Talon

by Alice Wade

  “Easy for you to say,” she mumbled childishly. “You’ve been this way for hundreds of years. Me? Two days!”

  Both vampires wore expressions of amusement before Kailani rolled her eyes. Talon smirked. “Even more important to teach you properly then, so you ‘grow up’ correctly. Are you ready?” he asked.

  Lainey paled. “Do I have a choice?” They shook their heads. “I guess I’m ready then. What do I do?”

  “Reach out with your mind and find me,” he said this as if she knew what that meant. “It’s like throwing a net in my direction, but using your mind. Try it,” he instructed.

  Lainey stood up and faced Talon. She tried and failed twice before she identified the sensation and latched onto it. On her third attempt, she successfully cast a net that settled on Talon and became acutely aware of his mind, thoughts and soul. She was in.

  “Excellent. That was well done and quite subtle. Good job, Lainey. Now, use your mind and coerce me to be calm and relaxed. Think of how you want me to behave and push it at me. Will me to comply.” He looked at his mate. “You may need to guide her through the rest,” he added and received a nod from Kailani, who intently watched Lainey learn how to manage the feeding coercion.

  Lainey did as instructed and on the first try was able to control Talon’s mind into relaxing. She saw in his eyes that he was drifting and smiled in satisfaction that she had succeeded.

  “Well done.” Kailani said telepathically to Lainey. The look of utter surprise on Lainey’s face when she did so, nearly had Kailani rolling with laughter. “Think your thoughts and direct them at me mentally. This will be easier that trying to talk with your mouth full.” That earned a mental chuckle from the newborn as she approached Talon.

  “Now, this is the hard part—figuring out where to bite.”

  Lainey unconsciously recognized a food source was close at hand and without any thought, her fangs extended and dripped with venom. If she were not so painfully thirsty, their appearance would have surprised her, but in her current state of mind she didn’t even notice.

  She sniffed, inhaling deeply. A rich, earthy musk filled her nostrils and she drooled in response. Lainey looked up to find him standing as if dazed, waiting and effectively under her mental control. Seeing him so infused her with a sense of power, because she had done this with a thought alone. Her. With a childlike grin, Lainey turned to Kailani and shared her excitement at putting the mighty Talon into a trance. She, a two day old vampire, controlled this impressive elven. Lainey laughed and inched forward.

  Since Kailani was linked with her at that moment, she heard all of this internal dialogue and shared in her joy. She remembered this first time too and had to admit it was addicting. “Wait until you practice this more and try it out on more people. You will definitely get addicted to this.”

  “It feels wonderful to know I’m in control right now.” Her hunger became more painful the longer she waited. Lainey hissed briefly, inhaling another deep breath of his earthy scent. With fangs fully extended, she turned to Kailani. The more she smelled the more crazed she became. “Now what?”

  “Caress his neck and feel for his pulse. Once you find it, follow the vein until you feel where it is the strongest pull for you. That means it’s the largest section of the vein and more blood is actually flowing there. That is where you bite.”

  Lainey stared with a hungry intensity at Kailani, “Will I have to do this ritual each time?”

  “No,” Kailani shook her head silently. “After you get more comfortable with your skills and needs, this becomes automatic.”

  “Interesting.” Lainey turned back to a very subdued Talon and did as Kailani instructed. “His skin is so soft!”

  “I know.” Kailani’s mind was suddenly filled with her sexual needs and caused Lainey to blush for they were still connected. “Sorry. He has that affect on me.”

  Lainey could not tear her gaze away from his neck. It was divine and his blood was strong almost down the entire expanse. “So, I just bite?”

  “Yes, just like you did on my arm but there will be more blood. I’ll tell you when to stop, all right?”

  “All right.” Lainey’s hands trembled with nervousness. This was her first time doing this in such a formal fashion and she was afraid of making a mistake. Looking at Talon’s serene face one more time, she felt the gnawing fear she take too much.

  Kailani felt her anxiety. “This is another skill that will soon become instinctual. You will just know when you are taking too much. I think it has to do with the slowing of the heart, and you’ll stop. Our goal is not to kill, but to take what is necessary for our survival. Sometimes, you will hunt two or three times in one night because you just can’t take that much from one source.”

  “If you say so.” She still caressed Talon, who now enjoyed the touch, with his eyes closed. Lainey growled when she realized she could not reach his neck comfortably and gently pushed on him to sit down on the couch where she could have unobstructed access to the vein.

  “Good, I was wondering when you would realize you can’t reach his neck.”

  Lainey couldn’t even respond, because her head was already affixed to his neck and her incisors easily slipped through his skin. The moment his tangy blood hit her mouth, she choked and almost had to pull back. She wasn’t expecting so much to flow into her mouth, and that made it difficult to swallow fast enough.

  “Good, Lainey. Drink deep. He has a lot to share and I think this will do you some good.”

  She now felt a purr vibrating from her chest. Drinking like this felt near orgasmic, and most definitely eased the burn of her thirst. If she could have, she would have grinned, but she didn’t want to stop. “Is this enough?”

  “In a moment. Now, pull back.”

  This time, Lainey had not succumbed to the blood thirst and was able to pull back on her own. She marveled at how easily her fangs slid out and felt a pang of regret when the flow of blood ceased to fill her mouth.

  “Before you pull away, lick the wound. That seals the entry points and our saliva heals it so there will be no mark within a few seconds.”

  Lainey did this and got a good taste of his musky skin. “He tastes good too,” she whispered.

  “Oh, believe me, I know. Lainey, you are making me jealous now. Can you please step back from my mate?”

  Lainey laughed, did as asked, and looked at the petite vampire. She still felt the sensation of warm blood flowing down her throat. It brought on an excited shiver. “Is it always like that?”

  “Mostly yes; sometimes you will make mistakes and choose a source that is sour. In those situations, it’s not so pleasant.” Kailani smiled, “This is another instinct that will kick in. You will scent their quality when you are hunting and soon be able to identify the most delicious sources. This is what we’ll teach you in a few days. For now, practice on the technique.”

  Talon was released from her hold once she licked his wounds. He sat quietly and watched the women discussing the experience and the future lessons, so didn’t interrupt. He tingled with pride for her and was surprised he felt this strongly. Nevertheless, he did. The first feedings were always the hardest and she mastered it with a finesse that made him smile.

  While the women talked, he half-drifted to sleep, trying to analyze how it was that he’d allowed himself to build another coven. His lips smirked when he realized it was because he missed having a family and Kailani had just adopted a child. She forced the issue without him realizing it, but he wasn’t angry. Lainey was a good fit for their life. Feeling a tickle brush his mind, Talon cracked one eye and found Kailani watching him with a curious expression on her face.

  “What?” he asked in mock challenge, coming fully awake and smiling at her.

  “You’re turning all mushy on me,” she teased.

  “Hmm.” He turned to Lainey and
said, “Well done.”

  Lainey blushed and dipped her face. This praise wasn’t something she was expecting. Then it hit her. She craved their acceptance and praise as if they were her parents. That caused her to sit back and stare ahead with a stupefied expression. They even watched her like parents.

  Kailani was still linked to her mind and heard the emotional journey. It touched her, but she didn’t laugh at the younger vampire. Instead she chose a more sensitive approach.

  “What you are feeling is our bonds strengthen. Especially now that you’ve fed from both of us, our blood runs in your veins. You are essentially ours now, so to speak and we will protect you as such. Welcome to the family!” Kailani wrapped her arms around Lainey, hugging her as a mother would a struggling child.

  This act was so tender and sweet…so profound, that Lainey could not hold her tears back and leaned into the embrace. It felt good to have someone to hold who didn’t want anything from her. Like Kaen. Lainey pulled back quickly and her wet eyes bore into the molten silver of Kailani’s.

  “What about Kaen? He, how do you call it, sired me. Does he still have a claim on me?” Lainey responded to the slight tug Kailani gave her arm and snuggled back into her arms getting closer. She felt safe here. Cared for. Loved.

  “For now yes. After a few more feedings from both of us, we will have diluted his taint and you will be more tied to us, not him.”

  “Can we feed often then?”

  Both Talon and Kailani chuckled at her innocence and her desire to be free of Kaen.

  “It’s not that simple, but yes. We want you free too,” the tiny vampire replied.

  * * * *

  Depressed, Dace remained behind while Talon carried Lainey away from him. Since his conversation with the vampires, he’d found himself in a difficult position, because he no longer wanted to be rid of her, instead he wanted to be with her even now. However, he still felt conflicted over whether he could handle her new feeding habit.

  He leaned back against the table that was his stage moments before and exhaled. Imagine that. He was finding forgiveness. Just like that. He smiled to himself and shook his head in amazement. He’d messed up though. He realized how cruel he’d been to her and how his words had wounded her; he saw that in her eyes. What was he supposed to do about it though?

  She wanted nothing to do with him, that was clear, and he knew Talon would slit his throat if he tried to approach her again without his permission. This situation suddenly became much more complicated.

  Adara poked her head in and saw him still in the front of the room. She entered and approached. “Hope my support in the meeting helped.” She knew damn well she did, but still said the words fishing for a compliment.

  Dace smirked as he watched her approach. “You know it did, thank you. They follow you like a parent, so it was nice to have your backing.”

  “Dace, can I ask a question?” The elderly woman found a chair and sat.

  “Of course.” He waited.

  “If you are opposed to banishing those three to their own accords, why is it that Lainey is still with them and not you?”

  He wasn’t prepared for her bluntness. “It’s very complicated, and I’m not sure any of my responses will fully explain what’s going on.”

  “Rubbish. Do you still love her?” Adara scrunched her face sourly at his childish behavior.

  Dace pursed his lips. If he said yes, that meant he accepted her for what she was. He wasn’t ready to fully do that yet. However, if he said no, he’d be officially writing off the greatest love he’d ever known. He wasn’t ready to do that either. Dace shamefully hung his head, practically mumbling his words when he finally replied. “I honestly don’t know. It’s very confusing at the moment, but regardless of how I feel, I don’t want them banished.”

  The older woman waved her hand in frustration and glared at him before she spoke. “You love her and you are being an absolute ass by not supporting her. You are disappointing me with your immature response. You’re better than this. Fix it.”

  He was tormented, and his voice clearly announced his agony, “I don’t know how.”

  Adara continued to watch him. It was clear this was slowly destroying him and she felt the compulsion to help. “Try talking with her.”

  He snorted. “I tried that yesterday. Didn’t go all that well.”

  “That’s because you were still angry. I don’t see anger now. All I see is your pain at not being with her. Go to her.”

  He ran his hands over his face to clear his head. “It’s not that easy. Talon forbid me from approaching her again after what I said yesterday. I have to go through him, and I seriously doubt he will let me near her right now.”

  Her forehead pulled up in surprise. “What exactly did you say?”

  “That our relationship was over because she took off the ring to bed another man. I actually called her a whore.” He groaned and tilted his head back in distress, “I know. I’m a flea-bitten cur, so save your breath.”

  “I have plenty of breath so I’ll say it anyway. You are a flea bitten cur.” Adara then spat near his feet and glared at him. “How could you do that to her? She’s probably terrified and confused. She needed you and you turned your back. I have never been so ashamed.”

  When his head righted and he looked at the older woman, both his eyes were filled with large tears, a tidal wave ready to break free. “I know.”

  “Fix it Dace. Soon. She needs you.”

  “I know,” he repeated in a tormented drawl.

  Just then, Omar poked his head to get his attention. Dace quickly wiped his eyes dry before his friend could see he was upset and turned to the older woman. “Looks like I’m needed elsewhere. Thank you for talking sense into me. I’ll try to find a way to fix it. If I get stuck again, you have permission to kick me in the rear.”

  Her warm chuckled eased her heart, “Anytime. You’ll figure it out.” Adara rose and waddled to the door, slipping past the large frame of Omar.

  After taking a few deep breaths, Dace turned to his friend, “I’m ready now. Is everything in place?”

  “Aye, sir. It’s as we discussed.”

  “Excellent. Let’s go check out the security so I can go hide in a hole for rest of the afternoon,” he said with a half-smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

  Omar saw the pain but didn’t pry. He knew Dace well enough to know that if he wanted to talk, he’d talk. Right now he was solely focused on the inn and the security precautions so Oman decided to let it go. Instead he lead Dace around the perimeter, showing him all the traps and alarms they had erected to announce intruders, hoping that this would be a good distraction from the agony rolling off his friend and leader.

  * * * *

  Lainey was restless after feeding. Her body twitched with sexual urges that suddenly manifested and they dominated her thoughts.

  Talon and Kailani and disappeared again but she could hear their activity behind their bedroom door. Each time Kailani moaned in pleasure, it didn’t help anything to control the raging desire burning in her own body.

  Lainey needed to get out of this room and decided to take a bath. Maybe the soothing water would calm her somewhat, or so she hoped. She grabbed her robe, a jar of scented oil and headed towards the communal bathing room down the hall. When she poked her head inside, she was relieved to see the three private sections were empty. She chose the tub farthest from the door and filled it with hot water from the furnace in the corner. Satisfied that it was deep enough and hot enough, she finally undressed and slipped under the warm and soothing water.

  Silky hot water slid over her body, pulling a pleasurable moan from her lips. She had no idea water could caress and tease flesh this way. The very desires she tried to flee from flared to life and she threw her head back as she succumbed to the sensations. They were in
tensified the more she moved, feeling the silky pressure along her sex each time she shifted. So she shifted again.

  Lainey groaned. Now what was she to do? She shivered as her fingers slid across her stomach, dragging another moan from her mouth. She couldn’t believe she was getting this much pleasure and formed a wicked thought. Tentatively, she moved her fingers higher and ran her open palm over her peaked nipple, debating. She’d never touched herself before, but she was so needy at the moment that she decided to explore. With her hand, she explored her breast, pinching the nipple until she cried out. Her skin felt smooth under the water and she craved more. Raising her other hand, she massaged her other breast in a similar fashion until she arched her back in divine pleasure.

  Her breasts were firm and larger than before; each one sported a tight puckered nipple. Going lower, she ran her hand along the crease of her breasts and then over her rib cage, amazed at the contrast between her large mounds to her tiny waist. She felt a moment of regret that Dace had left her. He’d have liked this new body of hers and she wagered he’d have liked the challenge of easing her burning itch too. However, he wasn’t here. Moreover, he never would be again. He’d made that quite clear.

  Lainey’s hand slithered lower, but she stopped herself. She felt a moment of hesitation for this guilty act but couldn’t resist. The burning need built to a painful level and her hand continued down to the apex of her thighs and hovered there. She wasn’t really sure what to do, so she gingerly touched her labia, exploring her folds and running her fingers through her wild hair.

  She grazed her clit by accident, screaming aloud. The explosion of electricity which coursed through her body was enough to jolt a dead man alive. Lainey sat still for a moment while she caught her breath and then giggled hysterically that she could find her own touch pleasurable. It felt amazing and that realization brought on a blush. Hell, two days ago she was just a good girl with morals. Now look at her; naked in a tub with her own hand between her legs.