“Believe what you will, my Eklektos,” the princess said, “but it was you.”
—
Rose hesitated by the door, giving herself time to regain her composure. She pressed her back against the wall, listening to the laughter inside. Kara, Erik, and Elise seemed to be having a good time inside. She didn’t want to spoil it with the weird crap she’d just experienced. Besides, how would she even explain it?
She didn’t even understand what had happened—much less know where to start in making someone else understand. She breathed out one last shaky sigh.
Then, Rose turned and opened the door. Inside, she found Erik and Kara lounging on the couch, sharing a bottle of blood-wine, while they watched Elise.
Kara tilted her head back, glancing at Rose. “Everything all right, love?”
Rose nodded, her brows furrowing, as she watched Elise prance across the room dramatically, her thin, black dress swaying around her. As melodramatic as her behavior was, Elise looked genuinely distressed, as she wandered the room.
Elise rushed over to Rose and grasped her hands, her blue-gray eyes full of intensity. “‘Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,’” Elise said with a perfect Elizabethan English accent. “‘And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.’”
Rose raised an eyebrow. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream?”
Elise beamed at her. “Ooh! Correct! Bonus points for the baby vampire!”
Rose blushed. “Well, I mean, I’m a book nerd and a history major. There aren’t many pieces of classic literature I don’t know. Shakespeare, especially, is…”
Elise giggled at Rose’s rambling. “Just accept your bonus points, Rose.”
“Umm, thanks? I guess?” Rose mumbled. She watched with a frown, as Elise returned to the center of the room—to finish reciting Helena’s monologue.
Kara looked at Erik. “Move over, asshole. Make room for my girlfriend.”
Erik scowled. “Move where? It’s a small seat. There’s nowhere else to go.”
“Sure, there is,” Kara said, and then, she pressed the bottom of her boot to his side and kicked him off the couch. Literally. He yelped in surprise when his face hit the floor. Kara looked back at Rose. “Come on, sexy. I saved you a seat.”
Rose glanced from Erik—who sat in the floor now, not even trying to take back his seat—to Kara, who lounged lazily on the couch, drinking from a massive bottle of blood-wine, and sighed, “How much have you had to drink?”
Kara squinted at the bottle in her hand. “It looks like…” she trailed off, moving her face closer to the bottle. “I can’t tell. The bottle won’t quit spinning.”
Rose rolled her eyes. Since Erik looked perfectly content, lying in the floor—for some reason—she took the empty seat that Kara had “saved” for her.
Kara leaned back against the arm of the couch and draped her legs across Rose’s lap. When Rose turned to look at her, Kara flashed her usual, flirty smirk.
Rose smiled, amused by Kara’s drunken, flirty behavior. “So,” she said, as she trailed her fingertips over Kara’s legs, feeling the smoothness of her leather pants. “Why is Elise acting out a scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream?”
Kara closed her eyes, exhaling shakily, as Rose casually caressed her legs.
Elise spun toward Rose and tilted her head, her long, blonde curls falling over her shoulder. “I’m just showing off,” she said with a playful smile. “I like to show off when I’m drunk.” At that, she lifted a glass of blood-red liquid to her lips. Rose was relieved to know that Kara hadn’t drunk the entire bottle by herself, at least. She watched, as Elise set down her glass, so that she could act out more of the play. “Back when I acted, I wasn’t allowed to take the big roles. Too much risk.” Her mouth curved into a proud smile. “They offered them to me, though.”
“You must’ve been good,” Rose said. “Why couldn’t you accept them?”
“Aaron wouldn’t let her take them because if she’d become too popular,” Kara paused, shuddering at Rose’s gentle caress, “humans would remember her.”
That shudder—and the breathless desire in Kara’s voice—caught Rose’s attention. Rose glanced at Kara, her eyes widening, as she suddenly realized what she’d done. Kara’s dark, lustful gaze met Rose’s—so intense that it ignited desire inside of Rose, as well. Rose mumbled a quiet, “I’m sorry,” and started to remove her hand. But Kara’s fingers wrapped around Rose’s wrist, holding her hand still.
Kara didn’t say anything, but she didn’t need to. That one, silent action communicated everything she needed to communicate. Kara didn’t want Rose to stop. She didn’t want Rose to apologize. She wanted Rose to keep touching her.
With a nervous smile, Rose returned to what she’d been doing before.
“It’s okay, though,” Elise continued, too drunk to notice their wordless conversation. “I love being a vampire, and I still got to act in a lot of street plays.”
“One of which was A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I assume,” Rose said.
Elise offered her a sly smile. “I played Helena. The audience loved me.”
Rose couldn’t resist the urge to smile back at her. “Of course they did.”
“She was very expressive,” Kara praised. “She played the emotions well.”
Elise smiled. “Kara came to all of my performances,” she told Rose. “I’m sure she was just trying to lure me into her bed, but what can I say? It worked.”
“That was part of it,” Kara admitted with a shameless smile. “But I really did enjoy the plays. And let’s be honest: you would’ve slept with me, regardless.”
Elise lifted her glass to her mouth, her lips curving. “I’d heard the stories about you,” she said, before finishing off her wine. “I can’t say I wasn’t curious.”
Rose stared at Elise’s empty glass with a worried frown. “It’d be just my luck if we were attacked tonight—while I’m the only one even remotely sober.”
Erik rolled onto his back—still sprawled out in the floor—and groaned, “I haven’t been this drunk since I was human. I feel like I’m going to pass out.”
Kara, who wasn’t that drunk yet, took another drink from the bottle. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? We’ll have to get Rose to steal more of it from Princess Uptight.”
“Rose can hear you, you know,” Rose said with a raised eyebrow. When Kara grinned at her, Rose just laughed. “And why would I steal wine for you?”
“Because the ancient princess is afraid of you,” Kara told her, “isn’t she?”
Rose’s smile faded, her mind returning to what happened in the temple.
With an amused giggle, Elise grabbed Erik’s hand and tried to jerk him to his feet, only to fall into the floor, on top of him. They both burst into laughter.
Rose stared incredulously at her drunk friends. “We’re all going to die.”
Kara tilted her head back, her black and blue hair falling over the side of the seat. She groaned at the ceiling. “Would you two drunks hurry up?” she said—even though she was drunk, too. “I need you out—so I can fuck my girlfriend.”
“Wow,” Rose said sarcastically. “Thanks for saying that so…tactfully.”
Kara lifted her head, grinning slyly at Rose. As Elise and Erik made their way toward the door—still giggling and falling over each other—Kara picked up a shoe and threw it at them. “You forgot your shoe, kronidiot,” she called to Erik.
He flipped her off—only to fall out in the hallway. Apparently, his finger had thrown off his entire balance. Elise tried to close the door three times before realizing that Erik’s shoe was still in the way. She grabbed it and waved goodbye.
Rose just shook her head in disbelief. “Is blood-wine really that strong?”
Kara waited until Elise finally managed to close the door, to raise herself into a seated position. She stared at Rose, her light blue eyes burning with lust. “So,” she murmured, climbing up onto her knees, “did you talk to the princess?”
Rose swallowed, watching warily, as Kara crouched over her. “Yes.”
Kara pressed her hand against Rose’s shoulder, pressing her back against the back of the couch, and then, she climbed onto Rose, straddling her hips. “And did it go well?” she asked, tugging at Rose’s sash. “Did you find out anything?”
“Mmm-hmm,” Rose murmured. She felt her body temperature increase drastically, just from the closeness of Kara, just from the sensation of Kara’s body on hers. “I found out some…puzzling stuff…about Erastos.” Rose struggled to even finish her sentences, as Kara tilted her face closer, as her lips brushed Rose’s.
Kara finished untying Rose’s sash. “Everything about him is puzzling.”
“What are you doing?” Rose said breathlessly.
Kara tilted her face closer, as if she were going to kiss Rose, but before their lips could meet, she moved her lips to Rose’s ear, instead. “Just returning the favor,” she whispered, smiling slyly. “You turned me on. Now, it’s your turn.”
Rose closed her eyes, shuddering, as the barely controlled desire burned hotter within her. “It was an accident,” she said defensively, “and you’re drunk.”
“I am absolutely sober,” Kara assured her. She leaned in, nipping Rose’s ear with her fangs, licking the drop of blood that surfaced. “Beautiful kvinne.”
Rose suppressed a laugh. “You’re sober, but you’re mixing languages?”
Kara chuckled at her teasing, “I’m sober enough.” She moved her mouth to Rose’s neck, nipping and sucking the sensitive skin there, smiling, as she heard Rose moan. She moved her mouth to Rose’s lips. “I still know what I’m doing.”
Rose smiled at that. “You always know what you’re doing.”
“Which is why you might as well give in,” Kara said, breathing the words against Rose’s lips. “You know you can’t resist me. And why would you want to?”
“Because you’re overconfident,” Rose teased, “and I’m stubborn.”
“Resist me, then,” Kara whispered, her lips against Rose’s. “I dare you.”
Chill bumps spread across Rose’s skin, as she stared longingly at Kara’s mouth—watching the way the corners of Kara’s thin, pink lips tilted at the edges.
Rose waited for those lips to meet hers, but the kiss never came. Instead, Kara leaned back and grinned at Rose, excitement dancing in her light blue eyes.
Kara slipped into the floor so gracefully that Rose began to wonder if she’d just imagined Kara drinking the blood-wine earlier—because that certainly wasn’t the way an intoxicated person usually moved. She tugged off Rose’s shoes and tossed them aside. Then, she leaned forward, on her knees, and slipped her fingers beneath the waistband of Rose’s pants. She tugged them down slowly, her icy blue eyes sparkling with mischief, as she watched Rose’s skin flush with desire.
“You think you’ve won already,” Rose realized, as she watched Kara.
“Oh, no, my love,” Kara murmured. She finished taking off Rose’s pants and tossed them aside. Then, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against the soft, fair skin of Rose’s ankle. She grinned wickedly. “I know I’ve won already.”
Rose tilted her head back, moaning softly, as she felt the soft warmth of Kara’s lips on her skin. “I could still win,” she laughed. “I could tell you to stop.”
“You could,” Kara said, her light blue eyes shifting up toward Rose, “but you won’t.” When Rose opened her mouth to speak, Kara held up her finger. “I need one more moment to persuade you. If you can still resist me then, you win.”
Rose smiled, amused by the game. “One more moment. Then, I win.”
Kara chuckled and turned her head, pressing another kiss against the side of Rose’s leg. She leaned forward, moving upward, pressing kiss after kiss against Rose’s leg—starting with her ankle and moving toward her inner thigh. A smirk tilted at her lips, as she listened to Rose’s breathless moans, as she watched Rose clutch at the fabric that covered the seat. When she reached the center of Rose’s legs, she rocked backward, staring at Rose with those intensely blue eyes of hers.
When Rose realized that she could no longer feel the warmth of Kara’s lips on her skin, she opened her eyes and looked at Kara, her chest heaving from the intensity of her desire. “What,” she stammered breathlessly. “What’s wrong?”
“You have to say it,” Kara said with a smirk. “You have to admit defeat.”
Rose stared at her in disbelief. Then, slowly, she smiled. “I won’t.”
“Mmmm,” Kara murmured, leaning forward, “you are stubborn. Good thing I’m not finished.” Before Rose could ask what that meant, Kara moved to the left thigh—the one she hadn’t kissed yet—and began to press kiss after kiss against the inside of Rose’s leg, trailing down from the thigh and then back up.
Rose could barely breathe, her chest tight with anticipation, her skin hot with need. She gasped, as Kara nipped and licked at her skin, teasing every inch of her, except for the place that needed it most. She clutched desperately at the couch, her eyes closed, her mouth open. And when Kara began to kiss the inside of Rose’s left thigh, once again—her mouth warm and wet against Rose’s skin—Rose felt the last little bit of her stubbornness slip away, drowning in tidal waves of arousal. “Gosh dang it,” Rose squeaked out, barely able to speak. “You win.”
Kara froze. “Hmm?” she murmured, her lips curving against Rose’s skin.
Rose scowled at her. Or well, she tried to. In reality, she mostly just stared longingly at her, but…close enough. “You,” she growled, her voice louder, “win.”
Kara smiled, and then, she closed that last little bit of space, kissing and licking the remaining skin of Rose’s thigh, until she reached the center of Rose’s legs. She felt Rose gasp against her, as she covered Rose’s clit with her mouth.
Kara slid her arms under Rose’s thighs, gripping the soft flesh of Rose’s ass and pulling her closer to the edge. She felt Rose arch against her, gasping and moaning, clutching the edge of the seat. Kara loved watching the way Rose’s body reacted to pleasure. She loved tasting that pleasure. She loved causing it. She loved the playfulness of the teasing, the primal nature of the sex itself, and most of all, she loved the intimacy of making love to Rose—an intimacy unlike anything she’d ever felt. Sure, she’d felt some intimacy when she was with Alana. She’d felt some intimacy with Hadleigh. And, if she were being honest, a few other woman, too. But it was nothing like this. Nothing like what she felt, now, as she watched Rose’s restraints fall away—as Rose trusted her in a way that Rose never trusted anyone.
And when Rose fell apart, crying out in pleasure, Kara found it beautiful. Kara watched Rose, while her eyes were closed, while she was unaware of Kara’s gaze, and Kara couldn’t help but think that she didn’t want to lose this, that she’d never forgive herself if she screwed it up—this one, lovely thing she’d ever kept.
When Rose opened her eyes, her blood-red gaze fading back to its usual shade of blue, Kara leaned her head against Rose’s thigh, giving her a smug smirk.
Kara then crawled upward, her arms outstretched, holding her weight, as she held herself over Rose. She kissed Rose hungrily—conveying how intensely turned on she felt at the moment, and then, she pulled back just a little, her breath warm against Rose’s lips. “It’s not so bad to lose to me, is it?” Kara said playfully.
“No,” Rose said, her eyes dark with lust, “because you’ll lose to me next.”
Kara’s mouth fell open, a shaky breath escaping her lips. “That look alone is enough to undo me,” she growled. She lay back on the seat, watching as Rose climbed over her. She guided Rose’s hands to the button of her pants. “You win.”
Rose bent forward, her long, auburn hair falling around her face, as she pressed her lips against Kara’s. Kara threaded her fingers in Rose’s hair and held her close, deepening the kiss. After several moments of kissing—of tasting each other’s lips—Rose laughed, “What happened to that competitiveness of yours?�
��
“I won first. That’s all that matters,” Kara said with a wry grin. But then, her eyes darkened. “And after watching you, well, it’s the last thing on my mind.”
Rose blushed and lowered her head, kissing the smooth skin of Kara’s stomach. Kara gasped, her fingers sinking deeper in Rose’s hair. She spread her legs, giving Rose room between her thighs, showing her exactly what she needed.
Kara twisted and pulled at Rose’s hair, pulling her face to the place that ached most for her. Rose happily obliged, kissing her there, even though her lips met only the coolness of Kara’s leather pants. Kara tilted her head back, groaning softly, longing for more, longing to feel the warmth of Rose’s mouth at her center.
She lifted her hips, helping Rose tug the pants off of her legs, and then, she made eye-contact with Rose, her usually light blue eyes now dark with lust. “Please,” she said, her voice low and seductive, “please, baby. Make me come.”
Rose stared up at her with wide, bright blue eyes—eyes that flashed red, as the emotions rose up inside her. The feverish heat that poured throughout her body at Kara’s request made her shiver, as if she had a real fever, and she knew—just from that sly twitch of Kara’s lips—that Kara knew exactly what she’d done.
Rose licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. She couldn’t have resisted the desire pouring through her, in that moment—even if Kara hadn’t made such an…inviting plea. But now, she wanted nothing more than to taste Kara’s desire, to satisfy her desperation. She inched forward, kneeling between Kara’s thighs.
Kara’s chest rose and fell quickly, desire burning hotter and hotter in her light blue eyes. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around Rose’s shoulders.
Then, as Rose’s tongue swept against her clit, Kara arched backward, her hips lifting to meet Rose’s mouth. Kara closed her eyes, growling, “Oh, f-f-f…”
Both of Kara’s hands curled around Rose’s head, her fingers pulling and clutching at Rose’s hair. She shuddered, as Rose moaned against her, all sensation focused on one very sensitive part of her body. Her ankles were crossed against Rose’s back, holding Rose close, and that seemed to make Rose hungrier, to make her lick faster. Kara’s body trembled, as her pleasure climbed higher and higher.
The Reign of Darkness Page 32
