by Pepper Pace
I exhaled a long breath. “I know and I understand. I do.”
“I love you.” My heart swelled at his words and I spoke honestly.
“I love you, too.”
“I know.” He stood up. “I have some things that I have to do, so I’m going to leave for a while.” I raised my brows. “But I’ll be back before midnight, Okay?”
I stood up and put my arms around him and he held me in his arms.
“Okay.” He ran his hands slowly down my sides and I could feel my legs quiver. Abruptly he broke the hold. He took my hand and kissed it again.
“I’ll be back soon.”
He left the room and I crossed my arms in front of me. It felt so empty without him and I was suddenly so cold.
“Alexis. I’m sorry.” I whispered.
But there was no response.
***
The girls left me alone so I had to seek them out. They were in the kitchen.
“Are you okay?” Mara asked.
I nodded. “I think I hurt his feelings.”
“I think…you’ll have plenty of time to make it up to him.” Julie said.
I smiled and then we all giggled and I felt a lot better.
Kat had some fashion books and we all went through them picking out our favorites for her to order. We all giggled a lot when we got to the men’s fashions and I picked out some boxer briefs for Paul. I didn’t want to make the same mistakes his ex girlfriend Amanda had made by thinking for him, dressing him, decorating his place. Still, he had been gone for a while and I figured he’d appreciate a new wardrobe until he could go shopping for himself. I couldn’t help wondering briefly whether he was paying a visit to Amanda. I felt sick at the thought of it so I put it out of my mind. Why would he be visiting another woman after finding out he was essentially married to me. I was just being stupid.
I took a feeding from Mara and Kat and I told the ladies about the new house.
“Wow.” Monica said sadly. “This house looks so much better…now you’re going to move just when it feels comfortable.”
“Why don’t you just run the house for me? I don’t want to conduct business out of my own home. I want it to be just for pleasure. We’ll still meet here for the meetings.”
“Yeah,” Tyler said. “And the minion are used to this place.”
“Speaking of which, we better start getting ready. I want to read some of the case files before the first appointment.”
It was well after ten not close to meeting time but I couldn’t help but wonder where Paul was. I could feel myself growing unreasonably anxious. I didn’t like the feeling. I wanted to call him through our link…but no. He said he’d be back before midnight.
I changed the pants to black leather and kept the shirt. I pulled on a black leather vest with buckles and pockets galore. The hairstyle was too fun for the territorial meetings. I let it down and applied dark makeup the way Kat had taught me, outlining my eyes in kohl and applying dark red lipstick.
I know…it was play acting. But you’d be surprised at how far a little makeup carried us.
I was pulling on boots when I heard a knock on the door. Paul. I could sense him. He poked his head in.
“Can I come in?”
“Yeah. I was just…” I gestured to the clothes on my bed.
“Sorry it took so long.”
“It wasn’t too long,” I lied.
He came to me carefully and pulled me into his arms. “I know all this stuff is freaking you out.”
“No…Well, a little. I’m okay now.” He watched me close.
“I wanted to do this my way, not just the Vampire way. So…”
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a little black velvet box. It was the kind of box that you always wanted to receive from the man you love. And just because I was dead didn’t mean that my heart didn’t leap in my chest at the sight of it.
I looked at him and at the box. Oh God, then he went down on one knee.
“Kim Russell, would you do me the honor of becoming my best friend, my lover, my wife?” He opened the box and there was a white gold ring with a square rock on it. Wow!
…I can be with any man. Alexis will be released from his confinement in two hundred fifty years, but I was to be all his in one thousand when I finally sat on the elder Council. In one thousand years I would need to relinquish all of my loves in order to be with Alexis. I had Nine hundred and 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 the first I met you. And I would love to become your lover. And I feel like I’m your wife already…in my heart.”
Paul swallowed. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes.
“What is that you’re doing?” I asked. He had done it last night.
“I’m letting the wolf smell you…know you.” The wolf was the only draw back. 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. He caught his breath then 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 said, still kissing along my throat and chin.
Without a second thought 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. That was the smell of the wild!
I plunged my teeth into his neck feeling as if a chord had been vibrated from the pit of my stomach to a tingling in my wrist and finally to the nub between my thighs.
His blood flooded my mouth but just as suddenly something painful struck me in the chest and I went 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 gold. Veins in his face were pulsating and his hands were clenched into fists. The veins running up his arms were bulging too! I watched him shocked with an open mouth.
As quickly as he had stood was as quickly as his face cleared and he was suddenly at 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 happened?”
“Baby, I-I’m not sure. Damn it! Are you hurt?!”
“I’m okay. But what happened?”
“When you bit me…it was 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 up with his assistance. Blood was running down his neck. “You’re bleeding.” I wasn’t going to try putting 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 sucking away the blood and he groaned. Carefully, 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 letting the sticky blood paint my lips. I could feel Paul shudder but it was need; not an intent to leap on me again.
I licked him long and slow and Paul grew hard in like five seconds flat! His hands slip up my side and his thumbs favored my nipples until I squirmed against him. Cautiously I pressed my tongue into the puncture and waited for him to push me away again. Instead he rotated his hips against me. His fist moved up to grip the back of my head and gently he pulled my head back. He licked and kissed and nipped at my neck until I couldn’t contain the groans coming from my throat.
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br /> Quickly he undid my pants then he gripped me to him and carried me to the bed. With kisses he urged me back until he was covering me. His hard penis was 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 them off and then next came 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 up in that thoroughly sexy way. He buried his face between my legs where most men would just spread your lips and start working you with their tongue, not Paul. He completely mouthed me, his lips completely covering me as if he really was eating me up!
I threw my head back already feeling my clit trembling. I was going over and it had only been five seconds!
Paul’s hands gripped beneath me, clutching my ass and then I felt his thumb enter me. I arched and cried out. Repeatedly 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 it vibrated all through me.
The orgasm wrapped around me from the pit of my stomach to the tip of my toes. I remember freezing, sucking in a sharp breath, then I opened my mouth and screamed out in pleasure! Paul’s fingers on my upper thigh was hard enough to bruise which just brought the pleasure out of me more.
“Are you okay?” Julie was in my head.
“Fuck! Yes!” I screamed aloud.
“Okay, just checking. Sorry.”
I was so thoroughly sated that I had to roll on to my side until I could move again. Paul climbed onto the bed behind me, snuggling against me in. The feel of him took my breath away. He nuzzled my neck and kissed me there.
“I’m sorry for what happened earlier.” I gripped his arms and wrapped them around me.
“Paul, Baby. It’s okay. It’ll take more then a little push to hurt me.”
He withdrew from me and I sat up feeling naked because I was fully dressed up top but completely nude from the waist down.
Paul knelt down on the floor and picked up the forgotten ring case. He was still completely dressed, even wearing 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 perfect. How’d you do that?” I eyed him in astonishment.
“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 gasped 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 suddenly thought about the thousand years. Yes, ‘til death do us part.
“I would love nothing more then to consummate this marriage.” Paul stood up sheepishly. “But I don’t think your minion would agree to wait until I do all the things I want to do to you.” He looked down at himself. “Besides I think I enjoyed what just happened as much as you did.”
“Do you have clothes for tonight?” I asked as he headed for the shower.
“Yeah. And I know…black jeans and shirt,” he called. While he showered I washed up. Like I said Vampires were notorious for smelling sex on you. I would have showered with Paul but…then we’d have never made it to the meeting.
We didn’t have time to go over the meeting notes because by the time we got redressed 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 he pulled back to clarify. “I mean, not in a Werewolf way, but in a sexual-“
“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 chairs for us all.
“What’s that?!” Tyler asked before I even had a chance to say anything about the ring. Then they were all surrounding me and oohing and aahing and congratulating us.
I moved Paul’s seat next to mine so that everybody would know that he was my man. Julie had my left side as my second lieutenant. Usually it was Tyler that had my other side. She sat next to Paul and the rest of the ladies were slightly behind and surrounding us.
The first meeting was with two Master Vampires; something that seldom happened. Master Vampires settled their disputes in usually bloody ways. This one was a serious matter.
Master Vampire number 1 was charging Master Vampire number 2 with trespassing. Trespassing was considered a serious infraction since territory is what supported a Master and his liege. A Master’s flunkies would often times be sent to steal resources whether it is customers, business ideas, or human servants. That’s why you had to request permission to enter another’s territory and a lot of times it was granted but with stipulations.
To bring the complaint to the territory meant that there was an impending battle. Battles were bad in that they definitely brought human attention. Then we had to do a lot of back peddling to keep it out of the media. Vampires have created some of the most interesting false stories in history. Example, the Bloods and the Crips…not real. They’re just two rival Vampire families that hate each other and nothing can keep them from going at each other every so often.
The mob, the San Andrias Fault, 14 hurricanes, the battle at the O.K. Coral, Oh and the Salem Witch trials…all fabrications! And more. I couldn’t even begin to tell about some of the celebrities that had been turned by rogues and had to disappear. You know the ones that seemed to defy time in front of the camera…
We had to truly take this seriously.
“Letrelle, what was your purpose for entering Carmine’s territory unannounced?” I asked.
“Carmine sets impossible sanctions. 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 that was dressed stylish 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’s 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 responded evenly. “Carmine doesn’t require respect. Carmine requests permission to fuck my ladies, to eat my donors, chip off pieces of my territory block by block-“
“And what would make you enter is territory. Under the circumstances I’d just materialize when I needed to pass through his territory.”
Letrelle didn’t speak and Carmine looked smug. It was Carmine that answered. “Letrelle has a human family deeply rooted in my territory. Apparently they’re so rooted into my territory that they have no desire to leave.”
Oh…”And what about you Carmine? You have no need to travel into Letrelle’s territory?”
“No.” He responded simply. I conferred with my council silently without moving. The consensus was that no Vampire could be forced to allow anyone to pass through if they didn’t want to. Still, it was shitty. Letrelle would eventually be forced to kill Carmine…which was, of course, Carmine’s purpose. Then he could claim Letrelle’s land when he killed him in turn. Not something I could really interfere with.
“Any ideas?” I asked Paul.
“Maybe you can find out if there’s anythi
ng 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. I will visit my family and there’s nothing he can do to stop it!”
“Carmine, will you accept half of Letrelle’s territory?”
Letrelle shot to his feet with a look of disbelief on his face.
Carmine smiled. “That would be acceptable.”
“What the fuck?! I haven’t agreed to this-”
“Sit down.” Paul said.
Letrelle looked at him in utter disbelief. We all stared at him waiting for the next move.
Letrelle hesitated. He glanced from me to Paul then in resolution to Tyler. He sat down grudgingly.
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 your land.”
“No. There’s a third choice.” Letrelle said angrily. “I rip this muther fucker’s heart out--end of problem!”
I was quiet for a minute. “How did you gain your Master status? You’re young, aren’t you?”
Letrelle blinked at me. “I’ve been a Vampire for 15 years.” He made a huffing noise, still angry. “I got mine by being the baddest Mutha Fucker in the area! I kicked my predecessor’s lousy ass. 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’ve gained my power and position the old fashioned way, I battled for it. This asshole creeps in the night to get where he is.”
Letrelle jumped up again. A warning growl issued through 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.”
