Wilder, J. C. - Shadow Dweller 1

by OneWithThe Hunger(lit)

  Invisible lips settled over the rosy crest of her breast and began to suckle while she twisted and whimpered on the bed. Already, he knew where to touch, to caress, to arouse cries from her soul. Fingertips traced a trail of fire to the tops of her sweats. With a flick of his finger, all of her clothing disappeared and she lay naked and vulnerable on the bed before him.

  "Just wait till you see the things I can do for you, my love. I can give you the world," he crooned as her invisible lover took her to the heights of pleasure.

  She strained toward mystical hands as they plundered her body. No part was left untouched, unkissed. She didn't want him this way. She wanted him, the man, not the magic.

  "I want to feel you against me," she gasped out. "Your flesh against mine." She looked deep into his black eyes. "Please."

  Val looked startled, yet absurdly pleased. Suddenly the invisible hands on her body were gone and there was only the two of them. "Your wish is my command, angel," he breathed.

  He slipped the dagger from the top of his pants and dropped it soundlessly to the rag rug beside the bed. She held her breath as he reached for her. Long-fingered and lightly callused, he had capable hands, sensual hands.

  He moved between her thighs to stroke her warm, sensitive flesh. She shivered as his strong fingers pressed into her skin. Lightly, he skimmed upward, parting her delicate folds.

  "I saved the best for myself, of course." He dipped his head.

  Shocked, she tried to twist away from him, "Val!"

  He kissed the inside of her thigh. "Do not be so shy, angel. We have shared much more than this simple kiss."

  He dipped his head and touched his tongue to her innermost core, and she cried out at the exquisite sensations he aroused. She tried to get away from his tormenting kisses, but he held her firmly against his mouth by gripping her hips and holding her still. Ripples of ecstasy began deep inside and radiated out as whimpers broke from her lips. Soft breathy cries filled the room as Val brought her desire to full flame.

  He kissed a path up her body, pausing to suckle here and nibble there as Shai lay sated in his arms. He gave her a knowing smile, then took her lips in a kiss that was earthy and powerful. He tasted of dark, carnal desire and her sex. Her hands and legs were released all at once and she wrapped her legs around his jeans-clad waist and tangled her fingers in his hair.

  She clung to him as his tongue thrust deep into her mouth in an erotic imitation of the ecstasy that was to come. She wanted him against her, not hidden by the barrier of Levi Strauss. She reluctantly let go of his hair and skimmed her hands down to liberate the buttons on his jeans, sighing as the heavy length of him sprang free. He was magnificently made. She broke their kiss as she slipped her hand around his erection and began stroking him in a lazy fashion.

  "For me?" she purred.

  Val grinned. "But of course, madam." He gripped her by the waist and rolled over until she was sprawled across him. He laced his fingers behind his head. "To do with as you wish."

  She put her hand on his chest to catch her balance. A feeling of power surged through her and she knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted to impale herself on his flesh and remain there the rest of her life. She arched backward. Her long hair brushed her backside and she shivered. His erection jumped and throbbed, pressing tightly against her damp folds.

  She rose on her knees and poised over him. Gaze intent upon his face, she impaled herself on his willing flesh. He filled her so perfectly, like they were made for each other. She raised her arms behind her head, thrusting her breasts outward. She tipped her head forward, shifting her hips slightly as she adjusted her position. She looked down at him through a thick curtain of hair. "I'm perfectly content now. How about you?"

  His grin was wicked. Suddenly, he shifted his legs up and she tumbled forward onto his chest. Before she knew what was happening, he'd turned her onto her back and she lay pinned beneath him.

  "Minx," he whispered between thrusts.

  Shai cried out as he nipped her shoulder. She clutched him tightly as his thrusts grew deeper, wilder. Her release was approaching rapidly and it was going to tear her apart.

  "Who started this?" She gasped, clutching his backside with damp hands and urging him deeper, harder.

  "Does it really matter?" he growled into her ear. "I'm looking forward to the end."

  Her release broke over her like a summer storm. Wild and powerful, it seemed to last forever. Tilting her head back, she offered her throat to him for his dark kiss. As his needle sharp teeth broke her skin, she was besieged with a feeling of rightness that she'd never known before.

  * * *

  Chapter 8

  Shai adjusted her sunglasses against the late afternoon glare. She wasn't feeling well and she wanted nothing more than to curl up in her bed and remain there until nightfall. Until he came again. Tingles of awareness raced across her body and her knees wobbled. She stifled a grin. She was becoming insatiable.

  The sunlight burned her eyes and she felt like she hadn't slept in weeks. She couldn't seem to keep food down either. Everything she ate came back up within minutes. Maybe she was catching the summer flu. There was a particularly virulent strain going around this year.

  She scanned the steps of the coroner's office for any familiar faces and saw a few fellow reporters from various newspapers around the city. She nodded in their direction but made no attempt to speak to them. The steps and sidewalk were crammed with reporters from the local press and some from as far away as Maine. They were all waiting for David Worth, the head coroner, to release information about the young woman found last night.

  The polished glass door swung open as several men in suits exited and headed for the small bank of microphones. Most of them wore neatly pressed suits and serious expressions. Detective Henry brought up the rear. Henry was dressed as usual, Shai noted with amusement, in rumpled clothing and sporting an ugly brown stain (that looked suspiciously like gravy) on his tie.

  "They don't have a clue," a voice whispered in her ear. Cool lips brushed her skin, causing Shai to jump. She spun to face her visitor.

  The man from the restaurant stood behind her. His light blond hair was swept back from his forehead and dark glasses hid his eyes. He was dressed simply in blue jeans, a white silk shirt and a lightweight black blazer. He smiled rakishly and grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to face the crowd again.

  A scream lodged in her throat as he spoke again.

  "Don't bother calling, my dear," he breathed. "No one can see me but you."

  "Aren't I lucky?" she hissed, forcing her gaze back to the podium.

  He chuckled and brushed a cold finger down her cheek. Funny, when Val touched her he didn't feel particularly cold.

  "Indeed you are, dearest."

  "How did you get the clothing out of my apartment?"

  "Who said I did?" He chuckled. "What about your lover? Is Valentin really so innocent? Are you so willing to believe in someone because they fuck you well?"

  Shai froze. Was Val as innocent as he appeared? It was glaringly obvious from last night that he knew much more than he'd revealed. She'd even confronted him with this very sentiment and he hadn't bothered to answer her. In fact, he'd done everything he could to distract her.

  "Tell me, Shai, how does it feel when he's buried deep inside you? Does he make you all hot and bothered? Does he make you go out of your mind?" He teased her ear.

  Revolted, she tried to move away from him, but he yanked her back in place before him. "Shouldn't you be inside or something?" She poked him with her elbow, once again trying to put distance between them. He hauled her back against his chest.

  "Sunlight has no effect on me," he laughed.

  "That isn't what they say in the movies," she snapped. Several people close to her gave her an odd look. Shai smiled benignly.

  "You watch too many movies," he shot back.

  "So I've heard," she grumbled.

  "Ah yes, very touching, that scene between you and y
our dark lover. Too bad the stake didn't work or we both might have been rid of him."

  She froze, horror trickled down her spine like ice water. "You-"

  "Yes, I did. I saw every sordid second of your little interlude. My word, but you are a screamer, aren't you? I would bet that I can make you scream even louder than he. I can't wait to get you underneath me and begging for it."

  "Not on your life," She gritted as he drew her deeper into his steely embrace. She could feel his growing erection against her lower back as he pressed against her.

  "No, dear, not on yours." He drew a hand slowly up her thigh and Shai struggled to remain still. He cupped the apex of her thighs roughly, eliciting a grunt of pain from her.

  Damn him...

  Desperate to get away, she wrenched herself away from his icy grip and threw herself down the stone steps. She fell down the four steps to land in an undignified heap. Startled gasps were elicited from the crowd as people moved to see if she was okay. Hands reached down to help her to her feet. As her Samaritans stepped away, she swayed on wobbly legs. She locked her knees and looked up the steps to see the killer standing at the top, laughing at her.

  "Good move, Shai. You took me by surprise with that one. You may have won this round, but the next one will be mine. Figure out who the killer is and catch him if you can. If you fail, you'll be next."

  She turned and shoved her way through the hovering throng and ran toward the street, her heart pounding. She was so confused. Who was telling the truth? She didn't know Val from anyone. Was he lying to her? Was the stranger really the killer or was it her lover all along?

  The sun had barely set when he arrived at her apartment. Shai sat at her dining room table, a fragile bone china cup of Darjeeling tea set before her. She glanced briefly at him then back at the wilting flowers on the table. "I saw him again today," she said tonelessly.

  He moved closer and she held up her hand to stop him. "No. Please sit down." She waved at the chair facing hers. "I want to know what's going on here, and I mean all of it."

  Val hesitated before he sat and Shai felt his black gaze impaling her, staring hard at the purple bruises on her temple and cheek. "Did he do that to you?" He spoke in a deathly calm voice.

  She shook her head in denial. "It was an accident."

  "Why do I not believe you?" When she failed to respond, he spoke quietly. "What do you want to know?"

  "Who is he?"

  "His name is Mikhail. He was born in Kiev about 900 years ago," he stated simply. "He was a Viking slaver."

  "What about you? Who are you?"

  "I am Valentin, the son of Merrick from what is now known as England. I am twelve-hundred years old."

  "How do you know Mikhail and what is he doing here?"

  He hesitated and Shai glanced away from the limp flowers to meet his disturbed gaze. A part of her wanted to soothe his wrinkled brow while a larger part of her wanted to rail at him for hiding things from her.

  "I created him," he said in a quiet voice.

  Disbelief formed in the pit of her stomach. "You did what?"

  "I made him into a vampire. Accidentally."

  "How does one do this accidentally?" She struggled to control her voice. Her head was aching horribly and all she wanted was to lie down. Her body was a mass of bruises and there wasn't anything on her that didn't hurt. Funny, she didn't remember hitting that many steps when she'd fallen.

  "It isn't very easy," he admitted. "In order to turn someone into a vampire, you must either drink from them three times and force them to drink the blood of a vampire, or drain them completely and force them to drink."

  "Three times?" she asked faintly, and grabbed her throat.

  "You're perfectly safe unless you drink from me."

  "That's so reassuring." Shivers ran down her back at the thought of actually drinking blood. More disturbing was that her stomach didn't rebel as much as it would at the thought of a sandwich.

  He frowned. "You doubt me."

  "What do you expect? I don't know you!"

  He shook his head, his expression sad. "You're so wrong, Shai. You know everything about me that is important. Mortals place such emphasis on knowing someone for a long period of time before trusting them. Little do they realize how limited their time on this earth is."

  She felt like a crumb. But how could she trust a man who crept around in the dark of night? He held too many secrets and made no attempt to share any part of himself. Now some madman was stalking her and Val expected blind faith. She couldn't do that. Too many times she'd been let down with disastrous results. She knew without a doubt that failure now would spell her death.

  "I can't," she whispered brokenly. Already, she felt the distance growing between them at her words. It was an unbreachable distance that would surely break her heart.

  Val nodded and rose from his chair, his expression closed. He moved to the window. "Let me know when you are ready to trust in me. It is this that will set you free." He faded into the shadows leaving her alone in the darkness.

  * * *

  Chapter 9

  The vampire settled on the truck ramp to wait. Midnight approached and soon his little angel would, also. Too late for this one, of course, but he considered her a mere appetizer. He smiled and absently fondled the woman's breast. She wasn't nearly as well-endowed as Shai, but he would have to make do with what he had.

  Shai would be his ultimate triumph. He'd wanted her since the first time he'd seen her, many years before when he'd visited her mother on that fatal night. An image of rich mahogany hair and milky white thighs came to mind. Now she'd been a talented woman. She'd given a blowjob that had left mortal men reeling for days.

  The vampire smiled fondly. And then there'd been her little daughter, Shai. She'd hidden in the living room behind an old armchair while her mother entertained various men. No doubt she'd heard her mother's cries of pleasure when he had paid her a visit. He reached inside his unzipped pants and roughly fondled his stiffening member.

  He'd carried a constant hard-on since he'd had Shai in his arms earlier that day. How he loved being a vampire. Hard-ons at the drop of a hat and he could perform anytime, anywhere he wanted and for as long as he wanted. Immortality was the gift that most people associated with being a vampire, but there was so much more than that to enjoy.

  Of course, this little woman beside him would take care of that. Not that he needed much time with her. He chuckled and glanced at the sleeping redhead. She was a sure thing.

  The woman moaned and tossed her head restlessly as she began to wake. With a flick of his wrist, her clothing was removed and replaced with the cotton sleep shirt that Shai usually wore to bed. Another flick of his wrist produced the black silk ties that he so adored, and the young woman was bound and helpless. He moved over her and, when her drugged green eyes opened, he smiled.

  "Who are you?" she asked faintly.

  "Maeve Leigh, I'm your local priest and I'm going to help save your immortal soul," he laughed.

  She frowned, confusion etched on her picture-perfect face. "What?"

  "I call this baptism by fire." He reached down and released his engorged flesh. The confusion left her eyes and her expression turned horrified.

  "No," she cried, struggling against her silken bonds.

  The vampire grabbed her thighs, roughly forced them apart, and entered her with one swift thrust. As he bent his head to her exposed throat, her screams filled the empty warehouse.

  The building was silent and Shai shivered in her lightweight summer jacket. Her hands were clenched in her pockets as her heart pounded. She was on her own this time. Val wasn't going to rescue her, the girls didn't know anything about what was going on, and the police had turned their backs on her. Survival depended completely upon her own actions. She clutched the handle of Val's jeweled dagger secreted in her pocket. It was cold against her damp palm.

  She'd never felt more alone in her life.

  Her boot heels made hollow thumps on th
e floor as she walked into the main section of the empty warehouse. Every atom in her being screamed at her to run from this dark place, but her conscience wouldn't let her.

  There was an unpleasant odor in the air-mildew, rotting cardboard and the slight underlying scent of death. Something had definitely died in here. Now, if she could just keep herself from being next, she thought with a bitter smile.

  Mikhail materialized before her, wearing a tuxedo and a welcoming smile. "I didn't think you would show, my love." He gave a courtly bow.

  "How could I refuse such a charming..." She swallowed hard. "...invitation?" Mikhail had called her house just minutes after Val had left. With the screams of a terrified woman in the background, he'd requested her presence. "Where is she?"

  "She's here and completely unharmed. A little worse for the wear, of course." He laughed. With a flick of his hand, the shadows behind him shifted and a slight figure walked toward them.

  Shai swallowed a cry as the woman stepped into the light. She was an exact replica of her twin found in the alley only the night before. Rich red hair was tangled about her face. Her pale flesh was bruised and she was covered in drying blood from a cut high on her neck. She was dressed simply in a T-shirt and her feet were bare. Shai noted the blank look in her green eyes.

  "What did you do to her?" she asked coldly.

  "I merely claimed her for myself," he said simply. "Meet Maeve, my latest revenant. All too soon she, too, will become one of the damned. All it takes is one drop, you know!" he laughed gleefully. "Once I have you, I will let the twit go, of course."

  "Are you really so sure that you'll have me?"

  "Of course, I'm sure. I may be many things, lovely Shai, but I am never wrong. You are a moral, upstanding young woman." He waved a hand toward the battered woman. "You would never allow someone to suffer when there is something you could do to prevent it."