An Invitation

by Jasmine Hill

  She didn’t have the energy to scoff at him. And he knew the truth. He could feel all of it when he drank her blood. He could see that no one else had ever come close to giving her such intense orgasms. It was irritating that he had such unequivocal intimate knowledge of her.

  She rolled over so her chest was against his, their bodies slipping together in the soapy water. His eyes were still burning bright red and a dribble of her blood seeped from his lips. She bent her head and licked her blood from his chin. It didn’t taste like his—more like copper and metal. A rumble erupted from deep in his chest and he bumped his hips up, sliding his thick cock through her slippery folds.

  She gave him a flirtatious smile and rubbed against him. “Now it’s your turn. How do you want me?”

  Vincent bared his teeth. She was so fucking hot he could take her every which way and do it all over again. But he wanted her mouth. He wanted to feel her plump lips sucking him to completion.

  He urged her down his body and allowed his hips to float to the surface. His cock sprang thick and long from the water and she gaped at it, her mouth a cute little O. It gave him a thrill every time she looked at him in that way —awe mixed with trepidation.

  “I want your mouth,” he husked, anxious to feel the warm clasp of her throat closing around his cock.

  She licked her lips and grabbed the bottle of massage oil. “Let’s see if it tastes like cherries.”

  She squeezed a dollop of the oil into her palms, then gripped his base with both hands and squeezed. Vincent arched his back and groaned. Precum seeped out of his tip to dribble thickly down his length. His balls were full to bursting, tight and aching, and he needed release. Fast.

  “Fuck, baby,” he panted as she massaged his cock with both hands, twisting and squeezing until his vision hazed. She bent her head and licked his tip, flicking her tongue out to lap up his seed. She tongued his glans and worked his thick root, rubbing and twisting until he couldn’t see straight.

  Desire clawed at the base of his spine and his balls drew tight to his body.

  She squirted more oil directly onto his cock, the cherry-flavored lubricant flowing over his erection like a fragrant waterfall. She threw him a saucy smile, battered her lashes then opened her mouth and took him down her throat in one swallow.

  “Fuck!” He’d never felt anything like it. The tight, wet heat of her mouth and the sight of her lips stretched so wide over his base were enough to make him come.

  She drew back then took him in her mouth once more. He could see the bulge of his cock in her cheek as she worked him, sucking on his length like it was the most delicious lollipop.

  His fangs descended and his vision hazed. He couldn’t hold off much longer. He gripped her head and urged her farther down. “Take it all,” he mumbled, nearly incoherent with his need and the lust clawing at his belly.

  Her eyes watered and her lips stretched wider still over the bulk of his base. She stilled, and swallowed around him. His eyesight darkened to a pinprick and his mind blanked at the intense pleasure pounding through him.

  He arched into her, thrusting that bit farther, and climaxed spectacularly, his cum shooting out of his tip and down her throat in wave after wave of throbbing ecstasy.

  If he hadn’t known it before, he did in that moment. She was the one for him and he wouldn’t let her go. Couldn’t let her go. They were made for each other.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Bree opened her eyes, confusion clouding her brain for a moment as she fought to identify where she was. Reality dawned when her bedroom furniture slowly appeared within the shadowy interior of her room. She looked at her bedside clock and was surprised to find that she’d slept all day.

  Vincent had tucked her into bed in the early hours of the morning and she’d slept right through until evening. Obviously, her body had needed the rest and recuperation.

  Clearly, he hadn’t returned yet. If he had, he would have woken her. He would have ensured that she knew what was going on. He would have told her if he’d found Madison or not. A cold fear flushed her veins when she finally recalled his last words to her. ‘I’ll be back soon. I can’t leave you alone for long.’

  He’d insisted on keeping his promise and going back to the mansion to look for Madison, and Bree assumed that he’d left soon after she’d gone to bed. That meant he’d been gone for hours.

  She worried her bottom lip as thoughts of what could have happened to him ran rampant through her mind. The vampires had been furious. And she’d killed another of their kind during their escape, so they’d be doubly enraged. It was madness for Vincent to go back. It would be like walking into a lions’ den. Even if he did possess the same supernatural abilities, they had numbers on their side. Guilt washed through her when her thoughts turned to Madison. He’d gone back to the mansion to look for her because he’d promised that he would. Bree was safely at home while Madison was still there, at the mercy of the vampires and their deadly appetites. No matter which way she looked at the situation, she felt guilt-ridden, remorseful that she’d left Madison and fearful that she’d sent Vincent to his ultimate demise. What will I do if he doesn’t come back?

  She slipped out of bed, threw a light cotton dress over her nakedness and walked through to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. She popped a capsule into the machine and warmed some milk as she pondered what to do. She had no way of contacting him. Wouldn’t even know where to start. She could do nothing but hope and pray for his safe return.

  She dropped into a chair at the dining room table and stared into her coffee mug. At least he’d be sufficiently fed. He’d drunk from her that morning, so that was something at least. And they didn’t require the sleep and repose that a human did. She’d asked him about that, and he’d told her they required little sleep and could go for days without any.

  She was startled out of her reverie by the piercing ring of her doorbell. She jumped, spilling coffee all over the dining room table in her haste to get to the door. It must be Vincent, finally back.

  She threw the door open and stared, dumbfounded, at Madison standing on her doorstep. Alone.

  Bree peered over Madison’s shoulder, looking for signs of Vincent, but her front yard was empty.

  “Hi,” Madison greeted her brightly. “Can I come in?”

  Bree nodded and stepped aside, Madison’s sudden arrival at her house not quite registering in her jumbled thoughts.

  Bree led the way into the living room, turning on table lamps as she went. Madison sat on the sofa and Bree took the chair opposite.

  “What are you doing here?” Bree blurted. “I don’t mean to be rude, but how do you know where I live and how did you get here? The last I saw of you, you were at the mansion, scared and worried for Chantelle.” She studied Madison for signs of wounds and blood loss, but she looked fine. In fact, she looked better than fine—she looked fantastic. Her previously freckled, slightly spotty skin gleamed flawlessly and her hair shone in thick, lustrous waves. Had she undergone some sort of makeover between the previous evening and now? And where was Vincent?

  “Vincent went back to look for you,” Bree stated when Madison remained silent. “Did he find you? Did he send you here?”

  “Yes,” Madison finally spoke. “He told me to come back here and be with you.”

  “Well, where is he?” Bree cried in exasperation. What the fuck is going on?

  “He’ll be here shortly,” Madison responded vaguely and looked around Bree’s living room. “He said he had some things to attend to.”

  Bree shook her head. None of this was making any sense. How much did Madison know? Bree studied the other woman as she continued to scrutinize her living room, but she gave no signs that she’d been through a traumatic ordeal.

  “Wasn’t that just the best invitation ever?” Madison enthused suddenly, her face lighting up. “I can’t believe we were so lucky to be invited.”

  Had the woman gone mad? Had she been at the same party? “Did you find Chantelle?
” Bree asked. “It seemed like you and she had become close over the weekend.”

  “I haven’t seen her since I last saw you,” she responded with a shrug.

  Bree stared at Madison, a cold dread creeping through her. “I think you should go now,” Bree murmured and stood. “Vincent will be back at any moment.”

  The other woman smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I think I’ll stay, Bree.”

  Bree stepped away from her, suddenly very aware as to why Madison looked like she did. Why she was unscathed and acting so strangely. Bree’s thoughts ran wild. Where is that backpack? She scanned her living room for a possible weapon.

  Madison stood and stepped towards her. “You know what I am,” she commented conversationally. “I knew something was up at that party, and you.” She poked a finger into Bree’s chest. “Knew all along what was going on.”

  Bree stepped backward into the hallway and Madison followed.

  “I didn’t know!” Bree cried. “Not at first, anyway.”

  “You were going to keep that hunk of a vampire all to yourself.” Madison snarled.

  “What?”

  “You heard me. As if I wouldn’t want what they could give. As if I wasn’t good enough!”

  What the fuck?

  “You were happy to leave me for dead while you and your bloodsucker rode off into the sunset. And he’s going to make you like him. He’ll give you the gift of immortality!” Madison looked her up and down. “Gorgeous face. To-die-for body. The ice princess who every male at that fucking Valentine’s weekend was panting after.”

  Bree shook her head. “It wasn’t like that! Vincent went back for you!”

  “They would have killed me too,” she continued, as if Bree hadn’t spoken. “But he made me like him.”

  “Who?” Bree exclaimed.

  “Vincent. Well, at least I thought it was him at first. Then I found out it was his twin brother.”

  It all made perfect, terrifying sense. Dante knew that Bree would let Madison in. He knew she was the way to get to her. “Listen to me,” Bree implored. “Dante’s using you, Madison. He’s using you to get to Vincent and me!”

  “It’s not all about you, bitch!” Madison screeched, backhanding Bree across the cheek and sending her flying down the hallway. “Dante wanted me! He wanted me over you!” Madison stalked towards her, her eyes blazing a demonic red. “You thought you were better than us! Prettier, smarter, more sophisticated!”

  Bree shook her head, her ears still ringing from Madison’s slap. “I didn’t ever think that,” she responded weakly as she struggled to her feet. “I’m not like that. I didn’t even know you before the invitation.”

  Madison cackled. “You didn’t have to know us,” she parroted Bree’s words. “You just had that way about you. That ‘I’m better than everyone’ air. It made me sick.”

  Bree knew it was stupid, but she couldn’t help goading her. Obviously, the bitch had issues with jealousy. “Funny, you’re looking more like a green-eyed monster than a red-eyed one.”

  Madison flew at her, slamming her to the ground. Bree landed on the hardwood floor, winded and gasping for breath.

  “Who’s better than you now, bitch?” Madison spat into her face. “Who’s stronger?” She grinned wickedly, her perfectly flawless face at odds with her demonic behavior.

  “I don’t know why you hate me so much.” Bree panted under Madison’s weight. “But I can tell you one thing. I think you need a breath mint.”

  Madison’s screech of fury was resounding. She wrapped her hands around Bree’s neck. “I’m gonna strangle you a little before I suck you dry,” she muttered. “You deserve to be tortured.” Madison squeezed her throat. “Too bad your lover boy didn’t change you in time.”

  Bree struggled uselessly, Madison’s vampire strength far outweighing her human one. She regretted that she hadn’t had the chance to fight Madison before she’d been changed. Bree knew without a doubt that she would have kicked her lazy ass.

  Bright spots of light danced before her eyes as she struggled for breath. The unyielding clasp of hands at her neck spurred her resolve, and she clawed at Madison’s stranglehold, her body going into auto-save mode. She met the vampire’s crazy gaze just before the bitch bent her head and tore into her throat. The last thing on Bree’s mind was Vincent, and what could have been between them.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Vincent should never have left her. Not for that fucking bitch Madison! But he always kept his promises and he didn’t ever want to fail Bree. He’d known Madison was an envious, two-faced bitch, but he hadn’t thought it necessary, or kind, to tell Bree what he knew. Now he was terrified it was too late. He’d been right when he’d told Bree that the others wouldn’t expect his return, that they’d be too caught up in the carnage and bloodshed and that their guard would be down. He’d slipped in and out without them noticing. He’d even avoided the familiars.

  His speed had never been so useful. Dante and the others were lazy and egotistical, not imagining for a moment that he’d have reason to return. Even if they’d known he was there, he suspected that they would have left him unharmed. Without Bree at his side to torture and torment in front of him, there’d be no fun in it for them. He wondered if his brother even wanted him dead. What fun would Dante’s existence hold if Vincent wasn’t around to provoke? He understood Dante’s and the other vampires’ motivations better than they knew.

  But what he’d found in the mansion in the brief time that he’d been there had sent his already cold heart frosty. Now he was racing to get back to Bree, terrified that he’d be too late. He’d already decided that he’d kill himself if she was gone, and there was nothing else he could do for her. There were ways.

  He smashed down Bree’s front door and flew into the house. He knew immediately where they were. He skidded into the hallway and stilled for an instant, taking in the scene before him. Then, with an infernal rage he hadn’t unleashed on anyone or anything before, he attacked. Madison was too slow and too young a vampire to even register his presence before it was too late. Before he was on top of her.

  “Dante!” Madison cried.

  “I’m not Dante, you bitch!” He gripped her hair and hauled her off Bree. “You think my brother is going to save you?” He shoved her through the hallway wall and stalked after her. “You think that scum changed you for any other reason than to get to me and the woman I love?”

  She scooted backwards, the terror in her eyes telling him she knew that he’d destroy her. Her brief immortality would be extinguished, and she’d have no idea what to expect on the other side. His brother hadn’t prepared her for anything. She was his willing patsy. Nothing more, nothing less.

  He risked a brief look at Bree’s bloodied and broken body, then struck, roaring his rage and fury so loudly that heaven and hell would have to cover their ears.

  He leaped at Madison and ripped the head off her body in one clean twist of her neck. She didn’t even have time to scream before her remains disappeared into a cloud of smoke and dust.

  He sprinted to Bree’s side. She stared, wide-eyed and unseeing at the ceiling, a gaping hole in her neck. Her face, blue. Cold.

  He bellowed in anguish, his thunderous roars shattering the windows. It couldn’t be! He had to save her! He hadn’t discussed it with her, but he had to try!

  He encircled her in his arms, cradling her body, and bit into the other side of her neck. Warm blood flowed into his mouth and he nearly cried in relief. She wasn’t drained. She was warm. There was still time.

  He looked into her eyes, opened her mouth and tore into his wrist, bleeding his blood into her. He massaged her throat, willing her to respond, and rubbed her limbs, dribbling more of his blood into her mouth until it started to overflow down her chin.

  It seemed like an eternity that he sat on the hallway floor, cradling her, staring into nothing. Into oblivion. Then she gasped, a sharp, desperate inhalation of breath.

  He stared down int
o her eyes and saw the spark of life. Of immortality. Her irises gleamed a soft red, signifying that the change had taken place.

  He bent his head to murmur in her ear, “You need to drink from me.”

  She looked at him in confusion.

  “You’re like me now. I’m sorry, but I had no choice.” His gut clenched. He was terrified that she’d hate him for what he’d done to her. He hadn’t wanted it to be like this. He’d wanted her to become accustomed to the idea. He’d needed to teach her about the facts of her new life, when and if, she would have even agreed to it.

  She hadn’t moved. She still lay with her head resting in his lap. He gazed down into her light red eyes, typical of a newly bonded vampire.

  She cleared her throat. “Is she dead?” she husked.

  He nodded. “I exterminated the bitch.”

  She smiled. “Good.”

  He studied her face in concern. “Are you okay, baby? You know what’s happened?”

  She closed her eyes and stretched. “I feel wonderful. Now I know what all the fuss is about.”

  He frowned. “You know that your life has changed. That nothing will be the same after this?

  “My job? Can I still do what I love? And what about my family and friends?”

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry, baby. Your job you can do as long as it’s in the evening, but I’m afraid it will be easier if you let your family and friends go. You don’t need anything. I have a lot of money, wealth I’ve accumulated over the centuries. It’s necessary. We can’t stay in one place for too long for obvious reasons.” He caressed her cheek. “It will take some getting used to and I wanted to prepare you for this. I wanted you to have a choice, but that was taken out of my hands when I found you lifeless on the floor.”

  She bit her lip, her eyebrows forming a V. “My parents?”

  “You can see them for a while, until the fact that you’re not aging becomes noticeable. Then we can make up a story. We can tell them that you’re moving overseas and keep in contact over the phone.” He swept his thumb over her bottom lip. “We’ll work out the details, but you need to understand that everything in your life will not be as it was. I’ll be here, with you always. I’ll teach you how to adjust.”