“And the part where he pissed himself? Did that really happen?”
Aiden laughed louder. “That little tidbit was your present from Mark. He insisted I add that in for good measure... to really seal his fate. Mark says I’m supposed to say ‘Happy birthday, sweetie. You’re welcome.’”
“There is no one in the world who will work with the guy who stood up at Madison Square Garden and pissed his pants.” Laughter erupted from deep within me and continued until I struggled to breathe. I kept hearing him say the words, “I just pissed my pants” over and over in my mind and each time it got more ridiculous and hysterical.
“I can’t wait to see the YouTube videos of this,” Aiden said.
“Mark will die when he sees this! We’ll be laughing about it for years!”
We reached the exit and Aiden held the door for me while I stepped out into the open air. I felt lighter, and it made me do an impromptu twirl. I caught Aiden’s appreciative glance when my skirt flitted up a bit too high. His intense gaze made my cheeks flush and soon I felt my chest follow. Thank God I’d insisted on underwear tonight.
While I smoothed my skirt back down, I looked at Aiden and tried to comprehend how I’d ended up here... on this perfect, amazing, incredible night with a vampire. And only one thing could make my night even better. The one thing I knew I shouldn’t do.
A kiss.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Emilia
WE MADE OUR WAY PAST the crew members loading trucks in the lots and Aiden pulled out his phone and texted Cyrus.
Aiden put away his phone. “He’s two blocks over. With this traffic it will be faster for us to walk to him. Is that all right?”
“Lead the way!” I practically sang. “I’m so exhilarated I could run ten miles right now. Even in these shoes, and that’s saying something.”
“This way,” Aiden pointed to the alley across the street.
We moved through the traffic to the shortcut that cut across to where Cyrus would be waiting. When we stepped into the dim lights of the alley, it gave me pause, but then I remembered who walked beside me.
“Are you all right? Your heart sped up.”
“I forget that you can hear my heart. It’s a little strange.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.”
“No need to apologize. I don’t mind. And yes, I got a little scared coming down here. I’m not the kind of girl who walks into dark alleys. I’m the kind of girl who stays in the lights and the crowds for safety. I’ve seen the movies. Nothing good ever happens in alleys. Don’t run up the stairs when the killer is chasing you, don’t yell, ‘who’s there?’ into the creepy room, and don’t walk down dark alleys. And never ever collapse next to the killer’s ‘dead’ body and sob. That son of a bitch is still alive. It’s ‘How to Survive a Horror Movie 101’.”
He laughed, and I loved how natural it sounded now.
“It’s a good thing you’ve got me, then. Although it sounds like you’ve got things covered. Since I’m making you break a rule, I’ll make sure you make it to the end of this movie.”
He stepped closer to my side, and his close proximity caused a wave of desire to move through my body again. “I suppose it’s a good thing to have you by my side.”
“Did you have a nice time tonight?”
“A nice time? Are you kidding? A nice time is what you have when you go for dinner and a movie. This... this was straight out of a fairy tale. Honestly, Aiden. I can’t believe you did all this for me. And on such short notice, no less. There aren’t enough words to thank you for this perfect evening.”
“Your smile is thanks enough.”
Heat flushed back to my cheeks and chest again. Tonight, something had shifted between us, and I found myself even more drawn to him than before. It wasn’t just his looks I found intoxicating now... it was him. All of him. Beneath that cold exterior beat the heart of a charming, funny, and even romantic man... vampire. He sucked me in like a vortex I had no desire to fight. In fact, it was all I could do to keep myself from running straight at it and leaping into the depths without questioning where it would take me. All I knew was that I wanted to taste his lips again and feel those cool hands on every inch of my body.
Aiden froze, and it snapped me out of my fantasy of feeling his tongue invade my mouth again. I heard cans clank and I spun to see the silhouette of three men emerging from the shadows.
“Emilia, don’t move,” he commanded and pushed me behind him.
The men stepped into the dim lights and the gun glinted when the man in front drew it to chest level. “Don’t resist and you’ll both walk out of here just fine,” he said, stepping toward us. His bald head shone bright as he stepped further into the light. “Just give us your wallets, jewelry and other valuables and we’ll be on our way.”
Aiden lowered his head, blocking me behind his body. “Leave. Now.” The primal tones in his growl sent a shiver snaking up my spine.
“Don’t be a hero, pretty boy,” the short red-haired man said, stepping up beside the man holding the gun who continued his approach. “If you put up a fight, this won’t end well for you. Or her.”
Peeking around Aiden’s shoulder I saw him give my legs a leering glance. I could feel Aiden’s muscles twitch as raw power radiated off him. I pressed myself into his back.
His voice deepened. “I said leave. Now.”
The bald leader shook his head and pulled back the hammer of his gun. “Listen up, pretty boy. Perhaps this is your first mugging. If so, welcome to the club. But the way this works is we point a gun at you. You hand us your things. Everyone lives. We leave happy. The other option is we point a gun at you. You resist. We shoot you and have our way with her before killing her. We live, you two die. We leave happy. It’s your choice which way this will go. Either way, we’re leaving here happy and with all your money.”
“There’s a third option,” Aiden said.
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
I didn’t even see him move. I just felt my body slam against the wall that was ten feet away not a split second ago. The power of the blow forced the air out of my lungs and left me gasping while I watched Aiden dart between the three men in a blur of motion. Two fell to the ground in a heap, their necks bent at unnatural angles. In a matter of seconds the blur of movement reformed into Aiden. He stood holding the gun to the head of the bald man who he had forced on his knees. The man stared up into the barrel of his own gun with raised hands and bulging eyes while Aiden stared him down.
“That was the third option,” Aiden growled.
“Please don’t kill me,” the man begged. “Please. I didn’t mean it. We weren’t really going to hurt you.”
“Is that so?” Aiden quirked a brow and pressed the gun into his forehead. “Then why did your pulse tell me you were lying just now?”
“What? How? What are you?” he stammered.
“I’m the man who would never let you, or anyone, lay a finger on her,” he snarled.
Panic inched the criminal’s voice up several octaves. “Are you going to kill me?”
I watched frozen from my place against the wall. These were bad men who probably deserved to die, but I didn’t know if I could stomach watching Aiden kill a man begging for his life. I held my breath awaiting Aiden’s answer.
“No.” Aiden lowered the gun and leaned in closer to look the man in the eyes. “You will walk down this alley, go find the nearest police officers and tell them you had a fight with your friends, and you broke their necks. You will then confess to every crime you have ever committed and spend the rest of your miserable life in prison. You will also forget that you ever saw us. Now go.”
The man stood up in a trance and started walking out of the alley. For the first time since Aiden spoke, I blew out a breath. With a whoosh Aiden stood in front of me and I sucked that breath back into my lungs.
“Are you hurt?” he asked, the concern heavy in his voice. His hands moved over my shoulders and his gaze scanned my b
ody for injury before settling back onto mine.
I could only shake my head.
“I will never let anyone hurt you. Ever,” he said with such an intensity I felt it in the depths of my soul. His hand moved to my face, his thumb brushing against my cheek. Our eyes locked and then mine dropped to the lips that sat parted just inches from mine. The need for his kiss overwhelmed me and I gave in to the carnal urge demanding I submit to it. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his, closing my eyes when they touched, savoring the softness of his kiss. His tongue slid past my lips, first soft and gentle, but then it grew hungrier as he deepened the kiss. I moaned with the force of his response and savored the sweet taste of him while he invaded my mouth.
My body slammed into the wall behind me when he pushed me back and captured my gasp in his mouth. I left my hands free to explore him, and they traveled to his back, sliding over the shoulders bulging beneath his shirt. Clawing and desperate I pulled him into me, needing him closer, needing to feel his body pressed into mine. He offered no resistance and instead pushed into me, our breaths mingling while I moaned into his mouth. His tongue delved deeper while his hand grasped the back of my head and pulled me in tighter, crushing my lips with the weight of his desire.
His other hand drifted down my shoulder and then slid the length of my side and settled on my hip. A strong pull eliminated any space left between us and I no longer knew where my body stopped and his began. His touch set me on fire and left me burning and writhing, engulfed in the heat of his passion and overwhelmed by the intensity of my own. My hands moved to his chest, and I slid them over the muscles that twitched at my touch.
He softened his kiss, and I whimpered when his lips pulled back from mine. Panting, I opened my eyes to see his own boring into me, heavy with desire. A gentle tug of my hair pulled my head back and my skin ignited when his lips touched my neck. No fangs punctured me, and instead delicate kisses pecked along my skin, leaving a burning trail in their wake.
Savoring every touch, he coaxed moan after moan from me while his lips traveled down my neck. Grabbing a handful of his shirt I pulled him against me. His touch brought me to life and my need to feel it everywhere deepened with each flick of his tongue on my skin. I wanted him inside of me, in every way imaginable.
“Drink from me, Aiden,” I whispered, my need for the euphoria his bite brought intensifying with every touch. It wasn’t just his fangs I wanted inside of me, and the sound of them popping free fanned the fire that also scorched between my thighs. I could feel his cock press against me, and I pushed my hips into him. Feeling him pressing into my dress and up against the place that needed him most sent a shudder through my body. I waited for the heat that came when his fangs slid inside of me and held my breath while I prepared for the sharp tips to begin their descent into my skin.
“Down here,” a voice echoed down the alley.
Aiden straightened with a start and I whimpered when I felt his lips disappear from my skin.
“I killed two men right down here.” Fuck! The mugger Aiden had hypnotized.
“We need to get out of here. Now,” Aiden said, turning back to me. Before I could respond or recover from the touch that still had me sweltering inside, his arm snaked around my waist and I felt my body slam into his. He shot us forward with the power of an explosion and I tried not to choke on the air that filled my lungs from the speed we hit. Everything looked like a streak of colors and lights; we moved too fast for anything to process or take form. Despite only seconds of movement, when we stopped the momentum nearly sent me tumbling to the ground. He caught me by the waist and steadied me while I waited for the world to stop moving.
“Holy shit,” I managed to say while it felt like my head swirled and I waited for it to slow down. It reminded me of the feeling I got when I used to spin around as fast as I could as a child, and then try to stand straight. I teetered in his arms trying to make the world stop moving.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his face finally coming into focus as I wobbled in his arms. “I’m so sorry I didn’t warn you. I didn’t want to risk us getting seen, and I needed to get us out of there. Are you hurt?”
I shook my head but realized the error of that idea when it intensified the spinning. “I’m fine. I think.”
“Are you sure?”
“I might be sick,” I admitted, feeling the waves of nausea traveling up into my throat.
“I’m so sorry.” He took my face between his hands. “Just look at me and breathe.”
The back and forth swaying made it hard to focus on his face, but second by second the motion subsided and soon I stood erect staring up into those incredible blue eyes. The nausea dissipated, and I blew out a deep breath. “Whoa. That. Was. Crazy.”
The concern on his face softened, and a smile took its place. “It’s kind of fun, isn’t it?”
“A little warning next time. And maybe some Dramamine. But yeah... that was fun.”
A car horn honked, and I looked away from him for the first time. It was only then I realized we were standing on the sidewalk of a busy street in downtown New York. People moved in herds around us and cars buzzed down the busy street. I had been so entranced in his eyes that I hadn’t even noticed we were no longer alone.
“Mr. Mackay! Over here!”
Cyrus waved from the limo just a few car lengths up from us.
“Can you walk?” Aiden brushed a hand down my arm.
“I think so.” I took a wobbly step. My legs turned to rubber, and I stumbled forward.
Aiden caught me in his arms. “I think I should carry you. It takes a while to get used to the speed and until then, it takes a while to recover from it.”
“Good idea.” I had no desire to end our incredible night in a heap on the sidewalk with my dress up over my head. Once again, I felt thankful for my underwear just in case I went down.
A gentle scoop pulled me up against his chest. I slung my arm around his shoulder and giggled when our eyes met. “Here I am all ‘damsel in distressy’ again. It seems I’m making a habit of this.”
“It’s a habit I’m more than happy to feed.” He smiled.
“Do you need help?” Cyrus asked, hurrying to our side.
“Someone had a bit too much birthday champagne,” he lied. “Just get the door and we should be just fine.”
“Damn bubbly,” I said, solidifying the story. “I’m a lightweight.”
“I’ve been there a few times myself!” Cyrus chuckled and opened the limo door, stepping aside so Aiden could lower me in.
Once he’d situated me on the seat, Aiden slid his arm out from under me and scooted to my side.
“Are you heading back to the airport, Mr. Mackay?”
Aiden looked at his watch. “Yes, Cyrus. It’s time we got back.”
Cyrus didn’t hesitate and hopped into the driver’s seat and got us underway. We needed to make it home before sunrise. It was time for tonight to end... and I didn’t want it to.
I never wanted tonight to end.
I wanted more of everything... but especially more of Aiden. My body still burned where he had touched it, and the places he hadn’t touched still begged for his attention. If the divider in the limo hadn’t been down, I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t have thrown myself on top of him.
It had been a year since I’d had sex, and at least five years since I’d had good sex. Jeff wasn’t a stallion in the sack to begin with, and the last years together had been the old married couple kind of encounters. A nudge of the elbow to get things started, a few pumps, and a faked orgasm and it was over. Over the past few years I’d begun to wonder if I even liked sex. It became more of a chore than a desire and something that never occurred to me until Jeff would elbow me in the side and say, ‘Wanna do it?’. I usually obliged him, but I often wondered if I was defective and that thing that made you want to get it on had left me. When Aiden had touched me, that thing sprang back to life with renewed enthusiasm, alive and well.
Really wel
l.
We arrived at the airport and Cyrus pulled us up to the stairs of the plane. Opening the door, he stepped aside, and Aiden climbed out first, extending a hand and pulling me up to his side. Just the touch of his skin had every nerve in my body on fire again.
“Are you okay to walk?” Aiden asked.
I stood upright for a minute to verify the ground no longer rumbled beneath me. “Yes, I’m good now. Thank you.”
“It was a pleasure to meet you Miss Charles.” Cyrus folded into a bow.
I stepped forward and threw my arms around his neck. He chuckled his surprise and then patted me on the back. “Thank you, Cyrus. I had such an incredible evening, and it was wonderful to meet you.”
“I hope to see you again, Miss Charles,” he said as we broke our embrace. I saw the accusatory look he shot to Aiden and struggled to stifle my giggle. It seemed I had won Cyrus’ stamp of approval.
The flight attendant stood at the top of the stairs and waited while Aiden and I made our way back up them. I headed back to the private room from the flight out. The elegance of this jet still blew my mind as much as it had the first time I’d stepped onto it. Soft cream leather covered every inch of the furniture and walls, and rich mahogany wood trimmed the small bar and the chairs that sat facing one another. A large couch stretched out the length of the room and a fake fire crackled from the screen on the wall. It was a far cry from the cramped seating and the snoring man beside me the one time I flew commercial before tonight.
“Can we get you anything before take-off?” Sheila asked.
“No, thank you. I’ll buzz you if we need anything,” Aiden answered.
“Enjoy your flight,” she said and pulled the door shut behind her, sealing us into the room alone.
I sat down in the oversized leather seat I had used on our way here. Aiden sat in the matching chair just across from me. The ride in had been unbelievably awkward because I couldn’t stop thinking about our kiss, and now it seemed the ride home would be just more of the same. All I could think about was how much I wanted his tongue in my mouth and his hands up my dress. The incessant thoughts left little room for casual conversation.
Into The Light (Immortal Hearts Book 1) Page 15
