He shook his head. “No, I just wanted to be here when you woke, before I left.”
My brows furrowed in confusion. “Leave? Where are you going?”
He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, his eyes fixated on his movements.
“I am going out with a few of my men to look for Kiera,” he said “One made mention of a woman that fit her description not too far from here, so I am going to join them today to see if it’s really her.”
As elated as I was that it could be Kiera, doubt weighed on me.
“But you’ve never seen her before. How are you going to know if it’s really her?
He smirked and lightly tapped a finger to my head. “I have seen her,” he reminded me. “You think about her so often, it’s impossible to not know her features by now.”
“Oh…” I mumbled and sat up in bed, curling my legs underneath me as my fingers mindlessly fondled the silk sheets.
“What’s going to happen if you do find her?” I asked timidly, an inkling of fear that he might not follow through pricking at my mind.
He placed a hand on my thigh and gave me a reassuring squeeze. “If it does turn out to be her, I will bring her back here and decide on where to go from there.”
I let out a deep breath and smiled, reassuring him that it would be the best plan as of now.
His hand slowly slipped up my thigh and his finger found my slit, plunging it deep inside of me and causing me to gasp aloud as he taunted me. His teeth found my earlobe and he whispered, “Just be sure to be ready for me when I return.” His finger penetrated me several times more. My body trembled against his as my moans echoed off the stone walls.
He slowly withdrew his fingers and brought them to his lips, tasting my fresh juices as he growled, pleased at my instant reaction.
Julian left with a kiss to my forehead. My cheeks still burned with flustered desire as I sat there, watching the door latch behind him.
I decided to take a quick shower and change into another set of lingerie.
Thumbing through my stack of skimpy attire, I found a sheer, soft blue baby doll with a pair of lace cheeky panties pinned to it. It hugged my breasts snugly and flowed out around my torso, leaving just the bottoms of my cheeks exposed in the dainty number.
I glanced over myself in the vanity mirror, admiring the glistening metal of my new collar as it remained clasped around my neck. For something meant to be so demeaning, it was a pretty piece, though I was sure it would lose some of its appeal once he really used it for the first time.
Disappointed that I would spend my night alone, I navigated my way through the halls and into the kitchen. Eating once a day was doing me no good. My usual eating pattern was tenfold what it was here. Constant hunger plagued me when I wasn’t distracted by my arousing encounters with Julian.
I strode through the entertainment room and the large archway leading into the kitchen. I froze as my eyes landed on a naked man standing with the fridge wide open, his mouth enclosed around a gallon of milk as he chugged away.
A bloodcurdling screech ripped from my chest and I stumbled backwards as he dropped the carton, milk splashing out in every direction as he clamped his palms tightly over his ears.
“Hey!” he yelled over my shrills of terror, halting them in my throat as I gawked at his nude body.
“If you could not scream like a wild banshee, that would be great,” he spat. “I have very sensitive hearing.” He scowled at me before brushing a hand through his short black hair in irritation.
“Who are you?!” I demanded, forcing my eyes not to wander to his flailing pecker. “And where are your pants!?”
“Where are yours?” he scoffed and flashed a charming grin.
My cheeks burned red as the realization dawned on me that the so called “clothes” I wore hid nothing, and I clutched my arms around my body, trying to cover my exposed areas.
“I’m not allowed pants,” I mumbled as my eyes nervously darted around the room.
The nude man bent over, picking up the trickling milk carton before lazily throwing a kitchen towel over the puddle of milk.
“And I can’t remember where I left mine. Julian usually tells me where they are when I need them.” He took another swig from the carton and rattled the remaining droplets around before tossing it in the trash. “I guess, in a sense, Julian keeps my pants too.” He flashed a humorous grin towards me. “So we’re in the same boat.”
Casually, he leaned against the counter, displaying himself without a care as he crossed his arms over his chest. His gaze trailed up and down my body as if he was studying me. I furrowed my brows, my lips turning in disgust as he watched me.
“Why are you here?” I asked. He had to give me a better reason than not knowing where his pants were.
He shrugged. “I live here.”
“Funny,” I scoffed. “Really, why are you here? Julian lives alone. He said so himself.”
He let out a hearty laugh. “Now that’s funny! Julian couldn’t have possibly said that, seeing he’s a vampire and all.”
I glared at him, unamused.
He cocked a thick brow at me. “Really? Nothing?” he asked. “You know that they can’t lie, right? They’re physically incapable of lying. Literally. They can, however, mislead. But a lie? Yeah… that won’t happen.”
I felt at ease knowing Julian couldn’t lie. That meant everything he had told me, the promises he made me — he’d meant them. Whether he wanted to or not, they were true.
As I thought back, it dawned on me that the naked man was right. I couldn’t recall him ever saying he lived alone, only that I was his only guest. As the pieces all fell into place, I still had questions that needed answering.
“So you live here. But why are you here now? I’ve never seen you before, and Julian showed me the entire grounds yesterday. Where were you then?” I badgered, determined to get some information.
“I’m usually out hunting or looking over the grounds. He asked me to stay close by today in case you need something.” He gave me a sly smirk, “I mean, aside from a free peep show.” He winked and I mocked a smile before turning away.
“Hey, wait!” he yelled after me, suppressing a chuckle. “Where are you going?”
“To find you some pants!” I yelled in response from the hallway.
I navigated my way through the winding hall until I found the double doors to Julian’s room and slipped inside. Part of me felt antsy being in his personal bedroom without him with me.
I quickly made my way to Julian’s dresser and rummaged through his clothes until I found a pair of tan cargo shorts. It wasn’t much, but it would cover his bits at least.
Finding my way back into the kitchen, I came in to find him rummaging through the fridge again, pillaging random bits of food and stuffing them in his mouth. Hearing me approach, he turned and smiled, his cheeks stuffed so full they resembled a chipmunk’s hoarding nuts for winter.
I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight and tossed him the shorts I had found.
“Put these on, you nudist,” I said as he caught them against his chest.
“You know,” he said as he slipped one leg into the pants, “I don’t think this would be too fair to you. It’s rude to make a guest feel excluded from a party.”
I rolled my eyes and sat at the bar like I had the night before. “I don’t know what kind of party you’re throwing, but I will have to politely decline the invitation,” I responded, sass tainting my every word. I shocked myself. I wasn’t one to banter with the opposite sex, yet here I was, holding my ground against this complete stranger. I felt proud of myself.
Hearing his zipper close, I glanced over and found myself doubled over in laughter. The shorts I had grabbed were far too short and tight for his stature. They made him look like a child who couldn’t let go of his favorite article of clothing, wearing it until it was physically impossible.
He waved his hands around. “Yeah, yeah. Let it out!” he said, visibly irritated by
his ridiculous attire.
I wiped the tears from my eyes and tried to take deep breaths to calm my bout of laughter. I decided that this was humiliation enough and gestured towards the bar stool as I stood.
“Take a seat, you poor soul. I’ll make us something to eat.” We exchanged playful smiles as we passed each other. Opening the fridge, I gathered a couple of large, beautifully marbled steaks, red russet potatoes, and a bag of baby carrots.
As I rummaged through cupboards trying to find what I needed, gathering seasonings and oil as I came across them, the man spoke from the other side of the counter.
“Julian was right,” he stated, and I glanced over my shoulder in curiosity. “You do have a beautiful laugh.”
My cheeks instantly flushed at the compliment. Julian talked about me to him? The thought made my heart soar. I wondered what else they talked about when I wasn’t around.
I seasoned the steaks and set them aside as I worked on the veggies, cutting and seasoning them before tossing them in the oven.
“So,” I said as I poked at the steaks in an attempt to change the subject, “how do you know Julian?”
Silence followed, and for a moment, I thought he’d left. I glanced back over my shoulder to find him staring at me, seemingly considering what kind of response he would give.
He sat back, leaning against the back of the bar stool as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Do you want the heavy version, or the light version?”
Heavy version? He had to have known I would want the whole story. Why else would he ask? Not to mention this could lend me a little more information about Julian, the one person I wanted to know everything about.
I took a steady, deep breath and nodded to him. “Lay it on me.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Figures… Well, my family has served his longer than the recorded history of our two houses. On the day he was born, I was named his protector. We’ve fought together in countless battles, and now I keep this house from falling on his head while he sleeps. Well, at least until you came along. Good job with that, by the way.”
“Thanks.” I could tell by his change in tone his took great pride in his role as Julian’s protector. “You must really love him.”
He paused a moment and shrugged. “He’s my best friend.”
I offered him a soft smile. “You seem like a great friend. I’m glad he has you.”
His eyes fell bashfully as he smiled to himself.
“I’m glad he has you, as well,” he stated. “I’m truly grateful that you came around. I’ve never seen Julian so smitten with someone. He’s been alone for so long. I think you’ll be really good for him.” The sincerity in his voice made my heart lurch into my throat as I fought back tears.
All this time, I’d figured Julian wanted to keep me at an arm’s length to make sure I was the one who wouldn’t grow attached, when in reality he feared he would. Happiness surged through me at the realization that Julian’s best friend actually approved of me. Had I known he had a friend here at all, I would have feared he would hate me.
We continued to talk about Julian as I finished cooking our meal, and as we ate before he dismissed himself to check the grounds.
I took this time to clean up the mess I had made from dinner, making sure the kitchen was as spotless as I had found it, regardless of the nude man I’d found there.
With a full belly and free reign of the house, I decided a nap was in order. Maybe it would pass the time and I would wake to find Julian back home, and we could pick up where we had left off.
I curled up on the plush sofa in the entertainment room, wrapping the fur throw around my body and letting the heat from the fireplace lull me into a peaceful sleep.
My dreams were filled with fantasies of Julian as I counted down the minutes until he would be with me again.
Chapter 15
After my short nap, I wandered through the house and settled into the library to read some of Julian’s impressive collection of literature. Hours had passed and I found myself bored, the stories no longer holding my attention. I decided a nice walk on the grounds would be a refreshing change of scenery. I missed being around nature.
Finding my way back to the kitchen, I grabbed an apple for a snack before I stepped out into the beautiful courtyard. Tall sandstone pillars held up a stone terrace that was laced with floral ivy. Large black strips of canopy cover weaved between the beams, shading a plush white sectional that surrounded an iron fire pit. Just beyond the lounging area, the stone walkway lead to an extravagant natural-themed swimming pool that shimmered like a beacon as dawn approached. Elegant waterfalls trickled down tall, tiered stone platforms into a large wading area, wetting the exotic floral bushes and shrubbery that grew between the rock formations.
I wanted to make myself a cocktail and float around in the cool, welcoming, crystal-blue water, feel the lapping water caress my skin. But my mind was on another venturing mission. I wanted to discover what else was on the grounds.
I wandered aimlessly into the dense woods, the dim light of day that approached fading away as I waded deeper into the thick trunks of the pine trees around me. The cool, sweet, musky smell of pine and sap filled my senses. Songbirds whistled cheerfully for the new day in the branches, and crickets and toads battled each other in a harmony of croaks and chirps through the blanket of fallen pine needles and leaves on the ground.
As I ventured deeper, I stumbled across various animals. A buck and doe had frozen amidst their grazing to watch me as I gazed at their beauty. A family of squirrels battled each other for their spot in their nest inside a hole in the tree. I had even spotted a beaver waddling through the shrubbery with sticks and twigs hanging between its buck teeth. I was in awe of my surroundings, consumed by bliss as I lost myself in nature.
With tentative steps so as not to gouge my bare feet on sticks, rocks, and thorns, I ventured on as the sun steadily rose overhead, bright beams of sunlight casting a luminescent glow through the trembling green leaves of the trees and warming my chilled skin.
Panic slowly descended onto my mind. I probably shouldn’t have wandered off into the woods all alone. Not only could there be dangerous wild animals lurking in the branches or brush, but I didn’t know who else could be out there. Crazed maniacs could be hiding behind every tree trunk, and I wouldn’t have had the slightest clue. Julian would be furious if he knew I had ventured off alone; I knew it deep down. But he wasn’t here. And his friend had left hours ago — lord only knew what he might be up to — leaving me to fend for myself until Julian returned home.
My curiosity always got the better of me, leading me into the most unfortunate situations. But I couldn’t help myself. The need to know had always steered my mind. And as I glanced around the dense forest, paranoia gripped at my chest as I realized I had led myself astray yet again. I needed to head back, return to the mansion before I found myself dead in the middle of the woods from starvation. Or worse, mutilation.
The sun had already ascended high into the sky, and studying its position, I knew it was somewhere around noon. I had already been out here for hours, wandering aimlessly through the thick vegetation.
I needed to go back.
I took a step towards where I thought I had come from and stopped, glancing between several different sections of the woods. They all appeared identical. I had lost my sense of direction, my lack of attention to my surroundings finally weighing on me.
Why did I come out here?!
Going on faith, I headed towards what felt like a familiar direction. Whether I was on the exact path or not, I knew that heading forward would lead me back home. All I had to do was watch the sun and make sure it stayed on the same path as it drifted across the sky.
Easy.
Only it wasn’t that easy. Various obstacles blocked my path. Fallen trees, gullies, streams. All deterred me away from the direction I was originally heading.
The sun had drifted further across the blue sky as the hours passed, and I
still hadn’t found the house. Thirst burned my parched throat and my stomach grumbled in hunger.
Irritation prickled through me. Why did I have to wander off alone? Why couldn’t I ever learn?
Finding a log splayed across the ground, I took the opportunity to rest my sore feet. I sat on its rough surface, the jagged bark biting at my bottom through the flimsy material of the lingerie. At that moment, I hated Julian for taking my proper clothes. Had I still had my pants, shoes, and a real top, I would have been in better shape and possibly had found my way back by now. But with bare feet and the sheer attire I was adorned in, I was forced to take a slower pace and ultimately ended up lost.
As I wallowed in self-pity of being ignorant enough to wander out here barely clothed and alone, a rustle drew my full attention, putting me on high alert.
With wide eyes and a trembling breath, I scanned my surroundings, looking for anything that could have made that noise.
A branch snapped loudly behind me and I jumped to my feet, my heart racing as my eyes flitted across the woods in alarm.
Fear gripped my throat as my sights landed on a dusty black fur patch lurking between the shrubberies just ahead of me.
What is that thing?!
My breaths hastened as glowing green eyes peered at me from under the dark, thick hedge it hid behind. I prayed I was hallucinating, dehydration playing tricks on my mind.
My hart hammered against my chest as large, white-clawed paws stepped out into the daylight, its massive legs stretching up to meet bared glistening teeth.
It was a wolf. A massive, angry wolf, bigger than any I had ever seen before.
In a panic, a shrill of terror ripped from my chest. The beast flinched and sank on its hind legs, its ears pinning back against his skull.
I ran.
My legs pumped faster than ever before as terror wracked my body. I knew I would die out here, but I’d hoped it would have been from starvation. The thought of my body being shredded by vicious fangs had me dripping in a clammy sweat.
As I bounded through the trees, debris slicing at the pads of my feet, I found my legs stumbling beneath me, struggling to keep up with the rest of my body. I flew through the air, skidding against the unforgiving earth as I tumbled to the ground. Without hesitation, I forced myself back onto my feet and sprinted forward again. I wouldn’t die that easily. Not after everything else I had endured.
Blood Slave (Warring Hearts Book 1) Page 11
