by A. C. James
“But we couldn’t even agree on that, could we?” Arie bit out.
He sounded almost as bitter as Toren. I wanted to run to him, wrap my arms around him and never let go. Even if he hadn’t told me the truth about Toren, I knew this kind of pain. I’d lived it.
“And have you take the choice away from our father? Like you’d done to me? He’d lived his life, made his choice, and he had a good run of it. Loved his share of women, drank his share of wine, and at his age he was ready. Arella offered and he’d turned her down,” Toren said.
My blood ran cold.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Arie wouldn’t even look at me.
But Toren looked straight at me. “When Arie became a man, Arella offered to turn us both. She had offered our father but he turned her down. We both told her we’d think on it, but a sickness spread and it just about wiped out our entire town.”
“So you wanted this? You wanted to become a vampire.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
His face looked vulnerable. “Because I hate to be weak. It was a different time. There were no antibiotics. Life expectancy wasn’t what it is now.” A tight knot formed in my stomach as I remembered what Arie had told me.
“Oh, God. What happened?” I asked.
“Arie became a vampire. I chose not to and came down with the sickness. But Arie turned me against my wishes. Barely managed it since he’d just been turned,” Toren said.
“What was I supposed to do? Let you die? You would have liked that, wouldn’t you?” Arie asked but it wasn’t really a question. “Then I could have stumbled throughout the centuries feeling guilty over it. I suppose that would have been a much better idea.”
“Yes. That’s exactly it.” Toren’s eyes were cold. Hard.
Arie arched an eyebrow. “You’re an idiot.”
It shocked me to hear Arie talk that way.
“And you’re a selfish prick. Live without me, feel guilty forever. All about you as always, brother.”
Arie’s laugh was harsh. “Selfish? You think I turned you and wanted to turn our father because I’m selfish?”
“Yes. Our father made it more than clear to Arella that he didn’t want it. She respected that. Why couldn’t you?”
“Would you both stop arguing?” I begged them.
Neither of them paid any attention to me.
“Because you were fucking family,” Arie snapped. “And sometimes with family you have to do what they don’t want you to, even if it means they’ll hate you forever. But you’ll never understand, will you?”
Toren shook his head. “Don’t you think our father would have let Arella turn him years before if that’s what he’d wanted? But he didn’t want that, and you tried to take that choice away from him. If me and Arella hadn’t held you down, you’d have taken his choice just like you took mine when you turned me.”
I closed my eyes.
So Arie turned Toren when he was on the brink of death.
I couldn’t deny the logic of what either of them had said. Not when they’d spoken so calmly. I’d been dead wrong. Toren meant everything to Arie if he’d go to those lengths to save him. But it seemed that these two had been fighting for centuries, and I didn’t think that would change overnight. And I could see Toren’s side of it too. Arie had done what he’d thought he’d had to do, and it had come from a place of love. His intentions were good, but clearly he’d gone about it in a way that had damaged their relationship. I just hoped it wasn’t permanent. To think that he’d saved Toren’s life and that Toren would go on hating him, go on not accepting, just seemed like such a waste.
“I’m not going to apologize for saving you,” Arie said.
But his voice seemed to soften—his expression was haggard.
“Look, I’m tired. It’s been a really long day. Holly and I just lost a friend. You can stay if you want to but you’ll have to crash on the couch.”
I bit my lower lip to keep all the reasons why this wasn’t a good idea from spilling out. It shocked me that Arie had invited him to stay. But what was I supposed to say? No. Regardless of my feelings, Toren was the only family of Arie’s that I’d ever met. Even though Arie tried to deny it, I could tell that this relationship meant something that went beyond the bickering of siblings and a family history that was damned near apocalyptic.
“Yeah, like I’d leave you alone with Holly after you called her Katarina,” Toren said.
Had to admit Toren had a good point.
“Fine. Whatever. I’m going to bed,” Arie said. Then he pushed off the sofa and headed toward the bedroom.
I really wished he hadn’t left me sitting there with Toren, who was now smirking at me across the coffee table.
“What?” I asked.
“Oh, I’m just thinking of all the ways I could test your theory.”
Great. Now that Toren had lost Arie as a sparring partner, he’d decided to pick right back up with me.
I would have never kissed you back if I knew you weren’t Arie.
My words echoed in my head, and I wondered if their meaning was hollow. Toren grinned, and when he did, he had the same sort of devilish sparkle in his eyes that Arie got when he was being a smartass. Same cocky know-it-all attitude too. Even if there was no proof, there was no denying that these two were definitely related.
“Well don’t,” I snapped.
“Got to do something since Arie still doesn’t have a TV. He always did prefer those dusty old books. And I have to agree that the imagination is far more…seductive.”
He was undressing me with his eyes and the way he enunciated his words sounded as sinful as eating an entire pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream straight from the container. Rich. Decadent. And I wanted to throw something at him.
“Stop it.”
“I would if you really meant it.”
“Oh, you have no idea how much I mean it.”
He grinned. “I think I’ve got a few ideas. The first one starts with your shirt, followed by how I’d take it off. Unbutton it ever so slowly. Leave a teasing little trail straight down your torso—”
“You. Are. Unbelievable.”
Toren smirked. “I get that a lot.”
“That’s not what I meant,” I said as I balled my hands into fists. “I mean that I’m in love with Arie and whatever this is it’s not that. Could never even measure to that, not in a million years. So you can do us both a favor and stop with your ridiculous ideas.”
“Mmmm, are you sure that’s what you want? You’re telling me that you mean it, but I can hear your heart beating like a trip hammer. It’d be boring if we said what we really meant, but it would be a lot less complicated if I told you all my ideas that end with that with your legs wrapped around my waist.”
His voice was quiet. Demanding. And I couldn’t be in the same room with him anymore.
“Not in this lifetime.”
I got up off the sofa, edged around the coffee table, and leaned over the chair where he sat, planting my hands on each armrest. I looked him straight in the face and then lied my ass off. Wanting someone had nothing to do with loving them, and nothing good could come from desiring someone who would only end up hurting you in the end.
“I do mean it and I’m going to bed. The sofa pulls out. Why don’t you get some sleep?”
His hands circled my wrists, thumbs right over the pulse points. “I hear what you’re saying darlin’. Those lips are moving, but your body is telling me another story, and I can think of better things those lips could be doing right now.”
“This,” I hissed, “is never going to happen.”
“You keep moving those lips and I’m going to have to suck on them.”
“Not a chance.”
“Or you could wrap them around my cock.”
I inhaled.
“You know, I think you’re right. There are better things my lips could be doing and I’m going to go do them right now.”
I jerked out of his grip and turned on my heel. Toren’s laughter sounded smug.
-And I can think of a few things to do with that ass. So you go on and keep swaying those hips darlin’. Give me something sweet to dream about.-
But I ignored his telepathic taunt.
I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of looking over my shoulder to glare at him as I headed toward the bedroom. So he could watch my hips slide back and forth as I walked away all he wanted. It didn’t change a thing. Didn’t change the fact that I was going to find Arie and pick up where I’d left off when Toren had found me waiting blindfolded on the bed. Only now I intended to be vocal about it. I’d make some noise so Toren would know that this, whatever this was with me and him, wasn’t ever going to happen, because I what had with Arie…that was real. And it was the only thing that mattered.
* * *
I let my clothes fall to the floor. Then I climbed in next to Arie, curling into my side of the bed. His breathing was even, but I could tell he wasn’t asleep.
“I’m worried about you,” I said, my voice gentle and quiet.
“Don’t be.”
I sucked in air.
“You didn’t tell me about Toren. You should have. We promised…no lies, remember?”
Arie stiffened in the bed next to me. But he rolled over and met my eyes anyway.
“I was going to, but then the Luna’s family decided to pick a fight. When did I have time to tell you?”
I had to admit that Luna’s family was pretty whacked out.
“I don’t know. Maybe instead of making love to me you should have told me about your arrogant maybe half-brother.”
Arie sighed. “Why would I?”
“Because I asked if you had family and then you turned around and lied to me.”
“No, I told you I didn’t have family now. Holly, I don’t consider him my family. You’re my family. That’s the only truth that matters to me anymore.”
“Bullshit.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Don’t believe me? You’re everything to me.”
God, that sounded so good, but I wasn’t about to let him off the hook that easily.
I shook my head. “No, not particularly. But that’s not what I meant. If he didn’t mean anything…” I paused. “If that were true then he wouldn’t be staying on the sofa downstairs.”
“Look, it’s been a long night. I didn’t feel like arguing with him. Besides, what did you want me to do? Kick him out?” His voice sounded strained. “And I am sorry that I didn’t get a chance to tell you. It’s been one thing after another. First Katarina, then Victor Monti…” He paused. Arie pressed his forehead to mine. “Christ, the last thing I wanted was to tell you about Toren when you were so upset about how things turned out when you finally met your grandmother. And then Victoria took off. I haven’t seen him in over fifty years. I never thought he’d show up on my doorstep now.”
He was right. He hadn’t deliberately kept it from me, and given the circumstances all I wanted was to melt into his arms.
“Shhhh.” I cupped his cheeks and pulled his mouth down to mine in a kiss that was both heart-rending and scorching at the same time.
Arie broke the kiss. “Let’s go away.”
I laughed. “We haven’t been able to catch a break, have we?”
“You know, I remember when I took you to dinner and you told me you always wanted to travel.”
“It was our first date. Well, officially. I can’t really count you fixing my flat.”
“I think I loved you even then.” He brushed a chestnut strand out of my face, tucking it behind my ear.
I tilted my head toward his fingers, which released my hair once he’d tucked it into place. “God, I need you.”
-I need you too.-
My eyes welled up with tears. He looked like he was about to say something else, but I effectively cut off whatever it was by wrapping my arms around his neck, smiling for a fraction of a second before sliding my lips to his in the kiss to end all kisses. It was far easier than letting words slip out that could betray my insecurities. I couldn’t lose him. He’d forgotten me, and I had to kiss him until he felt me rooted in his soul. Arie reciprocated by deepening the kiss and fisting a hand in my hair, pressing his body flush against mine. He broke the kiss to look at me.
“Ah, Holly…”
I loved the sound of my name as his voice dropped to a low whisper.
I grinned. “Shhh. Shut up and kiss me.” –Never let me go.-
His mouth was on me, tugging at my bottom lip, and then his tongue tangled with mine. I moaned desperately into his mouth. Every thought I’d had of Toren slipped away when I was right where I was always meant to be—in Arie’s arms.
Without breaking our kiss, he slid his hand down my torso. I was glad that Arie slept naked most of the time, and even more pleased that his custom was starting to rub off on me. He teased his fingertips back and forth across the base of my stomach, and then moved his hand between my legs. Arie groaned when his fingers found my slit and he discovered just how wet I was for him. Already.
“I love how wet you are for me,” he murmured against my neck.
His fingers rubbed in slow circles around my clit. Just the way I liked it.
“Ahhhhh!”
My hands moved down his stomach and gripped his shaft, moving up and down its length. He was kissing along my neck and collarbone, but as I stroked him he growled into my skin. I ground my hips against his hand until they arched off the bed. Knowing what I needed, he pushed two fingers inside of me, curving them upward until he found just the right spot.
My hips bucked in rhythm with his fingers. He knew every curve of my body, every sound that I made, every whimper, and knew what it meant. And only he could turn me inside out. I guess that’s how it was supposed to be when what you wanted was based on more than physical attraction. His love had a draw that held me captive. But right now I needed us to get lost in each other, caught up in the sensations that always made me lose my mind.
“Please, Arie. Make love to me. I don’t want to wait anymore.”
Without warning I was on my back and Arie was poised above me, both hands braced on either side of my shoulders. He locked eyes with mine as I spread my legs wide. He guided the head of his cock inside my pussy, thrusting gently inside of me.
He groaned. “Holly, I love being inside of you.”
All I could do was pant as I met each stroke; they deepened every time he drove into me. I raked my nails up his back and dug them into his shoulder blades. His thrusts were agonizingly slow. So I clawed my nails in deeper, urging him to pick up his pace.
“Harder. I need you. Please!”
He grunted. But he obliged by pounding into me harder and faster until I was a writhing and moaning mess pinned underneath his firm body. My clit was rubbing against the base of his shaft. That was my undoing. The pressure had built in my pussy, in my stomach, before finally…
“Oh, God. Arie. I’m coming.”
Pow.
I screamed as my orgasm hit me with such force that I arched off the bed, gripping his shoulders tight as Arie continued to crash into me. My inner muscles clamped around him as another orgasm, a kind of miniature earthquake, shook around Arie’s cock. He thrust hard twice more and came with a growl before collapsing on top of my limp, satiated body. Through our heavy panting came Toren’s telepathic petition from the pull-out sofa downstairs.
-You two about done? I’m trying to sleep down here.-
I hoped Toren could feel my self-satisfied smile even if he couldn’t see it.
Chapter 3
This wasn’t awkward. Toren stabbed another bite of egg with his fork and grinned at me before shoving a ketchup-covered chunk into his mouth. I rolled my eyes. I didn’t want to admit that he looked pretty damn good in the morning. My irritation level wasn’t the only one rising as I took another sip of my coffee. I had sworn I could almost hear Arie grinding his teeth as he sat in the booth next to me.
“So you two were fucking like college coeds last night,” Toren said around a mouthful of egg.
I spewed coffee across the table and it almost landed on his plate. It was an accident, of course, but I was disappointed that it missed.
“Damn it, Toren. Just stop. You’re making Holly uncomfortable,” Arie said as he smacked his hand on the table.
The woman in the booth behind Arie jumped.
Nope, this isn’t awkward at all. Not one bit.
“Oh, I was going to skip the uncomfortable part. But…it’s just so damned cute. She makes the most adorable little noises when she’s about to come. Whimpers.” Toren gestured at me with his fork. “Like a puppy.”
Arie grabbed his wrist. I looked around the diner to see if anyone had been paying attention. Other than the woman in the booth behind Arie, they weren’t. My reflection in the napkin dispenser on the table showed my cheeks were bright red. Sometimes I couldn’t stand my fair complexion, which gave away emotions I’d rather not have read like an open book.
Toren yanked his wrist out of Arie’s grasp. “You’ve got to love those little noises. Almost reminds you of old times. Don’t it?”
He smirked at Arie.
I had no idea what Toren meant, but from the look on Arie’s face I knew it took a great deal of restraint for Arie not to hit him. Hell, I wanted to hit him. Toren knew it too, and seemed to take great pleasure in that.
“Can we get through breakfast without you two antagonizing one another?” I asked. “I just want to drink my coffee.”
Toren ignored me. “Come on. Tell me that you don’t miss it. It was good for a while with the three of us.”
“No, I don’t miss it,” Arie said, his jaw clenched.
“Not even a little?”
I was missing something, but the way Toren kept looking in my direction while he taunted Arie made me think it had everything to do with me. Toren forked the last bit of egg on his plate while he waited for Arie to take the bait.
He didn’t.
“I’m going to pay the check,” Arie said as he stood and walked toward the register.
