Sorry this took so long, life can be well, you know... thank you so so much for all your amazing reviews

chapter ten

Sweat trickled down her trembling skin as he stood inches from her sweeping his thumb across her bottom lip gathering the blood from her cut that she had once again ripped into during her heightened state euphoria.

Violet watched mesmerized as he slipped his finger between his plump lips, his eyes temporarily slid shut as the rush of her blood melded with her sweet essence still lingering along the tip of his tongue.

He had never wanted to delve inside someone so much in his life, never wanted to be buried so deep, so intimate, so close.

Tate's need reached far beyond the horrors that lingered over his tormented decaying heart, past the endless remorse that plagued his deviant black soul.

This was something stronger then death itself, more powerful than the sinister depths of his mother's ways of wielding her manipulating influence over him.

In fact it was something he had never even hoped to find, never dared dreamed… this was love.

Tate was in love.

This feeling reached farther than the ocean's endless waves, higher than the stillness of the mysterious moon that hung somberly in a blanket of stars.

It was limitless, infinite.

Tate knew in that moment that there was nothing he wouldn't do for her, that her happiness, her heart, her very existence was all that mattered to him.

With total clarity he knew that she was a gift, a pure flawless presence of perfection and he would never let any harm come to her.

It wasn't deserved, or warranted, in fact she was so precious, so far from everything he wasn't he didn't dare to question why she came to him.

He didn't want to know the answer because what he knew without any doubt or trepidation is that he couldn't bear to ever be without her.

The thought was so inconceivable he didn't dare allow it in his mind.

Tears welled in his eyes as he cupped her cheek realizing that the loneliness that devoured him night after night was gone, the emptiness that crushed his soul was now a distant memory.

It was all too much and at the same time not nearly enough as he slowly approached her once again.

With her tattered dress still hooked on the edge of her fingertips Violet brought her hands to her pounding heart effectively covering her breasts with her arms now very much aware of her naked body.

The flaws that had been blatantly pointed out to her on numerous occasions were all there for him to see.

Still trying to come to terms with what had just happened as she attempted to hide herself she braced her back against the peeling flowered wallpapered wall praying that it would hold her up.

She felt boneless, spent, head spinning, muscles still twitching involuntarily, breathless, dizzy but most of all consumed.

Immersed, captivated, lost in the haunting black eyes that stared down into her as if her life depended on his very existence.

It was beyond intense, it was everything she had dreamed of but never thought possible.

It was nothing she had ever felt before and instinctively knew she'd never feel again with anyone else.

Still the voices that lingered in the back of her mind from years of cruelty of heartless men who could never hope to understand her whispered to her quietly.

Sulking back into the shadows of the candle light that danced along her alabaster skin she lowered her face doing her best to cover her small breast as her hands moved lower.

Tilting his head to the side realizing what she was doing he gently reached for her hands lacing her fingers through his tenderly moving them away from her body to rest by her hips.

Averting her gaze unable to hold his penetrating stare she focused on the dragonfly lamp as he settled his mouth to the shell of her ear.

"You have no idea how beautiful you are do you?"

Letting out a shaky breath she closed her eyes overwhelmed by the raw intensity of the moment.

"Men don't find me… I-I mean I'm not the kind of girl that is considered desirable."

She felt his lips curl upwards against her ear as if the absurdity of her words were too insane for him to comprehend.

Taking her hand he pressed her fingers down his chest to the straining bulge that begged for release curling her fingers around his rock hard arousal so the point would be driven home.

Violet's breath hitched in her throat, her heart pounded so hard it was all she could hear.

Tate clenched his jaw hard trying desperately to hold back as her breasts pressed against his cool skin.

Damp honey silky strains of her hair stuck to her hot pink skin as her eyes wandered down his shirtless body.

His words deep husky and deadly serious echoed in her ears like a distant dream.

"I need to be inside you Violet, please… let me love you, I promise it will be different … you can trust me."

Wide vulnerable hazel eyes slowly flickered up to meet his as he wrapped his arms around her pulling her flush against his body.

vTv

Twirling her auburn hair around her finger Chelsea sat on the top step watching as he approached with slow deliberate heavy footsteps.

Spotting him from the attic window she knew it was her only chance, she had to be brave, she had to do this for Tate.

"Can I help you?"

Her voice was sweet and kind but it didn't seem to affect him at all, he was determined and full of resolve, whatever he intended to do that night it was quickly evident that she wasn't going to be able to stop him.

He was tall, built like the football players she remember vaguely from high school that used walk around with cheerleaders permanently attached to their arms.

He wasn't what she was expecting, nothing like what she thought Violet would be attracted to, but none of that mattered now.

His voice was commanding, arrogant laced a hint of anger.

"Well for one thing you could move so I can go inside and see my girlfriend."

Taking the steps aggressively he backed Chelsea up to the back of the door.

Every instinct inside her told her to disappear back to the attic but she couldn't steal this moment away from Tate.

Her fear vibrated throughout the house like a silent scream striking every soul steering their attention towards the front door, especially one in particular.

Violet was on the verge of answering Tate's request when he felt the terror in Chelsea hit him like a brick wall.

Holding his finger to Violet's lips he pointed towards the front door.

Reaching for the blanket that was across the couch he wrapped it around her shoulders and whispered in her ear with an eerie calmness.

"Go upstairs and wait in my room, whatever happens, whatever you hear, don't open the door until I come for you."

Her eyes widened as she mouthed his name "Daniel?"

vTv

Crossing her arms in front of her shirt to hide the blood she stared blankly down at her dirty bare feet.

"I'm afraid you have the wrong house, I live here with my family… you must be lost… just go back where you came from and -"

Bracing his hand over her head along the doorframe Daniel glared down at her wide green eyes.

"Look, I know this is the right house, and I know I'm a day early… what, does she have a guy in there?"

Banging his fists against the door Daniel began to yell.

"Violet! Open the door!"

Worried for Tate, Violet shook her head knowing Daniel's temper.

"No, please he's much bigger than you, please go out the back door, just let me get dressed and talk to him, I can calm him down."

Pressing his forehead to hers he whispered urgently desperate to know.

"Violet I love you, I have from the moment I laid eyes on you. Do you want me to go?"

A tiny 'no' escape from her shaky lips as Daniel continued to bellow from outside the door.

"Please trust me and do as I say, lock the door and don't open it, no matter what you hear, I won't be long."

Brushing her lips to his before running up the stairs she held the blanket tight around her body overwhelmed by the chaos happening from what seemed like every corner of the house.

Slamming the door behind her she locked it before sitting with her knees to her chest on his bed praying that he would be ok.

Grabbing his shirt Tate rushed to the door.

Pulling the black tee shirt over his head Tate reached for the butcher knife in the wooden block on the kitchen counter.

Calmly opening the door he pressed his lips sweetly to Chelsea's cheek and whispered quietly 'it's ok now, you can go.'

With that she disappeared into the attic leaving Daniel dumbstruck.

"What the fuck? Where the hell did she go?"

Lowering the knife behind his thigh Tate blankly glared at Daniel with eyes as black as coal void of emotion.

Daniel towered over Tate in height and muscle fuming with anger as he rocked back and forth searching for Violet past Tate's shoulders.

"Who the fuck are you!"

Gripping the handle of the knife an insidious grin curled upwards as Tate stepped towards Daniel.

"Your worst nightmare."