She leaned down and kissed his cheek. “That’s the Jonah I know and love.”
“Wow, first on the head now on the cheek. Think next time you could hit my lips?”
“Only in your dreams.” She planted a palm in his face and gave him a shove.
“Oh, I dream about it all the time.” He joked then backed his way into his room.
“Where have you been? I’ve been so worried about you.”
He spun around to find Raven standing at the foot of his bed, hands fisted on her hips and her eyes wide. He really was a sucker for her eyes.
“I went for a stroll. You don’t have to worry about me, Raven. I am a big boy and I can take care of myself.”
“I know that…” She expelled a long breath. “It’s just…well…I was concerned.” She turned around quickly and began tidying her cot.
“You were asleep and I was restless so I decided to take a stroll. I wound up at the chapel. I had to get some things off my chest,” he explained while she kept busy tidying a bed that was already neat.
“Okay…good.” She jumped when he touched her arm.
“I wasn’t angry at you, Raven. It’s nice to have someone worry over me, but you don’t have to be scared I’m not coming back. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.”
She turned with a smile and it simply lit her face.
“I didn’t mean to jump you the instant you came into the room. Sometimes I act without thinking.”
He really wished he was at eye level with her. He would love to touch her face right now. “That happens to the best of us. What do you say to a little workout session with my legs? I’m kinda eager to get up on my feet again.”
“Sure. I rather liked seeing you smile. Want help up onto the bed?”
“I think I can manage.” Pushing himself to the side of the bed, he grabbed hold of the side bars, slid forward in his seat, then pulled himself up. He felt the pressure in his back and down his legs as he stood. But damn it felt good. Leaning his upper torso onto the bed, he slithered into it and rolled onto his back. “Piece of cake.”
“You’re getting pretty damn good at that. And cocky,” she added with a smile as she climbed up onto the bed.
“Me, cocky? Never.” He grinned.
She took hold of his left foot, placing one hand under his knee and began the exercise. “Did you have a nice talk with Trinity?”
“How do you know I talked with Trinity?”
“I heard her at the door and put two and two together.” She pushed his leg forward, stretching it.
He could actually feel the muscles burning. Damn, it was a nice feeling. “We did have a nice talk. We worked some things out and she helped me work some of my own stuff out.”
“Must have been a hell of a talk. You’ve got more color in your face.”
Did he really? Hm…
“So…did the two of you date?”
“Trin and I? No. We’ve always been friends. She’s like a sister to me.”
“Yet you wanted her to kiss you.”
She really had been listening. “I joke with her about that all the time…and now that I really think about it, that’s kinda gross if I think of her like a sister.” He shuddered. Maybe it was time to quit with the sexual jokes.
Laughing as she continued to exercise his legs, Raven spoke, “Did you go to the chapel to talk to your wife?” He tilted his head. “I do that sometimes. Talk to Ricky,” she explained and switched to the next leg.
“I did. I went to talk to her about you.” When her eyes met his, he continued. “I’m attracted to you, Raven. I just had some conflicts as to what to do about it.”
“Had?” She pushed his leg forward, pressing his knee to his chest.
Now he could touch her face. Sliding his fingers along her cheek he watched the emotions swirl in her eyes. “Had, have, probably will for a while, but it doesn’t negate the fact that I want to be with you. To kiss you, touch you.” He sat up, and with her chin in his hand, he drew her closer. He watched her lashes flutter over her eyes before shutting and as he touched his lips to hers, he heard a tiny moan escape her mouth.
Her hands slid from his leg to rest on his chest as he deepened the kiss. His leg slid down as she came to rest between them. He felt her body pressing against his groin and the sensation instantly made him ache.
He wanted more but he was afraid.
So he settled for what he could have. Cupping her face in his hands, he tilted her head and took the kiss further. She had soft lips, sensual and warm and utterly giving. He felt her tongue skim his lips and played along. When his touched the tip of hers, he felt the heat scorch him.
And he moaned in response.
But when her hand slid down his chest to his crotch, he stopped her.
“Too fast?” She murmured against his mouth, her eyes dreamy as she looked down at him.
“What if I can’t?”
She kissed him softly and smiled. “I’m betting you can. Let me give this to you, Jonah.”
He released her hand, feeling knotted up inside from lust and fear. And guilt. Only one woman had ever touched him there. Would he think of Ariel as Raven touched him? It wouldn’t be fair to Raven if he did. “I—”
“Shh,” she whispered against his mouth then slid her hand beneath the waistband of his pajamas.
His entire body tensed up until she wrapped her fingers around his shaft and the nervous tension turned to need. Her hand was warm and firm. He felt it all. And as she started sliding it up and down, the familiar ache was a welcomed one. She slid one leg over his left, placing her heat against his thigh. He felt that too, and that she wore no underwear. She began to grind her pelvis against his thigh as her hand worked over him in long quick strokes.
He devoured her mouth in a ravenous kiss as his hand sought her breast.
The moisture seeped through her pants to dampen his leg. It was warm, wet and made him want her even more. Then she pulled her hand free, brought it to her mouth as she released him and got it wet with her saliva. She kept her eyes on his as she wrapped her damp hand around his cock.
Warm and wet, she moved her hand in a rapid motion while grinding her pelvis into his leg. He tried to move his hips but couldn’t. The disappointment was clouded in the urge to release.
Slipping his hand beneath her shirt, he massaged her nipple as she worked him into a frenzy. “I’m going to come!”
“Let yourself go, Jonah.” She pumped him even harder.
It came out of him in a mad rush. His balls tightened and he let himself go. “Oh…yes…” he grunted as he spilled into her hand. His penis twitched several times before the orgasm stilled.
It was the most glorious feeling he’d ever had.
She kissed his lips once then twice. “I’d have to deduce that your penis works just fine.”
He opened his eyes, saw her smiling, and the laughter bubbled out of him. “Thank God for that.”
“I’ll get you a change of clothing and a basin to wash you up.” She pulled her hand free.
“What about you? You need to release.”
She kissed him once more then shoved off the bed. “I can wait.”
As she walked into the washroom, he closed his eyes and let out a long breath.
Ariel hadn’t once entered his thoughts. He wasn’t sure if he should be happy or sad about that fact.
Chapter Thirteen
Jonah had opted for a shower rather than just washing up. Though he felt relieved that all his parts were working, he didn’t feel right that Raven hadn’t had her release. He’d always been a giving man, rather than a selfish one, and he believed in pleasuring the woman before receiving it himself. He was going to have to make it up to Raven, somehow. Since he’d failed at trying to move his hips when she’d been
working him, he figured intercourse was going to be out. At least until his lower extremities started working again.
Shutting the shower off, he grabbed his wheelchair then slid from the shower chair. He plopped his wet butt down into his wheelchair, then with an eye on his legs, willed them to move. When the right lifted a few inches off the floor, he let out a whoop. Straining, he moved it and set it down on the foot petal. Now the left. This one was being stubborn and didn’t want to cooperate like the right. But he managed to get it to lift an inch off the floor at least before it plopped back down. Giving in, he picked it up and set it beside it’s brother then wheeled himself out of the shower. He laid one towel over his crotch and grabbed another for his hair. He was toweling it off when Dante walked into the room.
“Hey. Raven said I would find you here, so I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone. Have a shower and tell you we’re all meeting in Trinity’s room in half an hour.”
“Group meeting, huh? Any guesses as to why?” Like he didn’t know.
“Chaos. Sunlight. Eliminate the first and bring back the second.”
“That would be my guess.” Jonah tossed the towel he’d used on his hair into the overburdened clothes hamper to his left. With all the staff gone, there was no one to do laundry. And if they had to stick it out here any longer one of them was going to have to take care of it.
He hoped it wasn’t him. He hated doing the laundry.
“So how do you feel about bringing the sunlight back now that you’re…you know…”
“A vampire? You can say it. I’m fine with it coming back. Looking forward to it as a matter of fact.” He missed the way it streamed through the windows leaving golden trails on the floor…and he supposed now that would be the only way he would be able to enjoy it without turning into a blister covered freak.
Dante stripped out of his shirt then tossed it over a chair to the back of the room. “I have to ask, man. How do manage to do shit like this alone?”
“Shower? I sit and wash as best I can.” Though it wasn’t easy, especially washing his ass, but he managed.
“Do you miss…that’s a stupid question. Ignore me.” Dante drew the zipper down on his jeans with a shake of his head.
“Don’t pussy foot around me, D. If you want to ask me something, just do it. If I don’t want to answer, I won’t.” This was what he’d feared. That everyone would treat him differently now that he was wheelchair bound.
“Okay.” Dante pulled up a chair and went for it. “What’s it like? You pissed about losing your walking abilities? And don’t pussy foot around me about it. Just give it to me straight. Okay?”
Jonah nodded. They were friends and friends were supposed to be honest with one another. “I hate it. I feel useless, especially the first while when Raven had to help me into bed, help me dress, and wash. But now I can do most everything myself. And…I’m getting some mobility back.” He lifted his right leg to indicate what he meant.
“Wow, Jonah! That’s fucking fabulous!”
“I think so too. Plus, I can get it up, so things aren’t too bad.”
“Bonus!” Dante gave him a high five. “You try it out yourself or have your new lady friend test drive it?”
“A real gentleman doesn’t tell tales of his conquests.”
“Bullshit!”
Smiling, Jonah wheeled himself to the fresh clothes he’d set out on one of the chairs. “Do I look like I’m capable of having sex?”
“Well, if you can get it up, my man, you can fuck. But if you want to keep it to yourself, that’s cool too.” Standing, Dante kicked out of his jeans and boxers, then headed for the showers. “So, have you gotten used to being a vamp yet?”
Jonah dried off then tossed the damp towel along with the others. “I can drink blood without vomiting. Actually, it’s not so bad.” And his thoughts turned to drinking from Raven’s vein. “You ever let Gypsy drink from you?”
“You bet, and what a rush it is for me I’ll tell you. Never thought I would say that.”
He had to talk above the running water and decided to wheel a little closer so as not to have to shout. “You let her bite you?” he asked while sliding into his pajama pants.
“Sure. It’s very erotic.”
Thinking back now, Jonah remembered feeling excited when he was sucking on Raven’s arm.
“Basil tells me it’s a normal thing as long as the vamp doesn’t get carried away. But if there’s love there, if the vamp feels a bond between him/her and the companion, then the risks are pretty low that he/she will go too far. Gypsy always knows her limits. You should try it. She says she has her best orgasms when she bites me.”
“You sure that’s not just because she was sired by your brother?”
“We’ve established that there is no connection between the two.”
He drew the pajama shirt over his head. “How are things going between you and Danny?” The water shut off and Jonah wheeled towards the last towel folded on the wrack and winced. He really didn’t want to do laundry. Spinning around, he tossed Dante the towel.
“Not great. He really doesn’t want anything to do with me and it’s killing me.”
“You ever let him go?”
Dante shook his head and droplets of water shot out with the motion. “I didn’t want to let him out until—and this sounds incredibly insensitive of me—but I didn’t want to let him out until he came around.”
“Not good, D.”
“I know.” He hung his head down.
“So then he’s still locked up at Basil’s?”
“No, Basil went back to check out the damages and no one was in the cells. Chaos’ men probably freed them.”
“Sorry, D. I know how long you’ve been searching for him. To have him turn you away must suck.”
“More than. But I’m not giving up on him yet.”
“That’s the spirit. Well, I’m going to head to Trinity’s. See you there.” Dante waved at him as Jonah left the communal showers. He was half way down the corridor when he saw Raven walking towards him. Most people didn’t look attractive in hospital clothing, yet he found it suited Raven perfectly. The deep blue matched her eyes and even though the material was quite sturdy he could still see she wore no underwear beneath it. Or maybe it was his keen vampire eyesight. And if he didn’t stop looking at her that way he was going to embarrass himself.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” She smiled as she came to a stop. “I was just coming to see how you were doing and if you needed any help.”
“Dante came in and I got him to wash my back and ass.” When her mouth dropped open he laughed. “I’m joking. I have a warped sense of humor. I can handle washing myself,” he added lastly.
“I know you can. Did he tell you that Trinity wants you to go to her room for a meeting?”
She walked beside him and he thought it was quite an accomplishment that she didn’t push his chair instead. “Yep. I was heading to our room to get you before I went to the meeting.”
“Me? Why?”
“You’re part of the group now, Raven.”
“No, I’m not. But thank you for thinking of me as one.”
He stopped and took her hand. “You have insight on Chaos that none of us do. You could tell us something we haven’t figured out. You could be helpful in catching him, Raven. And mostly, I want you there with me. Okay?”
She nodded, then leaned down and nipped his lips with a tiny kiss.
“Get a room,” Dante joked, then grabbed hold of the handles at the back of Jonah’s chair. “Wanna see how fast this baby can go?”
“Not really.” But his protest went on deaf ears. Before he’d finished the last syllable, Dante was shoving him forward in a dead run. And laughing his head off. It was infectious and soon enough Jonah was laughing wi
th him.
When Dante came to an abrupt halt by Trinity’s door, Jonah was breathless with laughter. “Stupid fool.”
“Gotta live life in the fast lane, my friend. Ladies first.” Dante stepped aside as he opened the door for Raven.
Smiling, she stepped inside.
“The gang’s all here. Where are the strippers?” Jonah joked.
“I could—”
“He was joking, honey,” Dante advised Gypsy before she could accommodate.
“You’re looking better since I saw you last,” Trinity surmised. “Took my advice?”
“Maybe. So what’s the skinny?” Jonah wheeled himself into the room near the window and took Raven’s hand in his. He knew she felt out of place and he wanted her to know she was as welcome as he was.
“The front entrance to my house was blown open. So it’ll be hard to return there without being sitting ducks,” Basil informed them while pulling out a cigarette.
“No smoking around the mamma to be,” Cooper chastised Basil, snatching the cigarette from his mouth. “And this might be the perfect time for you to quit.”
Scowling, Basil sat down on the bed.
“Okay. Then we stay here,” Dante piped in.
“Right now, that’s the plan. Jonah and Raven, how much blood is in the bank here?”
Jonah turned the question over to Raven.
“Some of Chaos’ men came in and grabbed several bags last week but there’s still plenty. Providing they don’t return.”
“We’ll have to keep an eye out for any intruders,” Basil suggested receiving a nod from everyone.
“Guess we’re back to watch schedules. And speaking of which. How many of your guys are coming over here to stay?” Dante inquired of Basil.
“Only a few. I want some of them to stay at the house to monitor it. Since Chaos showed up there right after we left, I want someone there on the look out in case he comes back.”
“Why didn’t they take him out?” Jonah wanted to know.
Shiela Stewart - [Darkness 03] Page 12
