wilma!”

  “Goddess, you taste so good,” she groaned, then she licked at my neck and sat back, a satisfied smile on her face. “Was that okay? Did I hurt you?”

  I pulled her against me and sighed. “Not in the slightest. The exact opposite in fact.” And I needed clean clothes and a shower. I kissed her hair and breathed her in. “You can do that anytime.”

  “Feeling’s mutual,” she said. “I mean, if you want—”

  I kissed her deeply and tasted the rich, heady flavor on her tongue. Huh, not bad. Not nearly as good as her blood, though.

  My fangs throbbed and suddenly all I could think of was getting her inside me.

  “Gus? You can—ohhhh!”

  I sank my fangs gently into her neck and her back arched. I’d never get enough of her, not even if I could hold her like this until the end of time.

  She wrapped her legs around my hips and pressed even tighter against me as I took a second and third pull.

  “Gus.”

  She rocked her hips against me as I let go and sealed the wound on her neck. Her whole body stiffened as I passed my tongue over her throat and kissed her gently, nibbling my way up to her jaw. “I think I can safely say that’s how it felt for me too.”

  Her breath came out shaky—

  Breath?

  “Uh, Wilma?”

  “Hmmm?” Her eyes had gone back to their lovely gray color.

  “You’re breathing. Is your heart still…beating?”

  She placed her hand on her chest and I placed mine over it. I felt a steady pump.

  “Oh. It is. Is yours?”

  She placed her hand on my chest and, as expected, there was only the occasional thump, and those thumps were becoming fewer and farther between.

  “It seems to me there are some physiological differences between us.”

  She nodded. “I guess what Bertram said is true. That my magic won’t let my body suffer pain or discomfort any longer.”

  I smiled and brushed her hair back. “I’m glad. I don’t want you to ever suffer.”

  She wiggled her eyebrows. “Then you’ll take me downstairs so I can have some chocolate? I’ve been craving it.”

  “I hope your changed state will a
llow you to have it.”

  She kissed me once more and then hopped down from the counter. “I’m going to dress and head downstairs,” she said. “I’ll see you there?”

  I chuckled. “Uh, after I shower and, well, find some clothes? You think Bertram has any laying around?”

  Wilma paused at the door and bit her lower lip. “Shame. I suppose we’ll have to find you some clothes.”

  She turned and left the bathroom, and my heart gave one strong thud.

  Man, she had me tied up in knots. She’d been gone mere seconds and my hunger returned.

  But then I turned and looked in the mirror, admiring her bite mark.

  Yeah, we were gonna make this work. Because whatever was ahead would be better with her by my side. I just hoped I could be enough for her.

  Chapter Five

  Wilma

  * * *

  The kitchen was vibrating with energy when I made it downstairs. I’d never had more people than Jules over, so having four undead men, a dapper ghost, and a talking groundhog sitting around, sipping various beverages, was a dream come true.

  “What is this?” Freddy asked, gesturing toward Woodrow with his glass of blood.

  Woodrow frowned and pulled his paw back. “I am what is referred to as a Marmota monax, or groundhog.”

  “No way,” Gus said with a smile. “I’ve never seen a groundhog before, well, except for Punxatawny Phil on Groundhog Day.”

  Woodrow gave his hand a shake and glared at his cousins. “Cousin Phillip does a great service to the weather forecasters of the world, indeed.”

  “Wood. Chuck. Get it?” Freddy threw his head back and laughed. “He’s a woodchuck and his name is…never mind.”

  Gus elbowed him and he shut up quickly. Everyone watched as Woodrow picked up his teacup and raised an eyebrow. “Very funny, fang boy.”

  “Woodrow is my new familiar,” I said, gazing at Gus.

  He knelt down and held out a hand to Woodrow. “Thank you for taking care of my mate,” he said.

  I loved that Gus was such a gentleman. With a mate and a familiar, we were theoretically a family. I pictured the three of us and Bertram living together here at Cravenly Manor. I’d always dreamed of someday having a full house, being hostess of events, but that never would have happened in Germany, and likely never would have happened if I hadn’t found Gus.