by T. S. Ryder
Footsteps sounded behind him. He was just able to turn around before a silver-colored bear was on him. Sharp teeth tore through his arm as he raised his sword. Thor shouted and Tindra screamed. Rollon dropped the sword, catching it with his other hand, and skewered the beast through its sternum. It didn't slow, using its bulk to knock him to the floor. Teeth and claws came at him. He twisted the sword and rolled, narrowly missing being crushed. Thor faced off with a large black wolf as Eva dragged Tindra away.
Rollon didn't hesitate. He threw himself on top of the wolf, wrapping his good arm around its neck and hauling it back.
"Go!" he shouted at his son.
The bear lumbered at them but fell. Thor raced off down the hallway after Eva. Rollon tightened his grip around the wolf's neck. They would not get to his son. His sword was pinned under the bear's body, but that didn't mean he couldn't fight. The wolf threw him off, his savaged arm flopping around. The wolf jumped on him. Its claws tore through his cotton shirt, the jaws snapping at his face. He warded it off with one hand, the mauled one patting uselessly at his pocket. With a shout, Rollon rolled his legs up to his chest. He kicked them out, knocking the wolf away, and grabbed the small knife he always carried with him.
"Let's get this done," he mumbled, not sounding as fierce as he had hoped.
His head throbbed. His fangs were lengthening, needing blood. His legs trembled as he got to his feet. The wolf's tail swished this way and that as it hunched close to the ground, growling. Yellow eyes shone from its face. It wove back and forth as it looked for an opening. Rollon kept his grip steady on the knife.
There was a yell of pain up the corridor. Thor. Rollon's head turned a fraction of an inch. The wolf lunged. He thrust the dagger forward as he sidestepped. The blade sliced over the wolf's ribcage. A howl echoed, and it turned once more. Teeth snapped at his face, and then the wolf was gone, running back the way it had come.
Rollon didn't bother wasting time chasing after it. His blood splattered the ground as he dragged himself toward the sound of his son's voice. Cotton felt stuffed into his ears and his head spun.
Footsteps, and then Tindra rounded the corner. Her eyes widened and she rushed to him, throwing her arms around his waist to support him. Her full-bodied scent hit him hard and he snarled, grabbing her wrist. He could almost taste the blood running below the surface as he slammed her against the wall.
Wide, frightened eyes met his. Rollon kept his grip tight, the need for blood almost painful. His chest heaved against hers. It would take more strength than he had to tear himself away. His head dropped, tongue flicking over her pulse. In his state, he would drain her dry . . .
Thor's voice came from somewhere in the distance. Rollon ignored it. Two small hands pressed to his chest.
"Stop." A breathless whisper, but no fear. "Thor needs you."
The king pulled back. Wide eyes. Not frightened as he had first thought. No, the fear was all his. He pulled back from the human. Another step. His grip on her released and he stumbled away, panting. She didn’t even know how close he had come to . . .
Without a word, he turned. Renewed determination seized him and he pushed himself as fast as he could. Thor soon came into view, fighting a clawed, half-shifted beast. Rollon threw himself on the animal, tearing into it with tooth and blade. It howled and threw him off. Thor's blade flashed. The creature fell. Rollon snarled and stepped in the direction of Eva’s smell, but a sharp pain bit into his side. He glanced down to see a silver blade protruding from his abdomen.
"Dad!" Thor caught him as he fell. He yanked out the blade and threw it away. "Dad, hold on. It's not that bad. You just need blood."
The dizziness from before was returning. "Blood . . . " he moaned.
"Pure blood."
Human blood. His mouth watered even as a snarl ripped from him. "No. I'd kill her."
"Let's get up." Thor heaved him to his feet and started walking him down the corridor. "Some bagged blood to take the edge off, but you need it fresh from the vein to fully recover."
"I'd kill her," Rollon repeated.
Thor shook his head. "No, you won't. Especially not after you've had a bag."
Rollon sagged against him, eyes fluttering. "No. I can't. She's yours."
"Dad, I don't know how to tell you this, but you're an idiot."
A smirk and chuckle. "Why do you say that?"
Thor grunted with the effort to keep him moving forward. "Because she was never mine. I chose her, but I chose her for you. I've been dropping hints like crazy. I want you to let Mom go and find someone else to love. I thought Tindra was perfect for you. Her smell, her clumsiness when it comes to royalty. You need someone who will tell you what they think, and she can do that."
"Yeah, she does. Her face gets so red . . . " Rollon shook his head. "You're just saying that because—"
"I'm not. I've never shown any interest in women because I'm not interested in women. Or men. I don't want all that sexy, romantic crap. I am perfectly happy on my own." Thor adjusted him, then flung him over his shoulders and began to run.
Not interested in any of it? Rollon frowned as his mind wove in and out of consciousness. Who wouldn't be interested in that delectable human? His mouth watered and his fangs throbbed. One small taste wouldn't hurt. Even if Thor was lying to him.
***
After a couple bags of human blood, Rollon felt much revived. The all-consuming need to feed was gone, leaving him feeling weak in its wake. Thor said that Tindra had agreed to give him what he needed from here, and Rollon insisted that she be brought to his chambers. He wanted to do this right. The steam from the shower eased the ache in his lungs. Human blood fresh from the vein was potent. It wouldn't take much to heal him. He would take what he needed, no more, and send her away.
"Rollon?" The door to his large shower opened and Tindra stepped in.
She was utterly naked. Just the sight of her had him stiffening. She might not be as curvy as the vampires he usually lay with, but she was all woman. Bite-sized breasts, toned abs, muscular thighs, and those big, beautiful eyes. He swallowed as her scent enveloped him. If he drank from her, it wouldn't end there.
"I'll manage," he rasped out. His voice was deeper, huskier. "You don't have to be here."
Tindra shook her head. "No. You're going to drink from me and heal."
His gaze ran down her body and he cursed. "I can't . . . I won't be able to stop myself."
Why had she come in here naked? A tortured noise pulled from his throat as she moved even closer.
"It's okay. You yourself told me that it can be very sexy if the attraction already exists. I think we both know that I am highly attracted to you. And I'm not just doing it because I think I have to. There is any number of women who would be more than willing to let you drink from them. I know it doesn't have to be me. But when I think about you touching anybody else . . . " A scowl crossed her face. "I want to punch them in the face."
He grasped her waist. The hot water splattered between them, her skin so soft under the moisture. With one movement he turned her against the glass. "If you tell me to stop, I will make myself stop."
Her body arched against his, making him moan. Was she even aware of what she was doing? His head dropped to her neck, where her scent was the strongest, and his lips sought out her pulse.
Chapter Nine – Tindra
Tindra’s skin felt so tight that she was almost afraid it was going to split open and birth a new, grotesque Tindra. Her hands found no purchase on the wet surface behind her. The glass was cold, but the water trickling down her face and Rollon's body pressed against her were both so hot that she welcomed the reprieve. Her breath hitched in her throat as his tongue flicked over her neck the way it had in the hallway after the fight.
"I could have killed you. If I had drunk from you then . . . I would have drained you dry."
"But you didn't." She grasped his shoulders, afraid he was going to move away. His nakedness against her did things to her she didn't
know her body could do. Was this how it was supposed to be between two people? "You didn't."
Rollon licked her again. "It will hurt. Then it will feel good."
It was all the warning she got. His fangs sunk into her neck; as promised, a spike of pain shot from the spot. Tindra yelped, her hands tightening on his arms. It turned into a moan as he took his first gulp. The slight suckling pressure sent heat flaring through her. Her core tightened and she found herself wanting to open her legs. She slung one of them over his hip and he pressed her more firmly into the glass. He ground against her, snarling as he drank.
Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she made strangled, gasping noises, unable to stop herself. She moved rhythmically against him, wanting the hard length that pressed against her to be inside.
"Rollon," she gasped.
The pressure on her neck stopped. He moved back and she all but collapsed against him. His hands ran down her back, pulling her so firmly against him that her breasts were flat against his hard chest. Such a beautiful chest.
"The bite will heal itself in a few minutes," he told her. "There is something in vampire saliva that helps it close."
"Is it always that intense?" she searched his eyes. "Every time vampire drinks from a human?"
"No. It's because, as you said, you're attracted to me. If it was Ingrid or Hilda, or anybody else you're not attracted to, drinking would be . . . unpleasant."
"Then I'm glad I'm attracted to you." She lifted herself over him again, pressing her mouth to his. Rollon responded by pressing her back against the glass again. His tongue plundered her mouth hungrily. Her hands twisted in his long hair.
And then he was gone again. His chest heaved, but he gave her a small smile as he held her up with one hand and turned the shower off with the other. He licked her neck again, making her moan, and carried her out of the shower. Tindra wrapped her arms firmly around his neck, everything tense with excitement.
Rollon set her down in the middle of the bathroom and handed her a towel. She stared at it for a moment before following the king's lead and drying herself off. She worked as quickly as she could, then flung it away. Fire coursed through her veins as she reached for him.
"No."
Tindra froze. "N-no?"
Rollon brushed the hair from her face and took her hand. She followed numbly as he led her into the bedroom and turned down the blankets. Tindra's skin heated again as he picked her up, but he put her on the bed and tucked her in before wrapping his towel around his waist and going to a minifridge on the other side of the room.
Tindra twisted the edge of the blanket in her hands. Was Thor wrong? He said that Rollon wanted her, but if this was any indication . . . If he didn't want her, then what was she going to do with herself?
"Would you like orange juice or apple?" he asked.
"What?"
The king took something from the fridge. "I took more blood than I should have. You need some sugar and to rest."
"Rest." Her blood was still coursing through her body at double speed, that tightening inside reaching an uncomfortable level. "You're joking, right?"
"I would never joke about your health."
Tears sprang to Tindra's eyes and she avoided his gaze. "If you don't want me, just say it. I'm a big girl. I can deal with my feelings being hurt."
"Not want you?" Rollon sat on the edge of the bed. The tower gaped open and he gestured downwards. "Does the Leaning Tower of Pisa look like I don't want you?"
She had to giggle at that. If his statement was anything to go by, he wanted her just as badly as she wanted him.
"You've been through a traumatic event and I just took blood from you. Drink your juice, eat your cookies, and rest. Then we will see what we can get up to."
There was a sparkle in his eyes that made her giggle. That didn't mean she wanted to waste time eating and sleeping when they could be doing other more enjoyable things. Reluctantly, she took the juice-box. She sucked hard on it, letting her cheeks go concave, and gave Rollon a suggestive look. He made a strangled noise and stood.
"Stop," he ordered her firmly. "I'm not going to touch you until you've rested. Make it easier on yourself and just obey."
Tindra wrinkled her nose. She discarded the juice and ate the cookies, then laid down and closed her eyes. Her body was full of energy, restless and anxious. After a few minutes of trying to lay still and appear restful, she let out a deep sigh.
"Human, my patience is wearing thin." Though it was growled, there was a playful note to Rollon's threat.
"I'm trying to rest. I just can't. I'm too hopped up on vampire sexiness." As she met his eye, she spread her legs under the blankets and reached for herself. "Maybe if I take the edge off . . . "
Rollon's gaze darkened and he made another strangled noise in his throat. Tindra let herself smile as she bowed her back, applying just the right amount of pressure to herself. She moaned deeply, a bit exaggeratedly, but was surprised by how sensitive she actually was.
"You'll be the death of me," Rollon growled as he flung the blankets away.
His damp hair flopped in front of his eyes as he draped himself over her, caging her with his huge body. He pressed a hard, fierce kiss to her lips, claiming her mouth. Everything tightened further, the dying fires springing back to life. Her hands wrapped in his hair, pulling him in closer as he began to grind against her.
The spot where he had drunk from her throbbed, but Tindra didn't care. She rose her hips, alternatively pressing her feet into the mattress to increase her power and wrapping her legs around his. Rollon snarled, the sound deep. It vibrated through Tindra's chest as his mouth dropped to her breasts. He propped himself on one arm as he feasted at her offerings. The flesh seemed to swell as his teeth scraped against it, her nipples hardening as his tongue swirled around them. She panted, mewling, her hands still twisted in his hair.
"Delicious," the king purred. "Like apricots."
The heat rushing through her had nothing to do with the flush in her face at that. "You mean they're small."
Rollon sucked her whole breast into his mouth then released it with a popping noise. "I mean they're delicious. Apricots are my favorite fruit."
A surprised giggle burst from her at that, only to quickly turn to a moan as Rollon's hand slipped between her thighs. He brought one leg over his hip while pinning the other to the best and cupped her. His palm pushed against her rapidly. Her core tightened further. Her head fell back and a cry of pleasure ripped from her throat. Rollon pushed two fingers inside of her, still using his palm to tease her. He made that strangled noise that she was learning was due to arousal.
"All ready for me, huh?"
"Not yet," she panted. "I have to help you."
Rollon flicked his thumb over her, causing a surprised shout to burst from her. Her whole body jerked up and fell back down. Her eyes rounded and all the air left her lungs. What she had been saying completely fled her mind as her fingers tightened around Rollon's thick biceps.
"No need," he whispered in her ear. "I'm ready for you."
Tindra groaned, half in disappointment. She wanted to have her hands on him, to watch him become jelly under her touch.
But as he rolled her onto her back and opened her legs, she decided maybe she didn’t need it this time. He eased himself in slowly, his gaze on hers, his grip firm on her thighs. Tindra tried to raise her hips, to have him in her fully, but he held her down, controlling his descent. A smirk grew on his face as he finished his entry and sat there for a moment. She writhed beneath him, wanting more.
He reached out and ran a hand down her neck, his touch light and soft and gentle. He began moving, still achingly slow, but even just that movement was enough to make Tindra's back bow. She grasped the pillow behind her, nails digging into the fabric. Every stroke a little harder, a little deeper, eliciting a cry from her every time. The momentum built until Rollon's teeth were gritted with concentration, his grip tight on her thigh. She reached for him and he twi
ned his fingers in with hers
Harder and harder. Faster and faster. Tindra lost track of time, staring into the eyes of her vampire king. She never wanted this to end, this moment between them. Her body screamed for release, but she fought it, knowing what would come after. He dropped over her and pressed his lips to hers.
Everything came undone.
Chapter Ten – Rollon
He had meant to see her completed at least twice before he found his pleasure, but the way her body arched towards him, her eyes rolling to the back of her head and her face going all red . . . it was too beautiful. Rollon dropped his mouth to her breasts, kissing her twice before he erupted. All his muscles seemed to go slack and he was just able to catch himself before he collapsed over her.
She made the most adorable mewling noise as she ran her hands through his hair. Rollon kissed her neck a few more times before withdrawing, careful not to go too fast so he wouldn't hurt her. Her arms wrapped around his waist as he moved to the side. Her hair was a mop around her face, making her look even more beautiful than usual.
"Well, do you think you can sleep now?"
"Hmm. Maybe." She rested her head on his arm. She was silent for a long time before she adjusted herself against him. "Can I ask you something?"
Rollon grunted in the affirmative.
"That was your sister, right?"
Eva. Rollon sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yes."
"Why does she seem to hate you so much?"
Rollon traced his fingers across her skin, loving the softness of her. "That's a bit of a story."
A pause. "You don't have to tell me."
A smile crossed his face. After all his years of solitude, he found himself wanting to share everything with the beautiful woman in his arms. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Eva and I both became vampires around the same time. For many years, it was just her and I against the world. Eventually, we started to build this kingdom together. But . . . but once I decided to stop turning humans into vampires, that was the end of things. She thinks that it's a gift to humanity and that I was turning my back on the people we could save. Not everybody wants to be a vampire, though. She wouldn’t accept that. Then she rebelled."