Anna’s heart started to beat a little faster. So she had been right. He was trying to let her down easy.
“Then tonight, when it seemed like I might lose you forever, I achieved clarity. I made a terrible mistake, and I’m sorry.”
Anna blinked a few times, trying her best not to feel awkward or hurt. She had prepared herself for exactly this conversation while she’d been locked up. So why did it now feel so wrong to hear him say these words?
“It’s okay,” she whispered.
“I’m not finished,” Michael said, running his hand through his hair. “I was wrong trying to dismiss my feelings for you. You made me feel things I’ve never known.”
Anna turned to face him. This wasn’t what she thought he was going to say!
His eyes evaded hers and also focused on some spot further away in the park that lay in the distance.
“I couldn’t bear the thought that something might happen to you, which is funny, since we’ve only just met.” Michael glanced at her briefly. “I think… And if this is completely out of line, please do stop me. But I think I have come to love you.”
Anna was stunned. She was expecting a lot of things, but not that. A declaration of love from Michael the supposed playboy vampire was the last thing she could have foreseen.
Her heart did a little happy dance inside her chest, even if the entire situation was completely bizarre. Then again, over the last 48 hours, it had just been one bizarre event after another, so in a backward way, this development should actually make sense.
“I’ve also not felt like this, ever,” she said.
His eyes locked onto hers. It was actually a bit funny seeing him this way. His demeanor since they’d first met had ranged from confident, to arrogant, to downright confusing, and she’d had trouble figuring out who he really was. But right now, she could tell that he had opened up. This was the real Michael, baring his vulnerabilities to her.
“So if you would forgive me for my strange behavior last night, I would very much like to start over,” he said.
He was really rather cute like this. She pressed her lips together, but could not suppress a smile. “I would. I mean, I do. Let’s start over.”
She had only just finished speaking when he leaned forward, cupped her face, and pressed his lips against hers. It was magnificent, this do-over of their first kiss. Even with all of her memories restored, she still could not remember a time that she had ever felt so alive.
Her instincts had been right, he did care. He just had an incredibly crappy way of showing it. That was all going to change now, though; his confession promised as much.
Anna wrapped her arms around Michael, exploring him by touch and finally giving in to those illicit thoughts she’d been having about him. Their tongues danced around one another in a feverish frenzy. The fireworks she had felt the first time around paled in front of the pleasure his touch gave her now.
Before she knew what was happening, she found herself floating in his arms as they swiftly descended down the side of the roof and into a nearby window. Michael rushed her through the upstairs hallway, straight to one of the many bedrooms.
She briefly looked around only to note that she had never been in this room before. It must be his.
Now on her back on the bed, she watched as Michael unbuttoned his shirt. Was she ready for this? She’d thought of it after their first kiss and rejected the idea. Not that kind of woman, she’d said to herself.
All bets were off now. She wanted him. He wanted her.
What difference did it make who she had been in her mortal life? She was a vampire now. Powerful, strong, guided by instinct and pleasure.
She could have her cake and eat it too. And after getting to know Michael just a little bit, she was confident she would not be judged. The whole world lay at her feet now, as Michael had said. Anything she wanted, it would be hers for the taking.
Right now, all she wanted stood in front of her, only halfway done with the buttons on his shirt. Too slow!
She reached for him, almost clawing at the soft fabric. He understood, and with a naughty grin on his face, ripped it off in one swift move.
“Now do me,” she demanded.
In the past, she might have felt insecure, but the way he was already looking at her, with lust darkening his normally light blue eyes, was all the reassurance she could wish for. He got onto all fours on top of her, leaned down, and grabbed the collar of her pullover with his teeth, then, without breaking eye contact, he tugged it off.
Anna gasped as the fabric split at the seams. How effortless it looked. Could she do the same? She pushed him back, fighting the barrage of goosebumps that spread over her naked skin as she felt his firm, chiseled chest underneath her hand. She would have plenty of opportunity to touch him. First, she wanted to play some more.
He stood back at the foot end of the bed, and she got down on her knees in front of him, pushing her fingers into the waist of his trousers and giving them a firm pull. They came off in shreds just as easily as her pullover had done.
This sort of strength she could get used to.
She dropped her own jeans and stood back, admiring him as he did the same to her.
They circled each other like animals prepping for a fight. It wasn’t conflict they were after, though. Their end game would be so much more satisfying.
It was Anna who pounced first, jumping Michael and clinging onto him with her legs around his waist. They kissed again, more violently than before.
They had endless energy to spend, immense tension to release.
Their bodies felt right together, hers slightly softer than his, but still more toned and powerful than she’d ever been before. Perhaps it was for the best that she was discovering all this with him to guide her. By now, she might have broken and bruised a human lover.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered in her ear.
“Mhmm,” she responded, as she nuzzled the crook of his neck and bared her teeth. Was this how vampires made love? She wasn’t sure, just that it felt right.
He groaned, his low voice sending a shiver down her spine.
“You’re tasty,” she remarked, as she pulled back and licked her lips. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, much.
His eyes narrowed and he grabbed her firmly by the back of her neck, guiding their lips together again.
“Let me see. Yes, that’s rather nice, isn’t it?” he mumbled, in between kisses.
Then, abruptly, he threw her off, back onto the bed, and approached on all fours again. His movements were smooth, deliberate, like a large feline stalking its prey. She felt her heart flutter as she waited for what he would do next.
He was on her within a split second, his weight pressing against her naked body, as his hand tore at her underwear. She was completely naked now, completely his.
Anna couldn’t suppress a moan as his hard manhood pressed against her aroused sex. It was going to happen at last. She would discover just how extra sensitive all her senses had become.
When he entered her, she screamed. Along with all her past worries, her inhibitions had gone too.
He chuckled into her ear as he lowered himself into her. They became one. One pulsating, thrusting, moaning, and grinding mess of limbs.
The bed shook with every move of theirs, the paintings rattled on their fittings; even the chandelier in the center of the ceiling made its presence known in rhythmic jangles.
If this house had been any less solid, this furniture any more delicate, they might have destroyed it all. Not that Anna in particular cared much. All of this stuff was replaceable.
But this moment they shared now was priceless.
Her skin was tingly, on fire, and cool to the touch all at the same time. Every touch of his, every caress or squeeze, seemed to soothe her and send her nerves into an overwhelming overload of pleasure. She couldn’t take it anymore, and she couldn’t stop.
Then she felt it: the beginnings of her release. The pressure built and
built until she could neither scream nor stay silent. Anna closed her eyes and dug her fingernails hard into Michael’s back.
He never slowed or showed any sign of fatigue, he just kept going. The fireworks were back, bigger and brighter than ever before. What she saw behind closed lids was the perfect representation of her arousal as it built to bursting point. A volcano erupting, bright lights and fire everywhere.
She opened her eyes again and watched Michael as he closed his and groaned loudly, signaling his own release. It was like she could feel his pleasure as her own. She held him against her, admiring the smoothness of his skin with her fingertips.
“That was amazing,” he whispered.
“It really was,” she agreed.
What was even more amazing was that they had both orgasmed, and yet neither seemed tired at all. Dawn had not yet arrived; they still had time before they’d lose their energy.
Anna smiled subtly as she looked up at him.
He reciprocated and caressed the side of her face with the back of his hand.
“How about we do that again, and this time, I’ll be on top?” she said.
His smile widened, exposing his fangs. “My thoughts exactly.”
And that was exactly what they did, taking turns until the clock down the hall struck seven and Anna’s body began to slow. The higher the sun rose outside, the duller their energy levels became. Finally, they ended up next to each other, with Michael’s arm around Anna’s shoulder, both sated and content.
Before she drifted off, Anna reflected once more on everything that had happened.
Just like that, she had gone from dejected and full of regret over the way she’d lived her human life to full of hope for the future. And she had found a lover to share this bright new future with, something that had eluded her during her human life.
Despite the twists and turns, everything had turned out all right.
Chapter Fifteen
It had only been one day since he’d confessed his true feelings to her. Michael turned his head and glanced at Anna, who lay beside him. His heart sped up at the sight of her.
One day down, eternity to go.
She was still sleeping peacefully, recouping from the excitement of the past few days. Being nearly killed by Soul Eaters, then turned into a vampire and captured by those same Soul Eaters again, had undoubtedly taken its toll.
Michael couldn’t help but smile at her. How innocent she looked, resting with her eyes closed. Her calm expression was a stark contrast to the willful Anna he had come to know during the previous days. The one who was always ready to question her own reality, or him.
He realized now that he loved both versions of her equally. She would keep him on his toes. They would never have a dull moment together.
It was strange, how it felt like he’d known her for so long, when actually she had only come into his life a few days ago. To think that he’d tried to resist her charms at first seemed ludicrous now. He’d felt guilty, when the real tragedy would have been to let this opportunity get away.
For thirty years, he’d used this city as his playground. He’d seduced and courted numerous women, priding himself in his abilities as a conversationalist as well as a lover. But with Anna, everything had changed.
He was well out of his comfort zone with her. He couldn’t just coast by on autopilot and expect that she wouldn’t call him out on it. Being in a relationship was completely new to him. At the same time, her entire immortal life was still new to Anna.
They had so much to discover together; the possibilities were endless. Despite all his escapades, he’d never slept with another vampire before last night. It had been a revelation to share his body with an equal. But their connection had been so much deeper than just sex alone.
He was still her maker; he still felt responsible for her safety as well as her training as a new vampire. But added to that, he had new desires and hopes for her: that he could keep her happy. That she could live to her full potential and follow her dreams.
Whatever she wanted, he would be there to support her in every way he could. He hadn’t told her this in so many words, but he would make sure to do that in time.
He carefully got up and stretched his stiff limbs.
“Where are you going? Don’t leave,” Anna whispered, her eyes still closed.
“I’m just getting something to eat. You stay here and rest,” he said.
She did not respond; perhaps she had just talked in her sleep.
As he scanned the room for something to wear, he had a sudden realization. Everything was new for them. But this place was old, and it wasn’t even his. Perhaps it was time to take what had happened as a sign to make a few more changes in his life.
No longer would he live here in Alexander’s shadow. The latter had Cat to take care of, whereas Michael now had Anna.
Getting something to eat now became second on his list of priorities. He grabbed a robe from the closet and retrieved his phone from his torn trousers on the floor.
Then he dialed Alexander’s number as he quietly sneaked out of the room.
“Hope I’m not disturbing you. I was hoping we might have a chat, face-to-face,” Michael said.
“I’m glad you came by, especially since you had to leave Cat alone in hiding.” Michael glanced at Alexander, who had taken a seat in the armchair next to him in the library.
Alexander nodded. “No problem. Though let’s not make a habit of it. I would very much like to move back into my house now that the main threat has passed.”
Michael nodded. Fair enough. That tied in perfectly with what Michael wanted to discuss.
After his experiences with Anna, Michael felt like he understood his friend and mentor better too. He hadn’t been able to relate when Alexander paired up with Cat and rebelled against Julius and the Vampire Council to protect her.
Now he understood things perfectly. He would do the same for Anna.
Still, he decided to broach the topic slowly.
“What’s going to happen to the Soul Eaters?” Michael asked.
Alexander sighed. “They’re Julius’ problem now. Perhaps they’ll be put to death for their crimes.”
Michael brought his glass to his lips and savored the taste of the brandy as he swirled it around his mouth. Julius would have to take firm action; anything less would be seen as a sign of weakness by anyone looking to contest his leadership of the Council. Either way, Michael was glad he wouldn’t have to deal with those two anymore and Anna would be safe.
“And the other human victims?” Michael wondered aloud.
“We were too late for them; they were probably killed even before you performed the Ritual on Anna. When we caught the two Soul Eaters down in the sewer, they bragged about disposing of the bodies in the river. Lucille will verify if they were telling the truth. Thankfully, she’s quite a talented tracker.”
“So I’ve noticed. I wouldn’t even have known where to look for Anna without her.”
Michael felt Alexander’s eyes on him and turned his head to find his friend already grinning at him. “Don’t tell me you and Lucille are friends now?”
Michael made a face. “I wouldn’t go so far. But at least I know now that we can work together if necessary.”
Alexander nodded, his expression still equally smug. “Whatever you say.”
A few minutes passed in silence, giving Michael the chance to work up the courage to discuss the one thing he’d been holding back so far. His motives were pure, but he wasn’t sure if Alexander would take it that way.
“I’ve been thinking,” Michael began.
Alexander didn’t speak; instead, he took a sip from his glass and waited.
“Perhaps it’s time we move on—Anna and I.”
Alexander frowned. “Whatever do you mean?”
“Well, it’s not that I don’t appreciate your hospitality, you know I do…” Michael also took a sip, not for courage as much as to buy some time to formulate himself properly. T
he last thing he wanted was to come across as ungrateful.
“But you want to leave?” Alexander asked.
“I just think it’s for the best. Anna is still learning to control her urges, so I wouldn’t want her to be a threat to Cat. We could also use some time alone together, to figure out how our lifetimes together are going to look.”
Alexander’s expression relaxed once more. He nodded in silence.
“You both will appreciate the extra privacy I’m sure. I know we will,” Michael joked.
“Just know you’ll always be welcome here, my friend,” Alexander said.
“I do. Thank you. I probably wouldn’t have lasted a decade without your guidance and help.”
They shared a smile and raised their glasses.
“A toast. To immortality. And love,” Michael said.
“And to family,” Alexander added.
“To family.”
They shared a little smile and each took a sip.
“I must say I wasn’t expecting this, not yet,” Alexander said. “Where are you going to go?”
“We’ll stay in the city. Lucille tipped me off to some serviced apartments that would be perfect. And with the investments I’ve been making lately…”
“Anna’s idea?” Alexander asked.
Michael shook his head. “I haven’t even told her yet. But I have a feeling she will appreciate a place she can make her own. Figure out what this new life is going to mean for the two of us.”
“It’ll be an adjustment.”
Michael wasn’t sure if Alexander was talking about the two of them, or himself.
“Just don’t be a stranger. And if you ever need anything…” Alexander’s voice trailed off as he emptied his glass in one last sip.
“Thank you, my friend. Now, I’d better head back upstairs, see if Anna is up yet.”
Alexander nodded and got up as well. They shared a short, if slightly awkward hug. “Any time.”
- THE END -
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Michael's Soul Mate: A Steamy BBW Vampire Romance (Vampires of London Book 2) Page 10
