"No." Shaking his head, Zak smiled, the dimples on his cheeks raising up slightly., "Why would I be mad at you? You didn’t do anything wrong. I did." He tapped her leg, which was concealed under the blanket. "Now go to sleep. I’ll come see you tomorrow." He walked away from the bed and stopped at the door. He looked back, watching her close her eyes and turn her back to him.
Satisfied, Zak walked out of her room, closing the door slowly behind him.
"Dr. Monroe?" Addison’s nurse stopped talking to her coworker and quickly jogged over to him. "Addison’s lab work just came back." She handed him the paper, pointing to something written there. "Look at this."
"What?" He narrowed his eyes on the results. "Damn it." Shaking his head, he slowly handed the paper back to the nurse. For a half an hour, he gave further instruction on Addison’s care. After, the nurse returned to check on her.
"Hello." She smiled at Addison, who looked up at her with tired eyes. "I’ll just get you set up here, and then you can go back to sleep." Addison nodded but didn’t speak. "This will make you very sleepy, but that’s okay, you probably won’t mind." She quickly changed the bag attached to Addison’s IV and left the room. In no time, Addison fell asleep, her body facing the window and her face now back to its normal color.
"Excuse me."
Hearing someone come up to the nurse’s station, Addison’s nurse quickly made her way over to him. "Can I help you…" Pausing, her face filled with a giant grin as her eyes fell upon the gorgeous face of the master vampire. "Sir?"
"I’m here to see my wife." There was a calm smile on Christian’s face, his hands delved deep in his pockets as he looked briefly down the hall and then back at the nurse. "Addison Vallore."
"Of course. She’s in room two-hundred and thirty-nine." The nurse pointed. "The doctor has prescribed her some medication that will put her out for a few hours, so she won’t be awake to talk to you."
"Her doctor?"
"Dr. Monroe."
"Monroe?" Christian’s brow raised slightly as he looked at her suspiciously.
"Yes." The nurse nodded, motioning for Christian to follow her. "As her husband, you must be familiar with Addison’s condition."
"Condition?" Trying to curb his anger, Christian’s fingers wrapped around the keys in his suit pocket.
"Her poor immune system." The nurse smiled at him, a slight redness to her cheeks as she shied away from looking into his striking blue eyes. "Don’t be alarmed when you see her, she’s pretty banged up. That poor girl looks like she’s been through a lot. She’s—"
"Thank you. Now, please excuse me." Pushing past her, Christian walked into Addison’s room. He was about to shut the door in her face, but she followed.
"Mr. Vallore." There was a worried expression on the nurse’s face as she motioned for him to follow her back out to the hallway. "I need to speak to you about something else as well."
"Why?" Christian looked back at her briefly then turned toward the room when the nurse stopped him again by lightly touching his shoulder.
"Please, it’ll just take a moment, and then you’ll be free to see your wife."
Slowly, Christian nodded, his eyes glued on Addison’s open door as he spoke with the nurse. She was spouting off a bunch of things about Addison’s condition and what they were doing for treatment. He could see the faint outline of Addison sleeping from where he was standing and made sure to keep a close eye on her. After several minutes, the nurse left and Christian went into Addison’s room, closing the door behind him.
He walked into the room, his gaze falling upon Addison’s backside, which had filled out slightly since he last saw her. She was covered in a blanket, her hair a lighter color than before. He walked around the bed, his smooth gait producing no sound on the tile floor.
When he looked into her face, his expression quickly turned angry. She was covered in bruises, his eyes immediately drawn to the handprints on her neck. He dropped onto the side of her bed, lightly running his fingers over her cheek.
Addison’s eyes shot open when she felt his touch, a giant gasp coming from her lips as her eyes fell upon his. "Christian."
"I’m here, my love." He bent closer to her face, rubbing her cheek gently with his thumb.
"I missed you so much." Her face scrunched up, a flood of tears falling from her eyes as her lip trembled. "I’m scared Christian."
"In my arms, there is no reason to be afraid." His voice was soft and smooth, every movement of his body like a well-orchestrated dance. Brushing his mouth against her ear, he whispered, "A kiss from my lips will take away your pain. My love…" With every soft word he spoke, Addison’s body began to quiver more and more until she was shaking furiously under him.
Addison could feel his warm breath on her bruised neck, sense the familiar shape of his soft lips. Her words were choked with tears as they came out soft. "Christian…" Her mouth opened wide when she felt him sink his fangs into her neck, a barely audible, high-pitched squeak escaping her lips.
Her unsteady hand went around his back, the long IV cord attached to her arm falling down it as she tried to touch him. She hovered above the starch surface of his black suit coat, her fingertips barely feeling the kiss of the fabric.
Feeling dizzy, Addison recognized the hunger that returned to her chest. She began to sob as Christian drank from her, her fingers grabbing a hold of his jacket and holding it hostage in her tightly clenched fists. He pulled away from her quickly, searching her tear-soaked face.
He knew she was hungry, he could see that pained look in her eyes. He pushed up on her upper lip with his index finger, studying the fangs that slightly kissed her bottom lip. "My love." He cocked his head from side to side in a cat-like motion as he studied her scared expression. "I shall make everything better. All you will ever need is me."
Addison quickly nodded, all the work she had done to forget her life as a vampire becoming undone with a single bite. "All I need is you, Christian."
A giant grin filled his face as he bent down and kissed her lips. Grabbing her head, he shoved her face into his neck. Addison’s lips trembled against his skin, the familiar scent of his cologne and the warmth of being so close to him was comforting.
She opened her mouth and let her fangs hover over his skin as she paused. Breathing heavily, her gaze darted all over the sun-kissed skin on Christian’s neck and the perfectly starched collar on his dark blue dress shirt.
It was over now, and she was giving in. Gladly. Christian shoved her face down in a quick movement, piercing his own skin with her fangs. Tasting his blood, Addison’s vampire instincts quickly took over and she began to drink from him. After a few seconds, she was asleep.
Christian took the IV from her arm and lovingly held her limp hand to his mouth, licking the blood that flowed there. He wrapped her up in a blanket, carrying her like a sleeping child, her arms like dead weights falling down his legs, her long hair bouncing as he walked.
He marched right past the nurses’ station, all of them looking at him and yelling to put her back. Not seeming affected by them, Christian calmly strolled down the hallway with his love his arms.
Chapter Eleven
Stay
Opening her eyes, Addison still felt weak, but her whole body tingled, a wonderful feeling now surging through her veins. She gazed across the large bedroom, past the sea of white carpeting and some discarded clothes on the floor, to the tall, floor-length windows. They were made of spotless glass that allowed a great view of the ocean, which lay beyond.
She had never been to this place or in this room. But she was tired and content to stay exactly where she was. Christian was holding her loosely as he slept behind her.
The sun was coming in, letting light inside but not illuminating the corners of the room. Her tongue slowly ran over her front teeth, feeling her fangs protruding there. The only sound she could hear was Christian’s breathing.
Feeling extra weight on her hand, Addison’s fingers twirled her wedding ring. Chris
tian must have put it back on after he took her from the hospital. Christian’s band rested on the bare skin of her waist as his arm draped over her. Neither of them was wearing any clothes, Christian’s other arm resting under her neck and his hand cupping loosely over one of her breasts.
Carefully, she turned over on her other side, her eyes focused on Christian’s face as he slowly opened his. He looked like a cat awoken from his nap, his eyelids partially open, taking a peek at what was going on and making sure everything was in order before going back to sleep.
A slow smile formed on Addison’s sleepy face as she studied him. “Christian.” The word slipped from her lips like melted butter, her tone hushed.
He smiled at her as he opened his eyes a little wider, his hand inching up to her face to cup the side of her cheek. "Such a beautiful angel I hold in my arms." His thumb lightly rubbed over the surface of her lips, his touch so gentle that it didn’t crush their surface. Speaking in Aerolin, his voice was smooth, like a velvety kiss. "My love for you fuels the morning sun, the light that illuminates all that is beautiful."
Her fingers slid up his shoulder and down his forearm until they rested on the surface of his hand. Her eyes were glued on his, the magnetism of his intense stare not letting her go. Curling her fingers around his hand, she gently pulled it from her face and placed it on her heart.
"I missed you." Her face slowly inched toward his, the devilish smile on his face like a lure that drew her closer. She stopped when the tip of her nose bounced against his, her lips dangerously close. "Being away from you makes me realize…" Her hands reached up to hold onto the sides of his face. There was a dreamy look in her groggy eyes, but their brilliant sky blue color was sharp and clear. "That all I need is you."
With those words, Christian pushed her onto her back as he hovered over her. He looked down at her, his icy eyes still holding onto hers, a small grin filling out his perfect lips.
Swooping down on her, Christian’s lips flew to hers. His kisses were intense, his hands scaling the familiar shape of her torso. His touch felt gentle and light, but there was rigidness in it that Addison could feel no matter how hard Christian tried to mask it.
She loved Christian, he was the most amazing man she had ever known, and his love was like a drug that once she latched onto, she couldn’t let go. She had reverted back to her old ways, Christian’s kisses blocking out everything except for him. She forgot about hunting, forgot about how much she hated being a vampire. All she could think about was Christian.
As he made love to her, he could feel how weak she was. Her fingers could barely take hold of his shoulders and kept slipping off his skin. He didn’t bite her like he normally would because he knew she couldn’t spare any of her blood. As he felt his finish coming on, he gently bent closer to her and pushed her lips into his neck.
When he felt her bite, a groan escaped his slightly parted lips. His tongue slowly licked his lips as he felt her drink from him. A bite from his love as he reached his sexual high was the most amazing feeling in the world, something Christian had longed for while she was gone.
He closed his eyes as he basked in the extreme pleasure surging through him, but he quickly opened them when he felt Addison’s lips slip from his skin. She fell back into the pillow, his blood dripping from her lips as she slept peacefully.
He lay back down next to her, sliding his arm under her limp neck and pulling her close. She was facing him as he studied her now flawless features. He watched her sleep for a few minutes before falling back asleep himself. He slept for an hour longer, his heart content now that Addison was with him once again. When he woke again, he took a shower, leaving Addison alone in the bed.
His phone rang on the nightstand, the high vibration shaking the table and making quick tapping noises on the wood. Hearing the sound, Addison squeezed her eyes shut tighter, a sour expression on tender features as she reluctantly woke up. Her hand reached over and grabbed Christian’s cell, but she didn’t raise her head up from the soft, feather pillow.
She read the screen, her vision still a little blurry. It said “Emmie” on the caller ID, a picture near her name that swiftly tore sleep away.
Sitting up in bed, she glared at it. Extremely untasteful, it was a shot of a woman topless, wearing only a man’s necktie. She was holding her large, bare breasts in her hands, shoving one to her lips and licking her own nipple.
She was a very beautiful woman, and Addison immediately recognized the background. It was their bedroom in Caron, Hamstein’s painting, The Lovers, hanging on the wall.
Still groggy from Christian’s blood, Addison sat up, looking at the picture until it disappeared and the call went to voicemail. She would’ve snooped through his phone, but it was password protected.
Letting out an angry huff of air, Addison quickly stood. Now that she was standing, she felt extremely dizzy, the world spinning as she placed one shaky foot in front of the other.
She grabbed the first thing she saw to wear. Sitting down again, she angrily dressed. Her arms slipped into Christian’s blue dress shirt, and she pushed up the sleeves before slipping into his pants.
Pushing to her feet on wobbly legs, she had to hold onto the band of the pants to keep them from falling down. She managed to walk halfway to the door when a voice behind her made her stop dead in her tracks.
"Addison!"
She quickly turned around to face Christian, who was standing in the doorway of the bathroom. His perfect body was still glistening from the shower, but Addison was focused on his angry expression and the slight scowl on his face.
"What are you doing?"
Addison’s heart raced as her trembling fingers held her pants up, her voice coming out slightly choked. "I’m leaving."
Christian’s brow lowered, making his icy eyes turn into narrow slits. His words hissed from his lips as he spoke through tightly clenched teeth. "What did you say?"
"I-I…" Gulping down the large lump forming in her throat, Addison’s whole body shook as her teeth chattered. Taking a cautious step back from him, her voice came out softer than before. "I’m l-l-leaving."
Pointing to the empty space next to him, Christian glared at her. "Come here." His head was lowered slightly, a look on his face that she had never before seen directed at her.
Holding her hands to her chest, Addison held onto the band of the pants tightly. She felt like she were going to shatter into a million pieces, her teeth chattering as she spoke. "No."
Christian rushed toward her, grabbing her forcefully by the shoulders and getting into her face. His voice came out strained as he tried to curb his anger. "Addison…" He closed his eyes for a few seconds, letting out a giant breath of air, "Stop this nonsense."
"Tell me why you want me to stay." Her fearful expression was melting a little as he stood in front of her, his grip on her shoulders loose but the tenseness still present in his fingers.
He slowly opened his eyes and gazed upon the fragile frown of his love, who was eagerly awaiting his answer. The sadness in her eyes was painful, and his hand quickly reached up to her face to rub her cheek. "Because I need you." Christian wasn’t wearing his normal calm, suave expression. There was fear in his eyes. Something Addison had never seen on his face.
His hand shook slightly as his gaze darted all over her face., "Hearing you say you want to leave—and knowing how easy it is to lose you—hurts. I know of your conversations with Dr. Anderson. You said I was a monster, the taste of my blood poison. You said you hate me." She could see the glassy surface of his normally unemotional eyes., "And regret the day we met. How could you say such things? I love you. I would give anything for you."
"Christian?" Her hands released their hold on her pants and shot quickly to his face. "No. No." With her next words, a barrage of tears was released. "I love you…so much…" She sniffled. "I was wrong to think that way. Being away from you made me realize what a foolish girl I am. I’m such a child, Christian. I needed that time away from you to realiz
e how much I love you."
Her words grew stronger with every breath, her hold on his face becoming more firm and stable. "I realized that I don’t need you." She squeezed his cheeks, her fingers making dents in his skin as she spoke through gritted teeth. "I want you…want you more than anything in the world."
Christian cupped his hands over hers. "We need to talk." His voice was returning to normal. "Come."
He led her to the bathroom, a small smile appearing on his face now that the intensity of their conversation had lessened a bit. He motioned toward a giant whirlpool tub that lay ahead of them, steam rising from the water. His hand reached up to the switch and turned it off, the only light now coming from the candles near the bath.
Putting her hands over her mouth, Addison let out a small laugh, but it was still thick with her healing tears. "Oh, Christian."
"Let us begin by telling me…" His artful fingers reached up to her shirt and quickly unbuttoned it, his eyes never leaving hers. "Why you are so angry with me."
"I—" Biting her lip, Addison paused, one of her small fangs piercing her skin. She was mesmerized by Christian’s magnetic eyes, his calm, mysterious expression making her thoughts and actions slower.
"You what?" His fingers slowly entered her dress shirt, his movements smooth and precise. They moved up her chest and onto her shoulders before slowly pushing the shirt off them and down her arms.
"I—" Looking like she were in a daze, Addison’s lips were slightly parted as she stared with great longing.
There was a devilish look on Christian’s face as he gazed into her submissive face. "Come." He took her hand and guided her over to the tub. He watched her step into it and sit down, a giant smile lighting her face when she felt the warm water and the jets that massaged her back. "So?"
"I was angry when I saw something on your phone."
"Is that all?" Christian laughed as he reached his hand up to her head and slowly ran his fingers over her hair.
"Yeah." Addison nodded but her voice was low. "A picture of a woman in our bedroom, wearing only your tie."
Seed of the Master (Christian’s Kisses Book 2) Page 12
