Chapter 38: Thieves at the Ancestral Home?
"Well, this is an interesting turn of events," Meredith muses, clicking her cell phone shut thoughtfully. They are staying in a Victorian style bed and breakfast, run by an elderly couple on a corner of Derek's estate lands. He has stayed here himself on several occasions in the past, and they are thrilled to meet his new wife. The fact that Derek has odd hours is very familiar to them, and they write it off to as an idiosyncrasy of his wealth, along with his confession he is severely sensitive to the sun.
"What events?" he asks her now, turning away from the window with its masses of white lace curtains. The sun has been down for a while now, and he has been eager to get outside, but the phone call from Cristina has delayed their evening hunt.
"Cristina says that Mark was in Seattle...visiting Addison Montgomery," Meredith says, with an arch raise of her eyebrow. "A very intimate looking visit, too, according to Cris." She perches on the dainty stool in front of the vanity, still wearing her silk dressing gown. Her hair hangs loose over her shoulders, curling in tempting strands around her breasts.
"I thought he was supposed to wipe her thoughts of everything," Derek sighs, raking a hand through his own hair, curling from the shower. "Thatcher will not be pleased. I'm going to have to speak with Mark before Thatcher finds out." Meredith takes a moment to admire the way his partly open shirt is clinging to his damp skin, before focusing on what they are talking about again. Sometimes he just looks far too good, sending her thoughts into erotic abandonment, and the wonder that he is all hers.
"Meredith?" he asks, with a little smile.
"What?" She blinks at him. "Sorry, does he do this kind of thing often?"
"You mean, disobey the leader of our coven, and flirt with danger by seducing mortal women?" Derek asks dryly. "That is Mark personified, my darling. But usually he doesn't do it so openly. He must have known that Cristina would be in the vicinity. Alexei was there, wasn't he?"
"Yes, of course," Meredith smiles, "But if Alexei is seeing Cristina, is it wrong for Mark to spend time with a mortal as well?"
"Cristina is fully aware of what Alexei is, she knows the implications of being with him. It's one thing for Mark to take Dr. Montgomery's blood, and spend a night with her, but then he is supposed to wipe her thoughts of all knowledge of him. It's just not right to deceive her. Mark loves to live dangerously." Derek shakes his head.
"Maybe he's really interested in her. It can happen, look at Alexei. Did you know that he is relocating to Seattle?"
"He talked about it. And Cristina is good with that?"
"I think they are both strong-willed, but they both seem to be willing to see what happens if they spend time together. More than a booty call, she told him," Meredith giggles.
"I see..." Derek grins, approaching her, his gaze fixed on the loose gap in the dressing gown, giving him a tantalizing peek at her creamy skin. "Sometimes that can be good."
"You're familiar with that term?"
"Meredith...do I need to remind you I'm not ancient...?" he asks wickedly, scooping her up in his arms before she has a chance to react. "I'm not just another pretty face, after all." He straddles her slim body, taking the sash of her robe in his fingers. Giving it a small tug, so that it begins to loosen even further.
She can feel the silk slipping away, with each gentle pull on the sash, exposing her to his hungry eyes. With a naughty smile, she raises her arms over her head, arching her back. "I never think of you as ancient...you're much too hot for that..." she teases him.
The last of the silk skims away from her, and his fingers brush her hipbone, and across the flat plane of her abdomen. He leans lower to touch his mouth to her, feeling her shiver. Kissing her harder, his tongue caressing hers, inviting her to respond. Oh, how he knows her so well now...knowing just how to touch her, how to tease her mouth with his, so that she is moaning in anticipation. Dropping feather kisses along her breasts, her nipples, and her belly - never lingering in one spot for more than a moment.
He takes her hand in his then, kissing her palm, making her shudder even more. Holding her captive easily, as she waits, mesmerized by his eyes one her. The lace edged pillows, the lush duvet and silken robe serve as a pure white background to her beauty spread out for him. Her hair fans out around her, looking even more lustrous to his acute vision.
Letting her hand go slowly, he trails one finger along her body, following the path with his tongue. "I could spend forever here, and not be satisfied..." he breathes. He lays his hands on her thighs, thumbs parting the already damp folds. Waiting again for a moment, prolonging the exquisite torture.
His own body hums with suppressed needs, as he inhales her womanly essence. "Derek...please..." she whimpers, just before he touches her, nearly sending her into an instant climax. The warm, wet stroke of his tongue is like rich velvet, swirling and dancing along her skin. She clutches the pillows around her, as the pleasure mounts to a fever pitch. Rising and ebbing as he retreats, only to ravage her again.
Only when he knows she can't take another moment, he backs away, tickling the sensitive flesh gently, letting her recover a little. "How did we get to this from discussing booty calls?" he chuckles softly, moving to undress as well. Anxious to lose himself in her body.
"Well, you DID say you understood what that meant, Derek..." she sighs, her eyes half-lidded. "Just where you learned it, I don't want to know..." She moves forward, kneeling on the bedding, looking flushed and delectably sexy.
"Must have been some late-night movie," he tells her, with a wink.
"Wait...I want to undress you..." She jumps off quickly, pausing his hand, her gown trailing off her shoulders. "You are always so quick; I want to appreciate this..."
"I'm just anticipating what comes after the undressing," he grins. "But I'm all yours now."
"Good..." Her hands skim over his chest, her thumbs rubbing his nipples through the thin material of his damp shirt. The sensation makes him hiss a breath in desire. She eases the remaining buttons open and slides the shirt away from his shoulders, caressing the place between the muscles in his upper arms, then back over his shoulder blades. The gossamer light touch is almost too much to bear, and he wills himself to breathe slowly. Her hand flutters to the belt on his pants, undoing it and then the zipper. She touches the skin of his abdomen, over the ridges of muscle there, down to his hips. Taking her time to push the pants away from his body, letting him kick them away. Her eyes are still fixed on his then, both of them aware of his cock now straining upwards between them.
With a teasing smile, Meredith moves around behind him, the silk of her dressing gown slithering against his thighs as she moves. He almost groans as she cups his ass, gently pressing herself against him before playing her fingers around to his chest. Her breasts crush against his back, and he can feel the hard peaks of her nipples through the gown. "Close your eyes, my love..." she whispers softly behind him. "Let me give you this..."
He does as she asks, aware then of only her touch, her scent and the sweet anticipation that is building between them. Now her fingers trace the muscular definition again, lower still through the dark hair at his groin, and then lightly, gently, over the length of his cock. He can't help the low growl of masculine need at the sensation.
More...
Meredith smiles at his thoughts. Cupping his balls, playing with him, feeling his body tense beneath her touch. She presses a kiss to his shoulder blade, against the satin skin, before dragging the merest hint of fang across it. Derek growls again, at the feel of her mouth on him, and she succumbs to the utter temptation – biting his shoulder blade. This elicits a shudder, and she watches in fascination at the little bead of crimson blood that wells up. Before it can track lower, she laps the little trickle. Tasting his dark and strong essence, sending electric heat to her core.
"Damn…Meredith…" Derek is enthralled with the sensation of her hands on his cock, her mouth sucking the trail of blood. As if connected, he pulses in her hand with every pull of her lips. "So good…" A little faster, her fingers glide with his own wetness along the hard length encased in the soft skin.
She laps up the last little ooze, sealing the small puncture. "Sweet, Derek…you give me so much." Her hands continue to play along his extended length, her lips moving over his spine.
"And I can give you more," he warns her, his hips moving with deliberate implication. "You are making me so…god…" He wants to wait, but the desire for her is too strong. "Enough!"
In one swift movement, he has her pinned beneath him on the bed, his hands hooking her legs upwards. His cock between her legs, pushing harder to gain entrance. Her robe is gone, leaving only skin between them, rubbing and sliding in erotic delight. "As much as I appreciate your idea…" he says softly, pulling her over him, "this is what I need right now." Holding her hips, driving into her with a muttered curse of need. Sliding wetly into her heat, the welcoming soft heat that he craves so much.
"I think I have the same need…" she confesses, as she lets him take her away into bliss. "Take all of me…" Her pussy squeezes him, relentless, hot and tight, as she matches his movements easily. Her hands press against his chest, thumbs teasing his nipples, as she moves up and down. Each rise and fall along his cock increases her pleasure, feeling him throb inside of her, so close to the edge of his own climax.
Derek arches upward, anxious to keep going, surrounded in her clenching heat. Sweat gleams on their skin, visible to him in the dim light, making her look more beautiful than ever. He feels her tremble, as the inevitable pull takes over. She contracts around him in a rhythm of pleasure, squeezing him until he arches again, growling in satisfaction. Cumming into her in a fierce rush, his hips making intense thrusts against her, going on and on until they are both spent and dazed.
They both collapse together, and she settles in at his side, wrapped in the love that flows between them, unspoken, undeniable. "We still need to get out tonight," he reminds her, toying with her hair. "I will need strength to keep up with you, love…"
"Mmm…" It is all she can manage to say, too sated to move for the moment, or put together anything more coherent. She gazes up into his eyes, watching the gold fading, replaced by the usual intense blue. Content to just stay there, as he gives her a soft kiss on the forehead.
Derek glances out the darkened window and makes a move to rise. "Come, let's find some willing hosts, and then we can take a tour around the manor again, see what we can find that might have been missed when I gathered up Kiera's belongings."
"All right," Meredith agrees, stretching languidly beside him. She strokes his thigh with her fingertips, fleetingly as she moves to get up.
"Wait..." he murmurs, tilting his head, hearing something outside. Nearly inaudible, but the sound of dogs barking in the distance sends his senses into alert. "There's something out there...something's wrong."
At that moment, there is a little tap at the door, and they exchange a worried look. Derek springs from the bed, hastily dressing before crossing the room to the door. He can feel the mortal presence there, and he relaxes, giving Meredith a reassuring nod. It's the owner of the Victorian home, waiting nervously on the other side of the door. "William..." Derek says, swinging the door open. "What's going on?"
"Oh, I hate to bother you and the new missus at this hour, Mr. Shepherd..." the elderly gentleman pauses, catching his breath. His heart is beating rapidly, and there is the hint of worry in his eyes. "The dogs..."
"Yes, I heard them. Are you and Eliza all right?"
"We're fine, but there's sheep missing from the pen, and I see lights flickering out in the fields. We've been havin' problems with thieves lately, sir, and I heard rumors in town about them wantin' to ransack the old manor..."
Derek scowls, looking over his shoulder at Meredith. "Damn..."
William twists his gnarled fingers together. "I didn't think it was nothing, but figured I should let you know, since you're here and all."
"Thank you, you did the right thing. I'll be sure and check into it. There's nothing of value left there, but still..." His hand tightens on the doorknob, as the anger begins to simmer at the thought of someone ransacking his ancestral home.
"Will you be wantin' me to phone the constable?"
"Not yet, William. I'll be in contact with my own security firm, and in the meantime, I will look around personally," he replies wryly. There is nothing he would like better than to take care of this himself and take some of their blood in the bargain.
"If you're sure..."
Meredith has joined them, clutching the dressing gown around herself tightly. "William, is Eliza doing better now?" she interrupts. "The arthritis?"
"Oh, yes Mrs. Shepherd...the cream and the massage you gave her helped so much..." His faded green eyes light up at the thought of his beloved wife, whom Meredith had looked after on their first evening here. "She says to tell you that you have a magic touch..."
Meredith smiles happily. "I'm so glad."
"We should go, Meredith." Derek gives her a knowing look. Time to look after what is ours, and find some easy hunting in the bargain...
"Of course."
"You're goin' with him?" William looks at her in surprise.
"Oh, yes...backup, just in case."
"She's far stronger than you think, William. Now, go and lock yourself inside, with Eliza, and we'll be back by dawn to let you know how things turned out." William nods slowly, as Derek uses his persuasive voice to calm his uncertainty. He touches the older man's shoulder. "Relax. Nothing will harm you..."
"Right...I'll be off then. Good night."
As the door closes behind him, Derek turns to Meredith, pulling her into his embrace once more. "Ready to do a little hunting of our own?" His eyes gleam with predatory anticipation, his fangs extending just a little more.
"Absolutely, sweetheart." Her own fangs ache with sudden hunger as well, at the thought. "I didn't realize you were willing to hunt males..." she adds, puzzled, turning to gather her clothes to dress.
Derek watches her for a moment, before grabbing his leather jacket from the closet, and tugging his heavy boots on once more. "I don't normally, but in a case like this, I'm willing to take what I can. Blood is blood, after all." He leans negligently against the door, as she finishes getting ready. Her own dark jeans, leather jacket and boots can't detract from her haunting looks. "Besides, one look at you and they won't pay attention to anything else, my love."
With a small smile that shows her fangs, Meredith joins him again, kissing his mouth quickly. "Then let's go..."