“Very well. Someone spotted Charles headed that direction earlier tonight.”
William smiled, hoping it didn’t look as forced as it felt. “Yes. I’m actually meeting him. We are working out the servant situation with one of the farms in the valley. Shouldn’t take long.”
“Good. He’ll need more servants if he wants to entertain.”
“Of course,” William said and squeezed the horses’ reins. He rode away without looking back at the ancient vampire, but his back prickled like someone spied on him.
Once out of town, he urged the stallion into a gallop. Isabel’s scent was lost among that of trees and dirt and the blood of forest animals and livestock, but he knew he should be on them soon enough. As he rode he silently chastised himself for the situation. It was his fault Isabel ran away. He’d done nothing to get out of the arrangement and left her with no choice! How could he blame her for the chance at a new life? If she’d had a man she was to marry, what would he do? Stand by and watch her? No. It would be too painful.
It took several hours to ride through the valley of farmland and out into the true depths of the forest. By then the road was little more than a rutted track and his horse was forced to walk else it might come up lame. The sky was lightening ever so slightly, and William knew he had to find shelter before the brightness of day left him as helpless as a newborn child. It wasn’t that vampires couldn’t stand the sunlight, but it drained most of their powers away- their strength and their speed were diminished to almost nothing. It also had a soporific effect that made it difficult to stay awake. Some ancient vampires could handle walking about during the day, but William was too young to risk it.
As he picked his way down the path, he smelled the strong stink of wolf behind him. No doubt they were shape changers- one of the only creatures with enough strength to take down a lone vampire. He hoped none attacked Charles and Isabel. What had that fool been thinking taking her out into the wild like that?
The beasts kept their distance, and William pretended he hadn’t noticed them and journeyed forward. He’d need to find Charles before the sun rose or the wolves would tear him apart in his sleep!
Dawn lightened the sky by the time Isabel’s scent overtook William. He urged the horse into the woods and came upon a small hut made of timber. The mare and gelding were tied to a tree by a little creek and both looked as weary as his stallion.
Climbing off, he led his horse to the water and secured it before running to the door. It swung open as he reached for the handle, and Isabel stared at him- a leather canteen hanging limp in her hands.
“William?” she said as if she were seeing a ghost.
“Yes. A million times yes,” he said and took her in his arms. He felt as if he hadn’t seen her in a year when it had really been less than a day. She gripped onto him like she had the night before, burying her face in his neck.
Charles and John stepped out. The stable hand looked shocked, but Charles merely smiled at him.
“However did you find us so quickly, dear brother?”
“You know how,” William said and smiled back.
After a moment, Isabel slipped out of his arms and walked down to the stream to fill the canteen and John followed her, removing the saddlebags from the horses.
Good. He needed to speak with Charles in private. “They followed me here. We need to get rid of them before the sun comes up lest we’ll be helpless.”
Charles frowned and looked into the shadows of the woods. “Perhaps they’ll go now that I’ve joined you.”
William stared at him. “You know these beasts will not back down once they spot a meal. I’m not putting Isabel’s life in danger on a whim!” he snarled.
The snap of a branch drew William’s attention to the horses. He moved, but not before the wolf, twice the size of a normal beast, leapt from the bushes and launched straight at Isabel’s crouched form. He watched as her head moved toward the sound and caught sight of the animal, jaws opened wide, lounging for her.
A moment later, Isabel was sprawled on the ground, her dress wet and muddy, with John on top. The wolf clung to his arm. Without thought, William jumped forward, pulled the creature off John and threw it against a tree. It made a satisfying snap of bones, but he knew that wouldn’t be enough to kill it.
The horses neighed, pulling at their tethers, but William only had eyes for the wolf that tried to attack Isabel. “You will pay for what you did,” he whispered as the animal got to its feet.
The sky was lighter now, the last stars fading in the predawn blue.
“Stop this!” Charles cried.
William paid no attention. All he saw were the beast’s glowing yellow eyes and the sharp teeth. The scent of John’s blood filled his nose, reminding William he had yet to eat that day.
Suddenly, claws dug into his back, ripping through his shirt to the flesh beneath. William leaned forward and flipped the animal off him- this one was smaller and slighter, probably an omega. He sunk his teeth into its neck and sucked the blood through an unpleasant mouthful of fur.
Hands gripped his shoulders and pulled him back, ripping his fangs from the wolf in front of him. The animal limped away, its tail between its legs as it crouched next to the larger animal.
“What the hell are you doing, Charles?” William said, the warmth of the blood dripping down his chin. His whole body shook and the only thing he wanted was to kill the wolves that almost stole his future from him.
“Let them go,” Charles said calmly, his hands digging into William’s shoulders. “We’re safe now. They won’t come after us again.”
As if they understood him, both wolves disappeared into the brush just as the first rays of sunlight lit up the sky.
William wiped his chin and willed himself to calm down. Glancing at the stream, he saw Isabel was safe. She rinsed off John’s arm as if a wolf hadn’t just tried to eat her. Then she wrapped a cloth around it, and John winced.
“What are we going to do with him? You know what’s going to happen,” William whispered to his brother. In the depth of his heart he thanked John for jumping in the way- if he hadn’t the same fate might have befallen Isabel.
“I’ll take him somewhere. Don’t worry,” Charles said and picked up the saddlebags John had dropped. “Let’s get inside.”
Isabel didn’t say much as they filed in, though her eyes looked weary as she climbed next to William on the dirty straw pallet. It was nothing compared to the comfort of his feather mattress and silk quilt- but Isabel was worth more than any material possession he could imagine.
“You came for me,” she whispered into his hair.
“Of course. I’m never going to let you go again. I promise,” he said and kissed her passionately before they both fell to sleep.
When they woke the next evening, John had the telltale signs of fever. Without so much as a word, Charles helped him outside and onto the mare.
“Are you taking him to a doctor?” Isabel asked, concern rich in her voice as she packed their saddlebags.
“Something like that,” Charles said and climbed onto the gelding. “Until we meet again,” he said and road away.
Isabel’s eyes filled with worry, but William kissed her head and helped her on the stallion. “We need to keep moving, my love,” he said and climbed behind her.
They came upon a fort a few days later and the men there offered them a room just as dawn broke over the low mountains. Isabel had been quiet through most of their journey, and William didn’t know what to make of it. She was happy he’d followed her, wasn’t she?
When he awoke the next evening, Isabel stood naked in the room, a cloth in her hand as she washed off dirt and sweat from her skin in a small basin of water. Her hair was piled on top of her head, and the bulge in her belly had started to show, just slightly when she turned to the side.
Blood rushed between William’s legs as he watched her rub the cloth over her breasts and stomach, hardening his manhood. “I want to marry you, Isabel.”
; She looked up at him, the dim light of the candle sent shadows crawling across her face. “When we reach Baton Rouge?”
He nodded. They’d chosen the town in the Louisiana territory because it was too small to house a vampire council.
She picked up a small towel and wiped the dampness from her skin before crawling onto the bed. William reached up and pulled at the pin holding her hair in place and smiled as the waves of chestnut fell over her shoulders. It had only been a few days since they’d last made love, but it felt an eternity.
“If we’re to be married, I want to be a vampire like you, William,” she said and ran a slender finger down his cheek.
He stared at her, the warmth of her skin soaking into his, feeding the growing need in his groin. “You want me to turn you?”
She nodded, her mouth set and her pale blue eyes serious. “We need to be equals, don’t we? I’ll grow old and die and you won’t. Plus, if I’m a vampire then a council won’t have any problem with us being married.”
Back in Philadelphia they could never have pulled it off, but in Baton Rouge no one would be the wiser. “Yes,” he said and pulled her into him, running his hands over her back and gripping onto her round backside.
Isabel dug her fingers into his skin, offering him her neck. He’d only fed on animals in the time they’d traveled together, and the smell of her blood pulsing in her veins made his skin tingle with excitement. Slowly, William kissed her neck, relishing the taste of her flesh under his lips and tongue. His hands traveled over her growing hips and gripped her waist. He ran his lips over her full breasts, teasing the nipples until they hardened and burned with want.
“William,” Isabel moaned, her hands tangled in his dark hair as his mouth took in her body.
He laid her back on the bed and kissed the bulge of belly that held their growing child. Just faintly he heard the beating of its tiny heart, and he smiled.
She opened her legs for him, revealing the dark pink folds of velvety skin already slick with desire. He rubbed his fingers over her entrance, her body trembling at each touch, and sunk his teeth into the tender skin of her thigh. The fragrance of her blood filled his nose as he sipped gently from the wound and slid a long finger inside her waiting warmth.
Isabel gasped, her fingers gripping onto the rough sheets, and William brought his mouth to her burning lips, licking the tiny fold of skin with the utmost care. Her scent and taste surrounded him, making the aching in his member almost unbearable, but the sight of her was just as arousing as the act. He loved giving her pleasure with just the touch of his hands and mouth.
Licking the wound on her thigh one last time, he moved his body onto of hers. She leaned forward and caught his mouth, pressing her hot lips against his with feverish delight. Their bodies smashed together, and to William’s surprise Isabel reached down and gripped onto his weeping shaft, running her fingers gingerly over the tip of his passion before she guided it inside. He smiled and pushed into her heat, gripping onto her thighs.
The world faded away as they made love in the dim light of that room. Each thrust into Isabel’s depths brought them both closer to the edge of their need. Just as she reached her climax, William dug his teeth into her neck, sipping slowly until she gasped in pleasure. A moment later he overflowed inside her, her internal grip pumping the seed out of him.
William buried his face in her neck, taking in her human scent and flavor for the final time. Once Isabel was a vampire, she would smell and taste just slightly different, although he knew he’d still find it alluring. Her hot hands gripped onto his back, rubbing up and down the smooth skin.
Yes. He wanted this forever. He wanted her forever.
Still buried inside, he leaned back and bit his wrist until it dripped with blood.
“What are you doing?” Isabel asked.
“Drink and you’ll become one of us.”
She stared at the deep crimson fluid that leaked from William’s pale wrist. “Will it hurt the baby?”
William smiled and shook his head. “No. It’s already growing so the change won’t have any effect on it. If you want to wait we can.”
Isabel set her jaw and shook her head. “No. I’ll drink now,” she said, and he lowered his wrist to her mouth.
William ran his hand down her cheek as she drank from him. Now, no one could pull them apart for the rest of their lives.
Part One
Isabel woke with a strong arm wrapped around her. The last rays of sunlight peeked through the heavy curtains, and she knew it was time to rise. She might not be an indentured servant any longer, but she was still a servant nonetheless. Tabby would be up and cleaning already, unless Charles drank too much of her blood again. No- Charles still hadn’t been home last night when they’d gone to sleep and that was nearly dawn. Wherever he was, he’d be staying until the sun set and he could move about the world freely.
William’s body had cooled during the night, although he’d taken a small sip right after they’d made love to warm him up. Isabel smiled at his sleeping form, his mouth slightly open and the flutter of his eyelashes as he dreamed. The past few months had been better than any dream she could imagine. He was her lover and her friend- how could their situation improve?
Ducking out of his grasp, Isabel sat up in bed, but William’s hand caught her wrist, his thumb rubbing across the smooth skin in circles. “Leaving so soon?”
“I have chores. Tabby will be swamped if I don’t get up.”
“The house is clean enough,” William said and sat up, taking Isabel in his arms.
Isabel moaned as his hands cupped her breasts, one touch of his cool fingers bringing her nipples to attention. The twinge of excitement rushed between her legs, wetting her desire. His hands traveled lower, caressing the skin of her stomach and the smooth curve of her hips and thighs. When he touched her like that, there was nothing she could do to deny him- and she had no inclination to. She’d longed for William for all those years and she finally had him. What more could she want?
Turning to face him, she pressed her mouth to his. The shock of his kisses never seemed to wear off. His soft lips met hers with the perfect amount of pressure, mouth opening to invite her tongue inside. She rubbed her hands against the firmness of his chest, the slow beating of his heart pounded against her hand as he gripped onto her bottom. She wondered, not for the first time, how he never seemed to age yet his heart still beat. Vampires were strange, no doubt. Perhaps their hearts just beat too slowly to age properly.
Climbing on top of his lap, she smiled at the erect member and pulled down the sheets.
“Isabel,” William breathed, his fingers trailing up her back and into the mass of brown hair. His own dark hair hung straight and messy over his alabaster shoulders, making him look even paler than normal.
In most cases, Isabel preferred a decent amount of foreplay, but she didn’t want Tabby to do all the morning chores without her. She climbed on top of him, mounting his manhood and easing herself over it. Her warmth welcomed him in.
William’s fingers dug into the skin of her hips, his thickness throbbing inside of her as she slowly rode him. His eyes met hers, and she knew how much he cared for her- how he would do everything in his power to protect her from the others of his kind. Just a few months before she’d been willing to give him up and seek a life of her own, but now that seemed utterly impossible. Her heart belonged to him and his belonged to her. Even if they were never officially married, their souls already spoke the vows of eternal love.
Leaning forward, William took her breast in his mouth, suckling on the nipple with just the tip of this teeth and tongue. The prick of fang into the flesh of her breast sent a brush of delight across her body as he sipped. She moaned and moved her hips faster as he thrust into her, each plunge sending shockwaves of heat over her flesh and through her veins. Her breath was little more than ragged gasps, and he brought his mouth to hers and kissed it as the throes of passion embraced them both. Digging her fingers into the flesh
on his back, Isabel moaned into his mouth.
Then, as William often did, he bit her neck. The pinch of the fangs sunk into her skin, but the momentary pain faded away and enhanced the pleasure of her diminishing orgasm. He never took much, and he still drank from other humans, although Isabel didn’t know whom, but the idea that he would finally bite her- if only to take a drink- filled her heart with gratification.
His body warmed as he withdrew his fangs and licked her neck and breast, and she rested her head on his strong shoulder for a moment, enjoying the feeling of his pleasure contracting inside her.
“Can vampire’s have children,” she asked and ran a finger through the hair on his shoulders.
To her surprise, William laughed. “Yes, only I’ve heard it’s difficult for vampire women to conceive, though not impossible.” He said nothing about human women.
Isabel nodded and climbed off his warm lap. “I do need to get to work. Tabby won’t be happy with me,” she said and hurried to slip on her chemise and robe. Her clothes were still in her little room in the servant’s quarters, but no one but Tabby and John would be up and about. While most humans still rose at dawn and went about their business during the day, humans who lived in the care of vampires had to adhere to a nocturnal schedule. Over the last ten years Isabel had grown used to it, but at times she longed to spend a day in the warm sunshine, or avoid needing a candle or lantern for every chore she performed. Not to mention that the price the household spent on tallow and wax was obscene!
Hurrying toward the other end of the house, she smelled breakfast cooking in the kitchen- the familiar scent of fresh baked bread filled the air and made Isabel’s stomach grumble. She’d been hungrier of late, and the growing knot in her belly told her why. Plus, she’d skipped her last two cycles and now she knew for certain what the cause was. A child. She was going to have a child with William- but would he be delighted or not? She’d have to tell him soon and find out.
After dressing, she rushed to the kitchen and found a slice of bread, butter and jam waiting for her as Tabby cleaned up.
Lust Immortal (Immortal Series Book 1) Page 5
