The Seeking Kiss: Midnight Playground, Book 1

by Eden Bradley

  The car came to a stop, and Aleron helped her out. As she stepped onto the curb, a small thrill went through her. The Midnight Playground towered before them, its stone façade as solid as ever. But no longer as mysterious to her. She now knew some of the secrets held behind its gates. Knew in some unfathomable way that this place would be a sort of home to her, a refuge. That she was about to become one of them.

  Heart pounding, she let Aleron and Hex lead her through the gates, then the tall doors and into the club itself, no one stopping to question them. Inside, the club looked the same as before, but everything more brilliant to her, as though touched in a golden light.

  “It begins already,” Aleron whispered to her. “Do you feel it? As though your body senses the impending change.”

  “I feel it. Yes.”

  They took her down a hall, then down a flight of wide, marble stairs she hadn’t seen before, her booted heels clicking on the hard surface. Hex held tightly to her hand, making her feel safe, even as her pulse raced, hot and thready in her veins. They went through another pair of heavy doors, and into a large room. In the center was a high dais of sorts, a pedestal made of carved marble. When Nissa looked closer, she saw figures of gorgeously fashioned angels and demons, and smiled to herself. On the dais was a bed draped in black velvet, and strewn with pillows in gold silk. The room was crowded, and as Nissa looked at each of the ethereally lovely men and women there, she realized they were all vampires, all gleaming, flawless skin and glittering eyes like a hundred jewels in the soft light coming from a low-hanging chandelier made of thousands of small crystals. Music played so softly she could barely hear it, something gentle and trance-like.

  She could feel the collective energy in the room, a hundred hearts beating with purpose, with excitement.

  Hex turned to her. “They are ready to welcome you, Nissa.”

  Her eyes burned with tears. When had she ever belonged anywhere, but to her lost Nana? When had she ever felt the need to? She’d lived her life as she’d had to, never needing anyone, anything. Always taking care of herself. And now, even before her Turning, she felt a powerful sense of community with these strangers. And she understood why Aleron and Hex had wanted for her this public Turning.

  Hex leaned in close to her side. “We sensed that loneliness in you, Nissa. We knew this would be good for you.”

  “Thank you.” She smiled at Hex, and then at Aleron, who squeezed her hand.

  They moved toward the dais, the crowd parting for them. Heads nodded as they passed, smiles with a flash of sharp, white teeth. She could not get over how utterly flawless these people, these vampires, were. And she was about to become one of them.

  Aleron and Hex lifted her onto the dais, then both followed. Her pulse was hot, wild in her veins as they slowly undressed her. Then, naked, they laid her down on the bed. She felt no sense of self-consciousness on the small stage before their audience of vampires. She felt nothing but a keen excitement at what was to come, and even more when her two lovers stripped to their beautiful, gleaming skin and came to lay with her, one on each side.

  She could feel the buzz of energy in the room as Hex and Aleron began to stroke her body. Pleasure raced over her skin at their every touch, fingers and palms skimming over her arms, her sides, her thighs. Then Aleron pulled her into his arms and kissed her, hard, his tongue pushing between her lips, searching her mouth. She wound her arms around his neck as desire rose in her belly, between her damp thighs. His skin against hers was firm, smooth, but cooler than usual, as though he were already separating from her. And she felt sad and exhilarated all at once.

  He kissed her harder, his tongue driving deeper, his arms so tight around her she could barely breathe. She was panting into his mouth, exchanging his pure, sweet breath with her own.

  He pulled back and said quietly, “I love you, Nissa, as I would love one of my own. But you are for Hex. And I give him to you, and you to him. Do you accept this gift?”

  She nodded her head, overcome by desire, by emotion. She saw for one fleeting moment sadness in Aleron’s brilliant blue eyes, then he smiled at her, lifted her wrist to his lips and bit into her flesh.

  Lovely, pleasure racing through her veins, as though his hands were between her thighs, on her breasts, all at once. And those snapshot images once more of Emeline—her lovely face, broken by age, but still softly beautiful. Aleron lying with her in a field at night, beneath a starry sky, holding a cup of wine to her lips, pledging his love to her. Undying love, for he would not die. But she would. Sorrow flashed, dark and heavy in her heart. But Aleron pulled away, a small droplet of her blood clinging to his lips.

  “Do not be sad, Nissa. I have had love. And now, you shall have it too. Take Hex, and all I feel for him, all I feel for you. And know I will be happy that you two are together.”

  He shifted, handing her over to Hex, who had sat quietly behind her. Now his strong arms wound around her. And as Aleron transferred her to Hex’s embrace, the two of them leaned in, and Hex kissed her blood from Aleron’s lips.

  Her heart was thundering, her body aching with need. Hex pulled her in closer, kissing her harder, and she tasted her own blood sweet on his tongue, and a strange craving went through her. For Hex, yes, but also for blood. It was beginning already, as Aleron had said.

  Hex kept kissing her, until she was breathless with desire, her body hot, her sex damp. His hands were on her, and so were Aleron’s. She was held by them both in a tight embrace, safe, loved. Then Hex pulled back.

  “Are you ready, my love?”

  “I’m ready.”

  “I will make you mine, Nissa. We will belong only to each other after this. Forever.”

  She nodded, swallowed hard, and Aleron’s arms tightened around her.

  “I am here with you,” he whispered to her.

  Hex gave her one last kiss, a sweet brushing of his lips, and then he bent his head, kissing her throat, soft, sweet kisses, making her shiver.

  “Say goodbye to the life you have known,” Aleron told her, “and prepare yourself for this final journey.”

  She heard the low murmur of a hundred voices, felt a surge of energy from the audience, could sense them pressing in, closer to the dais. But all that truly existed for her were Hex and Aleron. Her lovers. Her mentor and the one who would be hers for life.

  Eternal life.

  It was really happening.

  She let her head fall back in surrender, and smiled as Hex sank his teeth into her neck, into the carotid artery. There was no pain. Pleasure swarmed her as her blood pumped hot into his mouth, and down his throat. Her mind spun, images of her own life flickering behind her closed eyes—her Nana’s sweet face, the smoking and neon-lit streets of London, her favorite childhood doll, the smoothed pile of dirt that was Nana’s unmarked grave, the dimly lit bar where she’d worked all these years, her first lover, her last lover. And then she saw Hex’s life, the Arizona desert where he’d grown up, a priest trying to explain to him that his mother was dead, his father beating him, the strange images of all the places in the world he had seen, beauty and misery side by side. And she understood him completely for the first time. Understood that his truest nature was for him to remain sweet, free of bitter regret. Instead, he took on life as it came to him, was true to himself, no matter what, and she understood that this was why she loved him.

  The pleasure rose, intensified, until she grew delirious with it. And the images faded away, leaving her in a sensual pool of dark, liquid scarlet, glittering like a handful of jewels. Her blood was sharp and tangy in the air, and she could taste the scent of it in the back of her throat. And Aleron held her safe in his arms.

  Finally, Hex pulled away, used a silk handkerchief to wipe the blood from his face. He was panting, breathless, as he moved in to kiss her once more. She was weak, limp in Aleron’s arms. Hex held his wrist to her lips.

  “Drink, Nissa.”

  But she was too dizzy, too warm and safe, with her beautiful lovers. She
wanted to slip into the dream of Hex’s life once more.

  “You must drink,” Aleron told her.

  “I can’t…”

  “Nissa.” Hex grabbed her face, held it in his strong hand, and she smiled at him.

  “I love you, Hex,” she whispered, even saying the words almost too much for her.

  “I love you. And that is why you have to stay with me.”

  She sighed, her body growing warmer. She wanted…what? She felt good, lovely, as though she were floating. And Hex was there with her, and Aleron. What more was she supposed to want?

  She let her eyes flutter closed. Too lovely to move. To do anything.

  “Nissa!” There was alarm in Hex’s voice. “Stay with me.”

  She heard the murmur of voices all around them, soft and vague.

  “He loves you.”

  “Stay with us, Nissa.”

  “Stay with Hex.”

  And Aleron was saying to her, “Fight it, Nissa. Be strong.”

  “Nissa. Look at me, my love. Look at me.” Hex’s hand was hard and hurting on her face, forcing her eyes open. “I love you. I love you!”

  Her heart melting, bursting. And all she wanted was to be with him. With him.

  “I love you, Hex,” she whispered.

  “Then be one of us. Drink from me.” He lifted his wrist to his own mouth, bit into it. She could smell the blood immediately, his blood. Like honey. Like something which belonged to her, and her alone.

  He held his wrist to her open mouth, and her tongue darted out, tasted. Ah, sweet. Sweeter than anything she had ever tasted. And pleasure flooded her at a dizzying rate, filling her up, drowning her body in need.

  She drank. And the more she drank, the more she needed. The blood was hot on her tongue, sliding down her throat, and she swallowed so hard, so fast, her throat ached with the effort. Desperate with need now, she sat up, held onto his arm, her hands biting into his flesh. Hex groaned, but it only served to drive her hunger for him, for his blood.

  Strength began to gather in her body, along with a desire so keen it nearly hurt. Her eyes flew open, and she saw Hex’s gaze on hers, his eyes like two pieces of amber lit from within. And as she watched, as desire built upon desire, everything began to change.

  Hex had always been beautiful, but now he was absolutely radiant. His skin was so polished, she could see and feel every silken plane of it in a way she’d never felt anything before in her life. She felt Aleron’s arms around her, holding her safe, his skin as much an epiphany as Hex’s. And she knew in some strange way that she was aware of their mood, of their thoughts, and it was nothing like seeing those memory bites when they’d drunk her blood in the Seeking Kiss. She understood it would always be like this.

  She drank and drank. Soon she became more aware of the voices around them, more acutely aware of the lights in the room, of the scents of Hex and Aleron. Of the scents of those around them. She could pick out by scent alone who among the crowd was new, who was ancient, by some level of earthiness that was sweet and sharp in her nostrils.

  Her own body was different, coming alive as though for the first time. She felt her own strength, and had a few moments of fear when she realized it would take some time to learn to control it.

  She was so distracted by these new ideas she didn’t notice for several moments that Hex was swooning.

  “Enough, Nissa,” Aleron told her. “Even from another vampire you can only take so much.”

  “Oh!” She released Hex’s arm, and he fell back against the pillows. Aleron let her go, and she leaned over Hex, concerned. But he was smiling up at her. He reached out to stroke her hair, and she shivered all over. She was full of desire once more.

  “Hex, I need you now.”

  “Yes…”

  Aleron stroked a hand over her shoulder, leaned in and kissed her cheek, then kissed Hex’s lips.

  “I leave you two to each other.”

  Then he was gone and it was just the two of them as Aleron disappeared into the crowd of watching vampires.

  Hex reached for her, pulling her down, until she was lying on his body, skin to skin, every pore alive with desire. His thigh came up between hers.

  “Ah, so wet for me, Nissa.”

  “Always,” she told him with a smile.

  He took her shoulders and rolled over, until he was on top of her, his beautiful body pressed close to hers.

  “Spread for me, Nissa. Let me take you.”

  Her legs opened for him, and he kissed her neck, biting her here and there, every sharp prick of his teeth drawing desire from her body, lighting her up inside. And everything was sharp, crystal clear, as though lit with electricity, with the light of the sun. With love.

  He wrapped his hands around her knees and drew them up high, so that she was wide open to him.

  “Come into me, Hex. I need you.”

  “And I need you. I love you, Nissa.”

  His cock was at the entrance to her sex, pushing softly for a moment against her pussy lips, swollen with need. Then he slid inside, his beautiful cock impaling her, as pleasure drove into her like a sweet-edged knife.

  He began to move in that primal rhythm, pounding into her hard and fast, and she was breathless with sensation. Her legs wrapped around his narrow waist, his rigid flesh driving ever harder into her. And as he leaned in and latched onto her neck, drinking from her once more, she lifted her head and bit into the soft flesh of his shoulder, pulling his blood into her mouth.

  Pleasure rose, hot and impossibly sharp, flowing into her veins along with his blood. And he drove into her body even harder, his hips pistoning, hammering into her. Her body spiraled, that first edge of climax hovering—pleasure and smooth skin, soft lips and hot tongue, and the blood beneath it all like some sort of divine nectar.

  She moaned into his shoulder, her mouth releasing him as he released her to rise up on his hands. He gazed into her face, his twisted in beautiful agony.

  “Love you, my Nissa. My Nissa.”

  “Yes, Hex. I am yours. And you are mine.”

  He pumped into her, his cock hard and solid, pleasure pushing deep into her womb, his hands claiming her, holding her shoulders down on the bed.

  Her hips arced to meet his thrusts. And as they moved together, truly together in a way she’d never felt before, her climax rose, crested. And when she shattered, she heard the moans and sighs of all who watched them, their energy feeding her, their pleasure joining hers, Hex’s pleasure twining with her body as he came inside her. And she came apart, falling, blinded by pleasure. By love. By Hex. Her Hex.

  “Love you, my Nissa. Forever and ever.”

  “Yes, Hex. I love you. Forever.”

  Forever was more beautiful than she had ever imagined it to be. She had never been able to comprehend what that might really mean. She’d wanted this, wanted to be Turned, but she’d had no idea how wonderful, how glorious, it would be. And she had never expected to find love in this strange life. Amazing. Yet now, she had Hex, and he had her. They had love.

  Forever.

  About the Author

  The author of a number of novels, novellas and short stories, Eden Bradley writes dark, edgy erotic fiction. Her work has been called “elegant, intelligent and sensual”. One erotic novel was recently profiled in Cosmopolitan.

  Eden appears regularly on Playboy Radio’s Night Calls and conducts workshops on writing sex. When she’s not writing, you can find her wandering museums, shopping for shoes and reading everything she can get her hands on. A California native, Eden currently lives in Los Angeles. You can visit her website: www.edenbradley.com

  Look for these titles by Eden Bradley

  Now Available:

  Tempt Me Twice

  One hot man is good. Two’s double the fun…until your heart gets involved.

  Tempt Me Twice

  © 2009 Eden Bradley

  Jessie has been in love with her bisexual best friend, Paul, since their college days. He’s never made a mov
e on her, though, and at this point she values his friendship too much to risk revealing her feelings. Especially since now he has a new male lover and seems so happy.

  Paul and Noah have only Jessie’s rest and relaxation in mind when they invite her along on a camping trip to Lake Tahoe. She’s been pretty stressed out preparing to show her art at a major New York gallery. A weekend getaway will do her a world of good—and they won’t take no for an answer.

  Jesse thought she’d be nothing more than a third wheel on this trip. But Noah is as sweet and hot as Paul, and their first night turns into a heated tangle of bodies in the dark tent by the lake.

  It’s an erotic, intense experience that must come to an end. And when it does, will she still have her best friend?

  Enjoy the following excerpt for Tempt Me Twice:

  Somehow they all got their clothes off, the men helping her to wriggle out of her damp panties. A hand slipped between her thighs, brushing her mound, making her cry out. She didn’t even know which one of them it was until Paul said, “I always knew you would be like this. Wet. Ready. Christ, Jess. I need to fuck you soon. I can hardly wait.”

  “I need to fuck you both,” Noah said, laughing.

  They laid her on her back, came together over her body, and the two men leaned in, closer, closer, until their lips met. It went through her like a shock, seeing them kiss. Male lips on male lips, and then they opened to each other, and she could just make out the wet flesh of tongues, heard their quiet moans. Her pussy was absolutely aching with need, and the longer she watched them kiss, the hotter she became. Just when she was sure she couldn’t stand it any longer, Noah reached down and cupped one of her breasts, used his fingers to tease the nipple. And Paul slipped one hand between her thighs.

  “Oh! God…”

  “Is that good, Jess?” Paul asked. “I want it to be good for you.”

  “Oh, yes. It’s good.” She could hardly speak through the desire lancing into her body. Her pussy throbbed. She needed him to really touch her, to push his fingers inside her.