Blood Lines: Conduit

by Mechele Armstrong

  Her breasts, rosy and peaked for him. He buried his face between them, then latched onto her nipple with such suction, it made noise.

  Her body arched back. She writhed under him.

  Bastian’s hand skirted her legs, slipped down between them, past her hair, into her swollen slickness. Her clit stood at attention for his ready fingers. Lightly, he flicked it. Then harder passes. Across and across.

  Her head rolled back and forth on the pillow. She moaned deep and low in her throat so he could feel it echo through her body.

  Her hips lifted up, his hand got soaked with wetness. She came with a little cry.

  So beautiful. He slammed his heavy cock against her middle. Needed the contact, the friction.

  “Need you inside.” Each word punctuated by a breath. Her hips downshifted, pressing into the mattress. She groaned again, louder this time.

  He lifted up, releasing the nipple he’d been teasing, claiming her mouth and plunging his tongue deep. His cock thrust at the same time, entering into her creamy channel. So tight. So wet against him. Nothing had ever felt this good.

  She came again upon his entry, spasming around him.

  He wouldn’t last long. Tensed in anticipation of the coming climax. His whole body went down on a stroke.

  Couldn’t get close enough to her. Her body wasn’t near enough to his. Couldn’t get deep enough inside her. His thrusts turned even wilder, harder. Like he would come through her underside.

  His head launched back, whole body straightening. With a roar, he poured his seed into her.

  He collapsed on top, shaking with the blindness-causing force of his climax. Never had he experienced anything like it. It had been good their first time, but that was nothing compared to this.

  No desire to bite had hit him before he came. Must have been the blood cocktail he’d consumed.

  “I can’t move.”

  “Sorry.” He slid off. Then shook, his body rocked by an aftershock.

  “Not because of you.” She didn’t move, lay there splayed out. “Well, not because you were laying on me, anyway. That was incredible.”

  “Tell me about it.” He pulled her against him, nuzzling into her side.

  “I wonder ...”

  “Wonder what?” Bastian wrapped an arm across her middle.

  “Did desire hit you hard? Like you had to have me then and there?”

  He nodded. “Not that I don’t always want you. I do. But this was the fiercest it’s ever been.”

  “I wonder if that was part of the bonding. Henri didn’t know exactly what would happen once we drank the blood.”

  He rubbed against her. “That might make some sense. Strengthen the bond. Make love after the blood exchange. Do you feel any differently now?”

  “No. Only like I had a round of wonderful sex.” She waggled brows at him. He chuckled. “Nothing more though.” The phone rang. “Uh-oh.”

  “What?”

  She picked it up. “Hi, Nick.” She put him on speakerphone. “I’m sorry I was supposed to get you like ...” She moved to see the clock on the other side of the bed. “... an hour ago.” She cringed.

  “I wasn’t about to come looking for you. I have no desire to see Bastian naked.”

  “Bite me, fangy.” Bastian leaned back against the pillow.

  They heard Sarah hushing Nick in the background.

  “So can I come now? Or are you two still busy?”

  “Nick, did you have any idea that completing the ritual might end up making us have to ...have sex?”

  “Copper, I didn’t need to know this. No, I didn’t know the bond would cause it. But when you didn’t come get me after twenty minutes, well, I know what Sarah and I would have been doing.”

  Bastian made a face of distaste. They both heard Sarah’s gasp and “Nick!”

  “Give us five minutes. Then you can come down.” Copper hung up the phone.

  She got out of bed, pulling on clothes. Bastian lay there. “You’d better get moving and put on something.”

  “Oh, I think not.” Since Nick had brought it up. Vampires didn’t care about seeing each other naked. Nick liked to jerk his chain, so he’d jerk right back.

  “Bastian.” Her voice tipped to schoolmarm tone.

  He sighed. She glared at him. “Oh, all right.” He slid on pants, nothing else.

  * * * * *

  Copper tapped her foot, waiting for Nick. So many emotions ran through her. If Bastian couldn’t bond to her, she’d die. She’d curse the fates for providing her with one who she could love, and he wasn’t fated to be hers. No, Bastian had to be the one.

  A light rap came on the door. “You decent yet, Bastian?”

  “Oh, you know you want to see me nekkid.” Bastian laughed. “I know you think I’m damn sexy.”

  Nick snorted. “In your dreams.”

  “Come on in, Nick. He’s dressed and so am I.”

  Nick pushed open the doors and sauntered through them. “Well, you, I’m not so concerned with you dressing.”

  Bastian let a growl. “Don’t even think about it.”

  “Guys, can we get this over with? I’m waiting here.” Copper’s foot went back to tapping. So much on the line, and they wanted to play testosterone games?

  “Where did you get the blood for the mix?” Nick sat on the bed, closest to Sarah.

  “Here.” She showed him the small wound.

  “Okay, this might sting. I don’t need much as you saw this afternoon.”

  “Yeah,” Bastian grumbled. “Major bone to pick. Taking blood from my girl without telling me.”

  Nick’s tongue came out and lapped at the dried blood. It stung lots. He reached the skin and blood under the scab. “Hurry up.” Her teeth gritted together.

  “Sorry sweetheart.” He took one more lick. “I don’t feel anything. Not like I did this morning.”

  Bastian shifted on the bed. “Maybe we should try with fresh blood? For accuracy and to be sure.”

  Screw accuracy. Copper’s arm stung. But she took the tip of the knife and pricked her finger.

  Nick slurped at the drop of blood. “Nothing again. Has he fed from you after the ritual?” Nick pointed at Bastian.

  “Not yet.”

  “I’d say let him feed and see what happens. I’m going back to Sarah. She’ll be interested in what happened.” His frown took over his whole face. “If she and I can find a way to bond, it’d be so much easier.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Copper lay back down on the bed and licked her lips. “I guess you need to bite me now?”

  “We could do it with a pinprick.” Bastian settled in beside her, his arms stroking along her shoulders. He’d taken off his pants.

  “How long has it been since you fed?” Copper had no idea of his feeding schedule. She’d been too busy concentrating on finding Crimson. And then on making love to him. Both activities took up a lot of time.

  “It’s been awhile.” His admission came out sheepish.

  “I don’t want you feeding on anyone else but me. You can do the blood bank thing. But I want to be your main course.”

  Bastian’s cock gave a twitch, jumping back to full mast. Made her mouth ache to get around it, seeing it like that. Later. “You can be appetizer, main course, dessert, drinks, whatever you like.”

  His words made a shiver elongate along her spine and wind out. “I want you to feed tonight. From me.”

  “I don’t have to. I know you’re new to all this. All I need is ...”

  “I want to.” She nipped his side.

  He leaned to kiss and nibble along her jaw line. “I have an idea that might take your thoughts off the feeding.”

  More delicious shivering. “Oh?”

  He nodded. “Wait here.”

  She waited impatiently for his return.

  Bastian came back with a bottle of something, a bowl, and what looked like a small paintbrush. She blinked up at him from her position reclining on the pillows. “Is that a paint br
ush?”

  “Yes. I’m not dipping it in paint, though.”

  “What are you dipping it in?”

  “Chocolate. I’m going to play connect the freckles.” His seductive grin took her breath away. “I can clean my canvas and start again each time.”

  She swallowed, mouth going dry. “I didn’t think you ate anything but blood?”

  “Usually, I don’t. I can’t take in much of anything I ingest but blood. An occasional glass of wine. This seems like a good occasion though. You think this will get your mind off my feeding from you?”

  “Hell, yeah.” She licked her lips. It would take her mind off anything. But him.

  He sat on the bed, setting the bowl on the bed by him. Poured a generous amount of chocolate into it. Smattered some on the paintbrush. Left it lying there, top on the side of the bowl. “Let’s get this nightie off. You look scrumptious enough in it by yourself.” She sat up. He eased the straps down her arms, followed them with his tongue. Warm, wet and rough as it licked a trail down.

  Already wet from earlier, she slickened more. Her pussy throbbed. In want. In need. His nose twitched. “Gods, I love your scent.”

  His hand moved up to palm a breast. First, through the lacy top to the negligee. His hand cupped it. His thumb inched in to tease a nipple. Then he finished sliding down the lace to expose her breasts.

  Copper’s body heated with the fiery flames of desire consuming her from the inside out. “If you don’t hurry this up, we may not use the chocolate.”

  His laugh slithered, deep and primal. “I’ll take all the time I need to. All the time I want. And you won’t stop me.”

  His lips claimed hers in a kiss designed to take her down. Masterfully, his tongue dueled with hers, conquering it for the possession.

  Leaning her back, he finished slipping the gown from her body.

  “Così donna bella. Ti amo.”

  “What does that mean?” Her voice had deepened to a husky pitch.

  “Such a beautiful woman. I love you. Now lay all the way back.”

  She did, on the pillows. She’d never had a man do anything like this to her before. Fuck her, yeah. But never play such a game of seduction.

  After he’d stripped, Bastian dabbed chocolate paint along her stomach. She giggled, squirming.

  “Quit moving.”

  “It tickles. You try not moving.”

  “You made me mess up a line.” He leaned down and flicked his tongue along her side. “On second thought, move around all you want.” He reloaded his brush and set about painting more lines to connect. She couldn’t help the wiggling, and his tongue got busy cleaning mistakes. Even sometimes when she was sure there weren’t any.

  He had moved down to her legs. He jotted the brush along her inner thigh. “Spread more for me.”

  “I do not have any freckles there.”

  “Sure you do.”

  Copper sputtered, sure she didn’t. But opened her legs anyway. She loved his ministrations. And his teasing.

  A finger made a pass along her slit.

  She gasped, hips jerking up. His hand there where she ached so badly for it. “That wasn’t my thigh. Or a freckle. Or a paintbrush.”

  His voice came heady, like he’d drunk too much wine. “I know.” The finger passed along it again. Then slid around to wiggle against her clit.

  Her muscles bunched. She rubbed her pussy against his hand. So good.

  Bastian left her clit, finger sliding down into her channel. A second joined it.

  “So wet. So open.”

  “For you,” she murmured. “All for you.”

  “Bella.” His tongue rasped the skin of her inner thigh. Then lightly nudged her clit.

  “Oh, Bastian.” Her breath jumbling into pants. Her heart pounded like she’d started a race.

  “Shhhh.” His tongue moved the skin back and forth, playing with the hood, the bundle of nerves. His fingers began to move in and out, delightfully piercing her, and then moving off again.

  Sensations rocketed up. Like firecrackers going off, bundles and bundles of them. Her pussy exploded in a wondrous ball of sensations.

  His face slipped back, his fingers still strumming, joined by a third. His lips kissed her thigh. And fangs sunk in.

  Another climax slipped her over the edge, falling down the peak until she bottomed at the other side.

  Her breath gushed out of her mouth. He continued to feed. The tip of his tongue brushed lightly against the wound. His head pulled up.

  “Did it work?”

  “What?” Her mushy mind couldn’t make sense of his words. What had he been doing? That’s right, he’d been taking her mind off feeding. “Oh. Yes, it worked.”

  “Good.” He prowled up her body. His body barely touched hers.

  “Did it work?” Her turn to ask the question.

  “What?” His passion hazed eyes stared down at her.

  “Do you feel the effects of my blood?”

  “Oh, yes.” He leaned his head back. “Powerful.” Then he slid into her. She gasped at the entry. He rolled them over so that she sat on top of him. “I don’t trust myself with a belly full of your blood. So you get to take over for now.”

  “Hmmmm, I like taking over.” She clenched her walls around his cock, sliding herself upwards. On the downward motion, she clenched again.

  “Oh, baby.” His breathing went ragged. Deep.

  She kept the pace slow. Torture for them both. He let her for a while. Then his hands tightened on her hips. He put pressure on the bones. His body arced upwards, pressing himself deeper into her.

  “Need more.”

  She quickened the pace, sure, even strokes up and down. His finger pinched into her skin, slid down her ass to cup it with his fingers splayed.

  His body rocked upward, then went stiff. He called her name as shudders finished taking him from the climax.

  “Oh, baby.”

  She smiled, lying down on top of him. “Like making love all juiced up?”

  “I think I saw a couple of planets. And stars. Maybe even the space station. You sent me that high.” He pulled her along the line of his body.

  “Good.” She laid her head on his chest. So good. So right. The scent of him tickled her nostrils. Along with the scent of sex.

  A knock came at the door.

  Bastian scowled. “Go away. I don’t want any.”

  Nick’s voice sounded serious. “Open up, Bastian. It’s important. Henri wants to speak to you. He tried your phone, but no one answered.”

  Copper darted for her gown and robe, pulling it on quickly. Bastian pulled on his pants and opened the door.

  “What does he want?”

  Sarah stood behind Nick. “Talk to him. We told him you bonded.”

  Somehow Copper didn’t think Henri had called or Sarah and Nick had run all the way up there to give them congratulations. “Put him on speaker phone so I can hear.” Bastian would keep bad news from her if he could.

  Bastian did so. “I’m putting you on speaker.”

  “Zut alors, Bast. Do not do that.”

  Sarah’s eyes looked grave with concern. So did Nick’s. They knew what this about. They had to.

  “Too late.” Bastian took Copper’s hands in his. Her eyes turned to his. He had to know it wasn’t going to be good either. “What’s up, Henri?”

  Henri’s sigh reached across the Atlantic and grabbed Copper’s heart. “I wanted to catch you before the bonding.”

  “It’s too late. It was successful, though.”

  “You might regret that.” Nick leaned back against the wall.

  Bastian gave him the vampire death glare.

  “Bastian. You shouldn’t have bonded with the girl until she was a vampire.”

  “Why not?” Bastian stroked her hand with his thumb.

  Oh, god. It had been a mistake. Copper’s heart pounded in her chest.

  “Because your lives are now conjoined. Because she’s still mortal, she’s a danger to you. I
f something happens to her, you die.”

  “Forever? Her thread overtook mine?”

  “For now. Once she becomes a vampire, it will converge, and you’ll both be immortal. Dying only as vampires do.”

  Bastian blew out a breath. “Well, then.”

  “Make her a vampire. Now. She’s mortal. You know how fragile they are. One accident, one fall off a curb, and you die too. Or if she gets injuries to the brain. You could be bonded to a half-wit for eternity.”

  Vampirism had its limits from what Sarah said. Especially with brain problems. What you took into death, you kept as a vampire. Why those struggling with insanity didn’t make good vampires.

  Bastian’s eyes met Copper’s. “Thanks, Henri.” He clicked off.

  Copper processed the new information. She died, he died. As a mortal, much more likely to happen than as a vampire.

  “I guess we get one more newly-made vampire around the house.” Nick grumbled. “What a mess.”

  “No. No, we don’t.” Bastian blew out a breath.

  “What do you mean we don’t?” Nick pushed himself away from the wall to pace. “You heard Henri. She has to be made now. Before anything can happen. Despite all the risks to bringing her over.”

  Sarah approached Copper. “Are you all right? You’re being quiet.”

  What’s wrong, sis?

  Copper swallowed at the voice in her head. I have to become a vampire. “I’m fine, Sarah. A little discombobulated by all this. But fine.”

  Cool. It’s neat. You get to bite people. Maybe if you become a vampire, I won’t be drawn to your pulse points so much. They are so pretty, beating in tandem.

  “It’s a lot to take in. I don’t think anyone should make decisions tonight one way or the other.” Sarah’s quiet voice echoed in the room.

  Go to bed, Crimson. Night.

  “Are you kidding, ma petite? Bastian has to make her one soon. Too much can happen to a mortal.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I’m not making her a vampire. Not yet.” Bastian ran a hand through his hair. “I can’t right now.”

  Night Copper.

  Across the room, Sarah’s eyes narrowed, taking Nick in her sights. Copper would have retreated simply because it was a look you wouldn’t often see in the gentle woman’s eyes. “Then why haven’t you made me a vampire yet?”