Darkened Days

by C. L. Quinn

  “She told me you left. She said you were glad to be out of it. I didn’t have any reason to believe she was lying.”

  Their gazes locked on each other.

  “Listen to me, little vampire. I will never leave you. I will protect you with my last breath.” He wheezed and bent over. “Although it’s pretty weak right now. But it’s yours. You understand? I am here for you until you don’t want me anymore.” He hesitated and his eyes dropped for a moment. “Even if you want to be with him, I would still be your protector.”

  All the while he spoke, his fingers caressed her face, and moved up into her hair. She wanted to make sure she understood him.

  “So, you’re saying you are my protector. And that it’s okay if I sleep with Ahmose.”

  Silence. He stiffened, his fingers stopped. He closed his eyes. She knew better than to play with a wild dog.

  “I’m sorry, Jacob. I didn’t mean that. I believed her, the jailer. The way my life has gone the past few months, I believed you couldn’t be the hero you said you were.”

  Without thought, she slipped her arms around his waist and held on tightly. He was just as muscular as she remembered but badly bruised from Ahmose’s blows. He winced.

  “I’m not a hero. I never said I was. I’m an average vampire trying to do the right thing.” He paused again. “I can’t compete with a first blood.”

  Starla pushed him back.

  “Compete? For what?”

  Now, he looked away, then back to her, his eyes wet.

  “You,” he said simply.

  The floor nearly fell away. Starla was stunned to realize he really did have the same feelings for her she had for him. The moment shattered all barriers she’d built because she wanted him and now she knew he was hers.

  She almost launched herself at him, but he was pretty banged up. There would be time. But she wanted him to know how she felt. So she pulled her face away from his hands, backed up, lifted her arms up to untie the top of her dress, and let it fall, releasing her breasts just inches from his face.

  “Does this remind you of something? I’m sure you didn’t get any of this back at the grocery store, but for the first time in my vampire life, I wanted someone to touch me. I wanted you to touch me. But you wouldn’t.”

  Turning around to display her shape, which was mostly revealed to him now, she came back face forward.

  “You only get one more chance, Jacob.” She stopped to watch him. “Do you want to touch me?”

  Surging forward, he pushed her up against the wall, trapped her arms above her head.

  She gave in to the arousal she’d felt as soon as she saw him tonight. Her respiration was ragged now as he hovered, his mouth just above hers, pressed lightly against her breasts, the nipples grazing against his chest.

  “Do you know what I want to do to you right now? You’re too tempting. I would not be able to stop myself.”

  She pressed herself against the full bulge in his jeans.

  “That’s the idea.” It came out as a whisper although that wasn’t the intention. “But you’re injured. We should wait until...”

  Jacob lifted her so her legs went around his waist and he could press his cock against her sex. He nudged her neck while she moved against him, then he bit, and as her blood surged into him he carried her to the bed in the corner.

  Pulling his fangs, he nuzzled her neck.

  “We finish this,” he said quietly as he drew back.

  “We finish this,” she repeated in agreement and didn’t have to wait long as he’d already used hyper-speed to remove his jeans.

  She slipped out from under him and unsnapped the back of the dress, which fell satisfactorily to the ground at her feet.

  He stopped then. To look. Naked, she was more beautiful than he’d imagined. And he’d imagined a lot over the past several weeks alone in the cell. He paused to consider this. Eillia would kill him. Well, he’d die happy. Nothing, not even a first blood, could stop him now. He didn’t want anything between him and this woman.

  Starla was tired of waiting. She shoved him down onto the bed and crawled on top of him.

  “In order to finish, we have to start,” she said breathlessly and felt the world spin as he flipped her onto her back and straddled her now.

  “I’ll start.”

  When his tongue touched her nipple she bucked. Weeks of complete abstinence had taken its toll. She was so deprived she could not lie still for his touch. She’d wanted him so badly and was in such extreme hyper-sexual need, she took point again and pushed him so hard he fell onto the floor.

  As he got back up, he was grinning, with a fire in his eyes.

  “Rough?” he asked.

  “Now,” she barked, and used her vampire strength to power him beneath her, fit him into her, and slide all the way down over his cock.

  He filled her perfectly. She began to move, to ride him, slow and steady for a few minutes to revel in the feel of him. Finally. Tears sprung in awareness that this man, this vampire, was what she had been seeking when she left Alaska. Not home. But someone who would be home to her no matter where they were.

  He groaned, his hands tight against her thighs, lifting up as she pressed down. Slick and smooth, hard and fast, she watched his face as she rode him. He watched her, too, and they acknowledged silently to each other that this was where they needed to be.

  Jacob felt his orgasm begin and drove faster into her to bring her with him. The tendril of connection he’d felt when she’d fed from him in the grocery exploded and he knew they were connected much deeper than this intense physical act. As he was swept over the edge, he felt her stiffen and squeeze until they both collapsed, hot, sweating, and breathless.

  Ahmose sat quietly in his dwelling, the lights off, darkness welcome. Because she had gone to him. He wanted to go kill the man Jacob, bring his woman back here, and put his child in her. More than anything in his life. He knew if he did, he would lose her forever. And that was the second thing he wanted most in his life. To keep her in it.

  So he sat on the floor with ten bottles of his highest proof beer, two baskets filled to the brim with an assortment of sweet breads, and a command to his personal aide to shove him back in the room if he tried to come out. His imagination tortured him. And worse, he was pretty sure what he imagined was exactly what was happening in the dwelling he assigned to visitors. Nothing would distract him tonight. He briefly considered calling one of his favorite blood-bonds, but even that didn’t appeal. Because she was not what he wanted.

  An hour later, drunk, he tried to sleep. It didn’t come. He sent out for more beer.

  He woke her gently, with kisses on her buttocks. Starla’s lips curved in response to the unexpected pleasure of his mouth on her skin. He flipped her over and began nipping, along her neck, down her side to her thighs, and back to the curve of her waist, which he’d found was very sensitive to his tongue. He was completely satiated sexually, but he still needed to touch and hold her. Starla had come twice, but she wasn’t objecting to the tongue and teeth massage.

  She stretched out full length to allow him access to any part of her body. Right now, she let him use her like a playground and reaped the rewards of sensations she’d never known. The culmination of sex with him that ended in the indescribable orgasms were more than she’d ever expected. But there was such a gentle lingering passion in just feeling his tongue move against her skin, his fingers trailing across her, his body moving over her as he worked. She finally knew the answer to the question posed by the confused girl in the grocery store that night in Paris. Is this how it’s supposed to be? Yes. Yes, it was.

  With a moan, she lifted her head as he traveled down past her knees, his fingers slipping over her slit lightly more erotic than a heavier touch.

  “You were right,” she said softly.

  “Right?” he took a moment to ask.

  “That you could make me beg. I would beg for this. I would beg for you.”

  “You would never ha
ve to. I am your willing servant. Anything that needs attention, I’m your man.”

  He pulled her onto her knees and held her face so she could look at him while he spoke.

  “I’m your only man.”

  “You are.”

  Starla paused, considered what she was going to say. And said it anyway.

  “Ahmose is a good man, though, and you have to be nice to him. Also, he could tear your head off. Jacob, promise me you won’t antagonize him tonight. We’ll go home after we sleep through daylight. So, just stay calm. Please.”

  “I promise I’ll try.”

  “Succeed. And there will be many rewards.”

  Jacob smiled. “Can I get an inventory list?”

  “Let me give you a preview.”

  His cock was at full attention while he’d moved over her, brushing against her as he moved up and down. She shoved him down on the bed and began to travel down his body just as he’d done for her. Only, while he enjoyed the sensuality of the nips all the way down his torso, it wasn’t until she arrived between his legs that he closed his eyes and gave in to her delicious skills. She knew exactly where her tongue would do the most good.

  Later in the night, a knock disturbed them and Starla walked lazily to the door.

  Chione entered, smiled at both Starla and Jacob, then asked Starla if she may speak with her privately.

  “Sure,” Starla replied and followed her out the door.

  Chione turned around.

  “Mistress, you cannot stay in this dwelling. Not with that man.”

  “Did Ahmose send you to threaten me?”

  “Mistress, he would not. But I know this as clearly as I know the sky. If you stay with him, Ahmose will most certainly call him out. It is a matter of honor and respect. These males fight for their women and families. So, to keep the peace, to protect both men, will you stay in my dwelling today?”

  It made sense. Starla nodded.

  “You’re right, of course. Can you give me a moment?”

  “I will wait here.”

  Jacob got out of bed and walked to her, his hard body so gorgeous, his cock partially erect again.

  “Hey, beautiful, look what I have for you.”

  “Well, you can put that away. I’m staying with Chione.

  His hand slid to the head and caressed it.

  “Are you sure? I’m pretty certain Chione doesn’t have one of these.”

  He was so stunning. In all her life, sweet Starla could never have imagined a man like this wanted her. And super sexed vampire Starla couldn’t imagine not jumping on that erection any chance she could get.

  Her eyes dropped to his cock, and she slipped a fingernail down its length. He pulled her to him.

  “You’re not going to him?”

  “No, but, for the sake of peace, for both of you, I need to stay with Chione. I’ll see you tonight, Jacob.”

  She leaned into him with a deep kiss and followed Chione up the hill to a much smaller yurt not far from Ahmose’s.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Crystal had tried to forget him. Had not been able to at all. She was obsessed with him. Intellectually, she knew that. She knew it wasn’t healthy. And she knew he thought he had no interest in her. She didn’t give a fuck.

  Her monitoring system let her know Xavier had come for him at her cabin, which was her plan. But now things were different. She wanted him back. All night she’d sat up, paced, over-eaten, and threw back bottle after bottle of fine bourbon. Nothing worked. Nothing kept her mind off him.

  Remembering every contour of his body, every touch of her tongue against his skin, that enormous cock between powerful thighs, she lay back on her large bed, legs wide, and used two of her most powerful vibrators to bring herself to orgasm over and over. It didn’t work. His face still filled her mind, and she needed a cock to fill her body. It had to be his.

  As daylight came again, she made a decision. Forget him, cut your losses, move somewhere to rebuild her life since she knew Xavier was done with her.

  Or go get him.

  She was a results-oriented person. It was one of the first things that drew Xavier to her when they met all those years ago. She’d learned to watch and wait and pay attention. So if she wanted Jacob, she just had to work for it.

  Crystal had always been a good tracker, so after waiting for Xavier to leave the house, she stopped in, froze the staff, found Eillia’s address in Paris, and got her ass out of there post-haste. So quickly, she forgot to unfreeze the staff. She felt badly about it, that wasn’t her intention, but she couldn’t go back now. It did make her wonder, though, what happened to normal bodily functions if someone was frozen long enough. Well, for their sake, she hoped Xavier wouldn’t dally in Paris.

  She was outside Eillia’s apartment the following night. She’d been sure Jacob was there, so she just parked herself at a café across the street near a window that had a direct view of the apartment building’s entrance, ordered a dozen biscotti’s, coffee, and watched the entrance. If he came out, she would follow him. She hadn’t really worked up a plan yet, all she knew was that she wanted him. With her first blood skill, she knew she could control him until he fell for her.

  She smiled to herself. He would. She knew she was gorgeous and once he found out how good she was sexually, he’d never leave.

  The biscotti were excellent. It had been several years since she’d been to the city to dine and missed the restaurants and clubs. Glancing down at her utilitarian outfit and serviceable boots, she decided she should do some shopping for sexier clothes before she left Paris with Jacob.

  On a mountain in Switzerland, she had another cabin she’d owned for years. They would have complete privacy there. It would give them the time alone she needed to make Jacob fall in love with her.

  “Anything else?” The waitress inquired. Crystal had been there a long time and didn’t seem inclined to leave.

  Distracted, Crystal waved a hand at her without looking at her.

  “I don’t care. Bring me a pie.”

  “What kind would you like?”

  Crystal shifted her gaze from the window and stared at the waitress. Through clenched teeth, her eyes hard and unblinking, she said, “Whatever the fuck you want to bring me.”

  The waitress left quickly. A different waitress brought a fruit pie to the table and dropped it off, then left quickly too. Crystal did not look up at her. Her eyes were locked on her target. There was movement across the street.

  The highly efficient lighting at the entrance of the apartment building clearly showed two men had just exited the elaborate lobby. The vampire who was married to the first blood Eillia. And Jacob. Her heart rate increased and she felt a rush of warm wetness between her legs. What it was that made him so irresistible to her, she did not know. But nothing would prevent her from taking him soon.

  He would have been disappointed in the little newbie anyway. Crystal knew she could satisfy him in ways that child never could. She rammed the pie in her mouth as she prepared to follow them. The least he could do was let her show him what she had to offer before he rejected her. Her grin showed red berry-covered teeth as she laughed, spitting bits of pie to splatter the tabletop. Like he would ever reject her after she fucked him.

  Staying out of range, just as a precaution, Crystal was sure the three males would not sense her vampire presence. She lowered her head with a smile as she sucked down the shai, a sugary drink she already loved. Along with her limited ability to freeze, she’d taken Xavier’s ability to mask his life force. Again, it wasn’t as effective as his, she wasn’t anywhere nearly as powerful, but it would work to block a simple vampire from another one. It did very well. With a dark wig and sunglasses, she sat behind Jacob and he never knew she was there. Handy, those first blood talents.

  The shai was gone again and she ordered a third. Umm. She’d never been to Africa before, but it was turning out to be a delightful surprise.

  When they went into the forest a few hours later, she f
ollowed distantly with no trouble keeping up. Koen was a first blood, faster than she could ever be, but hampered by the two slower vampires. She had no trouble tracking them.

  It all went well until they disappeared suddenly into nowhere. They were there, then they weren’t. They hadn’t sped away, she would have noticed that. And they could not just disappear. She wondered if they somehow knew she followed them, and that the first blood had done something to her. But she didn’t believe it.

  No. Walking to where she’d seen them last, she searched, but there was nothing but more trees. She looked around in all directions and tasted the air. Something was here. Something… Had to be first blood magics. Had to be something masked like Xavier could do.

  But she couldn’t find anything at all. Okay, this slowed her down. It didn’t stop her. There was always a back door. In this case, she had a pretty good idea how to do it. She stepped back under cover of the trees and waited.

  Two hours later three men and two women emerged from nowhere to hurry away from the area. Obviously coming from wherever her three men disappeared to. And they were all five vampire.

  She followed them to town.

  After picking up several large boxes and dropping them behind a local club, they went into the back entrance. Crystal entered from the front and took a seat at a rough built bar. They were apparently there to let off a little steam. A steady flow of alcohol moved to the table as well as several boisterous human females.

  The men were big-ass bruisers, drinking hard and practically riding the village women right there in the middle of the club. One of the women partied just as hard with a cute young man who looked overjoyed to be included. But the second woman, quiet, sat at the table just watching her companions, nursing a clear beverage. Crystal noticed her looking at the large breasts of one of the local women. Ah. The back door.