Sweeter Than Chocolate: Valentine's Day Anthology

by Gina Kincade

  She didn’t know what to say really to this fierce monster, this strong man, who suddenly seemed so broken by a memory, his man’s ardor all up in arms.

  “What I wouldn’t give to be a man, live a life with you. It is all I have though of since first seeing you. I am a monster though, in many ways. While I will not hurt you, can you forgive what I have done to others, or have witnessed done to others by my kind?”

  “It is not mine to judge or to forgive. Hush about this now. Where is that savage vampire who made me tremble and obey last night?”

  “He is right here. I just…I feel I need to confess.”

  “No you don’t need to explain anything to me. What you need to do is undress me, show me the man that you are. How about since it is still dark, we go upstairs and make the neighbors wonder.” She laughed, pushing up onto her tiptoes to kiss the side of his cool cheek. Then she blew in his ear, as she had heard the girls go on about one night.

  It seemed to work, as his whole stance changed in an instant. He was back to being feral, with an impetuous manner about him, from the way his hands trailed down the buttons at the front of her blouse, to the way he licked over half of his bottom lip.

  As he lead her by her hand slowly up several flights of stairs, her heart beat in an erratic fashion, pumping her blood fast until she could hear the noise of it in her ears. By the look in his face, he could hear it too. The feeling all met in a volatile flutter in the pit of her stomach by the time he opened a door to a dark room, only the gaslights and what there was of a moon lighting the deep burgundy of the bedclothes, the dark wood of the walls and bed.

  Even though they had already been together, as he led her to the bed, his eyes darkened. Though, a whispered warning in her mind was soon shrouded by her desires. She may have never been a sensible and pure maiden, but neither had she ever been so adventurous, putting her mere life in danger on a whim of the flesh. Yet, in this moment, all she wanted was to be possessed by this vampire, maybe even bitten. As it would be, only time, only passion would most probably be the magistrate.

  Her hands went to his broad shoulders, lifting her to his height to lay a light kiss on his lips. His kiss in return was gentle, loving at first until his hand fisted a portion of her hair, pulling out the pins. They clinked on the floor as her curls tumbled down her back. His tongue demanded entrance into her mouth, swept across hers like the man had across her heart. She was lost in his touch, wanting for the first time to be wholly possessed by another, sanity be damned. Whatever happened, with her behavior, one could not just hold him to blame.

  Hands, none too gentle swept down her back. That fire started to burn more in her stomach as her nipples, hard inside her corset, were pressed against his chest of steel. A shiver ran down her spine followed by a rising of warmth up her back, over her shoulders until she felt it like a fire across her neck. To her delight, his fingers started to fiddle with her buttons, undoing them slowly until the blouse fell to the ground. Her skirt, her undergarments, all of the layers she wore he stripped from her, carefully tonight, taking turns between looking in her eyes and kissing her mouth. This supposed to be ‘care for naught’ wastrel was being too close to a gentleman for her heated liking at the moment.

  He gave a feral growl though when her fingers found the front of his trousers. Once they were both free of their clothing, he pushed her back at arms length, smiling as he looked her over, her skin glimmering in the light coming through the windows. Under only the moon, he looked a vampire more so than before, pale with dark hair and eyes.

  Next thing she knew, he was tossing her onto the mattress. She caught herself quickly, unfurling her body like a cat before him, stretching, opening her legs, so he got the best view. With him, she didn’t feel the need to hold anything back. Rather, she wanted to push forward, to new levels already, beyond even last night, which had seemed perfection. Cock sure, climbing over her, his mouth crushed down on hers, making her skin ache for his touch. Wetness built between her legs. His fluent movements left her skin tingling as a surge of longing pushed her body toward his.

  James’ fingers moved, large and heavy, through the curls at the apex of her thighs. Letting her legs fall open even more, he bent to place a feather light kiss on her mound. She cried out when he raised his head, her hips shamelessly moving up, begging him for more attention. The laugh that followed from him was a bit evil, and her body thrilled in the sound of it bringing up gooseflesh on her arms. Tonight his tongue was gentle but persistent, moving between her folds, his fingers applying just the right amount of pressure when opening her to his every whim. Laying back, writhing on the bed, her vision turned hazy, pin pricks of light like stars blinded her though due to her eyes being so tightly closed.

  Her fingers grappled with the cover on the bed, and she screamed as she came, the waves of passion an almost brutal rush, beating her until she laid lax on the bed, splayed out, chest heaving as it struggled for air. He cut up her peace in the most glorious of ways.

  “Next time babe,” James said coming up beside her. She could see the faint moonlight sparkle off his elongated fangs. “We should try another experiment, see what else we can do. Got any ideas?”

  “Were those out when you were…” she left off, her fingers tracing one of his fangs making his body tremor on the bed.

  “No, they were not. I didn’t bite you. You would know.” He gave her a light kiss on the forehead. The feel of his long teeth on her skin made her shudder, as well as made her long for things maybe she shouldn’t. Maybe she shouldn’t push him so, so soon. She did wish to come through this safely, to be a witness to such moments with him again and again. Foolish, perhaps, but her calm with his fangs, or her want of his bite, neither was a display of sang froid.

  “I want you to bite me. This time while you are inside me, I want to feel you take from me, my blood, not my energy. And we can try a double experiment, see how strong the magick is, how far it’s range. Do you know how much more a witch like me could do if it was from a distance? Why, I could use herbs and oils and stones, candles and water,” she left off breathless.

  “Yes, I guess you could,” he laughed. “Are you sure you’re ready for a bite though. It will hurt for a moment, then the pleasure will kick in.”

  “No. I want it. I want that connection with you. I am feeling daring, greedy. But, truer words I’ve never spoken. I want you to bite me. Yet, wait, what should we try to do?”

  He seemed to sit silent for a moment, in deep concentration. His eyes moved back and forth, and he moved his fangs over his bottom lip, piercing it slightly then licking at the tiny drop of blood.

  “How about we make an invention in the basement work, come to life. Something I couldn’t do on my own. Did you see the robot in the corner by the first table, the one with too many gears to mention let alone work together in any kind of synchronized way as to move the confounded thing?”

  “Of course I did. We were just saying how sick we were of a duchess who has one bragging upon what the thing can do. I would love to have one wreak havoc on a party or ball. So, what do we do?”

  “Well, when I bite you, your climax will come swift, hard. You need to focus through it, enjoy it, but also focus, on seeing the robot move across the floor. Picture it in your mind, even if vague, and make it move, walk. It should have been able to.”

  As he moved his body over hers, she watched the interplay of light and shadows over his taunt muscles. His chest brushing against her erect nipples, his erection pushing into her opening, sent streaks of lightening down through her. Electricity, the joining of two meant to be, she thought, seared her from the inside out.

  The weight of him, the feeling of being invaded, stretched, made her feel brazen. She pushed her hips up, taking him in, feeling her core contract around him as a ferocious growl tore from deep in his chest. His teeth, his eyes, he was scary and handsome at the same time, of this dichotomy she was absolutely clear.

  She relaxed and tensed, a bundle of nerves
and need, breathless and wanting, she begged him to bite her.

  “Please, James...”

  “I will love. A little more. I need to feel your body closer to that precipice from which there is no return. Then my love, I will taste you.”

  With determination, she wrapped her legs tightly around his middle, grabbed his ass with her hands, and moved him at her body’s whims. Each sensation, each ripple of a delightful contraction, she moved him further inside her, pressing his cock at just the right spot. Soon, she found herself panting, screaming, out of control, bygaged and besotted, in the best of all possible manners. It was then that she felt his head lower, his soft and silky hair, brush against her face and neck. She squealed a giggle. Then, her insides squeezed him tightly when she felt the tiny pin pricks of pain on the upper portion of her breast.

  An animalistic growl came from him as she felt him draw from her. Next thing she knew, she had her hands in his hair, holding him to her breast to drink as she shattered around him. This time she was too breathless to scream, and tiny whimpers came from her instead as her entire body trembled, and soared.

  Lifting his head, blood dripping from his fangs. Her blood. He commanded, “Think of the robot.”

  In her wonderful delirium, she’d completely forgotten. In her mind she recalled the large human shaped piece of metal. She made it walk across the floor, lift an object on a table, something that looked like a teapot she’d seen there earlier.

  Seconds later, there was a clanking, then scrapping sounds coming from far below. James bellowed like a child at Christmas seeing all the toys and treats hanging from the tree. There was a loud clanging sound like some thing had been dropped, and he turned to look at her.

  Licking off his fangs, retracting them, licking the blood off his lips, remaining inside her, he shrieked, “We did it! That clumsy hunk of metal and gears moved, well more than to just destroy my work place, which is all he’d done before. Come on, we have to see how far. I would get one step from the confounded contraption and it would knock something over.”

  Laying there still shaking, she couldn’t help but light up inside as well with his excitement. While liking nothing better than to have remained in his arms, she followed him as he leapt out of the bed. They threw on clothes and ran down the stairs only to find the robot all the way across the room, standing over the coffin, the teapot on the floor at his feet. His excitement upstairs had broken her concentration, and the robot had just gone back to the way it was before.

  Unprepared, her breath caught when he picked her up and twirled her around.

  “This is amazing.”

  “Wait, could we do this at a ball? The Valentine’s Day Ball is tomorrow night. The robot could be brought to give out generic valentines. Then we could sneak away, into some dark room. If we made love, you bit me, the robot could then wreak havoc on the place, sending everyone scrambling having no idea what is going on. Even the great inventors there won’t be able to figure out how to turn it off. Oh, it would be great fun to liven up that stuffy old Valentine’s Day Ball. If I was really lucky, I could make it step on a few dainty feet of those who feel they are better than the rest of us because they have suitors.”

  “You have a suitor now too.”

  “I know, but still miffed about all the years before I suppose. I hadn’t thought you’d mind.” She paused, studying him, and then the full meaning of her proposal hit her. Guilt weighed in next. “Oh, I’ve made a cake of myself only thinking of my own agenda. Forgive me. It will be then just another of your failed inventions then. Oh, good heavens, once I get a maggot in my head, I lose all my senses.”

  “No, absolutely not. I hadn’t even thought of it. I no longer care. It is you all my concerns regard. I want to be a scoundrel in all of your plans, and if you can use something I’ve built, well then, I’m all the happier for it. I can think of no better use for this hunk of useless metal. Upon occasion, they do have their uses then. But, let’s do it up right. We will go to the ball together, you on my arm. The robot can be brought, like a prop, one holding a basket of lace papers. I do have a steam-powered cart we can put it on to get it inside. It will be the talk of the ball before and after it magickally attacks. What do you say?”

  “Dare I dream you are with me on this? It would never be my wish to hurt you in any way, especially not for ill-favored gains, petty revenge on those who have cut me in the past. Countering their insipid behavior makes me no better than them, I just so enjoy it I fear. Wait, there is but another crick in my plan. If we bring it in, we take the blame. How will I ever live here then?”

  “We won’t.”

  “What?”

  “Run away with me. In fact, I have a villa in Devon. We can go there. Could you give up this life?”

  Her interest more than whetted, she started in, her voice carrying that high pitch of excitement, “In a second. We shall be the talk of the town tomorrow night. We shall announce an engagement, and explanation, two people in love, of why we brought the robot. Then, in days to come we will be the latest scandal, running off to marry and live elsewhere. I can go home and pack today. When night falls on Valentine’s Day, you can grab my stuff and hide it in my carriage. I’ll give my driver the night off. You take me to the ball, me and the robot, and while the robot has everyone wonderfully distracted, we shall make our escape. Can you get your stuff packed up in that little time? Oh, look at me going on, so hen-witted, speaking a bunch of flummery you probably had never intended. Did I make a cake of myself but again?”

  “I hadn’t thought you would prefer it so, but I will give your proposal due consideration.”

  She scowled at him only a second before with his smile large and crooked, he pulled her into him for an earth-shattering kiss. Weak-kneed she clung to him, her fingers gripping his muscled shoulders saved her when the robot seemed to come to life again enough to kick his handmade casket.

  “Residual energy effect, I guess,” she laughed. “Hadn’t accounted for it, but we’ll be well advised to know such things.”

  Chapter Three

  By evening on Valentine’s Day she should’ve been exhausted. But all the work she’d done, packing, writing verses on lace papers, was all of no moment compared to the excitement making her blood pump through her veins all havey-cavey.

  “May I be of assistance to you?”

  Emma startled hearing James voice, her heart beating hard, which was nothing new in his presence.

  “Why yes, kind gentleman. Or should I say kind vampire, wonderful creature of the night with super power and speed. I could use some of that right now.” She batted her eyes at him to go along with her silly talk, feigning young and inexperienced.

  Much to her surprise, and much against her personality, she liked being the less dominant one in their relationship. She liked being controlled by him, a pawn to his every whim, his every demand, his every dominance built of danger.

  “Forgive my giddiness. Can you tell I’m happy to see you, my love? You have arrived just at the right moment to be of service.”

  “Well, I do have my uses upon occasion.”

  “Upon every occasion since I’ve known you, you have been beyond useful, my love.”

  “My love? I like that coming from your beautiful full lips, the color of a fine, sweet blood.”

  “Better than a fine wine then or glass of port?”

  “Much better, I dare say. Is that less than pleasing for you to hear?”

  “On the contrary sir, I take it as a high compliment coming from you.”

  He grabbed her by the upper arms then, turning her toward him. “I love you, Emma, more than I can ever find the words to express. I’m beside myself that we are starting this night a new life together, that my plan to woo you from afar has worked so well in my favor.”

  “Yes, instead of love at first sight, I believe it was still love at first feeling upon my first meeting with my phantom of the night.”

  “Though I am loathe to admit it, before we begi
n our journey together, there is something from my past, information which manacles me like a malediction. Therefore, I must free myself with a confession.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned if you will do any such thing. No confessions, no insipid words, not on this night. Let me enjoy my first chance to…well…enjoy a Valentine’s Day. You have no need of my forgiveness for your past. Your oft-beastly ways are to be surely understood given what you’ve been through, having your life taken from you. You didn’t ask to become a vampire, and I’m sure you had some hard times adjusting. If you are going to tell me you took innocent lives, then I don’t want to hear it. I outflank your decision to confess. Words such as those, you will not spill another cursed drop of. Your discretions I will pay no heed to. And now, won’t that be a first? With you I will not hold onto these useless grudges that have helped me pass the time in the past. No, to you, and to you only, I will offer up my forgiveness if you so desire it.”

  “Still, this one—“

  She cut him off putting her fingers to his mouth. “Stop. I can see you are absolutely riddled with remorse, and that is enough for me. Leave it go. Speak on it no more.”

  “But, it has to do with a surprise too,” he mumbled with her finger still on his lips.

  “It shall wait. I’m not now, nor later, going to judge you. Now, come, we have much work to do before the ball. And, I have picked a dress the color of blood to wear tonight. I hope you shall find it arousing in many ways.” She winked, and at the same time couldn’t stop a blush from heating her cheeks.

  “Your blush smells divine, my dear.” He kissed her, a light peck on her hot flesh. “You shall shine everyone else down this evening, of that I’m sure.”

  They got right to work, energy buzzing between them enough to power a dirigible she was sure, but at the very least, it was keeping them going. There was definitely a great deal of excitement and hope afoot.