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Jace Makefield moved along the quiet corridors of Wilfredo’s mainline Philadelphia home. It was a huge two-story stone mansion in the middle of forty acres of what Wilfredo called prime real estate. The interior of the house was lit with dim lamps along the walls leading up along the wide, hardwood staircase.
He ran up the stairs and walked down the landing to the room at the back of the hall, ignoring the many doors lining both sides of the passage. He listened briefly, tapped lightly, and walked into the room where Wilfredo liked to hold court.
It was a large room lit by a multitude of crystal lights dangling from an enormous chandelier. The sound of muted classical music played in the background. When his eyes adjusted to the extreme brightness in the room, his gaze went to the leather recliner in the center of the room, opposite the bay window. Eight smaller, leather chairs surrounded the big burgundy chair. Various men and women occupied the chairs. Several men, dressed in black lounged against the walls.
Even seated, Wilfredo Miguel Santiago was quite impressive. He was a big, well-built man with shoulder-length dark hair, dark eyes, an aristocratic nose, and full, almost feminine lips. He stared out at the world from a face that looked around twenty-five years old. Although, like all full-blood vampires, he had excellent vision, he looked at Jace over a pair of bifocals he claimed had once belonged to Ben Franklin.
“Jason! It does my heart good to see your safe return.” He extended a hand, smiling. “Come.”
Ignoring the amused looks of the others in the room, Jace walked over to the chair.
Wilfredo rose and engulfed him in a bear hug. Over Wilfredo’s shoulder, he grimaced at a tall, dark man leaning against the opposite wall.
Benito smirked at him and arched a brow. Daddy’s favorite fair-haired boy returns, he mouthed. Hooray.
He made a move to withdraw from the embrace. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” Wilfredo demanded.
Aware that the others were smirking and snickering, Jace sighed and submitted to having both his cheeks kissed. Even after all this time and in the company of Wilfredo’s other “children,” Jace found the full-blood’s displays of affections embarrassing.
Still, he knew if he protested, Wilfredo would become morose and lose himself in unhappy memories of the woman and unborn child, whose loss he suspected Wilfredo would never fully recover. In that respect, he was like Jace himself, who mourned Carollina. The one true love of his life had been brutally killed some fifty years earlier by a rogue vampire. A hatred for rogue vampires who killed indiscriminately and thought themselves untouchable was one of the biggest driving forces in Wilfredo training his children to rid the world of their vile lot.
Wilfredo finally released him and resumed his seat. He waved a hand at the chair to his right and the fem lounging there sprang gracefully to her feet. Casting her an apologetic look, Jace sank into it.
“Everything went as planned?” Wilfredo asked.
He nodded. “Yes. Danto Royas has been dispatched.”
Wilfredo’s dark eyes flickered. “You were quick and merciful?”
It always amused Jace that Wilfredo insisted that the vampire hunters loyal to him be what he called kind and gracious in dispatching the rogues Wilfredo deemed worthy of death.
“I did what I could,” he said noncommittally. In truth, he had given the bloody vampire an end befitting the animal he was, but he saw no need to admit that to Wilfredo.
“You are well, Jason? You were not injured?”
“I’m fine.”
“Good because I have your next target lined up.” Wilfredo cast a quick glance around the room and inclined his head slightly. “A moment my children.” The various vampire hunters in the room rose from the chairs and moved away from the walls.
Moments later, only Jace and Benito remained in the room with Wilfredo.
Wilfredo tilted his head towards his chair. Benito pushed himself away from the wall and took the seat on Wilfredo’s left side.
“This new job will be very dangerous. I will send you both along with Marcus and Julio when they return.”
Jace bristled. “I can handle Vladimir Madison on my own.” Although he had no problem per se with Benito or the others, he worked best alone. From the way Benito frowned, Jace suspected he felt the same way.
Wilfredo, sitting back in his chair, tightened his lips. “Jason, I have said I am sending the others with you.”
“I heard you,” he said shortly. “But it’s not necessary.”
“Are you questioning my judgment, Jason?”
“No, I’m just saying I can handle the job. You know I like to work alone.”
“Yes, Jason, I do know that!” Wilfredo snapped. “And do I not go out of my way to accommodate you at every turn?”
He nodded grudgingly. There was very little Wilfredo withheld from his children.
“Then do not question me. This dispatching will be very dangerous and I will not risk your life.”
“I can handle Madison. He’s little more than a vicious dog. I’ll put him down like one.”
Wilfredo frowned, his dark eyes glowing. He bared his incisors. “Why do you persist in always wanting your way? What’s a father to do with a disobedient son like you?”
Jace forbear from reminding Wilfredo that he was not his father. Although Wilfredo had saved his life years earlier, there was no natural blood tie between them. Still, Wilfredo liked to play the role of father to his legion of vampire hunters. And in truth, overall, it was a role he handled rather well.
Nevertheless, Wilfredo could be kind and loving one moment and angry and dark the next. He took full advantage of his Latin heritage and could be temperamental as hell. And if sufficiently provoked, he was renowned for punishing disobedient “children” by backhanding them around the room until they saw the error of their ways. Such discipline was always followed by fervent protestations of affections and hugs and pleas for forgiveness from Wilfredo. And damn if he wasn’t freely forgiven every time. On the one occasion Jace himself had been backhanded, Wilfredo had immediately embraced him, kissed his cheeks, and pleaded for forgiveness. Like all the others, Jace had returned Wilfredo’s embrace and whispered that all was forgiven.
Jace attributed that to the fact that each hunter knew that Wilfredo would die to protect them, loved them deeply, and would avenge their death speedily. Nevertheless, he rarely tolerated backtalk from anyone other than Jace or Benito.
Aware that for some reason, he was Wilfredo’s favorite “child,” Jace often spoke on behalf of the other vamp hunters, secure in the knowledge that Wilfredo would have to be in a monumental bad mood to lay a hand on him.
He arched a brow when Wilfredo leaned forward and stared into his eyes. “I will not have backtalk from you on this matter, Jason. Is that understood?”
Jace shrugged. He sensed that Wilfredo was troubled and decided now was not the time to press his luck. “Yes.”
Wilfredo smiled, slapped his cheek affectionately and sat back in his chair. “I am sending the two of you and others because when you take on Vladimir Madison, you may very well have to take on his brother, Aleksei.”
Jace had heard whispers of the Madison brothers. Vladimir was said to be soulless, while Aleksei was said to protect his brother with dark powers. There were even rumors that having made a pact with the devil, Aleksei could not be killed, but Jace had long ago learned that many vampires were inclined to overestimate themselves and their abilities. On the whole, he’d found them surprisingly easy to dispatch, mostly because they tended to believe the shit they sprouted about being hard to kill.
“They’re both dogs and I’ll take them down,” he said.
“No! Do not make the mistake of underestimating your quarry, Jason. Vladimir Madison is indeed worthy of dispatching. It is unfortunate that his brother, who has made remarkable progress in turning away from his past, might have to be dispatched as well.”
“Why if he isn’t a rogue?” Benito asked.
Wilfredo sighed. “He is a very powerful vampire and will not stand by and watch his brother be dispatched without trying to intervene. You will need to find a way to separate them, dispatch Vladimir, and flee quickly. Leave Aleksei alive...if you can.”
Benito frowned. “So he can come after us?”
Wilfredo’s eyes glowed and he tossed his head, sending his dark hair cascading around his shoulders in an angry cloud. He took off his glasses and set them on the table near his side. “Any vampire who would harm my children must deal with me. You dispatch Vladimir and leave Aleksei to me. If he will not see reason, I will regretfully dispatch him myself.”
“We can take him, Wilfredo,” Jace said.
Benito inclined his dark head slightly, but didn’t speak. Jace was amused. Ole Ben wasn’t in the mood to be backhanded across the room. As usual, it would fall to him to question Wilfredo. “Wilfredo—”
“Do not engage him, Jason! I am not in the mood to repeat myself!” he snarled suddenly. As he was wont to do when angry, his eyes glowed and he thrust out his right hand, palm outward. Several red bolts sizzled from his finger tips and shattered the bay window.
Benito and Jace exchanged resigned glances and shrugged. No matter how angry Wilfredo became, he wasn’t going to turn that type of fury on either of them. Even when provoked, he never struck out at any of them with enough force to injure them. Since they were all human latents, the occasional slapping he administered did no real damage.
“I suppose you’re satisfied now?” Wilfredo slumped back against his chair, breathing hard. His little laser show always sapped his strength. “That window will cost a fortune to repair.”
Jace hide a smile. Wilfredo was beyond filthy rich and yet he still couldn’t seem to forget the past. “I’ll pay for it if you like,” he offered, knowing the remark would infuriate Wilfredo.
“What? Are you implying I am the type of miserly father to take money from my children’s mouths?!”
Jace arched a brow, endeavoring to look innocent. “Of course not,” he said with false meekness. He wasn’t sure why, but he took a perverse delight in seeing how far he could push his mentor.
Wilfredo slammed a fist down on the arm of his chair, splintering the wood. “I am not in the mood to be provoked, Jason! I will say this just once more. Do not engage Aleksei Madison. You cannot hope to prevail against one of his kind and I will not lose another of my children through sheer disobedience. Have I made myself clear?”
Jace nodded slowly. He had learned over the years that Wilfredo usually knew what he was talking about. And he knew Wilfredo still grieved for Carollina almost as much as he did. “We will not engage Aleksei Madison,” he agreed reluctantly.
Wilfredo sat back against his chair. “Good. We will discuss the details later.” He reached down and cupped a hand over his groin.
Jace watched as he fondled the long, thick cock clearly outlined against one leg under a pair of black leather pants. Wilfredo had the biggest, thickest cock he’d ever seen. He often watched in amazement as Wilfredo, well over six feet tall and powerfully built, pushed his huge tool into some tiny, slender fem with big boobs and a shaved pussy.
Noting his gaze, Wilfredo gave him a fatherly smile. “Get much pussy while on the trail?”
“Not enough,” he said.
“Then you must be as horny as I am.”
He thought of all the women who flocked to whatever house they were staying at, literally begging for a chance to be bounced up and down on Wilfredo’s cock. He’d known Wilfredo to take on as many as five women and have all of them limp out of his bed in the morning with glazed eyes and wide smiles.
“What’s the matter, Willy? Had to go a whole hour without some pussy?”
Jace looked at Benito and grinned. Benito’s dark eyes twinkled with amusement, but he quickly turned his chuckle into a cough when Wilfredo tossed an annoyed look in his direction.
“Jason, I have asked you not to call me that.”
Jace grinned unrepentantly. “So you have. Sorry.”
Wilfredo lifted a hand and slapped him none to gently on his cheek. “Do not let it happen again.”
“Of course not,” he said.
Wilfredo smiled suddenly.
Jace grinned. That was one of the many things he liked about Wilfredo, how easily and quickly his good humor was restored. He was fond of saying he lived for his children. And in fact, Jace had seen him pacing the floor hour after hour worrying when one of the hunters didn’t return on time. He had even been known to go without pussy and blood during such times of stress.
Wilfredo fondled his cock again. “I need some pussy and some blood. I have not been able to enjoy either with you gone so long.” He rose and strolled quickly across the room to the door.
Jace watched him go, awed by the sheer power and majesty emanating from the man who had not only saved his life, but for all his fresh-faced college boy looks, loved him like the father he had never known.
At the door, Wilfredo paused and looked back over his shoulder at them. “Come, my sons. Tonight we go into Philly. There is a private club there filled with women who love big cocks and...” he looked at Jace with a smile, “leather whips. You can fuck and beat them until your cock wilts. And for you Benito, there will be women who like backdoor action.”
“Party time,” Benito grinned and leapt to his feet.
Thinking of the night ahead, Jace got to his feet, his cock stirring. Dispatching always made him horny as hell. And there were few things he enjoyed more than fucking while his ‘father’ looked on. Fucking a woman who liked a little bondage and leather was even better.
He thought briefly of his encounter with Katie Dumont, the fem who had been in feast when he’d met her. They’d had a very good time, but he supposed she was now off limits. On well, Philly was a big place. There were bound to be other women of interest there.
“Jason. I have needs I must attend to. Are you coming?” Wilfredo asked, impatiently.
“Hell, yeah,” he said.
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