by T. A. Grey
She licked a path up the long length of his cock, then circled the head and took him into her mouth. She moaned at his flavor and licked the leaking semen away at the tip. He was so hot in her mouth and soft against her tongue. His taste was so unique. So masculine, heady, and delicious.
She brought her hand into the mix and began pumping him from the base of his cock. His cock pulsed and flexed in her hand like it had a mind of its own.
“Vera,” he said darkly. She didn’t know if it was a warning or a threat, so she ignored it and began sucking his cock in earnest.
She pumped her fist and took him deep, bobbing fast up and down his hard cock. She didn’t leave any place untouched but moved her hand so she could taste his entire length. He bumped the back of her throat and she swallowed convulsively around him. The hand in her hair tightened, then held her there as he let out a feral growl that echoed in the car.
She lifted her head then sucked him deep again and again. His cock was soaking wet from her mouth and she used her fist again to pump him hard and fast. She could hear his breath catch and it was like music to her ears. She sucked him in deep with a desperation bearing from deep inside her. He pressed her down and she tasted the subtle saltiness of precum, and then his legs twitched underneath her and she knew he was close.
Closer and closer he pushed her until she moved her hand away and his short groin hairs pressed to her lips. Then he shuddered hard, his cock swelling wider, and hot squirts erupted in her mouth, landing thickly in her throat, on her tongue. She swallowed over him and he groaned long and hard. He kept coming, filling her mouth up so that she had to swallow again.
Finally his hand eased up in her hair and she pulled away, tucking him back in his jeans and settling back into the cold passenger seat. She jerked her panties up her thighs and rebuckled her seatbelt.
He casted a jerked glance at her. “What’s wrong?” His voice sounded like it’d been run over with sandpaper.
“Nothing,” she said and plastered on a smile. His eyes narrowed on it and her smile faltered, then faded completely. The one man she desperately wanted to bluff right now and he could see through her fake smile like some kind of magician.
“The hell it’s nothing. I just felt a wave of cold from you that has my balls damn near shriveling in despair.”
Vera giggled. She couldn’t help it. Then she shot him an accusatory glare for making her laugh. His frown softened.
“Baby, tell me what’s wrong.”
Vera took a deep breath, trying to think quickly. She’d never been very good at making quick decisions. She thought about it then nodded, coming to a conclusion.
“Fine you asked for it.” She turned to face him in her seat. “I love you. I sure as hell never thought it’d happen with someone like you. A damn human. But obviously fate is a cruel bitch. Not only that but fate settled me with someone who has such big relationship issues that he’s never even been in one!” He didn’t say anything. It felt like hours passed before he finally did. Vera was sure her hair had turned gray by that point.
“You don’t understand. I can’t risk being in a relationship with a woman. What happens when I get mad? Do I have to make you and I learn the hard way whether or not I’m like my dad?” Vera closed her gaping mouth, her heart went out to him, wanting to comfort him, but she knew he’d reject her touch right now.
“Have you ever felt the urge to hit a woman you’ve been mad at?”
“Of course not, but it’s different when people are actually in a relationship. I tazered Sandra after I learned she was part of a hoax to get me away from the mansion that day at Conlin’s. If I was willing to do that in a split second, then I don’t know. I have no idea what I’ll be like. What if I can’t control myself?” He looked at her with such raw intensity that tears warmed her eyes. Oh, baby.
“But your father drank and you don’t. That was his catalyst. I’m sure you don’t have the same one. You hated what he was like; you are in control of yourself, not him and his actions.”
“No, I don’t drink much anymore, but I used to...a lot. The marines helped to straighten me out, and so did Rome, but don’t kid yourself Vera. It took a long time for that to happen. I was out every night I wasn’t working whether Monday or Saturday pounding them back until I was too shitfaced to see straight.”
Tears fell down her face and there was no stopping them.
“I got into fights with any and all motherfuckers who crossed me. Did Rome tell you that I was shitfaced when we first met? That’s why I was so pissed off he ran into me. I didn’t want to tell you before, but now you know. I was a fucking drunk, just like him. Drowning my bullshit problems. And you know what? My problems were still there when I came out of it. Mom was still left alone with him while I was passing out on the barroom floor.”
Vera choked back a sob and he turned to give her a disgusted glance. All the passion and sweetness was completely wiped from his face and all was left was raw pain that had been festering for far too long. Years too long.
“I’m weak, Vera. Susceptible just like he is. I’d hate myself if I ever hit a woman like that.” Vera wiped futilely at her tears, desperately feeling like she was quickly losing him.
“But I’m not weak. I wouldn’t let you hit me if it ever came to that. Don’t you see, I’d be the perfect woman to try to see how you are? And you don’t drink. Did you ever have the urge to fight when you weren’t drinking?”
Jacks cut her an angry glare. “Do you hear yourself woman? Are fucking crazy or just stupid? Sure you’re strong, so maybe you’d have a fighting chance, but I got one off on your brother when I was drunk. He didn’t let me hit him, I was that fast. If I can get him, then I can sure as fuck hit you. And what is wrong with you? You want to sign up to be my girl and test out if I’d fucking blow my shit and hit you?
“I do drink on occasion, a beer here or there. What happens when I finally lose control and go on a bender? Then I come home to you and I get mad at you because you not sitting straight enough or you didn’t laugh at my joke. What will you do then, Vera?
Will you leave me or will you just stay with me year after year as it gets worse and worse.” He was close to shouting in the car, his words ringing off the windows. Vera cried silently, shaking like a leaf in the wind, trying to get warmth back into her body.
“You’re not your father, and I’m not your mother.” Her teeth were chattering hard. It took focus, but she calmed it enough to speak. “You would never hit me, Jackson. You’re not like your father, and I am not your mother. You wouldn’t hit me for not laughing like your dad did to her. I can’t explain it, but I know in my heart it’s true. I’m just so, so sorry you can’t see it.”
She turned away and dried her tears on her shoulder. He said her name softly, but she didn’t turn to look at him. She obviously couldn’t help him to solve his demons—only he could do that.
Vera rested her sweaty temple against the cold pane of the window, watching as rain started pouring down. She almost sighed at the sound of it beating hard against the car. The silence was killing her, but this gave her something to focus on.
A yellow blur came out from the tree line. Jackson cursed and slammed on his breaks as the car barreled into something hard. The crunch and bend of metal was piercing in the night air.
The car lurched forward, then whipped around hard in a circle. They spun once more then landed off the shoulder of the highway. Vera had only a moment to see the deep ditch below her window, and then they were plummeting towards it.
Chapter Eleven
Vera opened her eyes just so the incessant voice nagging her would shut up.
“Fuck off,” she said and settled deeper into her seat.
“God dammit, I said get up now!” Vera’s eyes popped open one by one at the urgency in her mate’s voice. She looked left and right but then the world spun hard. Her head felt like a small explosion had gone off in there and her face felt scratchy. She saw the white air bag exploded in front of h
er and sent a silent prayer up to heaven.
Suddenly she sat up in her seat, quickly removed the belt, and leaned over to Jacks who was grimacing as he tried to undo his seatbelt. Blood was on his forehead and his bottom lip.
“Baby, oh my God, what happened?” She crawled towards him and the car screeched and dropped another foot. Vera yelled and clung to her seat.
“It’s fine. Are you okay?”
“Mmhmm,” she said, nodding a little too fast.
“Listen, we’re at the bottom of the ditch. We can climb up no problem. And we won’t drop any further, what you just heard was the car settling in to the divot. Look at me baby, look at me, Vera.”
Vera’s panicked eyes swept to the rain pounding on the windows, then to their headlights shining off into the trees, and finally settled on his.
“I already tried to open the door and it won’t open. So I’m going to go out the window, and you’re going to follow me on my side, okay? I don’t want to take any chances of you slipping over there and the car moving on top of you.” He gave her a quick kiss then started to roll down the windows.
Vera said a silent thank you that the windows were manual. He turned back to her looking every bit in charge. Vera trusted him completely. He would get her out of here and everything would be okay. He rolled down the window, then anchored his hands on the edge.
Two hands latched on to Jacks’ shoulders and pulled him from the car like a sack of potatoes. Vera cried out and reached for him when suddenly her door was torn off the edges with a nasty metallic sound. She had only a moment to see the Ariss when she was grabbed and ripped out from the car.
Vera was flying through the air, and then landed hard on her stomach in the middle of the street. The front of her dress was soaked with dirty water and her knees and hands skidded hard on the black road.
Her beast rose to the surface and broke free. She hopped to her feet and scanned the area. Jacks was fighting Ariss’ guardian only twenty feet away. She started to run to him; he could never defeat a vampire, but Ariss appeared in front her. Ariss spun and landed a hard kick to Vera’s stomach, knocking the air out of her and sending her flying far down the street.
Vera landed and was already standing back on her feet when Ariss came flying at her again. Vera was quicker this time, her lykaen strength guiding her. She grabbed Ariss’ flying leg by the ankle, turned, and threw her down to the ground. Her face hit the ground with a hard crack, but just as quickly she was back on her feet. The side of her face wet and blooded.
Vera growled a feral deadly warning from a predator. Ariss hissed and moved in with a flurry of punches and elbows. Vera dodged and blocked them. She didn’t have anywhere near the speed that Ariss had but she did have strength and she used that to her advantage. She swiped Ariss’ fist away then slammed her own into Ariss’ face. She heard the crack of bones and felt a thrill rush through her.
She heard the grunts and pained sounds coming from Jacks and Ariss’ guardian but couldn’t afford to take her eyes off the Ariss.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Consider this a declaration of war from my Master. He’s going to get your land one way or another.”
Vera slammed into Ariss and took her hard to the ground, anything to keep her from using her speed. Her wet hair plastered to her cheeks and her bangs dipped low over her eyes blocking her vision. She was never going to wear bangs again, she vowed.
The power struggle shifted until they were both struggling to choke each other out. Vera gasped as her air was pinched from her throat by a hard, tight grip. Her vision was blacking out and she tightened her neck muscles and sucked in air through her nose. Ariss struggled beneath her, her eyes bulging, legs kicking as she kept her pinned to the wet ground.
She was stronger though and squeezed her hands tighter around Ariss’ throat. It wouldn’t kill her, but it would knock her out. Her arms shook, the muscles burned from her wrists to her biceps with the effort. Blood pooled in her hands making them feel like they were on fire.
Then finally Ariss’ legs stopped kicking. One by one, her hands dropped from her throat and slid boneless to the ground.
Vera stood and wobbled away from her, sucking in huge gasps of air. A bright light flooded the street and Vera turned towards it, palpable relief overwhelming her as a car came towards them, slowing down steadily.
Jacks.
Vera turned and all the blood left her face. Jacks was on the ground, and the guardian was drinking greedily from his neck. Vera launched herself at him, but he sped away too quickly for her to see. Vera cried out and knelt by Jacks, his eyes were closed, his face pale. She looked down the road and watched the Ariss' guardian pick her up and sprint into the woods.
She faintly heard the car pool up and someone rushed at her asking questions. She couldn’t make out what the man said though. She put her fingers against Jacks’ throat but her fingers kept slipping against his skin because of the rain and something red and thick.
The side of his throat was bloody and raw with pieces of skin torn up and chewed on. Vera swallowed back the bile that rose in her throat and put her head to his chest. Tears slid down her face alongside the rain. She choked back a sob when she heard the boom boom of his heart. Her hands curled into his shirt. His heart sounded so faint. Not like before. He was dying.
The thought sent her into a mode she’d never felt before. The human next to her was busy talking excitedly into his cell phone, waving his arm at their car in the ditch and Jacks.
Vera curled her arms under Jackson’s back and waist. A terrifying growl left her throat, and then she was lifting with all her strength as she stood.
She walked to the man’s car carrying her lumara in her arms. She didn’t feel his weight at all. Felt only a slight pressure in her arms. The wide-eyed human came and opened the back door and then she gently placed him inside.
She still couldn’t hear the words he was saying into the phone. She turned towards him and murmured a thank you, and then she got into the driver’s seat and gunned the engine.
The car whipped around in a tight U-turn, and then she was driving fast.
# # #
The drive back to the mansion took half as long to get there than it should have. Vera had no idea how fast she went and didn’t give a shit.
She slammed on the breaks as she pulled up to the mansion. She ran out of the car screaming at the top of her lungs.
“Dmetri! Dmetri, please!”
Her hands shook so bad it took her four tries to open the back door. She laid her hand over Jacks’ heart and felt the dull thud against her palm. It was so faint. Fainter than before. She didn’t have much time.
“Dmetri!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. The rain was pouring hard, drowning out the sound and she wanted to drop to her knees and cry. But something stopped her from doing so, recognized that every second was precious.
A whoosh of movement alerted her. She spun around expecting to find Ariss or her guardian, but it was Dmetri. He was wearing only a silk pair of pants and his hair was a mess like he’d been sleeping. Tears started again down her face and she started blubbering to him.
“He’s hurt. Help him please. Ariss attacked us and her g-guardian bit him. Help me.”
Dmetri’s eyes went alert. He reached into the car and pulled Jacks onto the ground. He inspected the wound at his neck and laid a hand over his heart. When he looked back up at her, his expression said so much more than words. Vera’s knees shook until she dropped down hard to the ground. She was rocking and shaking and couldn’t stop her hands from roaming everywhere.
“He’s dying, Vera. His heart is going to stop any moment now. Why did you bring him here?”
“T-to help him. He’s my mate. I don’t want him to die.”
“Vera, do you want me to turn him?” She nodded quickly, her wet hair slapping against her cheeks.
“What will you do when he wakes up and is angry about this? What if this isn’t something he wants?�
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Vera blinked, wide eyed. “Then I’ll kill him myself. Do it, Dmetri.”
Dmetri cursed so loudly, that Vera knew Jacks’ heart had stopped.
Vera watched what happened next as if from outside her own body. She flinched as Dmetri tore his teeth into his wrist. He wasn’t gentle about it, but moved in jerky movements. He held Jacks’ mouth opened with his thumb and let his blood flow heavily down his throat.
“Vera, look at me.” She heard the words vaguely. He said it again before she looked at him. He kept moving side to side, but she knew that was just her own shaking body doing that. “Are you listening to me, Vera?” She nodded jerkily.
“He might not make it, Vera. His heart has already stopped, this might not work. I need you to prepare yourself for that, okay?” Vera sobbed and choked as her heart protested the idea. Jacks’ hand was limp in hers and she wildly wondered how the hell one prepared themselves to lose a loved one? It was impossible. There was no way.
Dmetri pulled his wrist away after several minutes and laid his hand back over Jacks’ heart. Vera watched and waited for a miracle.
Only minutes passed but it felt like hours. Bum. Vera sucked in a breath and squeezed her eyes shut, not sure if what she heard was thunder or...
Bum. Bum. Bum.
Gasping, her eyes shot open to search Jacks’ face. Dmetri looked at her and gave a short nod and suddenly she had the urge to cry all over again. Jacks’ lips twitched, his eyes fluttered beneath his closed lids, then his entire body was shaking in a seizure.
“This is normal, Vera. Don’t panic. He’s going to be okay. Well okay as a man can be when he wakes up to find out what happened.”
Vera helped Dmetri hold him down. The seizure didn’t last long. When it stopped, his entire body went so still she looked to Dmetri in question. He gave her a reassuring smile that bordered on a grimace and nodded towards Jacks’ neck.
