Blood and Forest: A Vampire Novel

by Raven Stone

  “Cade.” Lena looped an arm over his head, leaning back into him, his name a sexy whisper on her lips.

  His hand tweaked and caressed her breast, and she moaned, her passion spilling into the blood and spiking it with the smallest taste of cinnamon.

  My vampire hummed with pleasure, and I found my hand gripping his thigh.

  He shot me a smile, before he pinched her nipple.

  “Cade!” She cried out again, her heart rate spiking.

  She was going to come soon. I knew it. I could feel it.

  Between Cade and I, she was a moaning, writhing fiddle.

  I cupped her other breast, and she came, shouting “oh God” over and over, her body trembling between me and Cade.

  Jesus.

  Cade’s chocolate brown eyes simmered at me as I removed my fangs and healed her wound.

  God.

  What we’d just shared.

  His wife, panting and moaning, and coming apart between us.

  A smile came over his face, and he winked at me before dropping his hand to her breast. He leaned back into the headboard with a very satisfied male smile.

  His hand trailed down her body, his eyes on mine, and I realized he wanted me to watch him. Watch him touching her.

  My mouth went dry.

  Every touch, every caress he made, felt like he was touching me. I could barely breathe.

  Lena arched back into him, looping her arms around his head.

  “That felt fantastic,” she said, hot, heavy-lidded eyes on me.

  “Told you,” Cade said.

  His thumb brushed her nipple, and I shivered. My own nipples turned into hardened pebbles, and he noticed.

  Of course he noticed.

  But instead of teasing me, his eyes simply darkened, searing into me.

  “Fiona?” Lena asked.

  I tore my eyes away from Cade’s wandering hands.

  “Yes?” I asked. I could be a serious adult. In spite of the fact that I was nearly naked.

  Cade dipped his head, his eyes still on me as kissed her shoulder and cupped her breast. She gasped, and I shivered, steadfastly ignoring the heat pooling below my waist.

  “Don’t you think it’s your turn now, hon?” she asked.

  “What?” I shot her a confused glance.

  “That’s what a threesome is,” she said gently. “Unless, of course, you just want to watch Cade get me off again. Which I’m fine with.” She closed her eyes and rested her head back on his shoulder.

  Jesus, she wasn’t kidding.

  Cade’s hands roamed her body, that dark look searing into me.

  She obviously didn’t care that I was watching, as her body surrendered to him completely.

  My vampire hummed again, and arousal spread through me as he cupped her breast with one large hand, and she gave a low moan.

  His other hand skated her thigh, and something tightened within me.

  I wanted his hand on my thigh, and that dark look in his eyes told me he knew that.

  My heart thudded in my chest, the want and need that I’d been suppressing for so long rushing through me.

  How many nights had I fantasized about him touching me like that?

  I’d told myself I couldn’t.

  I’d told myself I was being greedy, that I should be satisfied with his blood.

  But the truth was that I wasn’t satisfied.

  And I wouldn’t be hurting anyone – not him, not Gabriel, and not Lena – if I let myself have what I wanted. And what I wanted was him.

  Cade’s hand reached the juncture between her thighs, and I trembled as he ghosted that hand over her body, making her gasp and writhe before his hand trailed back up to her breasts.

  His large hand stroked her breast in sensual circles, and I stared.

  Desire crashed over me so hard that I lost my ability to think.

  I put my hand on her thigh, leaned forward and kissed him over her shoulder.

  Chapter 124

  Fiona

  Heat shot to my core.

  I felt Lena shifting under my hand, moving away and guiding me with gentle touches before settling back behind me. She stroked my back in gentle circles, as Cade leaned over and kissed her, exposing his neck to me.

  I found myself drawn towards his warm skin, breathing him in.

  I’d just fed. I should be satisfied. But desire washed over me in waves. My vampire was still very present, and excited, and aroused.

  Want.

  There was more blood to be had, and my vampire knew it.

  I found myself licking his neck, breathing in the smoky scent of his blood. I ran my fangs along his skin, and then soft fingers caressed my breasts. Hands that were too small and feminine to be Cade’s held me.

  I went still.

  “Do you really care?” Cade whispered in my ear. He crushed his lips against mine, plunging his tongue into my mouth and caressing my fangs.

  I moaned, my lower body clenching as I put a hand on his chest.

  He was right. I didn’t care that another woman was touching me. He thrust his hand into my hair.

  “See, you are like me,” he whispered.

  He put his hands under my thighs and lifted me into his lap. The hard length of him pressed against me and my lower body tightened.

  Need.

  Want had shifted to need, and it was clawing at me.

  I grabbed his nape and pulled him to me, licking his neck and trembling.

  “Cade, please,” I said huskily. “Say yes, and then–”

  “And then?” Warm, heavy-lidded eyes met mine.

  “Touch me.”

  “Where, baby?” His lips curved into a smile, the sound of his voice teasing me.

  “Between my legs,” I whispered. “Please.”

  “It’s about damn time.” He growled. He ran his hands up my thighs, and cupped one hand over my panties.

  “You’re so wet,” he murmured.

  “Cade, say yes.” I panted.

  His smile widened. “Yes. Of course. Just stop before I come. I want to come inside Lena tonight.”

  I nodded, and then he ran two fingers under my panties and into me. I gasped, my body clenching around him, and he swore. His fingers plunged into me again, his scent all around me, and then my vampire reminded me that he’d said yes.

  I sank my fangs into his neck and he cried out.

  Oh God.

  Cade’s blood normally held whispers of danger and desire. Tonight, in the middle of a threesome, his blood sang to me of sex, arousal, and pleasure.

  Lena caressed my breasts, and I felt his excitement at the sight pouring through me, carried by his blood.

  “Jesus,” he whispered.

  I sank my fangs deeper into him, pulling from him in the same rhythm that he thrust his fingers into me. I pulsed around his fingers, wanting more.

  I wanted his cock in me. The full, hard length of him, filling me up.

  I cried out, my orgasm ripping through me at the very thought. My body clenched and pulsated around his fingers. He moaned, pressing himself against me, his other hand gripping my waist.

  His heart rate spiked.

  I pulled my fangs out of him, and he growled, glaring at me until he realized why.

  “Lena. Condom,” he said hoarsely.

  I healed his wound, and traded places with Lena while he held out an impatient hand.

  She lightly slapped his hand away with a smile, then tore the package open and rolled the condom down him. Remembering how excited he’d gotten at seeing her touch me, I slipped my arm around her and stroked her stomach.

  A smile spread across his face.

  Lena stopped my hand long enough to lower herself onto Cade, then moved my hand to her breast. It felt odd for a moment, caressing another woman while she was having sex with someone else. But then Cade leaned forward, grabbing my thigh and filling my nostrils with the scent of his smoky blood again.

  My vampire purred.

  The scent of both of the
m hit me, becoming a crazy blend of arousal, warmth, comfort, and sex. I growled, grabbing Lena’s breast and nibbling at her neck. She gasped, arching back against me even as Cade thrust into her.

  He caught my eyes and smiled.

  We stared at each other as I nipped at her neck, tweaked and caressed her nipples by turn, making her gasp and pant. Her arms looped around my neck, exposing her body in a long line between us. His hands gripped her waist, holding her in place as he thrust into her.

  Cade’s eyes burned as I caressed a lazy trail down her naked body.

  When I stopped just shy of her mound, his eyes dipped and he roared out his orgasm. She followed him within seconds, crying out her own orgasm as it washed over her.

  For a moment, all of us were quiet, sweaty and breathing harshly.

  “Okay, now I understand,” Lena said.

  Cade burst into laughter, and Lena and I joined in. After our laughter died down, Cade rested against the headboard, and I rolled onto my side as Lena disappeared into the bathroom.

  “Your eyes.” His fingers grazed the side of my face.

  “What did you say?” Lena asked, coming out of the bathroom and holding out a trashcan to Cade.

  He stripped off the condom and tossed it in the trash. “Her eyes. Look.”

  “Oh my.” She put down the can and crawled across the bed, to the other side of me. “What’s happening there?”

  “It’s my vampire,” I said. My vampire was humming inside of me, and very, very happy.

  “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” Cade asked.

  I was in between them, bathing in their scents and heartbeats.

  “It’s a very good thing,” I murmured.

  Lena rested her arm on my stomach, and Cade gave me a brief kiss.

  “Good,” he said. “Now I’m just going to take a small nap.”

  He closed his eyes, and then my eyes drifted shut too.

  Chapter 125

  Gabriel

  Johnny was just as intense on a recording as he’d been in real life. The eyes of thirty vampires were glued to the screen.

  “And let you turn me? No fucking way. I’ll die like a man, you undead motherfucker!” Johnny shouted on the recording, and I hit pause. The recording had been edited – removing Julie and Fiona’s names – but it was effective.

  “This is what we’re fighting.” I pointed at the screen. “This is a man who poisoned and killed himself and his friend to make sure that we couldn’t turn him. This is a Hunter, and this is exactly who we want to keep out of Bloodgame. We want a safe environment for humans and vampires to find each other.”

  The thirty vampires in front of me were silent, their attention bouncing from the screen to me. The majority of them were fledglings. They were young, eager, and new to my world. And I’d bet that until tonight, they’d believed that Hunters were fairy tales.

  “We’ve asked all of you here because each of you has something that you can contribute to Bloodgame.” I paced a bit and scanned my audience to make sure I had their attention before continuing. “We’re asking for three months of your time. We want you to go in, talk with the humans, find out what they know, and get them to teach you. Then send all of that knowledge and data back here. We’ll want some of you to stay on, to help develop and shape the game in the way that we’d like it to grow. That could take a year, or a few years, or more. Staying on is voluntary. You’ll be in Queen Madelon’s territory, but you’ll still be under my jurisdiction, so you will act as honored guests. You won’t cause any troubles or issues, do you hear? Because if you do, you’re not coming back here. Anyone who stays on past three months and causes an issue that results in a petition from the Queen will be released to her. Do you understand?”

  I waited for every one of them to nod their understanding.

  “Good. Now who wants to go?” I asked.

  Every single hand went up.

  I smiled. “Great. We’ll take ten of you now, and phase in the rest as time goes. Cerone will let you know which wave you’re in. And if you’re in wave one, be ready to leave in forty-eight hours.”

  Everyone stood up. Some of them headed straight for Cerone, and some of them milled around and talked.

  A single vampire approached me. He had a medium build, short brown hair, and green eyes. “King Gabriel?”

  “Edgar.” I smiled at him. “You’re not a fledgling. What are you doing with this group?”

  “No, sire, I’m not a fledgling.” He replied with a smile of his own. “But I did learn how to program in the early oughts, and I’ve been working as a developer for the last five. I can’t say how excited I am by this opportunity.”

  “I didn’t know anything could tear you away from your books and your studies,” I replied.

  He shrugged. “Any chance I could be in the first wave?”

  “Absolutely.” I took him over to Cerone. “Make sure he’s in wave one.”

  “Already done. I was hoping you’d be interested in this, Edgar. Welcome aboard.” She smiled.

  I clapped him on the back. “Be ready in forty-eight hours.”

  I went back to the office, glad that everyone we’d invited to go had agreed to it. I sat down and called Julie.

  “Hot stuff,” she answered.

  I grinned. “Hi Julie.”

  “When can I come home?”

  “Actually, that’s what I was calling about. What do you think about going to California for a few months? I’ll pay for your flight, as well as room and board.”

  “Bow chicka bow wow?” she asked.

  I laughed. “No, it’s not like that. I need a vampire-friendly human who’s played Bloodgame. I need someone who can go into the company and work with the employees. Someone who can connect with them, and help us find out how to track down Hunters. And I need that person to do all of that without telling them that vampires really exist. Do you think you could do that? Would you want to do that?”

  “You’re asking me if I want to go on an extended trip to California, get paid, and talk about my favorite game with people?” Julie asked.

  “Yes,” I said.

  “Hell yeah. When can I go?”

  “Text me your email address and I’ll get you a plane ticket for this week. I’ll meet you at the airport in California.”

  “Oooh, hot stuff, is Fiona going to be there?”

  “No. And that’s the other important part. You can’t talk about Fiona with anyone, you understand? Not her name, not details, not anything. Got it?”

  “Got it. My lips are sealed.”

  “Great. See you soon.” I hung up.

  I PICKED UP JULIE AT the airport three nights later. She wore pink shorts that barely covered her rear end, and a scoop neck tank top that left very little to the imagination.

  “Hot stuff!” She smiled and hugged me.

  “Jesus, Julie, weren’t you cold on the plane?” I asked, after she let me go.

  “Nah.” She shrugged. “Who’s he?”

  Edgar stood next to me with an open mouth and wide eyes. He’d been raised in a time when women wore a lot more clothes, and I knew he didn’t leave the palace much. California was going to be a bit hard on him, I was afraid.

  “This is Edgar. He’s going to be our lead developer.”

  He held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, miss.”

  “Miss?” She shot a glance at me. “I like that. Miss Harnigen, pleased to meet you.” She shook his hand.

  “Julie’s the human player I told you about. She can tell you all about the game from the human side,” I said.

  The surprise left his eyes, replaced by curiosity. “That’s great. Tell me everything.”

  I walked behind them, watching the quiet scholar listen to and talk with Julie as if they were the only two beings in the airport.

  Chapter 126

  Fiona

  I wasn’t sure what I expected to feel after that night with Cade and Lena. I’d never had an experience like that before, and it left
my body and my vampire humming for quite a while.

  Oddly enough, after all of that humming left, I felt better overall. I felt settled into my body, more relaxed and content.

  That feeling helped in the coming days, as the semester started coming to an end, and Tyr still hadn’t come back. He hadn’t even texted or called. It made me sad, but there wasn’t really anything I could do about it. I’d told him to get out, and he had. And after what Lena said, I’d probably never see him again.

  Tonight, though, I pushed Tyr out of my mind. I’d need to start preparing for finals soon, and I was determined to enjoy what little free time I had. I put on my workout clothes and sneakers, and bounded down the steps of the loft. I opened the outside door and found Max sitting there.

  “Max!”

  I hadn’t seen him since the night Tyr left. I patted his back and rubbed his ears, glad to see him again. He gave me his wolfy grin and whuffed over his shoulder.

  Another wolf stepped out of the darkness. He was smaller than Max, but still huge. His fur was a salt-and-pepper blend of white and black, and he had beautiful clear blue eyes.

  “Max, who’s your friend?” I knelt and held out my hand.

  The new wolf walked up to me and sniffed me, then he whuffed too.

  “Aren’t you handsome?” I ran my hand down his back and stood up. “Okay, who’s ready for a run?”

  Max grinned at me.

  “Okay. New wolf keep up.” I pointed at him and took off running.

  We ran all the way from the loft to the campus. The new wolf did lag behind a bit, so I slowed the pace just a bit until he caught up.

  Once on campus, we went into the woods and left the trail as soon as possible. I guided us away from the spot we’d visited with Tyr; it still made me a bit sad to go there.

  We ran through this small patch of forest together, leaping over fallen logs and running over leaves. At one point the wolves dashed ahead of me to chase a rabbit. When they eventually let it go, and turned back to me, I led them out of the woods and back home.

  I was tired by the time we reached the loft, but it was a good kind of tired. My body felt stretched, like I’d given it just what it needed, and I felt calm and at peace with the world.