Chapter 3 PG 13 (for some suggestive themes, swearing)

Chasing Cars

Snow Patrol

Conor pulled up out side of a large, wrought iron gate. He punched a code into a keypad unit and the gate swung open. After a short ride up a winding driveway, Conor stopped in front of a large, modern mansion. He opened his door and with vampiric speed, was opening the passenger door, placing a hand out to Marie to help her get out of the car.

"Here we are then, my casa du jour. I hope you like it."

"Wow Conor, this place is huge! Really nice! What do you do for a living?' Marie asked, taking in the atmosphere.

He chuckled. " Pretty much the same as Josef, Hedge funds."

"So, you and Josef are business partners then?" she asked.

Conor opened the front door, not using a key. But another, more complex electronic key pad. His house was as secure as Josef's, security guards out of site, but strategically placed. Security was of the utmost importance, due to what he was and the fact that like Kosten, he too had racked up some enemies over the years.

"Come on in. And to answer your question, Josef and I do tend to do some business together. But we 're not partners. I have my own business in New York, with offices here, London and Scotland."

Conor reached for her hand and led her in to the house.

He went over to a small electronic touch screen and punched in codes. The lights in the house came on and Marie was treated to a view of the open floor plan of the first floor. Conor then proceeded to show Marie around. After seeing the kitchen, dining room and his study, Conor led her to the living room and he sat on a beautiful leather couch. It was brown and buttery soft. He pulled Marie down by the hand.

Marie sat stiffly next to him, and before she knew it, he was pulling her into his lap.

"Relax babe, your'e tense." Conor pulled her against his chest, and started to rub her arm, lazily drawing small circles over her soft skin. When Marie would have moved, he settled her closer against him.

Marie started to relax. "So what is a hedge fund exactly?"

Conor sighed. "I don't think we need to talk about business now. I think we need to chat love. You want to know what to expect, am I right?"

Marie laid her head against Conor's hard, muscular chest. Somehow, this all felt just right. She nodded her head.

"Well, your friend has explained about freshies. So you know about that. I'll require you to feed me your blood, not every night, but 3 or 4 times a week. Now, if I were Josef, I would have other girls here so as not to endanger your health by taking too much."

Marie wondered why, but the thought of Conor drinking from other women bothered her.

Conor felt Marie stiffen up a bit. He smiled.

"But. I won't. I can drink bagged blood too, or as Josef likes to call it 'non-fat soy vegan' blood. In return, you'll live here with me, under my protection. At least until David is caught and dealt with."

Conor wondered if he would be able to let her go. He had to. It just would not work between a vampire and a human. Could it? Lord knows he listened to Mick and Josef warring with themselves over their human relationships.

Marie did not know why that last statement saddened her. " So you'll bite me, is...is there anything else?"

Conor smirked. The thought of having Marie writhing under him naked on cool satin sheets came to mind. " No love, I don't expect you to be a full service freshie." "Not yet" he thought.

He moved Marie off of his lap and went to the bar. He poured himself and Marie a glass of whiskey. He handed Marie her glass and sat back down next to her. Marie put the glass to her lips and went to take a large swig. Conor stopped her.

"Sip it, don't gulp it." He took a mouthful of his own glass, and wished he had her blood lacing the drink. Marie surprised him by pulling a lancet out of her bag. Conor watched with rapt fascination as she proceeded to stick her finger with it in a couple of spots, then reached over to squeeze the fat drops of blood into his glass.

"Ariel told me you would like it, so she gave me some lancets, hope it's ok." she looked at Conor and crossed her fingers. Smiling at him.

Conor sipped it, and thought the taste exploding on his tongue was the nectar of the gods. He closed his eyes in pleasure. "Mmmm, shit that's good...amazing!" He pulled Marie over with a growl to once again settle in his lap. "I'm sorry love, but I need to taste you."

Marie watched as his eyes changed to a silvery-blue and she bared her neck to his face. Conor picked up her arm, wrist up. And Marie turned to watch as Conor slowly licked her wrist and then felt his teeth slide easily into the vein. There was no pain, but Marie felt a sense of warmth spreading through her body and seeming to pool in the core of her. She started to moan softly, which spurred Conor on to drink deeper. He felt Marie fading a little, and stopped.

As Conor was licking the wounds closed, Marie compared it to a cat licking up cream. If this was the life of a freshie, she'd take it.

Conor felt all kinds of emotions hitting him at once.

Guilt, for not waiting until Marie was better.

Arousal, because her blood was like nothing he'd ever tasted in all of his years, and he wanted more.

And another emotion the vampire part of him denied, wanted to fight.

Love.

He gently positioned her on the couch and kneeled in front of her. Taking her hands, he looked into her eyes. They were bright, if not heavy lidded, due to exhaustion or something else. Passion. "I'm sorry love, I shouldn't have done that so soon."

Marie smiled at him. " Why? That was incredible. It felt amazing."

"It was too soon, you need to heal up a bit more first." Marie's smile warmed his non-beating heart. He got up and started to pace the floor.

"Is that some kind of vampire thing?

"What?" He stopped to look at her.

"Pacing. I've seen Josef do it too." She looked at him quizzically.

"No, I don't think it's a vampire thing. I do it to think, to calm down. I guess you'll have to ask Josef why he does it."

He walked to the bar and pulled out a bottle of yellow liquid and poured the contents into a glass then handed it to Marie.

"What's this?" She asked smelling it.

"It's just some lemon flavored water with vitamins and minerals and some herbal ingredients that strengthen your blood and iron reserves. Drink it up babe" he sat next to her and helped her tip the glass to get every drop.

"So, how are your shoulder and eye feeling?"

"Better, Guillermo did a good job patching me up." Marie yawned and tried to cover it with her hand.

Conor put his hand on Marie's face, cupping it gently. "What happened with your back?"

Marie stiffened up a bit and began to tell Conor about David and his abusive behavior and the nasty things he had done. She saw Conor getting angry and backed off her story. As much as she hated David, she didn't want Conor to go running out and going after him right now. The faster he caught him, the faster her protection would be over.

" I'm getting kind of tired Conor, can we maybe pick this up tomorrow?"

Conor smiled at her. "Sure Love, let me show you to your room so we can get you settled in."

He reached his hand out to her and she grabbed it. They left the living room and headed down a long hallway. He stopped at a door, then opened it, ushering her in. Marie looked around in amazement, the room was larger than her apartment. The carpet was cream colored, the walls a light violet color. A huge ,king sized, four poster bed sat near the wall, but not quite against it. The comforter and sheets a rich, dark purple satin. There were many pieces of antique furniture placed around the room. Conor walked over to a large armoire.

"I had your friend pick out some clothes for you. There should be some things for you to sleep in."

He opened the doors and saw clothes neatly hanging. Shirts, jeans, dresses, eyes stopped on the lingerie, and he reached out to touch one of the satin scraps of fabric. His mind immediately picturing Marie wearing this and nothing else, reaching her hand out to him, inviting him into the large bed with her. He shook his head and grinned.

"There is also a bathroom with a whirlpool tub and a shower. Fully stocked." Again, his mind wandered to Marie, naked in the shower, beckoning to him. He had to get out of this room and fast. He walked over to Marie and kissed her on the forehead.

"Sleep Marie. We'll talk tomorrow. If you need anything, you know where I am."

Conor left Marie, walking out of the room and closing the door.

Marie sighed and padded over to the armoire and opened it. She looked over the clothing and smiled when she saw the nighties. She could imagine wearing them for Conor, having him run his cool hands over her legs, arms, neck...and she shivered. She pulled open one of the drawers and found a selection of t-shirts and ladies boxers, her usual style. She selected a pink tank top and cotton boxers with pink paisley and headed off to shower.

MLMLMLML

Conor took a sip of his whiskey. The blood was singing to his senses. He had never tasted anything quite like Marie's blood. All others had and would pale in comparison. As he looked out over the panoramic view of LA from the living room balcony windows, he knew there and then that there was no way he was giving her up.

He listened closely with his preternatural hearing. The shower. Marie was in it. It took all of his will not to go rushing into that bathroom and join her. But he knew he had to give her time, and there was still the matter of David. That little matter had to be dealt with. Marie needed to know without a shadow of doubt that she was at long last safe. And she would be. With Conor. He took another drink from the glass, closed his eyes and growled.

"Mine."