The Trouble With Curses

by Anara Bella

  The kiss was soft, warm and coaxing and yet still managed to be insistent, enticing and exciting. And when his tongue sought entrance to her mouth, she simply opened and took him in.

  This wasn’t the kind of communicating they needed to do, but on another level, it actually was. This was where they really connected. This thing between them transcended their differences. It didn’t matter that she was a vampire and he was the slayer. It didn’t matter that he was duty-bound to kill her, and she, predisposed to fear him. They had this.

  With a huge sigh of surrender, she melted into his embrace and kicked the kiss up a notch, tasting him, absorbing him in every way she possibly could.

  His sprinting heart pounded against her chest, a sure sign he was as into the kiss as she was. And that wasn’t the only sign. His already noticeable erection pressed against her belly, letting her know a kiss wasn’t enough for him anymore than it was for her. She wanted all of him. To feel him hot and hard against her naked flesh, thrusting into her wet heat, pounding into her, taking her to a place where their differences didn’t matter. Where nothing mattered but them and what they were feeling.

  But, however much she didn’t want it to, a tiny germ of reality intruded on her desires. In this realm they did need to communicate verbally, so with great reluctance she pushed against him, forcing some distance between them. “Rafe, this isn’t going to solve anything.”

  He nibbled on her ear and she bit her lip to keep herself from sighing out loud. How was she supposed to concentrate on anything with him distracting her like this?

  His onslaught continued as he moved lower, nipping her neck, sending shivers skittering down her spine in the most delicious way.

  “I think it just might solve everything.”

  “That’s your dick talking.” And maybe her own hormones.

  His low, sexy laugh told her better than words she was right and he wasn’t the least concerned that she knew it. “It probably is, but right now, I don’t care.”

  In one movement, he adeptly pushed aside the fabric of her halter top and to her complete bliss, took her breast into his mouth. There was no way she could stop the moan that escaped her lips.

  Who was she kidding? She didn’t want to talk right now. All she wanted was more of this. Right here, right now.

  She held his head to her, not wanting him to stop the ecstasy he gave her. His deep, meaningful chuckle told her he knew exactly what she was feeling, that she had already given in.

  He was right of course, damn him. His overconfident attitude should have made her angry, bringing her to her senses, but it was pointless. She was already beyond that. Somehow with Rafe, it always went this way. From the moment she’d met him, no matter how hard she fought his charm, or how much he irritated her, it didn’t matter. And right now, there wasn’t any real fight left in her.

  She, Selena Tremayne, was a masochist.

  Who knew?

  Rafe sensed Selena’s capitulation the instant it happened and he was beyond thankful for it. Everything hinged on her accepting what was between them, on giving it a chance. That she’d taken this first step was a gift and an opportunity. One he wouldn’t waste.

  Rafe picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. He was on a mission—to show her just how special she was. Just how much he cherished her.

  The prophecy said she would change him and his life in some meaningful way, and in some ways she already had. Like with their newly found special connection, and if he could trust the visions, it wouldn’t just be his life that was altered.

  He knew he was being presumptuous. They still needed to talk and work things out, but with this burgeoning physical and mental connection between them, surely it wasn’t possible for things not to work out.

  Gently laying her on the multi-colored comforter, he paused to admire how beautiful she was. Black hair fanned out around her like a halo, ivory skin downy soft, inviting green eyes so striking it almost hurt to gaze into their depths. He would never tire of looking at her. He just hoped she’d give him the chance to prove it.

  He slowly removed her top, appreciatively taking in the peaked nipples just begging for his kiss. Leaning forward on one knee, he answered their silent plea, nipping one turgid tip before fully taking it into his mouth and savoring its salty sweetness.

  At her gasp, he grinned, loving her uninhibited response, the way she strained toward his mouth. How could he not love the fact that she still responded to him even though they had so much unresolved conflict between them? It increased his confidence they’d be able to work things out.

  That and the fact that deep in his soul he felt her tender heart. Actually felt her acquiescence.

  It was a strange thing, this bond between them. It was so new, barely there really, and yet already so strong in some ways. He hadn’t even consciously realized it was there until tonight, but it had pulled him to her as surely as the tides pull the ocean. And with just as much force.

  It had nothing to do with how long they’d known each other, or even how well, but their connection went deeper than anything he could ever have imagined. It was unique, special, probably mystical. The word magical had come to him earlier. Silly, sentimental claptrap of the variety his sister would have glommed onto. It wasn’t normally his way at all, but how else could he explain it?

  He had no idea how he was going to manage it, but he’d convince Selena that what they had was special if it was the last thing he did. He knew now he could never have killed her any more than she could ever kill him, or anyone else.

  But proving it to her was another thing entirely. He figured a good place to start was to show her just how precious she was to him.

  With regret, he stopped kissing her nipples. Her breasts were so luscious he could kiss them all night, but he had other things on his mind now. And in order to accomplish those things he had to remove the rest of her clothing, which he did with alacrity. In one smooth movement, her jeans and thong were discarded.

  With the rest of her silky-smooth skin revealed, he trailed kisses down her belly, tarrying for a moment at her cute little navel before moving down to his real target.

  He could sense her holding her breath as he gently ran his hands up the insides of her thighs. Her skin was so incredibly soft here. Like silk and satin at the same time, but better because it was her.

  When he kissed her, barely an inch away from her hot, wet pussy, all the breath she’d been holding whooshed out of her lungs in a low moan. He glanced up. “You like that?”

  She squirmed and her head tossed from side to side.

  “Is that a no?”

  She grabbed his head, trying to make him go back to what he was doing. “Why are you talking? Don’t you have something better to do with your mouth?”

  The laugh ripped out of him. He couldn’t help it. “I suppose I do.”

  And with that, he spread her thighs wide and feasted on her hot flesh.

  Selena thought she’d go mad with anticipation. She desperately needed his mouth on her. Craved what his wicked tongue could do to her. Hungered for his fiery touch. Burned to have him inside her.

  Only Rafe could do this to her. Make her lose her mind with desire and lose all sense of self-preservation.

  Only Rafe could get past all her defenses.

  Only Rafe.

  When his talented mouth finally closed over her clit, she almost exploded. But she wanted more than just immediate satisfaction. She wanted him right there with her, inside her, filling her to completion. To be one with him, even if only physically, and for a brief time. And she wanted it now. He wanted it too, she could feel it.

  However, Rafe had other ideas. Ideas that were quickly driving her out of her mind.

  She was moaning like a lunatic, and thrashing around as much as his firm hold would allow. Lights exploded behind her eyes and before she could fully appreciate that knife-edge thrill of near ecstasy, she came. Long and hard, almost screaming herself hoarse.

  Only Rafe cou
ld do this to her. Only with Rafe could she let herself go so utterly and completely.

  Before that thought could drift away, Rafe shucked his clothes, giving her a glorious view of his fully engorged cock. She reached for him, wanting to feel the silky-steel length of him in her hands. But his idea was way better than hers and all she could do was moan once more in complete agreement as he buried himself deep inside her with a powerful thrust.

  This was what she wanted, and she met him thrust for thrust as he plunged himself deeper and deeper inside her. So deep she swore she could feel him everywhere, inside and out, throughout her very being. In her body, in her mind, in her soul.

  They were one in every way possible. Two beings drawn together against all odds. She clung to him, relishing the comforting feel of his skin beneath her fingers, the way it somehow anchored her at a time when she felt so adrift. Relished that they were together like this when such a short time before she’d thought never to feel this way again.

  Rafe shifted position so his thrusts gave her clit extra friction. She could already feel another explosive orgasm building and she hung on for dear life. “Oh my God, you’re going to kill me.”

  “I’ll be right there with you.”

  Throwing her legs over his shoulders, he plunged deeper still. She could feel his balls slapping against her, feel the friction of his flesh against hers, and savored the erotic sensation.

  Something niggled at the back of her mind. She knew it was important, but in the moment it slipped away unheeded. Her mind was preoccupied with more urgent things. She was once again teetering on that precarious knife-edge, not wanting the feeling to slip away, but also knowing it would be over too soon.

  Too soon, because it would never be enough. She would never get enough of Rafe, and she knew it. That thought terrified her, but that thought too slipped away as she once more skyrocketed into a mind-blowing orgasm.

  As if from far away, she heard Rafe’s shout as he came with her in a great, powerful final thrust.

  In the aftermath, the only sound in the room was their combined heavy breathing as they both came down from their shared ecstasy. “I think you blew the top of my head off.”

  Rafe, who had collapsed on top of her, chuckled and lifted his head. “Well then, it’s in the same place as the head of my cock. Hopefully they’ll both find their way back to us.”

  The absurdity of his comment got her giggling, and the more she giggled, the more she couldn’t stop. The tension of the past few days took its toll and released itself in the worst fit of the giggles she’d ever had in her life.

  She laughed and laughed, and then laughed some more to the point where her sides hurt. And the purely self-satisfied expression on Rafe’s face just made her laugh more.

  Able to stop at last, she took a deep breath, held it and let it out slowly. “What are you looking so smug about?”

  “I told you sex would solve everything.”

  She smacked him on the shoulder. “Get off me. It hasn’t solved a damn thing.”

  “Sure it has. You’re not mad at me anymore and I’d say we’re both in a much more relaxed frame of mind to talk.” He gave her a devastatingly sweet kiss. “Now as soon as you admit that, I’ll get up and we can have that talk.”

  A part of her didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of agreeing with him, but since he’d just given her not one, but two awesome orgasms she decided to cut him some slack. “Okay, fine. Now get off.”

  He gave her another kiss and chuckling, rolled over and propped his head on one elbow.

  His hair was all mussed in that super-sexy way it tended to go, a fine sheen of sweat covered his body, his muscles rippled in all their glory. How the hell could she stay mad at him? Especially when his free hand was caressing her hip in the most tantalizing fashion. “Well, say something. You’re the one who wanted to talk.”

  “Mmmhmm. I’m just savoring the moment.”

  “No you’re not. I already recognize that twinkle in your eyes. You’re plotting something.”

  He laughed. “Can I help it if the sight of your gorgeous naked body makes me want to ravish you all over again?”

  What could she say? The sight of his gorgeous naked body made her want to ravish him too. She sighed at her lack of restraint and then giggled. “Okay, you’re forgiven.”

  Selena couldn’t believe they were joking around like this. They still had so much unresolved between them and yet she felt as if they’d known each other forever, or in another lifetime. It didn’t make sense. They should be mortal enemies and yet, they were so comfortable with each other. So in tune. She felt as if she knew what he was thinking, feeling. How it was possible, she didn’t know. “Since you’re not inclined to start talking, I will. Why are you here? Why did you come and get me?”

  “I told you, to talk.”

  “That’s not what I mean. Neither of us can deny the attraction between us, but we have no future. How can we have a future? I’m a vampire and you’re the slayer. That’s not going to change. Ever. So, why are you here?”

  He watched her somberly, and his hand left its exploration of her hip to reach up and tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m here because there’s nowhere else I want to be, that I can be. We’re meant to be, you and I. I don’t know what all that entails in the long run, but for now, it’s enough.”

  “You’re talking about that stupid prophecy again, aren’t you?”

  “I still don’t know everything the prophecy means. For us, or for others. But the Crystals only showed me the way after the fact. I’d already found you on my own. I was drawn to you from the first instant I saw you, and from that moment on couldn’t get you out of my head. I knew we were meant for each other. That we were meant to be together. Something deep in my very soul came to life in that moment. I can’t explain it.”

  “Until you found out I was a vampire, then all the hearts and flowers stuff flew by the wayside in a big hurry. I won’t forget you tried to kill me anytime soon.”

  “The operative word is tried. I tried and failed because there’s no way I could bring myself to do it, even if you’d tried to kill me first.”

  Selena felt tears behind her eyes and fought them back. “I could never kill you. Well, I could never kill anyone, but I especially would never be able to kill you. Even if you really ticked me off.”

  “Good thing since I seem to do it with frightening regularity.”

  “Yeah well, that’s because you get under my skin. You always have, from the moment I first heard your voice I had to fight the urge to jump your bones. That scared the shit out of me.”

  “You hid it well. I was worried I’d never be able to get past your defenses. You were so prickly.”

  She shrugged. “I’ve never found it easy to trust people, but what Ambrose did changed me, even beyond the obvious change of turning me into a vampire. I guess the expression, once bitten, twice shy has special meaning for me. I trusted him and he broke that trust in the most horrific way. He killed me, but he didn’t even have the decency to make it permanent. Instead, he condemned me to a life that isn’t a life at all. It shut me off from others because most wouldn’t understand what I am. I felt isolated and alone with no way out.”

  “Is that why you were in that bar that first night we met? To meet someone?”

  Selena laughed. “Anne talked me into it. I didn’t want to go, but she’d convinced me I needed to get out and get laid so I pushed myself to make the effort.”

  “I came along in the nick of time then, didn’t I?”

  She smacked his shoulder. “You weren’t what I was looking for.”

  “Ouch, that hurts.” And she knew he didn’t mean in the physical sense.

  “You had too much control over me and my reactions from the beginning and that terrified me. I’d convinced myself I could never let another man have as much control over me as Ambrose had. Look where it got me.”

  Rafe nodded. “That makes sense. A quick fling, you
stay in control, purge some excess sexual energy.”

  She playfully punched his arm. “Yeah, deep down, I knew there was nothing quick about you.”

  “I don’t know. That last go-round went pretty fast. Much faster than I’d anticipated.”

  “You didn’t hear any complaints from me, did you? I couldn’t have waited a second longer.”

  “Neither could I. In fact, I’m ready for round two if you are.”

  She laughed. “Is that all you can think about?”

  “With you lying naked in front of me? Yes.”

  “Good.” She reached out and laid her hand on his face. “Who would have thought being cursed could ever bring anything good into my life.”

  Rafe nipped the tips of her fingers. “That’s the trouble with curses, they lock down your fate and define who you are.”

  Selena ran her hand along his chest and trailed her fingers down over his already engorged cock, enjoying how it leapt at her touch. “They don’t completely lock in your fate. I thought I’d never have this kind of closeness again. Never have someone like you in my life because of what I am.”

  Rafe chuckled. “I kind of like who you are.” She pulled his short hairs and he winced. “Okay, okay. I get it. If it wasn’t for curses we would never have met and we wouldn’t be here together like this right now.”

  Selena nodded and fought back unexpected tears just at the thought of her life without Rafe in it. She was so lucky. Thank God she’d finally figured out she didn’t have to keep running away from love in fear.

  They still had things to work out, but she didn’t doubt they would. How could they not? They were so in tune with each other already and if they could get past the slayer-vampire thing, they could figure anything out. “I know. We’re truly blessed.”

  Rafe ran his fingers up along her spine and speared them into her long fall of hair, cradling her head and tilting it up to look at him. “Blessed beyond measure.”

  She nodded and he captured her mouth in a searing kiss that proclaimed more loudly than words ever could that she was his.

  There was nothing more she could ask for. Nothing more she wanted. It was enough.