Feral Passion

by Stephanie Bedwell-Grime

  The doctor’s eyes centered on her, red-rimmed under the bright lights. Another vampire. He gave her a gruff nod, then retreated to the softer lighting of the vampire ward.

  “Perhaps you should stay. It’s almost noon on a bright sunny day.”

  “I’m going home,” he insisted. “Just get me into something with tinted windows and get me out of here.”

  “Okay, okay.” She held up her hands in submission. “Your house or mine?”

  He gave her a weak smile. “Doesn’t matter.”

  ***

  The sun blazed in the sky by the time the squad car with tinted windows pulled up in front of Dante’s house. Crouching under a special reflective blanket, they raced up the steps and huddled in the relative darkness of the alcove by the front door. Xandra glanced at the iron hinges on the thick wooden door and the lion’s head doorknocker and stifled a smile. They were so unlike Dante, and yet so like him as well. He suited this house full of antiques and old world furniture.

  He fit the key into the lock, disarmed the alarm and ushered her into the shadows of the entrance hall. She hadn’t been conscious during her last visit to his house, and she’d left in a hurry. This time she looked around in amazement at the soothing décor.

  A wooden chair with burnished metal arms sat in the entrance hall. Beside it stood a Chinese vase with at least a dozen white roses in it. The roses had opened their heads and their fragrance permeated the entrance hall. A stained glass window perched high above the door. Dark blue glass offset a pattern of green vines winding around the letter R in a gold circle.

  She wanted to wander through his house, looking at all the treasures. It was so unlike the minimalist cottage with its walls of black gauze. And yet both homes represented different sides of Dante. His two natures, just like her two natures.

  Exhaustion seeped into every muscle. She felt bruises on every limb and the skin on her face also felt tender. She likely looked like death warmed over.

  Xandra wandered over to the worn leather couch that stood in his living room. The same couch she’d slept on. A candle still stood in the pewter candleholder just like the last time she’d been there. She would have sunk deep into the soft leather and closed her eyes, but Dante tugged gently on her arm.

  “Come on.”

  Leaning against each other, they headed down the hall to his bedroom. They passed another bedroom and an office with a desk and some high-tech computer equipment.

  The bedroom took up the whole back of the house. Xandra gaped at the huge room dominated by an equally massive four-poster bed. The furniture was fashioned of dark wood. Leaving her to perch on the side of the bed, Dante bent to light the candle on the bedside table. Gentle golden light filled the room. All windows were covered in thick dark drapery, allowing no light to pollute the uniform darkness.

  He sat on the side of the bed and pulled her into his arms. She leaned against him gingerly, aware of his bandaged shoulder. His lips grazed her forehead.

  “I’m a mess,” she protested. Her clothes were covered in blood and some sticky black substance she didn’t want to contemplate. So much for her nice leather outfit.

  In Dante’s opinion she looked beautiful. She bore the evidence of their battle with disheveled elegance. Though exhausted, she still exuded strength and determination. Her vampire nature mingled with her more human side. His true alter-ego. Pride swelled within him. He couldn’t believe this wonderful creature belonged to him, wanted him.

  She reeked of blood. The scent called to him. Passion flared to life despite his wounds and all they’d been through. But he didn’t want to take her like this, covered in the evidence of their skirmish. He wanted to smell only the enticing fragrance of her own blood and her unique scent.

  He nodded toward a shadowed doorway off the bedroom. “There’s a bathroom in there. You can have a shower if you like.”

  “I’m tired enough to sleep standing up, but I think I’d better.” Reluctantly, she broke out of his embrace.

  His bathroom rivaled the opulence of his bedroom. A black marble sink and tub matched the swirling black and white design on the flooring. The towels and shower curtain coordinated.

  She stepped into the spacious shower and turned on the water. Bracing her hands against the marble tile, she stood under the scalding spray. For a moment she was content to stand there. Then a rush of cooler air gusted down her back.

  Xandra turned to find Dante standing behind her. He’d stripped off his clothes along with the bandage that had covered his shoulder. She winced at the sight of the bullet wound. The raw edges of the wound were held together with tape. His vampire metabolism had already begun to heal him.

  “Shouldn’t you keep that bandaged?” she said softly, looking up at him.

  The water made his golden hair seem a shade darker. Wet curls framed his face and dripped down his back. It slicked the downy hair to his muscular chest. She followed the narrow line of hair that ran down his midriff to find him ready and waiting for her.

  “But you’re wounded—”

  His mouth covered hers silencing further protests. He pulled away long enough to murmur, “I’m feeling much, much better.”

  And he’d feel better still after a few mouthfuls of her blood. The thought should have repulsed her, but she found that it didn’t.

  He pulled her against him so she could feel every one of his hard muscles against her softer body. “How about you? Are you still tired?”

  “I’m suddenly wide awake,” she said against his chest. At that he chuckled.

  His hands cupped her bottom, pressing her against him so she’d know just how ready he was for her. His eyes glowed amber under the bathroom’s low-watt lighting.

  He reached behind her and grasped a bar of soap. With gentle strokes, he soothed her aching muscles, starting with her neck and working downward over her back to her buttocks.

  Xandra moaned as his slippery fingers moved around the front to tease her intimately. She soaped her own hands, determined to return the favor. But the moment she reached for him, he turned her to face the marble wall and entered her.

  A ragged sound escaped her lips as he filled her completely. His soapy hands gripped her hips as he guided himself in and out with agonizing slowness. “Dante,” she begged.

  “Mmm?” he murmured, but sensing her need, he quickened his pace.

  Xandra braced her hands against the marble to steady herself. She pushed her hips backward, meeting each of his thrusts. Until a few moments ago, she’d felt tired enough to fall asleep on the spot. Now her body hummed with energy as she soared toward fulfillment. She reveled in the feeling of his muscular thighs against the back of hers, the slide of their soapy bodies against each other.

  Just as she was about to tip over the edge, Dante’s teeth grazed the sensitive skin on her neck. She tensed, waiting for the sudden brief pain. Primed for passion, she felt only intense pleasure as her body finally gained its release.

  He surged deeper into her as he drank his fill. She screamed as she plunged into yet another wave of pleasure. As if from far away, she heard Dante’s own moan of release and felt the gentle movements of his lips against her throat. His arms tightened around her as her knees sagged. With reluctance, he pulled his mouth away and turned off the water.

  Reaching out of the shower stall, he snagged a lush towel from the rack and wrapped it around them. She turned in his embrace until they faced each other. A smear of her blood stained his lips.

  He turned his head. With a quick flick of his nail, he drew blood along his own neck. Xandra licked her lips, hesitating. He pressed his hand between her shoulder blades, urging her closer. “Drink, Xandra,” he whispered.

  The call of his blood drew her. Water ran between them on his damp body, mingling with his blood. She took a crystal droplet of it into her mouth, tasting him. “That’s it,” he said softly.

  She tasted the saltiness of his skin. Another rivulet of blood trickled between them. She caught it with her
tongue, stopping its downward path.

  Then she was lost.

  Her mouth closed on the shallow wound he’d made. She lapped at his lifeblood. His coppery taste filled her senses. She swallowed hard, then suckled him harder, trying to get at the source of this nourishment.

  “Hey, little vampire,” he murmured. His hands tightened on her shoulders and he pulled her gently away from him.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, startled that she had wanted him with such ferocity. She didn’t know what to do with these completely new urges and feelings.

  “It’s okay.”

  She licked the wound, wiping away the last of his blood with her tongue. His eyelids drifted shut at the unexpected touch. As she pulled her mouth away, she noticed that the shallow wound was already beginning to heal itself.

  Turning him into the dim light in the bathroom, she examined his shoulder. It still looked raw and sore, but the edges had knit together. The wound was almost completely healed.

  “Come on.” He led her out of the tub and back towards his huge bed. He pulled back the thick comforter and nestled her inside. Her head sank into the pillows. Before he had finished settling himself beside her, she had fallen asleep.

  ***

  Xandra could tell dusk had fallen as soon as she awoke. Her body knew it with every breath. Outside she could sense the world settling down into the gentle hours of evening. Crimson light bathed the edges of Dante’s heavy drapery. She imagined its soft red-tinged light bathing everything in a rosy glow. She stretched and felt a warm male body beside her.

  Opening her eyes, she met his amber stare. “I was wondering when you’d wake up,” he said.

  She wrapped her arms around him and pressed her cheek against the soft hairs of his chest. “How long have you been up?”

  “Not long.” His lips brushed hers, teasingly.

  She returned his kiss, but after a moment she pulled away. “So what now?”

  He smiled, a truly hopeful smile. “Well, you tell me.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you. I’m not sure what’s going to happen. With me, I mean. I don’t really know what to expect.”

  “Don’t worry, Xandra.” His head dipped lower and he claimed her lips again. “As I was going to say at the candy factory when things looked bleakest, whatever happens, I’ll love you.”

  “And I love you,” she said.

  For a moment they were silent, lost in their private thoughts. She leaned against him, feeling his strength and the very male body pressed against hers. “What do you think will happen with me?”

  “I guess we’ll have to see. I would imagine you’ll remain more or less yourself…”

  “And more or less a vampire?”

  “You won’t be alone. You’ll have me and your friend Alix for company.”

  She pulled out of his arms. “Speaking of Alix, we should see how she’s doing.”

  “Good idea.” He peeled back the covers and stood. She watched appreciatively as he stalked toward the shower. She longed to join him there, to continue what they’d started earlier. But if she did that, they’d never get in to see Alix during visiting hours. And she owed her friend a great debt.

  ***

  The officer standing guard at the entrance to the vampire ward informed them that Jeremy was still in intensive care but was expected to pull through. Under police guard, he wasn’t allowed visitors.

  “What are you going to do?” Dante asked her as they entered the special vampire wing. “He is still your father.”

  “I don’t know.” So many things had changed. She’d finally found the father she’d looked for all her life. He’d been right under her nose the entire time. Yet he’d turned out to be one of the biggest, most painful disappointments of her life. “I guess I’ll have to give it some thought.” She took a shaky breath. “Let’s go see Alix.”

  The dim lighting in the vampire ward was soothing to her sensitive eyes. Everything in the ward was muted, even the color of the furniture. Gray upholstery covered the chairs. The walls were a pale green. The whole effect was comforting, restful.

  A male nurse greeted them at the door. “Miss Greenberg is currently with someone.”

  With whom? Perhaps Alix’s parents had been notified and they’d flown in to be with their daughter.

  Dante pulled his badge. “Metro Police. I need to ask Miss Greenberg some questions, which are pertinent to our case. I promise I’ll only disturb her for a moment.”

  The nurse eyed them both suspiciously. Finally, he said, “All right, but just for a minute.”

  As Xandra moved to follow Dante into the room, the nurse stepped between them. “Just the police officer.”

  Dante uttered a low hiss. The male nurse growled low in his throat. In the dim lighting his eyes flashed red. So the nurse was also a vampire. They faced each other as adversaries. But Dante refused to relinquish any turf. Standing at the doorway to Alix’s room, he reached around the nurse and pulled Xandra against him.

  “This is Miss Greenberg’s best friend. And she’s also connected to the case.”

  The nurse gave Xandra a more thorough once over. She turned toward him, returning his scrutiny. Whatever he saw in her face, she couldn’t tell, but his eyes widened slightly.

  Swallowing nervously, he glanced back at Dante. Then he stepped out of the way. “Five minutes,” he said, trying to keep some authority in the matter.

  Dante nodded.

  They stepped into Alix’s room. The lights had been dimmed even more than out in the waiting room in deference to their newly changed patient’s sensitive eyesight.

  Xandra expected to find her friend shivering and cowering under the covers in a hospital bed, surrounded by doctors taking readings of her vital statistics. Instead, Alix was sitting in the center of the bed, pillows propped up behind her back. Her blonde hair had recently been washed and it shone in the subdued light. She was wearing a robe over her hospital gown. A stack of magazines and books cluttered the bedside table. Blood red roses overflowed from a vase beside the magazines. Another bouquet, this one red carnations set in a nest of baby’s breath, sat on the windowsill. The blinds, she noted, were tightly closed, even though it was evening.

  Alix’s skin had taken on a translucent quality. She looked very pale, yet healthy somehow. Her large brown eyes glowed with a faint red tinge as she turned her head to greet the visitors.

  But the biggest surprise was the figure sitting in the bedside chair.

  Dark curly hair tumbled over his collar. He wore black, a long black trench coat and black jeans. Smooth white hands clasped Alix’s. He stared intently into her eyes. Following Alix’s gaze, he turned as they entered, then rose, laying another bouquet of flowers on the bedside table. White and red roses.

  “George!”

  Dante took one look at the scene, summing it up. “Oh, excuse us.” He turned to leave.

  But Alix said, “No, come in both of you.”

  George was still standing there as if he didn’t know quite what to do about them. He looked immensely pleased with himself and somehow a little guilty.

  “George dropped by to see if there was anything he could do to help me.” Alix seemed happy with this new development.

  Dante nodded toward the other vampire. He and George shook hands. George gave Xandra an inquisitive look but said nothing. Whatever was happening to her, other vampires recognized it right away. She hadn’t thought it showed so blatantly. But then again, she’d recently had more of Dante’s blood. Perhaps that made the difference. Maybe more experienced vampires could sense that kind of thing.

  “George brought me more flowers,” Alix said brightly, interrupting her thoughts.

  Which implied the rest were from him as well. Xandra immediately felt guilty for coming empty handed. She’d been so worried about her friend, she hadn’t thought of anything else.

  Xandra stole George’s seat at Alix’s bedside. “So, how are you?”

  “Not so bad, all considered.”
She beamed at George, who looked back at her, equally smitten. “I mean, it’s all a little weird, but George has been really helpful. He’s offered me lots of tips on how to deal with everything. And he’s helped me realize that I can still carry on my life much as I did before. I mean, after all, George has run a business for hundreds of years.” She shot another admiring look at her new vampire beau.

  “Well, that’s…good,” Xandra said. Turned out her help wasn’t as necessary as she thought. “Any idea when they’re going to let you go home?”

  “They want to keep me for another day or so, just for observation. My mom’s flying in tomorrow so she can help me when I get home.” Alix glanced at her rather sheepishly. “I guess they’re worried I might be a danger to her, so they want to keep me here until they’re sure I’m safe to rejoin the community.”

  “Don’t worry, you’ll be just fine,” George piped in.

  “Well…I guess we should get going and leave you to continue your discussion.” The corners of Dante’s mouth quirked upward in a slight smile.

  Neither Alix nor George seemed unhappy about the prospect of being abandoned.

  “I’ll drop by and see how you’re doing tomorrow night.”

  Alix smiled brightly. “That would be great.”

  “Well that was…unexpected,” Xandra whispered as they let themselves out of the room.

  Dante couldn’t hide his amusement. He smiled broadly as they walked down the hall. “Alix seems to being doing just fine. And George seems to me like a half decent guy.”

  “Didn’t take him long to make a move on her,” Xandra said, still a little miffed at being displaced as Alix’s best friend.

  “The old ones don’t waste time.”

  “You’re right. He’s far too old for her.”

  Dante caught her in a tight hug. “Now, Xandra, let Alix have her little romance. She deserves some happiness after all she’s been through.”

  “But you don’t know her,” she insisted. “Until George, she refused to date vampires.”

  He laughed even harder at that. “And so did you.”

  She punched him gently in the shoulder. “Touché.”