Dear Readers,
WELL. It has been a minute, hasn't it? I think I might win the prize for longest gap between updates. For those that encouraged me to do more - thank you SO much. Coming back and rereading your thoughtful comments and finding a few new ones really made my day.
Anyway, here we are. If inspiration strikes, I'm sure I'll add more. Thanks again for reading, and I hope you enjoy.
-Pomme Poisson
Chapter 6: Broken
Sleeping in a cold, nearly pitch black cellar that rested below sea level in a state prone to hurricanes and flooding did not make for pleasant dreams. I jolted into consciousness with my heart racing, unsure of much else except a deep cold ache in my body and an unpleasant taste in my mouth. My eyes were open but I was straining to see anything. Eventually I noticed a pinprick of light to my left, which meant it was still daytime and I wondered how long I had slept. Stiff and sore I slowly sat up.
It took several long moments before I could take a full breath comfortably due to a nagging cramp in my side. I rubbed at the spot for a few minutes, also trying to rub some warmth into my bones and huffed experimentally. Once my lungs were no longer inhibited I groped around my immediate surroundings to better understand what was going on. I felt groggy and struggled to remember my last moments before having fallen asleep. There was a cold, limp hand resting next to my right knee. I touched my fingertips to the open palm and slowly trailed them up the forearm, around the curve of the shoulder and to the muscled, naked chest of my companion. Ah, right... Eric. All the memories of last night came rushing back and I felt a wild exhilaration and panic. So much had gone wrong.
Disappointment and relief washed over me in a sickly wave that rippled out from the pit of my stomach. I shivered, but not totally from the cold. I had almost kissed him. Well, I had kissed him, but he certainly hadn't been awake for it. I swore to myself I would never do that again. Whatever feelings I had developed for Eric had to be tamped down. I'd been caught up in a rush of emotions; extreme danger can do that to you. I had to be more careful.
With everything that Eric was, a companion for me he was not. Any coupling would be short, and maybe even sweet, but that just wasn't enough for me. I know that sounds greedy, but I had to be brutally honest with myself; I wanted him. Not just physically, boy did I want him physically, but emotionally too. He had shown this loving, fiercely protective side with Pam and it just made me ache with wanting. I wanted someone to protect me like that. I wanted to be valued. If I could be valuable to Eric, maybe he would want me. It was the tiny thread of hope holding an absurd lust and loneliness fueled fantasy together, even though some very deep and painfully honest part of me seriously doubted it. It's why I'd been so eager to quit and back out entirely. Call me a coward but I just didn't want to get hurt. I sat for a long time in the dark and just ached.
Brushing off a few streaks of tears I shuffled carefully toward the pinprick of light. I needed fresh air and the warmth of sunshine. I stood at the bottom of the stone steps and stared up at the sealed doors. Could I break through them, I wondered? We'd been barricaded in just before sunrise and it's possible the job had been rushed. After all, we weren't prisoners. It was only meant to make the doors appear super secure to dissuade any opportunistic passersby. I climbed the steps and pressed a shoulder against the wood. It creaked and lifted slightly, crackling as it settled when I stopped applying pressure. After some consideration it seemed like the effort would be pointless. Not only did I not have enough strength to do it, I knew I couldn't risk any amount of sunlight getting in. I've never personally seen what happens to a vampire when sunlight touches their skin, but I have read stories and it's pretty ghastly stuff. I'd just have to wait until nightfall. At least the air was fresher and slightly warmer at the top of the stairs, so I sat there for a bit letting my tired mind wander.
After a time, who can say how long it had been, I started to feel warmer and drowsy again. I sort of crab shuffled on my butt down the stairs since I couldn't see too clearly, bracing myself with my hands and scooting one step at a time. I crawled my way back to Eric and dropped myself between his arm and his body, with my back to his torso, resting my head at the nook of his shoulder. It wasn't amazingly comfortable but it would do. I was just glad he was essentially unconscious and unwakeable so I could utilize him like a giant man-pillow without any awkwardness. Eric twitched just then and I let out a small yip. It was just a slight jerk of his shoulder but it scared the hell out of me. I didn't know the undead could even move during the day. Was he dreaming? Could he dream? Curious, I closed my eyes and focused heavily for a moment. I couldn't pick up even the faintest trace of thought or consciousness. It was like he just wasn't there at all. Turning that thought over in my mind I took several deep calming breaths and nestled closer, curling my hands under my chin to keep warm. Eventually, inhaling the dry scent of vampire, I slipped into a mercifully dreamless sleep.
Dusk came quickly. I could've sworn that I had just fallen asleep when I felt Eric's mind just snap on. It was so sudden, like someone flipping a lightswitch, that I flinched and found myself completely awake. It was the tiniest of movements, but I knew the instant he'd felt it. The activity in his mind was growing, rising like a thick enveloping fog and just when I thought it would swallow me up it vanished behind its secure familiar shield. I was still on my side tucked against Eric's body so it was no small thing when he rolled up onto his side, effectively and officially becoming the big spoon. My head now rested on his arm instead of his shoulder, and I gave a disgruntled "humph" at having been moved. Now, our size difference being what it was, the back of my head rested against his bare chest and he lightly nested his chin on the top of my head. His heavy leg draped itself over my thigh then his other arm snaked over my middle until I was completely wrapped up in vampire. He gave a lazy, almost content sigh and squeezed me lightly. Apparently Eric was a cuddler. I held absolutely still. So did he.
"You're awake." He mumbled.
"Yes." I said rather tightly, afraid to move. Afraid of what he might do. Afraid of what I wanted him to do.
"And tiny." He said, sounding rather amused and gave me another appreciable squeeze with his whole body. I squeaked as the air was pushed from my lungs.
I was trapped and being so close to him was too much. My insides quivered. A ghost of sensation rippled through me as my body remembered what his second bite had done to me. It was like nothing else I'd ever felt and I foolishly ached for it again. I was at war with myself. I wanted to leap up and move as far away from him as I could, but I also wanted him to bite me and move his hands all over my body as he did so. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but I couldn't speak.
There was subtle movement in his hips as he dipped his head, inhaling appreciatively at my hair, and his arms tightened around me gently, pulling me closer.
"I-" I began, but my voice caught in my dry throat. Before I could even form the shape of another syllable he was simply gone. One moment he'd been there, pressing at me, inviting me, enticing me, and the next he'd moved so fast it took me more than a moment to register that he'd gone. Vampires only move that quickly when there's danger, and I hadn't sensed or heard anything coming.
"Eric? What is it?" I hated the panicky edge in my voice.
There was a brief creak of chains followed by a hard metallic snap. The cellar doors flung open with a crash and I jumped, whipping my head toward the sound. I could see a dull orange glow coming from a security light outside that illuminated the stairs and outlined Eric's body. His posture looked dangerous as he focused sharply on the night. I stood slowly and stiffly, making my way cautiously to the bottom step. I heard a sort of "whoosh" and looked up at the sky then back towards Eric. A pale haired vampire stood beside him, their clothing absolutely ragged. The familiar mental signature told me it was Pam. I was shocked it had taken me so long to pick up on her approaching vampire signal. I opened my mouth to express relief at her being alive, but the words stuck in my throat as they both turned to look at me simultaneously. I froze in place but must have made some small sound because after a pause they both vanished at vampire speed.
What the...? I gave an exasperated huff and climbed the stairs out of the cellar and into the cold night. I scowled as a frigid wind picked up and shivered, pulling my coat tightly around me. Pam had found us which meant the night was, so far as I knew, off to a good start. However, that they were refusing to talk anywhere in the vicinity of my vampire mind reading ability made me distinctly uneasy. I closed my eyes and reached out with that unexplainable sense, poking, prodding, searching and came up with nothing. Not even the general direction of where they could have gone. Finally I opened my eyes and looked around. There were only a few dark abandoned houses as far as my eyes could see in the minimal light. I stood alone for several long minutes with a creeping, icky feeling I was being watched. My eyes flicked nervously between the darkened windows of the surrounding houses and I couldn't decide if continuing to stand out in the open was defiantly brave or very stupid. I kept still, relief washing over me when I felt a familiar mental signature and heard the soft rustle of winter grass and crunch of leaves behind me. I turned to face Pam, alarmed to find her pale and pretty face wildly smeared with dirt and blood. The whites of her eyes stood out starkly against the dark filth, making her icy blue eyes eerily glow. She would have looked feral if it weren't for the composed, dignified set to her shoulders.
"Thank you." She said after what felt like an eternity of her fixing me with that cold vampiric gaze. "For saving him when I could not."
I was stunned. Pam had never spoken to me with anything other than suspicion or mild to severe contempt. Even though I could clearly still read those emotions running through her mind it seemed I had earned a small measure of her respect.
"It was the right thing to do." I said, which sounded lame, even to me. "I couldn't have left him like that."
She gave a slight sneer, but said nothing else. She didn't have to. There was no right or wrong in her mind when it came to Eric. She would always do whatever was necessary to keep him alive, no matter the cost.
"We are... compromised." Pam paused heavily before the last word, choosing it carefully. "They are angry that Eric escaped and have burned Fangtasia to the ground."
It was that moment when I fully took in her appearance. Streaks of black and white ash marked her entire body, her clothing full of holes and tears that I could now see were clearly burnt around the edges. She had been there, clawing through the smoldering ruins trying to find him.
"They who? Wha-"
"Stop." She cut me off mid-word with a sharp gesture of her hand. "I'm only telling you so you understand our position. Eric will not admit it, but we are vulnerable." Her even gaze raked me up and down. "Especially a human like you."
Ok, that was more than alarming. I was grateful that Pam was sharing secrets, but her last statement had me worried. Of course in a sea of vampires I'd be the most vulnerable. I could feel a tightness spread across my chest. This wasn't good. Pam had thrown up a sort of half-shield so I couldn't pick out her thoughts clearly but I was absorbing a large amount of anxiety and began sweating despite the cold. She took my hand at vampire speed, clasping it in both of her own. Her fingers felt like ice.
"If you want to survive this you must be ruthless." Her pale blue eyes locked onto mine. I waited for her to continue speaking, then finally understood her meaning. Her touch was sending shockwaves of images through my mind at disconcerting speeds. They were Pam's memories. I saw flashes of unfamiliar fanged faces, Eric at her side, a strange grey building, then everything began to blur together; confusion, shouting, savage fighting, bloodthirst, and Fangtasia's smoldering remains. I watched as she tore her way through the still burning rubble, smoke thick and rising. Panic, fear, desperation - I had to find him! My scalded flesh screamed with pain as I shoved at and lifted the collapsed walls. Eyes stinging, I choked on a cough and came back to myself as I realized the smoky odor was only clinging to Pam and her clothes. I withdrew from her touch quickly, taking deep breaths to slow my rapid heartbeat. She watched with a measured gaze as I wiped at my watering eyes with the back of my hand.
"Don't. Trust. Anyone." She glanced quickly over her shoulder, back at me, and then she was gone.
My head reeled from her parting words. This vampire world was maddening. Did she mean not to trust her? Or Eric? Or Both? I paced in small anxious circles, teeth worrying at my fingernails, trying desperately to digest everything I had just absorbed. I stopped in my tracks when I tasted blood, having torn a cuticle down to the nail bed. I shoved my hands in my coat pockets and felt nasty inside and out. Hunger began to gnaw at my insides and I really needed a bathroom. As I contemplated ducking down into the cellar to relieve myself, Eric came into view, rounding the corner of one of the darkened houses.
I stared at him as he approached. He was looking positively rosey. By that look I knew he had fed.. but on who? I glanced around as if that would give me my answer. Anyway, it was none of my business really, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. "It could've been you" said the voice in my head, which I promptly told to just shut the fuck up. I shifted uncomfortably.
"I'm glad Pam is alive." I offered awkwardly, needing to fill the silence as he closed the distance between us, stopping within arms reach. He gave a short nod and held out his hand, palm up, in invitation.
I took it, shocked by the warmth even though I knew to expect it. It made the chill in my fingers more apparent and a small shiver rippled up my spine. In a single movement he pulled me to him, scooped me up and without a word launched into the night sky. I flung my arms around his neck and gave a cry of surprise. This time the force was so intense it was sickening. For the briefest moment I lost connection with my limbs, my arms going slack as a pervasive rubbery weakness traveled through my thighs. Eventually the feeling lessened, but the speed and urgency he flew at was still incredible. The wind was fierce, so I kept my eyes squeezed shut and buried my head tightly against his neck and shoulder, praying it would be over quickly.
To my relief we soon slowed to a stop, my ears burning from the cold. I thought we had landed so gently I hadn't even felt it, but when I lifted my head to look around we were hovering very high above a two story motel. It sat directly off an empty highway lined by dark, tall pines. A mild but steady wind carried us gently a little ways south down the main road as we slowly floated to the ground, his feet not making a single sound as they touched the pavement. I looked down, noticing that they were still bare.
He set me down and shoved one hand deep into his right pocket, coming up with a fold of cash held together neatly by a slim gold clip. He thrust it toward me awkwardly, as if handling money was beneath him. I felt a mild panic start to build when I realized he wouldn't be coming with me to the motel and looked up.
"Use a fake name and get a room." He instructed briskly, grabbing my hand and pushing the money into it. "Don't leave the room. I'll be back in an hour, maybe two." He started walking toward the line of tall pines that edged the shoulder of the highway and turned briefly. "And don't let anyone in before I get back." Then he was gone.
I hadn't known what to expect at the end of our mildly terrifying flight, but of all the things it hadn't been this. I stared dumbly at the darkness into which he'd disappeared, clutching the money clip in my still outstretched hand.
"O-kaaay…"
It felt like I was in some bizarre movie. The only things missing were dense creeping fog and ominous music. Every step I took I kept expecting vampires to leap out of the shadows shouting "We found you!" but of course that didn't happen. After all, I wasn't even sure I was of any interest to the party that had raided Fangtasia. Except that my car, along with my wallet and cell phone were sitting in the parking lot after I'd helped Eric escape his makeshift prison cell. That was a tad condemning. The thought made my stomach curl. I choked back my anxiety and hustled up the road to the motel, slipping into the quiet and overly bright lobby.
A harsh digital chime sounded as I opened the door, jarring my nerves and cueing the bored, middle-aged night clerk to look up from his phone begrudgingly. Mumbling a cursory corporate greeting he kindly informed me that they were almost all booked up for the night except for a couple rooms with king beds. I politely informed him that would be fine then realized I hadn't even counted the cash that Eric had thrust at me. I unfolded the bills and felt a wave of relief as I realized I'd have plenty to cover it. I glanced around, crinkling my nose at the smell of stale coffee listening to the soft clicks and taps as he completed the check in. Without any incident he slid the plastic key across the counter and pointed me in the direction of my room on the second floor.
I passed some vending machines, doubling back to grab a couple protein bars, chips, water, and a coke. I was starving and I could feel my blood sugar starting to tank. Snacks in hand, I fumbled the key card into the door slot then pushed inside when it finally gave its little electronic click and green light. I shut it swiftly behind me, turning the lock and flipping the safety latch.
The room was neat and bare. A stiff looking armchair sat at the large street facing window with a little side table as its only companion, and the king bed completely took up the rest of the space. There was a narrow alley between the foot of the bed and the combination dresser/tv stand by which one could make their way to the bathroom. I immediately threw all my snacks on the bed and went straight for it. I admit I made that universal appreciable sigh that every soul makes after holding it for way too long.
After emerging and washing the previous night's grime from my hands I shut the blinds and pulled the blackout curtains tight. I hesitated for a moment, just staring at the bed, unsure of my next move. I turned the heater on, comforted by the familiar rattle and drone as I grabbed the tv remote and flipped through the limited local channels. Surprised at my own intense disinterest I shut it off again, reveling in the silence. That's when I realized the sound of the TV had made me uneasy because it would be harder to hear or focus on approaching danger. I was relatively safe, if only for the moment, but I felt incredibly on edge. I unwrapped the protein bars and ate quickly while standing, unable to settle and not really wanting to put my dirty self anywhere on the bed.
After I'd eaten I desperately wanted to shower so I draped my coat over the armchair and undressed, putting my jeans and thick sweater on the seat cushion. I would need to buy clean clothes if I couldn't wash these. There were marks of dirt, blood, and other manner of viscera all over them. I shuddered and was glad I couldn't remember how those bits had gotten there. My underthings had faired a little better and after pulling those off I placed them neatly on the bed.
I ran the water in the shower until the tiny bathroom was steaming. Never in my life had I been so excited by complimentary toiletries. I grabbed them all and stepped in, the hot water stinging my cold toes and fingers. The bathroom soon grew heavy with humidity as I let the hot water soak into my bones. Slowly, reluctantly, the tight coil of anxiety in my chest began to release and I set to the soothing task of washing. The shampoo and bar soap had a generic citrusy smell and I lathered up every inch, scrubbing myself down with the washcloth after. I allowed myself this simple luxury and stayed under the hot spray until I was bright pink and squeaky clean.
When I finally stepped out, towel wrapped around myself, I toweled dry my hair and sighed, feeling wonderfully clean and drowsy. For the moment I just stood in the small bathroom looking at my dark and murky reflection in the fogged mirror. Surely Eric would be back soon, but I really didn't want to put my filthy clothes back on. Throwing caution to the wind, I hung my towel, gave my damp hair one last pat, and slipped into the bed. The sheets were cool and soothing as I tucked them up to my chin. I stretched, luxuriating in the feeling as I spread my toes and exhaled a deep sigh. I thought about turning on the tv but didn't want to move a single muscle. Instead, I opened my mind to that strange part of me and listened for the slightest trace of nearby vampire. Time slowed and I don't know how long I laid there before somehow slipping very gently over the edge of sleep.
"Amelia!" Eric's voice rattled in my brain, jarring me fully awake with a jump. "Let me in."
I gasped and threw myself upright, scrambling for the closest clothing item. My thigh length peacoat answered my call and I buttoned it hastily. Patting at my frizzle-frazzle of hair that had dried into a wavy mess I unlatched the door and yanked it open. I hid behind it as it swung inward and Eric entered. I sort of froze for a moment, realizing I was completely naked under my coat. He spared me no glance and just went straight for the bathroom like I initially had, throwing a rather large and full shopping bag on the bed as he passed. I heard the spray of the shower and watched as the pants he had been wearing were tossed out of the bathroom and onto the floor. I was just standing there dumbly with the door still open so I quickly turned to shut it and flipped the safety latch back into place.
"Care to join me?" Eric asked from directly behind me and I gave a short shriek of surprise. He laughed, but it sounded low and not at all funny.
"N-no, I already did, I mean, showered." I stammered, afraid to move or turn to look at him. "I'm good, I'm good." I stood there frozen, hoping he'd go away.
"I see." I heard him inhale deeply, very close to my hair, and swore I could sense the weight of his gaze on my bare legs. There was an immense rising tension in the air and I could actually feel the desire coming off him in waves, bathing me in little licks of heat. It made something low and deep in me throb and I sucked in a breath, holding it to brace myself. Finally, once I heard the slide of the metal shower rings I let go of it shakily.
Slowly, sort of in the way you'd turn to look over your shoulder in a horror movie, I glanced toward the bathroom and felt a wash of relief at the partially shut door. My legs felt weak as I made the few quick steps it took to bring me to the bed. Looking down at the tipped over shopping bag I spied a x-small clothing tag and pulled at the edge of the very soft fabric. It was a plush microfleece hoodie, all black, with ridiculous fluffy pom-poms threaded with shiny silver material at the ends of the drawstrings. I genuinely smiled. It was adorable and I laughed when I examined the hood and found short stubby cat ears with pink centers on top.
"Oh my.." I chuckled and set it aside, digging further into the bag to find a pair of matching sweatpants with a tiny pink paw print pattern. I put those on, finding the thighs and butt to be a bit snug and quickly shrugged off my coat, pulling on the hoodie with record speed. I didn't have a bra on, but with my small chest I didn't really need one given the thickness of the material. Fully clothed I sat cross-legged on the bed and sorted through the rest of the bagged items. There was a men's tshirt, joggers, and hoodie as well as a travel toothbrush set, a mini hairbrush, a baseball cap, socks, and a pair of knock-off Ugg style boots. I gasped in delight and grabbed for the toothbrush, feeling rather amused that there were two in the pack. I'd never even considered whether or not vampires were in the habit of brushing their teeth. The shower was still running so I decided to wait on that bit until Eric had emerged.
I slipped a foot into one lined boot and groaned. It was magically soft inside. The simple rubber sole clearly indicated it was meant to be loungewear and nothing more but I extended my leg and held the boot up appreciatively.
"I had to guess your size." Eric said as he exited the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist. He leaned over the corner of the bed, one long arm swiping out to grab the hairbrush (of all things) from the pile. He turned and brushed through his wet strands as he disappeared back into the bathroom. I stared after him, fixated. His broad but leanly muscled physique spoke of an era where physical labor was a daily requirement and life was a constant oscillation between bountiful and meager times.
My mouth hung open until I shook myself, forcing a reply. "It's perfect, actually." I said with a little surprise then added, "Thank you. For everything." I managed to sound as grateful as I felt but I looked down, playing with the fluffy pom-poms and finding myself feeling very odd.
"You are welcome." He sounded a little stiff, emerging to toss the hairbrush back onto the bed and make his own selection of clothes. He turned his back to me and unselfconsciously removed his towel, flung it towards the bathroom and slipped his wonderfully long legs into the joggers. Shamelessly I gawked, committing every single moment and muscle to memory for some self reflection and savoring later. Before he could turn and catch my expression I pulled up my cat ear hood and focused my attention back on the pom-poms.
"Amelia..." Eric's tone alone made me look up. He had this weird, constipated look on his face, like he was holding back something unpleasant. I raised my eyebrows at him when the space between his intended words grew to be too long.
"Pam has pointed out that we-." His mouth closed in a hard line, pinching off the last word. "That I," He corrected, "am in your debt." He stopped but it sounded like there should have been more.
I stared at him, waiting. He was incredibly distracting without a shirt on. My eyes flicked briefly to his pale flat nipples and the hard line of muscle that led from hip to lower things. He didn't seem to notice. "But..?" I coaxed.
"I was intending to let you go, to discuss the terms of your resignation, when this happened." He was pacing now but gestured broadly at the room and I took at it as he intended, meaning the entirety of events that had transpired the night before. "But.." He emphasized my word, only sounding slightly annoyed, "I must ask more of you."
I scrunched my mouth into a partial frown and gestured with one pom-pom, indicating he should go on.
"One more task, this task, and you are free to go." He wasn't asking, but his cool blue eyes almost pleaded. "No strings attached." I watched an entire sea of thoughts pass through them in the blink of an eye. "We need you. Your gift is more valuable now than it's ever been." He stared at me intently, some strange wild light in his gaze then his mouth quirked up.. "Consider it your two weeks notice." He had such an odd sense of humor.
I snorted softly. "Two weeks. Can I get that in writing?"
"No, but I can assure you we will either succeed in that time or be dead." He finished simply. "Or close to it. This goes beyond myself and Pam and Fangtasia. Many would meet their final end." He fixed me with a meaningful look.
I felt the color drain from my face. He was serious. My brows knit together as darker and darker thoughts rose to the surface of my mind, the horrific possibilities endless. My eyes glazed over and I barely registered his movements as I stared ahead, my thoughts roiling. The sound of a zipper brought me back into focus.
"I get that I'm already wrapped up in this terrifying mess whether I want to be or not." I said, finally looking up at him. He had put the zippered hoodie on and was tugging at the hem to straighten it. The act made him look so utterly human that my heart gave an unexpected little ache. "I'm just trying to figure out to what extent. The people- the vampires that burned Fangtasia, they've seen me right? They'd recognize me because I freed you?"
He gave a single tight nod that was more just a lift of his chin. "More than that."
"More than that?" The pit of my stomach dropped as I put two and two together. "They know who I am." I said, feeling trapped. "I won't be safe until this is over." I swallowed hard. "Can I risk going home?"
"No."
"Ah." Was all I could muster. I was still seated on the bed and leaned back against the headboard, folded my arms across my chest and bit at my bottom lip. That I was already in so deep that I couldn't even return to my apartment somehow scared me more than anything. He stood at the end of the bed as we stared at each other in silence.
"Well?" He asked.
"Well what? I don't really have much choice, do I? I've been royally fucked into your vampire power struggle fuckfest." I said with a raised voice, exasperated. I tugged the hood over my eyes and held it in place with my palms needing to escape the room, and Eric, and everything about this awful fucking moment of realization. I felt so helpless and I just wanted to go home. I'd been so close to being free and now I was in it worse than I'd ever been.
"Royally fucked fuckfest…" He repeated, clearly amused by the colloquialisms. I felt the bed depress as Eric sat down next to me. "No," He agreed, "There is not much choice now." He put a large hand on my shoulder and gave it a single reassuring pat. There, there little buddy. "I would admonish you for coming to Fangtasia despite my warnings, but..." I felt his finger give one of the cat ears a light flick. "It was even too late by then. Someone had already been sent to retrieve you and we all would have been more royally fucked if you'd stayed put." More fingers laid on the top of my hood, stroking idly. "I would have been…" He let himself trail off.
Well, that was a small but terrifying miracle. I sighed heavily and slowly lifted the hood from my eyes, my head hung low. He placed his palm flatly on the top of my head and slid the hood all the way off, smoothing back my ruffled hair with a few quick movements. With my eyes covered I hadn't realized he was sitting so close. I turned my head to the left and looked up at him, letting the inner turmoil show on my face.
He examined me, his eyes dancing back and forth between my own. "I wish I could read your thoughts as easily as you can read ours." He tipped my chin up gently, searching my gaze. "Is that fear? Uncertainty? Despair?" His thumb lightly brushed my bottom lip as he leaned in ever so slightly. "All of them? Have you given up before we've even started?" There was just a thread of disappointment in his voice, but he was being so uncharacteristically gentle. Why? Simply because I'd saved him?
I looked away then, not sure how to answer. I was afraid, and uncertain, and I wanted to run away as far and as fast as I could, denying that this was even my problem. What use could I be against enemies that could snuff me out with a single finger? At best I'd just be a liability, an easy target to maim or torture or use as leverage. Sure I could read their thoughts but what good would that do when I had to be in such close proximity to do it?
He tsked at me and tapped the end of my nose, forcing my eyes to flicker back to him.
"I am not so unprepared. I do have a plan, however…" He paused, pushing his sleeves up to his elbows. "Your penchant for obstinance in the face of my orders will be a problem."
"I am not obstinate." I scowled. "I just don't see how blindly following suggestions is…" I let the rest of my sentence die on my tongue as I realized I was only further proving his point and shut my mouth.
His eyes searched mine, narrowing, causing a very slight crinkle at the corners. "And we need to take every available advantage." He continued, not bothering to acknowledge my interruption. "You can doubt, you can disagree, you can utter your objections, as I'm most certain you will, but," He cupped the sides of my face, trapping my attention as his gaze bored into mine. "You cannot go against me. Do as I say, when I say it, because any small hesitation could mean the ruin of us all." I felt a ripple of power come through his fingertips; it was his sheer determination, his dominance, his will. It made my insides squirm and I fought with every ounce of control I had to sit still. "You must give me your word on this."
His beautiful face was set in stone and I knew better than to argue with him in that moment. His hands on my face felt electric as his dominating energy coursed through my veins. I could feel the rawness of his power, huge but controlled, always lurking there just below the surface. It made my breath catch in my throat, but for the first time not in fear. I was in awe.
I tilted my mouth in a sort of sideways frown, my way of indicating I understood the seriousness of the situation. This was the vampires in their most dire need. I couldn't run away and at least I wasn't completely helpless, I had my talents, I just had to be very smart about using them. You have to be ruthless, Pam's words echoed in my mind. I had to see this through, not just for their sake but for my own. I gazed back at Eric matching his determination with my own as he released my face slowly from his grasp, letting his fingers trail down my cheeks.
"I understand." With my face finally free I gave one resolute nod. "Even though it's difficult for me to inherently trust you I'll do my best."
For a moment I could have sworn I saw the faintest flicker of a smile. There was a look in his eyes I hadn't seen before, like a warrior kept too long from battle, itching to draw their weapon. I hadn't seen Eric actually fight, but I was willing to bet it was something spectacular to behold.
He reached out and clasped my right hand with his, giving it a little squeeze for emphasis. His touch sent out another electric ripple, this time up my arm. "Good. I won't ask anything of you that openly endangers your life. My goal is to keep you safe." He stared at me in earnest and I could feel the waves of sincerity coming through his skin. "To see all my people through this safely." He was telling the truth, but there was something else hidden there. He still had that damn mental shield in place so I couldn't pick out specific thoughts. I focused hard, edging closer to something I hadn't sensed or felt from Eric before and it caused me to let out a soft gasp.
"You're afraid..?" I asked hesitantly and watched his jaw tighten at the suggestion. My eyes widened as my brain picked up a different nuance and then it clicked. "You're afraid for me…?" I stared, not knowing how to process the feeling. Eric actually cared for me? I expected him to jerk his hand away and break the contact but he didn't move.
"Yes." He said softly.
My eyes began to prickle and I forced them wider, refusing to let the stupid tears form. Why did that make me want to cry? That knowledge shook me more than all the imminent danger and looming death combined. My heart skipped a beat then quickened in my chest. I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly very dry.
"I promise." It came out as a timid whisper, but I meant every syllable of it.
"That's my girl." He gave my hand another reassuring squeeze. "Which brings us to the first part of my plan."
I took a deep breath and nodded, ready.
"You're going to drink my blood."
I scoffed, making an unpleasant face not at all in the spirit of the promise I had just made and balked. "I don't know about that."
He gave me a look that would have withered a brick wall.
"Why?" If it came out as a whine it's because it was. I knew following his orders was going to be difficult, but knowing that he wanted me to do this somehow made me instinctively resist it all the more. I pinched at my temples with one hand. "Okay, okay I know I promised." I conceded, sighing. "Please at least explain to me the purpose. And what exactly it will do to me." I knew some of the side effects and I wanted to see how forthcoming he would be.
"The purpose," He stared at me reproachfully as he began, "Is that you need every aspect of exactly what it'll do to you." He mimicked my tone, poking fun at me. "You'll have heightened senses." That much I knew. "You'll be stronger, faster, and less easy to harm. Any wounds will heal more quickly." I nodded as he spoke, all things I'd heard were true and, to be fair, sounded like they'd come in quite handy.
"I'll be able to sense you, to know where you are." He continued.
"Always?" I asked warily. That was a tad creepy. "Like Find My iPhone?"
"A good analogy, though not as accurate." He nodded. "Which, if you're in danger, will come in quite handy."
"Forever?"
"Would you believe me if I said it's been so long that I don't remember? My blood is not something I give freely." He reached out and stroked my cheek gently. He seemed to be enjoying touching my skin tonight. "Not to just anyone."
"Ok, I'll buy that." I said uncomfortably, trying to avoid the implication. "What else?"
"I'll be able to sense your emotions, but not your thoughts. You know, things like happy, sad, content, anxious… that sort of thing. Evens the playing field a little, don't you think?" A sly smile slid across his lips. "Keeps us honest."
I didn't like that implication one bit. I humphed softly pretending to be immune to his charm and gestured for him to continue.
"It may impact your mental ability, but to what degree I can't say. We'll just have to find out." He grinned and quirked one eyebrow. "Won't that be fun?"
I sighed. "I guess. It's just that it's still blood, Eric, ick." I squirmed uncomfortably, unable to settle and reconcile with the idea. "What if it's awful? Can't I do like, a taste test first?" I know it sounded ridiculous but I was trying my hardest to comply.
He laughed then, low and soft. "If you like."
I watched as he pressed the pad of his index finger to an extended fang, causing a small droplet of blood to well at the tip. I opened my mouth to ask for a moment to work up my courage when, quick as lightning, Eric's finger gently inserted itself into my mouth. It was just the tip, and it brushed my lip ever so softly leaving a sharp, salty, almost sweet taste on the edge of my tongue before it was gone. Caught by surprise, I instinctively licked my lip and swallowed. I expected to be grossed out but the coppery tang mellowed swiftly into an odd sweetness before disappearing as if being absorbed into me. I felt an electric thrill through my body and a pulse of feeling so very alive that my cells seemed to hum. My eyes went wide and I held very still, savoring the roll of sensations that culminated in a dull but warm ache in the center of my pelvis. I shuddered.
"That was…" I said a little breathless. "That wasn't bad." Somehow the room seemed a little brighter, edges a little sharper, and the smell of the citrusy hotel soap that mingled with human and vampire sang in my nose quite clearly. "Wow." I whispered, looking around.
A warm, knowing smile spread across Eric's lips that made him look heartbreakingly beautiful. I stared at him, transfixed. It was simply a crime for someone to look so good.
"I'm glad you approve." He gave me a teasing smile, as if he was suddenly in on some big secret.
"My ability doesn't seem any different." I noted, giving Eric's shield a gentle mental tap. He tilted his head to one side as if he could feel it.
"No, I think you'd need a bit more for that." He agreed. "Are you ready?"
I gave him a skeptical look to mask how embarrassed I felt by how ready I really was. I paused for several long moments, trying to make it look as though I was considering very carefully. After I gave a controlled nod Eric moved closer, taking up the middle of the bed and guiding me to sit in front of him. He unfolded his long legs on either side of my hips and pulled me back to lean against him, just like I'd been leaning on the headboard. My heart was racing as I positioned myself, partly from excitement, and partly from fear of what his blood was preparing me for. I wasn't ready to meet my end.
He'd unzipped his hoodie so the zipper wouldn't dig into my back. His chest felt firm and warm, his whole body a solid comforting presence behind me. Once I settled he placed one arm around my waist, pulling me snugly into the cradle of his thighs and held out his right wrist. His left arm gave me a gentle squeeze as he leaned down to whisper. "I won't let anything happen to you." Then there was a flash of movement, a slightly sickening crunch, and his bleeding wrist was held before me. "Drink. Do it quickly." His voice was a hoarser whisper now, and I could hear how his fangs ever so slightly impacted his speech.
I saw his bleeding wrist and had to shut my eyes. I couldn't disconnect the sight of the wound from what I had to do to it. I grabbed onto his forearm with both hands and placed my mouth over the cut blindly. Since my eyes were shut my aim was off to the left by just a bit and I felt the blood smear my cheek before I adjusted and got it right. The smell was strong, like salty pennies drizzled in honey. It tasted sweeter than the first drop on my tongue had and I held onto the mental image of an unknown exotic nectar to keep myself from pulling away. It worked. The touch of so much of his blood on my tongue sent another electric zing through my system and I gasped before drawing on the wound hard, sucking like my life depended on it.
Eric groaned softly and it stirred things low in my belly. I had only swallowed one small mouthful of his blood but my face already felt flushed and a strange vibrating sensation was rippling through me. I felt wild. It was like the first taste times a thousand and all my senses lit up from the inside out like a Christmas tree. What a rush! I felt elated, empowered, and I sucked again, drawing more steadily on the wound. He moaned again and shifted his hips, his left hand stroking my side, just an inch or so away from the side of my breast. I was ripe with anticipation and when his touch didn't connect with what I expected it to, I shifted my hips back against him, unable to control my body's writhing response to his blood. I sucked at the wound again, the flow more stunted as it began to heal.
I unlatched from his wrist with a soft gasp, licking my lips and swallowing the rest of the blood greedily. This was a high unlike anything I'd ever felt, and it was driving my every thought and movement. My body suddenly ached with the want for him to touch me and I panted, breathless, as I watched the wound on his wrist fully close. A moment of clarity came over me as I felt the firm press of him against my back. In two weeks I might be dead. Hell, I could die tomorrow, or even tonight. Why shouldn't I have my reward? What was I waiting for? I took several deep breaths, trying to calm myself and focus. I had to be certain. Just as I opened my mouth to say, hell I didn't even know what I was going to say, Eric placed a gentle kiss on my neck and it broke all trains of thought and sent shivers down my spine.
"Eric…" I whispered breathlessly, and that one word said everything. If what he'd told me was true, now that I'd had his blood, he'd know exactly what I meant. I raised my arms over my head and stroked his hair, touched his face, and slid my hands down the column of his neck. His hands scooped under my bottom and lifted me, as if I weighed nothing, and turned me around to face him so that I straddled his lap.
We stared at each other, lips parted and both faintly tinged with his blood. His pupils were hugely dilated and his fangs were fully out. I reached out to touch them gingerly with my fingertips and he let me, sucking a finger gently into his mouth before placing a tender kiss into my palm.
I leaned in and kissed him fervently, feeling his large hand cup the back of my head. The press of our lips together felt so intense it was almost bruising and it wasn't long before we were all exploring tongues. He was an incredible kisser, and I'm proud to say I held my own. I felt giddy with excitement as I wrapped my legs around his waist and ground my hips down on him gently, feeling my wetness seep into the sweatpants.
He broke away from my mouth to trail gentle kisses and not so gentle nips down my throat, to my collarbone, to the neckline of my hoodie.
"Off." He commanded, pulling up the sides as I raised my arms over my head and wiggled, assisting his efforts. With my head engulfed I heard a short intake of breath as the hem rose up over my chest and I gasped as I felt his mouth close on the soft undercurve of my left breast, tongue slowly working upward toward the nipple. A shock of pleasure shot straight down to my core as he sucked it into his mouth and I moaned, throwing my head back as I fought my way out my clothing. With the cat hoodie gone more attention was lavished on my small sensitive breasts and nipples to the point that I thought I would scream. I wasn't shy about vocalising my pleasure which included a chorus of moans, gasps, and "oh god's".
"Off." I echoed him some time later, pointing at his strained joggers as I rocked against the hard press of him benath the fabric. I unlocked my legs and sat back on my heels to give him room as he stepped off the bed to disrobe. All his clothes were off in a flash before you could say naked vampire. He stood at the edge of the bed, staring down at me. His brilliant blue eyes blazed with desire.
"No pants. I want to see all of you." He said, voice thick and low. "Now." He growled.
Instead of stepping off the bed to undress I rose to my feet from where I sat, turning slightly to the side to give Eric a show of the sweatpants sliding down my hips and over my thighs. He seemed to like that and groaned appreciatively. It had been a long time since I'd been naked in front of a man, but with Eric's blood pumping through me I didn't have even the slightest urge to feel bashful. I felt strong, I felt sexy, and I wanted to feel his hands on my body. I'd waited so long.
Standing on the bed I was exactly eye level with Eric so until I lowered myself to my knees and sat back on my heels in front of him. His magnificent length throbbed in front of me and I looked up at him, an appreciative smile on my face. He reached out and stroked my hair, trailing his touch down my cheek, my throat, and shoulder. I gripped him firmly in one hand and placed gentle, exploring kisses all over the head. He gasped softly, placing one hand gently on the back of my head without any additional pressure. I opened my mouth and closed it around him, tongue licking as I moved up and down sucking on him like I'd sucked on his wound. I couldn't get enough of it and trailed my tongue over every inch, licking, sucking, releasing and repeating as his moans and gasps of pleasure encouraged me. I really enjoy this particular act and lost myself in the sensation of it until I felt his hands on my head, urging me to take in as much of his length as I could. I did so, greedily, only stopping when it hit the back of my throat, pressing hard as I swallowed. He hissed, sucking in air through his teeth and groaned, wrapping his fingers delicately under my chin. I looked up and met his gaze and there was a fierce look in his hooded eyes.
With his hand cupping my jaw he pulled slowly out of my mouth and I, reluctant to let him go, sucked until he slipped out with a soft wet pop. I caught my breath as he continued to stare down at me, unable to look away from that part of him still hungrily pointed at my mouth, tip glistening and slick. His fingers curled, lifting my chin, forcing my eyes to meet with his. I didn't need a mirror to know that I looked dazed with desire, lips swollen and parted, cheeks flushed. I licked my lips, my gaze flicking from his face to his perfect cock and back again. His member jerked, bobbing once as he growled low in his chest and circled around me, a frightening intensity and purpose in his eyes.
I remained at the edge of the bed on all fours, dripping wet and aching as I watched him slowly position himself behind me on his knees. Once there, I turned my gaze forward and managed for a moment to feel just a little bit shy. Being so exposed to him was maddening and I shuddered, fighting the intense need to touch myself as I lowered my chest to the bed, hiding my face in my hands as I waited, excited and curious as to what he might do.
I felt his fingers first, petting me, stroking me, making me painfully aware of how obscenely wet I was. He made a sort of appreciative groan, remarking in a language that likely hadn't been spoken by another soul in centuries. He continued stroking and exploring, slipping the tip of a finger inside me to apply gentle massaging pressure in and around my opening. I gasped and moaned, writhing under his touch, pleading desperately with a roll of my hips.
He rubbed the tip himself against me slowly, firmly, teasing at my opening until the entire length of him was wet and sliding easily over my lips and alternately between them. I moaned into the crook of my arm, an unintelligible noise of wanting, and rocked gently back towards him, aching. I ached so much that it hurt. He kept up his measured teasing, and I could sense that he was readying me for the length of him. Even now I could feel the beginnings of the mental wall between us crumbling though desperately I tried to control it. Little slivers of his thoughts began leaking through, but they were so full of want and lust they mingled with my own and only served to heighten this feeling of sexual frenzy. Eric could be a frustratingly single-minded creature but I couldn't have been more grateful for that in this moment.
Finally, just before I was about to go mad, he pushed into my opening. It was an agonizingly sublime burst of pleasure and I gave a small sharp cry or moaned or growled or some combination of the three. The sensation of being stretched was immense, almost to the point of being painful, and when I thought I'd have to tap out or take a breather, my sex gave a brief pleasurable spasm then relaxed around him. He was large, to say the least. The length I'd been prepared for but the width, I sucked in a trembling breath, was something else. I reached back and grabbed his hand that was firmly gripping my hip and gave it a light squeeze urging him to be still for just a moment longer. He paused to give my body time to acclimate, giving a low, growling moan.
"You're so tight..." His voice was rough, like he was straining to control himself. "Are you…?"
I gave a soft gasping laugh before he could finish the question and smiled into the mattress. "No, no… just been a while." I flexed my pelvic floor experimentally and it sent a shockwave of pleasure through me and we both moaned.
I moved my hips experimentally, then his hands flexed, fingertips squeezing at the soft curve of my waist as he prevented me from controlling any further movement and pulled me slowly back onto him. My heart fluttered when I thought he'd push in all the way, but he instead gently eased out then brought me down just a little farther than before onto his length. He repeated this over and over until I was filled completely and he couldn't go any farther. I cried out from the pleasure of it. I panted and writhed under his grip, my mind reeling from the sensation of him so deep inside me. It shattered all of my self control and I was rocked suddenly by the strangest, most exquisite sensation of feeling him feeling me. I was in Eric's head and I couldn't control it. He was thinking I was so wet, and tight, and warm, and oh god how could she take so much of him, she was so small and would she do that squeezing thing again… I flexed, squeezing him tightly in response. Even though I meant it as something to undo him and make him lose control, it had exactly that effect on me instead. It did make him thrust into me, and a series of moans escaped both our lips as he moved inside me more urgently.
His thoughts never changed as he pumped in and out of me, increasing his speed as my restrictive tightness lessened. I couldn't speak, I couldn't think, and I couldn't tell whose pleasure was whose as it mounted inside of me. It oscillated between filling and being filled, giving and receiving, overwhelming and being overwhelmed. As he continued sliding in and out of me he reached around to touch my slick folds, to feel me, to feel himself moving in and out of me. The smooth but toughened pads of his index and middle fingers made circles around my clit and I couldn't tell whether I screamed or moaned as the duality of sensations rose to a white hot fever pitch in my brain and body. He rubbed, I writhed, he pumped, and I opened myself, willing my body to bring him in deeper and deeper. We'd barely even started and I didn't know how much more I could take.
After a time he pulled out and flipped me over, not roughly but not gently either. I stared up at him, bewildered as he bent my legs, spreading them as he lowered his head between my thighs. When he placed his mouth on me I wanted to scream but instead grabbed fistfuls of his hair, pressing his licking, probing tongue harder against me. I moaned and writhed and forgot entirely who I was and where, and all that mattered was that I was his. I spread my thighs wider, giving myself to him completely, still gripping his hair, and moaned his name.
He raised his face, wet with my fluids, and trailed kisses up my stomach, to my breasts, and finally to my mouth. He lips left sticky wet footprints along my skin, and the taste and smell of myself on him drove me to further madness that made me ache with a readiness that was almost cruel.
He laid down beside me then pulled me over top of him so that I straddled his hips, the tip of him resting at my opening. I was on up my knees so that the moment of entry rested in my hands. I hesitated, only a moment, unsure of how much of him I could take at this angle. He placed his hands on my hips to steady me with a reassuring grip, and I knew he wouldn't let me go too far. I lowered myself painfully slowly, teasing us both and watched him as his eyes widened then closed, his head tilting back onto the pillow. I gasped and leaned forward to grab the headboard to steady myself as he thrust into me before I could lower myself completely. He gripped my hips tighter and held me slightly above him so he could easily thrust his hips, creating a dizzying rhythm. He lifted his head up and caught one breast in his mouth, sucking and biting gently at the nipple. I felt the sharp graze of his fang and simply moaned "Yes!" Then he bit just to the side of my aereola, drawing on the little wound and my nipple at the same time, his hips still steadily pumping into me. I felt a tightness spread through my belly as Eric, seeming to sense my pending release, increased his pace before sucking hard at my breast then thrust deeply into me. I cried out, the orgrasm rippling through me, turning deliciously wicked as he withdrew his mouth but continued fucking me with slower more purposeful strokes. I collapsed on top of him shaking with little tremors of pleasure as he wrapped his arms around me, hands caressing my body.
He was still hard and ready inside me and after a beat began moving again, kissing at the sensitive nook of my neck and shoulder. I moaned, surprised by how ready I still was and moved to kiss him, the taste of my blood still lightly on his lips.
It wasn't long before I found myself saying "Oh god…" before I buried my face into his shoulder and came again, screaming my release as he drove himself deeply and firmly into me in a series of rapid movements. He tensed and cried out as he came, again in that tongue I couldn't understand, fingertips digging into the meat of my hips, anchoring me on his length that spasmed inside me. My body went rigid as my eyes rolled back, and I was nothing for several long moments but blind orgasmic bliss, stuck in a feedback loop between our bodies.
As the maddening crescendo let me down slowly, I gasped and panted for air. His hands roamed my body appreciatetively, stroking and petting as he drew in a deep breath and sighed. "If I'd known how good you'd feel and taste…" Eric said, trailing off a little dreamily. My cheeks flushed hotly, though I appreciated the compliment.
"Fuck…" Was all I could whisper reverently when finally I could speak. I felt limp and boneless and just floated in a weightless daze, keenly aware of Eric's body. I couldn't even begin to describe the strange bond that had formed between us, fusing both our pleasures together in a truly mind melting experience. His blood had definitely changed me. I wasn't just feeling the press of his body against mine, no, I could feel the press of my body against his. It felt like I was in his skin. I wasn't just picking up his thoughts any longer, but I could feel what he was physically feeling. I wanted to say something, afraid that the significance of what we'd just done would somehow disappear if I didn't find the right words to acknowledge it. Nothing seemed adequate to quantify or explain the experience so instead I said nothing. I listened, I waited, and when the silence continued I made a very quiet human excuse and disappeared into the bathroom.
I cleaned myself up and brushed my teeth, somehow managing to feel anxious despite the mind blowing pleasure I'd just experienced. There was this strange new bond to explore and despite the fact that I should have felt comforted to be bonded to a vampire like Eric, I couldn't help but worry about what was to come next. What were we now? And where to from here?
"Hello, lover." Eric said as I emerged from the bathroom and his tone sent a thrill through me that caused me to pause. I suddenly felt awkward, naked in the dim light cast by the open bathroom door, Eric's gaze roaming my body. He smiled and I could feel the dark intentions behind those lips, causing goosebumps to raise all over my flesh. I said nothing and went to him, slipping under the covers to lie with my head on his chest as his fingers idly stroked my hair.
"You're thinking too hard." His hand roamed down my spine and he pinched at the top of my butt playfully. I bit lightly at his chest in response and he chuckled. It was a wonderful rumbling sound with my ear pressed to his chest.
"Mm." I agreed wordlessly. I had so many thoughts running through my brain it was hard to give attention to any one thing long enough to sort them out.
He made a mock sigh. "You must not have enjoyed yourself then, if you're brooding so easily already." He insisted while grabbing a handful of my ass, kneading it enticingly. My body responded instinctively, giving a deep throbbing ache between my legs. I fought back the growing temptation, knowing I'd be just a little on the tender side. Then again, vampire blood did help heal things more quickly…
I laughed awkwardly, trying to distract myself from the mounting discomfort I suddenly felt. I sat up slightly so I could angle myself to look up at him. He lay there propped up against a pillow, one arm behind and above his head. I just looked at him, studying his face, unsure of what I'd find and even more unsure of what I was even looking for. He simply looked back, his face as smooth and as handsome as ever, and I found it unsettling that I felt like I suddenly didn't know him. Of course he was still the same imperious vampire boss I'd become familiar with, but this passionate, protective, and playfully sweet naked man before me was a stranger. Other than excited, and terrified by how excited I was to have sex with him again (and hopefully soon), I didn't quite know how to feel about what had just happened. I had no idea where things could possibly go from here.
"Time will tell." Eric said gently, the comment catching me completely off guard.
"What?" I said shocked, my eyes widening, hoping to hell he hadn't just read my mind.
"All in due time?" He gestured idly. "You know the sayings. You can't expect to know what's going to happen until it happens." He tugged my arm out from under me and tucked me back into the nook between his body and arm, my cheek coming to rest again on his chest.
"I know that things are uncertain, but we have many allies." He gave me a gentle squeeze. "And you have powers of your own. You should be proud to fight at our side. So few humans get to do so."
"How did you know what I was thinking?" I said quietly, feeling a small relief that despite our bond, he couldn't quite pick out the exactness of my feelings. I had definitely been feeling uncertain, just not about that.
"You wear every single emotion on your face." He gave my cheek a gentle pinch and a stroke. "It's really quite funny. And, now that you've had my blood, well… there's little left to guess at."
My cheeks flushed hotly at that but I said nothing, tracing a finger along his chest to distract myself.
"The same is true for how you feel for me." He said, taking my hand to bring up to his mouth for a light kiss. "Time will tell." He nipped lightly at one of my fingertips and it made me jump. "Follow your instincts." He placed a lick on the nibbled fingertip.
I opened my mouth to say something in response but no words would come out. He made a good point. Why try to define something that was so new? Why try to force myself to feel like I should immediately understand someone I'd barely scratched the true surface of? I knew what his blood told me; I was valuable to him, he desired me, and he'd protect me. Those were the important things for now. I felt a strange sense of calm wash over me as I focused on his fingers trailing up and down my body. I knew what my instincts were telling me now.
"Would you like to do it again?" He whispered, bringing my chin up so his lips hovered over mine.
"You don't even have to ask." I whispered back, sealing my lips over his.
And he didn't, after that.