Vampire Friend (Vampire Hero Book 2)

by V. B. Andrian

  “Nate.”

  I tore my gaze away from the fucker’s retreating form to look down at Ali. She had turned towards me without me realizing it, and both her hands were cupping my face. I looked deep into her golden eyes, as another angry shudder ran down my body. Jesus, fuck, I wanted to break the guy’s teeth. One by one.

  I swallowed down the bile of rage and allowed myself to get lost in her beautiful gaze, trying to calm my roaring pulse. “Hey,” I replied, a little rougher than I intended. I was not in a good place at the moment.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, and my pulse quickened for a whole other reason. Most of my anger slipped away with those words from her lips.

  There had been a moment at first when I’d been afraid. Afraid she would listen to the fuckwad and go back to England. Afraid my behavior would scare her away. I was never into violence. But I would have beaten that asswipe within an inch of his life just because… well, just because. He’d been intended to marry her, thus taking her away from me. My inner caveman had roared into life to protect what was mine. And then the way he’d talked to her, as if she was merely a puppet to be moved around according to everyone else’s wishes… it had made me more than furious.

  But now she was thanking me? It humbled me, made me want to fall to my knees and worship her like she was a fucking goddess. This girl… she was perfect.

  “Ali,” I murmured, taking her face in my hands and leaning in to place a soft kiss on her lips. “Babe, don’t thank me. I don’t know if what I did was right or wrong, but I wouldn’t have let him treat you like that. Even if you had wanted to go back with him – and may I say right now I’m fucking thrilled you don’t – the asshat had no right to treat you like a fucking object.”

  She gave me a small smile, but held back. “And that is why I thank you. It was really hard for me to face him, and you were right there with me. I don’t think I would have been able to stand up to him otherwise.”

  My eyebrows knitted in disbelief. “Ali, you would have.” I let a small smirk come forward. “I had to hold you back not to beat the crap out of him at a point. You would have held your ground.”

  She chuckled, but then turned serious again. “No. I was never of strong will. I’ve held my ground over the phone these past months, but I wasn’t certain I would do it face to face. Oli called me a few days ago to tell me Mother intended to fly here, and I was waiting for confirmation that she was on her way, but I hadn’t expected Charles to come instead.” Her gaze shifted to over my shoulder, and I had the feeling she was zoning out. “Well, come to think about it, maybe facing Charles was a little easier than facing Mother. She really messed up with that, thinking I would give in to his will and not hers.”

  I chuckled softly and tried to bring her back to me. “Ali.” When her eyes were once again focused on mine, I smiled widely. “You would have been fine. But I’m glad I was here, if only to let them know you’re with me now, and they won’t be able to take you away. At least not without your will.” I searched her face for confirmation that she really didn’t want to leave, but her gaze had glazed over.

  She blinked slowly a few times and asked in a soft voice, “I’m with you?”

  It took me a moment to really understand what she was asking. And then I realized, though I’d set everything right in my mind, I hadn’t yet talked about it with her.

  Berating myself for not having dealt with this yet, I leaned my forehead on hers and took a deep breath. “Why don’t we go upstairs, pack up whatever you might need for tomorrow, then go back to my apartment and talk?”

  She nodded immediately, and for the next twenty minutes we said nothing else. We picked up her books and a couple more changes of clothes, and then drove back to my apartment. As soon as we were in, I led her to the couch, before taking her bag to my bedroom. I removed my shoes and socks, then proceeded to walk into the bathroom and throw a little water over my face, wash away some of the tiredness from our trip or any remaining traces of anger over the fuckwad. I needed a clear mind to say and do everything right.

  When I returned to the living room, I saw she’d made us both some tea, and was now sitting in one corner of the couch, with her legs tucked underneath her and a mug of the hot beverage in her hands.

  In a whim, I turned around from heading towards her and sat in front of the piano, lifting the cover and letting my fingers rest on the keys. Without hesitation, I started playing her song. It was my way of bringing both of us a little peace, as well as pleasing her. Though I would definitely do a lot more tonight on the pleasure section, things that didn’t include a piano, but definitely included my fingers, as well as some other parts of me.

  I played the piece, but kept my attention on her. I couldn’t see her, but I could feel her watching me, just like the first day we’d met. I forced myself to take deep breaths and keep my mind on the task at hand. I was affected by just her presence in the room, and I realized how differently accepting your feelings for someone could make you feel. I’d played numerous times in front of her, for her, but then I wasn’t aware of how I felt. I was denying it. Now, I was embracing it.

  The song ended without me even realizing, and I slowly turned my gaze to look at her. The warm smile that formed on her lips as soon as our eyes made contact was breathtaking. Smiling widely back, I finally went to her and sat right beside her. I closed my eyes for a second to get a grip on my thoughts. I didn’t know where to begin. What I wouldn’t give at the moment to just press fast forward, and get to the part where I told her I loved her. And then showed her.

  “Nate,” she whispered and I felt her fingertips grazing my cheekbone. I opened my eyes to see her watching me intently. “Tell me what your grandmother told you.”

  I nodded, swallowing a couple of times. “I will. But I want to start with something else. Can you please listen through all of it before saying anything? Some things will confuse you, but I want you to know exactly what went through my mind.”

  She gave me a small nod and a soft smile. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  I half-smiled and took a deep breath. “I’ve told you how it was with me and Kiara. Going from friendship to a relationship. And when I lost her I was lost too. I felt guilty for so many things. But mainly for never telling her that I loved her. I took the year off college, and stayed in Palm Springs until Evy graduated. I grieved her and I waited for the pain and guilt to go away, but it didn’t. And every time I was told I had to accept she’s gone and move on, that guilt grew. How could I move on after the way I’d failed her?”

  “Nate—”

  “I know, baby,” I cut her off. “I know now I didn’t really fail her, but you have to understand how I felt then.” She nodded and let me go on. “I spent the entire summer here with Kay, Evy and Luke, trying to heal. I tried to do everything the way I had been – well, minus the crazy hours in the gym because I had to let some steam off somewhere. But those negative feelings never went away. And in time I gave up trying to get rid of them, and started to try and learn how to live with them.

  ”That was where I was when I met you.

  ”The first time I saw you, Ali, I knew something. I just didn’t know what that something was. I felt lighter by just talking to you. You made me laugh – really laugh – and it was the first time I did since she died. But it was also the first time I didn’t think of her. And the more I saw you the less I thought of her. So, instead of moving on, I was moving backwards, because I was feeling guiltier each time I didn’t think of her.

  ”But no matter the guilt, I couldn’t stay away from you. You made me feel like my old self, Ali. Except for the nights, when I was on my own and I would again feel like shit. It was part of the reason I asked you to stay with me every night. It kept most of the guilt away, at least until I was alone again.

  ”And then you fell in love with me and I was scared shitless. I knew what it was like to have a broken heart, and I didn’t want that for you. What with your sweet disposition, I knew it would ruin
you. It was why I tried to push you away. Until I saw you again in San Diego and… The way you looked at me, like you could understand why I’d treated you that way… I couldn’t stay away anymore, Ali. It was like every time I hurt you, I felt my heart being ripped out of me over and over again.

  ”And now comes the part you don’t know. What Gran told me.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened them again, I locked my eyes with hers. “Gran told me she could see I was in love with you.” Ali drew in a sharp breath, but I didn’t let her interrupt me. I needed to finish this, let it all out. “When I told her I wished it was true but thought it impossible, she basically told me I’m a fool. That love doesn’t work like that. I can’t control when it happens. That even if I wasn’t ready, my heart didn’t care. And she didn’t stop there. It was as if she could read my mind, seeing through the guilt. She said that I was never in love with Kiara. I loved her, but I wasn’t in love with her, not the way I am with you.

  ”And that was when everything came crashing down on me. How could I not have been in love with her? Why was I in so much pain if I wasn’t in love?”

  “You loved her, Nate,” Ali said, her voice cracking with emotion. “You cared for her and that’s enough to cause great pain.”

  I nodded, squeezing my eyes shut. “For a moment, when Gran left me alone again, I almost screamed in frustration. How could it be fair to Kiara to think that? But then I thought of you, and I knew Gran was right. Because ever since the moment I met you, all I’ve wanted was to be around you. I’m in love with you, Ali, and this time I’m sure. I made sure of it the past couple of days. Actually, no, that’s not right either. I made sure on Thanksgiving night, when you came to my room.”

  I moved closer to her and took her mug from her shaking hands, removed her glasses and placed them both on the coffee table, then tugged her towards me, settling her on my lap to straddle me. I let my hands trace the lines of her face and I smiled, looking in her beautiful, glistening eyes. She smiled back as her breaths grew shakier.

  I lowered my voice in a whisper. “You were there, knowing that I might never feel the same way you did, giving me everything I wanted, everything I needed, without asking for anything in return. When I kissed you that night, it was the first time I let myself really feel. And, baby, the moment I touched your lips with my heart fully open I knew I was a goner.” I pulled her face down and brushed my lips over hers. “I love you, Ali. And if you still want me, I want to be with you. Still your friend, but way much more.” I kissed her soft lips once more. “Please, say you still want me.”

  She laughed softly, though it sounded almost like a sob. “I still want you, Nate. I love you. Please, please kiss me.”

  I suppressed the huge grin that was threatening to possess my mouth, and crushed her lips with mine. Nothing could have kept me away a moment longer. My heart was beating wildly, and my cock was painfully hard. I wanted her so badly I was afraid I would come in my pants.

  Her sweet tongue slipped out and traced the seam of my lips, and I almost lost it right there. I opened to give her access and she took it, dove in my mouth with a small moan. I twitched in my pants and another moan escaped her, evidence she could feel me underneath her.

  When her hands came up to delve in my hair, I did lose it. I flipped her with her back on the couch, and pressed my body down on hers, earning another gasp along with a full-body shudder from her. I broke the kiss so we could both breathe, but didn’t move away. Instead, I let my lips roam down her jaw to her neck, to her collarbone, nipping at her shoulder.

  “You taste so sweet, like honey,” I whispered as I continued kissing a path towards the soft swells of her breasts. “I want to kiss every part of you. Every inch of your skin.”

  She shuddered, breathing “Yes,” and that was all the invitation I needed. My fingers immediately found the hem of her T-shirt, and with a swift move it was flying across the room. Not having the patience to wait any longer, I buried my face in her skin again, nipping, licking, and kissing the line above her bra.

  “Nate, please,” she begged, arching her back to meet my mouth. I slipped my hands under her to unclasp her bra, and then it was also somewhere on the floor.

  I took a moment to look at her. Her eyes glazed over with desire, her lips swollen by my abuse, the faintest blush staining her cheekbones and traveling down her neck. Her breasts, small but absolutely perfect, seemed to be begging for my touch, and her pink nipples were hard, poking out to summon my mouth to them. I had to obey.

  “You’re breathtaking,” I murmured. I let my fingers trace small circles around her swells, avoiding the hardened peaks. When I traced a small circle around her right bud, she whimpered, making my dick twitch once again.

  Giving in to the temptation, I lowered my mouth on her left nipple, while rolling the right with my fingers. The moment I made contact she let out a small cry, that soon turned into a loud groan as I tortured her with my teeth, tongue and fingers.

  “You like this, babe? Are your beautiful nipples sensitive?” I asked, making sure to breathe over her swollen nubs.

  “Y-Yes,” she stuttered. Her hands were balled into fists on her sides, and her head was thrown back against the couch, completely surrendered to me. Just like I wanted.

  “You think you could come just by me playing with them, Ali?”

  She shook her head frantically. “I don’t know,” she breathed.

  I grinned and licked each nipple once, earning another loud moan. “I think you could. But I want to watch all of you as I do it. I want to be able to touch every part of you at any moment. Will you let me, Ali?”

  “Bloody yes!” she all but cried out.

  I chuckled, but quickly did what we both wanted. I unbuttoned her shorts and tore them down her smooth legs. No panties. Sexy as fuck! Her eyes opened and watched me as I moved down her body, and then came up to hover over her mouth again.

  “What about you?” she whispered, bringing her hands up to grab the hem of my shirt.

  “You want me naked, babe?” She nodded eagerly and I chuckled again. “Okay then.”

  I quickly tore my T-shirt off, every moment away from her skin tinged with agonizing pain. When I got to my jeans I slowed down, watching her eyes follow the movements of my hands as I lowered the zipper and pushed them down my legs.

  I stood to remove them completely and took off my boxer briefs as well. I saw her throat moving as she swallowed upon seeing my cock. Her lips parted and she drew in a loud breath while her eyes widened. I took that as a good sign.

  “You like seeing me naked, Ali?” I asked with a knowing smirk.

  It took her a moment to tear her eyes away from my groin and bring them up to meet mine. Lust was lacing her voice as she whispered, “Very much so.”

  I would have laughed at her answer, but the situation wasn’t funny anymore. I was literally going to explode if I didn’t sink myself inside her sweet heat now. But then again I didn’t want to hurry things over. I wanted to worship her, give her the pleasure she deserved, even if it meant more pain for me.

  I lowered my body over hers again and brought my lips to hers, grabbing my shaft to stroke it over her belly. I propped my knees between her legs, forcing them open, and brought my other hand up to run my fingers down the side of her neck, over her pulse point. “What do you want first, Ali? I want to taste your sweet pussy, but I also want to feel you around my fingers again. I haven’t forgotten how you feel ever since that first, brief time.”

  Her whole body shook and she arched her back as her eyes drifted shut. “Anything,” she whispered. “Both.”

  She was amazing. Eager and so responsive. “My girl is greedy, huh? How about me, babe? What do you want to do to me? Take me in your mouth? Touch me? Have me deep inside you as I fuck you hard?”

  She whimpered, but when she opened her eyes they immediately locked with mine. She didn’t miss a beat. “Nate, please. I want everything. Anything you want.”

  I smiled wid
ely. “That was what I wanted to hear. So now I’ll take what I want. And I want you first to come around my fingers and then my tongue. Then I want you to come around my cock, as your sweet pussy will milk me for all I have. You like that plan, babe?”

  With every filthy word I said, her pulse under my fingers quickened until I was sure she was going to pass out. She didn’t verbally respond, but she nodded vigorously between each sentence. Not able to hold back any longer, I let my cock rest on her belly and lowered my hand between her legs. I circled her clit, then glided my fingers over her folds.

  “Baby, you’re soaked,” I growled. My cock jumped on her stomach. “You’re practically dripping.”

  “I’m – I’m sorry,” she murmured.

  My eyebrows knitted in confusion, and I let out a surprised laugh. “Are you fucking kidding me, Ali? I love it. I love that you’re ready for me with absolutely no effort. Not that I don’t plan to put in the effort anyway.”

  With that I slid one finger inside her, immediately finding her sweet spot inside her walls. Her lips parted and a soft cry came out. My dick liked – a lot. He jumped in appreciation.

  Slowly I moved my finger in and out, adding a second one after a few thrusts, while my mouth got busy with her nipples again. She was tight around my fingers, and I groaned at the thought of how she’d feel around my shaft. I switched between her left and right nipple, all the while driving her closer to the edge. It wasn’t long before she started writhing underneath me. Her hands had tangled themselves in my hair, and she tugged and pushed, almost obsessively, as if she was hanging on not to crumble.

  “Come for me, Ali,” I whispered when I felt her inner walls starting to convulse around my fingers. The moment I flicked my thumb over her hard clit, she screamed my name as her body started shaking with the force of her orgasm. I kept pumping my fingers, drawing out every last tremor until she went completely limp. “That’s my girl.” I moved over her lips and captured them with mine. My cock was starting to protest, needing immediate attention, and I had to give myself a moment before continuing. I could come with just a touch of her hand, a look by those perfect eyes.