Dark Promises: Midnight

by Elisa Adams

  A mental light bulb went on in his mind. “Your grandmother was a psychic?”

  Amara laughed. “No, silly. She was a palm reader at a campy little fortune telling shop. That’s all a bunch of bunk, anyway.”

  “Like vampires?”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh…my…God.”

  He sighed. If she’d inherited even a small amount of psychic abilities, she was going to be one powerful vampire.

  Chapter 15

  She’d fallen asleep sometime in the midst of their discussion. When she woke up, her mouth felt like she’d been sucking cotton and her head throbbed. But she didn’t feel hungry anymore.

  Creepy.

  She found Marco sitting at the kitchen table, reading the newspaper. Such a normal thing to do, for a man who was anything but. Her own emotions were in turmoil.

  She tapped her fingernails on the table to get his attention. “So what happens now?”

  She waited for him to tell her last night had been a dream. She was most certainly not about to become a vampire.

  She couldn’t, seeing as vampires didn’t exist.

  Marco was just a crazy fan who, even though he was sexy as hell and up for anything, needed some serious medication.

  She could ignore the fangs, she could ignore the whole drinking blood thing—hey, everyone was different—but she couldn’t ignore the fact that he’d kidnapped her and locked her in a room when it should have been he who was locked away…hell, this wasn’t working. She felt different, she had fangs, and she didn’t like it.

  He smiled and winked. “What do you want?”

  A million dollars, a new house, a lover who didn’t suck blood… “You know what I mean.”

  “I don’t think I do.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, obviously trying his hardest not to look upset. “Are you okay with all of this?”

  Okay? Okay? Not only did she find out her grandmother was probably not a fraud, making her have some kind of strange, out-of-this-world powers, she was also turning into a total freak of nature. What kind of a life was that?

  She stomped around the room, trying to decide if she should yell at him, or cry. Technically, it wasn’t all Marco’s fault. She’d bit his lip. But he should have told her what could happen. If he had, she never, never, would have considered doing anything to him that might break the skin.

  Right?

  Her hands were shaking; in fact her whole body was shaking. She hated Marco, hated herself for doing that. Why had she even let him in the same bed with her in the first place? She should have kicked him out, delusional bastard that he was. She had enough stress in her life right now. She didn’t need this, too.

  “I want you to leave.” She struggled to keep her fury under control.

  He shook his head. “Nope. Sorry. Anything but that. I’m not leaving you alone right now. It isn’t safe.”

  “Why the fuck not?” She tried to keep her voice down, but it was no use.

  Marco looked shocked. “Listen. I know this can be a pretty scary thing. I don’t want you to have to go through it alone.”

  She glared at him. “I like being alone. I crave aloneness, oneness with myself and the environment. Besides, you left me alone for days.”

  “That’s beside the point. A couple hours ago you didn’t want to be alone.”

  “A couple hours ago I didn’t realize I was losing my mind!”

  He grabbed her wrist as she walked by. “Okay, okay. Calm down, Amara. Yelling isn’t going to solve anything. If you just relax, we will get you through this.”

  “And what will happen when I do?”

  “This is hard enough on your body as it is. If you don’t calm down it’s going to be worse.”

  That stopped her tirade. “Is it going to hurt?”

  “Have you hurt so far?”

  Not hurt exactly, just more of an uncomfortable sensation. “Well, not yet. But will it hurt later?”

  “What do you mean?”

  Oh, for God’s sake. “When the, you know, change starts to happen.”

  He laughed. “It’s already happened.”

  “But you said it could take weeks.”

  “It’s been about that, hasn’t it?”

  She blinked. “Yes, I suppose it has.”

  She didn’t like the way he hesitated. Taking a deep breath, she pulled her wrist out of his grasp. “What do you want from me?”

  He looked at her like she was just as crazy as him. “Everything.”

  “Everything?” Well, wasn’t that quite the answer? “I can’t do this.”

  “It’s kind of too late for that.”

  “It was an accident.”

  He shrugged. “Regardless, you can’t take it back.”

  “There’s nothing I can do?”

  “You could try accepting it.” He was beyond irritated now. “Accepting me.”

  Typical male. Here she was worrying about a major life change and he was taking it personally. “Cut the crap. I do accept you, and you know that.”

  “As what?”

  As a total nut job who thinks—who is a vampire.

  If she accepted Marco for what he really was, she would have to accept what she was, too. She was so not ready for that. It was bad enough when she started to notice a couple of gray hairs. This was too much to take.

  But if she didn’t accept him, he’d be crushed. She had a hard time picturing the big guy crushed, but he would be. He wouldn’t show it, that wouldn’t be the macho thing to do, but he’d be devastated.

  So, what was she supposed to do?

  “Hey, Mr. Scary. At least you could have warned me about what would happen if I, you know, drew a little blood.”

  He laughed. “Is that a common occurrence for you?”

  “Drawing blood? I’ve been known to, on occasion.”

  His eyes widened in surprise. “Really? I hope you plan to do it again.”

  “That depends.”

  “On what?”

  “If I ever decide to let you into my bed again.”

  The corner of his mouth lifted a little. “You don’t have a choice.”

  “Ha! I choose how I live my life. Or unlife. Or whatever I’m supposed to call this.”

  “You’re wrong on both counts, sweetheart.” He got up from the chair and walked toward her, backing her against the wall. “Vampires are not undead. We’re living and breathing, similar to humans. We just have much longer life spans and a different genetic code.”

  “Oh, yeah? What else was I wrong on?”

  “You don’t get to choose whether you have me or not. You’re my woman, plain and simple.”

  “Excuse me? Where do you get off telling me something like that? I can make my own choices, thank you very much.” Marco brushed his fingers over her breasts, barely concealed by the worn tee shirt she’d pulled on before coming downstairs. She blinked as his thumbs skimmed her nipples. She wanted so much to be angry at him for his comments, but she couldn’t muster up enough of the emotion. He was baiting her again, toying with her because he knew it would make her angry. “Stop that!”

  “Why? Don’t you like it?”

  “Whether or not I like it is beside the point. I’m trying to get it through your thick skull that I don’t want you—“

  He slipped his hand under the hem of her shirt and cupped her mound. “Funny, you feel like you want me.”

  “You didn’t let me finish what I was saying. I don’t want you referring to me as your woman. I’m my own person. I don’t need you telling me what I can and cannot do.”

  “I don’t plan on doing that. I just want you clear on the fact that this is a monogamous relationship. I don’t want you running around with other men, and I won’t touch another woman.”

  “Ever?”

  “Ever.”

  She’d heard that before, but somehow she knew this time it was the truth. Monogamous? She could handle that, as long as they were both clear on the rules. He slid a finger into her already wet cunt a
nd she lost her train of thought altogether. She tried for a token protest, but it came out sounding suspiciously like a moan. She was glad she hadn’t bothered to put on panties this morning.

  “Yeah, that’s what I want.” He leaned in closer and nipped her earlobe. His voice was a hot whisper against her sensitized skin. “You’re so hot, so wet. I love how tight you are. You fit my cock so snugly, like a warm, wet glove. You were made for me, sweetheart. Me, and nobody else. No other man is ever going to touch you like this. Do you understand?”

  She whimpered in agreement. She’d agree to dye her hair green and tattoo a dragon on her forehead if he’d just move his fingers a little to the left…

  He continued. “I’m going to make you come, right here against the wall. Then I’m going to take you to bed and spend the rest of the day fucking you. We should both be sleeping, but I can’t sleep at all when I’m around you. So we’ll spend the day exploring each other’s bodies instead. Do you want that?”

  She nodded.

  To her dismay, he stopped moving his hand. “Do you want me to fuck you, Amara?”

  “Yes.”

  “What?”

  “I said yes!” She cried out in frustration when he still held back.

  “Yes, what?”

  She didn’t know what kind of games he was playing, but she didn’t like them very much. She tried to shove him away, but it was like trying to move the Great Wall of China.

  He bit into her neck enough for her to feel the sting. “Tell me what you want.”

  “I want you to go away!” She took a breath. “I want you to fuck me!”

  “Yeah, I thought so.”

  He stroked his finger in and out of her. She wasn’t about to let him torture her physically, not after what he’d just put her through mentally. She dragged her nails over his back, pressing hard enough that he could feel the scratch through his tee shirt. He moaned and pressed her harder against the wall, his breath escaping in a hiss. She smiled in satisfaction.

  Her satisfaction was short lived. Marco turned the tables on her easily, spreading her legs wide and rubbing his thumb across her clit. When she was on the verge of orgasm, he pulled back.

  She cried out, trying in vain to impale herself on him. It was no use, their position was too awkward.

  “Knock it off, Marco.”

  He laughed. She wanted to punch him in the gut. Hard. Here she was, in absolute agony, and he was making a joke.

  “Tell me what you want.”

  He was starting to lose his patience. She may not have known him long, but she’d known him long enough to know when he was about to crack. Poor baby. “I already told you.”

  She reached between them and unzipped his pants, pushing them and his boxers down his hips. Her knuckles brushed his cock on the way down and he groaned. Grabbing her legs, he wrapped them around his waist.

  “I need to know you’re mine. Forever.” He slid his cock inside her once before he pulled out completely. “I need to hear you say it.”

  “Are you suddenly having a self-confidence problem?”

  “Say it, Amara.”

  If she kept silent, she’d be left hot and bothered for the rest of the day. If she stopped torturing him and told him what he wanted to hear, which was what she wanted as well, they’d both be happy. “I’m yours. Forever. But you’re mine, too. This has to be equal.”

  Chapter 16

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He slammed his cock home, filling her cunt to the hilt. It just didn’t get any better than this.

  “Forever, Amara,” he repeated. He didn’t need to. She knew it as well as he did. She could protest all she wanted, but it all came down to the fact that she didn’t want to be away from him again. The first time had been bad enough. She didn’t even want to think about the next time.

  His strokes were wild and erratic, pushing her to the edge quickly. Was there ever anything slow and easy with him? Not that she was complaining—her sex life had never been so full. But she didn’t think the man was capable of anything other than ravishment when it came to sex.

  He was entirely too strong. It amazed her that he could hold her up for this long and not collapse under the pressure.

  His lips grazed her cheekbones, her hairline, and her jaw line while he continued to drive her to the point of complete and total ecstasy. Derek, and all her other lovers for that matter, could take a lesson or two from Marco on how to make sure a woman was satisfied. She’d never had it this good. Why would she give it up, just because of the silly little fact that her lover was a vampire?

  Wait a second—so was she.

  She groaned at the thought. That was going to take a long time to get used to.

  He nuzzled her neck. “You should feed again.”

  She couldn’t argue with that, not when she was starting to crave the stuff like it was air. She sunk her teeth into his neck and drank briefly, but had to let him go when she came. She couldn’t manage bucking, convulsing, and sucking at the same time.

  Marco’s release was right on the heels of her own. He spurted inside her, groaning against her neck. When she finally floated back to the real world, he set her down on her feet and kissed the top of her head.

  “Is it really going to be that bad, being stuck with me for the rest of your life?”

  She laughed against his chest. “That depends. How long is my life going to be?”

  “Your natural life will be thousands of years.”

  She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, pretending to think it over.

  “Amara.” The tone in his voice was warning.

  She sighed. “Well, I guess I can learn to live with it. Provided I don’t have to run around biting strangers’ necks for kicks.”

  “You won’t ever have to feed off of anyone but me. I’ll take care of you, and do the biting strangers’ necks for both of us.”

  Finally, something besides sex to look forward to.

  * * * * *

  Amara woke up sometime later to the sound of voices. Male voices, and more than one. Was Royce around again? She hoped not. She didn’t need to deal with any more of his arrogant attitude. She sat up in bed and rubbed her face, wondering how she’d gotten upstairs. The last thing she remembered was collapsing in Marco’s arms after the interlude in the kitchen.

  Damn. Even when she’d lived with Derek, she’d never had sex so many times in one day. No wonder she was so tired lately.

  She dressed quickly and wandered down the stairs, as quietly as she could, to try to hear a little of what they were saying. She jumped when she rounded the corner and literally bumped right into Marco.

  “Yikes!”

  He looked amused, but a little worried as well. “That’ll teach you to sneak up on people.”

  She laughed nervously, trying to shrug it all off. “What are you two doing down here? You were so loud it sounded like you were having a party at the foot of the bed.”

  “Ha.” Marco ran a hand through his hair. “We weren’t that loud.”

  “Wanna bet?”

  She went into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. In the end she dumped half the cup out, filling the mug to the brim with milk.

  “Too strong?”

  She nodded at Marco. “Everything seems to be like that lately. That’s why I haven’t been able to eat anything.”

  “Is she feeding?” That came from Royce, who had just stepped into the room. His long, sandy blond hair was flowing around his shoulders this time, and his bright floral patterned shirt and khaki pants had been replaced by a plain black tee shirt and well-worn jeans. He looked different, better. He looked…like Marco with lighter hair.

  Just what she needed—not one, but two hulky, sulky vampires hounding her every move and reminding her to eat every five seconds.

  Amara rolled her eyes. “What do you care?”

  He raised an eyebrow at her and for a second she saw him for the scholar Marco claimed he was. Then the easy
-going, carefree mask slipped back into place and she was left wondering if she’d just witnessed some kind of illusion.

  “I care a great deal. I don’t want to see you kill yourself over this.”

  Oh, okay. First she was turning into a vampire and now she was suicidal? Not likely. “Listen, bud. I don’t care who you are to Marco, or who you are at all. When I’m hungry, I will eat. Not before then, no sooner, so just get over it already.”

  Royce turned to Marco. “Is she always this difficult?”

  Marco nodded.

  “Has she fed yet?”

  She put her hands on her hips. “Excuse me, but isn’t that what got me into this mess in the first place?”

  Marco closed his eyes and took a deep, slow breath. When he opened his eyes, barely contained anger was visible. “Yes, Amara, and yes, Royce. Now why don’t the two of you try to get along?”

  Yeah, and maybe a monkey would be the next president, she thought.

  Royce frowned at her and she realized she must have spoken the thought out loud. She would have blushed, if she’d cared in the least what the jerk thought of her.

  “Are you sure you want this one?” he asked Marco.

  Marco nodded.

  “There are so many to choose from. I could help you find a nice girl. One who isn’t such a pain in the ass?”

  Marco flashed her an evil smile. “No. She’s perfect just the way she is.”

  She snorted.

  Royce frowned again. “Oh, yeah. That’s so painfully obvious.”

  She didn’t like the sarcastic tone in his voice.

  “Marco, what happened?” he continued. “You’ve gone nearly four hundred years without making this mistake. How could you let it happen again?”

  A shard of pain flashed in Marco’s eyes. “Amara isn’t like Sarah, and what happened with Sarah was no accident. She asked for it. When are you going to believe that?”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t understand why she would have asked you to turn her when I should have been able to give her everything she needed.” Royce shook his head. “It doesn’t matter how it happened, or why. You still made a mistake.”

  She cleared her throat. “Who the hell is Sarah?”