by Pace, Pepper
I can be with any man…
Alexis will be released from his confinement in less than one hundred years. In one hundred years I would need to relinquish all of my loves in order to be with Alexis. I had ninety-nine years to love whomever I wanted. I smiled and went down to my knees alongside him.
“You’ve been my best friend almost since I first met you,” I said. “And I would love to become your lover. And I feel like I’m already your wife in my heart.”
Paul swallowed and closed his eyes as he inhaled deeply.
“What is that you’re doing?” I asked.
“I’m letting the wolf smell you and know you.”
The wolf was the only drawback so far, and it made me nervous.
“Don’t be worried.” He tilted my head up and lightly placed his lips on mine. We were still on our knees. Paul’s lips parted, and he pulled me to him. I opened my mouth and slipped my tongue into his mouth and he gripped my ass in his strong hands.
His lips kissed down to my throat, and I threw my head back enjoying the feel of his soft lips on my skin. I felt his tongue come out to trace a line along my chin.
“Bite me,” he murmured.
My teeth dropped, and I pressed my lips to his neck. His smell, this close, was like nothing I’d ever smelled before. Yes, I could smell his sweet blood, but beneath that was an animal undercurrent like the earth and the trees and the wind. It was the smell of the wild!
I plunged my teeth into his neck and felt as if a chord had been struck from the pit of my stomach to a tingling in my wrist and to the nub between my thighs.
His blood flooded my mouth but then something painful struck me in the chest and sent me sliding across the floor.
Paul was on his feet, but I don’t remember seeing him stand. His expression was fierce and his eyes were golden. Veins in his face were pulsating, and his hands were clenched into fists. The veins running up his arms were bulging, too! He was just as quickly by my side. “My God! Kim, are you okay?” He helped me sit up. “Baby, did I hurt you?”
I put my hand on my chest. It hurt so he must have pushed me pretty hard, but I don’t think anything had broken.
“Paul, what …?”
“Baby, I’m not sure. Damn it! Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay. But what happened?”
“When you bit me, it felt so good. But then I could feel something rise up inside of me. It was like the wolf didn’t want to feel … dominated by your Vampire.”
I stood with his assistance. Blood ran down his neck. “You’re bleeding,” I said. I wasn’t going to put my teeth in him, but I did reach out and with a fingertip to swipe at the blood there. I put my finger in my mouth and sucked the blood away.
Paul groaned.
So that I wouldn’t appear predatory, I pressed my body against him. He seemed hesitant, but he put his hand loosely on my waist. His body was so tightly wound, like he would snap.
“I’m just going to lick you, okay?”
He nodded.
I kissed his neck lightly and let the sticky blood paint my lips. I could feel Paul shudder from need, not an intent to leap on me again.
I licked him long and slow, and Paul grew hard in seconds. His hands slipped up my side, and his thumbs favored my nipples until I squirmed against him. I pressed my tongue into the puncture and waited for him to push me away again. Instead he rotated his hips against me. His hand moved up to grip the back of my head and gently pulled it back. He licked and kissed and nipped at my neck until I couldn’t contain the groans coming from my throat.
He undid my pants, gripped me to him, and carried me to the bed. He pushed me back with kisses until he covered me. His hard penis pressed against my thigh, and as I reached down to hold him, he slid down my body and out of my reach. He tugged at the hem of my pants, pulling off my pants and my red bikini panties.
“Oh, shit,” he murmured as he watched my mound. With two fingers he stroked down my crease, and my body jerked in response. His eyes met mine and his lip curled upward in that thoroughly sexy way of his. He buried his face between my legs. While most men spread a woman’s lips and started working their tongues, Paul completely mouthed me, his lips completely covering me as if he really was trying to eat me up!
I felt my clit trembling. I was going over, and it had only been seconds!
As Paul’s hands clutched my ass, I felt his thumb enter me. I arched and cried out. He moved his thumb in and out of me while slurping and lapping my pussy with his rough yet satiny tongue. I gripped the sheet and climaxed loudly, bucking and gyrating against his face. Paul gripped my legs so that his face stayed buried against me. I could hear him groaning against me until his groans vibrated all through me.
The orgasm wrapped around me from my stomach to the tip of my toes. I remember freezing, sucking in a sharp breath, and opening my mouth and screaming out in pleasure! Paul’s fingers squeezed my upper thighs hard enough to bruise, and that gave me even more pleasure.
“Are you okay?” Julie was in my head.
“Fuck! Yes!” I screamed.
“Okay, just checking. Sorry.”
My orgasm continued until Paul relented and removed his head from between my thighs. My body slumped. I was so sated I had to roll onto my side until I could move again. Paul climbed onto the bed behind me, snuggling against me. The feel of him made me feel safe. He nuzzled and kissed my neck.
“I’m sorry for what happened earlier,” he said.
I gripped his arms and wrapped them around me. “Paul, baby. It’s okay. It’ll take more than a little push to hurt me.”
I sat up feeling naked because I was fully dressed up top but completely nude from the waist down.
Paul left my side, knelt, and picked up the forgotten ring case. He was still dressed and even wore his jacket. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a second box.
“His and hers,” he explained. He put my ring on my finger.
I smiled. “It fits perfectly. How’d you do that?”
“Why do you think I was kissing all over your hand? I was trying to compare your ringer finger with my pinky.”
I laughed. But when I held my hand out to examine my finger with the ring, it all hit home. I was speechless. It was beautiful. Paul was really my husband.
“Hand me the other box.” I opened it and marveled at how much his matching ring gleamed. I put it on his finger and held our hands next to each other, my brown hand and his slightly paler one.
“Through thick and thin,” he said. “Until death do us part.”
I thought about the ninety-nine years. Yes, until death us do part …
“I would love nothing more than to consummate this marriage.” Paul stood. “But I don’t think your minions would agree to wait until I did all the things that I want to do to you.” He looked down. “But I enjoyed what we just did a great deal. Maybe a bit too much.”
“Do you have clothes for tonight?” I asked as he headed for the shower.
“Yeah,” he called. “Black jeans and shirt.”
While he showered, I washed up. I would have showered with Paul, but then we would have never made it to the meeting.
We didn’t have time to go over the meeting notes because by the time we got dressed, it was near midnight.
When I repaired my makeup Paul took me in his arms and kissed me long and sensually.
“I want to eat you,” he murmured then pulled back. “I mean, not in a Werewolf way, but in a sexual way.”
“Paul, I get it.” I hurried to the bathroom to get a wet washcloth to scrub away my smeared lipstick. Then I scrubbed his lipstick-stained mouth, and we went out to meet with the ladies. There were already vamps waiting in the living room. With Paul holding my hand, we entered my office where someone had already set up the chairs for us all.
“What’s that?” Tyler asked before I even had a chance to say anything about the ring. Then they surrounded me and oohing and aah-ing and congratulating us.
I move
d Paul’s seat next to mine so everybody would know he was my man. Julie had my left side as my second lieutenant, and Tyler sat to the right of Paul as the other ladies sat behind us.
The first meeting was with two Master Vampires, a rare occurrence. Master Vampires settled their disputes in bloody ways. This was one serious matter.
Carmine was charging Letrelle with trespassing. Trespassing was considered a serious infraction since territory is what supports a Master and his liege. A Master’s flunkies would often be sent to steal resources like customers, business ideas, or human servants. That’s why a Master had to request permission to enter another Master’s territory, and many times it was granted but with stipulations.
To bring the complaint to the territory meant that there was an impending battle. Battles were bad because they definitely brought human attention—which caused the rest of us to scramble to keep it clear of the media. Vampires have created some of the most interesting false stories in history including the Bloods and the Crips. In hindsight, that should have been obvious. The two rival Vampire families enlist their humans to do their dirty work. Other examples would be the Mob, the San Andreas Fault, fourteen hurricanes, the battle at the O.K. Corral, and the Salem Witch trials. All of these were manufactured to cover up Vampire battles. I couldn’t begin to name the celebrities who had been turned by Rogues and were forced to disappear. You know who they were. They were the ones who seemed to defy time in front of the camera.
We had to take this dispute seriously.
“Letrelle, what was your purpose for entering Carmine’s territory unannounced?” I asked.
“Carmine sets impossible sanctions,” Letrelle said. “Our territories run parallel to each other. If I need to travel west, then I have no choice but to enter his land.” Letrelle was a tall black Master dressed stylishly in a long black coat and black suit. With his hat on he reminded me of Snoop Dog. Carmine was an older Italian man, a bit overweight but equally stylish in a dark Armani suit, sunglasses, and his own hat.
Carmine looked bored when he responded. “There is not one inch of land not claimed by a Master. No matter where one travels outside of their territory it is expected that the Vampire show the proper respect.”
“Bullshit,” Letrelle said. “Carmine doesn’t require respect. Carmine requests permission to fuck my ladies, to eat my donors, and chip off pieces of my territory block by block.“
“And what would make you enter his territory?” I asked. “Under the circumstances why couldn’t you just materialize when you needed to pass through his territory?”
Carmine smiled. “Letrelle has a human family deeply rooted in my territory. Apparently they are so rooted into my territory that they have no desire to leave.”
Aha. “And what about you Carmine? You have no need to travel into Letrelle’s territory?”
“No,” he said.
I conferred with my Council without moving. They told me no Vampire could be forced to allow anyone to pass through if he or she didn’t want to. It was still shitty. Letrelle would eventually be forced to attempt to kill Carmine, which was, of course, Carmine’s intent. Then Carmine could claim Letrelle’s land when he killed him, and that wasn’t something I could interfere with.
“Any ideas?” I asked Paul.
“Maybe you can find out if there’s anything Carmine will accept in order to give Letrelle permanent access to his family.”
Good idea. “Carmine. What will you take to give Letrelle permanent access to his family?”
“Nothing.” Carmine examined his nails.
“I’ll say this here and now,” Letrelle said. “I will visit my family, and there is nothing he can do to stop it!”
“Carmine, will you accept half of Letrelle’s territory?” I asked.
Letrelle shot to his feet. “What the hell?”
Carmine smiled. “That would be acceptable.”
“What the fuck!” Letrelle shouted. “I haven’t agreed to this!”
“Sit down,” Paul said.
Letrelle glared at Paul. He glanced from me to Paul and then to Tyler. He sat in a huff.
I folded my hands on my desk. “Letrelle, you have two choices. Never visit your family again in Carmine’s territory or give up half of your territory.”
“No, there’s a third choice,” Letrelle said. “I rip this motherfucker’s heart out--end of problem!”
I smiled at Letrelle. “How did you gain your Master status? You’re young, aren’t you?”
Letrelle blinked. “I was a second and then became a Master by being the baddest motherfucker around. I took my Master’s place in a fair fight.” He made a huffing noise. “Now I’m the Master.”
I turned to Carmine. “How did you become a Master, Carmine?”
He folded his hand on his knee. “I’ve been Neratomay for twelve hundred years. I gained my power and position the old-fashioned way. I grew into it. This asshole creeps in the night to get where he is.”
Letrelle jumped up again. A warning growl issued from Paul that made us all turn to him. His eyes were gold as they stared at Letrelle. “Sit down. Don’t make me tell you again.”
Letrelle gestured to Paul. “What the hell is this? Who is this? He’s not Vampire. He has no say over what a Master does.”
“He’s my bodyguard, my assistant, and my husband,” I said. “If he tells you to sit down, then you will sit.”
Letrelle grumbled but sat. “It’s obvious, ‘sister’, that you ain’t got my back.”
“If you were as smart as you think you are, you’d know that Carmine has your balls in a vice,” I said. “You’re between a rock and a hard place. He just threw you a bone. Take it. If you don’t, I’ll arrange for a fair battle to be held tomorrow in Council chambers … and you won’t be sneaking in the night to get anyone. You can prove then who the best is.”
Letrelle shook his head. “I’m not giving up half my land. Do what you gotta do, and I’ll do what I gotta do.”
“So you intend to continue to enter Carmine’s territory?” I asked.
“I plan to visit my peeps tomorrow,” Letrelle said.
“Tomorrow is Tuesday,” I said. “Council meetings begin at three. If I don’t see you there in Council chambers by three AM., then I’ll be forced to send out my First Lieutenant and Angel of Death to hunt you down and kill you.”
“Are we through here?” Letrelle said in a tight voice.
“Kim, let me kick his ass,” Paul said in my head. “He’s been nothing but disrespectful to you, and I’m not going to allow it in my presence.”
I had to stare at Paul. “But you haven’t turned yet without the full moon.”
“Trust me, baby.”
More from a sense of curiosity than a need to put Letrelle in his place, I decided to see what Paul was about.
“Okay, take care of your business.”
Paul smiled and cracked his knuckles.
“One quick thing.” Paul addressed Letrelle.
“What?” Letrelle said.
Paul leaped over my desk as if he had springs in his feet. He moved almost as fast as I could. Letrelle came to his feet in time to catch Paul in his arms. They hit the floor with Paul on top. He growled, and it wasn’t a human sound. The ladies and I leaped to our feet to watch. Carmine had moved out of his chair and was standing at some distance watching the interaction with the rest of us.
Paul had our complete attention. He wasn’t a Werewolf, but he was bigger and his mouth had widened and elongated until he almost resembled an animal’s mouth. His mouth crowded with impossibly sharp teeth that dripped saliva onto Letrelle’s face.
Paul slammed Letrelle’s head onto the floor, and I heard a crack that made me grimace. Letrelle’s eyes seemed to glaze, but he stayed pinned beneath Paul.
“Take this as a warning …” Paul glanced at Carmine. “Not to Letrelle but to you, Carmine. I don’t think Letrelle is going to be around much longer to be able to pass this message on. But anyone who comes into the
presence of my wife and doesn’t give her the utmost respect will get his throat ripped out by me.” Then Paul roared, and I thought I was hearing something from the depths of hell. The sound was loud enough that I almost covered my ears.
Paul stood and dusted off his sleeves.
Carmine seemed to watch Paul him with interest.
Paul’s face returned to normal, but I could plainly see that he was still angry. Paul looked at Letrelle on the floor with what appeared to be a crushed skull, blood pooling rapidly on the floor.
“Get out,” Paul said. “And don’t use the door. I don’t want you upsetting the liege.”
Letrelle looked at Paul and then the rest of us with wide eyes.
Our expressions were stern as we stared at him in turn.
Letrelle disappeared.
Carmine righted the chairs. “That man’s predecessor was good friend of mine. For hundreds of years we were allies. His weakness was beautiful women, human or Neratomay. Letrelle, a thug who enjoys impressing his thug family which you heard him refer to as his ‘peeps,’ sent a beautiful woman to ingratiate herself to my friend. I’ll admit that I was even fooled by her. My friend fell for her, and they bonded. Two or three years into their relationship, Letrelle came to my friend’s home and told him the truth. My friend, an old and powerful Neratomay, was enraged. Letrelle dispatched him swiftly. He now lives in my friend’s home with my friend’s woman and my friend’s property.”
Carmine’s lip curled slightly. “I will enjoy vindicating my friend tomorrow.” Carmine bowed to us and then disappeared.
“Such treachery is common among us,” Julie said.
I stared at Paul. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“That was pretty cool, Paul,” Tyler said. “It wouldn’t be a bad thing to gain your ability.”
I grimaced.
Paul grimaced, too. He put his arm around me briefly. “When I do turn it will be a lot like that.”
“It was quicker than I thought it would be,” I said.
“Well, it will be much longer when I turn fully.” He gave me a quick peck. “Okay. Are we ready for round two?”
