“No! Don’t do this!”
“Why not?”
“Vasilije, why would you do this? I’ve been obedient and loyal all these years. I’m alone, unlike you, and I want her for me.” Brandon dropped his gaze to the floor. “Don’t make me beg. Please.”
His sire’s mouth twisted into a cruel smile and Brandon worried he’d lost her. His mind raced through his choices. He could try to get her out, but she remained under his power. He had only one choice—kill his sire.
Brandon looked over at her, his heart full of sadness. He couldn’t lose her! If having her meant killing Vasilije, then that’s what he had to do. Slowly, he moved toward him, unsure of how he’d do it, but sure he had to.
Desperation raced through him as his heart pounded against his chest. So many times for so many reasons he’d obeyed Vasilije, even when every fiber of his being had told him not to. He’d allowed him to lord his power over him, never possessing the strength of will or the true desire to defy him.
Until now.
Rage like he’d never harbored for anyone surged within him. His hands began to shake in anticipation of what he knew he must do.
I can’t let him have her.
Frantically, his eyes searched the room for what he’d need to do the deed. He zeroed in on a small antique table pushed into the corner.
Vasilije’s attention was focused on Arden, but Brandon knew his power. Only a fool would underestimate his sire. But he had to get to that table.
Lightning fast, he lunged toward the corner of the room, catching him by surprise just long enough to reach his goal. Smashing the table off the wall, he hurriedly broke off one wooden leg as splinters flew everywhere.
He grasped the makeshift stake tightly in his trembling hand, raising it as he prepared to plunge it into his maker’s heart. Vasilije stood facing him, the smug expression still on his face.
“You can’t do it, Brandon. I’m your sire.”
“Don’t you mean won’t? It’s never been that I couldn’t but that I wouldn’t. But I can’t let you have her, Vasilije. I love her.”
“What a ridiculous idea! You act as if you’ll only have one like her from this point on. Have you learned nothing in all the years with me?”
Brandon glanced over at Arden, who sat silently still under Vasilije’s spell. All he wanted was her. No one else had ever made him so completely happy. He wasn’t like others of his kind who collected women for their selfish pleasure. All he’d ever truly wished for was that one soul to share his years with, to erase the loneliness he’d lived with for so long.
And now he’d finally found her and Vasilije would take her from him to add to his menagerie of playthings.
“Let her be with me or I swear to God, I’ll stake you.”
“God? Now you bring God into it? Christ, Brandon. You sound like a simpering human.”
As he spoke, Vasilije inched closer and closer to him.
“You’d kill your sire for one woman? What has happened to you?”
“Release her now and I’ll take her away from here. We’ll never bother you again.”
“And if I don’t you’ll stake me?”
Brandon heard the disbelief in his voice mocking him. As much as he knew his sire possessed the power to defeat him, he had no choice. If he wouldn’t give her up, he had to kill him.
“You may taunt me all you want, but I’ve made up my mind. I won’t lose her to please you.”
Before the last word had completely left his mouth, Brandon was defending himself from attack. By some miracle, the stake remained tightly in his hand, but in seconds he was flat on his back with the ancient and far more powerful vampire looming over him.
“You underestimated me, my child,” Vasilije chided through gritted teeth.
“Not at all!”
With a grunt, Brandon raised his arm to thrust the stake toward him, but Vasilije caught him by the wrist and held him fast to the floor.
“You can’t win over me. Accept it.”
The deep chuckle that punctuated the end of his sire’s statement renewed his ire.
“I won’t let you have her. Never!”
Wildly swinging his free hand, Brandon attempted to inflict some small pain on the one being that stood between him and his happiness, but Vasilije was too fast and quickly had both his wrists pinned to the ground.
Looking up into his sire’s eyes, he saw all too clearly the cruelty that lay behind his beautiful facade.
“Do you remember that moment when I delivered you from your mortal life, Brandon? You were so innocent.”
For a moment, Brandon’s mind returned to the night he turned him into the creature he now was. “And I’ve been alone ever since. Whatever you think you gave me, you took away that innocence and replaced it with loneliness.”
Vasilije dipped his head to Brandon’s neck and grazed the skin with his teeth. “I gave you life,” he said softly.
“Then allow me to have someone to share it with.”
“Don’t be maudlin. You can find others.”
Brandon thrashed his body around, bucking wildly to throw Vasilije off him. His sudden movements surprised him, and Brandon saw his chance. In a flash, he’d rolled his sire onto his back and prepared to do what every vampire was forbidden to do—kill the one who'd created him.
His hand squeezed the wooden stake so hard pain radiated through his wrist and forearm. What he was about to do would make him a pariah in his world. But he had no choice.
He’d live as an outcast if he could have Arden.
Vasilije stared up at him with a look on his face that showed he finally understood. “So you've finally become the vampire I always knew you could be."
“Let me sire her, Vasilije."
As Vasilije considered the demand, Brandon readied the stake to plunge into his chest.
"There's no need to stake me, Brandon. She's yours."
“Release her now.”
Vasilije waved his hand and released her from his hypnotic spell as Brandon jumped to his feet and ran to her. Falling to his knees, he gazed up at her lovely face. “Are you okay?”
Arden nodded. “Would you take me home now? I’m tired of sitting here alone while you two talk.”
“What about that carriage ride I promised you?”
“Can we do that another night? I’d rather go home.”
He loved to hear her refer to his house as home. “Of course. Whatever you want.”
Brandon escorted Arden to the door and stopped to bid farewell to his sire. Even now, as it seemed he would be allowed to safely leave with her, he worried Vasilije would attempt to once again ruin his chance for happiness.
“Thank you, Vasilije.”
"Brandon, I didn't let you sire all those times because I didn't want you to make another mistake. You're not like me. I knew that."
For the first time in all the years he'd been Vasilije's vampire, Brandon believed that he truly did favor him. As cruel and manipulative as he could be, Vasilije had given him the greatest gift of all in his permission to sire Arden. Now what was paramount was that he claim Arden as his as soon as possible to bind her to him and make her his forever.
As they rode home after saying their goodbyes, she leaned close to him and whispered, “What happened back there? How did that table get broken?”
Pulling her close to him, he smiled and kissed her. “Nothing. None of that means anything to us now.”
Chapter Eight
Hours later, after more chocolate, kisses, and declarations of love, Brandon stood at her bedroom door ready to finally make her his. Everything was perfect. She loved him and somewhere deep in her mind, she knew what he was and accepted him.
Tonight she would come to him in his world and his lonely nights would forever be ended.
Taking her hand, he whispered, “Good night, love,” and began to walk to his bedroom one door down. Sensing her desire, he turned and said, “If you need me, come to me.”
Ten minute
s led to fifteen minutes and he wondered if he had made a mistake. He knew as much as he wanted her, if she didn’t come to him willingly, she’d never completely be his. As he waited, he listened for her, hoping she would give in to her desire.
Then a soft knock on the door was followed by her whisper. “Brandon?”
Opening the door, he saw her standing there with a look of apprehension. For the first time, she was there with him because she wanted to be. No vampire tricks. No hypnosis. Just her heart guiding her.
“I need...”
Cradling her face in his hands, he kissed her softly on the lips. “Let me give you what you need.”
He took her by the hand and brought her close to his body. She felt so warm as her form melded to his. He knew she was frightened as her delicate hand trembled in his. Fear was the last emotion he wanted, though. That worked for his random victims, but he wanted the sensuous woman she’d been when he’d visited her before.
“Brandon, I...” she began and then stopped and lowered her eyes.
Trailing his finger over her throat, he said, “Don’t be afraid. I would never hurt you, Arden.”
Slowly, he undressed her as she stood gazing up into his eyes with a look of pure love. When she was naked, he inhaled deeply, his breath catching in his throat. She was so beautiful. Her soft white skin seemed to dance in the moonlight that shone through the far window. He ran his hands over her shoulders and down her arms, loving the softness against his palms.
Her body was like that of a goddess to him. He'd seen it before, but never as she stood wanting him as much as he wanted her. As his cock stiffened in response to the vision in front of him, his fangs exploded into his mouth.
His lips covered hers and just as before she ran her tongue across his fangs, teasing him. She pulled away to see what she’d felt and looked carefully at them, watching them lengthen even then from the desire building in him.
Softly, she whispered, “Vampire.”
Brandon didn’t sense fear or disgust. The word sounded as if she were simply stating a fact that neither upset nor pleased her. He waited for her to speak again, but she said nothing, instead moving closer to his mouth and gently stroking a fang with her fingertip.
His breath left his body in a hiss as very quickly the last remnants of control began to evaporate. Grabbing her wrist, he struggled to keep her from going to a place she knew nothing of.
“Love, you’re taking me somewhere you may not be ready for,” he said in a raspy voice.
Innocently, she looked up at him. “Where?”
“Stroking my fangs is one of the most erotic things you can do to me. But I may not be able to control my desire for you if you continue,” he cautioned.
“Then I’ve been forewarned,” she said in a voice full of need.
As he continued to hold her by the wrist, Arden leaned into his mouth and slid her pink tongue between her lips to softly touch his fang. Desire shuddered through him as she repeatedly teased him, slowly stroking up from the sharp tip.
Something snapped inside him and he rushed to shed his clothes, wanting nothing more than to plunge inside her. His body felt like it was on fire with need for her. He wanted her more than he'd ever wanted any woman.
Taking her in his arms, he carried her to the bed and laid her down. “God, I want to be inside you. Open your legs so I can see that beautiful cunt.”
Smiling up at him, her eyes half-lidded from passion, she obeyed and he filled his eyes with the sight of the soft, pink skin his cock would soon devour. He ran his finger from her swollen nub to her wet entrance and slid it in to stroke her sensitive flesh.
“Tell me what you want.”
“Take me. No more waiting. I want you like you are in my dreams.”
Brandon knew exactly what she wanted and just before he filled her to the hilt, he whispered, “They weren’t dreams. And this time, when my cock is deep inside your cunt, you’ll truly become mine.”
“Yes! Make me yours!”
Her pleas made the last of his control vanish, and he slid into her wet channel until their bodies met, flesh on flesh. Over and over, he thrust into her as she begged for more. Awake, she was so much more than he’d ever dreamed she could be, and her desire spurred him on.
He felt her body begin to tighten around his cock and waited for her release with his own, but just before his cock exploded into her, she snaked her tongue into his mouth to wildly flick it over his fangs.
Pure ecstasy washed over him as her orgasm milked his shaft while her tongue brought him a release so powerful everything seemed to fade away but her.
“Oh God...Arden...”
Over and over, she whimpered in his ear as he continued to pulse into her. When he’d finished, he sweetly kissed her forehead. If she would just give him the final thing he needed, she’d be his. Still inside her, he said softly, “Be with me as I am. Mine forever.”
Arden’s gaze met his and for a moment he feared he saw rejection. Had she misunderstood him or changed her mind? Holding his breath, he awaited her answer.
Silently, she turned her head and pulled her hair aside to reveal her neck. He needed no more answer and dipped his head to kiss the skin below her ear.
“I love you.”
As she repeated those words to him, his fangs pierced her skin and he began to drink. As the blood poured down his throat, filling him with everything she was, he held her tightly against his body.
At the moment of completion, he brought his wrist to his mouth and opened it up for her to take him into her. He gently pressed it to her lips and urged her to drink. Brandon’s cock surged as her mouth softly sucked on his wrist. Each sensual pull sent more of him into her, changing her into one of his kind.
Her sweet brown eyes stared into his as she drank from him, and he watched in awe as she began to transform in front of his eyes into a vampire like him. Gradually, the skin that had so recently been kissed by the sun began to pale to porcelain as she became a creature of the night. Never again would she have the rays of the sun on her face to pinken her skin. Her eyes too began their change to those of a vampire. For from this moment on, she would see as other nocturnal souls of their world.
When she lifted her mouth from his wrist, sated for the moment, he spied the tell-tale teeth of one like him—her canines drew to sharp points and dripped with his blood. Gently, he stroked his finger over them and watched her eyes close in ecstasy.
“Brandon...”
“Yes, love?”
Her eyes opened and she looked up at him, her face full of love. Reaching out to her, he tenderly touched her cheek.
“Promise me you won’t leave me alone.”
Brandon understood her fear. She’d lost everyone close to her and now she was in a new world, a completely different person from whom she’d been. He remembered his turning and silently pledged to be even more than Vasilije had been to him.
“You’ll never be alone. I’m your sire, and you’re mine to protect. I swear no one will ever hurt you again.”
Arden leaned her head into his hand and closed her eyes as a tiny smile formed on her lips. “My Brandon.”
Trailing kisses over her face and neck, he closed the pinholes he’d made. “Mine,” he whispered to her as his tongue gently slid over her skin before they fell into a deep sleep.
***
As the sun set, Arden felt her body come alive. She felt her blood coursing through her veins just as she did the first time she felt the sun go down. Since that first night she'd awoken vampire, each sunset made her marvel at how alive she felt. Never as a human had her body and mind been like this.
She turned to her right to find Brandon as she had every night since he’d sired her. He lay naked next to her, beautiful in sleep. His dark lashes sat below his eyes on his pale skin shrouding the eyes so full of love for her. Arden watched as his broad chest moved up and down with each breath, so powerful even as he rested. He was the picture of perfection in every way. Gently, she cares
sed his muscular body with her fingertips, exciting him with just a mere touch. She ran her hands over the flat planes of his stomach to his hardened cock and gripped him. By the third stroke, his eyes were open and his fangs had dropped into his mouth.
“I love waking up with you next to me,” he said as he leaned over to kiss her.
“Evening, sire,” she cooed, knowing her pet name excited him.
“Come here,” he ordered and pulled her on top of him.
“Brandon, I smell dinner. We don’t want to keep Mrs. Benson waiting,” she teased.
“Dinner can wait,” he growled as he positioned her on him.
Straddling his hips, she rubbed herself on his hardened cock, enjoying the effect she had on him. Each evening as if they were newlyweds, they reveled in one another’s body, and each time Arden fell even more in love with him.
She moaned next to his ear when he held her fast to him. “I love you.”
Sliding into her, he said in a voice that signaled his need, “And I you.”
Arden sighed as he touched the spot deep inside her that brought her ecstasy. Over and over, he stroked in and out of her body, creating the exquisite sensations that carried her to heaven each night.
“Oh God, Brandon!”
Her mouth eagerly sought out his, and she slid her tongue in to caress the inside of his mouth as his cock caressed the inside of her.
Brandon turned his head away from her and pulled her to his neck in an offering. “Drink, my sweet Arden.”
As he plunged into her, satisfying her as completely as any woman could ever desire, she pressed her fangs into his skin and tasted the sweetness of his blood. As it hit her tongue and ran down her throat, nourishing her, she drew from him the life only he could offer.
She knew he was close to coming and drank her fill as he exploded into her. Eager to feel the same sensations, she closed where she’d fed and offered him her neck.
“Take from me as I have from you. Let me nourish you, my love.”
In an instant, his fangs were piercing her skin, and he tenderly drew from her vein as he held her close to him. She felt him grow hard inside her, and as he sucked the blood from her, she rode him, needy for the release their joining provided.
Vampire Dreams Revamped (A Sons of Navarus Prequel) Page 7