by Kat Cotton
Nic nodded.
Hell, it’d been decided. But did I really want this?
Chapter 46 Clem: The Deed
I’d been in some awkward situations in my life, but this was a whole new level of awkward. Kisho and the rest of the pack had gone out, leaving Nic and me alone.
He sat at one end of the sofa, and I sat at the other. We didn’t look at each other; we didn’t talk to each other. We didn’t move. Both of us had our arms crossed, and we were staring straight ahead.
He cracked his knuckles. I hated that so much.
“Want a glass of wine?” Nic said.
“Hell, yeah.”
I knew alcohol didn’t work on vampires, but it would work on me. One of us had to make a move eventually, but the set-up didn’t help. I’d never seen Nic so shutting up before.
He could do something to help. I had no issue with taking the initiative, so long as it was with anyone else in the world but Nic.
He handed me the glass of wine, then sat back down.
“So, what now?” I asked.
He shrugged without looking at me. That wasn’t what I needed.
“Look, we can forget this whole thing if you like,” I said. “Call it off. Say we did it.”
“I don’t think the bond works like that. You can’t lie to a bond. Are you stupid?”
I laughed. Snarky Nic was so much better than the awkward, nervous one.
I pulled my dress down. Nic had selected the dress. He’d done my makeup, too. He’d dressed me up like I was a sex doll, then sat there, ignoring me. Maybe he didn’t know what to do. It was his first time, after all.
“How far have you actually gone?” I asked him.
He still didn’t look at me.
“I know you’ve kissed. I’ve seen you and Kisho at it. What about blow jobs?”
“This thing isn’t about how far I’ve gone. It’s about purity.”
“Well, what does that mean? You could have full-on sex and still be pure. It’s not like sex is dirty. Who made this shit up? Some old-time misogynist, that’s who. All this talk of purity and virgins, give me a break.”
“No one made it up. It’s a rule of nature.”
“I think not. Mother Nature is not a misogynist. I bet there was a man behind it. One of those guys with a dick so small that he could only sleep with virgins who didn’t know any better. That’s the only—”
Nic lunged at me, keeping his body at the other end of the sofa. His lips crashed into mine.
That kiss, whoa, clumsy. More like a mashing of teeth and lips. Not at all what I’d expected. I pulled back a bit. Now that he’d started, I didn’t want to kill the mood, but I also couldn’t put up with that kind of kissing for long. My mouth would be cut to ribbons.
I put my hands on his shoulders and eased up on the whole mouth-crushing action.
Instead, I took his bottom lip in my mouth, gently sucking it.
He moved closer to me. Not just stretching his upper body toward me but his entire body next to mine. I put my arm around his neck. The kissing started again, this time much more pleasant.
I wanted to be clinical about this, but the stirring in my stomach wasn’t clinical. The stirring in my pants wasn’t, either. There was a whole heap of stirring.
His lips brushed softly against mine.
I wanted this, and so did he. No matter what we said to each other, our bodies couldn’t bullshit.
Red-hot passion shot through me, more violent and glowing that that Vampire King power, even. Maybe it meant the power was leaving me. Or maybe it meant that I really, really wanted Nic.
Oh, God, I wanted him.
How had he stayed a virgin so long? He had a body made for sex. I ran my hand down his chest, unbuttoning his shirt. Those collarbones begged to be kissed. So did that stomach.
He flipped down the strap on my dress, his fingers lightly tingling my skin. The ice cold of his touch sent chills through me, exciting me with the contrast to my burning flesh.
He started to say something, but I kissed him. I didn’t want to talk. Words would ruin this.
His cold fingers touched my nipples. I jumped from the shock.
“Let’s get in the bedroom,” I said. I wasn’t about to do it on the sofa. I didn’t want a permanent reminder of our sex sitting slap-bang in the middle of the living room.
He carried me to the bedroom while I clung to him, my arms around his neck. Neither of us could bear to lose contact with the other. He sat on the bed, shy again now.
I stood before him and untied the straps from my dress so that it fell to the floor.
He smiled at me, then we both looked away shyly.
Was this us? We snarked at each other. We didn’t look away shyly. We didn’t blush, and we didn’t kiss to make my whole world would explode. The touch of uncertainty in his eyes made it all the hotter.
Nothing would stop me now. This wasn’t about breaking the bond, and it wasn’t about losing my freaky power or saving the world. It was just us, the two of us acknowledging that blaze of red-hot lust that had been there since the beginning.
I straddled his lap and moved his hands to my waist. He didn’t look at me. I cupped his chin in my hand and turned his face to me. God, this insecure, virginal Nic shot flames straight to my lady parts.
“Clem Starr,” he said. “Do you realize how lucky you are?”
Insecure Nic didn’t last for long.
I wanted to make some snappy comeback to that, but my brain had gone fuzzy with sex needs. That slight huskiness in his voice drove me nuts. Who cared what words he said?
Beneath me, his hips squirmed and his cock twitched. The bulge pressing into my thigh proved Nic hadn’t remained a virgin because of any functional problems.
I removed his shirt while I went on kissing him, light butterfly kisses that quickly turned frenzied.
His cold body pressed against mine.
Hell, what were we waiting for? I needed him inside me. And I needed it now.
I’d kind of figured, him being a virgin and all, that it’d take ten seconds before he shot his load. I’d figured wrong. He might be all about the purity, and this might be a cleansing thing for me, but the way our bodies ground together was no joke.
I’d had sex with a lot of men in my life. Demons, vampires, you name it. But nothing had prepared me for sex with Nic. I’d thought it would be hot, and I’d thought it would be good, but what I hadn’t expected was the total feeling of completeness. That this was something that was meant to happen, not just physically but in every possible way.
Chapter 47 Nic: Shower
We did it.
The bond had broken. I was almost myself now, except I wasn’t.
I lay beside her, trembling from the aftershocks of pleasure. It was over, and we never needed to do it again.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
She sat up.
Something stirred inside me. A weird feeling, not unlike nausea. Maybe that was from the bond breaking. All I knew was that I didn’t want Clem to leave me. I wanted to pull her back beside me. She’d have a shower, then get dressed, and the pack would come back to the house and everything would carry on like usual.
I had a massive hole inside me. Was that what sex did? Fill you full of holes? We’d gone from being everything to nothing. I couldn’t even tell her I wanted her to stay with me. I’d never be able to touch her again, not without admitting that I wanted to touch her.
This after-sex stuff sucked. How did people live with these feelings? They ripped you apart.
“I’m having a shower,” she said.
I knew it. First the shower, then the getting dressed, then back to everyday life. I tried to think of a way to delay things.
Then she reached over and grabbed my hand, pulling me to her.
“Want to join me?”
I jumped out of bed. That after-sex feeling would come back at some point, but I could delay it as long as possible.
Before I could
get under the shower, my phone rang.
“Can we come back yet?” Andre asked.
“NO!”
I hung up. They were grown up. They could look after themselves.
Then I smiled at Clem, standing in the bathroom doorway naked.
“Hurry up,” she said.
We got under the shower, and the warm water splashed against my skin. It splashed against hers, too. Droplets ran down her body, flowing between her breasts and over her belly. I traced the trail with my finger. She shuddered. I sensed the thudding of her heart. Her warm human flesh enticed me. No other human made me feel like that. Sure, I hungered, but it wasn’t a passionate hunger.
I leaned back so that the shower water didn’t ruin my hair. She turned her face upward, encouraging the water to drench her. I licked the droplets from the nape of her neck, tasting the cold, fresh water mingled with the peach-warmth of her skin.
She grabbed my hands and lifted them over my head, backing me up against the cold tiles. Then she kissed me. A forceful kiss. I responded, but as we kissed, I pressed against her so that our positions reversed. She thought she could take control, but that would not happen again.
I couldn’t believe how quickly and completely she yielded to me. Her arms clasped around my neck, and she gave a soft moan.
Her lips fluttered along my collarbone to my neck. Then she sank her teeth in, biting hard.
“Hey, who’s the vampire here?”
She laughed, a low, throaty laugh that hit me right in the stomach. That laugh really did it for me.
“Ha, but it’s hot, right?”
She wasn’t wrong. I covered her face with watery kisses.
Losing myself in her shouldn’t feel this good, but I couldn’t resist. Nothing else mattered but my need for her. I’d swapped one bond for another, but I’d fight this one. I’d gain control.
But not just now. For now, I just wanted to bury myself deep inside her.
Chapter 48 Clem: Staked
“So, how was it?” Kisho asked.
“Huh? You want to know the details?” I asked.
I’d never tell Kisho the details. And I’d sure as hell not say anything in front of Nic about how bone-shakingly incredible it had been.
“Hell, yeah. We all do. We want to know everything,” he replied.
“Don’t tell him!” Nic yelled. “Do not say a word.”
“I had no intention of that,” I said.
As I turned to him, our gazes connected. It took me a while to pull my eyes away. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Lingering glances and quivery stomach feelings weren’t part of the deal. Just sex; that’s what we’d planned. I had no room in my life for sugary sweet Nic feels.
In a day or two, this red-hot passion would burn itself out. Intensity like this never lasted. But right now, anyone who came between Nic and me annoyed me, even Kisho.
“You two aren’t fighting, so it must’ve gone well,” Kisho said. “And needing that extra time.”
He waggled his eyebrows, so I threw a cushion at him.
I should fight with Nic. We should say snarky things to each other. Otherwise, people would know.
Know what? That we’d had sex? There was nothing to hide there, yet I felt like we should be hiding something.
“Are you going to contact the mayor about my car?” I asked Nic.
“Not yet, but I will soon.”
“Thanks.”
Without realizing, I’d twisted a strand of his hair around my finger.
Kisho laughed. I had no idea why. This wasn’t funny. Maybe there’d been some kind of spell or weird magic thing going on, but I had no desire to bitch at Nic. I just wanted to gaze at him. His beauty was compelling. Everything about him entranced me. I craved him every moment of the day.
“Luis and Shelley are going to check on Vlad soon,” Kisho said. “Do you want to go with them?”
“I think they can handle it,” Nic said. “Maybe you should go with them, though.”
Wow, the bond really had broken. There was none of the frenzied worry that he normally had about the kid.
It also meant we had the house to ourselves. As soon as they left, Nic looked at me. That look seared through to the depths of my soul.
We flew into each other’s arms.
“The bedroom?” he asked.
I’d have been happy for him to do me up against the wall or on the dining table. The floor—that worked for me. But he picked me up and carried me to the bedroom, then laid me down on the bed. I wasn’t sure how long we had, but it wouldn’t be enough time.
We pulled each other’s clothes off without breaking our kiss. I needed his naked skin against mine. I wound my legs around his waist and writhed against him. I couldn’t get enough Nic.
“Don’t you think it strange that Kisho isn’t even a tiny bit jealous?” I asked him.
“Not really. He’s used to sharing my affection with the rest of the pack.”
That wasn’t really what I’d meant, but I let it slide because Nic had started doing something really amazing with his tongue on my belly.
He’d just begun to peel off my panties when someone burst into the bedroom.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Nic asked Andre. “This is private time.”
“Boss, the Northside Gang, we’ve found them.”
Nic jumped away, and I pulled the sheet over me. Not before Andre copped a look at my boobs, though. Damn creepy vampire.
“We have to attack,” he said. “Now, before they realize we’re coming.”
I jumped up, keeping the sheet wrapped around me.
“You’re joining in the fight?” Andre asked.
“Hell, yeah. It’s been too long since I staked a vamp.”
“Not long since you got staked by one, though,” Andre said.
I picked up a shoe and threw it at his head. I wasn’t sure if I liked Andre or not, but I guessed he was part of the pack.
Chapter 49 Nic: Fight
We had to strike fast, and we had to strike hard. And, most importantly, I had to make sure I killed Lucio. I didn’t know how he’d managed to bring all these rebels together, but he’d mobilized them. Without him, the bad would’ve quieted down, at least for a while.
I’d called all the gang together. We waited for Kisho to show up with Shelley and Luis. Meanwhile, we prepared weapons.
“I’m not sure your sexual aura will work on these guys,” I said to Clem.
She seemed a bit shocked. “Why not? They’re just regular vampires. There’s no reason not.”
“I just don’t want... You might not have time. There’ll be a lot of them.”
That weird gripping in my chest when I thought of her flaunting her body to those guys, was that jealousy? Not possible. As much as it hurt, it had to be something else. Jealousy just didn’t happen to people like me. That would mean thinking of myself as being on the same level as other people, that they might somehow be competition to me. Still, the thought of those vamps looking at her and lusting after her made me want to hit something. Maybe she should stay behind. Otherwise, I’d be weakened.
“Got to take my trusty baseball bat,” said Andre. “It’s my good luck charm, and it’s perfect for cracking heads.”
“This time, we fight to kill,” I told him. “They took one of ours. We can’t forgive that.”
Andre’s lopsided grin collapsed. “I know that, boss.”
Jeb packed up about a dozen stakes.
“Who knew that vampires had all those stakes just sitting around? Isn’t that dangerous?” Clem said.
“You never know when you’re going to need them,” Luis told her. “It’s not often we fight, but when we do, we don’t muck around.”
“Show me that famous sex aura, Clem,” Andre said.
“You couldn’t handle it, buddy.”
“I bet I could.”
“Leave her alone,” I told him.
“Whoa, boss, you hate people messing with your girl.�
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She was not “my girl”. There would never be a “my girl”. Not like that. I had other things in life. How would that even work? I couldn’t imagine us holding hands and going on dates to the movies. I couldn’t really work out how to relate to her at all now, except for the sex thing. I had feelings. Weird feelings.
I’d never understood desire or lust. They seemed like things ordinary people did to make others like them. I never needed to worry about that. So, why Clem Starr, out of all the women in the world? A part of me was disgusted by that.
“How many of them are there?” I asked Andre, wanting to think about business, not icky feelings.
“I couldn’t get a good look, but a lot. It’s going to be a tough fight.”
“They have the numbers, but they’re just a bunch of punks,” Jeb added.
Andre nodded.
“Remember,” I said, “leave Lucio to me. I’ll be the one who takes the consequences for killing him.”
Kisho arrived back, and I called everyone together to work out the plan.
“Is that kid fighting with us?” Jeb asked.
“He’s staying out of this,” I said.
Jeb raised his eyebrows as if to imply the bond wasn’t broken. But I had my reasons.
“They have the numbers,” I went on, “but our strength is that we fight as a pack. We’re a single unit, not a bunch of randoms with no cohesion. Vlad isn’t used to fighting in a pack. He’s not used to be being part of a pack at all. That will put us all at a disadvantage.”
Andre nodded.
“Yep, too risky. And her?” Jeb looked at Clem.
“She wants to come.”
“You can fight?” he asked Clem.
She rolled her eyes.
The gang had holed up in an abandoned shop across town. Andre and Jeb didn’t have many details about the layout.
“They just seemed to be resting,” Jeb said. “We need to get to them before sunrise.”
That gave us an hour. We’d be attacking from outside, so we’d be slightly weakened by the sunlight, but not enough to worry about.