"I think I need a shower," Maddie whispered.
"Me too," Jas grunted. He pushed himself up and stood gracefully, even though his legs were weak from release. He held out his hand for hers. After a moment, she slipped her fingers into his large palm and he pulled her to her feet and into his still hard body. He wrapped his muscled arms around her as he pulled her close. He grinned suggestively before his mouth captured hers in a burning kiss.
"No!" she cried and slapped both his shoulders in defiance. "We're not starting over again."
"Why not?" he whispered with a wolfish smirk.
Her eyes narrowed. "Because, I need a little space right now," she said and firmly twisted away from him.
He let her go with a sigh and watched her cute butt fairly scamper out of the kitchen.
In the shower, Maddie let the hot water pour over her as she leaned on the wall. She thought she should be furious with herself for what she just did. It was totally out of character and against all her rules. She'd fully intended to wait until she knew him better before surrendering her body to him. She'd wanted him to work for it, but instead she'd been overwhelmed by his urgent need for her.
No, it wasn't fair to blame him. Her body was also at fault; she needed him as badly as he needed her. She couldn't help wanting more. She felt complete with him, and after all she had committed herself to believing him. Even though she'd consented and enjoyed everything, she was still trying to comprehend everything. She couldn't just back out because the intensity of their lovemaking scared her.
Then again, a complete 180-flip on her lifestyle wasn't something that happened every day. And it wasn't normal for her to drink blood—and like it! She could already feel the evidence of his powerful blood in her body. Every water drop from the shower splashed and danced upon her skin. The roar of cascading water rang in her ears. She felt sensitive and alive.
She closed her eyes and let the steam and water envelope her, easing the rising aches from their romp on the kitchen floor. She tried to think of nothing and everything, to just let her chaotic thoughts settle in some sort of manageable pattern.
Jas wondered around Maddie's small apartment, taking in what he had been unable to see from outside her window. His mind slipped into the minds of her cats, and found warmth and affection there. They did regard him with mild mistrust, although it was more because he had just been the cause of such a racket in the kitchen.
Mischievously, he peaked inside her closet, just to see what was there. Half of it was filled with risqué outfits for her work. The other half was dedicate to sweaters, over-large t-shirts, and dark jeans. A jewelry box was on one shelf and he passed a hand over it to understand the contents; it was all cheap metal and plastic beads. He would have to remedy that.
Because he couldn't help it, his mind reached out to hers. He wanted to touch her always, be with her always, and wrap her up in his arms safe from the world. He found her struggling to comprehend what had just happened. She still had faith in him, was determined to give the last shred of it to him, but her self-confidence was shaken. She had just behaved like a tramp, mounting him on the kitchen floor the way she had—not even undressing fully, as if she had somewhere else to be. His heart clenched as he realized the connotations of their joining. It was one thing to be caught up in the first mating ritual between life mates, but at what cost?
Although she knew in her heart that she was different from other dancers, and he was different from just about everyone on the planet, she couldn't bring herself to believe quite yet that they had a real future together, that their union was not based on lust and mind games. She held on to the hope that her union with him could save Diesel from her nightmare, and that perhaps her surrender to him might make up for all the times she'd run from her horrible knowledge of the inevitable, leaving her loved ones to endure it alone.
Jas couldn't take it any longer.
She knew the moment he slid silently into the bathroom and behind the shower curtain. Her eyes were still closed, but she could feel his emotions radiating off of him like light from the sun. He wanted her, naturally. He always wanted her. He was worried about her, genuinely concerned for her health and happiness. He wanted to give her space because he had read the fierce independence in her mind, but her harsh admonishments of herself were unacceptable.
His arms slid around her and pulled her close. She felt so fragile. When he held her, he was afraid he would hurt her. She buried her face against his neck and shoulder, and wrapped her arms around his waist. He felt so solid, so powerful. When he was near, her insecurities seemed silly and childish. Neither could say anything. They stood their together under the shower for a while, just enjoying the feel of each other, communicating empathically until their hearts synchronized and the tension drained away.
Finally, Maddie leaned back and turned off the water. Jas followed her closely out of the shower. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself. Then as she went to leave the bathroom, she stopped at the mirror and stared at her reflection.
Her hair, even wet, seemed redder, like rubies lit by candles. Her hazel eyes twinkled like tourmaline, and her skin seemed smoother than before. It was slightly different than the last time she remembered looking at her natural face in the mirror. She was used to seeing herself as a sex object, but now (a little vainly she consented) she was sex personified. She felt it in Jas's eyes as well, knew he was seeing her as every erotic dream come true. She was the burning embers of passion in the night.
"So at least I can still put on my makeup," she mused with a wry twist to her smile. "Do I need to avoid garlic, silver, and tanning salons?"
Jas chuckled, discovering the petty superstitions about vampires amusing when she said it like that. "The only thing that can hurt you is the sun, kittling," he replied. "I'm afraid that is the price for our immortality."
"What about food?" she asked. "Can I eat anything besides blood?"
"Before the conversion, it would be best for you to keep your strength up with organic produce, juices, and whole grains, and to stay away from dairy and meat products," he suggested. "After the conversion, I'm afraid almost all food will make you sick."
"So no chocolate?" she demanded, her face going suddenly serious. "No cookie dough ice-cream? No coffee?!?"
Jas kissed her on the top of her head and smiled at her in the mirror. "No, my love, none of that. You may, however, enjoy the taste of me."
Maddie rolled her eyes and slapped at him over her shoulder. She very haughtily walked out of the bathroom to her bedroom and fished in her drawers for undergarments.
He followed her, his skin dry with a passing thought. He left himself unclothed, purposefully, and leaned against the door as he watched her. Blatantly ignoring him, she dropped the towel and slid on a pair of regular black cotton underwear. She also put on the plainest black bra in her drawer. Then she grabbed a pair of running shorts and an oversized t-shirt with a grizzly bear printed on the front. This was comfortable—and most importantly, not sexy. Just normal.
She turned to face him and her heart started to pound. He looked so perfect, like an ancient roman statue, so casually leaning against her door frame. His broad, solid jaw reminded her of the large wolfhounds and mastiff dogs she adored, but it also hinted at his tenacious nature, and she suspected that now he had his teeth in her—literally!—he wasn't about to let go.
"What you're wearing now becomes you far more than anything else in your closet," Jas murmured softly, meaning it.
"Well, I can't wear it to work," Maddie felt the need to point out.
"Then I don't think you should ever go back to work," he said.
"It's not like I want to," she admitted without thinking, "But I have bills to pay, cats to feed…"
"We've been over this before," Jas reminded her, not moving from his casual post at the door. "I am independently wealthy, honeysweet. You will never need to worry about finances again."
"I'm not a canary in a cage," she snapped. "Just because I dance in a cage once in a while doesn't mean you can throw money at me and I'll keep singing for my supper. You want to have a relationship? Then keep your money out of it."
Jas did move now. He glided up to her, so swiftly she barely had time to step back before his large hands gripped her shoulders. "Do you intend to keep dancing?" he demanded.
"Y-yes! I was lucky to get this job, I'm not about to throw it away!" she cried.
"Then listen well, my darling," he replied in a low, menicing voice. "I may have some patience, but I am a very jealous man. If you place yourself in a position for other men to lear and lust after you, I cannot be responcible for my actions."
"You j-joined my patrons for a week," Maddie stammered in her defence.
"And you did not notice that there were less every night?" he smiled with cold humor.
She stared at him in horrror. What sort of monster had she tied herself to? She felt the violence in him, the satisfaction in the memories of taking each patron's blood, forcing each one to stay home, confess to wives, instilling each of them with a fear of returning to the club. One he had taken the pleasure of forcing him enter the nearest police station and confess his rape crimes to the first officer he saw. She knew Jas had not really harmed any of them, but the beast in him had barely been kept in check.
He lifted a hand and stroked her cheek. He didn't like seeing the fear in her eyes, but for her own good--and the good of all mortals--she had to know who he truly was.
"Tomorrow, we will go to the club together, and espress to your employer that you wish to resign," he said, giving her job as much respect as possible.
"Like hell," Maddie spat. "I'll find a way to save Diesel myself! Get out!"
Jas drew her close into a crushing embrace, lifting her off her feet. With a tought, the sliding glass door slid open to the balcony, and he flew into the night with Maddie in his arms.
Maddie saw the lights of Las Vegas rushing away beneith her. She squeezed her eyes closed as her stomach lurched.
You do not comprehend what I am, his voice snarled in her mind. I am of the earth, the air, the water. I can direct the lightening, create wonders from thin air, and change the chemical makeup of anything I tough. For centuries, I have endred bleak existance, feeling only pain and hunger. I have killed men I grew up with, slaughtered armies who threatend those under my protection. I am the monster you named me, and only you can keep me from turning into the very evil I hunt, killing mortals and imortals alike.
His rant was vividly punctuated with memories of his grey existance before he'd seen her walking into the club. She felt the colors come alive, burning his eyes with their sweet intensity. She felt his arousal when he'd first seen her dancing, his rage at the other men learing at her with perverted throughts filling their minds. He had tried to be patient, given her exhorbedant tips in hopes that she'd quit on her own, change her life, accept him. Save him.
Maddie trembled at the intensity of Jas's convitction. She felt icy drops of water splash on her face and looked up. The desert sky was perfectly black and clear of clouds. The water had come from the tears streaming down his face.