“My wife is more of a help to me than a responsibility, Ma’am.” Adrian answered politely, winking quickly in Katherine’s direction and watching her bite her lip against a laugh.
“Just as it should be, lad. Glad to hear you say so.” The Vicar nodded sagely. “So few couples these days have an appreciation of just how to go on after marriage. I try to point them along the right road, but the Good Lord knows it’s most challenging.”
“Well, there’ll be quite a few tears shed at the news of your marriage, I’m sure, Mr. Chesswell.” Mrs. Entwistle smiled archly, secure in the knowledge that both her daughters had married well. “’Tis not often anybody as well-featured as yourself appears down here in St. Chesswell, and even rarer for his bride to be delivered to him atop a gate.”
Adrian swallowed a retort, knowing the woman meant well, even if her words were heavy handed. “Indeed, Ma’am. A wonderful series of coincidences that has served to unite me with my heart’s desire. Who are we to rail against the vagaries of fate?”
“Well said, my son.” Sidney smiled and tipped his head in approval.
“Speaking of railing against the vagaries of fate, there’s some talk about a bluff and unpleasant man holed up in St. Chesswell, at the Lazy Pig I believe, ranting on about nightmares and horrid creatures.” The Vicar looked somber. “A tad too much liquid refreshment, I’m thinking. Ernest Wallingford tells me the man reeks of brandy.”
Adrian contrived a sympathetic expression. “How sad.”
“Indeed, lad. To see a fine mind turned rotten by the pervasive evil of strong drink.” Ironically, the man nodded his approval as his wine glass was refilled, but completely missed the connection and continued his dialogue, unaware that his dinner companions were doing their best not to laugh. “Anyway, he’s packed and said he’s to be on the road home tonight. Good riddance, I say.”
Everyone agreed, and Adrian couldn’t help a quick glance at his father and his wife. An unpleasantness had been removed from their lives with a minimum of fuss and bother. He hoped others would be removed as successfully, but couldn’t guarantee it. Threats still hung over their heads, but Adrian felt strangely at peace.
One glance at his new wife, her hair shining, her thoughts shimmering hot and sensual and revolving totally around him—well, it might not be forever, but it was damned good right now.
His thoughts wandered down avenues of erotic delights, and he pondered various ways of claiming her once this dratted meal was over and they were alone. Perhaps tonight they’d bypass the bed in favor of one of the pieces of overstuffed furniture that adorned his room…or even better, outside on a deserted balcony. He wanted to see her body naked in the moonlight. He wanted to take her against the roughness of a stone wall and know that it was nothing compared to the hardness pounding into her.
He wanted to hear her sigh and cry out once more as she peaked—that delightful joyous sound she made. He wanted to know he’d forced her there, ever higher, and he wanted to join her as they both plummeted into that vortex that only lovers know.
He was besotted, hard, desperate for her body and her heart. He grinned at himself. He was, in fact, the perfect picture of a bridegroom anxiously awaiting his wedding night.
The meal seemed to drag on forever, but eventually the final teacups were emptied, the farewells said, and Adrian watched Cheverly close the door after their guests.
“Thank God.” It was a sentiment from his balls as much as his heart, and he would have taken Kat right then and there had it been possible. The look in her eyes told him he wasn’t alone in his desires. She smiled, a wanton and lustful smile, which set his blood churning and his cock throbbing with anticipation.
He grabbed her to him and the words of parting were already trembling on his lips when a side door burst open into the hall and a servant hurried in.
“Forgive me Sir Sidney, but summat dreadful’s occurred.”
Sidney frowned. “What? What is it, Tommy?”
The man gulped. “A terrible thing is what it is. A body. Mauled real awful. Like some wild animal savaged him. Down by the turnpike crossroads.”
A footman entered behind Tommy. “Now lad, don’t be going scaring people.” He turned to Sir Sidney. “Nothing to be done, sir. The Vicar’s taking care of things. He was one of the first ones there. Left here and almost drove over him on the road home I understand.”
Katherine swallowed. “Do you know who it was? Not one of our people, I hope?”
“No, Mrs. Chesswell, thank heavens.” The footman bowed respectfully. “It was that man that was down at the Inn making a nuisance of himself.” He shook his head. “Sometimes it seems fate has its own punishment in store for them that deserves it.”
“An animal, you say?” Sidney pursed his lips.
“So I’m told, sir. Although I’m doubting a fox or a badger could do that to a man. Throat ripped clean out and—ahem—other parts was missing too.” He blushed and looked at the floor. “The Vicar says to lock up tight tonight until the locals have had a chance to institute a search for the creature.”
“We will certainly do that.” Sidney waved them off. “Thank you for the news, lads, sad though it is. Cheverly—see that all is locked tight tonight, will you? Double check the doors and windows? It’s unlikely such an animal would venture near an inhabited dwelling, but it never hurts to be on the safe side.”
As the hall emptied, Sidney followed Adrian and Katherine as they walked to the stairs. Adrian needed to think, needed to plan and needed some time alone with his wife.
Sydney seemed to sense his son’s state of mind. “Don’t worry too much. We know nothing for certain at this point.”
Adrian nodded at the realization they were all thinking the same thing. From the servants’ description of Arthur Byerly’s fatal injuries, there was probably only one cause, and it wasn’t a wild animal.
It was a walking evil that had found the Chesswells.
It was Thérèse.
*~*~*~*
Katherine watched Adrian as he paced their room. “Will you be still? There is nothing we can do right now. Sir Sidney agrees.”
He whirled on his heel, eyes full of pain. “I brought this—horror to St. Chesswell, Kat. This death is on my head. If there are more—“ He stopped.
Katherine seated herself correctly on a chair by the fire, spine straight. “If there are more, we shall deal with it. We have yet to ascertain that Arthur was killed by Thérèse although I’m inclined to agree with you that it seems most likely.” She lifted her chin. “I counsel caution, Adrian. Right now it looks as if she is here. If she is, we will face her together. I do not wish to give the local people yet another shock or—“ She swallowed awkwardly, “—another target.”
He paused at that. “You mean me, yes? Another creature of the night, another monster walking amongst them pretending to be human?”
Katherine’s heart ached and she flew from her chair to his side. “I love you, Adrian Chesswell. You love me. Monsters don’t love, they destroy. Thérèse has no idea of what the word love means. She is possessed by evil. You are no more a monster than I am.”
Adrian shook his head. “I wish that were true.”
Katherine clenched her teeth in anger and shook his arm. “Damn you, Adrian.” She racked her brains for some way to pierce his pain. “Look at me.”
He did not move.
“Look at me.” She all but shouted at him as she stepped away from his side and released her carefully-coiffed hair. “This hair is red. Do you see it, Adrian? See my red hair?” She shook the curling mass free and hurriedly unlaced the ties to her gown. It fell in a froth of cream silk to the floor, revealing a tiny corset over a lace chemise.
Katherine lifted the hem and parted her thighs. “Do you see this hair, Adrian? It’s red too. I am a real red head. No artifice, no henna, just me.”
Adrian’s gaze rested on her pussy. “Yes.”
“So, because I have the same color hair as Thérèse I am a mon
ster, according to your thinking.” She tore off the undergarments and stood nude before him. “You tell me. Am I a monster?”
He gulped, his throat moving as his gaze roamed her body.
“Go ahead, answer me, Adrian. You think because you have fangs and need blood to survive that you are the same as Thérèse. Therefore, if we follow your reasoning, because I have red hair, I’m also the same as Thérèse.”
“No, I didn’t mean…”
“Yes you did.”
“Didn’t.”
“Did.”
Adrian sputtered an ill-suppressed laugh. “All right. I surrender.” He lifted his hands in the classic fencing gesture of defeat. “I did not realize I’d married a woman who could out-argue me.”
Katherine smiled seductively and let her hips slant forward. “You wouldn’t have me any other way.”
“I’ll have you any way I can get you, Kat.” He slid rapidly from his clothes, letting them pile on the floor as well.
“You can have me any way you want, Adrian.” Katherine blushed. “And why I’m saying things like that to you, I cannot fathom.”
He neared her, cock erect and hard, balls aching. “You’re saying them because they’re the truth. You want me, desire me, yearn for me as much as I want and desire you. I can feel it, almost see it shining from you.”
Adrian’s hands reached for her, lifting her breasts high in his palms. “I love your breasts. All womanly and round. I love how just my voice can make your nipples rise into these peaks.” He strummed them with his thumbs, smiling as Kat purred her delight.
He let his hands roam over her skin, loving the silk slipping beneath his fingertips, and the little shivers of pleasure he caused with his caresses. This woman charmed him like no other and he knew he’d finally found his lifemate. She was bright, beautiful, loving and giving, and everything he had convinced himself he’d never find.
And she was touching him back.
Her hands slid between them, finding and cradling his cock, a gesture of interest and fascination that riveted him.
“We are so different.” Her voice registered her amazement.
“You’ve seen a man before, Kat.”
“Yes, but he wasn’t you. He wasn’t anything like you.” She continued her exploration, splaying her fingers around his length and gently cupping his balls. “He wasn’t…manly, like you. He wasn’t this long or this hard or this—beautiful.”
Adrian held his breath, afraid to move, afraid to break the spell building between them.
“I love this, Adrian. I love being able to touch you and know you’ll put this inside me. That I’ll feel—magic when you do. Once upon a time I thought I knew about men and women. Then I made love with you and everything I knew turned out to be so very wrong.”
Adrian smiled. “You made a believer out of me too.” He raised his hands to her shoulders. “Turn around, love.”
She paused and tilted her head, then did as she was asked. He knew she’d see their reflection in the long mirror beside the bureau. Tall and dark, he towered behind her, a shadow against which her body glowed in shades of cream and fire.
He grasped her hands and placed them over her breasts. “There. Keep your hands there for a minute.”
Slowly and deliberately he let his own slide down over her curved belly to her mound watching her eyes as she followed his movements. He spread his fingers through her pussy, parting the folds and exposing the gleaming pink flesh. “See your desire?” He smoothed her juices around, a slick shine of honey moistening her skin.
“Mmmm.” Her eyes closed and her head lolled backwards against his body. “That feels so good.”
He aroused her slowly, slipping a fingertip gently around and over her clit, letting her indrawn breaths guide his touches, gauging which places brought her the most pleasure. Her liquids soaked his hand, scenting the room with Kat and sex and need.
Without stopping his movements, he leaned over. “Your nipples, Kat. Pinch them. Squeeze them. Do the things I’d do if I had more hands. You make me wish I did.”
She giggled, a sound of sheer joy that once again eased the ice within Adrian and cracked even more of his reserves. He moved his other hand behind her and spread her buttocks apart.
“Do you like it when I touch you here?” His finger found her tight ring of muscles and pressed on it.
“Oh God. Yes. When you do that…”
The trickle of moisture between her thighs became a flood and her hips swayed slightly, inviting him to do more. To drive her higher up towards the crest.
He slicked the juices over her to coat the crease between her ass cheeks, daringly slipping a finger gently through into her darkness then withdrawing it. All the time he continued to play with her clit. She began to moan, pushing back against his hand, tugging at her nipples, and biting down on her lower lip as she struggled against a cry of pleasure.
She welcomed him, encouraged him, crying out softly as he invaded her body. Gently he urged her onward, his cock aching fiercely, awaiting the moment when it too could share in this loving madness.
“Adrian…”
He shuddered at her moan, the sound a plea and a prayer intermingled with passion.
“More. Give me more. Give me everything.” She was nearly frantic now, moving against him wantonly, her breasts swollen and hard within her cupped hands and her legs wet from her own liquids.
He would not refuse her, but would not hurt her. He would never hurt her. The reflection of their bodies twined in the mirror, a concert of colors and movements painting a picture of their passion.
Trembling at the edge of her limits, Kat pushed herself hungrily back into Adrian. “Please. Oh please. Adrian. Bite me. Feed from me. Take me and let us both fly.”
And there it was. The moment when Adrian knew without a doubt that Kat loved him, and would love him for eternity. She trusted him to feed from her, and offered herself without hesitation.
He could not hold back.
With the greatest care, he let his fangs emerge to rest against her neck and the pulse that thundered just beneath the skin. At the same time, he moved his cock to rest against her anus, slick and moist and stretching already in welcome. This would be no savage claiming, but a heated and passionate loving fueled by their emotions and their blood.
Cautiously, Adrian dipped his head and pressed his hips forward just as his fingers administered a loving final pinch to Kat’s clit.
Her skin parted and her blood flowed. Her ass flowered for him, allowing him entrance into her hot secrets. And she cried out with pleasure as both intrusions sent her into the abyss.
“Yes…oh God yessssss…”
Her climax was an eruption of every muscle she had, shaking and shuddering in his arms, and clenching around his cock like the grip of a drowning man on a piece of driftwood.
He wanted to shout as well, but the taste of her silenced him, even as it sent him into his own orgasm. Bright and clear, her life’s liquid teased and tantalized him, burning his lips and his throat with the joyful flavor of her loving warmth.
Forcing himself to pull back after no more than a few drops, Adrian licked the tiny pinpricks and let his balls empty themselves into Kat, overflowing and soaking them both. She was still riding the waves of her peak, leaning against him now as her legs lost the capacity to hold her weight. He felt her ripples of pleasure through his body and his brain as her thoughts whirled high atop a mountain of sexual satisfaction in a blazing inferno that pierced his mind like lightning.
As she eased, Adrian did something he’d never done before. He ripped his wrist with his fangs and let a trickle of blood flow free. “Taste me, Kat.” He held the wound to Kat’s lips. “Taste what you have done to me.”
Tentatively, Kat licked at the droplets of his blood, and Adrian gasped as he was suddenly flooded with Kat’s thoughts, Kat’s mind, her receding orgasm and her heart’s thundering beat.
It was as if the act of sharing an orgasm and blood had open
ed the gates that stood between their psyches. They were now truly joined.
“Adrian—can you—do you—“
“Yes, my Kat. I feel it too.” He swept her up in his arms as his softened cock fell away from her, and they both sighed as he found the bed and tumbled them into it. “Something strange and wonderful exists between us.”
Kat licked her lips and cuddled close. “You taste so good. The finest wine, the best flavor. Isn’t it strange? I couldn’t imagine ever doing that.”
Adrian chuckled. “Doing what? Doing which? I didn’t hurt you, did I?” His hand slid around to caress one soft buttock.
“No to both. And yes to both. I think.” She yawned. “Lord, I’m so tired I don’t know what I’m saying.”
“Then rest love. It’s our wedding night and we can sleep as late as we want. We have all the time in the world now.”
“Mmm.”
Kat was already half-asleep when Adrian tucked the covers over them both. It was early for him to be abed, but he had a feeling his sensual adventures with his wife would be ongoing and he needed all his strength.
A good night’s sleep was just the prescription for a newlywed, even a vampire newlywed.
Unfortunately, a good night’s sleep wasn’t in the cards. For either of them.
Chapter Eighteen
There was a fog all around her and she could not see her way. Grey and impenetrable, the mist swirled at her feet, a cloying heavy thing that dragged wetly against her naked body.
Katherine knew it was a dream, but still she shivered.
“Hello—bitch.”
The accented voice came from behind her and she spun around, heart thudding with the shock. Thérèse stood there, nude and beautiful, her body shining against the darkness.
“You!”
The woman circled Katherine. “Did you think you could claim him? That some words spoken by an ignorant peasant in a black robe would make him yours for eternity?” She laughed, a sweet sound that grated on Katherine’s nerves. “You are wrong. You are as the merest fly on a wall, to be swatted at my pleasure. He is mine, make no mistake about it. He always will be.”
Darkness In The Flames Page 17