by Pepper Pace
"He is to be put to death...and I intend to speak to Alexis on his behalf."
Tony blew up just like I suspected he would. He wouldn't hurt me-- I didn't think, but Paul stepped in front of me protectively.
"Alexis?! What makes you think Alexis can break the rules any more then I can?! You'll put Alexis in a position to get his head chopped off? It can't be done, Kim. You cannot save Tige!"
"It can't hurt to ask." I responded from my place behind Paul's back.
"Yeah." He glared at me. "It can. Alexis is a dangerous creature. You think just because you gave him his first hard on in decades that he's going to change all of the rules for the entire Vampire Nation?!"
Paul glanced at me from over his shoulder with a little O of surprise. He pierced his lips together and turned his attention back to Tony. My cheeks felt warm in embarrassment. Will I always have that thrown up in my face?!
"Look," I snapped. "That man is going to die and it's because he saved MY life." I shook my head speechless. "The least I can do is try."
Tony didn't say anything, but his eyes were pained. "Tomorrow." He finally said. "I'll set up a meeting with Alexis for tomorrow." He started walking and he was just suddenly gone. I'd have to learn how to do that, it looked really cool.
Paul exhaled. I think he'd been holding his breath the entire time. "I'd like to go with you tomorrow when you meet with Alexis."
"I don't think that's a good idea. Tony and Alexis got into a fight the last time. Alexis turned into some type of wolf-man. It got scary."
Paul rubbed his hair. "Is this going to ever end?" He sounded frustrated. And I knew exactly how he was feeling. I was frustrated, too.
I was tempted to hug him...but it was hard to keep the picture of him and Amanda getting buck wild, just a few hours ago, out of my head.
"I don't know," was all I could say.
"Have you eaten?"
I shook my head. I had no desire to feed. "I'm not hungry."
"Kim, you shouldn't wait until you're starving."
I sighed in exasperation. "I can't feed from the girls. They still have drugs in their system. And you...a full week Mei Wah said."
He rolled his eyes. "I don't think we need to wait that long."
I ignored him and eyed the room. "What are we going to do about decorating this place?"
Paul took my hand. "Kat is the decorator, not me." He tried to look at me close but I averted my eyes.
"What are you doing?" He asked, finally understanding that there was more going on than the obvious.
"I'm a Vampire." I thought, grasping at something to say while I looked at something other than Paul. "Don't look into my eyes...something might happen." The real reason that I didn't want him to look into my eyes was because then he would be able to see just how hurt I actually was. I didn't want him to know what I had seen.
I heard him chuckle. "I don't have to look into your eyes for something to happen, Kim."
His voice had taken a decidedly suggestive tone. I finally did look at him, not quite as understanding as I had once been. "I think you've had enough for the night. Don't you?"
He froze. "What do you mean?"
I gently pulled my hand out of his grasp and sat on my bed to pull off my shoes. "I asked you before if you wanted me to bite Amanda. I'll ask you again. Do you want me to bite her?"
Paul blinked. "I—No." He put his hands in his pocket and looked at the floor." I could see that he was embarrassed and ashamed. I'd seen him fucking his ex-girlfriend and now he knew that I'd seen.
I stood up and walked to him. Now it was him that wouldn't look at me. I put my hand on his arm until he finally did meet my eyes, and what I saw is that he was very ashamed. I wasn't his girlfriend...but he felt as if he had let me down.
"Paul...I'm confused about us, too. This is all so new. I mean...I don't know if it's because I'm half the time scared and you always have my back...or what it is between us. What I do know is that your friendship is so important to me. I don't know what I'd do without you-" Paul slowly reached out and held my face in his palms.
"I cannot stop thinking about the other night and how good you felt against me," his words were a breathless moan that sent a shiver down my spine. "I made you cum. And it wasn't just the bite. Even before your teeth dropped we both felt it. Kim, I know you feel what I feel."
My words caught in my throat. His eyes stared into mine waiting, and then they looked suddenly haunted.
"But it's Tony that makes your knees weak..."
I put my hands over his, my head shaking in denial. "No, Paul-" I was just getting ready to tell him that it was his house that I was going to, not Tony's when a loud pounding noise from the front room caused us both to jump.
"What the-?" Paul hurried into the main room with me following close behind. Someone was bamming on the front door so hard I feared they'd break it down! Who or what could be making so much noise?
It occurred to me that I was the one with the superhuman strength so why was Paul in the lead? I should be the one protecting Paul, not the other way around. I used my Vampire speed to get to the door two seconds before he did.
Paul called out a warning just as I swung the door opened. In hind sight I guess it would have been wise to check out the peep hole before opening it. But I was so intent on protecting Paul that I didn't think until it was too late. Still nothing could have prepared me for what was standing on my doorstep.
Amanda; the girlfriend.
I recognized her immediately although all I'd seen of her amounted to no more than a bit of short, blonde hair and the narrow curve of a back and behind as she rode the man that I thought I might have fallen for. She was glaring at Paul looking right past me.
Amanda was everything I would expect Paul to go for in a woman; petite, tanned, blonde hair and blue eyed. She would have been beautiful if it weren't for her narrowed eyes and tight face.
I decided that I was going to give her a suggestion that would calm and relax her...and also that she would forget how to find this house!
While I was trying to think of a nice way to suggest this, Amanda swung around and slapped the HELL out of me.
"Amanda!" Paul rushed past me and scooped Amanda up by her waist and carried her outside and down the porch stairs. She was screaming and kicking and cursing all the way. And she was saying over and over 'But we were just making love. You were just with me! And then you go to her! He was fucking me a few hours ago! ME!'
I have never been smacked in the face before. So needless to say, I've never been smacked in the face by the girlfriend of the man that I wanted! I put my hand on my cheek in shock. It stung like a slap does...but what shocked me is that I couldn't stop thinking just how right she was. If I hadn't poisoned Paul's blood with my bites he'd be with Amanda right now. What she was going through...my fault. What he's going through...my fault.
I turned and saw Monica on the stairs watching me with a shocked expression.
"I'm...going to Tony's." I started walking and I made myself disappear in mid-stride. Did it look as cool as when Tony did it? Only Monica knew.
I simply could not stand the idea of being surprised twice in one night, so instead of materializing inside Tony's house I materialized on the front stoop. Can you imagine how thoroughly fucked up it would be if I popped in on Tony screwing...Kaniji or something? I don't think I could take seeing something like that!
Now that I was on the stoop, I didn't want to ring the bell and disturb Mei Wah. But I couldn't just stand out there thinking about it either.
While I debated on what to do, the door swung open and Tony was standing there with his shirt unbuttoned and a surprised look on his face.
"Uh...Hi," I said.
"What are you doing standing at my front door minutes before dawn?"
"Uh...I didn't know if you were still mad so I didn't want to just come inside-"
He sighed and put his hand on my wrist and we both materialized inside of his suite of rooms.
&
nbsp; "What's wrong?" He asked releasing his grip.
"I...uh." I felt stupid now. "Do you mind if I stay here tonight?"
Now he raised both brows. He took off his shirt and tossed it on the back of his chair.
"Kim, you never need an invitation into my home. I told you before to make yourself at home here." He glanced at me and sat down to remove his shoes and socks. "When I don't want you here you won't have to wonder, I'll tell you straight out. Look, I realize that I've not always shown you my best side. But I hope you know that I really do care about you." He began to unzip his pants.
I opened my mouth to tell him that I wasn't inviting myself into his bed, but...Oh wow, his abs...It made all thought freeze.
He walked to me and put his arms around my waist and drew me to him. "You know how I feel about you." I wanted to protest because we have been back and forth at each other's throat for the last few days. But then...who was I kidding? I knew that Tony wanted me. I've always felt it, even when he was pissed.
"Yeah," I whispered.
He watched me, waiting. No! I couldn't do this right now...not so soon after Paul. My head ached with all the things I've been trying to cram into it!
Mmmm...but the feel of his taut muscles as he held me was hard to dismiss. Why did I have to decide...why couldn't I just sink into his arms?
"Well," I watched his eyes closely. "I want you, too, Tony. But I think you know that."
He spread his fingers on my hips and pulled me closer to him.
"How do you want me?" He murmured, voice husky.
I licked my lips. "How do you want me?"
His eye lids lowered. "I can show you better than I can tell you."
His big hands cupped my bottom, and he lifted me effortlessly. I found myself gripping him around his neck and wrapping my legs around his waist. My stomach did a somersault and I shook at the feel of his hard muscles beneath me.
He walked us to his bed and lowered me gently onto my back. But then he surprised me because instead of covering me he knelt on the floor beside me and watched me closely.
"I want you so bad right now. But I don't think I've made it clear that not only do I want you with me—I want to be with you. I want to make sure that you understand...I'm not just talking physically. Kim, I want us to be mates."
I sat up on my elbow. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He was offering me the commitment? Even after all that I'd done, the number of erections that I'd been around? "Tony, I've been turned upside down these last few days, fighting for my life, and trying to understand the changes in me. I haven't really thought about US. I think about you...a lot. I just can't say that I know exactly what I want for the long term." And that was no overstatement. I inhaled deeply. "For the short term...I know exactly what I want." I resisted the urge to run my fingers over the lines of his muscular chest.
"That's good enough for me." He smiled. "The sun is going to come up shortly. I'd like to watch it with you."
Huh? "Oh. Okay."
He gave me a knowing look. "I'd rather be inside of you right now. But twelve hours from now when we wake...it's not very sexy, especially since I rise before you." His eyes twinkled with golden highlights. "I'd prefer if you were awake when I make love to you."
I smiled. "Let's watch the sun."
He stood up looking like an excited kid at Christmas. He slipped out of his pants and tossed them neatly over the back of a nearby chair. Without asking me he began removing my clothes until I was down to my underwear. He laid them neatly on the chair with his.
When he climbed into bed I glanced at his black underwear and all that it contained. Briefly, I wished that we hadn't wasted all that time talking. All I wanted was to be engulfed in pleasure-- just for a little while. I've been so good, trying to think about the right thing. Maybe it would all lead to a future with Tony, maybe it wouldn't...I don't know and I don't care. I was just feeling damned frustrated right now!
Tony propped the pillows behind us and I snuggled into his arms until I was comfortable. It felt too good to be frustrated for long. Honestly, maybe I did need this more then I needed sex.
I placed my arms across his body and he stroked my shoulder and kissed my forehead and we watched the first sign of pink cross the sky. I smiled. I was happy. For the first time in a long while I was happy.
CHAPTER 12
My eyes opened and I saw a flash of light in the sky. A few moments later there was a loud crack of thunder. Rain was hitting the window in a soothing symphony of nature's music. But besides that was the soulful sounds of jazz emanating from Tony's hidden speaker system.
His arms were still around me, still stroking me lightly and it was like we had not just slept for 12 hours.
But Tony rose before me. So that meant that he had just lain here holding me until I awoke? I would be like a corpse, and yet it didn't bother him. He'd wait until my body warmed up and came back to life. He could understand that because it's what happened to him.
A lock seemed to click into place...or maybe it was the last piece of the puzzle.
I looked up at him and saw that his normally dark eyes were rimmed in gold. "Hello, Beautiful." He kissed me lightly. When he made to pull back I stopped him with a hand on the back of his head and held him to me.
His lips parted and his tongue touched mine lightly as if he had been waiting to do it all night.
An extra loud thunder strike changed the mood of the evening and gave a perfect backdrop to our rising desire.
Urging me onto my back, his lips trailed down my neck and over my shoulders. With gentle hands he pulled the straps of my chemise down over my shoulders until my breasts fell out of the material. He paused to look from one breast to the other. With half hooded eyes he placed his lips around one nipple and suckled gently.
I threw my head back and moaned. He released it with a slight popping sound and repeated the move on the next nipple watching me closely.
Against my thigh I could feel him rising and growing hard. He pressed himself against me and it made the pulse between my thighs beat fast.
Suddenly he released his hold on my breast and leaned forward, using his tongue to tickle my nipples while his free hand pushed down his boxer briefs. Then what had been straining against the black material was now lying heavily against my thigh.
I gasped. What the...? I looked over at the heavy cock that now lay on my thigh and I couldn't even move for a moment. What did he think he was going to do with that monstrous thing?! Is that what happened to Vampires? He couldn't have been like this as a human could he? It was possible...I've seen movies, but I've never had one inside of me like this! I closed my eyes nervously. Then I felt his hand on my wrist. He urged my hand to touch him there. Placing his hand on top of mine he wrapped it around him. I couldn't even close my fingers around it!
I shuddered and stroked him gently.
Tony groaned. I opened my eyes to watch him as he rolled his head back and blinked.
I could feel myself growing wet and wanting to feel him inside of me.
I looked down watching him grow even stiffer in my hand. I gripped him in my fist and the muscles in his stomach tightened then released, quivering.
With my thumb I stroked the head of him still gripping him tightly.
His mouth opened slightly and he groaned. His teeth were lowered. I ran my tongue over my own teeth. They were pointy and sharp. I hadn't even realized they had dropped.
Rhythmically I stroked the length of him as he moaned in pleasure. If I didn't feel him inside of me soon I wouldn't need him to make me cum. I wasn't afraid anymore. Tony has been around for decades. I'm sure he knew how to please a woman without hurting her. Wouldn't he?
He nuzzled my neck suddenly, his teeth grazing me in a way that caused me to become wild.
And I was wild and it wasn't because of blood. I wasn't feeding and I wasn't hungry. This lust was me; all me.
Tony nudged my legs apart gently and I could briefly feel the weight of him pressed b
etween my thighs, his pelvis against mine. He rubbed himself against my clitoris and I felt an explosion of pleasure.
"Tony! Please..." I cried gripping him and pulling him against me with Vampire strength. He rose enough to spread me with his tip. Slowly he entered me inch by inch, pausing to kiss me and lick and nibble at my neck. He went slow until he was completely inside of me and there was very little discomfort. It was because I was a Vampire! I could accommodate him easily.
It was so wonderful with him inside of me! He filled me completely until I was stretched and gripping him tightly. Slowly he began to withdraw only to gently push back into me.
