by I. T. Lucas
She shifted in her seat. “I heard talk about a club named The Basement. Personally, I’ve never been there, nor did anyone I know. It’s way, way… out of my league, or yours… Only the rich and famous go there, it’s not for regular folks like us.” She snorted derisively, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Why would you assume it’s out of my league?” Dalhu had taken offense at being bundled in the same category as her. She might be regular people, but there was nothing regular about him. He was one of the finest male specimens of a superior race; the progeny of gods. He wished he could show her. And maybe later he would, just to see her reaction before erasing it from her memory.
“No offense, honey, you’re gorgeous… But your Levis and Nikes don’t peg you as a potential customer for The Basement. These people wear thousand dollar jeans and designer watches that cost more than a new luxury car, not the imitation crap you’re flashing.” She snorted again, waving a dismissive hand at his Rolex.
“And anyway, you need an invitation from an insider or a lot of grease money to get in. And I mean; a lot of money,” she emphasized.
“I guess you’re right, it sounds like it really is out of my league. Thanks for the info.” He let his lips curve in a tight smile.
“No problem… sorry I wasn’t much help. It’s just that the clubs I go to aren’t fancy, they are for regular people. I could ask around tomorrow, maybe there are some nice clubs that are not that snooty.” She pushed up from her seat, hesitating for a spell. “Would you still wait for me? Closing time is only like half an hour away…” Waiting for his answer, she held her breath.
“Sure will, sweetheart…” He winked at her. She was pretty enough, and a free fuck was a free fuck. He was in no hurry.
Watching his little waitress cleaning tables and stacking chairs, he made his plan for the next day. He’d need to go shopping for the type of designer apparel she described and make a bunch of phone calls to see which of his contacts could get him into that club.
Having drug lords and arms dealers as business associates had its fringe benefits. They were exactly the type of people who would value the glamorous scene of a club frequented by the rich and famous.
After all, they happened to be some of the richest people around.
Dalhu grinned, feeling he was on the right track. He shifted to readjust himself again. His damned erection wasn’t showing any intentions of letting off, throbbing painfully in the confinement of his jeans. The thing was, he wasn’t sure if his hard on was for the waitress, or for his prey. Though, in truth, he had fucked a lot of pretty girls before, but he had never been as close to his coveted prize as he was now.
A little after three in the morning, the girl took her purse, waved the bartender goodnight, and walked out the door. Dalhu, the only remaining customer, pushed out from his seat and followed her out.
As soon as the doors closed behind them, he had her in his arms, kissing her hard. She moaned and clung to his shoulders as he picked her up and carried her to the alley behind the pub.
Finding a dark recess, Dalhu shoved her against the cold stone, and holding her up with a hand under her ass, pinned her to the wall with his body. Kissing her and licking his way into her mouth, he reached down the top of her flimsy blouse. One at a time, he pulled her breasts out of her bra cups and above the neckline. With both plump globes exposed and pushed up, he took a moment to admire the creamy white flesh, topped by lovely large nipples that were just begging to be sucked. Happy to oblige, he dipped his head, and taking one erect little nub between his lips, lashed it with his tongue.
Panting, the girl closed her eyes and let her head loll back, hitting the wall behind her.
As he feasted, Dalhu groaned in pleasure, sucking, licking and nipping, making sure to give each sweet nipple equal attention. Until it became too much and she pushed at his head. With one last soothing lick to each of the sensitive peaks, he lifted his head to gaze at her pleasure-suffused face. Smug, he then turned to kiss and lick the column of her throat.
She moaned, and her arms slid around his neck, pulling him closer.
He reached under her skirt and pushed her little thong aside, then gently circled her wet folds with his fingers. She almost came when he slid two of them inside, her inner muscles clamping and rippling around his invading digits.
Dalhu stilled, holding her impaled, but not moving them inside her. “Not yet, sweetheart, you’ll wait for me,” he whispered into her ear, nipping the soft lobe for emphasis.
“Ouch!” she complained, but her sheath stopped spasming. Then as Dalhu pulled out his fingers to free his shaft, she began writhing against him and closed her eyes in breathless anticipation.
He ripped off her thong and shoved himself inside her with a grunt.
She froze. “Condom! You forgot the condom!” The accusation came out in a loud shrill.
Dalhu froze as soon as she did, but he was actually relieved when she shrieked her accusation, realizing it wasn’t pain that caused her alarm.
Looking into her eyes, he released a little thrall, just enough for her to believe that he had taken the necessary precaution. He wanted to keep her lucid for as long as he could.
She relaxed, but her sudden fear had dried out her channel, making it painful for him to move. He forced himself to stay still and take his time kissing her and gently fondling her breasts until she was ready for him again.
Starting with easy shallow thrusts, he stoked her fire, building it up before letting loose and fucking her with wild abandon.
As she neared her climax again, he grabbed her hair and tilted her head to the side, exposing the expanse of her creamy white neck. Licking and kissing the soft skin, he waited for her to reach her peak so he could sink his fangs into her neck while she came. But she was taking too long, and the damned things were throbbing painfully, dripping venom into his mouth and down her neck. He couldn’t wait any longer.
With a loud hiss, he struck hard.
As she felt the sharp pain of his fangs slicing through her skin, she gasped and tried to push him off. But it was as effective as shoving at a wall.
Dalhu held her head in an iron grip, keeping it completely immobilized to prevent her from tearing her throat on his embedded fangs.
It took only a few seconds for the venom to do its thing, but it was long enough for the girl to emit the acrid scents of fear and pain.
Fuck! He hated when that happened, cursing himself for forgetting to thrall her before biting her.
Now, it wasn’t needed anymore.
As the venom triggered her orgasm, the girl began convulsing around him, and the rippling and squeezing of her tight passage triggered his own happy ending. But the intensity of his climax was diminished by his anger.
Pulling out, he let her down gently, smoothed down her short skirt, and rearranged her breasts inside her bra and blouse.
The lingering euphoria kept her docile and weak. If not for his hand holding her up, she would’ve crumpled to the alley’s floor like a rag doll.
“Look at me,” he commanded, curling a finger under her chin and tilting her head up so she was forced to look into his eyes. Very carefully, Dalhu sifted through her most recent memories, changing and erasing only the small portion needed to protect his identity and the memory of the bite. Fortunately for her, he was old enough and experienced enough not to do the hatchet job a younger immortal would have done.
Still, the girl looked dazed.
He had to make sure she arrived home safely.
There was no way he was just going to leave her in her dazed and confused state alone in the dark alley. A woman alone in the middle of the night was vulnerable, even with all her faculties intact.
If anything should happen to her, someone might remember him leaving the pub with her. And that wouldn’t be good.
Glancing at her parted lips, Dalhu suddenly felt a need for one last taste and dipped his head to kiss her. He had forgotten how damn good it felt to have a woman beca
use she wanted him, and not because he paid her to pretend she did… “I’ll walk you to your car.” He wrapped his arm around the girl’s waist and led her toward the pub’s parking lot.
Holding her tightly against his side, as they crossed the short distance to her car, Dalhu wanted to feel contempt for her, and to some extent he did. She was a slut—offering herself like this to a complete stranger.
He was taught to believe that decent women were only supposed to service their husbands, with prostitution being a necessary evil that was tolerated only for the sake of single men like him.
Except, he found he couldn’t harbor negative feelings for the fragile and vulnerable girl leaning on him for support.
She fumbled with her key, having a hard time inserting it into the handle of her old, beat-up car. He took them from her, helped her get in, and buckled her seatbelt around her, then dipped his head and kissed her swollen lips for the last time.
“Wait until you feel okay to drive,” he said before closing her door.
Walking over to the only other car still parked next to the pub, Dalhu folded his six-foot-seven-inch frame into the driver seat of his rented Mercedes. The luxury car engaged automatically, but he didn’t drive off, waiting for the girl to exit the parking lot first.
She wasn’t safe yet. Some scumbag might be lurking in the shadows, just waiting for Dalhu to leave her unprotected.
He hated this kind of worms.
It was ironic really; on a battlefield, he was a cold-blooded killer but wouldn’t let harm come to a female if he could help it. Only cowards and scum preyed on women and girls, and when facing someone like him, the same maggots who relished the power of abusing the weak and defenseless would cower and piss themselves.
They didn’t deserve to live.
Tightening his hands on the steering wheel, he felt the familiar rage rising and wished like hell for one of the worms to show himself so he could kill the bastard. His eyes glowing with his seething anger, he scanned the area for any signs of a potential perpetrator, letting his senses spread out over everything in his surroundings. But besides the two cars idling in the parking lot, the place was deserted.
Fuck. Now he was stuck with his rage engaged and no one to take it out on.
A few minutes later, the girl finally pulled out into the street and drove away. As her car disappeared around the curve and he shifted the transmission to drive, Dalhu realized he hadn’t even asked her for her name.
CHAPTER 17: KIAN
“Kian! Are you even listening?” Onegus asked.
The morning meeting had been going on for some time, but Kian was barely paying attention to Onegus or any of the other Guardians present.
Ever since waking up before sunrise and reluctantly extracting himself from Syssi’s warm embrace, he’d been preoccupied with thoughts of her.
Despite the mountain of work he’d planned to catch up on before the meeting, he’d spent most of the time leaning back in his chair and ignoring the stuff on his desk.
He found himself grinning like a fool, recalling pieces of their conversations—her smiles, the desire in her eyes, the way she responded to him. The sexy sounds she made. But most of all, he cherished the way she would on occasion look at him adoringly, as if he was the most wonderful man in the world. And in those moments, he could almost believe it.
She made him happy.
He loved her.
And imagining life without her was unbearable.
Kian’s smile wilted, and as a tidal wave of emotions swept over him, grabbing at his heart and squeezing, hard, he clutched at his chest—the hoping, the wishing…imploring the fates and the gods and whoever else might heed his plea…
She had to turn. He’d go insane if she didn’t.
Then it hit him.
If he waited until after her transition to tell her he loved her, she would always doubt his sincerity. Becoming the most valuable asset to him and his clan, she’d believe he would do and say just about anything to keep her—regardless of his true feelings.
He needed to tell her now. Even if it meant more pain down the road if she didn’t turn. Syssi deserved to hear him say it, out loud. His love not just implied but voiced clearly and emphatically.
Decided, Kian felt almost giddy with anticipation. He’ll tell her tonight at dinner; the exclusive restaurant providing the perfect romantic setting. And what’s more… he’d get to say it out of bed. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he said the words in the throes of passion without giving it real thought.
If he was to proclaim his love, he wanted to do it right, without leaving even a shred of doubt in Syssi’s mind as to how deep and encompassing his love for her was.
“Kian?” Onegus snapped his fingers in front of Kian’s face.
“Sorry, could you repeat what you’ve said? My mind was elsewhere.”
“Was it by any chance preoccupied with a certain young lady? The one peeking at you from behind the glass doors?”
Kian looked up, and there she was, his sweet Syssi. Standing outside the conference room’s closed doors, smiling at him and doing the little wave thing with her hand.
“Please excuse me for a moment. I’ll be right back.” Kian pushed out of his chair and in long, urgent strides hurried toward his love.
CHAPTER 18: SYSSI
Unnerved by Kian’s intense gaze and stalking stride, Syssi took a step back. Was it a mistake to come here uninvited and intrude on his meeting? Was he angry with her?
She just wanted to see him and say goodbye before leaving for her shopping trip with Amanda.
But then, as soon as the French doors closed behind him, he lifted her in his arms and kissed the living daylights out of her.
Lost in the passionate kiss, she closed her eyes until the sounds of catcalls percolating through the closed doors reminded her they had an audience.
Kian was kissing her in clear view of everyone in the conference room—as if staking his claim in a public declaration of ownership.
Her embarrassment cooling some of her fervor, Syssi pushed ineffectually at the solid wall of his chest.
Growling at her in warning, he tightened the grip on her nape and deepened his kiss.
Their audience forgotten, Syssi felt like any moment now Kian would tear off her clothes and have his wicked way with her right there on the floor. But instead of alarm, the thought sent delicious shivers of desire through her, and she clung to him, moaning into his mouth.
Kian broke the kiss only when their oxygen ran out; he then turned to look at the Guardians’ smirking faces behind the glass doors, giving them a look that sent a clear message.
This is my woman!
Holding Syssi in his arms, he took two steps to the right and out of the Guardians’ line of sight. With a big grin on his beautiful face, he pressed her against the wall next to the doors.
Syssi giggled. Kian looked kind of conceited—like a warrior returning victorious from battle and claiming his reward by ravishing his woman.
Heck, yeah, he is welcome to ravish me anytime.
Wrapping her legs around him, she clung to him, and holding on like a monkey, peppered his neck and his chin with urgent kisses before attacking his lips.
With his hands freed from holding her up, Kian brought his palm to her cheek, caressing it tenderly until she relinquished his mouth to look into his eyes.
They were glowing, and the ferocity she saw in them would’ve been scary if not for his tender caress.
“You’re mine,” he growled, a shadow of trepidation crossing his eyes.
Did he think she would object? Wasn’t it obvious?
Then it dawned on her. The sweet man wasn’t sure and needed to hear her acquiesce.
Pulling her courage around her, Syssi gave him what he seemed so desperate for. “I’m yours,” she whispered, her voice shaky with her own fear of baring her soul. “But are you mine, Kian?”
“Body and soul, my love.” Kian’s eyes shone with tender em
otion, their fierceness softened by his feelings.
“What are you saying?” Syssi whispered, her throat tight as she struggled to hold back the emotional storm threatening to erupt.
“I’m saying that I love you, my sweet Syssi.” He sighed. “I had it all planned… wanted to tell you tonight over a romantic dinner… But instead, I had to blurt it out here, in the drab corridor of our basement, with you pushed against the wall. I’m such a fucking moron.” He dipped his head and touched his forehead to hers.
“I will not allow you to talk this way about the man I love. You hear me?” Syssi pretended to scold him while her heart was overflowing with feeling. Stroking his silky hair with both hands, she waited until he chuckled softly.
“I don’t need romantic gestures, Kian, or fancy dinners to charm me into loving you.” She cupped his cheeks with her palms and pulled his head up so he could see the truth in her eyes. “Those are nice, and I appreciate the thought and the effort, but I don’t need them. This… raw and true, in its naked, unadorned essence… this feels right. Something perfectly timed and staged, but lacking in ferocity just can’t compare. I love that you feel so strongly about me that you couldn’t hold it inside for a moment longer. You couldn’t have done it better if you’ve tried.”
Kian smiled— his whole face brightening. “You must truly love me to think so.” He shook his head in disbelief.
“You really love me…” he repeated in a whisper.
Didn’t he know? Or was he just happy to hear her say it?
“Of course I love you, silly boy. Didn’t I show you? Couldn’t you tell?”
“Yes, but I had to be sure. Under this guise of confidence, I’m just as insecure as the next guy.” He chuckled, pretending to exhale a relieved breath and wipe some imaginary sweat from his forehead.
“I love you… I love you… I love you…” Syssi laughed, planting sloppy kisses all over his face between one I-love-you and the next. “Now let me go before Amanda blows a gasket. She’s been waiting in the limo this whole time. We can continue later over that romantic dinner you promised me…”
