Exposure: Bloodlust Series Book 1

by L. L. Ash

  As my hips ground against him, lips still clamped tight to his neck, his hands moved from my back to my waist and slowly down, gripping my thighs, my hips, sliding his hands down my butt to pull me closer until I felt him pushing back in arousal. As his neck healed back up again, I didn’t bother to lick the remainder of the blood off my lips. I trailed my tongue up his jaw before taking his mouth against mine. Owning him and showing him so.

  The moment my bloodsoaked lips hit his, he lapped at me until no drop or streak remained. After that, we were simply ravenous, but no longer for the blood. My shirt quickly slid up my back and was tossed out of the bed before he dipped his head and ravaged my breasts. Pressing his head toward my chest, I continued moving, humping against his thighs and erection through our pants. They had to come off.

  Rocketing to my feet, Clarence’s mouth unlatched from me with an audible popping sound before I started wiggling out of my cotton shorts. When I’d managed to get them down my legs, Clarence’s hands wrapped around my thighs and pulled me forward until his face was buried in the dark curls between my legs. His tongue struck out and hit me instantly at my already throbbing pearl. My knees went weak instantly but I managed to keep on my feet for a moment longer before collapsing back down and clawing at his jeans, so furiously well wrapped around his hips. He lifted off the mattress long enough for me to drag them off and then I dropped, face down until I had his entirety in my mouth. Twitching and throbbing against my tongue I savored another sort of salty flavor. Thrusting off the bed again, he hit the back of my throat and I gagged before removing him.

  “You know that you’re mine, right?” I asked him, my voice lower and darker than I’d ever heard it before.

  “Like a pet, Darling,” he agreed, taking my mouth again.

  I crawled closer to him, feeling with my palm that he’d removed his shirt too, before I settled back onto his lap. Sinking down onto his lap gingerly, he slowly impaled me from below. Our lips separated an inch and we gasped into each other’s mouths at the feeling. A second later I was gyrating against him, rocking back and forth, controlling the angle and the speed. The power went instantly to my head.

  Clarence used his hands, wrapped firmly around each of my hips to help speed me up or bring me down harder as he eagerly suckled each breast in turn. Minutes, many minutes this lasted. I sped up and slowed down, teasing both of us until I eventually found the right angle and he stroked me just right from the inside.

  Seconds later I was gasping, squeezing at his biceps until I’d burst into warmth. Tiny little fragments of light filtered through my body as I eased down, the fragments leaving warmth in my belly as the throbs eased and my stomach unclenched. But then it was his turn, dragging his face across my shoulder as he gave soft grunts at the end. Then we were left heaving in still silence.

  “Don’t...” he said breathlessly. “Don’t do that with the feeder.”

  I couldn’t help it. I burst out laughing.

  He grinned back at me, meeting my eyes before leaning his head back and letting his shoulders relax.

  “Hey kids!” Mason’s voice spread through the room from the closed door. “Now that you’re done, we’re leaving soon. Get cleaned up and dressed so we can go.”

  “How does he always know?” I whispered at Clarence but Mason answered for me.

  “You’re fucking loud and we can hear everything going on in this cramped apartment. This shouldn’t be a surprise to you, Sweet Pea.”

  With that his footsteps receded and left us alone.

  Well, evidently just figuratively alone.

  “Vampires hearing is very keen,” Clarence chuckled. “And it’s a small apartment.”

  “Oh my God… How embarrassing...”

  He brushed the hair out of my face and grinned again, kissing my brow before he lifted my hand to help me up. I stood on shaky legs and looked around for my clothes.

  “I’ll get your bags from the living room,” Clarence told me as he stood up, hugging me from behind.

  I nodded, kissed him again before he pulled on his underwear and went out of the room.

  My muscles were still shaking, wired with the freshness of the blood, lust and sex. Wrapping myself in Clarence’s robe again I snuck toward the bathroom, catching a look of knowing from Evelyn who was putting on makeup in one of the rooms with the door open. She caught sight of me leaving Clarence’s bedroom and gave me a smirk before turning back to her mascara.

  “I’m just saying back it off a bit. You come on too strong for her,” I heard Clarence say in a low voice in the living room. “Unlike us, she’s rather innocent in the ways of the world. She’s not been around centuries like you and I. You embarrass her.”

  “Innocent would not be the word I would use for her,” Mason laughed out loud. “The girl has always walked around like a virgin goddess. I must say, you have a type, dear Brother.”

  “A type?”

  “There’ve not been many, I’ll give you that, and none that you’ve stayed with for so long, but they all have the same air about them. It draws you to them like moth to flame. Innocence, ready to be spoiled.”

  Clarence made a gasping, offended noise.

  “Do you really think so poorly of me? When have I ever taken innocence?”

  “Never. Until that one, anyway. That was when I knew how you truly felt about her.”

  “I told you I loved her. You didn’t believe me?”

  Another scoffing noise, this time from Mason.

  “Believe you? You were fascinated, pulled in, enchanted. All of which you’ve been before by beautiful women. And it usually turns out very poorly for you.”

  “Speaking of, what are we to do with Evelyn?”

  The abrupt subject change had my interest piqued.

  “What do you mean? I’m the one who suggested we just lop off her head and get it over with. We’d sleep better at night.”

  “Yes, I know, but we need her.”

  “We need her, sure. But can we even trust her?”

  “I don’t know,” Clarence sighed. “She’s not someone with a heart or a conscience. But yet she saved Addie.”

  “For what purpose though? Is she setting us up for a trap?”

  “I don’t know. We may not know until the time is critical. Can a woman like Evelyn change?”

  “Bloody hell if I know. But the woman who tore my wife’s heart from her body and turned me for spite would never save a girl, innocent or no.”

  My quick intake of breath had their conversation silenced. Clarence came around the hall and saw me standing by the bathroom door listening.

  He murmured under his breath and motioned me into the room before closing the door.

  “You were not meant to hear that, Addie,” he said quietly.

  “Like you said, it’s a small apartment.”

  Sighing, he held out my clothes bags.

  “Have you need of anything? I was going to get dressed.”

  “No, other than clarification.”

  “At another time,” he agreed hesitantly. “You will know all, but not tonight. We’ve enough to worry about tonight.”

  He slipped out of the bathroom before I could ask anything else. So instead of prying into where he obviously didn’t want me to, I found clothes appropriate for a club and took another quick shower to clean up.

  After drying off and dressing, I went to Evelyn’s room and knocked on the door.

  “Come in, Darling,” she said clearly.

  I turned the knob and found her staring out the window at the darkening sky.

  “I was just going to ask if you minded if I used your makeup. I don’t have any right now.”

  She nodded, waving her hand elegantly toward the vanity. I saw men’s shoes on the floor and a suit jacket folded neatly on the foot of the cold bed box identical to Clarence’s.

  “It’s Mason’s room,” she said absently without turning. “They worry I’m going to turn on them, and I don’t blame them. They make me share the bed wi
th Mason, to ensure I don’t cut off anyone’s head during the night.”

  “Would you?” I found myself asking, hesitantly.

  “If I was going to, I would have already,” she said with humor in her voice as she finally turned around, looking at me.

  “They don’t know if they can trust you. And that makes me weary… But I feel like I can for some reason. I don’t think you’re playing us.”

  “No, of course not,” she shrugged her shoulder. “I’ve done terrible things to stay alive in this world, and after almost 600 years I find myself still alone, dead on the inside with no reason for my continued living. What is the point of everlasting life if I’ve nothing to show for it besides wealth and a long line of people who wish to kill me?”

  “It’s a good question.”

  “One I’ve pondered for 200 years. I regret what I did to them, both of them. I imagine you hate me on the inside, as well.”

  “No,” I shrugged, taking a seat at the vanity. “I think they are the only ones entitled to feel anything about their pasts. It’s not my story, therefore I don’t think I get a say in whether I hate you or not. If you betray us, I will, though.”

  She gave me the faintest smile before approaching.

  “Would you like assistance Darling? It’s been many years since I’ve had another face to make up.”

  I agreed and turned to her as she went onto her knees in front of me.

  She picked up various eye products; shadows, liners and mascara before eventually telling me to look in the mirror. Turning, I saw a woman staring back at me. Pale skin, black hair and blood red lips met me, taunting me. I was not a child anymore. I had grown up quickly in 1 years time, and I was astounded on what that did to my appearance. Though, with the heavily charcoaled eyes and smokey shadow added to the red lipstick and pale skin, I had the faintest Snow White appearance.

  “You’re beautiful,” she told me without the faintest trace of jealousy.

  What did she have to be jealous of? She was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.

  “Thank you. So are you. You have talent with makeup. I can never get it to look this good.”

  “Just practice, Darling,” she waved her hand again before standing and holding out her hand to me. “Shall we go then? I imagine you’re thirsty.”

  I nodded, thinking that my palms would be sweaty with nerves if my vampiric body actually produced sweat. Sweat and tears seemed like the only things I didn’t have anymore. Well, that and a heartbeat or a need to breathe. Oh yeah, and there’s also that tiny little issue about the whole drinking blood and all that.

  I took her hand and followed her to the living room, feeling the skirt of my thin, slinky black dress dance across the back of my thighs.

  Mason and Clarence were finishing some drinks in the living room when we approached. Mason’s eyes shot over to Evelyn while Clarence’s zeroed in on me.

  “Wow,” he breathed, eyes roaming from head to foot to head again, making a couple of pit stops in between.

  I knew the dress was provocative. I’d bought it when I was going into heat and my entirety had been provocative at that time. Now I wasn’t sure about the deeply open back, scooping just above the dimples in my lower back, or the deep V that dove down, revealing the tiniest hint of cleavage as I moved. The fabric was something like silk and it hugged every curve and shimmered with every move, brushing across me like a second skin.

  “She’s beautiful, no?” Evelyn asked Mason.

  He seemed to pop out of his own thoughts before finally looking at me.

  “Good God woman. Do you want your lover to die tonight? He’ll be fighting off every vamp in the establishment!”

  “Come now,” Clarence rolled his eyes. “You know I’d win. Besides, I’m proud to have the arm of the most lovely woman in the city.”

  Taking a step forward, he put out his arm and I wrapped my hand around it before he led the way out the door. Mason followed with Evelyn in tow until Clarence flagged down a taxi. Evelyn and I squished together in the back with Clarence while Mason rode in the front with the driver. He gave him directions and not a few minutes later we were pulling up in front of a popular club. Stepping out, we were the center of attention of the crowd waiting to get in.

  As the cab pulled away, Clarence Evelyn and Mason began walking away from the club. They went down a long alleyway and stopped in front of a big steel door. Knocking on it two times, a tiny slider opened and eyes glanced at us. With a sniff the doorman opened the door and let us in. There was nothing but pitch blackness around us, but somehow I could see outlines of the walls, chairs and tables in the darkness. Clarence held my hand and I followed until we reached the back of the room. Another knock on the wall and the floor popped out next to us. Underneath the floor was a stairway where music began to filter up to. As we went down, reaching a long hallway with layers and layers of steel doors, I began to get really freaked out. This place’s security was off the hook serious. They meant business.

  “It’s a secret club,” Clarence said softly in the dark tunnel. “They protect the occupants with extreme care.”

  Finally, we reached one last door. Again it slid open and the face behind it grinned this time.

  “Well gimme the willies! If it ain’t the Barnett boys! C’mon in! We’ve go’ room for ya!”

  The thick Irish brogue that filtered through the hole caught me off guard.

  Entering the room, it looked just like any other regular human lounge. A bartender stood behind the bar, music drifted in a soft but still audible tone, and people were everywhere, having conversations with each other. My mind whirled to imagine that all these people were vampires.

  “We want to get a feeder,” Clarence said to the burly man that opened the door. “Just one, for one feeding. You have any available?”

  “Should. You go talk to Henic in the back and he’ll get ya sorted.”

  Clarence shook his hand before we stepped further into the room.

  I held tightly to his hand while Mason and Evelyn went to the bar.

  “Clee? Is that you?” a woman’s voice called from behind us.

  Clarence turned and grinned at the voluptuous blonde calling his name and waving at him.

  “Vivian! How many decades has it been?” he said back, giving her a hug.

  “Heaven, it’s been too many,” her faint southern accent purred. “And who’s this ravon at your side? A stunning beauty.”

  Maybe she wasn’t so bad.

  “Viv, this is Madeleine Harper, my partner.”

  “Oh darling, a rare raven you are to have caught this one’s eye,” she gave me a wink, taking my hand in a gentle touch with her cool one. “What brings you here?”

  “Actually, we’ve news on the warfront. Have you heard yet?”

  Her face went suddenly serious.

  “I’ve heard whisperings. Everyone is afraid to pick sides.”

  “We’ve come to convince them to pick ours. With numbers Jasper will fall.”

  “Sweet Lord. You truly think you can take on Jasper and win?”

  “We do. We have a secret weapon on our side that they do not expect.”

  Clarence squeezed my hand.

  “Are you having a briefing about it?”

  “We will. At sundown on Wednesday at our apartment.”

  She nodded.

  “Will you be there then?”

  “I owe you my life. I’ll be there,” she said with a gentle smile before turning a little. “Meanwhile, I’ve got a man waiting. I’ll speak to you again soon.”

  Nodding, Vivian left us with a provocative wiggle of her hips in her tight white dress.

  Three more people approached Clarence this way and three more times he invited them to the meeting. Each agreed to go, and I began to realize how well liked and regarded Clarence was in the vampire community. As we took a break, Mason came up beside us quickly and gripped Clarence’s shoulder.

  “A nightwalker,” he said in a harsh whisper. “TH
E nightwalker.”

  Evelyn was a couple steps ahead and waved us over before we caught sight of who was making such a stir amongst the brothers.

  A man sat in a wingback chair. One leg was thrown over an arm and he was talking quietly with another man at his side.

  He seemed to spot us and my non-existent breath caught at the face that turned to us. Black hair, cut in a short, relaxed style framed his angular face. Dark brows sat above a perfectly straight nose that led to full, wide lips. His eyes, though heavily shaded by the scowl that covered his face, were wide and the irises the brightest ice blue.

  This man with almost fluorescent white skin was the fundamental idea of tall dark and handsome. But it wasn’t until he smiled that I knew we were now in deep, deep shit.

  “Well well, who have we here?” his deep, silky voice called, his head tilting like a predator as he caught sight of all four of us.

  Looking at each of us in turn, he dismissed us before settling on Evelyn.

  “Ah, I know you.”

  “I’m afraid I’ve had the pleasure,” she said back, her voice just as silky.

  The man grinned, reaching over to play with the white strings at the neck of the human woman at his side.

  “Lynette du Privé, yes?”

  She nodded again, giving a slight curtsey.

  “I believe the last time I saw you, you were in France, running away from dear papa. Didn’t want to be married, if I remember correctly.”

  “You would have run away too if your father made you marry a man old enough to be your grandfather.”

  The man laughed.

  “Yes, yes. But those were the days, Woman. Men owned women like chattel. You were just another sack of gold to your wealthy bastard of a father.”

  “My wealthy bastard of a father that you did business with, slaving flesh.”

  He shrugged.

  “Those were different times.”