Phantom Desires

by Bianca D’Arc

  With a polite lick of his tongue, he closed the wounds on her neck, pulling away as they both floated back to Earth in the dream. He made sure he had her full attention before speaking, not allowing his fangs to retract. She needed to see all of him, even if she would only think it was part of her imagination the next day. When he knew he had her focused on him, he dipped his head close, holding her gaze.

  “You will remember this, Carly. You are mine now. All mine.”

  Carly woke that afternoon, her mind hazy from more odd dreams, her body still humming from a dream orgasm that was better than any real one she’d ever had. She remembered every moment of the strange, hot, incredibly erotic dream. Suddenly her phantom lover had a face, and it was Dmitri Belakov’s!

  She scoffed at her own imagination. Why, she had dreamed he was a vampire, of all things. How ridiculous.

  The man was definitely sexy and had gotten under her skin in a big way, but he was no vampire. Vampires didn’t exist. It was just his sexy foreign name and slight accent that put her in mind of those old horror movies she had loved as a kid.

  Still, he certainly made one sexy hunk of a vampire in her dream. She couldn’t remember ever achieving such complete sexual satisfaction from a dream before. One thing she knew—Dmitri Belakov was potent if just the memory of him in her imagination could make her come like a freight train.

  She had work to finish on campus that night and as she showered and dressed, she couldn’t get the memory of that incredible climax out of her mind. How on earth was she going to face the man when in her mind he had been making love to her half the day and sucking her blood? There was no way he could know the content of her erotic dreams, but she knew, and the memory would claim her the moment she saw his handsome face.

  “Well, this is going to be an interesting night at work,” she said to her reflection as she got ready. She was still shaking her head as she made her way out the front door of her little farmhouse.

  Down below in the secret dwelling, Dmitri laughed. She had no idea.

  Chapter Four

  Carly sensed Dmitri’s presence an hour after she settled in for the night in front of the bank of computers. She had more loading to do, then a bit of testing and it would be all done. She was always happy when a project completed successfully, but she would miss the campus. If she were honest with herself, she would admit she’d miss more than just the campus. She’d miss the man. Dmitri intrigued her more than was probably good for her, but she just couldn’t help herself.

  Carly yawned as she faced the screen, suddenly aware of Dmitri at her back. He moved so silently she hadn’t heard him come into the room though the whole building was pretty much closed for the night.

  “Didn’t sleep well?” he asked, a sexy smile on his lips.

  She smiled and shook her head. “I had some odd dreams.”

  He swiveled her chair around to face him.

  “Some dreams,” he purred, his eyes lit from within, “are more than just dreams.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “How did it feel when you came in my arms last night, Carly? Did you like the way I licked your pussy and fucked you with my tongue? I can assure you, it will feel even better in the flesh.”

  Carly gasped as his fingertips traced down her arm, over her soft knit shirt. Even with the fabric between her skin and his, she could feel the electricity of his touch. “What are you talking about?”

  “I’m talking about last night in our dream. I shared it with you, Carly. I’ve never come so hard or so good as I have these past nights in your arms. In your dreams.”

  “That’s not possible!” She drew back from him in alarm, but his strong hands on the arms of her chair held her in place.

  “Oh, I assure you, it’s more than just possible. It’s real. As am I.”

  Dmitri felt his fangs aching…dropping…and he knew she would see everything. It was time. He smiled. She gasped.

  “Oh my God. You’re…you’re…”

  “Vampire.” His voice vibrated through the room, and he knew she was affected. He detected a slight trembling of her lithe body.

  “You’re crazy! There’s no such thing.”

  “I beg to differ.” His smile widened as she brought her fingers up, as she had in the dream, to test the sharpness of his feeding teeth.

  Like in the dream, she felt the sharpness of his tooth but pulled back before it could pierce her skin. He found himself disappointed. How he wanted to taste her.

  “You’re not kidding, are you? This isn’t some kind of elaborate joke?”

  Her voice was soft with wonder and a touch of fear. All in all, she was taking this better than he would have credited. It had been decades since he’d had to reveal himself to any mortal and such revelations usually did not go so well.

  “I’m afraid not. I am, as they say, the real deal.”

  “Are you going to kill me?” She asked it straight out, with a courage he admired.

  He shook his head. “I had given it some thought, but you are too interesting to destroy, Carly. Too intelligent.” He stroked her soft hair away from her face. “Too beautiful.”

  “Then what are you going to do with me? Why show yourself?”

  He stepped back, releasing her chair completely. He paced away a short distance, his eyes following her movements as she straightened her sleeves unnecessarily.

  “Now we come to the crux of the matter.” He sighed. “I have been watching you for some time. Since you moved into the farmstead, in fact.”

  “The farm? Why?”

  His gaze pinned her. “Because I live there as well.” He paused but she made no comment. “Under your home, several stories down into the earth is a replica of the farmstead. I have been living there in peace and safety for over a century. For all that time, the same family owned the land and house above and we peacefully co-existed until old Jacob died. He had no family to leave the place to in his will, so it was sold.”

  “To me.” Her voice was a surprisingly calm whisper.

  “To you,” he agreed with a nod. “Now I am faced with the problem of a mortal inhabiting the space above me who has no idea of my existence and no loyalty to the agreement I had with Jacob’s ancestors, binding on all subsequent generations. That agreement is, in effect, null and void now that their line is ended.”

  “So you want to make a new agreement with me?”

  He smiled. “I thought so at first.” He moved closer to her once again.

  “But?” she prompted.

  “But I recently became dissatisfied with the old arrangement. I want to broker a new deal with you, Carly. A much more intimate deal.” His hands framed her face, tilting her head up to his. “I want you, Carly. In my bed at night and safeguarding my rest during the day.”

  “Does this also include…um…my blood?”

  His smile turned carnal. “Indeed. I want to taste you, Carly. I want to drink you and take your essence into myself. But I won’t hurt you. I will only bring you pleasure, like I’ve been doing in our shared dreams, only much, much better.”

  “Oh, God.” She was overwhelmed by him…by everything.

  “I can see I’ve given you a great deal to think about.” He stood and headed for the door. “Finish your work here and I’ll see you home.” He turned to look at her, his dark eyes pinning her in place. “I’ll give you a bit of time to decide, Carly, but I can’t wait long. I want you more than any woman I’ve ever met and believe me, that is saying something. Call my name, and I will come when you’re ready to leave.”

  How she got through the final installation and testing, she never knew. Around four in the morning, the job was finally done. True, it had taken her quite a bit longer than she had originally estimated but with such chaotic thoughts racing through her mind what else could she expect? It wasn’t every day she was propositioned by an honest-to-goodness vampire.

  Holy shit! That thought and several others raced through her mind every few moments despite her best e
fforts to stay focused on the project. She had to finish it tonight. It was important she settle her work before tackling the much larger personal problem she had just inherited by buying a cursed farm.

  How was she to know there was a vampire living under her house? Shouldn’t the real estate agent have disclosed something as serious as that? She laughed inwardly at the thought, knowing the old man who had owned the house before her had taken the secret to his grave as his ancestors had before him.

  They had lived with the vampire, apparently with no ill effect. All the people she had spoken to about old Jacob had loved him. He had been a happy old man, always ready with a kind word or a helping hand, or so everyone claimed. No way could he have been some kind of evil servant of the undead. Right?

  But Dmitri wanted more from her than peaceful coexistence. He wanted her blood and her body. He wanted her to be his mistress, she realized with some shock. Here she’d been hoping since she was a little girl to find some good man and become his wife. Apparently fate had something different in mind for her. She was to be the mistress of a vampire. Either that…or what? She realized with a shiver that Dmitri hadn’t given her an alternative.

  When she could delay no longer, she called his name softly. In moments he was there, his dark gaze boring into her, watching her every move as if he could see into her mind. And perhaps he could, she thought with a gasp.

  “Can you read my mind?”

  He chuckled. “Actually, not well. Most mortals have surface thoughts that are easy to pick up, but your mind is more complex, Carly. Beautifully complex.”

  “Well, thank heaven for that,” she muttered but still, she could tell from his amused expression, he had heard every word.

  “Come.” He picked up her coat from the chair and held it open for her.

  She allowed him to help her as he had the night before and, as before, he did not release her right away. He held her close, wrapped in the coat and his strong arms while his mouth teased the skin behind her ear and down to where the pulse beat strong in her neck.

  She felt his sharp teeth scrape over her flesh. It sent shivers down her spine but whether of fear or arousal was anyone’s call. She knew what he was now and it gave every one of his motions a whole new meaning.

  He released her and stepped back, holding the door for her. When they got to her car, he simply held out his hand for the keys before taking the wheel and guiding them safely, if a bit speedily, home. Apparently the undead liked to drive fast.

  When he pulled into her barn as if he lived there, she recalled with a start that he did. If he was to be believed, there was structure under her house where he slept during the hours of sunlight. She wondered if it would be some kind of creepy crypt.

  He held her door and tugged her small hand into his. He guided them toward the opposite end of the large barn, passing her collection of odd automobiles as they went.

  “I meant to tell you I really liked the Aston Martin,” he said as they passed the car in question. “I’ve always loved those cars and the ’66 Mustang is gorgeous. Will you let me drive them sometime?”

  She chuckled at his obvious enthusiasm. “Vampires like vintage cars?”

  “Everything about me is vintage.”

  She laughed along with him as he led her to one of the few remaining horse stalls. Inside, he tugged on a nondescript piece of wood and revealed an ingenious trapdoor that she never would have noticed in a million years.

  “This is one of the entrances to my home. There are a few tunnels running deep under the property so you’ll understand my caution about any plans you might have been making to dig anywhere near the house.”

  “Yeah, hidden tunnels would be kind of hard to explain to a construction crew, but not to worry. I have no plans to dig anything, except maybe a few pansies and tulip bulbs.”

  “That should be safe enough,” he agreed with a sharp-toothed smile as he led her down a dark, winding spiral staircase.

  He took a flashlight from his pocket and gave it to her. Apparently he could see in the dark but had brought the light for her. It was a thoughtful gesture that seemed oddly kind considering the dire situation.

  When they had walked a distance down a relatively straight and surprisingly well-appointed tunnel, he unlocked a massive steel door, inputting several combinations of numbers and at least two keys before it swung open with hardly a sound. He motioned her to precede him and with a wave of his hand, lit several candles to illuminate the spacious room.

  “Take a look around.” He swept his hand out in a welcoming gesture.

  They were in her living room. Well, not her living room, but a replica of the room in her house above ground that was the same size, shape and position to the front door. She moved forward, noting the lovely, antique furniture. In pristine condition, it was the elaborate décor of a bygone era. It was beautiful.

  The doors from the living room led off in the same configuration as her home above, though the rooms were used for different purposes. Her kitchen, for example, was a very masculine study complete with wingchairs, a beautiful writing desk and an elaborate computer station. As she explored further, she found a spacious bath with waterworks probably shared from the house above.

  She avoided the door that would lead to the master bedroom, but Dmitri was behind her every step of the way. He cornered her in the room next door, a room he used as a library, though it had comfortable chairs and a sofa near the door.

  “So what is your answer to my proposal, Carly?”

  She faced him squarely, her heart in her throat. “Do I really have any choice?”

  He shook his head slowly. “No. Neither of us has any choice in this at all, I fear.” He moved closer, taking her in his arms, gently but securely. “Fate has decided for us, my sweet. You are mine.”

  Chapter Five

  “I’m not a promiscuous woman, Dmitri.”

  “I know.” He smiled gently. “I value your discretion and the fact that I will be the only man to know your beautiful body from this moment forward. You will be mine completely, Carly. Don’t expect me to be able to share you or let you go.”

  He brought his lips down to hers, probing inside with his hot tongue, unable to wait, but she was with him every step of the way. A little hesitant at first, she was soon grabbing at his clothes, pushing the jacket from his shoulders with eager hands. She wanted more of him. For real this time.

  He took her to the sofa, tucking her under his large frame as he tore at her clothing. The coat had been dropped in the living room, thankfully, but the button down shirt and jeans she wore were definitely in his way. Buttons popped and scattered as he tore the shirt open, literally ripping it from her body. Her jeans were harder to deal with but he dispatched them just as easily with his great strength. The lace of her bra was gone with the snap of his fingers as was the little scrap of lace between her succulent thighs.

  When she was naked, he sat back and looked his fill. She was gorgeous, as he knew she would be. Generous breasts and a womanly, hourglass figure nearly had him drooling. She had the body of a 1940s pinup girl. His own personal wet dream come true. Lifting her in his arms, he took her into his bedroom, where he had dreamed of having her for many long nights.

  “This is the room from the dream.” She seemed to recognize the opulent four-poster bed and the tapestry wall hangings as he deposited her on the plush goose down mattress.

  “This is my bedroom, Carly, where I have brought you and taken you many times already in our dreams. This time, it’s for real.” He smiled, allowing her to glimpse his fangs as he spread her legs as wide as they could go, securing them to the posts of the bed with silk cords.

  He’d known all along she would be his and had prepared accordingly. He tied her arms with the soft silk ropes he’d placed at all four corners of his bed, just for her. There were other surprises and supplies in the nightstand next to his bed. They’d get to them all…eventually.

  “Why are you tying me? Are you going to hurt m
e?” He didn’t like the fear that had entered her eyes.

  “No, love,” he dipped his hand down between her thighs, testing the amazing wetness that waited for him there. She was already excited, ready for him. “This is for my pleasure. And yours as well. I’ve dreamed of you tied to my bed. Now that you’re here, I can’t wait to make the fantasy into reality. Humor me.” He licked the inside of her knee, settling between her legs as he let her get a full view of his fangs.

  “Are you going to bite me…there?” True fear shadowed her words.

  “Not tonight, sweet, but in time, you might come to beg me for it. Still, for our first time, we will try things the traditional way.”

  “Tied up and spread eagle is traditional?” Nervous humor sparked in her eyes and he marveled at this special, brave, beautiful woman who was tied to his bed—where she belonged.

  “It’s about as traditional as I get, I’m afraid.” He silenced anything she might have said by the simple expedient of diving down to plunder her pussy with his tongue.

  Just like in their dreams, he fucked her with his tongue, his sharp teeth combing through the folds of her pussy delicately. He was careful not to injure her tender skin. He would die before he hurt her. The slick feel of her tantalized him. She tasted so good. Like ambrosia. The nectar of the gods. Just as he’d known she would.

  He sipped at her, using his lips to tease her engorged clit, sucking on it, then laving it with his tongue. When she gave up more of her moisture, he licked through it, lapping at her opening eagerly, then pushing up into her the way he would soon push into her with his cock.

  Setting up a fierce rhythm, he brought her to a quick climax, sucking on her clit at the end to send her up to the stars. After long, shivering moments, he watched her come back down to find herself spread and tied to his bed, ready for more. He was so hard, he couldn’t wait. He needed her. Now.