The End of Hatred

by Rebecca Hefner

  Frustrated, he wanted to lose the barriers. Lifting up his head, he raised off of her, placed two hands at the bottom of her shirt, and ripped it in two. Gathering the fabric, he threw it to the floor.

  “You couldn’t just pull it off?”

  “Shut up,” he said, reclaiming her mouth again. She kissed him back passionately and he moaned into her. Reaching behind her, he undid her bra with a snap. Pulling it off, he looked at the tiny mounds of her breasts.

  “My god, Miranda,” he breathed, supporting himself on one side while he caressed her small breast with his hand. Running the pad of his thumb over her nipple, he almost came when it hardened into a tiny point at his touch. “So fucking beautiful.” Lowering his head, he took her into his mouth.

  Her hips shot off the bed and he thrust his hand into her hair, grabbing it to hold her in place. He wasn’t a gentle lover but she seemed to like it when he took control, so score one for them. She gave a little mewl from above him and he kissed a path to her other nipple. She squirmed when he took it into his mouth.

  “Sathan,” she moaned.

  “I love it when you say my name,” he murmured against her breast.

  He lathered her sensitive nipple with his tongue, reveling in how taut her body was beneath him. Disentangling his hand from her hair, he slid it down her body as he sucked her. Moving his palm over her mound, he could feel her wetness through her soft yoga pants.

  Desire almost choked him as he cupped her. “You’re so fucking wet,” he said against her skin.

  “I always am around you. It’s never been that way for me before. I don’t understand it.”

  Growling, he looked into her eyes. “Don’t tell me that. Now I’m going to imagine you drenched every time I see you.”

  Biting her lower lip, she pushed her mound into his palm, testing his restraint. Little minx. She knew exactly what she was doing to him.

  Grabbing the band of her pants, he stood and pulled them off. She was naked underneath and he murmured in approval. Opening her legs, he kneeled and placed them over his shoulders. Pulling her to the edge of the bed, he examined her.

  “So pretty,” he said, running his fingers over her hairless mound.

  “I wax,” she said from above him, her voice breathless.

  “It’s so fucking sexy.”

  Rubbing his finger around her wet opening, he reveled at seeing her most private place. “My god, you’re dripping.” Gently, he nudged his finger inside her.

  She moaned and opened her legs wider on his shoulders. “More, please, Sathan. I need…”

  Her voice drifted off and he added another finger. She purred in approval. He wanted to badly to taste her but knew that if he waited much longer he’d explode. Settling for a quick sip, he removed his fingers and kissed her deepest place. Touching the tip of his tongue to her tiny bud, she all but exploded off the bed. Promising himself that he would finish her down there later, he stood and pulled off his pants.

  She looked at him, her eyes glassy as she lay across the bed. Since they were different species there was no chance of pregnancy or disease, so he didn’t bother reaching for a condom in his nightstand drawer. Lowering himself onto her, she hooked a leg behind his thigh.

  He clenched his teeth when she grabbed his full length, squeezing, testing. A question was in her eyes.

  “I’ll fit,” he said, pulling her hand away and lowering himself to her.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure. Trust me. I promise I won’t hurt you.”

  Lifting her hand, she cupped his cheek. “I know,” she said softly.

  That one trusting statement meant more to him than any words of desire she could’ve spoken. Touching his tip to her opening, he began to push inside her.

  He went slowly, grinding his teeth as his eyes closed, needing to keep his promise to her as she adjusted to him. Sweat poured from his body, wetting her skin as he nudged into her.

  Opening his eyes, he looked down into hers. He felt his heart slam into overdrive. Never had he shared such a connection to a woman when making love. It was overwhelming and for a moment he felt a flash of terror.

  And then it was gone as she looked into him and whispered, “Harder.”

  By the goddess, this woman would be the death of him. Gripping the tops of her shoulders, he plunged into her wetness. Tiny, curved hips rose to meet his and he took a moment to bask at how deep he was inside her. The flesh of her walls squeezed him tight and he thought he might die from the pleasure. He began moving in and out of her, watching her face as he fucked her, slowly losing the ability to think. Silky hair feathered on the comforter as she rocked her head from side to side. Quickening the pace, his cock pulsed inside her wetness as he watched her breasts bounce up and down while he plundered her.

  “Come for me,” he growled, pulling gently at her hair again. Tilting her head back, she moaned and moved underneath him.

  He pumped harder into her, needing to give her as much of the intense pleasure as she was giving him. “Come,” he commanded again.

  Suddenly, her body shot off the bed and she screamed out, shaking in violent spasms. The muscles of her tight channel clenched his engorged cock and he knew he was lost. Shouting a curse, he slammed into her until he felt his body might shatter. Emptying himself into her, he cradled her head and felt his body jerk with pleasure.

  What felt like an eternity later, he felt someone tapping on his arm. Lifting his head, he looked down at his Slayer; her lips swollen, her cheeks reddened. An unnamed emotion swamped him as he felt himself drowning in the pools of her eyes.

  “You’re crushing me there, big fella,” she said, smiling up at him.

  He smiled back, stroking her hair. “You have rendered me motionless. I guess we’ll just have to stay here all day.”

  She moved her hips around him, causing his body to jerk again involuntarily. “Hey, no fair,” he said, rubbing his hips against hers in return.

  “As much as I’d love to lay here all day, you outweigh me by about two hundred pounds. So unless you’re after ‘death by crushing’, I think you have to let me up.”

  “Minx.” He grinned as he kissed her. Lifting his head, he said, “Wait here.”

  “Not going anywhere, Vampyre. At least not ‘til tomorrow.”

  * * * *

  Miranda tried to still her beating heart as she listened to Sathan rummage around in the bathroom. She was sure that she had made the absolute biggest mistake of her life. Knowing that she had an eternity to beat herself up, she decided to enjoy the moment.

  Sathan returned with a warm cloth. Spreading her legs, he gently wiped the evidence of their loving from her. The kind gesture brought a wetness to her eyes.

  Telling herself not to be a romantic dope, she watched his broad back as he walked to the bathroom again. Say what you want about Vampyres, but Sathan was one hell of a good-looking man.

  Lifting her exhausted body up, she pulled back the covers and crawled underneath. She hadn’t slept well since…well, she couldn’t remember when she’d last had a good night or day of sleep. Yawning, she felt herself growing drowsy.

  She heard him switch off the lamp on the bedside table and then he crawled in behind her, pulling her to his chest, spooning her. She wasn’t much of a cuddler but she was too tired to argue.

  “Sorry, I’m so sleepy all the sudden.” Yawning, she wiggled her butt into him.

  “Don’t do that or you’ll never get any sleep,” he said.

  She chuckled and sank into the pillow. “Round two soon…just need to sleep for one minute…then we’ll…”

  She never finished her sentence.

  * * * *

  Miranda jolted, awakening to unfamiliar circumstances. Her eyes darted around the room and she tried to remember where she was. Last night. Balcony. Sathan. Shit. She had slept with the Vampyre. Lifting her hand, she placed it on her forehead and cursed.

  “Glad to know how you really feel,” came his deep voice beside her.<
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  Turning her head, she saw him lying on his side, half of his face resting on the pillow. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “I’m a deep sleeper. I usually wake up not knowing where I am.”

  “I know,” he said. She wanted to slap the arrogant grin off his face. “You snore.”

  Gasping, her mouth fell open. “I do not!”

  “You do,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s cute.”

  “Liar. I’ll never believe you.” She would die before she conceded to him.

  Lifting his hand, he rubbed her cheek. It was all too touchy-feely for her. She was not a morning person and was usually cranky for at least an hour after she woke up.

  “I need to go shower,” she said, attempting to push the covers off and leave the bed.

  “Whoa,” he said, gently placing his arm across her chest. “Don’t go yet. It’s mid-day. We have several hours before you need to meet the troops.” He looked adorable, his thick hair mussed, as his eyes pleaded with her. Bastard.

  “I need to go over my plan—”

  “You need to run is more like it.” Gritting her teeth, she told herself to stay calm.

  “I’m not running from anything. I just like to be prepared.”

  Shifting, he slid his body on top of hers, trapping her.

  “No fair. You’re bigger than me.”

  His lips curved into a sexy grin. “I know. Some parts more than others.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Lame.”

  “Come on,” he said, caressing her cheek. “Let me be with you one more time. You have eternity to run away from me.”

  She studied him. His handsome face, angular features, thick black hair. God, he was gorgeous. “It was a mistake,” she said, her voice gravelly.

  “I know,” he said, gently kissing her with his thick lips. “Let’s make another one. Then we can ask for forgiveness for both together.”

  “I feel bad for Lila—”

  “I told you, we have an arrangement. It’s not like that between us. I respect her immensely and would never hurt her.”

  Miranda chewed on her lip and contemplated him. “How are we ever going to act normal with each other again? This was so stupid.”

  “We’re both adults, Miranda. Who happen to be extremely attracted to each other. This is what happens when that occurs.”

  “And then we get emotionally involved and one of us kills the other with the Blade of Pestilence.”

  “Wow. You went really dark there.” He continued to rub her cheek, the sensation soothing her. “Let’s just agree that we won’t let our emotions get involved and we’ll be adults about this. I can do it if you can.”

  She remained silent.

  “When you chew on your lip like that it makes me so hard,” he said, rubbing his erection into her thigh.

  She wanted him again. So badly. But something was holding her back.

  “I’m not sure I can remain unemotional,” she said finally. “I’m not saying I’m all ‘in love’ with you or anything,” she said, making quotation marks with two of her fingers. “I just think this might get messy.”

  “You’ve already tried to murder me once and I’ve proven that I can best you, so we’ll be fine.”

  She scoffed. “I wasn’t even trying, blood-sucker. Believe me, if I make a real attempt, you’re a goner.”

  “Well then, I’ll need to accomplish all my goals before you do away with me. The most recent being that I promised myself I would make you come with my mouth and I am a man who keeps his promises.” He waggled his eyebrows at her and lowered his head under the covers.

  Miranda allowed herself to relax as he kissed his way down her body. She figured she didn’t want to be responsible for him not keeping his promises either…

  * * * *

  Hours later, Sathan stroked her hair as she lay sprawled out on his chest. They had made love twice more and he felt a twinge of guilt that she would have to lead the troops on so little sleep.

  But, by the goddess, it had been worth it. His little Slayer was everything he had imagined she would be in bed and more. He felt immensely grateful that she had come to him and chosen to spend her last night in his bed.

  “I have to go shower,” she said, picking at the tiny hairs on his chest. “I think I need to borrow one of your shirts since you ripped the one I came in.”

  Kissing the top of her head, he rolled out of bed and threw on his sweatpants. Grabbing a t-shirt from his drawer, he walked back toward the bed. When she stood, he placed the shirt over her head. She punched her arms through each armhole and then lifted them, assessing the size of the garment. She looked so damn cute, standing there dwarfed in his black shirt.

  “Thanks. I guess,” she said dryly.

  He chuckled as she grabbed her yoga pants and slipped them on.

  “Um, okay, so yeah. See ya at the cabins.”

  Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her to him and placed a kiss on her lips.

  “Thank you, Miranda. For being with me last night. I am honored to have lain with you.”

  Her face scrunched up and then she laughed. “Wow. Super formal. I’m not sure what to do with that.”

  He shook his head. She was so damn impertinent. “You say ‘thank you, Sathan, for a wonderful evening’ and then kiss me goodbye.”

  “Yeah, the fourth century called and wants its traditions back. No thanks.” Pulling her hand from his, she walked to the door.

  A huge sense of disappointment washed over him until she turned, standing in the open doorway. Smiling, she blew him a kiss.

  Laughing, he rubbed his hand over his chest, right where his heart sat, beating a little too quickly as it always did in her presence.

  He prepared for the evening and headed downstairs to complete some administrative work. When it was time to meet the troops, he walked down to the barracks. He could tell himself that he wasn’t searching for her, anticipating the moment when she would appear, but he would be lying.

  She approached from the house in combat boots, camouflage pants and a tank top. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. His tiny warrior was ready to claim her destiny.

  She climbed in the Hummer with him and they drove to the cabins. After collecting all the soldiers in the various army vehicles, they drove to the wall. Once there, Sathan opened the portal and the soldiers began to drive the trucks through.

  “We’re giving you five armored vehicles. If you need more, just call,” Latimus said to Miranda.

  “Thank you,” she said. “I’ve learned so much from you. I’ll call if I need anything.”

  Then she seemed to float toward him in the moonlight. “I guess this is goodbye for now,” she said, her face glowing as she looked up at him. “I have the book you gave me in my backpack.” She reached behind to pat it with her hand. “Thank you so much. It’s a beautiful gift.”

  “You’re welcome,” he said softly.

  “I also have the Blade. Made sure you didn’t pull one over on me this time.”

  He felt his lips curve at that one.

  “No regrets?”

  “No regrets,” he said, longing to pull her to him for one last kiss. Knowing that was impossible, he settled for smiling into the eyes he would forever see in his dreams. “I’m only a phone call away.”

  “I know,” she said, nodding. “Talk soon.”

  And then she was gone. She hopped into the front seat of one of the armored vehicles and the engines roared as they rolled past the wall, along the river, and out of sight.

  “Let’s go,” Latimus said, patting him on the back with his beefy hand. “It’s not safe out here.”

  Nodding, he followed his brother inside, unable to shake the feeling that his Slayer had taken a piece of him with her.

  Chapter 26

  Miranda approached Uteria with mixed emotions swirling in her busy mind. On one hand, she was ready to claim her throne. She felt stronger and more confident than ever. Her people would know peace if she had to fight to her dying breath.

/>   On the other, becoming queen without her father present would be hard. Grief for him sat like a rock in her gut and she focused on feeling it without letting it weigh her down. She had always imagined her father at her coronation, smiling as she was crowned queen. Knowing that would never happen made her heart squeeze in pain.

  She also felt apprehension about how her father’s supporters would receive her. Being that they had attacked her only a few nights ago, she must approach them with caution. They must know by now that her father had passed. How would they take the news?

  The armored vehicles rolled into the compound. People lined the streets to watch the commotion. As her vehicle came to as stop in front of the main castle, she exited and looked up at the grey-stoned mansion. So cold. Emotionless. Had it always been this way?

  Entering through the large wooden doors, she headed through the foyer and into her father’s office. Stopping short, she saw Kalil sitting at his desk.

  “You’re home!” he said, standing and rushing to hug her. “Thank god. We were so worried.”

  “I bet you were,” she said, looking to see if any of her father’s other supporters were around. “You seem quite comfortable keeping my father’s seat warm in his absence.”

  “The compound doesn’t shut down in moments of crisis, unfortunately,” he said.

  Disentangling herself from him, she moved to stand by the door. She wanted to have any points of attack covered. “I will be taking over all administrative duties.”

  “But your father—”

  “He’s dead,” she said, her voice firm and unwavering.

  “What?” he said, falling back. “How? I thought he was captured alive—”

  “It doesn’t matter. Don’t tell me you didn’t support his raid on the Vampyre compound as they sheltered me there. I know you always supported him over me.”