Embrace the Desire

by Spring Stevens

  Chapter 24

  Chanta ran her hand up Payne’s chest to his neck and leaned forward. She had to kiss those amazing lips before she chickened out. Her lips brushed his and she pressed harder as his hands went to her back. Almost timidly he kissed her back as if he was unsure what to do. But she knew he could kiss. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been reliving the kiss he had given her every single minute of every single day. His mouth opened as if he were going to speak and she slid her tongue into his mouth.

  The pleasure that rocked her body was unreal and intense as she licked his tongue with hers. He groaned as she deepened the kiss and crushed her body closer to his. She had never experienced a thing like this. He growled as her crotch rubbed against his and he caught his breath as she pulled away from his mouth and nipped at his bottom lip.

  Chanta slowly opened her eyes and looked at Payne’s face. His expression was a look of utter fascination. She couldn’t tell if he was shocked, happy, mad, turned on, turned off, or upset. Suddenly embarrassed with her actions, she hid her face in his neck.

  They sat still in the silence and it stretched on for what felt like hours. In the moments when she had been out of control, her anger so intensified that her emotional blocks slipped away, she saw Payne for what he was. His soul was teetering on the edge between good and evil. One small push could make him go either way.

  She whispered, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. Just let go of me and I will get off of you.”

  “Do it again.” He whispered back as he pulled her head from his neck to face him again. “Do it again.”

  Chanta tried to read him as she leaned forward and ran her tongue across his lips. He tasted good, salt and sugar all mixed together. She slid her tongue into his mouth as his hands went to her butt. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, she felt his erection through his pants. He groaned and held her hips as he arched up. She moaned as she pressed down and pulled from his mouth. He caught her lips as she tried to pull away and greedily kissed her.

  Chanta’s insides went wild as his hands moved up her back and came around to her breasts. He slowly cupped them and released her lips. She arched forward and pulled his head to her chest. He grinned as he took one of her nipples into his mouth and sucked hard. Her response thickened his arousal and he bit down. She grabbed his face and he slid his tongue around her nipple.

  His other hand traveled down her ribs, down her stomach, and down the inside of her thigh. She opened her eyes and met his as his hand went between her legs. She moaned and tried to lean forward, but he held her still.

  “Look at me,” he whispered.

  She watched his face as he slid his fingers across her womanhood. She was wet with excitement and he smiled as he slid one finger inside of her heat. She kissed his lips as he went deeper inside of her. The sensation that was driving inside of her body was unlike anything she had ever felt; she was hot—hell, she was on fire. His fingers were delicious, long, thick, and were hitting all the right spots.

  His eyes held hers as he made love to her with his hand and the look on his beautiful face was satisfaction enough, but damn it, she wanted more. His grin widened and she felt his temperature rise. Was she going through the Burning or was he? She was unable to differentiate between her heat and his. His breath hit her in the face like a wave of hell’s heat. He had some serious fire in him and it was coming out one way or the other. Her eyes burned, but she refused to shut them as she licked his lips again.

  Chanta was lost in a whirlpool of colors, sweet chaos, and a rising heat. Her skin blazed and felt like it was melting, but there was no pain, just overwhelming pleasure. Her eyes closed as she let the feeling carry her body and her hands found his. His—oh it was Payne’s hands, Payne’s body, Payne’s eyes. She wanted him, she needed him, and she had to have him. She arched back as her birthmark bit into her flesh. She wanted to cry out but the pleasure was more intense than the pain.

  She heard Payne’s voice. His tender tone catching at her heart. “It’s going to be okay. Just go with it. Don’t fight it.” As if she wanted to fight her body’s desire to have his? “I’m right here.”

  As she leaned back and let the pain from her ankle run up her body, her heartbeat sounded in her ears and her spine twisted underneath her skin. She wondered why she wasn’t afraid; she wondered what was happening but his hands were so warm, gentle, and creating a fierce need inside of her.

  Her shoulders ached and she fell forward as something hot gushed down her back. She screamed out as she felt the skin on her shoulder blades rip open. Her fingernails dug into Payne’s hands as the pain intensified. She felt as if her spine was forcing itself out of her skin.

  • • •

  Payne honestly didn’t know what was coming next; he had never taken a woman through her Burning, but so far he was enjoying it. She arched against his chest and grabbed his hair. He watched in amazement as her eyes turned red and her hair flew back from her face and went completely white except for the red highlights that appeared. Payne’s eyes narrowed as her fingernails dug into his hands.

  Her skin glowed with a pale white light as delicately etched black and red flames raced up her legs like tattoos appearing without the needle. He squeezed her thighs as the flames ran up her stomach and under his hands.

  Her skin was on fire—hot, beautiful, and worthy. Payne growled in pleasure as the flames circled her arms and ran up her neck to lick at her cheeks. She was everything and more; she was breathtaking and intoxicating, and he would die for her in this moment.

  Payne beheld her, in her true form, and what a gorgeous sight to behold. She was covered in black and red flames that seemed to have a life of their own as they licked up her body. Her eyes had turned from red back to that swirling silver and black and her lips seemed fuller, healthier. The wings on her back extended, the feathers were white and each one was tinged with red. Her white hair fell across his chest like silk and shimmered as he ran one hand through it. It could have very well contained the stars from heaven within its shine.

  He reached to her face and pulled it up to look into her brilliant shining eyes. Tears ran down her cheeks and steamed as the flames licked them away. She was amazing and sexier than he had envisioned her before. True, she resembled Gyth, but this woman before him, this goddess, she was special, she was Chanta.

  He smiled; she was his Enchantress. His.

  “This is the Burning.”

  • • •

  Chanta’s body ached and burned as she tried to fight the pain that was cutting down her pleasure. She cried as Payne ran his knuckles gently down her face. She was hurting in places that she couldn’t fathom. Every bone, every muscle, every nerve ending was on fire. She tried to pull away and lashed out at him as he gently lifted her and stood. She twisted and screamed in outrage at the pain.

  “The pain you’re feeling is going to get worse. You won’t be yourself as the Burning eats your blood and devours your soul. You must fight, you must want to stay alive. I’m right here to help when the time comes. When it does, you’ll know what to do.”

  Chanta barely heard his words as he walked to her room. She screamed as he laid her on the bed, every touch, every slight brush of air felt like someone was ripping her skin from her body.

  Anger flooded her heart and she kicked his stomach as he reached for her hands. He flew backwards and landed against the dresser. He grunted but kept calm as she twisted to her side and begged him to make it stop.

  “Stay with me, Chanta. Focus on my voice. Hear me.”

  Payne pulled his black leather trench coat off and threw it on top of the black dress on the floor. He pulled his scimitars from his back and hung the sheaths over the mirror on the dresser. He watched her as she twisted and curled on the bed. She was in a great deal of pain, but he knew it was going to get worse.

  He slowly unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it from his leather pants. Chanta took him in. His mark, his tattoos, ran up both arms and across his broad shoulders.
Skulls, bones, faces of demons and black serpents riddled his back and arms. They all were covered in red flames and seemed to be screaming. In the center of his shoulder blades was a deep scar from his childhood, a five star pendent had been painstakingly carved into his flesh with fire.

  “I’m right here, Chanta. You’re not alone in this. That’s it, keep listening to my voice.”

  Chanta sat up as Payne sat down on the edge of the bed. Her canine teeth lengthened as Payne reached for her hand. She reached up to her mouth and her eyes widened in disbelief as the pain eased. Her stomach was still on fire but her body calmed.

  “What . . . .how . . . why?” she shook her head. “I’m not a vampire, why do I have fangs?”

  Payne caressed her wrist with his thumb as he tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. “When a female goes through the Burning, she transforms into her true form. This is yours.”

  “I have fangs.”

  He nodded as he continued rubbing her wrist. “Every member of the One Race has a true form and everyone is different. You’re part god and part angel. And the fangs, they have a use when the time comes. The pain has eased?”

  “Yes . . . but my stomach . . . ”

  “Your blood has pooled into your stomach and soon it will need to be released.”

  “Released?” She cried as her hands flew to the pain that stirred inside of her belly.

  Payne bared his teeth and they slid down over his bottom lip. “This is how I am going to help you.”

  “What are you going to do to me?”

  He pulled her into his arms and gathered her hair from her neck. “I’m going to take your blood and rid it of the impurities. You will no longer be human, you will become immortal.”

  Chanta grabbed his forearms and cried harder. “Are you a vampire?”

  “No. Vampires aren’t the only beings that have fangs. As a matter of fact all the members of the One Race have fangs.”

  “What if I don’t want this? What if I . . . ”

  “If you refuse to let me, you will die.” His eyes softened. “I don’t want you to die, Chanta, I have just met you. I seem to have taken a liking to you.”

  Chanta pulled away and searched his eyes. “Why?”

  Payne ran his hand down her cheek. “I expected you to be like your father. Imagined later that you would be like your brother, but you’re not, you’re so much more.”

  “I was adopted,” she whispered as she took Payne’s hand in hers. “I didn’t know I had a brother and I didn’t know Gyth was my father until Varick told me. I never met my mother until today.”

  Payne’s nostrils flared. Gyth couldn’t even raise his own child but then he did have enemies that would have loved to slit her throat in front of him. Gyth had never held her when she had nightmares, had never told her he loved her, had never tucked her in bed at night. At least his father had taken an interest in him, even though it had tormented him and would for all eternity.

  “Your father is a god. He had to protect you by not being with you.”

  Chanta threw her arms around Payne’s neck. “Then he’s a fucking bastard for making me go through this!”

  Payne grinned. “He is a real piece of work, that’s true. That is one thing I am sure of, but Varick and your father sent me here to help you. The Burning isn’t something Gyth or anyone else can control.”

  Chanta jerked away. “They sent you? The only reason you’re here is because Gyth commanded and because Varick made you that promise. You don’t really want this, do you? But you’ll do it because you want that woman you’re in love with.”

  Payne gritted his teeth as he watched her face twist in pain but he wasn’t going to lie to her. “I was promised one wish for helping you.”

  Chanta laughed and it sent a chill up Payne’s spine. “Fuck Gyth and fuck you!”

  “That’s the general idea.”

  Chanta slid to the edge of the bed and tried to stand on her unsteady feet. “Go back to your fucking god and tell him he can kiss my cold dead ass!”

  Payne grabbed her waist as she sagged into his arms. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

  “I don’t want this! I don’t want to be the daughter of a god who . . . get your hands off me!” Her voice cracked and her words were more of a growl than a reply.

  Payne jerked her around to face him. “You won’t die. You’re going to let me help you through this!”

  “Fuck you! I’ll tear your limbs from your body if you dare to help me.” Her voice boomed in his ears and he narrowed his eyes.

  “If I have to, I’ll do this by force.”

  Chanta’s cold laugh hit him in the chest. “I can feel the power of him coursing through my veins. Are you sure you want to fight me?”

  Payne’s lip curled up in a sarcastic smile. “I’m going to let your little sweet ass in on a secret. There is nothing you can throw at me that I cannot withstand.”

  Chanta jerked away from his hands and hissed at Payne as her blood thickened in her veins. “Then prepare yourself, Payne!”

  “I keep hearing that lately.”

  Chanta balled her fists at her sides and the flames on her arms grew and burst out of her skin. She held out her hand and smiled as the flames leapt from her palm and hit Payne in the chest. His feet slid backwards as he grabbed the bedpost to steady himself.

  He grinned and rushed her. She fell back onto the bed as Payne grabbed her hands and pulled them over her head. His hair fanned down over her face and she arched up as flames leapt from her feet and traveled up her legs.

  His smile widened. “I’m afraid your flame has no effect on me.”

  Her eyes softened, her fingers running along his skin. “In case I forget, thanks for this . . . for trying to save me.”

  He softly kissed her lips. “You don’t have to thank me.”

  His body pressed down on hers as her flame completely enveloped him. It felt good, right, and his erection pounded inside of his pants. She fought and twisted underneath him as the fire in her soul roared to life. Payne let her hands go as she screamed and her face revealed the physical and mental torture she was going through.

  It was time, but he had to wait for her to acknowledge her need of him. He held her face as the tears of mental stress poured from her eyes. Dropping his empathic shields, he let her emotions and thoughts pour into him.

  The anguish of a hundred million human souls filtered through her mind. She witnessed and felt them all at the same time. The One Race souls from the abyss cried out to her and tried to pull hers to their endless torment. She fought and scratched at them as she tried to flee their thoughts, their past, and their tormented futures.

  Payne pulled her hair from her neck and whispered into her ear. “Tell me you want this and I will make them go away. I can save you if you’ll let me.”

  Chanta grabbed his shoulders and screamed, “Payne!”

  His name from her lips sent a thousand sparks of fire into his soul. She needed him. Someone needed him and to have her need him was a pleasure that he had never felt.

  Payne gently caressed her neck and lightly sucked on her tender flesh. The flames danced out of his way as he bit down and sank his incisors into her throat. Chanta moaned and pulled him closer to her body.

  His heart somersaulted. A vision claimed him, one from Chanta. She didn’t see him as a demon or a monster, she saw only him. The wall around his heart shattered.

  Her anguish diminished as he sucked and her blood rushed from her stomach to her veins. It flooded his mouth and slammed into his stomach where the flame of the Underworld awaited its arrival. He pulled back and sealed the wound with a kiss. She closed her eyes and unconsciousness claimed her.

  Chapter 25

  Flames licked Payne’s insides as he pulled himself from Chanta’s body. He violently fell backward and landed on his side. The flame inside of him cut through her blood and steam poured from his mouth as he tried to stand. Her blood was strong, stronger than he had expected and he
r pain was even stronger. He pulled himself to his knees and braced himself against the floor with his hands.

  Tremors of pain ran up his back as the blood boiled inside of him. The horns of his demon burst from his forehead as the purple flames leapt from his hands and ran up his arms. He groaned as her memories flooded his mind.

  Since her first awakening experience in the womb, she was beautiful. Her childhood spun around his brain as she was passed from one home to the next. The foster parents all thought she was a freak of nature. And they were afraid of her and the uncanny ability that she possessed. But most of all, they were all afraid of what lay behind her odd eyes.

  Payne witnessed her teen years and pain fueled his heart as she yearned for comfort, a soft hand, and a tender touch. She had been beaten, hidden, and locked in a closet. And the torments had not ended there. One of her foster fathers had threatened to kill her because she had caught him cheating on his wife.

  Her eighteenth birthday flashed in his mind. She was finally free of foster parents and had met a man. Her heartbreak swirled in his mind as two years passed and Payne tried to deny what he was seeing. Damon stood on her steps waiting for her as she locked the door. Chanta was smiling as she threw herself into Damon’s arms and kissed him.

  Payne wanted to scream, wanted to erase what he was seeing yet he couldn’t and it continued. He saw Damon on bended knee, saw the ring that he placed on Chanta’s finger. His groan of despair was unheard as he slammed his fists onto the floor cracking the wooden panels.

  Her memories swirled, danced, and bled together. Then he saw her again.

  Chanta was walking down the dark alley to her new apartment, one she was sharing with Damon. She was happy and carefree as she strolled along. She had gotten a job and things were finally looking up for her. She smiled as the dark clouds passed the moon and closed her eyes as her apartment came into view from the alley.

  Payne growled as a man stepped out of the shadows behind her. She screamed as he grabbed her neck and dragged her into the shadows. Payne tried to block the vision and clutched his head as the memory refused to let him go. Payne slammed into the nightstand as Chanta was forced to face the cold block wall.