A Beast For The Eyes: A Steamy Shifter Romance (A Ravenswood Romance Book 2)

by Jada Turner

  She found herself growing weaker as Atlas worked on her neck. Loretta knew he’d be taking as much blood out of her as he could, not only for himself and the ability to walk in the sun, but because the more blood lost the higher rate of success the Turn would have. Her eyelids began to flutter and the graveyard became out of focus. The more Atlas drank, the harder it became to make out anything.

  Loretta looked at the blurry shapes of the city nearby and then her eyelids felt as if they each weighed ten thousand pounds. She closed them and everything turned black.

  Chapter Five

  There was nothing for a long time. No dreams. No senses of anything from the outside world. No memories floating back to Loretta.

  It was only when Loretta became aware of the darkness did she wonder just how long there had been nothing. Her thoughts felt slow and muddled and her hands were dug into the earth, feeling soil around her fingertips.

  Her brain felt as if it was taking a long time to piece everything together. Almost too long. Her brain felt sluggish, as if it had been asleep for decades and was suddenly waking up.

  For a second, Loretta panicked. She had no memory of how she had gotten here – only that she needed to get out of the ground. She would suffocate in here! Loretta began to yell and claw at the dirt above her but it only caused more to fall on her face. Her panic felt alive, like a monster reaching out to grab her – she was going to suffocate in the dirt if she didn’t –

  A memory flashed back to her. Atlas, brushing his lips against her, and then the bite. Loretta froze and wiggled her hands towards her chest. She went perfectly still. She waited.

  No heartbeat.

  She realized she wasn’t even breathing. No, of course she wasn’t. She didn’t need to breathe. Loretta felt weak and tried to yell again, hoping Atlas would hear her. She also felt hunger – but it wasn’t the normal type of hunger that she felt. It was a hunger that felt as if it was going to eat her up and spit her out.

  Vampire, she thought, exalted. Had it actually worked? It must have. Otherwise she would have never woken up. Atlas must have drank her dry and got her into her grave. Was he outside now, waiting for her? Loretta tried to recall everything. She remembered the city, hazy against her dimming vision, the lights from it bleeding into the sky, creating an image that was the final thing she must have seen as a human.

  Atlas had made the bite pleasurable. Her death was painless. Loretta ran her tongue along her teeth and could feel it – her fangs. They were so sharp that she almost cut her tongue. She must have been starving since they were sticking out. She knew that vampires could usually control them. Fangs. That made it official. The gravity of the situation finally sunk into Loretta’s head. She was truly one of the night now.

  The dirt was shifting, Loretta noticed, and she tried to dig as well. Then a hand burst through, wrapping around her wrist. Atlas tugged and Loretta was being dragged out of the ground, up onto the surface. The night air smacked her in the face. Snow was falling, she noticed. Her eye sight was so clear that she could make out individual snowflakes. Loretta laid there, watching the snow fall and admiring the detail in each one.

  A face loomed over her – Atlas. He handed her something.

  Loretta propped herself up, still marvelling at the overwhelming nature of seeing things in such clarity – and hearing things she had never heard before. She looked down at what was in the jug he had given her. Blood.

  The hunger came back, hard and fast, and Loretta found herself chugging the jug. She finished it off in record time but still wanted more. Before she could even say anything, Atlas handed her another one.

  When Loretta finally finished, she felt better. The hunger was clear from her mind. She stood up, trying to get used to every sight and sound knocking her over. She walked over to the hill that overlooked the city. Unlike the last time she had been up here, when she couldn’t enjoy it and then couldn’t focus on it, tonight it blew her away. It was as if Loretta was seeing it for the very first time.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” Atlas said as he came up behind her.

  Even standing next to him felt different. Loretta realized her body was responding just to him being here next to her. Every sense of hers seemed to thrum with a sudden desire that took her by surprise.

  “You can feel it, can’t you?”

  Loretta nodded as Atlas pressed himself against her from behind, trailing his fingers tips along her neck. Loretta felt pleasure rock through her – it was unlike anything she had ever felt as a human before. It was a pleasure that was coming from her very center.

  “That is the connection I was speaking about. I’ve Turned people before, Loretta, ones I’ve felt nothing for. It is never like this.”

  Atlas lightly touching her was driving her crazy. Loretta felt as if there was a frenzy being worked up inside of her. The connection – she hadn’t known that he meant it continue after the Turn. Loretta spun on her heel and pressed her lips against Atlas. She knew she was covered in dirt but she didn’t care. She needed him now.

  Atlas didn’t resist. He kissed her back, so hard that her human self would have been bruised. But now Loretta didn’t even feel it. She only kissed him harder before shoving him to the ground. Atlas lost his balance and hit the dirt ground, looking up at her with a glint in his eyes that drove her wild.

  Loretta moved, so quickly that the world blurred except for the spot she was staring at. She was on top of Atlas now, straddling him. The movement! She wanted to go and run through the woods, letting nothing stop her. Atlas moved like a blur as well, and now she was underneath him. Catching on, Loretta moved with all her strength and Atlas was underneath her again.

  She smashed her lips against his, the frenzy inside of her growing. She needed him now. She hadn’t even asked how his time in the sun was going, Loretta realized, but then didn’t care She’d ask after. Loretta ran her hands up Atlas’s chest and ripped his shirt off. He gave her a grin as she ran her hands down his well-muscled chest. My Maker, Loretta thought, leering at him.

  Atlas started tearing her clothes off as well. Loretta let him, enjoying the night air on her cold naked skin. She revelled in it. It felt as if the entire world was at her feet. Atlas’s hands pressed against her skin. Between them, there was no warmth, no heavy breathing – just the focus on each other. Loretta admired him once he was fully naked.

  “I’m going to have my way with you.”

  “It will be the only time.” Atlas challenged her with a grin.

  “We’ll see.”

  She straddled him again. His hand reached up and grabbed at her breasts roughly. Passion surged through her body. She reached down and took his hard cock in her hands. She helped it inside her pussy. She groaned with pleasure as he entered her. She rode him as waves and waves of pleasure like she had never felt before rocked in body. She shuddered and screamed into the night as the orgasm hit her. It was ecstasy she could not put words too. It was otherworldly.

  When it was all over, Loretta and Atlas laid next to each other. She was watching the sky again, admiring the way the stars seemed to shine brightly and only for her. Her head felt clearer after the blood and the sex. Atlas hadn’t said anything but had been stealing glances at her when she thought she didn’t notice. But Loretta did notice. She noticed everything now.

  She kept putting her hand to her chest, marvelling at how she felt no heartbeat. It had taken so long to find a Maker and become one of their kind but now that she finally was, Loretta almost regretted that it had taken so long for her to make up her mind.

  “How do you feel?” Atlas finally asked, breaking the silence.

  “Better. How is your week in the sun going?”

  A smile broke out on Atlas’s face, “Better than I have even dreamed.”

  “What have you been doing?”

  “Taking long walks. I’ve been spending most of the last three days in parks.”

  Loretta smiled back, glad that their deal had
worked out in his favor. Atlas had gotten what he wanted and Loretta had gotten hers.

  She thought back to the sex they had just had. It was crazed, rough and unlike anything she had ever dreamed of doing. But nothing had hurt her Her bruises from the sex when Loretta had been human had healed during her Turning process. And sex as a vampire was very, very different.

  Loretta thought of her life stretching before her. Nothing to hold her back. Nothing to make her stay in one place. She had Atlas as well. Loretta got to her feet and walked over to the hill, looking down at the city. Everything was so clear that she could make out individual street lights if she focused enough. The thrum of the city seemed to move through her skin, giving her life where she technically lacked any.

  Atlas came to her side. They stood there together, their hands entwined, looking over the city. Loretta let everything wash over her. It had taken so much time to get to this point. To finally be a vampire after years of dreaming about it and to have Atlas as her Maker…

  With the city sprawled out at her feet, she turned to face Atlas and leaned in for another kiss. They had forever together now.

  Spirit Of A Viking

  Part I

  The air was frigid and the waves vicious, but the three brothers sailed on. Kristoff called out to their men to row on even though the water was rough. Andor and Finn stood firmly behind him pulling their fur lined leather tunics tighter around their bodies.

  “What’s the plan, Kristoff?” Finn grumbled.

  Kristoff was the oldest of the three brothers. He was tall and muscular with shaggy straw colored hair. Finn was the youngest with chestnut curls and rosy cheeks.

  “The plan is to continue sailing through night and anchor at Jutland by sunrise, that’s always been the plan,” Andor cut in. The middle brother was constantly trying to take control. Feeling like he grew up in Kristoff’s shadow, he always wanted to make his voice heard.

  Kristoff didn’t take his eyes off the rowing crew. “Precisely.”

  An icy rain began pouring out of the sky and the men groaned, but the brothers demanded that they keep rowing. The ship was being pummelled by waves and it was hard to tell if the ship was even still headed in the right direction. The three brothers stood strongly in place being soaked with rain and splashed by waves. Although they gave harsh orders, they always stood in solidarity with the crew members. After and hour of treacherous downpour and freezing temperatures, Kristoff dismissed the crew and retreated below the ship, followed by his brothers. The crew hurried under the small bit of cover on the deck of the ship and huddled together for warmth.

  Below the main deck Kristoff hung is drenched tunic on a piece of wood jutting out, poured a mug of mead from a barrel and hovered over a map. “The winds shouldn’t blow us too far off track. We are close enough to shore.”

  “What’s the plan?” Finn asked.

  Andor scoffed and poured a mug for himself and joined his older brother at the map table.

  “Kristoff?” Finn prompted him again.

  “Finn, you must learn to accept the journey as it goes. Sometime the plan changes. You must learn to not always need a plan.”

  “Ah, yes,” Andor piped up, “the wise words of Kristoff the Great.”

  Finn’s rosy cheeks become more red. He often got anxious when his brother’s butt heads.

  “Those are the wise words of our father, Andor,” Kristoff spoke through gritted teeth, “maybe you should put down that mead and focus on the purpose of this journey. Seems as if you may be forgetting that you and I are on the same team here.”

  The three brothers were on a journey to all neighboring countries to raid them for money and riches for their sick mother and to bring pride to their late father. He had passed away during a viking war just over a year earlier and since then their mother has grown more and more ill. Their father had loved their mother so much that it was his main goal in life to provide her with all the riches he could get his hands on. When he died, his ship was passed down to Kristoff, Andor, and Finn. The three brothers took a vow to one another that they would make sure their fathers whole life purpose would be honored. Now that their mother was on her deathbed, they were on one last journey for her.

  Andor finished his drink and slammed his mug down on the map. “We’ll be to Jutland in the morning. Don’t bother me before then.” He retreated to his bed.

  Part II

  With the morning came a whole new day. The storm had finally passed and then sun shined down on the misty layer coming off the ocean. The waves from the night had completely died down and they were left with still water to complete the journey to Jutland.

  Kristoff was the first to wake and he went up to the main deck to rally the crew back to rowing. Today he wore his helmet. It was bronze with a leather trim around the base of two ivory horns coming out from both sides. This was hit battle helmet.

  He stood with his back to the crew, looking at the water in front of them. The only thing going through his mind was the attack on Jutland.

  Below deck, Finn and Andor woke up and began to dress in their battle gear. Leather armour draped over their tunics and battle helmets similar to the one Kristoff wore.

  “Andor?” Finn often spoke in a gravely mumble. He wanted to sound tough and strong like his brothers.

  “Little brother?” Andor on the other hand spoke with cynicism dripping from every word.

  “Today, when we get to Jutland, will you and Kristoff get along,” he paused, “for mother.”

  Andor poured himself a mug of mead, chugged it down in one gulp and said, “for mother.”

  The two brothers went up to join Kristoff. Jutland was in sight and the crew was ordered to stop rowing. Their arrival needed to be as silent as possible.

  “When we hit shallow water, you are all going to jump off this boat and start the raid. Am I clear?” Kristoff addressed the crew.

  “Clear!”

  “When I give the word…”

  Everyone on the ship stood ready. The crew was armed with clubs and axes while the brothers held swords.

  “Ataaaack!” Kristof gave the word. He held out the word and turned it into a battle cry. Andor and Finn joined in shouting. The crew hurled themselves over the side of the ship and stormed the beach. Water splashed everywhere and you could barely even see how many people were running onto the shore.

  Andor stopped shouting and took a step forward on the ship. His deep blue eyes squinted. “Something is not right here.”

  “No one is fighting back,” Kristoff agreed.

  They watched as the crew reached the shore, still hooting and hollering, and then slowly everyone stopped. The men on shore stood still and looked around. Someone called back to the ship, “No one is here!”

  “Finn,” Kristoff said, “anchor the ship. We are going on shore.”

  Andor grunted at the thought of having to go onto the shore to explore. If there wasn’t going to be a fight, he would rather just move on. He knew that he had to listen to Kristoff though, he promised Finn the day would go smoothly. He stashed his sword in his belt and jumped overboard into the chilly water. Finn tossed the anchor into the water and followed his brothers into the water and onto the beach.

  As the three brothers approached the shore the silhouette of a woman appeared from behind one of the buildings. There was a glowing aura surrounding her. The entire crew pulled the weapons out, ready for some sort of attack, but the woman raised her hands.

  Andor shoved his way to the front of the crew members and called out, “state your name!”

  “My name is Astrid. I am not looking to cause trouble. The people of Jutland got word of an upcoming attack and retreated.”

  “Then why are you still here?” Kristoff stood beside Andor.

  “Your father sent me to deliver a message.”

  Finn stammered, “Are you a ghost?”

  “I’m a spirit.” Astrid laughed. “Ghosts return from the afterlife seeking revenge. Spirits return to provide
guidance.” She was not close enough to the men that they could get a good look at her. She had sparkling blond hair that constantly flowed as if wind was dancing through it. She was draped in silver silk robes and her skin had a blue-ish tint.

  Andor wasn’t buying it. “Well then why didn’t our father come and deliver this message himself?”

  “He couldn’t, Andor. He has yet to take identity in the afterlife as a ghost or spirit. His presence there is too young, although I expect he will mature soon enough and be here to guide you.”

  Kristoff cut in, “what’s the message then?”

  “He wants you three to stay here. Claim this land as your own. Send the crew home to retrieve your mother. This land will be your last gift to her before she joins your father.”

  Finn looked to Andor and Kristoff for some sort of reaction. Both brothers had stern looks on their faces that didn’t show what they would decide. “So, what now?” Finn grumbled lowly so just his brothers could hear.

  “This could be a set up. If we send the crew back, the civilians could ambush us.”

  “How can we -” Kristoff began to speak, but Astrid was gone. He directed his attention to the crew, “who saw where that woman went to?!”

  The crew stood there in silence with their mouths ajar. Finally, someone spoke, “Sir, she just...disappeared.”

  Everyone looked back and forth to where she was standing and each other. Then she reappeared. “Sorry, your father had another message. He wants you to know that I am trustworthy. The people of Jutland are long gone.”

  Finn took a step back. He had been afraid of ghosts his entire life and even though she claimed not to be a ghost, it was still too close for comfort.

  “Don’t be scared, Finn.” Astrid stepped toward him and he froze in fear.

  Andor stepped between Astrid and his little brother. “Walk with me while Finn and Kristoff decide what to do.” He nodded to Kristoff, letting him know that whatever was decided, he would support.