“Yes. It’s…” Charlie frowned and bit the inside of her cheek. It was true that the worst of the pain was gone. But now a new sensation was growing between her legs. A new kind of heat—a sexual ache that seemed to start at the sensitive bundle of nerves at her center and throb through her entire pussy.
“Charlotte?” Stavros was looking at her anxiously. “What is it? I don’t feel your pain anymore but you still seem to be in distress.”
“It’s…it’s…” She rolled over on her back, taking care to keep her towel on. “Let me see that ointment again.”
Wordlessly, he handed it to her. Charlotte took her time studying it, though the heat continued to grow between her legs.
“Oh my God,” she muttered, staring at it in disbelief. “Come on, you’ve got to be kidding me.”
“What is it?” Stavros took the tube from her and studied the fine print at the very bottom. Then he read it out loud. “Ointment of Sifra. Effective only if applied by the beloved’s hand. Warning: if applied any other way, burning will result. Only reapplication by the beloved will ease this symptom. In extreme cases pain impulses may not be eradicated but will instead be transmuted to sexual need. If extreme urgency occurs, manual stimulation to orgasm by the beloved will ease the need. Do not attempt self stimulation as this will only lead to increased burning and pain.”
“Crap,” Charlie muttered, shifting on the bed. “Crap, crap, crap.”
Stavros raised an eyebrow at her.
“I take it you’re feeling the ‘extreme urgency’ mentioned on the back of the tube?”
“You know I am,” she snapped. “You can feel it, can’t you?”
“Actually, I cannot. I have felt your pleasure several times but only when we were in contact with each other in…” He cleared his throat. “In intimate situations. Last night, for instance. And the night before. But right now I am not touching you and I feel nothing—neither pain nor pleasure.”
“Well, it’s not really a pain. More like an itch that needs to be scratched.” Horny as a buck in rutting season. What an idiot I am! She couldn’t even look at him.
“Are you…greatly bothered? Do you want me to…” He cleared his throat. “Follow the directions on the back of the tube?”
“No, absolutely not,” Charlie declared, although she could barely sit still. She was getting sensitive between her legs, so sensitive she could barely stand it. She crossed and uncrossed them and squeezed her thighs together. Her clit was beginning to feel swollen and hot as though the lightest little breeze would make her come. And yet, no matter how she rubbed and squeezed her thighs together, she couldn’t quite make it to the edge. Probably just as well. The damn tube says if I make myself come I’ll make things worse. As if things could even get worse.
“Charlotte, please…” Stavros laid a hand on her arm, nearly making her jump out of her skin. “Please,” he murmured, catching her eyes with his. “Let me help you.”
“Why would you want to?” Charlie demanded, looking away with an effort. “After the things I said last night—”
“You were frightened,” he said softly. “And with good reason. I acted inexcusably and you cannot forgive me—I understand that. But if you could at least find it in you to trust me again, it would be my pleasure to help you.”
“Help me?” Charlie gave a bitter laugh. “Don’t you mean ‘manually stimulate’ me?” God, she couldn’t believe this!
“If necessary,” he murmured. “Listen, according to the instructions, one orgasm should ease your symptoms at once. And this does not have to be…intimate if you don’t want it to be.”
“It doesn’t have to be intimate?” Charlie gave a dry, barking laugh. “How in the hell can it help but be intimate?”
“Lay on your stomach, as you did before,” he instructed firmly. “Look away from me if you wish. Or close your eyes…imagine someone else if it helps.”
“I…” Charlie bit her lip with indecision. Was she really going to let him do this? The throbbing in her clit and the way her pussy felt so hot and swollen she could barely lay still gave her the answer she was seeking—the only answer possible. She had no choice.
“Charlotte?” He raised an eyebrow at her, waiting.
“Fine.” She rolled onto her stomach and buried her face in her arms, as she had earlier. Then she spread her legs and waited.
It seemed to take forever but finally she felt his big warm hand sliding beneath her towel once more. She muffled a groan in the bedspread as he cupped her in his palm, just holding her for a moment. Unable to help herself, she pressed her pelvis down, nestling more fully into his grasp. She could feel her pussy opening for him, her wet inner folds already wet against his hand but still he didn’t make any other move to touch her.
“Stav…” she groaned. “Come on. If you’re going to do this just…just do it.”
“I thought it might be easier if you did it yourself,” he murmured. “Would you feel less violated if I simply spread you open and let you rub against my fingers?”
He suited actions to words, spreading her outer pussy lips and sliding two long fingers into her open folds to rest against her throbbing clit.
Charlie gave a gasp as a bolt of pleasure went through her. God, that felt good! She knew it shouldn’t but damn.
“That’s right,” she heard Stavros murmur behind her. “Take your time. Use me as you need to, falinda.”
Though she didn’t want it to, his soft, deep voice sent a thrill of desire through her and she felt her pussy getting even wetter. God, his touch on her was so gentle yet so firm and it felt so good to have his fingers inside her, rubbing against her inner pussy.
With a little moan, she began to work herself against him. It felt incredible—she was right on the edge…and yet somehow, she still couldn’t reach it. She needed…something else. Something to push her over. Suddenly she knew what it was.
“Stavros,” she gasped, still rocking against his fingers. “Stav…talk to me. Say…say things.”
He didn’t have to ask what kinds of things she needed to hear.
“I shouldn’t have used that ointment on you in the first place,” he murmured in that deep, growling voice that seemed to make her insides melt. “I should have used my essence. Should have spread your legs and licked you everywhere that damned whip hit you.”
“You…you should’ve?” Charlie knew damn well she shouldn’t be getting off on the image of him licking her again. On the idea that he wanted to heal her by tasting her and spreading his essence between her thighs. But damn it, she was getting closer and closer here and it was getting harder and harder to think. The world was narrowing down to her need to come and God, with this heat between her legs she really needed to—needed it worse than she ever had in her life.
“Damn right, I should’ve,” he growled softly. “I should have kissed you better, should have licked your thighs and your sweet little cunt until every last bit of your pain was gone. I wanted to, you know…wanted it so damned badly.”
“You…you like it?” Charlie gasped. She couldn’t help looking back at him to see the expression on his face. His eyes were half-lidded with lust and his fangs were out—long and sharp and lethal-looking.
“You know I love it, falinda,” he growled. His fingers had begun to move a little now. It was subtle at first but then he began circling her clit, shooting electric sensations of pleasure through her entire body with just that small, subtle motion of his hand. “Love your sweet scent and the taste of your honey in my mouth…the feel of your pussy quivering against me and around me when I penetrate you with my tongue. You feel so hot and wet and tight and you taste so good. Seven Hells, your flavor alone is enough to make me rock hard.”
“Are you…are you hard now?” Charlie moaned, barely knowing what she was saying.
“Painfully so.” Stavros shifted on the bed, clearly trying to make some room between his thighs. “But then, you could probably guess that.”
Charlie was right on the edge, the
gently swirling fingertips circling her throbbing clit were just about to make her come. She just wanted one final image to send her crashing over the cliff, just a little more dirty talk to push her over and make her fly.
“Don’t really do it,” she panted. “But tell me… tell me what you’d like to do.”
She expected him to talk about fucking her…about shoving his thick cock deep in her pussy and taking her hard and long and fast. And at first, she wasn’t disappointed.
“I want to turn you over so I can look into your eyes,” he murmured, still stroking her clit. “That way I can see it in your face when you feel me enter you. I want to be eye-to-eye when I thrust home inside you and fill you up, when I claim you completely.”
“When you…when you claim me?” Charlie didn’t like the sound of that word—she didn’t like it. But clearly something in her body did. Her clit throbbed as he continued.
“When I make you mine, Charlie,” he murmured. “When I fill your sweet pussy with my seed and bite you to inject my essence at the same time. When I bond you to me forever.”
At the word “bond” her pleasure exploded. Charlie gave a strangled moan as body suddenly went into orbit, her orgasm crashing over her like a wave threatening to drown her with its intensity.
No, she thought, fighting the incredibly strong pleasure. No, I don’t want that…I can’t want that…I don’t want to be with a Kindred, not even Stavros. Not after what happened to Missy! I can’t…I won’t…
She pulled away from his touch the moment the pleasure began to die. Curling herself into a ball, she lay on her side panting and hating herself. Wishing she was dead.
“Charlotte?” Stavros’s voice beside her was tentative. “Are you well?”
“Hell, no I’m not well,” she snapped irritably. God, an orgasm was supposed to make you feel better—to help take the edge off. Instead Charlie felt like her entire body was one big ball of tension and guilt. How could she let herself want a man who was everything she hated? How could she betray Missy’s memory that way?
“Can I ask you something?” he murmured, after a moment.
“If you want to know why I asked you to talk dirty, it was only because I needed to get off,” Charlie snapped, turning her head to glare at him. “That’s all.”
“That wasn’t my question at all,” he said. “What I want to know is, why would you choose this for yourself?”
“Choose it? Choose what?” She half turned to face him, wondering what he was talking about.
“The whip. You were given a choice between reliving your worst memory and taking the fire whip—which was horribly painful. I know because I felt it—only an echo of it but that was bad enough,” Stav said. “My question is, what could have been so horrible that you would rather endure extreme physical agony rather than deal with it?”
“Ha,” Charlie said sharply. “Did you forget that talking about my past was what bought me that punishment in the first place?”
“Forgive me.” He looked abashed. “I never thought—”
“Doesn’t matter,” Charlie said, rolling back over so she didn’t have to look at him. “Even if I could talk about it, I wouldn’t. Not to you.”
“Why not?” he asked softly. “What do you have against me, Charlotte? Why do you hate me so? Is it because I couldn’t protect you from the whip?” His voice roughened. “I hate myself for that, you know. I thought I would go mad when I had to watch them whipping you and I couldn’t stop it or get to you to protect you.”
“It’s not that,” Charlie said in a low voice. “The whipping wasn’t your fault. And I know…I heard you ask to take it for me. The damn Joined Ones are sadists, that’s all.”
“I tried to take your pain,” he whispered. “But I could not. The barrier…it kept me from you and also kept me from absorbing your agony. I am so sorry.”
“Don’t be.” The pain and regret in his voice were almost enough to make her go to him. But she couldn’t do that—couldn’t let herself go soft. Not now when everything was within reach.
“I cannot help it. I should have protected you and I…could not.”
“That’s not why I can’t talk to you…can’t be with you.”
“Why then?” His deep voice was filled with pain. “Why, Charlotte? When there is so clearly something between us?”
“Because you’re Kindred.” It was all she was prepared to say. “And now I’m going to try and get some sleep. Good night, Stavros.” She closed her eyes and burrowed under the covers, pressing her face to the pillow to blot the tears that came no matter how she tried to stop them. Why did he affect her so much? And why couldn’t she stop these emotions? The guilt was tearing her apart inside.
Missy…Missy, I’m so sorry…I swear I won’t dishonor your memory. No matter what happens, no matter what I feel, I’ll never do that. I swear…
* * * * *
Stav lay in the dark beside her, listening to her breathe.
“Because you’re Kindred,” she’d said. Only that and nothing more. But what had happened to make her hate him and all his kind so much? And did she truly hate him? She responded to his touch—it didn’t seem that would be possible if she loathed him as much as she claimed.
She responded to your touch because she couldn’t help it—the damn ointment was making her too sensitive to help it, a grim little voice whispered in his head. And she only asked for your help because she had no other option. She hates you all right—believe it, Stavros. It’s the cold truth and no amount of wishing or hoping is going to change it.
Stav sighed and turned on his back. He didn’t blame Charlotte for the way she felt—he felt the same. First he had nearly gone feral and sexually attacked her after biting her last night and then he had been unable to protect her from being whipped by that damned Joined One. What good was he if he couldn’t even protect her from harm? And what good were the feelings he had for her if she didn’t feel the same?
No good. No damn good at all. But though he tried, he couldn’t get rid of them. They tormented him for hours until he finally fell into an uneasy sleep.
* * * * *
Charlie waited until the big Kindred’s breathing was even and calm and had been for at least twenty minutes. Then she stole silently out of bed and slipped into the crumpled novice robe she had discarded earlier. She only shivered a little as she left the warmth of the bed and put it on. The air was chilly but not arctic-cold as it had been before which was good. Hopefully the other changes she’d heard Nar’sa and Ta’no speaking of had been made too.
Tying the sash tightly around her waist, she slipped noiselessly out of the bedroom and stole across the carpeted floor to the front door. She held her breath for a moment as the door slid open, waiting for some kind of alarm. But it must have been removed just as their Hossan councilors had promised, because she heard nothing.
With a sigh of relief, Charlie left their rooms and headed for the long corridor that would take her to the Circle of Oneness. She didn’t like doing this without Stavros but she had no choice. He hadn’t been cleared to get through the barrier and into the inner circle—only she had. Besides, he would surely try to stop her if he knew what she had in mind.
I’ll sneak into the circle and see what kind of security is around the Heart, she told herself. If it was well guarded, she planned to pretend she was lost or sleep walking or something like that. But if it wasn’t—and really, what other security did they need other than the impenetrable barrier that stood at the entrance to the inner circle—she was going to grab it and run like crazy. She could be back in their rooms, waking Stavros and telling him they had to get to the ship in a few quick minutes. He might be angry but she knew he wouldn’t ask questions until they were safely away.
It’s going to be fine, she told herself as the door swooshed shut behind her. I’m going to get what we need and we’re going to get the hell out of here before…
Before she lost herself completely. Before she forgot everything she
stood for and allowed herself to give in to feelings she shouldn’t be having for a man she knew she ought to hate.
Too late, whispered a little voice but Charlie pushed it aside. Everything was going to be all right—she was going to see to that herself.
“All right,” she muttered under her breath. “Heart of Love, here I come. Hope you’re in the mood to travel because you’re coming with me tonight.”
She didn’t notice the small, furry creature that hugged the shadows and kept several feet behind her as she moved. Didn’t see the small, beady red eyes that tracked her every move and sent a report back to its master who was light years away…
Chapter Twenty-eight
“So…now you make your move. Yes, and I shall make mine as well.” Ur stirred within his host as he monitored the internal feed from the tiny spy bot that followed the human girl, keeping track of her progress.
It was time—time to alert the authorities at J’lorgan’s Mind that they had a traitor in their midst. One who planned to steal their most prized artifact this very night.
He would have rubbed his hands together with anticipation except he still only had control over the left side of Two’s body. It was most irritating that he couldn’t seem to get more. Even after nights of practice, the right side remained closed to him.
Well, it wouldn’t be a problem for much longer, Ur promised himself as he watched the little human female steal silently down the long, metal corridors towards the treasure lying at the center of the resort.
Why exactly she wanted the Heart of Love still wasn’t clear but Ur intended to find that out. In fact, he planned to ask the authorities at the resort to hand Charlotte and her paramour, the annoying Blood Kindred, over to him at once. The girl he would torture to his heart’s content. But only after he took control of the Blood Kindred’s body. He was tired of being within an incompatible host. Two was troublesome and irritating—it was far better to take over a life form completely than to try and share control with them, he had found. And the young, strong body of the Blood Kindred, Stavros, would do nicely.
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