Blood and Forest: A Vampire Novel

by Raven Stone

  Thankfully he was telling me the truth. He had one large, deep gash down his chest that looked quite nasty, but other than that he had just a few scrapes.

  I put my hand on his chest.

  The logical part of me, the human part of me, said that I should take him to an emergency room. Get him stitched up.

  But the vampire in me didn’t want to.

  I let out a low, shaky breath as my vampire trembled at the sight of that deep cut. I leaned in, catching the scent of his smoky blood mixed in with the blood of other humans.

  I stared up at him, want and logic clashing within me.

  “You’re trembling,” he said with a half-smile.

  He bent his head, and claimed my mouth.

  Something lower in my body clenched, and my nails dug into his skin.

  Want.

  My vampire shook with want and need. I found my hands at his waist, clawing at the top button, just as I heard the click of nails on the floor.

  “Wolves.” I stepped back, trying to gain control of my throbbing senses, for a few minutes at least. Dakari and his wolf friend shouldn’t see any of this.

  I turned to find them sitting on their haunches, staring at us. Dakari grinned at me.

  “Out.” I pointed at the door. It was far from polite, but given the aching demands of my body, it was the best I could do.

  “Jesus Christ there’s another one? What are you doing, growing them in the bathroom?” Cade asked.

  “No. He just shows up with friends.”

  “That’s because you give him food, water, and shelter,” he replied.

  The two wolves walked to the door, and I opened it.

  “They’re well-mannered, though,” he added.

  The salt-and-pepper wolf shot Cade an unreadable look, then trotted out after Dakari. I shut the door and locked it.

  “Now where were we,” Cade said. “Oh yeah.”

  He grabbed my shirt and pulled me to him, flush against his hard on. He grinned at me, his hands hot over my clothes, before he bent his head and kissed me.

  I moaned into his mouth. His scent – that special blend of adrenaline, and smoky blood, and sex – surrounded me.

  I broke the kiss, staring at him and panting. My gaze traveled his half-naked body, and want and need slammed into me.

  I wanted to feel that hard, muscled chest under my fingers.

  I needed to lick the blood off his body, heal his wounds, and sink my fangs into him.

  And a spike of heat went to my core as my eyes followed the dark trail of hair to where it disappeared into his jeans. I knew what was under those jeans now, and I wanted it.

  I wanted him, inside of me.

  Tonight.

  I licked my lips.

  “Cade?”

  “Yes, Fiona?”

  “Take off your clothes. All of them.”

  “You sure?”

  I nodded, my throat suddenly too dry to speak. His eyes darkened with heat, and he stripped down until he was naked before me. He stood still, just letting me look at him, without saying another word.

  “You’re magnificent,” I said.

  His eyes met mine, and he smiled.

  I took off my top, no longer worrying whether it was casual or sexy. I slipped off my leggings, then unhooked my bra and let it fall to the floor. Cade watched me without saying anything. His eyes trailed to my panties and watched me slide out of them.

  I stood naked before him.

  His eyes trailed over me, just like mine had with him, and a smile touched his lips.

  Then he closed the distance between us in two strides and lifted me into his arms. I wrapped my legs around him and he carried me to the bed, kissing me the entire time.

  He lowered me onto the bed and covered me with his body. I could feel him, already slick against my leg as he kissed me. I reached down and wrapped my hand around him, and he groaned.

  I let him go, then rolled us both over and straddled him.

  A lower part of me clenched as I stared at his hard, naked body under me.

  “What’s that look for?” he asked.

  I trailed my hand over his erect cock, and his eyes darkened.

  “I’ve wanted you like this, so many times,” I said.

  “Could have fooled me.”

  “Cade,” I said softly. “I said no because I didn’t want to hurt anyone.”

  “Hmm. And those worries are gone now?”

  “Yes.”

  He smiled. “Good.” Then he grabbed my hand and wrapped it firmly around his cock. “And I’m not going to break, woman. I can take everything you have to give.” He guided my hand up and down him.

  I put my other hand on his chest. “You don’t know that.”

  “I do know that.” He squeezed our hands around his cock before letting go. “Now you have a very particular glint in your eyes. What do you want to do?”

  My eyes trailed to his chest, before coming back to him. “I want to heal you, and then I want to ride you.” My cheeks burned with heat, but it was true.

  Cade put his hands behind his head, and flashed that very male smile at me again. “Do it.” His voice was rough with desire, and his cock twitched.

  Cade was as turned on by this as I was.

  The thought made me tremble again, and arousal spread under my skin in a wave of heat as I lowered my head to his chest.

  I licked his skin slowly, healing the small cuts and scrapes first. Cade sighed beneath me, his hands sliding up my thighs.

  In no time at all, only the deep gash was left.

  “This might hurt a bit. I’ll try to make it fast,” I said.

  He raised his arms above his head, gripping the headboard rails behind him.

  “Take as long as you need.” His hot, steely eyes met mine, and I shivered.

  I lowered my head and ran my tongue along the top of the cut. His hands tightened around the railings, but he didn’t say a word. His dick was rock hard against my thigh.

  I scraped my fangs across his skin, and a shaky breath escaped him.

  I glanced up his body, and hot eyes stared back at me. I glanced down again, and sank my fangs into him, right above the cut.

  “Fuck!” He cried out, his fingers digging into me before going slack again as the pleasure hit him. I drank him in, letting that pleasure build. Then I let the blood well out of the bite.

  “Fiona,” he breathed. His eyes were closed, and he was definitely feeling good.

  I let the blood flow down into the gash, and then licked it in one long, smooth movement from bottom to top. My hands gripped his arms as my vampire trembled again.

  He tasted so very, very good.

  I wanted more of him. I wanted his skin sliding beneath me, over me, into me. I shivered all over, feeling wetness pool at my core.

  Cade groaned, his body arching beneath me.

  I looked down and found the gash was completely healed. I removed my fangs, and he groaned, his body falling back into the mattress. I swiped my tongue across the bite to heal him, then sat up and ran a finger where the gash had been. It was now all smooth skin.

  Cade raised his head and stared down at his chest. “Damn. It’s gone.”

  “Did you want to keep it?”

  He grinned at me. “No, sexy. That was just a thousand times better than an emergency room, and now it’s over.”

  I leaned over him, and traced my fingers down his neck. “There’s still plenty more we can do.”

  He ran his hand up my thigh, and before I knew it he slipped a finger into me.

  I cried out, and his grin widened into a smile.

  “That’s it.” He thrust his finger in and out, before abruptly removing it and flipping me over. “My turn.”

  He raised my hands over my head and wrapped them around the rails. Then he kissed a trail down my stomach and parted my legs. His hot eyes stared at me.

  “This is what you’ve been missing.” He lowered his head and plunged his tongue into me.

&n
bsp; “Cade!” I cried out, arching my back and gripping the rails.

  My eyes fluttered shut as he fucked me with his tongue. My legs drifted wider, giving him better access. His response left me writhing.

  “Cade.” I panted.

  He stopped, and looked at me.

  “Come for me,” he said huskily, and his voice did wicked, wicked things to me. “I want to see you come undone. For me. And then I’m going to take you like I should have taken you that first night, and I want you to bite me at the same time. Got it?”

  “Yes,” I panted, my fingers gripping the cold rails.

  He thrust his tongue into me again, and I cried out. He moved his mouth, and then did this small, nipping thing on one of the most sensitive parts of me. It felt incredibly good, and hurt a bit too, and my nipples turned into hard rocks. He plunged his tongue into me again, and I screamed out his name, coming undone for him like he wanted with loud, ragged cries.

  I came back to myself, finding him licking at me, swirling his tongue in and around me, building that pleasure again until I couldn’t take any more.

  “Cade.” I whimpered. I let go of the rails and raised myself on my arms so I could see him better. “Please.”

  “What?” He asked with a wicked grin.

  “I want to feel you inside of me.”

  A dark, hungry look swept over his face. Cade pushed me back down with one hand. He stood up, and I watched as he rolled a condom down the hard, thick length of him.

  “Want you,” I whispered, and his eyes darkened. He crawled back onto the bed, between my legs, and put his hands on my thighs.

  He slowly entered me, inch by inch.

  I clenched around him, pulsing, wanting more. I dug my fingers into his back, and he gasped. He lowered himself onto me, and gave one long smooth thrust, right up to hilt.

  I cried out as he filled me, better than I’d even imagined. I ran my hands over his back as he plunged into me with thrust after powerful thrust.

  “Bite me,” he whispered into my ear.

  I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck and turned his head a bit.

  His neck, his skin, was perfectly exposed.

  His cock was thrusting into me, just like I’d wanted.

  And my vampire was wickedly, unbelievably excited and turned on.

  I sank my fangs into him, just as he thrust into me.

  God.

  The pleasure that washed over me wasn’t just physical. It wasn’t just sexual, or from being fed. It was a magical blend of both.

  His blood and his body filled me. Wave after wave of pleasure washed through me, stroking me, filling me, caressing me and reworking me.

  My vampire and my human side melded together in a new way, something clicking into place as sex and blood flowed through my being.

  Cade was right. We should have been doing this all along.

  I felt my body tightening, clenching and pulsing around him, even as I sank my fangs deeper into him. His pulse raced, and he thrust into me more deeply, suddenly hitting just the right spot, over and over.

  My orgasm rippled over me, and I cried out.

  He followed right after me, thrusting one more time before groaning and going still. I took one last drink, removed my fangs, and closed his wound. He slipped out of me, and collapsed onto the bed next to me.

  “Oh my God,” he said.

  “Oh my God is right,” I said.

  He smiled and hugged me to him.

  Chapter 129

  Gabriel

  “Captain.” Cerone knocked on the open door to get my attention. “I thought you were coming to the celebration tonight?”

  The holidays were here, and we usually spent the whole month of December celebrating since we had vampires and humans who were raised in different times, in different countries, with different beliefs. We tried to incorporate all of them, while adding traditions that were unique to my Court.

  One of those traditions was tonight’s celebration.

  I looked up from my laptop and the papers spread around me. “Yes, I am. It starts in another hour, right?”

  She gave me a wry smile. “It started two hours ago. The one thing I’ll say for Elodie is that she always got you to these things on time.” She walked into the room. She was wearing an ice blue evening gown that showcased her form without revealing too much, and her hair was swept back from her face in gentle waves.

  “Cerone.” I rose my feet. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you.” She briefly touched her hair and smiled. “You need to take more breaks from work, though, if seeing me in a dress brings you to your feet. Now come on,” she held out her hand, “let’s get you dressed and down to the party.”

  She led me back to my living quarters and rifled through my closet.

  “These,” she said, throwing some clothes on the bed, “and these.” She put a pair of shoes on the floor. “Five minutes. And I’m closing your laptop. No more work tonight.” Cerone closed the door behind her.

  I stood there in silence, realizing that my second had changed. She seemed much more confident than she had even a few months ago. She was thriving in her new role as a Council member. I found it pleased me very much.

  I quickly changed clothes, slipped my phone into my pocket, and joined her. She linked her arm in mine, and we walked together through the palace.

  We found Orleande waiting for us at the top of the stairs that led to the main ballroom. She wore a black gown that left her arms bare but otherwise covered her from throat to ankles. Gold armlets sparkled on her arms, and rings glittered on her fingers.

  “King Gabriel.” She inclined her head.

  “Orleande.” I returned the gesture.

  “The party is in full swing.” Her hand took in the breadth of the ballroom below us. “I think everyone’s looking forward to hearing you speak.”

  “Thank you.” I held out my arm to her. “Care to join us?”

  “Delighted.” She smiled and linked her arm in mine.

  The three of us walked down the steps together, and then into the throng. Vampires and humans milled about, chatting and laughing.

  I saw Elodie among the crowd, dressed in green, her hand resting on Evan’s arm as she talked to someone else. My mind flashed back to this same event last year. Elodie and I had been fighting constantly, and I was miserable. I’d seen her touching Evan, just like she was now, when she hadn’t known I’d been watching. They’d shared a look that spoke volumes. I’d realized how much they cared for each other.

  Looking back now, I realized that was the moment when things started getting better for me. It said a lot that my life had started getting better as soon as I realized my Consort was in love with someone else.

  Things were much better now for all three of us.

  “Captain?” Cerone stopped at the steps leading to a small stage. I let my thoughts of the past fade away. I grabbed a flute of champagne from a passing server, then smiled and gently touched Cerone’s arm before walking up the steps.

  The stage wasn’t very tall, but I had a much better view from here. I could see all of my people. They looked healthy, and happy. They were dressed in their best, and they were laughing and chatting together.

  My people were safe. They were unafraid, and they weren’t in pain. And for some of them, Hunters and the old ways were a myth. It had taken a lot of work to get here, but it was worth it. Seeing them, seeing this, was a gift.

  Cerone tapped a knife against her champagne flute, and the crowd slowly quieted and turned our way. Their gazes rested on me.

  “A little over three hundred years ago, I asked a group of vampires to put their trust in me and follow me to the New World. I asked them to take a chance on me, and on living in a new way. Some of them did, and I see some of your faces in this crowd tonight. And I want to thank you, for putting your trust, and your faith in me.

  “Thank you, my friends, for all of the hard work you’ve done. I want you to look around. Look at the
faces of friends, old and new, who are gathered here tonight. Because of your hard work, we are flourishing. We are safe, and healthy, and happy. To the point where some of our young believe that Hunters don’t even exist.

  “Three hundred years ago I would have told you that was impossible. But it was possible, because we’re living it now.

  “Which makes me wonder what else we can accomplish. What can I accomplish? What can you accomplish?” I gestured towards them with my champagne. “We’ve been given the gift of a very long life. How should we live it? Should we always stay the same, or should we try to grow?”

  I paced a bit and took a sip of champagne. “I’ve been through a lot of changes this year. Some of them were hard,” I made a face and there was some laughter, “and some of them were good.” I looked at Cerone. “And I’ve seen some of you change as well, stepping up and growing into your potential in a way that is breathtaking.”

  I faced the crowd again. “I’d like to see more of that. So in the coming year, I’m going to make some more changes, and I’m asking you to put your faith and trust in me once again. To know that I’m making these changes to make us all healthier, and safer, and give us chances to live up to our potential and grow. To live our very long lives to the fullest.”

  I raised my glass. “To you, my friends. New and old. Ancient to fledgling. Thank you. May you have a very long, very happy life.”

  I drank from my glass and someone shouted, “Here here!”

  Then everyone applauded, and the music started up again, and everyone started talking. I walked down the steps and joined Cerone and Orleande.

  “Well done,” Orleande said.

  “Thanks.”

  “Captain.” Cerone squeezed my arm and kissed my cheek with tears in her eyes. “Thank you.”

  “Anytime,” I said softly, as she disappeared into the crowd.

  Chapter 130

  Fiona

  Christmas time.

  It seemed the whole world had fallen silent.

  Mel was seeing family, and Julie was in California. I never could reach Gabriel. Tyr was a memory, as was my ex, the jackass. Cade and Lena were in southern Texas, visiting family.