Blood Craving

by Gabrielle Bisset

  “So I’m supposed to just push it all down somehow and forget what Verrater took from me? Is that it?”

  Turning back to face him, Vasilije shook his head. “See, that’s where our situation is different. He didn’t take it from you. What he took, he took from Solenne. That’s why whatever you’re feeling and whatever fucked up need you have to avenge her has to be forgotten. What he took, he took from her, not you. All she needs from you is to accept her for who she is now. If you don’t, you’ll never be happy again, and either will she.”

  For the first time since he rescued Solenne, Saint saw it wasn’t him who Verrater had hurt. He’d raped Solenne, not him. And every time she looked into his eyes and all she saw was anger, she felt the pain of that rape all over again because her husband couldn’t forgive himself for not being there when she needed him most.

  “I get it. Why you know this I don’t get, but I understand what you’re saying.”

  Vasilije folded his arms behind his head and grinned. “I get it because I’m not living it. If I was, I might not be able to see what’s right in front of my face either.”

  And there was the vampire he knew and had hated for so long. Obviously, their moment of sharing had ended.

  Saint closed his eyes and leaned back against the cave wall to get some sleep. When the sun set, he’d go home to the woman he loved and do what was necessary to show her what that bastard had done hadn’t changed who they were. He’d lost her for nearly a century, and he wasn’t going to give up another moment with her, no matter what Verrater did.

  As for Vasilije, Saint wondered how long the Romanian would punish himself and Sasa before admitting what everyone knew. Whatever they had between them, she was the only one who’d ever gotten him even close to feeling love.

  And if he didn’t find a way to forgive her, he’d likely never find it again.

  Thirteen

  Sion instantly missed the warm breezes of Greece the moment he arrived back in Prague. His time with the other Sons had reminded him how important his work with Kali had become, and he looked forward to after they’d defeated the Archons when the two of them could settle down and live a quiet life together.

  Maybe they could find a place in Greece. That would probably make her happy as it was her home.

  The messages she’d sent while he was away indicated she’d found more details about what Ramiel and Noele’s son would become, and he’d seen for himself how powerful the little boy had grown. Now that he’d returned to her, he couldn’t wait to tell her all about Theron’s abilities, knowing Kali would love hearing about them.

  He opened the door to the apartment they shared and felt the cold air rush toward him. Even with the snow falling outside, he’d felt warmer standing on the street than he did inside. As he wondered what had happened, he looked up and saw Kali sitting at the table hunched over her laptop working like usual as if nothing were wrong.

  “Why is it so cold in here?” he asked as he walked toward her.

  She lifted her head and stared at him. “Is it cold? I don’t feel it.”

  Her eyes looked as big as saucers, and her face had a wildness to it he recognized immediately. While he’d been gone, she’d returned to Bliss and now was deep into it again.

  Quickly, he took her into his arms to warm her ice cold skin. “Kali, why? Why did you go back to it?”

  “Back to what? What do you mean?” she asked, unconvincing in her lie.

  “The Bliss? Why did you do it?”

  She frowned and closed her eyes to hide her sadness. “I couldn’t stop myself. I never really stopped. I don’t know why, but I can’t stop.”

  Kali buried her face in his neck and sobbed as Sion carried her to their bedroom. Carefully, he lowered her to the bed and covered her with the blankets, praying he wasn’t too late to save her.

  “I won’t lose you to this.”

  She looked up at him as she clung to his collar. “Please don’t leave. I won’t be able to stop myself if I’m alone. I’m ashamed to admit it, but it’s the truth.”

  Sion shook his head and smiled to reassure her, even as he doubted anything he could do would make her stop taking Bliss. Even if he watched her like a hawk day and night, if she wanted it, she’d find a way. Whatever he meant to her, he didn’t mean enough.

  He pressed his lips to the top of her head and whispered, “I won’t leave. I can’t.”

  Kali held him to her tightly, like she worried he might go and never return. “I don’t know why you stay, Sion. You deserve someone better than me.”

  Looking down at her, he pushed the loose strands of brown hair off her face and kissed her. “I don’t want anyone else. I want you. I just wish I could understand why you need that stuff.”

  “I don’t know why.” She squeezed her eyes closed and shook her head. “You should leave me. I know. I’m selfish for wanting you to stay with me.”

  “It’s not selfish. I want to stay.”

  They lay there silently until she asked him, “Why don’t you ever feed from me, Sion? Do you have someone else you prefer? Is she here in Prague?”

  Closing his eyes, he drew a deep breath in and sighed. He’d never admitted the truth of that part of his existence to her, but now as they lay there with her deepest secret exposed, he wanted to tell the truth.

  “I don’t feed often and when I do, I have someone I sired who provides me with what I need.”

  He opened his eyes and saw the disappointment on her face. His explanation had made it sound like Ilsa was someone special to him. She wasn’t. He had very few vampires he’d sired, and most of them had accepted long ago that he wasn’t a sire like Vasilije or Tarek, sires who kept a close watch on many of their vampires and included them in their lives.

  Sion’s vampires were like him—cold and emotionless. They didn’t have a choice. Even if they wanted more from him, it wasn’t available. No one but Kali had ever seen any emotion from him. And love? Never had he shown any of his vampires anything close to love. It just wasn’t in him.

  Or hadn’t been until Kali.

  “What’s her name?” she asked in a voice heavy with fear.

  “Her name is Ilsa.”

  “She must be someone special to you if she’s the only vampire you allow to feed you.”

  Sion shook his head. “No. She’s just someone who can give me what I need.”

  “Oh. I bet she cares for you.”

  The thought of Ilsa caring for him or anyone made Sion smile. Of all his vampires, she was most like him. Never once had he seen her show any emotion or feeling toward anyone, and in all the years since he’d turned her, she’d never asked to sire even one vampire. Like him, she preferred a solitary life.

  “No, she feels nothing for me. I feel nothing for her. Our relationship isn’t based on feelings.”

  Kali frowned. “What is it based on then? She’s one of your vampires, isn’t she?”

  “I didn’t sire my vampires because I felt any feelings for them. I was drawn to sire, so I sired. Nothing more. Nothing less.”

  “My sire never allowed me to have any vampires,” she said in a sad voice. “I asked many times, but he always said no. So it’s always been just me.”

  “Well, now it’s you and me.”

  He’d expected her to smile at that, but all she did was look away. Why hadn’t his clear expression of how much he liked to be with her made her happy?

  Turning her to face him, he saw the same sadness still in her eyes. “Tell me how I can make you happy. I don’t know what to do. I’m no good at this.”

  Kali bit her lip nervously and knitted her brows. He knew she wanted something from him, but even if she asked, could he give her what she needed? As she looked at him, her eyes filling with hope, he silently promised himself whatever she asked he’d do it.

  He just hoped he’d be enough.

  “If you care about me, Sion, why don’t you ever ask to feed from me? That’s what vampires do who are together.”

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nbsp; Her words came out choppy, like each one was being pulled out of her. He’d sworn to give her whatever she wanted from him, but he’d never fed from anyone other than his sire and Ilsa. Both of them provided him with the security of knowing that feeding meant nothing more than the act of taking their blood.

  But feeding from Kali would never be that simple, cold act for him.

  He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He didn’t want to refuse her this one request, but he didn’t know if he could feed from her and keep the distance he still needed. She saw his reluctance and instantly pulled away from him. Even just a few inches away, he missed the feeling of her next to him.

  “I’m sorry,” he murmured, knowing his words couldn’t replace what she wanted from him.

  Turning her back, she said, “I understand. We aren’t what I thought we were.”

  “That’s not true, Kali. I just don’t know if I can handle taking your blood.”

  None of that was a lie. The emotions he’d allowed himself to feel just making love to her nearly overwhelmed him. Taking a part of her into him might make all those emotions he kept bottled up inside come out after all those years of making sure he kept himself in check.

  She looked back at him. “Because of the Bliss? I didn’t take much. I swear.”

  “No.”

  Frowning, she sighed and turned away from him without saying a word. Never before had someone not speaking to him bothered Sion so much. Sometimes he’d gone night after night without saying a word to another soul and never hearing another’s voice speaking to him for weeks. It had never troubled him in the least.

  But now, with just the simple act of rolling over, she’d made him want to fix this. He wanted to make her happy. Even if it endangered every defensive protection he’d ever built up around himself.

  Without another word, he leaned over and kissed her neck, loving the feel of her soft skin against his lips. Instinctively, his fangs slid into his mouth, ready to pierce her body and draw her delicious blood into him. He’d never acted on his desire to taste her, but now for the first time he’d let himself.

  “Sion?”

  He rolled her over to face him and kissed her with more passion than he’d ever felt since becoming vampire. “I want to feed from you, Kali.”

  “I’m an ancient vampire. Have you ever fed from an ancient?”

  Licking his lips, Sion focused on the gently throbbing vein just beneath her pale skin. “No. Just my sire and Ilsa.”

  Kali cradled his face and forced him to look into her eyes. “It’s not the Bliss you need to worry about. I really haven’t had that much. But an ancient’s blood carries more power than a vampire like you.”

  “I understand.”

  “Do you? What comes with my blood is everything I am, everything I’ve been throughout my existence. Things I’ve never told you exist in me and my blood.”

  He dipped his head to kiss her neck and felt the blood course through her vein. Against her skin, he whispered, “Then there will be no secrets between us after this. Everything you are for everything I am.”

  In his mind, he couldn’t help but wonder if she’d see that as an unfair trade-off.

  As he tried to convince himself he could give her what she needed, he sunk his fangs into her neck and began to draw the delicious essence of her into him. As her blood hit his system, he felt himself losing control of his emotions, and even as he tried to fight back, it was no use.

  He didn’t know if it was the remnants of the Bliss or just her blood, but with each eager drag he took from her, he slipped further and further away from the being he’d so carefully crafted since being sired all those years ago.

  “Sion? Are you okay?”

  Opening his eyes, he saw Kali staring at him with fear. He nodded and smiled. “Yes. I’ve never had blood like yours before.”

  “You’ve been feeding for nearly an hour. I’m beginning to feel weak,” she said in a tone that sounded almost apologetic. “I think I need to feed now.”

  Nearly an hour? It had felt like mere seconds had passed since he began to take her blood into him. Ancients’ blood definitely was more powerful.

  He sat up and leaned back against the headboard of the bed. Holding out his arm, he offered her his wrist, as he had all those times back at the monastery when they’d first begun to fall in love. “Take from me what you need.”

  Kali shook her head no. “I want more than just that.”

  Confused, he dropped his arm. “Take what you want. Everything I am is yours.”

  She climbed on top of him and settled on his lap. The look in her eyes changed to one of pure desire, and leaning forward, she whispered against his lips, “I want all of you. I want to feel you inside me, your blood trickling down my throat as you fuck me and make me yours. I want to feel you everywhere around me with no escape and know that you want me like I want you. That’s what I want.”

  For the first time since becoming vampire, the thought of such passion didn’t make him recoil in disgust or horror. But what she desired was foreign to Sion. He didn’t know how to tell her he wanted to feel everything about her—her body surrendering to his, her blood on his tongue as he buried himself inside her.

  He’d never felt that kind of need before for any woman. Not as a human or vampire.

  Her lips brushed against his in a sweet kiss before he could say anything. “Sion, I don’t need you to be able to tell me how you feel. That’s not who you are. I just need you to show me you feel for me.”

  That he could do. He’d show her what he’d never been able to express in words.

  Sliding his hands down to her ass, he pulled her closer and kissed her with every ounce of need she created in him. His mouth plundered hers like it never had before, and she reacted with abandon, rocking her hips against him and making his cock rock hard.

  “I want you inside me when I feed this time,” she said as she tugged at his pants to slide them down his legs. “I need to feel you like that.”

  Sion watched in wonder as she threw his pants onto the floor and slipped her own clothes off. She returned to him naked and straddled him, her wet pussy gliding over his erect cock and exciting him even more.

  Kali pressed her palms against his chest to balance herself and slowly slid down on him, taking every inch inside her until there was nothing separating them. Staring into his eyes with the purest look of need he’d ever seen, she opened her mouth and he watched her fangs slowly drop into her mouth.

  She kissed him and her fangs grazed his lips, sending a jolt of exquisite pain through him. He wanted to know the feel of those teeth as they punctured his skin. He’d never had anyone feed from him anywhere but his wrist, not even his sire after he made him. Always he’d kept him and Ilsa literally at arm’s length, and now for the first time he’d let someone take his blood far more intimately.

  Thrusting his hand into Kali’s hair, he roughly tugged her head back and kissed her neck. “Take from me.”

  With a roll of her hips and a single swipe of her tongue across her lower lip, she leaned forward and sank her teeth into his skin. The pain traveled straight to his cock, making him want to fuck like a wild animal. She moaned against his skin as he thrust up into her and pulled hard on his vein until his neck ached and all he wanted to do was fuck her like he’d never fucked her before.

  Kali rode him as she fed, taking from him what she needed. When she sat back after she was done, he saw a smile on her face. He’d made her happy.

  “Do you feel better?” he asked, stilling his thrusts as he waited to hear from her.

  She nodded but said nothing, instead just kissing him long and deep. He knew what she wanted and he was happy to give her that part of him too.

  But a new position was in order.

  Lifting her off his lap, he rolled her over onto her stomach and positioned himself behind her. In her ear, he whispered, “Up on your knees.”

  She obeyed and rose up to her hands and knees as she nudged her
ass against his thighs. He wanted to sink into her balls deep, his cock touching places inside her even she didn’t know of. Pressing his fingers into her skin, he pushed his hips forward hard and plunged into her wet and willing cunt. Kali groaned soft and deep and tightened her hands in the sheets as he moved toward a rhythm of thrusting in and slowly sliding out again and again.

  But fucking her wasn’t enough, no matter how incredible his cock felt. He wanted more. He wanted to taste her in his mouth as his cock filled her. Tugging her by the hair to lift her head, he leaned forward next to her ear. “I want your blood as I fuck you.”

  “Yes,” she moaned and moved her hair from her neck. “Take it. Please.”

  He flicked his tongue against the spot he’d feed from and wrapped his hand around the front of her neck. Needing her more than he’d ever needed another soul, he sank his fangs into her soft skin and pulled hard as he rammed his cock into her over and over.

  Never before had the taste of another made his body come alive like Kali did, and she gave him everything he wanted. Her blood thrilled him, taking his mind to places he’d never experienced before, and her body surrendered to his possession of her, inching him to release with every time she took his cock inside her.

  His head felt like he was swimming in a pool of emotions and sensations, and they nearly overwhelmed him. With one last plunge into her cunt, he came until his body had nothing left. Just as he slowed to a gentle pace, he felt her body shudder and grip his cock as she came harder than ever before.

  Sitting back on his heels, he took a deep breath and exhaled, completely sated from their time together. Kali collapsed onto the bed and lay quietly, but as Sion began to recover from their lovemaking, he saw the evidence of what he’d done. Blood seeped from her neck and where his hands had held her hips were dark purple marks.

  Even worse, when he moved her to make sure she was okay, she made no sound at all. He quickly looked at his watch and in horror realized what he’d done. Nearly an hour had passed and he’d nearly drained her this feeding.