Vampires and Mistletoe

by Ashlynn Monroe

  The woman's fear made her power all that much more awesome and strong. Stopping the escalation of her terror was his only chance for escape. Choosing his words carefully, he made sure to speak in a quiet but confident tone. "Lady Tessa, you need to understand why I'm here. That man would have killed you. We need to insure your safety. Release me from your power and I will make sure you are safe."

  He could see that his words hadn't helped at all. She'd tucked her body up into a ball and lay shivering, her fear still fueling her power. Sighing, he pulled the plush comforter off the bed, wrapping it around her slight form. Sitting down on the bed he watched her as the shock slowly began to wear off. When she sat up and looked up at him, he could see that she was coming around because her eyes were no longer wide and frightened.

  "I won't go back. I just want my freedom. I'm sorry, but I'm not what you think I am. I choose to be human, and I won't go live in Other World ever again. My sisters might accept that parody of an existence, but not me. I want to live with other humans." Her soft voice was like a caress.

  Gritting his teeth, he managed to keep his anger in check. It was her freedom or his species. Trying to sound understanding, he hid his urgency.

  "I know you want to think you're human, but you're not. A human tried to kill you tonight. That should tell you something about what you are. A human wouldn't have the sort of power you do, either. I'm taking you home. I'm sorry; but you'll thank me when you're alive in the morning."

  She stood. He was at least a foot taller, but she glared up at him anyway. "I'm not going anywhere."

  He could feel that her lockdown on the room had weakened her; vampires were very sensitive to the energy of other beings. If he was lucky she would fall asleep and her magic would fade enough for him to leave with her before daylight. He glanced at the body by his feet.

  "I think our guest might start to smell after awhile, don't you?"

  Tiredly, she sighed, and she snapped her fingers again.

  He glanced down, alarmed. "What did you do with him?"

  "His body is at the bottom of the lake, buried ten feet under the ground. No one's going to find him; so don't worry." Tessa sighed again, and Gideon could feel her energy levels dropping more quickly than they should.

  Her body sagged abruptly.

  Gideon rushed to catch her before her head hit the hard floor. Only his unnatural speed kept her from having a headache when she woke. The future Grand Mistress was in his arms and deeply unconscious. Unable to stop himself he inhaled her scent. She smelled delicious, and her shampoo gave off a fresh floral scent that made his cock instantly hard. He gritted his teeth, feeling his fangs lengthen and cut into his bottom lip. This is going to be harder than I thought, he decided, annoyed.

  She looked so soft and innocent. Gideon was not a gentle creature, yet he found himself holding her as though she were delicate glass. Like a precious treasure, he laid her on the bed and stood back. An image of her lying under him as he sank his fangs in her neck and his cock in her pussy made him groan. Turning away from her, he took a deep breath to regain his control. What magic is she working on me? he wondered.

  Closing his eyes, Gideon felt the energy of her magical lockdown. Annoyingly, it felt stronger, not weaker, than before. With a sigh, he looked at the window. Dawn was less than an hour away.

  He closed the heavy drapes. If he'd had any idea he would be in the human realm in daylight he would have brought supplies. He was safe in Other World, but on this side of the boundary daylight would weaken him drastically, and too much sun could kill him. Sitting in a chair as far from the window as he could, Gideon crossed his arms over his chest and watched the girl sleep.

  Chapter 4

  December 24th

  Groggily, Tessa sat up. Seeing the man sleeping in the chair across from her bed she gasped. The memories of how he'd come to be in her room came rushing back and brought her anger to the surface. Her father had sent a vampire after her. He hated vampires; just the act of sending one showed her how little he thought of her. She had nothing against the species, herself, but for Victor to send an errand boy after her was too much. Granted, vampire movies in the human world got it mostly wrong, but not the blood drinking. Tessa cringed. Blood. Icky and gross, and being only half demon, she was human enough to be drinkable. Rubbing her neck, she was relieved to find smooth, uninjured skin. He hadn't drunk from her.

  Sitting back in relief, she looked at the sleeping vampire. If he'd been born human, he could have been a male model or Hollywood actor. Long blond hair fell over his forehead. It had been too dark to be sure what color his eyes were.

  Muscular and tall, the man oozed masculinity. She felt her pussy tingle with awareness. Disturbed by the reaction, she quietly got up and tiptoed to the bathroom, locking the door. It had been a long time since she'd felt what she was feeling about a man. A vampire from Other World was the last male she wanted to be attracted to.

  Realizing it was Christmas Eve, an acute sense of loss filled her. Grumbling, Tessa thought, how does Victor manage to ruin everything? It would be hard to be merry without her sisters. Rolling her eyes, she slid down the heavy wooden door and moaned. Her next thought made her grin in self-deprecation. It could be worse; at least I'm trapped with a hottie and not a troll. Gritting her teeth, she reminded herself that her father could have sent a real troll; Other World was full of them.

  Her suitcase sat in the corner of the bathroom where she had left it after unpacking her toiletries. Standing up, she picked out the clothing she wanted to wear and grabbed a few towels and a washcloth in preparation for a shower.

  Adjusting the temperature of the water she stepped into the tub and pulled the curtain. The hot spray of the shower invigorated her. Tessa forgot herself in the relaxing bliss and began to sing.

  * * * *

  Gideon was startled awake by the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. Singing; beautiful, light singing that caused him to feel a strange sense of bliss. His mind was still foggy with sleep and he tried to remember where he was. He felt so lethargic. Disturbed by his unusual weakness, a picture of the night's events formed in his mind. He was on the wrong side of the boundary and it was daylight. Groaning, he tried to stand and fell down. Too weak even to pull himself back up, he lay on the carpet wishing that he were home. It had been a while since he had visited this side of the boundary, and he'd forgotten vampires needed to feed more regularly here to avoid becoming incapacitated during the day.

  * * * *

  A loud thud made Tessa jump involuntarily. She turned off the water. Stepping out onto the plush bathmat, she grabbed one of the large towels and wrapped it around herself. Worried, she quickly dressed and cautiously opened the door. Peeking out around the corner she saw that the vampire lay helplessly on the carpet. Tessa hurried to see if he was hurt. Other World vampire or not, she wouldn't stand by and let the man suffer. He mumbled something unintelligible as she tried to lift him up onto the bed. He weighed a ton. Finally, she managed to maneuver him onto the bed.

  Geez, what are vampires eating these days, sumo wrestlers or something? How much does this guy weigh? Her grouchy thoughts didn't make him any lighter.

  Glancing at her watch, she realized that she had slept a good portion of the day away, but there were still hours before sunset. Looking down at the vampire, she wondered if he was going to be alright. Just as she tried to step away, he grabbed her arm. "Blood. I… need… blood," he whispered hoarsely

  Tessa highly doubted that room service offered any. She tugged her arm free and spoke quietly. "Sorry, buddy, the blood bank is closed. As soon as it's dark I'll send you home and you can get all the blood you need."

  "No… danger."

  "I'll be fine. Just rest, ok? I'll send you right home when it's safe." As much as she hated Other World, she didn't like to see people in pain more.

  His faint groan sounded like the word no. This was one stubborn vamp. The power she was using to keep them in the room was having some kind of ef
fect on him. Seeing how quickly he'd weakened made her feel guilty until she remembered she'd begged him to let her go and he'd shown her no mercy. Tessa sat down on the large plush sofa. Normally, her Christmas Eve day would be spent with her sisters at Aspen, not babysitting ill vamps. Picking up the Kindle she'd left by the bed last night, she sat down to read the book she'd started. After a few sentences, her gaze drifted away from the page and to the bed. She tried again. After ten minutes of reading the same page, she turned off the device in aggravation. If the thing had been a paperback she would have tossed it across the room. Instead, she set it down on the table, frowning.

  * * * *

  Weak, hungry, and in severe pain Gideon came awake miserably. He tried to sit up but could only moan. A light touch on his arm startled him. His eyes blinked open; even with the curtains drawn the sunlight burned his eyes, making them dry and sore.

  The woman was watching him warily. She looked too beautifully angelic to be a demon. His pain intensified, and he let out a long tortured groan. Obviously the sound upset her because she gasped and came closer to him.

  "Are you alright? Can I do anything to help you? I know your species can't handle daytime on this side of border. What can I do? I've tried to send you home twice, but I'm unable to. I can't even take away my protective lock around the room. I tried. I'm so sorry for your pain."

  Her words were genuine and it made his heart flip. He had no idea why she'd care about a vampire. She moved to step back, but he grabbed her arm and she whimpered in fear. His voice cracked as he made a desperate request. He'd never make it until sundown; the curtains just weren't providing enough protection from the sun.

  "Blood… I must have… blood."

  When she came closer, her actions surprised him. Holding out her arm so that the inside of her wrist was close to his lip, she whispered, "Since you are one of my father's goons, I don't owe you anything, but I don't want you to die if I can help you. Go ahead, just don't kill me."

  He looked up at her face through sore eyes. He could see Tessa had her face all scrunched up and her shoulders hunched as if waiting for something horrible. She mustn't know how good being bitten by a vampire felt to a human, orgasmic. It was even more sensual for a demon. Being half of each, she would probably come for him the moment his fangs sank into her flesh. It made him hard even as he lay close to death.

  Contrary to human belief, vampires were very much alive; and he was very much a man. His cock twitched as he thought about that lyrical voice crying out his name as he sank his fangs and cock inside of her. Yes, vampires could kill a human, but it was rare, and only a vamp with no self-control would actually murder. He had iron control, but in this state he did worry about taking too much. What would the Grand Master do if he brought his daughter home with bite marks? Pushing her arm away, he grumbled weakly.

  "No, I will… be fine."

  "You won't. Just do it, alright? Merry Christmas; It's my good deed for the holiday."

  She scrunched up her face again and he couldn't stop his weak chuckle. Quickly, her eyes popped open, and she looked angry. Even with the red fire in her big eyes she was beautiful.

  "Just do it you stubborn vamp! I don't like it any better than you do!"

  Her scent was delicious, and the adrenaline in her blood added a delicate spice. He could smell the mango-based soap she had used recently on her skin. Intoxicated with need he felt himself losing the will to resist her offer. Tessa was a conundrum and a beauty. She intrigued him far more than what was safe for either of them. Oh, hell. Her father kills me or the sun kills me, I'm dead either way. I might as well die happy! With his decision made, he gently took her arm and brought her wrist to his lips. He placed a soft kiss on the vein and she gasped, then he sank his fangs into her skin and felt the blood rush into his mouth.

  * * * *

  Tessa cried out as a sharp pain radiated up her arm. The sensation became a pleasure unlike any she'd ever felt before. Her knees gave out, and buckling, she found herself sitting on the edge of his bed. She felt the most intense desire of her life. Tessa was a modern girl yet sexually inexperienced. Whatever he was doing to her made her feel unlike anything any man ever had. Arching her back and crying out, she felt herself grow wet and needy. All she wanted for Christmas was for the vampire to fuck her. She didn't even know his name, but she wanted him immediately.

  When he released her she was horrified to hear the sound of her disappointment echoing in the room. His chuckle sounded warm and much stronger. Tessa opened her eyes and looked at him. His eyes were a deep sapphire blue; entrancing. She licked her lower lip and he moaned. Before she realized his intentions, he pulled her to him. His strong, large hands pulled her shirt off. Wiggling a bit, she assisted him in removing it. He'd already seen her all but naked, so she didn't feel the shyness she should at being naked in front of him. She began to undo his buttons. It was only a moment before she had his shirt open. His hard muscular chest displayed only a sprinkling of dark golden hair.

  Tessa splayed her fingers across his broad shoulders and she felt his hands working the clasp on her bra. It popped open, and the cool air in the room had her nipples peaked to hard points in seconds. His eyes darkened when he saw them. Tessa pushed his shirt over his arms and he moved just enough for her to remove it. Her demon nature sensed that sunset was approaching; her power always magnified with the darkness. All of Tessa's hungers increased after nightfall, even lust. With human men she'd have to hold back, but with Gideon she could be herself completely.

  He pulled her to him, and his large hand tangled in her hair as he brought her lips to meet his. She could taste the metallic flavor of her own blood, and instead of repulsing her, she felt turned on. His growl let her know that he guessed her thoughts. She'd grown up hearing all sorts of untruths about vamps. It appeared that the whole bite equals sex myth was the truth. She couldn't remember if they could read minds or not. His soft chuckle told her that he could, and Tessa realized it was probably because he'd drunk her blood.

  She thought hard about him removing his pants, hoping he would get the hint. When he forcefully flipped her onto her back so that he hovered above her, she noticed that his hands were at his belt. Yep, he got the hint, Tessa decided. It was her turn to chuckle.

  When Gideon slipped out of his black jeans she noticed that he wasn't wearing any underwear. Oh yummy, commando. I love it! she thought. His long thick cock was very erect and fleetingly Tessa wondered if all vampires could claim to be as hung as he was, or if he was just special. When his hands found the buttons on her fly he growled low and menacingly as he struggled with the row of buttons. Achieving victory over the Levis, he soon pulled the denim down her legs, and she heard the swish of her jeans joining the rest of the clothing on the floor. He looped his fingers in the sides of her panties next, and slowly he slid the bit of fabric off her body. Both of them were completely naked.

  Tessa felt the sun set and the room darkened just a bit more. Using what little demon magic she could muster after locking the room down, she managed to light the candles on the dresser and in the sconces on the wall. Warm soft light filled the room and Tessa noticed her vampire looked even more handsome in the subtle light.

  "I'm at a disadvantage. You know my name, but I don't know yours."

  "Gideon, I'm Gideon Duke, lovely Tessa."

  "It doesn't fit you."

  He snorted, a sound of mirth, and she decided he was too easily amused. Soon her annoyance was forgotten when his lips found her jutting nipple. He drew on it hard and she arched her back and hissed with pleasure. His sharp fangs only heightened her pleasure as just a little pain mixed with the sensation. Oh, he was good, very good. Closing her eyes, she reveled in the joy of sensation.

  Normally she'd have been shy, guarded; but with Gideon she felt able to express her desire unhindered by her own lack of confidence. She'd never been with a non-human before, but she'd heard her sisters talk. They hadn't been exaggerating about the difference. He responded in k
ind, and she knew he was as consumed with need as she was. The feeling of his fingers rolling her other nipple while his mouth teased the first made her very wet.

  Wonder bought heat to her already wet, needy pussy. Tessa wanted him to slam his cock inside her, but she was so consumed by lust that words were beyond her. His chuckle let her know he was still in her head. Normally, it would have pissed her off, but as she felt two of his long fingers enter her body and stroke her she was glad he knew her need. He removed his fingers, and she felt a moment of bereavement; her body had been inching toward orgasm. Then he began to stroke her clit.

  As the tension built inside of her, each of his touches brought little gasps of pleasure from her lips. His skilled fingers rolled and pinched her clit. Tessa clutched Gideon's shoulders, her long French-manicured fingernails digging into his flesh. She arched her back, and all the feelings broke free as she came for him.

  Screaming his name, a name she'd just learned; Tessa experienced the most intense orgasm of her life. Normally her orgasms were like wonderful little ripples in a pond, but this was a waterfall. Sensation went on and on. It didn't end quickly, but flowed and ebbed as he worked her into a frenzy. Fuzzy with lust, she looked into his eyes and knew he relished her pleasure. Flipping over in her chest, her heart seemed in harmony with his. In that moment, their eyes meet and held. A strange connection passed between them. Deeper than anything she had ever encountered with another man, the experience felt surreal.

  Crying out, she felt his eyes on her as she writhed under his talented fingers. It felt so right, so wonderful. In the back of her mind, she reminded herself he was a complete stranger, a vampire. But it felt so right to be with him. Shaking the thought from her mind, she reminded herself that this was just hot sex. Giving into the sensations was her Christmas present to herself…