Chapter Eight: Go Slow
Eric remained calm as he led Marina to the office and opened the door for her to step in, all the while keeping his peripheral gaze on the other door.
"Are all of your financial records in here, Mr. Northman?" Marina queried as she walked to his desk and began opening drawers.
Perfect timing. "I have a few more records in the other room. I'll bring them in."
Noting her distracted gaze which focused on tax papers, he stepped out of the office and covertly made his way to Lana's room. She was sitting expectantly on the bed, looking slightly confused as he quickly made his way toward her.
"We have to leave."
"What?"
"There isn't much time to explain, but there are a group of vampires here who will not be as accommodating as I have been when they find you. I have to get you out."
Lana visibly shuddered. "But… Where are we going?"
He considered all the available options quickly. They had to get out of Louisiana if they wanted to avoid Marina and her goonies, but he didn't have much time to take her far.
He pulled out a pair of jeans and a nice shirt from the chest next to him and threw it Lana. "Take these with you."
"But again, where are we going?"
He heard an escalation of sound in the hall and didn't waste time as he quickly got to Lana and picked her up.
"What the…?" she stammered incredulously as she squirmed in his arms.
When he had some time he was going to relish having her in this position. "How do you feel about Austin?"
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Lana's heart was ramming like a jackhammer by the time Eric had flown them to the front of a historic-looking hotel in Austin, Texas. She had just gone hundreds of miles through the air in a few minutes, above almost the entire world as the night air washed over her and she clung to Eric's muscular form. Suddenly they were back on the ground and she still felt as if she was spinning.
Eric was looking at her with a small smile. "How are you doing?"
She dug her fingers into the muscles of his shoulders to anchor herself. "You can fly…"
"Among many other things."
She was a little reluctant to let go as he slid her down and she held onto him a little longer than she probably needed. "What… what are we doing here?"
"I'm going to keep you here for a little bit, just while the new queen invades the bar." He took her hand and led her inside of the hotel where the man at the front desk seemed to recognize him instantly.
"Queen? As in, you all live in a secret vampire kingdom?"
"Something like that." The man at the front desk handed Eric a key and led them to the stairs.
"What am I supposed to do then?" she had to ask. "You're just going to keep me here while you deal with your vampire queen?" They came to a door and the man opened it up to a cozy and windowless room. It was a strange combination of antique-looking furniture and modern tech appliances, such as a flat-screen TV on the wall and a high-tech mini-fridge in the corner.
"I'm going to keep you here for the night while I deal with Marina." He kept his eyes on the hotel employee as the man made his way out. "She can't know about you. It'll be safer here."
"Are you going back?"
He looked down at her with an expression that made her feel… odd. "I am but I'll return soon." A smile crinkled the corners of his mouth. "I won't keep you waiting too long."
She rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. For some reason, she wasn't terribly angry about him bringing her here. It seemed as if he had transferred her to this vampire-friendly hotel in order to protect her, and that warmed her a little bit. She didn't know much about vampire politics but she was aware that they were not pussycats.
Still, she did not like the fact that he was hauling her around like he owned her. Just a few days ago she had been in Baton Rouge, working and taking care of her dog. Now she was in Austin, Texas after having been roofied and kept in a vampire dungeon. What the fuck was going on?
"So you just want me to wait here until you handle your vampire politics? What happens if another human-hungry stalker comes here?"
"Hmm." He nodded. "True. I can't leave you here completely defenseless. You are human after all."
She gave him an arch look at that.
Keeping her gaze, though, he extended his fangs and brought his wrist up the sharp points. Sinking them in and then pulling out smoothly, he lifted his bloody wrist to face her.
She winced. "Eww. Why did you do that?"
"This is the only way I'll be able to make sure you're safe. If you have my blood in your system, I'll know when you're in danger… among other benefits."
A shiver coursed through her system. "You want me to drink your blood?"
"You'll be safe if you do. If anyone tries to hurt you, I'll know." The dark shade of the blood glistened. "Drink."
"A vampire tracking device." It freaked her out, to be honest, but she had known a few people who were in relationships with vampires, and sure enough, if they were ever in trouble their vampires had come. So maybe…
She took his wrist in her own hand and brought it closer to her mouth before meeting his intense gaze. "This is gross."
The corners of his mouth lifted. "We'll see."
Making the decision before she could think twice, she put her mouth on his open wrist and started to drink.
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Whoa… That was the last rational thought Lana had as she slowly took his blood into her mouth. At first, it had just tasted like blood: metallic and sharp. But as she took more in and swallowed it down, it warmed her. Almost like a smooth draw of whiskey or the drag of a great cigarette, it swam through her system like gold. She could feel it vibrate within her veins, heat her skin, and fill her with a desire, a need so acute she almost didn't recognize it. It was like a drug; no, it was a drug. And as good as it had become, as delicious and filling as the draw was, she pulled back when the realization of how much she was enjoying it hit her. She released his wrist like it was a weapon and shuddered a little as she stared back at the awed and pleasured look on his face.
He was breathing hard, so much so that she could see the effort he was making not to frighten her. Reluctantly, he pulled his wrist back and after pricking the pad of his thumb with a fang, smoothed some of his own blood over the wound. "Still gross?"
Her heart was still hammering and she felt a tad bit of shame at the feel of her wet panties. "That's why people use vampire blood as a drug, isn't it?"
His eyes were hooded but penetrating. "That's how human blood tastes to us, only better."
She looked away from him and hugged herself a little as she stepped toward the bed, furthering their distance. "You should probably get back before your queen freaks out."
He hesitated for a moment – because he wanted to say something? – but nodded at her reminder, and silently exited the room.
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Pam stood watch as her new vampire queen (groan) rifled through all of their desks and drawers. Outside her goonies were doing the same around the bar, making a mess and a racket as their grubby paws went through everything with as much aplomb as a herd of rhinos.
"Where's your maker, Ms. Swynford?" Marina asked as she eyed a particular document. "He's been gone ten minutes."
Pam knew exactly where Eric must have gone. He had a new little plaything that he had won through a business trade and if the new authority in town found out, they would not approve. "He's a man of mystery."
Marina glared at her, her icy blue eyes communicating her annoyance. "Well, you're fucking lucky that I have already found what I need. Now that the law has returned, we're going to reinstate the monthly fee vampire businesses have to pay. And to make up for lost time, we have to increase the rate from twenty-five percent to forty."
"That's fucking astronomical," Pam bit out. "You trying to extort us?"
Marina wore a smug smile. "Government 101, Ms. Swynford. You might now have been alive during the Enlightenment, but if you want to live safely in society, you have to give up a few rights. Consider these fees as taxes."
Pam rolled her eyes. "Ya'll really pride yourselves on being cocksuckers, don't you?"
"That's a prerequisite for working in government."
Pam shifted then when she suddenly felt Eric appear at her side. He looked very frazzled, and very unlike Eric.
"Where the fuck have you been, Mr. Northman?"
Eric's eyes were bright. "I apologize. It took me a little longer than I expected."
"To get boxes?"
Eric took his time in bringing the three boxes he was holding to the desk and Pam could have sworn that she saw the evidence of an erection in his pants. Interesting.
"Well, you're just in time. I was just informing your prodigy that I found all of your audits and bank statements. I can see that the new forty percent fee won't put too much of a dent in your business."
Pam could see Eric simmer silently with rage but he remained stoic.
"Of course," Marina began as she sidled towards Eric, "we could set up a more reasonable arrangement if you're accommodating."
Apparently she had seen Eric's sizable erection as well, Pam thought, as she watched the new queen palm Eric's groin. He stiffened.
"Hmm, yes, I think I could work with this."
Pam watched her maker closely as Marina finally walked away and started shouting orders to her goons. He didn't make a single move as they listened to the European bitch until she finally made her exit and the bar became silent.
"So where did you hide your fairy tale ass?"
Eric finally moved, albeit still stiffly. "Austin, at Simon's place."
"Smart. She'll be safe there."
He barely met her gaze before walking away and nodding absentmindedly. She followed.
"Eric?"
He paused but didn't stop to answer her. Instead, he just walked away.
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Lana opened her eyes and sighed with relief when she saw the inside of her bedroom. Oh, finally! She was back in her apartment, back in Baton Rouge, back in reality, and happy as hell at the realization that it had all been a dream. She should have known. Of course, it had all been a dream. What a relief…
But when she stretched and turned to the side, she saw Eric, her captor, lying next to her. Naked.
"What are you doing here?" she asked. The sound of voice confused her. It sounded… different.
A sly smile took over his mouth as he leaned closer and brushed the hair from her face. "Close your eyes."
Why wasn't she fighting him? It seemed to be the only thought she could muster as she closed her eyes and felt him cover her with his whole body. She shivered, audibly gasping as he pulled down the straps of her nightgown – since when did she wear those? – and exposed one of her breasts. She lifted her hips and let her fingers run freely through the silky strands of his dark blonde hair as his breath steamed over her skin.
"Eric," she found herself whispering as she tried to grind her hips against the erection so evidently pressing against her. "Kiss me."
Christ. The moment his lips touched hers, she melted. Pressing lightly, his lips were skillful as they danced over her own until she was so desperate for more, he slanted his head and started licking at her lips.
Her nails dug hard into the smooth muscles of his back and she moaned. Chuckling against her mouth, he took pity on her finally and delved his tongue deep into her mouth. It felt like heaven and she pulled on his hair, entwining her tongue with his own whilst grinding her hips against his.
"Eric," she whimpered as he lightly bit her bottom lip, "I need you."
His eyes were hooded as one of his hands slid down her body and cupped her heat. Arching underneath him, she watched as his eyes hooded over. "Don't worry. I'll take good care of you, Lana.."
She was on fire, uncaring about anything anymore except for the need coursing through her veins. All she wanted was him, on her, inside her, filling her, giving her what she needed. "Take care of me then."
His hand slowly pulled up the hem of her nightgown and he leaned down to kiss her again in a hot, wet, and wild embrace that left her gasping.
"I don't know," she heard him drawl. She opened her eyes and saw him flash a wicked grin. "I don't think you're hot enough just yet." Then she watched him slide down her body before his mouth came right to her core.
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Lana woke suddenly. She sat up slowly as she tried to calm the thunderous rate of her heartbeat and the wild throbbing in her lower body. Her skin was covered in sweat and she tried to wipe her forehead and get herself under control. She had been dreaming?
She couldn't understand what was going on. She had remembered falling asleep shortly after Eric had left, and she certainly remembered what it had been like drinking his blood. Strange. Frightening. Unfortunately, erotic. It had left her feeling strange and embarrassed, humiliated to the point that she couldn't look at him in the eye. But that dream had been more than a feverish night fantasy. It had felt so real, and it had depicted Eric in such a different light. Had she dreamed about him because of the blood? Or was she dreaming about him because she was actually entertaining her attraction? He was a vampire! A scheming, greedy, arrogant, tall, sexy, surprisingly funny vampire. A vampire who had taken her as payment when her rotten stepfather had been unable to pay his debt. So why was he making her feel this way?
