by Heather Linn
“You are not Darien!” I threw the rage filled words right into his face.
It probably wasn’t the smartest thing that I could have said, but the last thing I wanted to do was to endanger my family by adding the King monster to my dance card. I had to think of a way out of the room and I had to do it quickly before he tried to collect on the evening’s promises. Killing thousands of unimportant Dominus was a hell of a lot safer than killing just this one creature. If I murdered Akia tonight, the tables would be turned and I would be forced back into hiding to save my life and that wasn’t a life worth living in my opinion.
“Um, no, I am not Darien. And what the hell was that?” Akia stammered.
“What was what?” I was thinking clearly now. It is amazing how death can kill a buzz
“It was amazing. I have never felt anything like that before,” Akia said trying to go in for round two. Somehow I managed to dodge his attempted kiss and get to my feet in one swift move.
“You stay the hell away from me! I have to leave now. I am not supposed to be here with you. Don’t touch me ever again.” Akia actually looked shocked. “Wait please. I am sorry. What is wrong? Where are you going? Who is Darien? Is he the reason that you are leaving? If he is I can assure you that I am way more fun than he could ever be.”
Akia was asking questions so fast that I couldn’t catch all of them. I didn’t know which direction to turn to get out of the room. I hadn’t paid much attention when we came in; however, it wasn’t until the questions started that I realized I had given him Darien’s name, and even though he didn’t have my name, he would still be able to track me down through Darien if he did so desire. I had screwed up badly and I was hoping Akia wasn’t the jealous type or it would be Darien paying the price for my mistake. I was trapped. I could solve the problem at hand by killing him; that would be simple and I hated to admit it, but probably a lot of fun too. But enough people saw us leaving the party together and even though no one had seen my face, he was the King, and with a little bit of investigating, they might be able to figure it out and that wasn’t a chance I was willing to take. But leaving him thinking that Darien was the reason that I was unwilling to stay with him wasn’t an option either. I was betting that this monster was used to getting everything and anyone that he wanted no matter what he had to do to the people that were standing in his way. I didn’t want Darien to be the speed bump that he ran over to get his hands on me.
I should have known better, I should have drunk slower and paid more attention to the little details that I had ignored because I thought it was the alcohol, and as long as there was alcohol at play, then I could just let my guard down and be carefree just this once. I had held hands with Darien before, and as comforting as it was, there was never the level of arousal that I felt when Akia was rubbing circles on my hand. This is why people die, because all it takes is three seconds to forget your purpose. Once your purpose is forgotten you are open for anyone to take.
“I am sorry I just need to leave, it is nothing really. I am just not feeling well and I think I should go, that is all.” I was surprised how steady my voice sounded given the situation.
Akia looked hurt and a little pissed off. I guess being the King; he wasn’t use to rejection from a lower Dominus. “You can’t go. You are mine for the night. Besides, guards are put at each door and they are locked on the outside so no one’s conscious gets the best of them. I have no intention of hurting you if that is what you are afraid of. Judging by that kiss you were just as into it as I was so what is the problem?”
With one quick move, his lips were close to mine again. I tried to move away, but my limbs were still less than coordinated, thanks to all the liquor. He pulled me to him and started kissing my neck. His warm breath made my knees weak and I let him pull me to the floor with him. I was still thinking somewhat unclearly, mixed with desire and the need to leave, but all I could think about was where his mouth hovered, until he bit roughly into my neck nearly bringing blood, and all that did was make me want him to take me even more. I was lost somewhere inside myself, everywhere his lips touched burned, and everywhere that he had not kissed yet ached for him to do so. He was driving me nuts. I tried to distract myself by thinking about Darien. I knew that he was out there somewhere worried about me, thinking about how bad he had messed up. The thought of him however had no chance in hell of breaking through the havoc that this monster was causing my body and mind. I was only certain of one thing and that was that I had to move; I had to get away, but my body was betraying me. I wondered for an instant if it went into dying mode. Would it be so hard to believe that this is what death felt like? Pleasure and pain and something that renders you completely breathless and unable to think; is that how your mind distracts you so that dying doesn’t seem so violent and ugly? Some deep dark part of me wanted this to be the last thing that I ever experienced. I couldn’t imagine that it could get any better then what I was feeling right that minute. Death would have been the perfect ending to the feelings that I was having. Nothing else would deserve to stop it.
I didn’t even realize he had removed my top and that we were both completely naked from the waist up until he bit down on my nipple so hard that the pleasure was stolen away and replaced by pain for just a moment. That put me over the top. I was moaning loudly and wrapping my legs around his waist before I could stop myself. I needed him inside of me; I had never felt the need of sex like this before in my life. It felt like I would starve to death without it, like I was going to burst if I couldn’t feel him that close to me, like I would go mind shattering mad if he didn’t finish what he had started. He kissed me again, like he was trying to drink my soul. I felt his need and it was just as fresh and as strong for him as it was for me. It was primal; the dark part of my soul had stepped in and snapped the little piece that separates people from animals. Without that part, there was no conscious thought of right or wrong, there were just needs and desires that demanded to be satisfied before it was too late.
His tongue thrust hard into my panting mouth, searching my throat and teeth. He started tasting me and trying to memorize everything about me with his tongue. For just a moment, I could feel him inside of my head. This time he wasn’t being pushy, he wasn’t trying to search my mind to find out all of my thoughts and secrets; he was just there with me. I was warm and happy and safe but even more disturbing was the fact that I felt beautiful. I had never thought of myself as beautiful. I knew that just kissing him hadn’t made me feel that way. I was seeing myself through his eyes and what I was seeing was breath taking. I was strong and delicate and perfect. It took me a moment to realize that he wasn’t willingly projecting this image to me, but instead that I was invading his thoughts too.
The realization excited me and awakened me. I could have done anything to him just then and I could see that he would have let me. It was thrilling to know that I had that much control over him and I wanted to test it even though I knew better. I wanted to see just how far he would let me push him, and I wanted nothing more than to continue to probe his mind; I wanted to know more about the monsters and what better way to learn than to play mind games with the King? I hated to admit it, but I also wanted him to continue to see me the way he did. It was amazing. I was glowing in his mind. Never before had I felt anything like this.
Then, when his tongue lingered on my fangs for a brief second, I remembered who I was; I was Catalina, the woman that was going to kill this monster and seal the deal of death for not only myself but everyone around me that I loved. My mind was still wrestling with my body and I wasn’t sure which was going to win. Then I heard a zipper slide down and I realized just how far out of hand this had gotten. My mind was the stronger of the two after all. I had to regain control of this or we would both be lost.
“No!” I screamed into his mouth.
It startled him and he nicked the tip of my tongue. I tasted blood and I knew I was in trouble. He kissed me harder. He was heading to blood lust and if he got
there I might not be able to stop him from killing himself and taking me with him. I jerked my head away and thrust my body skyward with all my strength and for a brief moment I was drowning in waves of loneliness that were trying to pull me under. It hurt to breathe without his lips on mine. Instinctively I would have given anything to feel him inside my mind again, but it was way too dangerous of a chance to take. Whatever this pull was that he had over me, whatever game he was playing, I needed to get the hell away from this beast.
“I am not going to hurt you. Just hold still,” he growled in a voice almost animal-like with need.
My mouth was still filling with blood and he was desperately trying to drink it all in. Blood was the ultimate aphrodisiac to the monsters. They couldn’t control themselves when they knew that there was the promise of blood and sex coming to them. I was struggling as hard as I could and he was still winning. There was nothing that I could do to stop him from doing what was going to kill him. I could have taken a chance and told him what I was, but that would be like signing a suicide note. Maybe, just maybe if he died I could get away with it. I didn’t know how I would explain the pile of dust in the morning, or where the King of the new world had vanished, but at least I would have all night to think about it. I was almost convinced to just let it play out. If he really couldn’t control himself maybe he did deserve to die. I was almost positive that I could have figured it out when it was all over. After all, Doctor Walker always knew how to save me from every mess that I had ever gotten into. I could just disappear and even if they did figure out who I was they wouldn’t necessarily find me.
My mind was racing. I was being pulled in so many directions; there was no way for me to win this time. I knew that I could kill him, but the scariest part was when I realized that I didn’t want to. Not because I didn’t want to go into hiding, not because I doubted the Doc’s abilities to protect me, but because I was afraid that I was going to lose a piece of myself that I hadn’t even known existed if he died. I never felt anything like that before and even though I would never again; I guess I felt better thinking maybe someday I would. I was still thinking about it and still trying to fight him off and I was losing. I didn’t know how to stop him. Unless I was willing to throw myself at his feet and tell him I was human, there was no stopping what was about to happen. He was going to die and it just might kill me too if he did.
I was done fighting. I could never win this one so I stopped and looked into his eyes. I wanted to remember ever detail just in case he was the last thing that I ever saw, just in case I lived on and never saw him again. When he kissed me and pulled my panties away and started to tease me before pressing inside of me I screamed out in grief and despair. I screamed out a mourning for him that I didn’t even know that I was possible of feeling, I screamed until the sound of my bleeding throat was all I could hear. I screamed until everything went black...
Chapter Five
When I woke up, the curtains were drawn but I could still see the sunlight slipping out from underneath them. I half expected to roll over and see Darien sleeping peacefully beside me; however, as soon as I tried to move, I knew that I was completely wrong. My head and body hurt so badly that I couldn’t remember where I was or how I had gotten there; nothing around me looked like anywhere I had ever been before. I did know that this wasn’t my apartment, and that I was alone somewhere new, and this was the worse place in the world for me to be. Somewhere new could mean anything and from the way that my body was feeling, I would have had no problem believing that I had been captured and tortured.
Then Akia walked into the room, and all too quickly I remembered enough to know that I was in trouble. The feeling and the need hit me harder than I could even put into words. For a minute I wanted him so badly that I couldn’t think straight. I was an animal again and nothing else mattered but feeling him against me. I felt like I was going to die if he didn’t come kiss me. I forgot how to breathe without him breathing with me. It was so scary and new that I wanted to run, but I couldn’t. I was trapped there, wishing that he would take me but knowing that he couldn’t or I would lose him. I didn’t know what this pull was that he had over me but I did know that it was dangerous. I couldn’t think when he was around, not like I needed to anyway. Nothing good could come of the thoughts that were filling my mind.
I remembered the way that his lips felt on mine and the way that everywhere he touched seemed to come alive and add to the need of him. I didn’t, however, remember what happened after the darkness. I had passed out but when? Obviously it happened before he had a chance to force sex on me because he was still alive, well, as alive as the half dead could be. I had never passed out before though no matter how much I had drunk. Maybe it had something to do with the blood loss, though someone bleeding out because of a little nick on their tongue would be a new one to me.
“Oh my god, Cat you are alive. I thought you were gone. I thought I had lost you,” Akia whispered, not able to hide the relief in his voice.
At least he was being considerate of my headache. What in the world was going on? I mean I knew I drank a lot but come on. I should have been more worried about the fact that he stuck around to try to figure out what was wrong with me than I was. I just wasn’t thinking straight yet.
“Ok, two things your highness.” I had never spoken one on one with the King sober. I forgot last night I am sure, but I knew now that you never called him by name if you were beneath him and since I wasn’t sure where we stood, better safe than dead.
“One, how the hell did you know my name? I am sure that I didn’t tell you, and two, what do you mean you thought you had lost me? You never had me to begin with and if I am remembering correctly you wouldn’t let me leave, so how did you lose me?”
“Has anyone ever told you that that sharp tongue of yours is going to get you in trouble someday?” he was teasing me, acting like what was going on here was completely normal and I was in no mood for it.
“Answer my question.” I didn’t think he was going to kill me, though I probably should have tried a little harder to be a little less rude, but I felt like I had been hit by a train and I was in no mood to play head games with someone whose ego was bigger than my apartment.
“Ok, I am sorry. Well let’s see, when I woke up....” his words slowed and I could tell that he was still trying to make sense of things in his own mind. Was it possible that he was as confused as I was? How was that even possible, that we both just slipped into the blackness? Why did the thought of him not knowing any more than I did scare me so much?
“Wait a minute. What do you mean, when you woke up? Did you pass out too? I didn’t even know that you had been drinking.” Finally the thought of him drinking brought with it the first little glimmer of hope for me to grasp for dear life. The fact that it was possible that he was drunk enough to pass out made me feel a little bit better, but just a little bit. Maybe I had gotten lucky after all. If he was that drunk, there was a good chance that some, if not all of his memory would be a little foggy. Maybe he didn’t remember a lot of what I had said. “I was getting to that; we must work on your patience kitten.” He said kitten with such smug confidence that it was all I could do to not kick him.
“Don’t ever call me that again unless you want your balls served to you on a silver platter.”
To my threat he just smiled defiantly, not the reaction that I was going for, but at least he was nice to look at. It is hard to be threatening when the other person is smiling at you. Anyone else, I would have strangled for such a display of cockiness. I guess being the King and all, cockiness works for you. So I did the only thing that I could at that moment, which was sit and glare, though at this point I am sure that it looked more like I was pouting. Hard to be a scary badass chick when your bottom lip is stuck out and your eyes are so sore they are watery instead of steaming.
“If you want me to answer your questions then I must insist that you calm yourself.”
I so badly wanted to tell him to g
o straight to hell where he belonged. The look on his face at that very moment made me want to be the one to send him there, but I wanted to know what happened even more, so with a heavy sigh, I leaned back and snuggled in for a story. The bed that I was on felt like a cloud; I had never laid on anything so soft before in my life, and for this, my body was grateful. Now if I could just manage to stay awake and listen to the words of wisdom that he was going to share that would be another plus.
“There, happy? Go ahead.” I sounded more tired than pissed off. Damn it! What was wrong with me?
“Very well then, as long as you promise to stay still, I will continue. I don’t want you to hurt yourself because you are a little ball of anger that someone should have attempted to tame a long time ago.” Who in the hell did this man think he was? There were so many colorful things that I wanted to say to him, but instead, I settled for saying nothing at all. I felt that it would save me a lot of grief. “As I was saying, when I woke up I figured that I had just passed out, even though I hadn’t been drinking. I thought maybe I had suffered a bad reaction to something that I ate. I didn’t think much of it but when I tried to move, something on my chest was burning. I have never felt tired before in my life. I am always so full of energy but it was like something had zapped the life force out of me. I didn’t even have the strength to lift my head. When I finally managed to work up enough energy to sit up, I discovered these.” He paused and lifted his shirt. On his perfect chest there were three slashes that resembled a cat scratch.
