Blood Promise

by Jacey Ward

  “Bye Ava, I’ll catch up with you guys at the fair.”

  **

  Chase was dressed in a tight, dark short-sleeved shirt that showed off the definition of his muscular chest, upper arms and six-pack abs. His thick black hair blew in the breeze, looking perfectly styled and haphazard at the same time, and his bright blue eyes lit up at the sight of Ava as she made her way toward the car. He was standing beside the passenger side door, holding it open for her. Once again, Ava felt the familiar stirring within her core as she approached the vehicle. God, he looks like a model, Ava thought to herself as she climbed into the front seat.

  Chase was so deeply mesmerized by Ava’s appearance that he felt his mouth literally start to water. She was wearing a scarlet-colored spaghetti-strapped sundress that hugged her slender figure with utter perfection. The top of her dress dipped down into a V-shape, exposing just enough cleavage to make the observer want to see more. Her dress ended mid thigh, revealing a few inches of creamy, smooth-looking thighs that begged to be caressed. Scarlet stiletto sandals completed her outfit, adding an extra dash of sexiness to her look.

  She greeted him with a welcoming smile.

  “You look fantastic!” he told her as he helped her into the car, closing the door behind her.

  She thanked him and complimented him in return, while trying to keep the erotic thoughts she was having about him to herself.

  **

  The Mountain Crest Fair was crowded and lively, abuzz with residents and visitors of all ages that were walking, skipping and running back and forth. The lights of the rides lit up the night and the smell of popcorn, fast food and cotton candy filled Ava’s senses as she and Chase walked hand-in-hand through the festivities.

  They’d shared an amazing night at the fair and had even run into some of Ava’s old friends. When she had introduced Chase to any of them, they also seemed completely oblivious to the fact that there was an entire community up in Lexus. This happened with almost everyone they ran into—except for Mr. Rankin.

  Mr. George Rankin eyed Chase suspiciously when Ava introduced him. George was a member of the city council and he was at the fair with his wife, Ellie, and his grandson, Wyatt. Chase seemed to recognize him immediately, and Ava noticed a determined look come into his eyes. He refused to back down while Mr. Rankin glared at him. She quickly pulled him away in another direction after realizing the awkwardness of the situation.

  Other than the run-in with Mr. Rankin, the couple had a magical evening together: riding rides, playing games and enjoying each other’s company. Ava found herself completely infatuated with her handsome, mysterious date and even though she still couldn’t explain why, just being in his presence made her entire body come to life in ways she’d never felt before. It made her imagine what it would be like to experience his dominance in the bedroom, to feel his body covering hers.

  Just before midnight, the fair began to shut down and the couple made their way back to Chase’s car.

  “So what is it you do for a living?” she inquired as they headed back toward her house.

  A large teddy bear and big bag of cotton candy, prizes that Chase had won for her, sat in the backseat, though she’d noticed that Chase himself hadn’t eaten anything at all while at the fair.

  “My family has investments in different big money stocks and corporations. Honestly, I don’t even completely understand it myself,” he replied coolly, “but the money keeps coming in month after month, year after year.”

  “Interesting,” Ava said aloud.

  Soon, they pulled up in front of her house and Chase turned off the engine.

  “I had a really nice time with you, tonight,” Ava said softly, gazing into Chase’s eyes as she spoke.

  “I’m glad. I really just wanted to make up for taking off on you at the bar last week, you know.”

  “Would you like to come inside for a drink or two?” she offered, looking up at him from under her eyelashes. Or perhaps a romp or two? she thought silently.

  “Do you think that’s a good idea?” he asked with a crooked grin.

  Ava leaned in closer to him and her smile widened. “I think it’s a great idea.”

  **

  Ava handed Chase a glass of wine and sat down next to him on her navy blue sofa. So far, Chase had been a complete and perfect gentleman and it was only making her want him that much more.

  “Can I ask you something?” she said after taking a sip of wine.

  “Sure,” Chase replied.

  “Why did you really run out like that at the bar?”

  Chase sighed, feeling defeated. He knew that he’d have to tell her the truth sooner or later—besides, he’d already realized that there was no way he was going to be able to stay away from her. He gulped down the rest of his wine and set the empty glass on Ava’s coffee table.

  “Listen, Ava, there’s something you don’t know about me and my family—something that the residents of Mountain Crest have tried to keep a secret for many, many years. It’s the reason your dad told you to stay away from me and the reason that George Rankin looked at me like he wanted to kill me.”

  Ava looked at him intently. She, too, finished her wine and placed the glass down on the table, suddenly feeling a little apprehensive.

  “Ava, my family and I—all of us who live in Lexus, actually—we’re…. not…human.”

  Ava’s expression showed her confusion.

  “We’re immortals, Ava, a clan of what you would call “vampires” who have lived among humans for many years.” He quickly explained his history and the truce that had been developed by his ancestors. Ava listened quietly as the depth of what he’d said began to set in.

  “Vampires?” she asked slowly. “But—they’re not real, right? I mean—you don’t really...”

  Chase took her hand and placed it on his chest. At first, she didn’t know what he wanted her to do, but then she realized that she felt no heartbeat whatsoever.

  Ava’s mouth dropped open in shock. She quickly snatched her hand away from his chest in disbelief – not able to understand what was going on.

  “Oh my God!” she uttered in a voice barely louder than a whisper. “Th-th-that’s impossible!”

  “Please, Ava, I wanted to tell you sooner. That’s why I left the bar when you kissed me. It turned me on so much that I wasn’t prepared for it.”

  Ava scurried away from him while he was still talking. She felt panic rise swiftly but she wasn’t sure what to do. Her back bumped up against the other side of the sofa, stopping her retreat. She couldn’t take her eyes off him, could barely hear the words he was saying. All she kept hearing was “vampire”.

  “…. and it caused my eyes to turn red and my fangs to start growing out of my control. I wasn’t ready for you to see me that way. I didn’t want you to perceive me as some kind of fucking monster.”

  Chase stopped talking, looking miserable as he shook his head. “Don’t look at me like that, Ava,” he pleaded as he glanced at her stricken expression, “I promise I’m still the same person. I won’t ever hurt you.”

  After a moment of silence, Chase fell back on the sofa, exhaling heavily in defeat. “Yeah, okay…that’s fine. I get it. I’m going to leave now.”

  As he went to rise, he felt Ava place her hand back on his chest and push lightly. He sat back down and sucked in his breath at her touch. He placed his hand on top of hers and she shuddered slightly.

  “This is incredible,” she uttered.

  “Ava, please don’t think of me as a monster,” he whispered softly. “I think I’m falling for you.”

  Chapter Eight: All the Walls Come Down

  Their eyes locked and Ava fell victim to his spellbinding gaze. His hand tightened around hers as he uttered the words and Ava could no longer control the building passion that had been burning inside of her since the first time she’d laid eyes on him. She leaned forward into him and kissed his lips.

  Her body lit up like fireworks on the Fourth of July when
their lips met and the stirring within her core heightened. Chase cupped her face with his free hand and deepened their kiss, penetrating her sweet mouth with his hungry tongue. He languished in the taste of her and she moaned softly as their tongues intertwined.

  Breathing hard, Ava moved in even closer and grabbed his head with both of her hands. She pulled him onto her, pressing her soft breasts against his firm chest as she spread her legs, pushing his body against her own. Feeling him so close to her ignited a fire deep inside of her, making her breasts swell and her small moan escaper her.

  “Chase,” she breathed between kisses, “I want you.”

  That was all he needed to hear. Chase reached behind her and unzipped the back of her dress, pulling it down around her shoulders. He leaned down and kissed the side of her neck, inhaling her fragrance. He forced her dress down to her waist. Her luscious breasts exposed, Chase looked his fill, and then traced the rise of one breast with his finger. “Beautiful. So fucking beautiful.”

  Ava arched her back and ground herself into him, feeling a hard bulge against her crotch—evidence of his arousal. She ran her hands through his thick soft hair, breathing deeply, inhaling the scent of his body. His hands on her back supported her as she arched backwards, thrusting her breasts forward. Chase leaned his head down and captured one nipple between his lips. Her gasp and low moan proved to him how sensitive her breasts were, so he increased the power of his suction, taking the whole nipple deep into his mouth then releasing it slowly, laving the tip with his tongue as he released the pressure. His lips made their way over to the other breast, showing it the same attention as Ava’s breathing became more labored.

  His lips made their way back up to her neck as he lifted her body upward and pulled her dress down over her hips. He forced it the rest of the way down her body, and standing, she kicked it off onto the floor. His hands found her thigh and slid upward until it reached the thin lining of her black lace panties.

  He shuddered as he felt the wetness between her legs. He slid his fingers down into her panties, noticing that she was completely shaved. Ava moaned loudly as he caressed her clit, applying just the right amount of pressure to cause her back to arch in response.

  She cried out, grinding onto his hand, begging for more of his intimate touch. The tips of his fingers found her slit already dripping wet with her juices. He slid a finger inside of her and she raised her hips upward, forcing it deeper.

  “Oh yes!” she hissed in pure delight. Chase slid another finger into her and she cried out, lost to the passion, holding his head and burying her fingers deeply into his hair.

  He felt the walls of her core trembling, squeezing his fingers hard. He inhaled the scent of her arousal, almost causing him to lose the tight grip he was holding on his control. Standing, Chase freed himself from the prison of his trousers, his rock-hard erection springing free. Ava reached down and wrapped her hands around his length causing a growl to escape his lips. She stroked him intimately, running her hands along his girth, rhythmically, as his fingers sunk into her long silky hair.

  Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. He picked her up and laid her on down on her carpeted floor. Hurrying the rest of the way out of his jeans, he knelt down and spread her legs wide, caressing her soft, creamy skin and trailing kisses down to the valley between her thighs. Ava let out a loud cry as his lips found her clit and his fingers slid into her again. His technique was so precise, bringing her right up to the edge of her climax.

  “Ava, you’re so damn hot,” he hissed.

  He flicked his tongue quickly against her button until she raised her hips up high, grabbed his head and screamed.

  “Oh, God, Chase, I’m gonna…”

  The rest of her sentence was a loud, fierce cry of intense, earth-shattering pleasure as she climaxed forcefully and her legs shook uncontrollably. Her entire body tensed up and her back arched reflexively. Hot honey exploded onto Chase’s fingers as Ava finally began to breathe again in long, deep breaths, as her orgasm started to wane.

  But Chase wasn’t finished with her yet.

  He trailed kisses up her navel and made his way back up to her breasts, pausing to show them each some attention before kissing his way up to her open, waiting mouth. Ava reached down and took his erection into her hand, guiding it to her wet, warm entrance. She watched as he closed his eyes and slid his length into her slowly, exhaling deeply.

  “Fuck!” he hissed passionately. “You feel so fucking good, Ava.”

  He opened his eyes as he began to move, thrusting into her, slowly at first, and then increasing his pace as her body moved to meet his. He locked his eyes with hers as she cried out in ecstasy, completely lost in his eyes, in the intensity of the pleasure he was giving her as he plunged into her, over and over again. His hand found her breast and he fondled it affectionately, as he moved in and out of her, bringing her closer and closer to another mind-blowing orgasm.

  As she felt herself reaching the edge of her second climax, she grabbed onto Chase’s muscular buttocks and wrapped her legs around his waist, forcing him even deeper inside of her. She raised her hips upward and cried out again as her entire body shook, the tremors seeming to build in intensity, the pleasure overwhelming.

  Her gripping pussy sent Chase over the edge. He couldn’t hold back any longer. With one final hard, deep, thrust he let out a loud groan, his back arching with the force of his release. His eyes turned blood red and his fangs protruded from the corners of his mouth as he exploded inside of her filling her to the brim with his essence. He closed his eyes as he collapsed on top of her, completely spent, the aftershocks still rippling through him.

  He had never felt such pleasure in his entire life—and he was nearly 100 years old. He’d had sex with his fair share of vampire women in his lifetime, and even a few human women he’d met out on visits to other vampire communities around the world. He and Azalea had fucked countless times over the years—in fact, she had taken his virginity back when they were in their adolescent years—but none of it had ever compared to what he’d just experienced with this woman. It was official: there was no way he was ever going to be able to let her go.

  **

  Ava was in a sound sleep. They had moved to her bedroom and had made earth-shattering love once more before she’d finally drifted off into a deep, sound sleep.

  Chase couldn’t help thinking that she looked like an angel when she slept—so peaceful and content. He gently moved a stray hair from her face and smiled down at her sleeping figure.

  He checked the time on his phone and saw that it was nearly 5 a.m. He knew his parents were going to be wondering where he’d been all night and he was not looking forward to having to explain himself. The night he and Nicholai had gone to the bar, his parents had damned near had kittens over it.

  As his 100th birthday neared, he was feeling the pressure of everything that was going to be expected of him; and though he felt guilty because it was the most coveted position in his clan, the mere idea of becoming the clan’s next leader had recently started to repulse him.

  His parents couldn’t understand why he wasn’t excited and why he didn’t want to marry Azalea—the most appealing, intelligent and gifted female vampire in the clan; or in other words, the perfect specimen for the wife of a clan leader.

  He climbed out of bed quickly and quietly, careful not to wake the sleeping beauty beside him. After dressing, he collected his phone and silently exited her house through the front door. He didn’t want to leave. He wished more than anything that he could just lie there in Ava’s arms forever, but he knew he had to get back to his home in Lexus before sunrise.

  He locked Ava’s front door behind him and got into his car.

  From another car parked a few hundred feet away, Azalea sat in the driver’s seat fuming with rage and jealousy. She watched with anger as Chase left the human whore’s house and headed back up toward Lexus.

  Nicholai had been right. Chase really did have a new love interest and i
t was a wretched, disgusting mortal female.

  Pure hatred burned in Azalea’s blue eyes, turning them red with fury. Her fangs began to protrude and she had to fight everything in her to not break the human woman’s door down and rip her fucking head off right then and there.

  Chapter Nine: Broken Hearts and Hard Truths

  Azalea stormed into the house and slammed the door behind her. Katheryn came rushing down the spiral stairs and met her daughter in the front hall.

  “Azalea! Where have you been all night? It’s nearly dawn already!”

  Azalea looked up at her mother as blood red tears fell from her eyes. Katheryn saw the hurt and indignation in her daughter’s eyes and her tone immediately softened.

  “Azalea, what is it, love? What happened to you?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.

  “Mama, Chase’s heart belongs to another!” she blurted out. Her mother’s eyes widened in shock at her daughter’s words.

  “Th-that can’t be! I mean, we’ve already had the promise ceremony!”

  “Oh mother,” Azalea cried, her lips quivering. “He’s in love with a filthy, stinking mortal!”

  Katheryn almost lost her balance. She backed up into a chair and sat down, completely flabbergasted. She sat there in stunned silence for a brief moment. Finally, she stood back up and went over to comfort her daughter.

  “Don’t you worry, child,” she said softly, wiping a bloody tear from Azalea’s eyes. “I have something I want to show you. Come with me.”

  **

  Detective Hartzman awoke to the sound of loud yelling that was coming from just outside of his house. He rose from his bed quickly, throwing on a robe and heading out to the front hall. The shouting grew louder as he made his way to the front door.