Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Characters: Josef; Emma; Beth; Mick; Coraline.

Rating: M A very high-level sex scene; some coarse language; adult themes.

Ties that Bind. Chapter one

Evidently money and power were universally impressive to vampires and humans alike.

I had been a vampire for exactly six months and a married woman for just over four. Every vampire in Los Angeles – and many from further afield – treated me with respect because it was common knowledge that I was Josef Kostan's fledgling. Every human I met treated me with deference because I was Josef Kostan's wife.

On a bad night, it felt like nobody liked me for me at all, anymore. And to make matters worse, according to Josef and Beth I'd been spending too much time in the company of two particular vampires.

I turned my full attention back to my husband.

"Honey, last night Mick told me that I remind him of a young woman called Nancy. He said I should ask you about her." I swallowed hard and fought to keep the jealousy out of my voice. "Did you turn her?" I asked casually.

"Why can't you just go shopping with Beth instead of spending so much time with Mick?"

I sighed.

Here we go again.

"Mick is my brother now – by blood and marriage, he said."

To say that vampire family trees were confusing was a major understatement; when Josef had re-turned Mick, that act had made Josef into Mick's 'surrogate sire,' for want of a better term. On my wedding day, Mick had quietly taken me aside and told me that he was my brother-in-law because I had just married his brother, and I was his baby sister because we had the same sire. He was very protective of me and he always jumped to my defence when I felt compelled to explain why I wouldn't drink straight from the vein.

Josef was the only one I would ever bite – and that was the way we both wanted it.

I knew full well that Josef had followed the drift of my thoughts, so I didn't bother to voice them. I did, however, press my original point.

"Who was Nancy?"

"Nancy was Mick's beautiful young cousin. I met her at Mick and Coraline's wedding – but nothing happened. Coraline caught me when I was about to bite Nancy, but I swear, Emma, I did not lay a fang on the girl."

I nodded. Nancy being Josef's snack I could handle, but if she had been another 'relative' I would have found that a little disconcerting. Still, Coraline had assured me that Josef had been extremely selective about whom he had welcomed into his noble bloodline. Apparently Josef had only turned a few people in four centuries, and Mick and I were two of that elite group.

Too late, I realised that by thinking of Coraline, I'd opened up a can of worms again.

"I do wish that you'd spend less time in Coraline's company," Josef said with exaggerated patience.

I disliked the paternal tone that had snuck into my husband's voice so many times since he had turned me – and I disliked even more the icy edge to my voice that so often arose in response.

"She is a real friend – and in case you've missed the fact, I don't have many of those here."

"Emma, you don't know her! Coraline only shows you what she wants you to see."

I knew that I needed Josef's guidance and protection, yet I still resented it.

"Coraline has been nothing but kind to me! She thinks of me as her sister-in-law. She said that I'm Mick's sister now, so she and I are related, too. And she actually likes me, Josef! She's not trying to get to your money and power through me." I swallowed hard. "Apart from you, Mick and Coraline are the only two people I know here whom I can call real friends."

I deliberately left Beth's name out of it. Josef knew perfectly well how stilted our friendship had become since the wedding and how much of an open wound that was, even now.

He looked at me and slowly smiled.

"Well, you know that I only married you because you're so good in bed ... and the pool ... and in the freezer, on the beach, on the stairs, in my office ... and have I forgotten anywhere special?"

"Yes ... Central Park was special ... remember?" I waved my hand dismissively. "Anyway, you know I only married you because you give me multiple orgasms, so we're even."

"Really?" Josef raised his eyebrows in enquiry. "And all this time I thought you married me for my money."

"Nah – the size of your wallet had absolutely nothing to do with it."

My eyes drifted to the front of Josef's trousers. It was plainly obvious that he enjoyed the direction our conversation had taken. I rose from my chair with the intention of making myself comfortable on his lap, but before I had the chance, his cell phone demanded his attention.

He kept his voice level, but it was clear that it was not the news he had hoped to hear.

Since the mood was hopelessly broken, I returned to my office to finish the article I'd started writing earlier in the evening.

***

The next night, scarcely two hours after sunset, I'd already showered, dressed, had breakfast, finished my article and emailed it to a couple of magazine editors. Josef was extremely busy and I was at a loose end. Even though I could be trusted around humans – so I could go out by myself if I chose – I still felt more at ease in the company of other vampires.

I was toying with the idea of going to see a movie when Beth called and asked me to meet her at Mick's place. I was surprised and pleased by her invitation and left within minutes.

I was even more surprised when Beth, not Mick, answered the door. But I knew instantly that Mick was in his office. His scent wasn't as strong as Josef's but it was still noticeable. Sometimes I wondered what I smelled like to them.

"Hi, Emma. Come in. Mick's home," she explained unnecessarily. "He's just really busy on a case." She waved he hand in the general direction of the sofa. "Make yourself at home."

"Thank you."

I sat on the edge of the sofa and waited for Beth to enlighten me as to why she had called, but she just stared at me silently. After several minutes – although it felt much longer – she finally spoke.

"So, have you seen Coraline recently?"

"Yes, a couple of times in the past week. Why?"

"Just interested in your new life, that's all. What do the two of you do, anyway? Have a bite to eat?"

Beth voice was so flat that I wasn't sure if she was making a joke or not, so I decided to try and make light of her question.

"Well, Coraline did take me to a very cool nightclub a few nights ago and while we were there she offered to catch me someone to eat – but I'm almost sure she was kidding."

Beth's expression was as hard as stone, but soft in comparison to her voice.

"She probably wasn't kidding at all."

Another few minutes of awkward silence followed.

I decided that the safest topic was probably Beth's job, and I was about to ask if Talbot was still being horribly rude to Mick when Beth spoke abruptly.

"Emma, stop looking at me like that!"

"Like what?" I frowned.

"Like you're hungry," Beth responded, with distaste written all over her beautiful face.

In the space of Beth's heartbeat, Mick appeared as if by a conjuror's trick to stand near the sofa.

With a slightly uneasy smile, he asked, "Is everything alright?"

Beth rolled her eyes.

"Emma's hungry ... apparently."

Without a word, Mick went to his kitchen and grabbed a couple of things; then he returned and beckoned for me to follow him into his office. He indicated a chair so I sat down and waited.

He filled a very large syringe with blood and reached for my arm.

Instinctively, I flinched.

"Emma, I promise you that the syringe is perfectly clean and it's the quickest way to get the blood you need into your system."

"Sorry, Mick," I said sheepishly.

I offered my arm but closed my eyes. Mick muttered something under his breath about me being the world's only squeamish vampire, but I knew that he wasn't making fun of me. He understood better than anyone – with the exception of Josef himself – that I'd only consented to being turned into a vampire out of love. I had compromised my ethics because I simply wanted to be with my husband for as long as possible. Yet within me, the vampire bloodlust would never completely override my vegan sense of morality.

Suddenly I felt Mick's gentle touch followed by the momentary sting of the large needle, and then an intense rush. I felt a wave of warmth flow through me. And a moment later, I simply felt better.

Mick rested his large hand on my forearm for a second. The instant I opened my eyes and looked at him, he withdrew his hand.

"You're gonna need to get home fairly soon. That will tide you over for a while, but Josef's blood would be better for you."

If I had been capable of blushing, I would have gone scarlet that instant.

"It's okay ... I married a vampire, too, remember?" Mick said. "I know what it leads to when a fledgling bites his – or her – sire."

I knew that Mick was trying to be kind, as he was a very caring man, but his comment only increased my embarrassment. So I stared at the filing cabinets until he left the room. After that, I returned to the sofa and the thorny conversation with Beth.

I twirled my wedding ring around my finger while I worked up the nerve to say what needed to be said.

"Mick just said something that reminded me of a joke Josef made last night – well, at least I hope it was a joke." I looked up to meet Beth's blue eyes. "Josef said that he only married me because I'm good in bed."

"Yeah, that sounds like Josef."

My shocked expression must have said more than any words could have.

Beth reached her hand towards me.

"No, no – I'm not saying that he meant it. Just that it sounds like Josef's sense of humour. Emma, he loves you. He turned you. He married you. If it wasn't true love, he wouldn't have done either." Beth threw a glance in the general direction of Mick's office and spoke in a whisper, although she must have known that Mick was listening to every word simply for her safety. "Mick has said – many times – that he doesn't want to turn me. At first that was reassuring, but when I see you and Josef together – so much in love with each other – I'm beginning to wonder if I'm Mick's 'summer fling,' because he sure as hell never mentions the idea of marriage to me."

I was speechless.

I loved Josef more than anyone or anything else in the entire world, yet there were still times when I wished that some of Mick's romantic and chivalrous ways would rub off on my husband. And I knew that Mick had heard Beth's comment – and had been upset by it – because his scent had changed subtly.

I mentally flailed and unfortunately fell short of forming an intelligent response.

After a minute, Beth continued.

"Emma, I feel like I'm on the outside looking in all the time. I expected Mick and Josef to make Coraline leave LA after she gatecrashed your wedding, but they let her stay. You seem to prefer her company to mine ... although we used to be close ... I was your maid of honour, after all. And the biggest insult of all is how much time Mick spends with you and Coraline these days."

Oh my god! How the hell was I supposed to begin to respond to all that?

"Beth ... I ... Mick ... it's not ..."

I stopped and took a deep – albeit unnecessary – breath. I'd been human for twenty-four years and a vampire for six months. Old habits die hard.

Okay – let's try this again.

"Beth, for what it's worth, I constantly feel like I'm on the outside looking in ... on the outside of the vampire community as well as left out of the exclusive little club you're such an intrinsic part of. In some ways, you still know my husband better than I do. You, Josef, Mick, and Coraline all share so much history that I'm not privy to ... and as for Mick not wanting to turn you, well just think about it for two seconds! Josef loves being a vampire – so does Coraline – but Mick hates it. He doesn't want to turn you because he loves you too much to do it." I paused momentarily to gather my thoughts. "As for Josef and Mick not running Coraline out of LA ... well, you'd have to ask them about it. I don't understand vampire politics that well, yet. But Coraline is no threat to your relationship with Mick or to our friendship. She has been nothing but kind to me since we met, and she and Mick have been absolutely amazing ... they have both taken it upon themselves to look after me when Josef is busy. And you must be aware of how crazy his business dealings have been lately."

Beth regarded me coolly so I shrugged. What else was there to say?

Eventually she said: "I suppose you have a lot to do, so I won't keep you any longer. It was great to catch up, though. Mick and I will have to have you and Josef over for dinner one night soon. It should be an easy dinner party – at least I won't have to do much cooking."

I tried to read her expression, but failed dismally.

I was saved from any further embarrassment when Mick silently appeared at my side. Without looking at Beth, my brother offered to walk me to my car and I accepted. He told me to drive carefully and I simply nodded. I wanted to offer an apology – after all, it was my fault that Beth had vented within Mick's earshot – but when I looked up into his hazel eyes and saw the pain behind his soft expression, the words stuck in my throat.

In the car, I turned the music up as loud as I could bear it, yet it still wasn't loud enough to drown out the sound of my own thoughts.

Josef was waiting for me when I got home. He took me by the hand and led me into the library. He loosened his collar and tie then offered a succinct explanation.

"Mick called."

I felt myself change. As I sank my fangs into my husband's neck, my tears flowed as freely as his blood. Once I had finished drinking, Josef picked me up as though I was the one who had just been half-drained. He carried me to our bedroom and lay down with me on the king-size bed.

In silence, he cradled me in his arms for a long time, until I reluctantly forced myself to speak.

"Am I interrupting some business that requires your attention?"

"You're more important, Emma."

They were the words I needed to hear. I stroked his face with my fingertips.

"I love you, Josef."

"I know."

He ran his fingers through my hair. Then he sat up and started to unbutton my blouse. I opened my mouth to speak, but he put one finger over my lips. I closed my eyes and let him undress me in silence. Once I was completely naked, I undressed Josef. Following his lead, I took my time and slowly caressed him as I removed each item of clothing. He was completely silent the whole time, but I knew that he was enjoying it because he'd stopped breathing.

He gently rolled me onto my stomach and pushed my long hair over one shoulder. As I lay with my head resting on my arms, Josef began to trace patterns of unknown design across my back, from shoulder to shoulder and neck to hips. The sensation was hypnotic. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, he placed wet kisses down my spine and then blew cold breath across my skin. It was delicious. Finally, he stroked his hand down my back to my butt, and I moved my legs apart in anticipation. With agonising slowness, he caressed my inner thighs, finally working his fingers into my curly hair. I wriggled impatiently and tried to turn over, but a strong hand held me in place. Ultimately, I felt the tips of Josef's fingers against my nether lips, touching, teasing, but not quite entering me.

I tried to manoeuvre myself backwards to find the contact I ached for, but he simply laughed softly. Yet I knew that he was torturing himself, just the same, because I could smell his desire.

Just when I reached the point where I knew that, immortal or not, I was going to die from longing, I felt Josef shift his position on the bed.

Without breaking contact with me, he grabbed a pillow and simply said: "Up."

I lifted my hips up off the bed and he pushed the pillow beneath me.

At long last, I felt the familiar weight of his hard body come to rest on mine. His hand reached between us and I felt him position his rock-hard cock at the entrance to my throbbing, wet core.

I needed him so much I was on the verge of tears.

Inch by inch, he slid into me until we were as one and then he stayed completely still. He slipped one hand beneath me and cupped my breast. I felt my hard nipple press against his palm. But when I felt his fangs grazing the back of my neck and shoulder as he kissed me, I acknowledged that I'd found a new definition of the word ecstasy. Waves of pleasure started at my centre and radiated through my entire body. I turned my face towards Josef's arm – the one he was leaning on to support some of his weight – and sank my fangs into his wrist.

As I released my bite, he withdrew from me and rolled me onto my back. I looked up into his beautiful, silver eyes.

"Honey what happened? Is something wrong? I mean ... you didn't ... did you?"

"Hush, Emma."

Josef began at my ankle then nipped and kissed his way all the way up the inside of my leg. I gasped as his tongue worked its own, unique magic against my clit. And my second climax was different from the first – more precise somehow.

I twisted my fingers into my husband's hair and pulled him upwards. I put one hand between us and took hold of his cock to guide him in. He filled me completely.

I arched my neck and spoke at the same time.

"I want you to come."

He thrust into me. Once. Twice. Three times. Then his whole body went rigid and I felt the familiar, beloved rapture of his bite.

After a few minutes, when I'd recovered enough to speak, I said: "That was absolutely amazing. Thank you."

He kissed me, deeply and tenderly.

"Well, you said 'I love you' ... and as much as I love to hear you say it ... I also decided to show you that sometimes actions speak so much louder than words."

***

Very early the next evening, while I was drinking my breakfast from my favourite bone china cup, Coraline called. I was grateful that Josef was having his own breakfast in a different room because that way I was free to talk to my friend without Josef gesticulating in the background.

Ever since we'd first met, Coraline had been amazingly helpful and encouraging with my efforts to make a name for myself as a freelance photographer, and she quickly explained that she had called to invite me over to see her brand new, state-of-the-art camera. I jumped at the chance to see her. Quite aside from the fact that I simply enjoyed her company, she was such a talented photographer and she was incredibly generous in sharing tricks of the trade with me.

So I changed into nicer clothes – just in case we went out somewhere – and drove straight to Coraline's extraordinary home.

She greeted me with a hug and then happily showed me her new camera. I was no expert, but I knew enough to be impressed. We chatted about work – hers and mine – then after a while she casually asked if I'd seen Beth recently. I hesitated for a moment, and then told Coraline most of what had taken place the night before at Mick's place.

She listened without interruption until she was sure that I'd disclosed as much as I intended to. After that, she bit her lip and smiled.

"Oh, my poor Mick! I can just imagine him playing chaperone to his baby sister and his paramour, and then hearing her say that you were hungry." Coraline laughed like a bell. "I would have paid to see the look on his face!"

I smiled in spite of myself.

"Coraline, it wasn't funny – it was embarrassing."

I felt flustered even though the older vampire was always easy to talk to. From the start, she had assured me that I could tell her anything. There were so many things that I didn't understand about being a vampire – particularly on delicate topics like female biology – but Coraline had been wonderful about answering my questions without ever making me feel as though I was foolish for asking. Although in retrospect, my fear that I was destined to continue menstruating for centuries really was silly.

Coraline was my only female vampire friend, and night by night I grew more dependent on her. Nevertheless, I felt conflicted by my loyalty to Beth.

"I swear I had no thought of biting Beth! The truth is that I've never bitten anyone except Josef ..." I let my voice trail off, abruptly realising that she had understood the full implication of that statement.

She smiled slowly, and said, "I can imagine. Josef is extremely biteable."

Seeing such a beautiful woman apparently entertaining a brief fantasy about my husband brought my territorial instincts to the fore.

"Coraline, you and Josef have known each other for a very long time, right?"

She nodded, still smiling.

"Were you and Josef ever ... romantically involved?"

"No, Emma. I won't try to deceive you by denying that there was once an attraction, but we never acted on it. Somehow we both knew that it would end very, very badly."

"What about Mick? Did you ever ..." I let my voice fade, uncertain if I'd just crossed a line in our friendship.

"Are you trying to ask if I ever imagined that things could turn so sour with Mick?"

I nodded.

Coraline sighed.

"No. I truly believed that Mick and I would be happily married for many centuries. Looking at you, I can see how smart Josef was to tell you from the start what he is, and to let you decide when the time was right for you to be turned. Then again, Josef has had four centuries to learn patience. And society – both vampire and human – was far more oppressive to women in the era that I met Mick, than it is now."

I reached for Coraline's hand and she accepted the comfort I was trying to provide.

"I'm so sorry. I know you still love Mick."

"Emma, I really do appreciate you giving me the benefit of the doubt, when I'm sure that Josef and Beth, in particular, have had plenty to say about me."

"Before you say anything else, Coraline, Josef is my husband, Mick is my brother and Beth is my friend–"

"And I'm not trying to make you choose sides." Coraline interjected. "I'm just trying to be a good friend to you and get on with my life. Emma, I came back to LA to heal. Nobody knows the horrors my sire subjected me to as punishment for giving Mick the cure. I knowingly sacrificed myself that night to save Mick's life – otherwise Lance would have killed him without a moment's regret – yet Josef and Beth both think I'm only here to stir up trouble."

Of all the things I had just heard, my mind stuck on the fact that twice in the space of as many minutes Coraline had said 'Josef and Beth' as though they were a couple. And I didn't like it at all.

I forced a smile.

"Ah ... this is silly, I know ... but would you mind not saying Josef and Beth like that, please?"

"Emma, I didn't mean–" Coraline broke off and laughed softly. "You and Mick really are perfectly matched as brother and sister, do you know that? You both view Beth as being a complete innocent. But she has a dark side. I've seen it. And I'm convinced that she and Josef share some kind of secret." She squeezed my hand. "No, I'm not implying that they ever had an affair or anything like that – but they are bound together by something. I see it in the looks that pass between them sometimes."

I met Coraline's steady gaze. Apparently the gloves were off.

"I have a simple question and I'd appreciate a straightforward answer. Have you come back for Mick?"

"Emma, you're still a baby. I know you love Mick and don't want to see him hurt, and you have a certain loyalty to Beth, too. That's admirable. Loyalty is a fine thing – unless it is misplaced. Just remember, you are going to live for many centuries. So please take my advice and choose your friends wisely."

"If there was an answer to my question somewhere in there, Coraline, I didn't hear it."

"Alright, let me put it this way – hypothetically, if Josef thought you were dead, and he developed a crush on a human girl but he refused to turn her, what would you do?"

The question floored me.

I had occasionally thought about Josef's past lovers but I'd never once considered the possibility of losing him in the future. The idea hit me like a physical blow. In that instant I understood many things: my love for Josef; Coraline's love for Mick; and ultimately, the reality of the need for me to be loyal to my new family.

"Honestly? I'd wait for my husband's infatuation to burn itself out. Sooner or later he'd come back to me. After all, I am a vampire now – time is on my side."

Coraline looked deeply into my eyes and slowly smiled.

"Josef told me he'd chosen you well. He wasn't kidding."