The Reign of Darkness

by Britney Jackson

  Kara cast an amused, mischievous look over her shoulder. “You’ll see.”

  Rose raised an eyebrow. “It’s a tunnel of dirt. Lots of…dirt,” she sassed. “I doubt there’s anything exciting down here. Unless you think dirt is exciting?”

  Kara chuckled, “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll show you some excitement.”

  “Kara,” Rose said, blushing, “you know we can’t…do anything…here.”

  Kara let out a short laugh. “You’re so cute when you get flustered.”

  Even as she shot a half-irritated glare in Kara’s direction, Rose couldn’t stop thinking about the warmth of Kara’s fingers around her own. She felt hyper-aware of everything about Kara—her touch, her scent, her pulse, her arousal…

  She sensed it, pulsing and aching, as intensely as it would have, if it were her own. Kara seemed so composed on the surface, but clearly, that was an act.

  Kara glanced back at Rose, her eyes dark and dilated. “Are you all right?”

  Rose watched her, her own desire rising within her, as well. “Are you?”

  A slow smile spread across Kara’s face. “Oh, I’m more than all right.”

  Rose swallowed hard…because that look that Kara gave her—well, Rose figured even the word seductive wasn’t a strong enough word to describe it. “Kara.”

  Before she could finish speaking, though, Kara stopped. “We’re here.”

  Rose glanced at the walls of dirt around her—that looked identical to the rest of the tunnels. “And where is here, exactly?” she asked with a puzzled frown.

  Kara released her hand—which, honestly, sent a wave of disappointment over Rose—but then, Kara’s hands were on Rose again, warm and strong, as they curled around Rose’s arms and turned Rose toward the wall. “Do you see it now?”

  Rose blinked as she noticed a small gap in the dirt, framed by some sort of wood. It looked like another secret door, except this one wasn’t directly above them. It was only about six feet above them—and part of the wall of the tunnel.

  “It’s a bit snug getting in,” Kara said in her ear, “but once you’re inside, it’ll be plenty big enough.” Her voice softened. “Do you think you’ll be all right?”

  “Yeah,” Rose said, even as fear buzzed within her chest. “I can do it.”

  Kara’s intense, light blue gaze shifted toward her. “Only if you’re sure.”

  Rose glanced over her shoulder, at Kara. “So, how do I get up there?”

  “I’ll lift you,” Kara said, her breath falling against Rose’s cheek. She slid her hands down to Rose’s waist. “I can’t promise I won’t grope your ass, though.”

  Rose raised an eyebrow, an amused smile pulling at her lips. “You can’t?”

  “It’d be an accident,” Kara said—with a very guilty smile. “Can’t help it.”

  “Well,” Rose said, her cheeks reddening, “I would probably forgive you.”

  Kara’s eyebrows arched impressively high, her lips parting and tilting, all at once, into an open, surprised smile. “I was only kidding, but if you don’t mind, then,” she paused, trailing her palm along Rose’s back, sliding along the sensual curve at the base of Rose’s spine, down to the rounded curves of Rose’s backside.

  Rose gasped softly, as Kara squeezed and pulled Rose against her. She’d shifted, so that Rose’s hips would collide with her own, so that Rose’s face would be just inches from her own. Rose met Kara’s dark, lustful gaze. “I don’t…mind.”

  Kara smiled slowly. She lifted her hand, trailing her fingers along Rose’s jaw, cupping Rose’s chin and lifting it, and then, she tilted her head and brushed her lips against Rose’s. It was almost painful—the gentleness of the kiss, the lack of pressure. Rose instinctually leaned closer, aching for more. She longed for the intensity of their usual kisses, the ferocity that Kara usually exhibited, the painful pressure of her lips, as she devoured Rose with a kiss. But Kara gave her no such thing. Not this time. Kara stepped back, smiling, as she saw the longing in Rose’s blue eyes. “Patience, sexy,” she said seductively. “Let’s get you into that room.”

  “Room,” Rose repeated, while also blushing profusely. “That’s a room?”

  Kara nodded. “It’s not a bedroom, unfortunately, but it’ll do. For now.”

  Rose stepped away from Kara and moved closer to the wall. Her body protested the movement. Her instincts had very much been triggered, and those instincts strongly urged her back toward Kara. Those instincts urged her to listen to Kara’s quick pulse, to inhale Kara’s sweet scent, to sink her fangs into Kara’s neck and… Rose gasped, as the hunger twisted deep in her stomach, like a knife.

  Kara stepped forward, curling her hands around Rose’s arms, steadying her so that she wouldn’t fall. “I’m sorry, love. I shouldn’t have let you go so long without feeding,” she said, brushing Rose’s thick, red hair away from her ear. She moved her mouth to Rose’s ear and nipped it with her fangs. The tiny jolt of pain did what Kara intended—it grounded Rose. It reminded Rose where she was and helped her regain control of her hunger, but…it also sent an intense jolt of desire through her body as well. Kara slid her fingertips over Rose’s face, turning Rose’s head toward her own. She gazed into Rose’s eyes, which glowed red once again. “We don’t have to do this, if it’s too small for you. You can sink your fangs into me right here, and I’ll dare someone to interrupt.” Her light blue eyes darkened as she spoke, betraying her own desire. “I’d never want you to…suffer in any way.”

  A soft, affectionate smile curved at the corners of Rose’s lips. “I’m sure I’ll be fine,” she told Kara, “as long as the room itself isn’t a small space. Is it?”

  “No,” Kara assured her. “It’s a large room. When you get inside, there’ll be a stack of crates in front of you. They hide the door to the tunnel. Push those aside before you crawl through. But before you go, promise me you’ll be okay?”

  Rose laughed, “Kara, you don’t have to be so gentle with me. I’ll be fine.”

  Kara raised an eyebrow at that. “You don’t want gentle?” she murmured, her voice dropping seductively. She leaned in. “Careful what you wish for, sexy.”

  The suggestive note in Kara’s voice, the dark, lustful promise in those icy blue eyes of hers, sent shivers of desire down Rose’s spine. Rose tried to swallow, but her mouth had gone too dry. Her muscles moved too slowly. Her entire body was focused on that longing, on that needful ache that pulsed between her legs.

  Kara’s lips parted, and a shaky breath fell from her mouth—a breath that Rose felt on her own lips. Rose wondered what had affected Kara so intensely—if she had simply sensed Rose’s desire, or if she were just as affected by her words as Rose had been. Kara tilted her face even closer, her eyes fluttering closed. She dug her fingers into Rose’s hip, exhaling shakily. Then, she leaned back. “Come.”

  Rose nodded, still shaky and breathless, even after Kara released her. She walked toward the wall, glancing up at the small space that she’d have to squeeze through. “Are you sure I’ll fit?” she asked, as Kara came to stand behind her.

  “It’s bigger than it looks,” Kara murmured. “I’ve slid through it before.”

  Rose glanced back at her, lifting an eyebrow. “You’re thinner than I am.”

  Kara curled her hands around Rose’s jean-clad hips, moaning softly into Rose’s ear, as if just touching Rose had brought her pleasure. “Trust me. You’ll fit.”

  Rose squeezed her eyes shut, breathing out slowly. She was beginning to think her body was out for revenge, since it had been so long since she fed. Surely, there was no other explanation for how intensely she wanted Kara at the moment.

  Unless…this was how it would always feel between them?

  A tense, heated, magnetic pull, destined to bring them together.

  Over and over.

  Until the end of time.

  Which, you know, might come soon. Because of the apocalypse and all.

  Kara’s soft, warm hands slid up, curling aro
und Rose’s waist. “Ready?”

  Rose opened her eyes, blinking away those distracting thoughts. “Yep.”

  Kara lifted her easily, as if she weighed nothing, and Rose began to crawl through the small door. Her heartbeat skipped a little, when she found that stack of crates right in front of her face, but Kara called out, “Just shove them aside.”

  Rose exhaled slowly, trying to ground herself, and then, she pushed the crates out of the way and finished crawling through. She breathed a sigh of relief, once she could see the room itself—because it was much larger than it looked.

  “Are you all right?” Kara called out, once Rose was sitting in the floor.

  Rose moved back toward the door and peered down at Kara. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she said with a grateful smile. “Do you need some help getting up here?”

  “Nope,” Kara said, a smirk pulling at her lips. “Just get out of the way.”

  Rose stood and stepped away from the door, watching through the small door, as Kara took several steps backward. She felt her breath catch in her throat, as Kara suddenly ran toward the wall, jumping at the last moment. Kara caught the edge of the door and pulled herself through it effortlessly. Kara rolled onto her back as soon as she made it inside, smiling, as she saw the impressed look on Rose’s face. “That didn’t hurt your arms or anything?” Rose asked incredulously.

  “Nah,” Kara said, sitting up. “You just have to know what you’re doing.”

  Rose chuckled at the smug remark, watching as Kara climbed to her feet. “So, what is this place?” Rose asked, glancing around at the room, up at the tall, wood-paneled walls and the rows upon rows of bottles and barrels. “Wine cellar?”

  “Mmm-hmm,” Kara said, but she was already closing the space between them, grasping Rose’s face in her hands, and claiming Rose’s lips with her own.

  Rose gasped as Kara’s mouth covered hers, as Kara’s tongue slid into her mouth. She looped her arms around Kara’s neck, leaning into the kiss. Her fingers found the soft hair behind Kara’s head, sliding through the blue and black strands.

  Kara leaned forward, sliding her hand down Rose’s back. “No bed,” she murmured, her voice shaky and breathless. “Do you mind lying on the floor?”

  Rose shook her head quickly, and then, as if to prove her answer, she fell to her knees in front of Kara. She pushed up the edges of Kara’s sleeveless shirt, exposing Kara’s lean, fair-skinned stomach to her gaze. She pressed a gentle kiss against Kara’s stomach, her bright blue gaze shifting up, watching Kara curiously.

  Kara closed her eyes, exhaling shakily. Arousal seared through her, like a flame, as she felt Rose’s warm, wet lips on her skin. She felt Rose’s fingers at the band of her leather pants, unfastening the weapon belt, letting it fall to the floor, as she tugged Kara’s pants lower around her hips. She probably breathed out the word fuck in every language she knew, when Rose trailed her tongue along the lower curve of Kara’s stomach. Kara stripped her shirt off quickly, opening her dark, dilated eyes, as she slid her fingers into Rose’s long, auburn hair. She pulled Rose’s head back, until Rose’s bright blue eyes met hers, and told her, “Lie down.”

  Rose didn’t even hesitate. She lay back on the cold, hardwood, watching as Kara undressed above her. She vaguely wondered if she should undress, too, but she couldn’t bring herself to look away from Kara’s gorgeous, lean form, as Kara kicked off her boots and stripped off the black sports bra that hid her small, beautiful breasts from Rose’s gaze. The desire that burned beneath her skin was so intense, in that moment, that she knew her skin must’ve been an embarrassing shade of red. When Kara began to peel the leather pants down her legs, a sharp surge of arousal coursed through Rose’s body, and she couldn’t help but clench her thighs together, sighing out softly. Kara’s piercing, blue gaze snapped toward her, darkening with hunger. She tugged her black underwear down her lean, fair-skinned thighs, revealing the triangle of light brown curls at the apex of her thighs.

  Rose’s gaze lingered there, at the place between Kara’s thighs, her entire body roaring with desire. She felt Kara watching her. She sensed Kara’s reaction.

  Kara tossed her underwear aside. “There wasn’t a single moment tonight that I wasn’t thinking about you,” she said, her voice breathless. “Did you know?”

  Rose exhaled shakily. “It was,” she breathed, “kind of hard to ignore.”

  Kara chuckled, “I’d hoped it would be.” She smiled, when Rose tried to pin her with a glare—because it looked more like a lustful look than anything else. She stepped over Rose, placing her feet on either side of Rose’s jean-clad hips.

  Since Rose had her legs drawn up, Kara straddled her stomach, instead.

  Rose moaned, as she felt Kara’s center press against her stomach—with nothing but the fabric of her own T-shirt to separate Kara’s skin from her own.

  Kara didn’t comment on the fact that Rose had forgotten to undress—though Rose suspected that it was the reason for that amused smile on her lips.

  Kara leaned forward, her hands cradling Rose’s face, as she pressed her lips against Rose’s. They kissed slowly and passionately, tasting each other, taking their time. Not that Rose was too fond of taking her time. As a matter of fact, the desire burning in Rose was so intense that her eyes had begun to glow red again.

  Kara groaned softly, as Rose pushed herself lower beneath Kara, so that she could press her mouth against Kara’s chest. Rose moved her mouth from one breast to another, trailing her tongue over Kara’s nipples, moaning softly, as they hardened beneath her tongue. Kara pressed her hands harder against the floor, as Rose’s kisses intensified the arousal that had already been plaguing her all night.

  Kara couldn’t help but rock her hips a little against Rose, in need of some kind of pressure, some kind of release. She felt Rose’s body go still beneath hers. Rose lay back, gazing up at Kara with red eyes that burned a brighter than ever.

  Rose reached lower, curling her hands around Kara’s thighs, and pulling.

  Kara took the hint, lifting herself onto her knees, so that she could move closer to Rose’s face. She sank her fingers into Rose’s hair, tilting her head back, as she lowered herself onto Rose’s face. Rose wrapped her arms around Kara’s thighs, as Kara pressed herself against Rose’s mouth. With a moan, Rose closed her glowing, dark red eyes and swept her tongue against Kara’s center, tasting her. Kara rocked her hips, a desperate groan spilling from her mouth. Rose held tightly to Kara, as she found Kara’s clit with her tongue and focused her attention there.

  Kara cried out softly, pressing down a little, rocking her hips. Kara tilted her head back, her blue and black hair falling behind her shoulders, revealing the flushed skin of her cheeks. Her mouth fell open, her soft breasts heaving, as Rose brought her closer to release. She looked as if she’d lost all control of herself, as if she’d forgotten all but the pleasure building inside of her. But Rose knew that she hadn’t lost control—not entirely—because the pressure was light, still. Even in the height of pleasure, Kara was still in control of her body, as she always was.

  Still, the primal sensuality of this—the way Kara moved against her, the way Kara tasted, the way she felt—it was quite possibly the most arousing thing that Rose had ever experienced. There was so much trust between them, so much honesty in their bodies, and so much freedom in the way they moved together.

  There was no fear, no hesitancy, no holding back…

  Only the two of them—in an open, honest state of need.

  Rose moaned softly, as Kara pulled tightly at her hair, as every muscle of Kara’s body tightened, as Kara tilted her head back and cried out in pleasure. Her pulse was so high, so erratic, and her blood buzzed so quickly through her veins, that Rose could barely resist sinking her fangs into Kara’s thighs, as Kara leaned back, trying to catch her breath. She gazed down at Rose, an adoring smile curling at her lips. She lifted herself off of Rose and lay down in the floor, next to her.

  Rose raised up, gazing down at
her with those glowing, red eyes that Kara had grown so familiar with. Rose’s mouth was open and wet, her fangs gleaming.

  Kara lifted an eyebrow. “You look positively feral,” she murmured. With a lazy smile, she curled her forefinger back toward her, beckoning Rose closer.

  Still fully clothed, Rose climbed on top of Kara, straddling her waist.

  Kara tilted her head to the side, her dark hair falling back, exposing her neck to Rose’s gaze. “Hungry?” Kara said, as Rose’s gaze shifted toward her neck.

  Rose nodded slowly, watching the quick pulse of Kara’s neck. “Very.”

  “Well,” Kara said, her eyes darkening, “what are you waiting for, then?”

  With a growl, Rose arched forward and sank her fangs into Kara’s neck.

  21

  Loyal to No One

  Soft, soothing guitar refrains played in the distance, muffled by all of the walls between the other vampires and them. Rose trailed her fingers along Kara’s side, feeling the roughness of her battle-axe scar. There was something about that scar—something familiar and soothing, like a distant, long-forgotten memory.

  Kara apparently found it soothing, as well, because her muscles softened and relaxed, each time Rose touched her. She curled her arm tighter around Rose, chuckling, as she stared up at the ceiling. “Well,” she said, grinning at Rose, “I’ve officially done something with you that I haven’t done with any other women.”

  “Yeah, right,” Rose scoffed. She looked up at Kara, brows high. “What?”

  Kara’s light blue eyes sparkled, and her grin deepened. “Apocalypse sex.”

  Rose started laughing. She rolled her eyes. “It’s not apocalypse sex. Yet.”

  Kara watched her curiously. “Yet?” she repeated. She twirled a strand of Rose’s red hair around her finger. “You seem sure of that—that the world is going to end.” A hint of worry flashed in her icy blue eyes. “What did Zosime tell you?”

  Rose’s smile faded, and she rested her head against Kara’s chest. A tense silence settled between them, before Rose countered, “What did Zosime tell you?”