by Helen Bright
I stumbled forward to try and put some distance between us, but Chloe came to my side and took my rapidly healing arm.
“Gregor let me help you. No matter how angry I am with you, I can’t see you hurt and bleeding.”
The less deep cuts were already healing, but I didn’t tell her that. Instead, I let her scent and her closeness wash over me and take me to a different time. One where she wasn’t angry with me, and one where there weren’t tear tracks down her cheeks.
Once inside my home, we entered my study, and she sat me down carefully on my high backed leather reading chair next to the fireplace. My thigh began throbbing as my leg made contact with the seat.
“Stay here while I get some things to clean you up and something to remove the wood with. I assume you don’t need a hospital?”
“No hospitals for my kind, Chloe.”
“Good. Do you have a first aid kit?”
“I think there is one under the sink, but again, it’s not necessary.”
“Well, I say it is, so sit still until I return,” she commanded. I bit back a smile as I nodded. When she left the study, I glanced over at my laptop and saw that it was in screensaver mode, with different shapes appearing at random intervals. Sat in front of that was a photo frame with the word Godson written on it, and a photo of baby Rory and me that Chloe had taken at Alex’s cottage.
So that’s what brought her to my home, and to my study. She wanted to bring me a gift, and in return, I broke her heart.
I closed my eyes and prayed to any god that would hear me, for the chance to earn Chloe's forgiveness.
I heard her footsteps and the sound of water sloshing in a bowl. When I opened my eyes again, I found Chloe standing there with a bowl of water and a couple of towels. Under one arm was a small, narrow first aid box that I took from her and set on the side table. Then she placed the bowl on the floor and sat back on her heels to study me.
“You need to remove your shirt and trousers, Gregor, so I can see what I’m dealing with.”
I stood and removed my shirt first and winced slightly as doing so also removed two large sharp pieces of wood from my left side. I had been so numb before, first with rage, and then with the realisation that I had just fucked up my relationship with Chloe, that I had somehow blocked the pain. But believe me, I was feeling it now.
Blood poured freely from the deepest wound, and Chloe gasped in shock at seeing this, before quickly wrapping one of the towels around her hand and pressing it firmly to my side to stanch the flow. With the other towel, she wiped away the dried blood from the wounds that had healed, marvelling at how quickly they had done so.
She carefully picked out small splinters of wood and ran her hands down my arms and body, feeling for others. I looked down at her and realised that this could be the last time she touched me. The pain that thought caused was very real, and spread throughout my gut and chest and brought me to my knees in front of her.
“Gregor,” Chloe cried out, before catching me in her arms. I rested my forehead on her shoulder, taking in the scent of her neck where I had once drunk from. I was tempted to sink my fangs into her delicate skin and taste her once more, but I couldn’t do it. I knew, however, I would need to take blood, and soon, to help heal the deeper wounds.
Chloe began to unbutton my trousers, and even through the pain, I felt my cock twitch expectantly, just from the nearness of her hands. When she carefully pulled down my trousers to where my knees rested on the wooden floor of my office, I knew the sight disturbed her.
“Gregor, you have a deep wound in your thigh. I think that the wood is still inside, but I don’t know how best to remove it. There’s blood trickling away from it, and I’m worried if we remove the wood I won’t be able to stop the flow.”
The concern she showed, caused both joy and pain to me. Joy that she was worried about my welfare, and pain because I knew my Chloe would be trying to help even if I were a complete stranger who she found in distress.
I stood and fully removed my trousers, revealing other deep gashes in my shins. What a fucking Idiot I had been. I was lucky that none of the pieces of wood had lodged in my heart, although to kill me fully I would also have to be burned, after having my head removed. If Chloe was to deny me a relationship with her that didn’t seem a bad option, and I knew now how my father must have felt when he lost my mother.
“I’m going to need blood, Chloe. There’s a small refrigerator in the walk in pantry where I keep my blood bags. One should be sufficient, as I had already taken two earlier. It will help as I dig out this piece in my thigh.”
“You can’t do it, Gregor. I do think you should see a doctor. It’s just too deep,” she said on a sob.
“Hush, Chloe. I have dealt with injuries far worse than this. I will pull out the wood, and as long as I feed immediately, the wound will begin to heal. Trust me on this. I know you may find that hard to do after today, but please try. To see you in such distress hurts me more than any injury could ever do, my flower girl. Don’t let it be the last memory I have of you, because I know that after today, you will want to forget about me and what we had.”
Chloe wiped away her tears with her bloodstained hands, then did something that shocked me to my core. She placed her wrist over my mouth and said, “Take what you need Gregor.”
I kissed her wrist while I dug my fingers into my thigh. The piece was deep, but once I extended my finger nail into a claw, I was able to hook it around the wood and pull it out. As Chloe had predicted, as soon as the piece was removed blood gushed profusely from the wound that was gaping open.
“Gregor, come on, we need to stop this bleeding,” she screamed as she panicked and stuffed the towel hard against the mouth like hole in my thigh.
For a moment, I had black spots in my vision, but they began to clear as my vampire hearing picked up on Chloe’s racing heartbeat, before registering the sounds of her begging me to take her blood.
Instead of taking the blood from her wrist as she had offered, I grabbed behind her neck and pulled her towards me. Like she did the first time, she tilted her head to one side, exposing her rapidly beating pulse, and I was lost.
I lapped at her quickly before my fangs descended and I took her blood in a deep swallow. I carried on drinking from her, conscious of only taking enough to stop the bleeding. If I were to heal fully, I would need more, but I wouldn’t weaken my flower girl. I had done that once before, and I was determined to keep control of the situation this time.
But when I tried to pull away after retracting my fangs she grabbed the back of my head to kept me in place, whispering, “More Gregor, take more. I know you need it, and you can give me a little of your blood if you need to.”
I hesitated, but only for a moment, as I once again pierced her neck with my elongated fangs, savouring each drop of her blood that she gave to me so freely. I was in awe of Chloe, and no matter our future, I was determined to prove to her that I was worthy of receiving her love, trust, and everything else that made up the wonderful woman that was my flower girl.
When I had taken enough blood to heal all my wounds, I retracted my fangs and kissed all along Chloe’s neck to her jawline, which I peppered with even more soft kisses before moving along to her lips. I paused for a moment and looked into her eyes, asking silently if she wanted my kiss. She nodded her head slightly, then closed her eyes as I pressed my lips against hers, softly at first, then with increasing force as passion and need took over.
Within seconds, she was underneath me, and I was grinding my hard cock against the zipper of her jeans. To my utmost relief, she was tilting her hips up to meet each grind, and I could feel how hard her nipples were through her bloodstained t-shirt. I extended a nail on my left hand and tore through her t-shirt and bra, before pushing her breasts together and licking and sucking on each nipple one after the other. I could scent her arousal even through the thick heavy fabric of her jeans, and it was fueling my desire to be buried deep inside her as soon as possible. So
once again, I used a claw to tear through the fabric of her jeans and underwear before shredding my boxer shorts and sinking my cock inside her pussy, as deep as I could.
She was hot, tight, and wet, and I couldn’t stop myself from fucking her with hard deep thrusts, which Chloe countered thrust for thrust. I heard her breathing change as she gripped my back harder, digging her nails in as she chased the orgasm that was ever so slightly out of reach. On the next few thrusts, I pressed and held for a few seconds longer against her mound, and Chloe screamed as the orgasm tore through her. I held still as I watched the climax roll through her body, and stayed that way until her breathing returned to near normal and she opened her eyes.
“Together, this time, my love,” I whispered, and started to move again. More slowly than before, but still deep inside her, pressing the base of my cock against her pelvic bone, making sure it ground against her clit in a regular rhythm.
“Gregor, I’m gonna come again, please. Oh,” she gasped as she came hard around my cock. When I felt the first of her spasms, I let go and after one final deep thrust, I came right along with her.
I kissed her before she could say anything, or try to move away from me, or even sigh in regret, because I couldn’t stand to see something that was so perfect, tainted in that way. I kept on kissing her until I felt dampness on my cheek. When I looked at her, she was crying.
“Don’t Chloe, whatever happens in the future, don’t regret this moment, please. I don’t think I could take that.”
“I was going to walk away. I needed to walk away. I can’t be with someone who doesn’t respect my wishes, Gregor. No matter how much I’m in love with them.”
“I am so sorry I went behind your back for the information you saw. But I needed to know what happened Chloe. With a vampire, everything we feel becomes heightened. When we love, we love hard and forever, when we hate then, well it's best that whoever we hate disappears before we find them. When we stress out and worry, it’s like a driving force takes over to remove whatever is worrying us. And, yes I know, that sounds like a human excuse, but I’m not human Chloe, and today before I got the information, I had to take two bags of blood just to try and keep calm.
“As it turns out, it’s a good job I fed on the extra bag this morning, or the furniture in my cellar would have caused me even more, damage when I tore it apart.”
“Why Gregor? Why did you smash it up? I thought that was your type of thing.”
“Nothing that scares you is my thing, Chloe. And you were scared when I first took you down there. I caused that with my selfish wants. Well, never again, moya malen'kaya tsvetochnitsa.”
“But, I enjoyed myself once I got into it, Gregor. I mean, really enjoyed myself. There were some things I definitely wouldn’t have wanted to use, but that piece that you bound me to, I would have used that again sometime.”
“No, no Chloe. You were scared because you thought that I would hit you when you were bound and defenceless. I couldn’t bear to remember that look, once I had seen those photographs, because it was me that put that fear on your face.”
“So to you it doesn’t matter that I got over my fear? That I trusted you enough to help me do that? No, it doesn’t matter because all you will ever see me as now, is a victim. And that’s why this will never work between us, Gregor, because that’s all I will ever be to you now that you’ve seen those photographs. Now, let me get up so I can go and get cleaned up. You will need to loan me some clothing so I can drive back home, you ruined mine.”
I pulled out of the warmth of her body and stood naked in front of her. I held out my hand to help her up, but she declined my offer and stood on her own. I took a decorative throw rug from the back of my chair and wrapped it around her body. She thanked me, without looking at me, and then proceeded towards the stairs. At three steps up she stilled and closed her eyes. The effects of me taking more of her blood than I should have only now coming into effect.
“Gregor,” she whispered as she swayed slightly.
“It’s alright Chloe, I’m here,” I told her as I picked her up in my arms and carried her the rest of the way upstairs and into my bathroom.
I bit into my wrist and placed it over her mouth. After four big gulps, I could see the colour start to appear again on Chloe’s cheek’s, and she let go of my wrist before wiping the back of her hand across her mouth.
“Thank you,” she said, as she looked down at her blood stained hands and body. “I need a shower Gregor, so I need you to leave and bring me something to wear for when I’m done.”
“You may still be dizzy and will certainly be tired, Chloe. I will leave the bathroom for now, but you mustn’t close the door, in case you fall, and I don’t hear you.”
Chloe nodded her head as she turned around to start the shower. I didn’t really need the door open, as my vampire hearing would be able to pick up even the slightest stumble.
I left her for a moment as I walked back into my bedroom to find her something to wear. I pulled out a pair of boxers and a blue striped shirt. I didn’t have anything for her to wear on the bottom half, other than my workout shorts, so I picked up those and placed them on the chair outside the bathroom. I could hear Chloe crying, but I knew she wouldn’t appreciate me going to join her in the shower. I knocked loudly on the open door.
“Chloe, please don’t cry, I can’t bear it. Please, let me come in and comfort you.”
She turned off the shower, and I heard her stumble as she got out. I ran in to steady her, but she shook me away.
“Gregor, I’m fine, don’t worry,” she said trying not to look down at my naked body.
“I heard you stumble; you are not fine. Please, sit on the bed for a few minutes. I think you may need more blood. I knew I shouldn’t have taken more from you; it’s my fault you feel this way, so please take a few drops extra,” I said as I wrapped her in a towel and guided her to the bed. Chloe just shook her head.
“I have left you some clothes on the chair. If you feel at all dizzy, I want you to shout for me, but please my love, whatever you do, wait until I get out of the shower before trying to go downstairs. I would hate for you to fall just because you were hurrying to get away from me. Do not let me have that on my conscience, too.”
She nodded her head and sat down on the edge of the bed, adjusting her towel as she did so.
Chapter Eighteen
Chloe
I felt so tired. Yes, I know that Gregor had taken a little more blood than he should have, at my insistence, too. But it was more than that. I was tired of having to fight. Fighting my own feelings just to protect myself was so draining. And despite my better judgment, I had sex with Gregor again.
I had decided to end things with him and was leaving his home for good, but when I saw him injured and bleeding, I couldn’t in all good consciousness leave him like that.
So I stayed to help him and, well, I just can’t resist the pull that man has on my body. I crave his touch and his love, but in my experience, that can give someone the ultimate power over you, something I never want to give again. Yes, I wanted to find love and passion, but not at the expense of my freedom.
I could see the clothes he had laid out for me on his chair, but a sickening exhaustion was sweeping over me, and I was now too tired to stand and retrieve the clothes, never mind put them on.
I wanted to get dressed and be ready before Gregor left the shower, but that wasn’t going to happen. I was just too weak, and although I liked to think I had some pride, I wasn’t stupid enough to risk passing out while trying to put on a shirt.
Gregor came out of the bathroom dripping wet with a towel wrapped around his waist.
“Chloe, are you feeling ok? Why are you not dressed?” Gregor asked, with so much concern in his voice as made his way over to me.
“I just felt so tired and a little shaky. I was afraid that if I stood, I would fall.”
He tilted my chin up to look at me closely.
“My darling, I know you do not w
ant my help, but please let me give you more of my blood to replace what I took from you. Tell me, have you eaten at all today?”
Thinking back through the whole day, I realised that apart from half a biscuit, I hadn’t eaten anything since last night; so I shook my head and looked down as Gregor tutted loudly.
“I know you are busy at work, Chloe, but you really must find time to eat. Why didn’t you have any lunch?”
“I finally had the photo in the frame, and I wanted to bring it over to surprise you.”
He shook his head, and I could tell what he was thinking. If I hadn’t come over, I wouldn’t have found out about him getting the information about my assault. I suddenly felt cold and angry that I had let myself trust him.
“You can help me get dressed with as much dignity as possible Gregor; I would like to go home now and rest.”
“I will help you Chloe, but first, you must take my blood, just a few more sips should do it. If you don't do that, then I cannot let you leave. No matter how much the sight and thought of me may repulse you at this moment, you need what only I can give you, so drink quickly and we will be done with it,” Gregor said before biting into his wrist again and placing it over my mouth.
After four more sips he pulled his wrist away and turned to get the clothes. I kept the towel around me as Gregor placed the shirt on my shoulders. I slipped one arm in and then the other before he began to button it from the second button down. Then he brought the knee length shorts over to me, slipped them up my legs, and helped me stand to pull them up under the towel. Once they were on, I let the towel fall away, and Gregor picked it up from the floor.
“Sit and wait until I get dressed and I will walk downstairs with you. If you wait until I clean up the blood and our clothing from my study, I will take you home,” he said rather abruptly.
“I can get a taxi,” I told him, but his eyes flashed red with anger at my words, and although I had seen it before, the sight scared me a little this time.
