Erik’s eyebrows lifted. “Are you suggesting that…you and I could…”
“We could try dating, if that’s what you want,” Elise agreed, “but only if you can handle me dating other people. And you’d be free to, as well, of course.”
Erik shook his head, smiling. “That sounds perfect to me.”
Elise returned the smile. Then, she stood up. “In that case, you can have your cuddling,” she teased, “but first, I need to let Rose and Kara know I’m okay.”
“Eh, actually,” Erik said, just a moment before Elise felt it: the awareness that always came right before sunrise—a quick jolt of adrenaline. “It’s too late.”
Elise spun toward him, her blue eyes narrowing. “You sneaky bastard,” she said, giggling, as she returned to the bed. “You kept me talking on purpose!”
“I enjoyed our talk, though,” Erik said defensively. A guilty smile curved at his lips. “Especially the part where you said you would come back and cuddle.”
Elise pushed him back against the headboard, as she climbed on top of him. “I knew that’s what you were pouting about,” she laughed. She trailed a dull fingernail along the partially-healed bite wound on his neck. “Can I take more?”
He didn’t have to ask what she meant. He sensed her hunger—and knew that she still hadn’t fully recovered from almost dying. “I’ll need to feed, too.”
Elise rolled her eyes. “Well, I know that. I wasn’t turned yesterday.”
Erik nodded, breathing a sigh of relief. He’d gotten so used to starving himself that it was weird to not need to. “Yeah, okay. That sounds great to me.”
Elise leaned closer, her lips brushing against his. “I figured it would.”
—
Rose came awake with a cough, her lungs burning, as if they’d been filled with fire. She opened her eyes, only to close them again, as the light burned them.
The air around her was hot and thick, and each breath she drew in caused her to cough more. The scent of burning flesh overwhelmed her senses, turning her stomach. She rolled over, onto her hands and knees, and she pressed against the hot dirt, using her fatigued muscles to push herself up. When she made it to her feet, she braced herself for the pain and opened her eyes—keeping them open this time. The first thing she saw was fire. Bright, burning flames. Everywhere.
It burned her eyes. Not just the smoke, but the light itself. Her eyesight was too sensitive, too attuned to darkness. The brightness of the flames practically blinded her, searing through her eyes like a laser. She glanced down at her feet, her worn, Converse sneakers touching hot—but unburnt—ground. She watched shadows dance across the dirt for a few moments, as the pain in her eyes receded.
Then, bracing herself again, she looked up. It was difficult to find a focal point that wasn’t as bright as the sun itself. The flames consumed everything she could see, except for the small circle of earth around her feet. But far out, in the distance, she found another spot of darkness. A familiar, lovely piece of darkness.
Kara.
Dressed in a black, long-sleeved shirt, and black, leather pants, Kara was easy to spot amongst the brightness of the flames. The electric blue streaks of her jet-black hair shined brilliantly, as the light of the fire fell upon it. She looked so confused—her light blue eyes wide, her brows furrowed—as her gaze met Rose’s.
Despite the heat around her, Rose’s blood ran cold, as she realized how close the fire was to burning Kara. She didn’t hesitate. She didn’t think about the consequences. She just screamed, “No!” And ran, as fast as she could, to Kara.
Like brilliantly trained pets, the flames scattered, allowing her feet to hit the ground without ever touching them. She raced across the fiery field with the inhuman speed of a vampire, reaching Kara within seconds. The fire obeyed her will, parting like the Red Sea, leaving the narrow path around them untouched.
She leaned forward, on her toes, cupping her hands around Kara’s face. “Kara,” she gasped. “What are you doing out here? You know fire can kill us!”
Kara was quiet for a moment, her piercing, ice-blue gaze searching Rose’s face. Then, she breathed out four, pain-filled words: “What have you done?”
Rose blinked. She dropped her hands and stepped back. “What do you mean?” she mumbled, her stomach dipping in dread. “I… I didn’t do anything.”
Kara opened her mouth, as if she were going to say something else, but then, shadows arose from the dirt, swirling around her, cloaking her from Rose’s sight. When the shadows finally dissipated, there was nothing left. Kara was gone.
Rose covered her mouth, her chest heaving, as she started to panic. She glanced around, hoping to see Kara somewhere else. In front of her? Behind her?
She froze, as she did find someone behind her—just not the person she’d been looking for. With her blonde hair shining like gold in the light, and her black dress swaying in the wind, Alana stood behind Rose, watching her with a smile.
Rose stepped closer, her brows furrowing, as she tried to make sense of it all. “Alana,” she sighed, “what are you doing out here? Don’t you see the fire?”
“I’m dead. It can’t harm me,” Alana said simply. “Nor can it harm you.”
Rose frowned at that. “Why can’t it harm me?”
But Alana didn’t answer that question. Instead, she circled around Rose, her heels tapping lightly against the ground. “What happened to our girlfriend?”
“Our girlfriend?” Rose repeated, her eyebrows lifting.
Alana stopped in front of her. “She was mine before she was yours.”
“I…realize that,” Rose said with a frown, “although I would argue that she doesn’t belong to anyone—and that she never did. But…” She paused for a moment, her frown deepening. “If you’re here, that means…this is a nightmare.”
Alana raised an eyebrow. “You don’t think Kara has nightmares?”
“I know she does,” Rose said, “and…they’re usually about you.”
Alana leaned in close and whispered, “Because she still loves me.”
“Well, she was with you for fourteen hundred years, and you manipulated her into feeling consistently attached to you,” Rose said easily. “I’d be surprised if she didn’t still love you. So, if you were trying to make me insecure…try again.”
“Okay,” Alana said. “I will,” she paused, curling her hand around Rose’s arm, “try again.” She jerked Rose closer, digging her fingernails into Rose’s skin. “You hurt everyone, Rose,” she hissed. “You’ll hurt Kara, too—just like you hurt Kallias.” Alana smiled. “Your fire is appealing, Rose, but in the end, it just burns.”
“No,” Rose said, her teeth chattering from the pain. “I’d never hurt her.”
“Oh, you don’t mean to,” Alana murmured, stroking Rose’s cheek with her other hand. Rose recoiled instantly, not sure what to think of Alana touching her cheek—while clawing open Rose’s arm with the other hand. But Alana simply smiled and closed the space between them. “But darling,” Alana continued, “pain is what you are.” She lowered her voice. “That’s why we understand each other.”
“I understood you—to a certain extent,” Rose admitted, “but you never understood me.” Rose jerked her arm out of Alana’s grasp. “And you still don’t.”
Rose’s arm came away streaked with blood, carved open by Alana’s nails.
“Keep telling yourself that, love,” Alana said, watching as blood dripped from Rose’s arm, “but don’t forget: I’ve seen what’s in your mind. They haven’t.”
“What happened to my usual nightmare?” Rose said. “With darkness?”
Alana smiled. “Oh, she’s still here. That’s the beauty of fire, isn’t it?”
Rose stared blankly at Alana, so confused by Alana’s incoherent rambling that she wasn’t even sure which question to ask first. She watched as Alana turned and walked toward the wall of fire. Alana stepped into the fire—totally unharmed.
“Fire is a source of illumina
tion,” Alana said, as light consumed her body, “and shadows.” Her gaze shifted toward the ground, where the shadows danced along the ground, following the dance of the fire. “It is destruction,” Alana added, as she stepped out of the fire. She returned to Rose, her skin somehow untouched by the flames. “And creation.” She leaned in close. “It is Darkness. And Light.”
“I’m aware of how fire works, actually,” Rose said in her sassiest tone.
Alana laughed softly. “Yes, but Rose, are you aware of how you work?”
Rose frowned at that. “I don’t understand what that has to do with fire.”
“It has everything to do with it,” Alana whispered, and then, with a gentle shove, she pushed Rose into the flames, watching as the fire burned Rose alive.
—
Rose awoke with a scream. She shot up in bed, gasping for breath. Her skin still burned from the fire, and she could still feel the smoke in her lungs. She glanced around, expecting to find more fire. But instead of a fiery field, she found herself in an unfamiliar room. Her brows furrowed, as she considered the wooden walls, the wooden floor—that looked a bit sloped, to be honest—the table beside the bed. The floor seemed to rock, suddenly, nearly knocking Rose over sideways.
“Rough wave,” Kara murmured drowsily, her accent stronger than usual.
Rose glanced down at her. Kara lay next to Rose, with one arm folded beneath her head, and the sheets only halfway pulled up around her torso—one of her breasts completely exposed. “Wave?” she repeated. “Uhh, are you naked?”
One corner of Kara’s lips quirked up. She opened her eyes, pinning Rose with her icy blue gaze. “Memory still hazy?” she laughed. “It’ll come back to you.”
Rose blinked. “Princess,” she remembered. She squinted, trying to push through the sun-induced, sleepy haze in her mind. “Ship.” She sighed, “Overuse.”
Kara raised up, leaning toward Rose, her light blue eyes dark with desire. “You stripped me while you were feeding. Slid your hand between my legs…”
Rose swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. “Yeah. It’s…uh…” she trailed off, pressing her thighs a little tighter together. “It’s all coming back to me now.”
Kara’s gaze shifted down, toward the sheet—the pale linen thin enough for her to see the movement of Rose’s thighs. Her lips curved into that seductive, predatory smile that never failed to elicit a reaction from Rose. “I can see that.”
Rose smiled shyly, her cheeks warm with embarrassment. “Stop that.”
Kara reached out and curled her fingers around Rose’s right hand. Her fingers felt warm and soft against Rose’s skin, as she pulled Rose’s hand toward herself, curling Rose’s hand against her left hip. Since Kara was sitting to the left of Rose, this forced Rose to turn a little, leaning over Kara. Kara lifted her other hand, her fingertips drifting over Rose’s lips. “We didn’t clean up afterward,” she laughed. “You’re still covered in my blood. You’re so…wild when you’re injured.”
Rose closed her eyes, her breath coming faster, her body overheating.
The ship rocked again—sending Rose toppling forward, on top of Kara.
Rose opened her eyes, glancing around the windowless room, as if she’d find an explanation for the turbulence in there. “Is this normal?” she asked Kara.
Kara lay flat against her pillows, as if she were perfectly content with the current position of their bodies. Her lips tilted into that flirty smirk that she used so often. “What? You on top?” she said with a lazy shrug. “Happens sometimes.”
Rose rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I meant,” she muttered, “and you know it.” She shifted, pressing her palms against the mattress, as she climbed over Kara, trying to find a more comfortable position. Unfortunately, the new position involved their bodies meeting in a few very sensual places. Rose glanced down at Kara, blushing, as she met Kara’s mischievous gaze. “You’re…uhh…still naked.”
“Mmm-hmm,” Kara murmured. She pressed her lips tightly together, as she tried not to laugh. She shifted her lower body, pressing herself against Rose’s leg, which now rested between her thighs. “You know,” she said, as Rose’s breath hitched, “I thoroughly enjoy your failed attempts to make things less awkward.”
“Extremely-failed attempts,” Rose muttered. “As failed as failed can be.”
Kara laughed. She slipped her hand into Rose’s hair, pulling Rose closer, so she could whisper in her ear, “If you really want to feel less awkward, bite me.”
Rose’s stomach clenched with violent, ravenous hunger. She pulled back, her bright blue eyes dark, and her brows furrowed. “But I fed already. Last night.”
“But you’re still hungry,” Kara said. She traced her fingertips over Rose’s lips, watching as Rose’s eyes fluttered closed, as Rose’s lips parted instinctually. Kara slipped her finger into Rose’s mouth, feeling the softness of Rose’s tongue, the sharpness of her teeth. “Still weakened from the overuse of your power.”
Kara pressed her fingertip against one of Rose’s fangs, purposely cutting herself. Then, she waited for a moment, letting her blood drip into Rose’s mouth.
Rose growled at the taste of Kara’s blood. She closed her mouth around Kara’s finger, licking away that familiar, sweet blood that she instinctually craved.
Kara exhaled heavily, warm tremors of desire traveling through her body.
Rose opened her eyes, revealing that unnerving, red glow. Kara’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of those eyes—partially because of how terrifying they looked, but also because of the ravenous hunger that burned within them.
Kara dropped her hand, a sly smile curling at her lips. “There she is.”
“Kara,” Rose breathed, her red gaze shifting toward Kara’s neck, “I…”
“I know,” Kara whispered. She raised up just a little, curling her fingers behind Rose’s neck, drawing her closer. “You need more. Go on, baby. Take it.”
Rose pressed her face against Kara’s neck, breathing in her scent. Hunger coursed through her, awakening her instincts, urging her to feed. She slipped her fingers into Kara’s hair, feeling the silky strands slide between her fingers. Then, she sank her fangs into Kara’s neck. She felt Kara’s body arch against hers, heard Kara’s moans in her ear. Blood filled her mouth, soothing the burn of hunger. As she fed, she grew stronger, and the painful effects of overusing her power faded.
Kara tilted her head back, sighing pleasantly, as Rose sucked at her neck. The endorphins filled her bloodstream, flooding her with intense, overwhelming desire, and the warmth of Rose’s hands on her skin only strengthened that desire.
Even though Kara was perfectly fine with being the only one naked, the barrier of clothing between Rose’s skin and hers was starting to get annoying. So, when Rose pulled away from Kara’s neck, Kara took advantage of the brief break.
She raised up, curling her arm around Rose’s waist, holding Rose upright in her lap. Their gazes met for a moment—both full of lust. Kara pressed her lips against Rose’s, tasting her own blood on Rose’s mouth. Then, she began to tug at Rose’s clothes, stripping off Rose’s shirt and bra, as she showered the rest of Rose’s skin with hot, searing kisses. She unbuttoned Rose’s jeans, but she didn’t bother removing them. She was too focused on Rose’s breasts, at the moment.
Rose’s eyes slid closed, desire swirling inside of her, like a violent storm, as Kara pressed kiss after kiss against her breasts. She sensed Kara’s desire, too—so painfully intense after their blood-sharing—and she longed to sate that desire.
As soon as Rose’s fingers brushed over Kara’s thigh, Kara grasped Rose’s wrist in her hand. She leaned back, her gaze dark and hungry, as she drew Rose’s hand lower. She pulled Rose’s hand between her thighs, urging Rose to touch her where she needed it most. She moaned when Rose’s fingers brushed against her.
Rose closed her eyes, desire tightening and burning throughout her body, as she felt the wetness around her fingers. She followed Kara’s le
ad, touching the places that Kara wanted her to touch, settling into the rhythm that Kara seemed to want. She leaned forward, licking away the last traces of blood on Kara’s neck.
Kara tilted her head back, offering Rose more access to the soft, sensitive skin of her neck. She moaned softly—both at the gentleness of Rose’s tongue on her neck, and the gentleness of Rose’s fingers between her legs. Rose’s touch was both tantalizing and pleasing, at once. With a low, needful groan, Kara pressed against Rose’s hand, conveying, without words, that she wanted more. And Rose, being the lovely, quick learner that she was, increased the pressure just enough.
Kara gasped and rocked forward. Her mouth met Rose’s in a slow, wet kiss. The taste of blood on Rose’s lips—even her own blood—left her dizzy and desperate. Her breath came in quick, uneven gasps between them, as Rose drove her closer and closer to the edge. As the pleasure pulled tighter inside, Kara leaned her head against Rose’s shoulder, grazing her fangs against Rose’s freckled skin.
Rose pressed her face into Kara’s hair, inhaling the sweet scent of violets. She sensed Kara’s emotions—the intensity of her desire, the nearness of pleasure.
The bond between them was so strong that every emotion and sensation blended together—until it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began.
Rose moaned, as she felt Kara’s fangs press into her shoulder, as she felt the wetness around her fingers increase. Kara’s body arched against Rose’s, every muscle tight, and she growled something against Rose’s shoulder. Something that Rose couldn’t understand. After several moments of intense, trembling pleasure, Kara’s body relaxed, and Rose gently withdrew her fingers from between them.
Kara leaned heavily against Rose, her head on Rose’s shoulder, her breath quick and warm against Rose’s bare skin. Peaceful euphoria washed through her body, leaving her trembling and weak, unable to move. She shivered, when Rose traced her fingertip along Kara’s spine, when Rose showered her neck with kisses.
The Reign of Darkness Page 5
