by L. Rosario
"It tasted just fine.” He reached for her and licked the marks. “Better than fine, but I have the rest of forever to bite you whenever I want to. I'll drink my fill later, after you've had yours."
"Oh...” A sudden swell of emotion clogged her throat. Tears burned her eyes, and she ducked her head to hide them.
"Hey.” Valentino pulled her down and snuggled her against his side. “You're supposed to be happy, unless the thought of spending eternity with me terrifies you."
Sera shook her head, burying her nose in the scent of his skin. “No. I can't imagine what I'd do without you.” Nor did she wish to think about it.
"You'd go back to hating sex,” he teased.
Sera swatted him, and he hugged her tighter, drowning out the sound of his chuckle in her hair. “Just tell me one more thing,” she said after he finally calmed down. “Tell me the master granted us permission to leave."
"As a matter of fact, the master insists that we do."
She worked free of his embrace and levered up to look at him. “Why?"
"He likes to do things the old fashioned way, I think. Synthetic blood isn't his style, and maybe he's afraid we'll influence some of the others."
"So, we're being kicked out?” Once again, she was being labeled a freak among her own kind. Lovely.
But this time, I'm not alone.
"Yeah, we can be freaks together,” Valentino commented.
Sera stared hard at his face. “Why did you just say that?"
He looked confused. “Say what?"
"About being freaks together?"
"Because it's what you were thinking about."
Oh no. “You can read my mind?"
"You can't read mine?” His surprise was all the answer she needed.
Sera pulled her knees to her chest and dropped her forehead down. “Why don't I have any neat talents?” Even the ability to turn into an icky bat would be nice.
Valentino chuckled and walked his fingers up her spine. “You have a few."
She peered back at him. “Name one."
His eyes darkened, and he shoved the comforter down past his waist to expose the erection tenting the front of his pants. “You have the talent to make that happen, anytime, anywhere."
Heat crept into Sera's face. “That is not a talent.” Or was it?
"Oh, yes it is, believe me.” While she stared, he eased his pants past his hips. “Close your mouth, and come here.” He grabbed her and pulled her down next to him. Rolling on top of her, he brushed kisses across her face. His hair drifted into her eyes, but she didn't care. Down below, he nestled hard and heavy against her opening.
"Want to do it again?” He asked the question between wet kisses. There was no denying that he was ready and willing.
Sera squirmed and fought down her rising desire. “We can't have sex twenty-four hours a day for the rest of eternity, Valentino.” Despite her words, she gripped his back and spread her legs. He slid inside, and she arched up with a sigh.
"Why not?” He pressed his mouth to her neck, and she felt the tips of his fangs.
Yeah, why not, indeed?
Epilogue
San Francisco...
"I have something for you."
Sera looked toward the door as Valentino strolled into the apartment. A quick glance at the clock showed her he was home early. Always a good thing. It meant more time in bed before dawn claimed them.
With a smile on his face, he shrugged out of his leather jacket and tossed it and his keys on a nearby table. Tonight he was dressed in tight, black leather pants that were cut low around his hips and a see-thru black tee. The outfit left little to the imagination.
Sera's mouth watered at the sight, and she forgot all about the book she'd been reading. One would think she'd be used to such a display by now.
For the past six months, Valentino had been running the new Captive Fantasy. Instead of offering state of the art sex, it was now just a simple male strip club. If such an establishment could be called “simple.” Most of the guys Dr. Reynolds had created had stayed on, and Raphael was now the co-owner. Several additional strippers had been hired off the streets because Valentino had wanted diversity. Whatever he was doing over there, it worked, because there was always a line out the door every night.
Sera had never stepped foot inside, but Becca—now a waitress at the club and determined to be Raphael's girlfriend—told her more than she needed to know almost every evening on the phone. Supposedly the women were gorgeous, horny, and full of money. Yippee.
When Valentino had mentioned Dr. Reynolds abandoning the club and returning to Russia, Sera had made her opinion perfectly clear. He could own the place, but he couldn't work there. Sometimes he tended bar, hence the drool worthy outfit tonight, but he didn't go near the stage. She didn't need Becca filling her ear with stories of how much money got stuffed in his g-string. No thank you.
He walked into the living room and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Miss me?"
"You smell like cigarettes and easy women.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste and set her book aside.
Straightening, he tucked his hair behind his ear, smiled and then pulled a box out from behind his back. “I'll shower after you open this."
Sera took the plain white box and pulled at the black ribbon. Valentino slid onto the couch next to her and propped a booted foot on his knee. Stretching his arm out behind her, he snagged the ribbon out of the air. She glanced at him while opening the lid. “What is it?"
He trailed the long ribbon over her shoulder. “Just open it. It won't bite."
"It's not my birthday."
He rolled his eyes and pushed the box toward her. “Open it."
Looking into the box, she frowned then reached inside the blood red tissue paper. She pulled out a large coffee mug and spun it in her hands to read the words “Got Blood?” They were written in drippy red, and the mug was black. Cute.
Valentino flicked the ribbon to gain her attention. “I thought it could replace the other one you use all the time. I've never enjoyed the saying, to be honest."
Sera didn't know what to say. As far as gifts went ... well, it wasn't exactly a diamond ring, but she couldn't blame him for not liking the “my ex-boyfriend is a vampire” mug. She'd gladly toss it and all memories of Constantine out in this week's trash.
Setting the box aside but keeping the mug on her lap, she leaned over to kiss him. “Thank you,” she said against his lips.
He smiled and then pulled away. “I have one more thing to give you.” His eyes sparkled.
"I think you've given me enough for one night."
He cupped her face, and his expression grew frightfully serious. “I love you."
Sera dropped the mug. It bounced over her knee and onto the soft carpet with a dull thud. Gasping, she whipped around to make sure it hadn't broken. Suddenly the mug was her favorite thing in the world, because every time she looked at it she'd remember this moment.
"Hey,” Valentino said.
She looked over her shoulder and memorized the look on his face, the fall of hair over his eyes, the slant of his lips ... everything that made him, Valentino. Was it possible for her heart to just burst? “I love you too.” For some reason, she felt like crying.
Valentino reached for the mug. The brush of his body sent the threat of tears into hiding, making her want to crawl onto his lap and thank him properly and thoroughly. A soft chuckle let her know he'd read her mind.
He set the mug in her lap and kissed her cheek. “Now, I'll go get a shower.” But he didn't leave. Instead, he moved his mouth to her ear. “And when I'm all clean,” he purred like only he could. “I expect you to lick your way to my mouth."
Sera caught her breath and gripped the mug. “Starting where?"
"That's for you to decide, baby."
* * *
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L. Rosario, Captive Fantasy
