Just a tiny warning...the story finally earns it's M rating in this chapter!! ;)

Chapter Nine

"Surrender"

I was comfortable, far too comfortable and cosy as I squirmed in a waking stretch against the soft, yet stable base beneath where I lay. As I moved, the luxurious silkiness surrounding me brushed gently against my bare skin. Strange, I thought to myself and frowned as my eyes flickered open and tried to make sense of where I was and what had happened to me.

I was greeted with the sight of warm, inviting orange painted walls. Soft lighting and extravagant, yet minimalist furniture filled the room. Elaborate paintings adorned the walls. And then I knew where I was - this was Henry's bedroom and I was in his bed! How on earth had I got here? But even as I pondered the bizzare situation, I thought back to the park and Henry literally craving for my blood.

Just as I thought his name, the vampire himself sauntered calmly back into his bedroom. A glass in his hand and a content smile on his face.

"You're awake," he stated as he crawled onto the bed beside me.

"You bastard!" I slapped him. "You drank my blood!" I accused, infuriated with him, and yet also slightly disapointed that I didn't remember it.

"I did not," he replied firmly. "You fainted all on your own. Here, drink this." He offered me the glass of what looked like water.

I frowned at it, not trusting him at all anymore, convinced he was trying to drug me or something. So I slapped it away, causing him to lose his grip and the glass slipped from his fingers, smashing on the wooden floor.

"You could have just politely refused. You don't have to destroy my possessions." He looked down at the broken pieces on the floor glumly.

"What the hell am I doing here?" I demanded.

"You fainted in the park. I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he replied, giving one last glance to the broken glass on the floor and then choosing to ignore it as he moved back against the pillows of his bed.

"And you felt the need to bring me back to your bed? Like some cave man returning home with his prize?" I rolled my eyes at him. "Couldn't you have just taken me to Coreen's or something?"

"I could. But then you'd have woken and just accused me of trespassing or breaking and entering again."

"I see. So you decided to up your stakes and go for kidnapping this time huh?"

"You have a term for everything, don't you? Can't just you just accept that maybe I wanted to look after you? That I wanted to know you were alright, that you were safe." His finger traced around my face, before I flinched away from him.

"Oh, and I'm safe here? In the lair of a vampire?" I scoffed

An expression of pain flashed across his face before he caught himself and just looked offended that I would think that. "I would never hurt you," he promised.

"No? Made a damn good job of it before," I folded my arms.

He sighed deeply, tired of this recurring conversation. "I never meant to. I thought I was doing what was best for you."

"Yeah, right." I still didn't believe him.

"It's true. Anyway, seeing as you are here now, will you give me the chance to explain some things?" I didn't answer him, but I didn't fight him on it either, so he continued. "The girl you saw in my apartment last week. It really wasn't what you thought, Maya is just a friend. I almost think of her as my daughter…she's actually the daughter of an old lover. Anyway, she often comes to me when she's in trouble. She has a crush on me, but there's nothing at all sexual between us, purely paternal on my part."

I scoffed and shook my head slightly, finding that very hard to believe.

"Honestly. There's been no one since you. No woman has been in my bed since you left."

I dissolved into hilarious laughter at that revelation, despite giving it all the sincerity he could muster.

"I'm telling the truth here," he huffed insulted. "I don't want anyone else…it's you, it's always you. I made a huge mistake in pushing you away, and I'm sorry. I just…" he faded off and sighed to himself, before laying back on the pillows for a moment and closing his eyes. He caught me staring at him as he opened them again seconds later. He rolled to his side and rested on his elbow, cradling his head in his hand. "Listen…I know you doubt me, and you have good reason to," he added before I could interrupt with words of protest. "But…last year I did honestly think I was doing what was best - for both of us. I just…I wasn't prepared for how very much I would miss you."

From my position laying beside him, I peered at him through my eyelashes, wondering if he meant that…knowing that I would give anything to have that be the truth - even though it was wrong. We couldn't do this again. But still I couldn't stop myself from confessing the truth.

"I missed you too…" I murmured quietly. "So much."

He smiled a lop sided grin at me and stroked the back of my hand softly with his fingertips, averting his eyes from my face. "I hurt you. I know that, and you don't know how sorry I am that I did that to you. And I know that you don't trust me anymore. But…maybe, I was hoping you might at least consider giving me another chance?" he looked up fleetingly, catching my eye and looking hopeful. He dared take hold of my hand lightly in his then and I let him, before he continued, looking down at our joined hands. "I just want another chance to gain back your trust. To make right for all the mistakes I made…the mess I made of things," he squeezed my hand encouragingly.

I returned the squeeze and offered him a slight smile as my heart struggled with his words. I knew they were heartfelt, I could just tell. He may well be a vampire, capable of taking a human life, a predator….but he was also a hopeless, old fashioned romantic who became vulnerable, who let down his guard with those he loved. And I knew he still loved me.

I loved him too…missed him more than a person should miss another and more than was comfortable for me to bear. Now that I knew the truth about Maya, I couldn't hold that against him either - couldn't accuse him of having moved on and not wanting me. Heck maybe he was even telling the truth about not having slept with anyone since me. Though, with a wry grin to myself, I seriously doubted that.

But, as much as I loved him, wanted him, missed him and maybe even needed him, I knew why I had to hold back from him. Knew why I couldn't allow myself to give him that chance because I knew that's all it would take for him to win me back. We couldn't be together because I had to protect him from himself. Just like he'd done to me last year, I had to be cruel to be kind - for his benefit. And only now did I realise that his decision to let me go had maybe been as much of a struggle for him as it was for me now. How hard it was to deny myself, to not allow myself to take the one thing that I really wanted - being with him again.

"You have nothing to say?" he asked soberly - afraid he'd confessed too much as he raised my hand in his slightly and rubbed his thumb over the back of mine.

"I erm, er…I…" I took a deep breath, and let it out slowly before I spoke. "Okay, fine. The truth is Henry, I never really know where I stand with you. I'm never quite sure what exactly I mean to you. I haven't a clue if I can trust you with my heart again. And yet, everytime I think of you, which is ofen. All I want is to be with you."

"You can be with me," he raised my hand higher and lightly pressed his lips against my knuckles. "And I'll show you how much you mean to me. I'll prove you can trust me again. We can be together."

I groaned inwardly - knowing that we couldn't. Him knowing the truth wouldn't be fair - he didn't deserve to suffer the guilt I knew he would feel, even though it wasn't his fault. I loved him too much to put him through that and if we were together again, it would be impossible to keep that truth away from him.

Struggling with all this inner turmoil whilst his eyes never left mine was making me sweat in the bed and I flung the sheets back absentmindedly. As the cool air caressed my skin, it was only then that I realised I was merely clad in my t-shirt and panties beneath the sheets.

"Oh my God!" I shrieked, pulling the blankets back over myself swiftly. "You undressed me whilst I was unconscious?" I asked incredulously. "You stupid perverted vampire!" I attempted to slap him again as he rolled deftly and dodged my aim easily…briefly aware that he had been leaning in towards me, possibly about to kiss me.

"I was only trying to make you comfortable," he attempted to reason his actions, the hint of offence across his features. "Besides," he contained himself, "I only slipped your jeans off. No big deal - nothing I haven't seen before." A flash of those expressive eyebrows betrayed his obvious delight over the issue.

"Well, you lost the right to see anything anymore months ago!" I snapped irritably, holding the sheets tight in my fist for fear he'd rip them off my again. "What the hell were planning on doing? Having your wicked way with me whilst you had the chance?"

"Nah," he drawled lazily, "not as much fun when you're unconscious," he grinned roguishly.

"Okay, that's it!" I sat up sharply. "I'm leaving. You," I poked my finger towards his face, "have manipulated me enough for one night." I made to climb from the bed and then reconsidered. "Don't look!" I instructed him, before pulling the sheets from my body.

He ignored me and rolled to his side again, propped up on one elbow and staring at me intently with that damn grin on his face. A flash of those eyebrows again, almost dared me to reveal myself to his scrutiny.

I groaned at him, looking away furiously as I sighed deeply, flinging the sheets off of myself forcefully, hoping they would land on him to obscure his view as I leapt from the bed - eager to grab my clothes swiftly and allow him the meagre briefest of glimpses only.

My feet hit the floor and it took a moment for my brain to understand what wasn't right, before I screamed in pain. "Youch! Shit!" I cursed and sat back down on the side of the bed promptly "Stupid fucking interfering vampire!" I grumbled.

"And now what have I done?" he breathed lazily, settling back on the pillows, folding his arms beneath his head.

"The glass…on the floor," I muttered, wincing at the pain throbbing in my foot. "I stood on it…and…"

Before I had even finished my sentence he was out of the bed and knelt before me, demanding I let him look at my foot. "Are you alright? I know it's bleeding, I can smell it. Let me look!" he tried to grab it again as I jerked it away. "Let me see!" he commanded resolutely, grabbing hold effortlessly as he angled my foot up so as he could inspect it. "Ouch," he winced for me, knowing how sore it looked. "You have glass in it. I can take care of it for you?" he offered.

"No!" I snapped at him. "It's fine! Leave me alone!" I wiggled my foot in his grasp, trying to get it free, and then cringed when that hurt even more. I could feel the glass shards tearing my skin further.

"You can't walk on it like that!" he pointed out. "It needs treating. At least let me take the glass out."

"Fine!" I relented with a snort, knowing that he was right and I stopped trying to tug my foot from his hand.

"Be right back," he set my foot down gently and disappeared into the bathroom, returning with a couple of wet cloths and a towel. He set to work then, carefully and thoroughly removing all traces of the glass - his vampire sight perfect for such precision work. I grimaced and shrieked as he removed it all, trying to pull my foot free to stop the pain, but he held firm and tried to comfort me, trying his best to be as gentle and careful as he could.

Finally all the glass seemed to be out as he wiped my foot gently with the wet cloth, washing the dried blood off. He inspected it thoroughly, twisting my foot this way and that to check for anymore, before he wiped it again and held the soft dry towel against my heal. "It's still bleeding significantly, there's rather a large cut here. I could.."

"No!" I snapped again before he could finish, knowing perfectly well what he had in mind . He'd healed a small cut on my finger once by using the power of his vampiric saliva - I wasn't about to let him heal my foot, to taste my blood again, to lose myself to him so easily.

"Well, it's that or a trip down to the hospital. It really needs stitches." he offered his amateur opinion. Then noting the determined expression on my face, he sighed and stood from his knelt position. "Fine, I'll take you to the hospital."

"I can get myself there, thanks." I got to my feet and then shrieked in pain as my foot throbbed and fell back down onto the bed. "Damnit." I cursed, realising there was no way I could get myself there - it was far too painful to walk on and putting any pressure on it had caused it to bleed further. I sighed as I looked down at the blood seeping into the towel. Having Henry heal the damn wound would be much quicker and probably less painful than getting stitches, but did I really want to allow him that hold over me?

What on earth had happened here? One minute we'd been talking softly, almost reminiscent of our love affair, confessing to feelings…and then he'd irritated the hell out of me again. And yet, he still wanted to help me, he was still being gentle and concerned for me. "Fine, do it." I stuck my foot up towards him.

"Really?" he asked, dropping to his knees again. "You want me to heal it?" he checked.

I nodded, not trusting my mouth to speak the words.

"Might sting a little a first," he warned. "Hope your foots clean," he joked, carefully taking it into his hand again and lowering his head. His eyes flashed up to mine briefly, checking I was really alright with this, upon sensing no resistance he brought my foot towards his mouth

His tongue darted out and laved at the wound, he was right, it stung and instinctively I jerked my foot back. He had a firm hold of it though, as he opened his mouth slightly and almost kissed the injury, his tongue licking tenderly at my skin, covering the entire cut with his saliva and already it no longer hurt. He sucked slightly and for one moment I panicked…he wasn't, feeding from my foot was he? I braced myself for the expectant sharp puncture of his fangs, but it never came as he continued to lap up my spilled blood. A little suck here and there, a brush up and down of his tongue across the open wound, a final lick around it and then he pulled back, licking his own lips.

I marvelled at my foot, it didn't hurt anymore, didn't even sting. I could tell that the wound had closed, that there was no gaping gash anymore and the blood had clotted. Pretty soon it would heal and scab over normally. I looked up to thank him, and was met by the face of a vampire. The scent and taste of my blood had brought forth the beast, excited the being within him to take control. His eyes had morphed to pure black, those sharp fangs I had been worried about before had emerged and he was breathing heavily as he gazed up into my eyes - deepest black, meeting slate blue.

My heart was pounding - though not from fear as many a normal person's would, should, but then nothing about me had ever really been normal. My heart was pounding from immense sudden desire - the sight of his vampire form had always strangely turned me on, knowing that he was at his most aroused in this state too. With current little space for any cognitive thinking available, I grabbed the front of his shirt, yanked him up towards me and forced my lips upon his.

I groaned into his mouth as he eagerly returned the kiss, lips pressing heavily against mine, moving together and mouths opening slightly. Moving cautiously around his fangs, my tongue braved entrance inside his mouth, brushing against his keenly as his body raised from the floor and a knee was placed beside me, before he lowered my body back onto the bed and he crawled atop of me, balancing his weight on his elbows as his hands held my face and the deep kiss continued.

Henry allowed me the briefest of moments as I broke off the kiss to catch my breath, gasping, before he crushed his lips back against mine, this time his tongue delving inside my mouth, tasting me, brushing against my tongue, causing butterflies to take flight in my stomach. I grasped his hair, tugging at his curls and pulling him deeper still into the kiss. His hands held my face again, thumbs brushing lightly against my cheeks as I sighed beneath him. His human form had control once more as he softened his actions, being more loving than primal, causing the fangs to retract and the blue of his eyes to return.

Lips began to stray from mine, kissing down my jaw line, my neck, licking the pulse point of my throat as I arched my neck for him, allowing free access and I moaned. My hands became impulsive, craving more of him, all of him - needing to feel his body as I hastily tugged his black shirt from the black dress pants he wore and fumbled with the buttons. I couldn't get them, my fingers were shaking too much in anticipation and not being able to concentrate as his tongue dipped into the open neck of my t-shirt. Impatiently I yanked at his shirt, it tore a little, I pulled again, the odd button popped off here and there, others tore, but I had his chest bare and my hot fingers pressed against his cool skin.

Sliding my palms up and down his cool, silky soft chest, through the dusting of curly chest hair and over each nipple, causing him to hiss against my skin. My hands slid over his shoulders, pushing the fabric away from him and down his arms. He pulled back momentarily to remove the offending item and tossed it across the room, before his lips zoned back in on mine and the kissing recommenced as my fingers explored his back, raking my nails up and down his skin.

My knees raised instinctively, either side of him as he lowered his body to nestle comfortable between them. I could feel his growing hardness already through his pants, pressing deliciously into my hip and he groaned as I pressed my body firmly against his. Enough teasing - I needed him now! Right now was not the time for romantic love making with hours of foreplay - my body craved his touch, yearned to feel his skin against mine, to have him inside me - there was an intense sexual hunger that longed to be quenched.

I struggled with the belt and zipper of his pants, before he came to help me. And then we became a tangle of tearing each others clothes off, kissing hot skin as it was revealed, brief pauses to share another passionate kiss - the kind that would surely leave the primmest of women breathless. Until we were naked and his hand ran down my body, over my breast, fingering the nipple and on down, across my belly, before delving between my legs - all the time watching me, alternating between looking into my eyes for a reaction and following the trail his hand made.

Whilst he was distracted, I placed my hand on his chest and shoved him roughly, pushing him back down onto the bed as I climbed over him before he could move, straddling his hips with my body. I grinned as he looked up at me surprised and yet obviously delighted with the turn of events as his eyes bled to solid black again. I leaned over him, my breasts brushing against the coarse chest hair as we shared another deep kiss.

My hand crept down between us then, grasping hold of his shaft tightly, causing him to buck beneath me and moan into my mouth. I grinned to myself, moving my hand up and down him slightly, brushing my thumb over the sensitive tip, dipping into the fluid already oozing from him. And then, holding him firmly, I guided him towards the place I needed him most, moved my hips back slightly and sat down on him, allowing his generous length to fill me.

My eyes closed and I bit my bottom lip tightly as I groaned from the sensation and he snarled his appreciation. I wiggled upon him a little, getting used to the feel of him inside me after being so long without and he growled low in the back of his throat. And then I raised my hips, drawing him out of my body, before engulfing myself on him again, I cursed out loud as his head arched back into the pillows, his eyes closed and his fists clenched in the sheets.

Finding a smooth rhythm to arouse both our appetites, I moved up and down on him as he return the thrusts just as enthusiastically - my hands splayed upon his chest for support. His hands alternated between playing at my hips, helping my body move on him, they toyed with my breasts, cupping them in his large hands, teasing the nipple between supple fingers and I knew it wouldn't be long before I reached climax under this furiously paced love making.

His thrusts became more erratic as that familiar and much missed tingle began deep in my womb. I cried out his name, urging him faster, deeper as he groaned and growled in pleasure beneath me. Orgasm was imminent as he pulled me down towards him, kissing my lips fleetingly, before making his way to my throat. I knew what was about to happen, having anticipated it, craved it almost as much as the sex itself. He found the spot, my pulse beating furiously beneath as I pulled my hair aside and gave him silent permission. He kissed my neck, licked the very vein beneath my skin and then bit down, piercing through skin and muscle to puncture the vein. As blood spurted into his mouth, he spilled himself inside of me as my body convulsed around him, taking every last drop from him.

I collapsed atop of him, sweating and panting copiously, but exceptionally satisfied as he licked the wound he'd created on my neck, healing his bite marks. He wrapped his arms around me as we lay together in stunned silence - neither of us having expected any of that to take place. Cool hands indolently ran softly up and down my back and I shivered lightly, the coolness playing upon the sheen covering my body. Gently he rolled me beside him and reached for the sheets, covering our bodies as I lay my head on his chest and flung my arm across his waist and he held me close to him. I sighed deeply and closed my eyes, just enjoying the delicious ripples still coursing through my body.

We lay together in the bed in contented silence. Words were not required, both seemingly aware that to speak now would ruin this moment, might break the spell we were under. I could have easily fallen asleep there and then - I hadn't felt this relaxed or blissful in months and it was almost an alien feeling to me. But Henry's fingertips began to trail idly up and down my back, preventing me from nodding off. In return my thumb lovingly stroked at his waist where my hand rested. He kissed my forehead softly as I kissed his shoulder. And then we looked at one another at the same instant, our eyes met for a mere second before he drew my face upwards and kissed me again.

The kiss started lazy, a sleepy kiss of only lips lightly touching. And then he shifted in the bed, moving his body over mine slightly. A hand gripped hold of mine, holding it above my head and the kiss deepened as he sucked on my bottom lip, opening my mouth with his tongue, requesting entry. Within seconds he had me lost within the kiss, leaving me breathless and panting once more. My body quivered from our recent love making and I knew that I wanted him again, right now. Well, after all, there was a lot of lost time to make up for!

He ended the kiss and I almost mourned the loss of those luscious lips, until I felt their softness pressed against my shoulder and he proceeded to cover my body with wet, open mouthed kisses, licking my skin occasionally, nibbling teasingly at me - driving me crazy. He was determined to take his time now, to explore and to enjoy the experience at a more languid pace. That was fine by me, the hot, frenzied sex had got the urge under control - I could do with some pampering now, so I basked in his touch. The gentleness of his kisses, the tenderness of his caress as I squirmed beneath him, my body arching towards him, tiny sighs and moans leaving my mouth, completely exhilarated as he brought me to peak after peak.

I didn't want to think about the morning after, I refused to let the thought enter my head of how dangerous this could be. How awkward it could make things. I simply wanted to enjoy him, to feel him and stop denying myself the very thing I wanted, at least for this moment. The way he was making me feel, I couldn't care less about tomorrow. Right now was all that mattered, and if I had to pay for this later, then maybe he was worth it, maybe these sensations rushing through my very being right now would be worth whatever struggle I'd have to contend with later.

Henry spent a great deal of time worshipping my body, finding neglected secret places only he knew about, the ones he had discovered months previous, and causing reactions in me that only he ever could. He allowed me a brief time to play with him, to run my hands over his cool body, to tease the hardened bud of his nipples with my teeth, to bestow his body with my kisses and eventually to stroke his length and the whole package, re-familiarising myself with him, remembering exactly why making love with Henry had been the mind-blowing experience I had recalled and re-enacted frequently in my dreams.

By the time he joined our bodies again, this time with him on top, sharing indolent kisses as we moved together, my fingers tangled within his curls, it wasn't long before he brought me over the edge again and again. I moaned against his ear as he grunted with each thrust, holding back himself, giving me the most extreme pleasure he could without biting me. Until he could hold back no longer and he too achieved climax for the second time that night.

He kissed me deeply as our bodies vibrated and quivered from the aftermath, before he rolled to his side so as not to burden me with his weight. He pulled me towards him and I happily curled up next to him, where this time, I did indeed fall asleep - wrapped in his arms.