“Hmm…” Charlotte frowned as she ran her hands lightly over his bare back. Her soft touch sent prickles of sensation up and down his spine and Stav felt his shaft stiffen in the black satin sleep trousers he wore. Looking at her, he was suddenly aware of how low cut her green dress was. The v-shaped neck showed the creamy tops of her breasts and the silky material clung to her curves, outlining her broad hips and luscious ass.
Have to stop thinking of her this way. What’s wrong with you?
Abruptly he pulled his eyes away and tried to focus on something across the room instead. If only she would stop touching him—her soft, cool fingers running up and down his back were only making things worse!
“It looks…strange,” she said, breaking his train of thought. “Your Mark, I mean. It’s kind of…faded somehow. It’s lost all its rainbow colors and it’s not moving anymore. It looks just like any old black tattoo now. What does that mean?”
Stav shrugged. “I have no idea. I doubt anyone would but I suppose I could ask Commander Sylvan to come back and have a look at it.”
“Maybe later.” Charlotte drew back, letting one hand rest casually on his bare shoulder. “Before that, though, there’s something I need to do.” She had a determined look on her face.
“What?” Stav asked. But he had barely gotten the question out before she was leaning towards him.
Her warm, feminine scent was all around him and he could feel the silky brush of her blonde hair against the side of his face. Stav wanted more than anything to take her sweet, lush mouth with his own. But at the last minute he turned his head to one side, so that her kiss fell on his cheek rather than his lips.
Charlotte drew back, frowning.
“Why did you do that?”
“Why did you?” Stav countered, frowning. “Why try to kiss me now after all that’s happened? Now that I know how you feel about my kind?”
“Are you still worried about that?” Charlotte sighed and settled herself on the side of his bed, much closer than was strictly comfortable.
Gods, she smells so sweet! Stavros wished he could draw her into his lap but he made himself sit still and not touch her.
“Worried about the way your sister was driven to suicide by two of my kind?” he asked stiffly. “And the way it made you hate all Kindred afterwards? Yes, it does worry me.”
“I don’t hate all Kindred. Not anymore.” Charlotte sighed. “Look, I know it’s hard to believe, but going through it all again when we were in the Temple of Regrets was probably the best thing that could have happened to me.”
“How so?” Stav couldn’t help remembering the awful scene—the tears she had shed as she begged her sister not to die, not to be dead. How could going through that awful experience twice be a good thing?
“It sort of…gave me a new perspective.” Charlotte looked thoughtful. “I realized I was angry at the wrong people. I was blaming the Kindred and blaming myself because I couldn’t let myself be angry at Missy.” She sighed and looked down at her hands. “She was always the timid one—always afraid of her shadow.”
“Was she?” It was hard to imagine the bold, forthright Charlotte having such a timid sister.
Charlotte nodded.
“I loved her so much but there’s no denying it. She thought she was taking the easy way out and she was—for her. But she left me behind with a crappy home situation—an abusive mom and a distant dad. She abandoned me because she was too afraid to face the future.” Charlotte raised her chin. “I’m angry with her for that. I love her—I will always love her—but I have a right to be angry. Suicide is a very selfish act—probably the most selfish thing anyone can do.” She reached down and entwined her fingers with his. “It’s Missy I’m mad at—not you,” she said quietly.
“Charlotte…” Stav didn’t know what to say. His head was full but no words came. She doesn’t hate my kind…she doesn’t hate me! If that was true, there might be a chance…His heart seemed to skip a beat and just like that, his hopes came crashing down. There was no chance—none. Even if she didn’t hate him—even if she loved him as he loved her—he couldn’t tie her to him. Not when he had less than a year to live.
“Stav?” She was looking at him, her heart in her big, brown eyes. Gods, she was so lovely it hurt to look at her!
He forced himself to look away and take back his hand.
“I am glad you finally came to terms with your sister’s death,” he said formally, coldly. “It is good to know that you don’t hate my people anymore—there are many brave warriors who would…who would care deeply for you. Maybe in time…” But he couldn’t go on—the words stuck in his throat.
“I already have someone who cares deeply for me,” Charlotte murmured, scooting closer. She leaned towards him and the front of her dress gaped open, showing more than the creamy tops of her breasts. Looking down, Stav saw she had on some kind of lacy undergarment that was black with little red flowers embroidered on it. It was so thin he was certain he would be able to see the tight pink points of her nipples through the material if she just leaned a little more forward…
No! He dragged his eyes away forcibly and sat back, away from her.
“I am afraid…” He cleared his throat. “Afraid you have the wrong idea about how I feel for you.”
“No, I don’t—I know I don’t.” Charlotte lifted her chin, getting that stubborn look in her eyes. “You told me you loved me when we were…” her cheeks got red but she made herself go on. “When we were splitting the pillar back at J’lorgan’s Mind.”
Stavros looked away. “Much has changed since then.”
“What? You mean since you found out you only have…only have a year to live?” Her voice sounded choked for a moment and when Stav turned back to her, her eyes were suspiciously bright.
“You know? How?”
“How do you think? I was eavesdropping outside the door while Commander Sylvan was talking to you. I…” She bit her lip. “I didn’t mean to at first but when I heard what he was saying, well…I couldn’t stop listening.”
“So now you know,” Stav said bitterly. “You know why I can’t return your affection.”
“My love.” Charlotte corrected him with a frown. “I’ve been a fool from the minute I met you, Stav. I didn’t think I could care for you or that you really cared for me. It took almost losing you to open my eyes to the truth.” She leaned forward and took his face between her small, cool hands. “I love you, you big, stupid Kindred and nothing you can do or say will change that,” she said, looking him in the eyes.
Stav’s heart thumped hard in his chest and he wanted badly to kiss her. To crush her to him and take her mouth with his, to say that he loved her too—that he never wanted to be without her. But that wouldn’t be right. Wouldn’t be fair.
“I’m sorry,” he said drawing away from her touch, though it was the hardest thing he’d ever done. “But I can’t…can’t return your love. I don’t have much time left—maybe just a few solar months…”
“So you’d rather spend them moping around here in a hospital bed than with me?” There was a dangerous glint in Charlotte’s eyes as she spoke. “And before you answer, you’d better think long and hard, buddy. You’re on thin ice here—very thin ice.”
“Of course I want to spend my last few months or year or however long I have left with you!” Stavros said in a low, tense voice. “But the fact is, I can’t. It would not be fair to you to start a relationship that would inevitably end in tragedy. It would be subjecting you to what happened to your sister all over again.”
“No, it would be giving me the best six months of my life,” Charlotte said quietly. “Look, I’m going into this with my eyes open, Stav. Six months isn’t much. But it’s a hell of a lot better than nothing. If that’s all I can have with the guy I love, then I’ll take it.”
“I can’t.” He crossed his arms over his chest, shutting her out as best he could. “I can’t bond you to me—not for such a short period. It wouldn’t b
e right or fair. I won’t do it.”
For a moment he thought Charlotte was going to lose her temper. She was clenching her little hands into fists, digging her nails into her palms so hard he could feel the sharp pain of it in his own hands. Then she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and seemed to force herself to relax.
“Okay,” she said at last, opening her eyes again. “If we can’t have a romantic relationship, can we at least be friends?”
“Friends…of course.” The words sounded hollow in his ears but he told himself that he was doing the right thing. He tried to smile. “I’d like that—friends.”
“Good. And friends help each other out, right?” Charlotte raised an eyebrow at him.
“Well…yes.” He frowned, uncertain of where this was going. “Why, do you have a problem I can help you with?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.”
To his surprise, she hopped off the bed and went over to the door of his room. With a quick snick of the lock, she secured the door and then came back and sat facing him on the bed.
“There. Now we won’t be bothered while you help me.”
“While I help you what, Charlotte?” he asked warily. “What do you want?”
“Well…I have all these little scratches—I think I got it in the Hall of the Collective during all the craziness after the power net caught on fire. And for some reason they just won’t heal.” She frowned.
“Oh? Was that while you were trying to revive me?” Stav raised an eyebrow at her.
“Maybe.” She shrugged. “Or maybe as I was being dragged off the edge of the platform by Two and nearly got dropped to my death.”
“Charlotte! Gods!” He took her hand in his. “I didn’t know—”
“It’s all right,” she said tartly. “You were a little too busy being dead to notice all the little details. But the point is, I hurt myself and I don’t know why but it won’t heal. Maybe because of the metal the platform was made of? I don’t know.”
“I don’t feel any pain coming from you,” he remarked.
“Well, it doesn’t hurt much but I’d rather not walk around all scratched up,” she said. “It doesn’t exactly look very nice. Can I show you?”
Her hand was hovering over the tie at the side of her dark green dress and Stav knew he ought to say no. But somehow he found himself nodding instead.
“Good. Thank you.” Charlotte untied her dress and spread it open, revealing the black lacy undergarments with little red roses embroidered along the edges. As Stav had guessed, he could see the ripe pink points of her nipples poking against the thin black material. She was wearing a tiny pair of black lacy panties that matched.
Though she was breathtakingly beautiful, Stav didn’t see a problem.
He looked up at her, frowning.
“Where are the scratches?”
“Well, that’s the thing…” She bit her lip. “They’re kind of in some awkward places. I mean, no place you haven’t already seen but still…” Her hands were hovering over the front clasp of the silky black top. “Do you mind?”
Stav’s mouth was suddenly dry. Did he mind looking at her bare breasts? You ought to mind! a guilty voice in his head proclaimed. But somehow he just found himself shaking his head.
“No, I…go on.”
“Thanks, Stav.” Charlotte smiled at him gratefully and then she was unfastening her top and pealing it apart, revealing the full mounds of her breasts. She pointed to the inner slopes which were marked with long red scratches that ran diagonally across her flesh almost to her nipples on either side. “See? I think it happened when Two dragged me off the platform.”
“Those look…painful.” Stav traced one of the scratches gently with his finger being careful not to touch the tight little bud of her nipple.
“They are in the shower. I just don’t know why they won’t heal—they’re really ugly.” She made a face.
“Nothing about you is ugly, Charlotte.” He placed a hand gently on her hip. “What do you want me to do?”
“Well, remember you told me that Blood Kindred could heal their mates with their essence? And that your body thought I was your mate?” Her cheeks were pink but she kept talking. “So I thought…maybe if you licked them…”
Stav cleared his throat.
“Well…”
“I mean, as one friend doing a favor for another,” she went on quickly. “That wouldn’t be so bad, would it?”
“I suppose not. It’s not as if I would be licking you for any purpose other than healing.” He coughed. “I suppose we could try it though I don’t guarantee it would work.”
“If you’d just try that would be wonderful.” Before he knew it, Charlotte had shed her dress completely and was straddling him on the bed. “Is this all right?” she asked, raising her eyebrows as she thrust her bare breasts into his face.
“Certainly.” Stav’s mouth was suddenly dry again as he took her generous hips in his hands and pulled her closer. He couldn’t help remembering the other times he’d licked her…and how much lower he’d been licking. Beneath the thin black panties he could see the slit of her pussy which was spread wide as she straddled him. The little pink bud of her clit was peeping out from between her pussy lips, as though begging for attention. Gods, he could smell her warm feminine, secret scent too! His cock hardened and he was glad she was far enough up not to feel it press against her.
Trying to push his lust to one side, he bent his head and began licking the inner slopes of her breats in long, slow strokes from top to bottom. Her skin was salty and warm and perfect—he could feel his fangs elongating, throbbing and begging to bite but he ignored the urge grimly and went on licking.
Charlotte sighed and wound her fingers through his hair, sending shivers through him as he stroked him in just the right way.
“That’s right,” she moaned breathlessly. “God, that really tingles. I think it’s working, Stav—do you?”
He pulled back and looked. The scratches weren’t as red as they had been but they were still noticeable. He also noticed that her nipples had gotten much tighter and more erect, as though they were begging to be sucked. But he tried to keep his voice even and steady as he answered.
“They’re fading some,” he reported, frowning. “But they’re still there.”
Charlotte looked down at herself.
“These aren’t too bad,” she said, nodding to the curves of her breasts. “But what about this one?” She pointed to one long red scratch that ran right across her areola directly beside her left nipple. “Could you pay special attention to that one, Stav?” she begged softly. “It really stings.”
To be honest, he didn’t feel much stinging pain coming from her—though he was beginning to feel her pleasure as he licked her. Shouldn’t do this, he told himself. It’s too close to her nipple. But how else was she going to heal? He couldn’t just leave her wounded—could he?
“All right,” he said, brining her close again. “Let me see what I can do…”
Pulling her down so that her full breast was right in front of his face, he dragged the flat of his tongue over the soft mound, making sure to include her areola as well. Of course, he couldn’t help getting her nipple too and he felt the sharp little bolt of pleasure that went through her as her caressed the hard little nub with his tongue.
“Oh, Stav,” she moaned, pressing closer. “Again. And I think it would help if you…you know, sucked it into your mouth. The hurt part, I mean.”
He drew back, frowning. “It’s too close to your nipple to suck—I’d wind up sucking that too.”
“Well…” She bit her lip. “I don’t mind if you don’t. I mean, sometimes friends have to get close to help each other. I understand if you can’t help it and you suck my nipple a little while you’re healing me.”
“Gods…” Stav groaned softly. “I shouldn’t…”
“But Stav, how else am I going to be healed?” she asked innocently, echoing his question to himself earlier. “It�
�s been days since we got back to the Mother Ship and these scratches just aren’t healing on their own. I don’t want to be scarred for life!”
“No—no of course not. We can’t have that. Very well…” He looked up at her. “I’ll suck on the sore spot some and try to heal you. As long as you agree not to mind if I accidentally suck your nipple too.”
“I don’t mind,” she murmured again. Pressing forward, she rubbed her nipple against his lips. “Go on, Stav—do it. Do whatever you have to—just help me feel better. Please?”
He could deny her nothing. With a low groan of need, he opened his mouth and sucked as much of her breast between his lips as he could. He felt her pleasure as the sharp points of his fangs bracketed her tight peak and it made him want to suck harder, to send those sparks of pleasure from the sensitive tips of her breasts to the hot, needy spot between her thighs.
As he thought it, he felt Charlotte settle down against him in just the right place. Her pussy lips parted and he felt her warm wetness cradling the length of his shaft right through the thin little panties she wore as well as his sleep trousers.
“The other one’s hurt too,” she gasped, when he finally pulled back, letting her wet, swollen nipple slide from between his lips.
“All right but I think…maybe we should change positions.” Stav shifted uncomfortably. Gods, he shouldn’t take such pleasure in the feeling of her pressed against his shaft but he couldn’t help it!
“Oh!” Charlotte looked down between their legs. “Oh, no—I’m getting your trousers all wet!” she exclaimed, raising up a little to show the crotch of her panties.
Stavros had to swallow hard when he saw how wet the thin black fabric of her little undergarments had become. They were drenched with her juices and clinging transparently to her plump pussy lips which were spread wide from rubbing against his hard shaft.
But it was his own trousers that Charlotte seemed concerned about.
“Just look at that!” she exclaimed, pointing to the wet spot which had formed in the silky black fabric over the hard ridge of his cock. “I’m ruining them.”
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