by Celia Kyle
“Do you not see yourself as I do? Lush. Beautiful. Full of life.” He saw the doubt in her eyes, the way she watched him warily as if he were a liar. He normally beheaded ones who made the mistake of calling him a liar, but with Zoe… he found the silent accusation to be a challenge. “Let me show you, skatten min.”
His first kiss was to her palm, his second to her wrist and he tormented himself with a taste of her skin. So delicate, so tempting. Her pulse pounded against his tongue, luring his fangs to descend. He clenched his teeth, taking a moment to push back his cravings, and continued his travels.
Her arm.
Her shoulder.
When he neared her neck, she shuddered and he knew she wasn’t quite ready.
That was fine. Her entire body was his playground and he was merely getting started.
Zoe couldn’t figure out how Arik’s lips could be hot and cold at the same time. Or how he could both scare the hell out of her and make her want to ride him like a pony. For hours. Days?
Her pussy clenched and her nipples hardened, pure arousal overcoming her in an instant. She let her eyes fall closed, letting him do as he wished. Because… Fuck, but she liked it. Liked him kissing his way up her body, and then—
He reached her shoulder and she froze, wavering between yes and no while he was so close to her neck. But he moved on, raining kisses down her chest, over the upper curve of her breast and then between the plump mounds. He moaned into the valley of her breasts and rubbed a rough cheek against the sensitive flesh.
“Skatten min,” he moaned and then moved lower, finding her cloth-covered nipple with his mouth. He nibbled the hard bit of flesh, sensations blunted by the fabric, but she could imagine his bare teeth on her flesh. His bare fang sinking into her nipple and piercing the nubbin with that sharp tooth.
She arched her back, pushing harder against him, and released a low whimper. “Arik.”
He merely hummed, gentle touches growing more insistent with each beat of her heart. He switched to her other breast, her dress hindering whatever pleasure they could share. He wasn’t just going for the red gold and taking the blood she’d agreed to give. He was seducing her and she… liked it.
A lot.
“Need more.”
“Do you?” He bit gently and tugged on her nipple, sending a slight sting through her veins.
“Yes,” she whined when he released her, a shudder following the single word.
“Show me.”
Show… She shook her head, trying to clear it from the overwhelming desire, but she still couldn’t think straight. “What do you mean?”
“Show me your glorious breasts, skatten min.” He bit again, this time harder, and she loved that pulsating ache. “Show me.”
Should she? She’d come to Claret to give blood and make some cash. Would sleeping with him really make her a whore?
Staring at Arik, at his glittering eyes and the pure desire on his features, she realized she didn’t care. She could hate herself for her whorish behavior tomorrow. Tonight was about finding whatever pleasure the vampire could give her.
Zoe stiffened her spine and lifted one hand to the thin strap of her dress, tugging and then allowed it to fall. A tug had her left breast free of its fabric confines, and she watched his expression for any hint of repulsion or distaste. Not because she thought she was ugly, but she just couldn’t understand why a man was given a buffet, but he wanted to look closely at the silverware first.
All she saw was a soul-deep craving, the red of his eyes spreading.
“Now the other,” he rasped and she eased away from him, letting the dress fall to her waist and then freeing her arms. “So beautiful. I have never seen another like you, Zoe.”
His tone was filled with awe, reverent, and she had no response to that. Instead, she slipped her hand into his hair, fingers sliding through the strands.
“Please, Arik.” She pulled gently, urging his head down, his mouth back to her breast. “Please.”
He gave in with a groan, mouth lowering to her nipple and he repeated the motions of moments before. He suckled and nipped, teeth pinching the sensitive nub for a brief moment before he released her. She fisted his hair, back arching and hips moving as she fought for more pleasure.
A fang scraped one of the nubs and she didn’t have time to be afraid. Not when one of his hands traced her outer thigh and slid beneath the hem of her dress. Those strong fingers taunted her skin, gliding over her flesh. He rose higher, nearing her hip, before he retreated again. Up, then down. Over and over. Until Zoe thought she’d go mad if he didn’t touch her more.
“Arik,” she whined and wiggled, parting her legs slightly.
Yes, she’d officially attained the title of whore. But fuck it. He was gorgeous and he wanted her and dammit she hadn’t had a guy between the sheets in forever.
But he didn’t give her what she wanted. Up. Down. So soft she almost wasn’t sure his hand remained on her leg. Then he bent his fingers, the next touch firmer, and sharp nails scraped her thigh. She shook with the burst of need that came with that stinging pain, and she knew waiting for him to get a clue wasn’t going to happen.
Zoe caught his hand, laid hers atop it, and then guided him where she wanted him most—between her legs. She forced him to cup her mound, the sudden exposure to air cooling her wet flesh.
“Please, Arik.” She increased the pressure and moved against him, grinding her pussy lips into his caress. “Need.”
Arik growled, the sound almost animalistic, and she whimpered with the spike in her desire. “Skatten min,” he growled the words against her breast and then he took over, caressing her as he desired.
Zoe let him do as he wished, simply taking whatever he gave her. The man had years and years of sexual practice. He could do whatever the hell he wanted as long as she came.
Those fingers parted her lower lips, sliding through her slick cream, teasing her from center to clit and back again. She rolled her hips in time with his attentions, riding the slight pressure of his fingers. He sucked on her breast in time with his strokes, arousing her further with every touch. And then…
Then he sank two fingers into her pussy, pressing deeply until he could go no farther. She moaned and whined with the new caress, his fingers teasing her sheath.
Arik released her nipple with a soft pop. “You are so hot and wet, Zoe. So slick.”
His rhythm never faltered, his fingers plunging in and out of her pussy, and she gathered every snippet of pleasure he gifted her. She rode his hand, taking more and more from him, hording the growing ecstasy. He grinded the heel of his hand on her clit. A shout snapped past her lips and she rolled her hips, looking for more of the same.
She let the bliss sweep her away, carry her into a tumultuous wave of joy that enveloped her from head to toe. There was nothing outside her and Arik. No worries. No nervousness. No hint of unease.
Just pleasure.
Lost in Arik’s possession, she didn’t notice his traveling lips until they came to rest on the side of her throat, the soft lips ghosting back and forth over her flesh.
“Zoe,” he whispered her name. A question and a plea.
And Zoe… wanted to come. Wanted to scream Arik’s name as she coated his hand in her juices. She wanted…
Exactly what the woman downstairs had received. That and more?
Not now. Later.
“Yes, Arik. Bite me.” The last word had barely left her mouth when he struck, his sharp fangs sinking into her throat, biting down, and she waited for the pain to wash away her desire.
But it didn’t. No, it magnified the pleasure, multiplying it until she truly did scream his name. The release overcame her in a massive rush, consuming her in one sweep, and she convulsed around his fingers. The pain of his bite built, intertwining with the pleasure of his hand.
She lost dominion over her muscles, nerves sparking and body twitching with random jerks as if the ecstasy snatched any hint of control. Her pussy fluttered aroun
d his invasion and she wondered what it’d be like to take his cock, to be stretched by the hard length hidden within his slacks.
Arik sucked and sipped from her neck, bliss radiating from his bite, each pull a direct connection to her clit.
Her orgasm continued, ebbing and flowing in time with bite, taunting and teasing her and she could do nothing but take everything he had to give. She whimpered and whined, overcome and consumed by him, overpowered by his sensual attentions and finally…
Finally, he eased. He slowed his feeding and withdrew his teeth, giving the wound a gentle lick and an even gentler kiss. His hand slowed, fingers still filling her, and she tightened around him, pulling a moan from his chest.
He lifted his head, drowsy eyes meeting hers. “You are dangerous, skatten min. Very, very dangerous. And very, very beautiful.”
Staring into the eyes of this vampire, Zoe believed him.
Huh.
4
Feeding a vamp and getting a fantabulous orgasm at the same time? Not super difficult. Zoe felt weird getting paid on the way out the door the previous night, the vampiress giving her a wink and soft “goodnight” before handing over the cash. But, that was the point of going there. Donate and get paid so she could then hand it over to the landlord. It’d just been… weird. Very whorish no matter how the job was wrapped up with its pretty, orgasm-inducing bow.
Following that night up with a day on her feet at Nibbles? Well, that hadn’t been fun, but she’d managed. Barely.
Things really went downhill when she had to immediately rush from Nibbles to school and sit through a three-hour lecture on… something. She wasn’t even sure what class she had or what day it was. Yeah, that’s how drained she’d ended up when all was said and done.
Then she remembered the rent payment she’d handed over and figured it was all good. Plus, one time only, right?
“Z, class is over,” Lola whispered.
Zoe dozed in her chair, the girl giving her a nudge, and she jerked, snapping out of her half-sleep. “Square root of the hypotenuse.”
Lola snorted. “English, not math.”
She groaned and shook her head, blinking rapidly when dizziness washed over her. Shaking head was off the “can do” list. A yawn escaped before she could suppress it and she covered her mouth. “God, sorry.”
“Uh-huh.” Lola rose, stuffing books in her messenger bag. “Chickie, you need to get more sleep.”
“Money.” Zoe hated to admit it, but the woman—girl-woman since she was all of nineteen—had become a friend of sorts. Not close, but not an acquaintance.
“That’s what you always say, but today…”
Today was the day after she’d had Arik’s fangs in her neck. “I’ll be fine. Rough night. Then day. And now it’s night again.”
Zoe shoved her own books in her backpack and slowly stood, thankful when her head didn’t swim. “I’ll be as good as new tomorrow.”
At least she hoped. The web said tiredness was normal and then she’d made it worse with all the working and running around. A good night’s sleep and a juicy steak and she’d be good.
“You know I can always take notes for you. If you need to stay home,” Lola assured her and Zoe gave her friend a soft smile.
“I’m good. I promise. I’ll see you in Chem.”
“History,” Lola corrected.
That meant it was Wednesday.
“History,” she confirmed with a nod. She should make a note on her hand so she remembered.
“Uh-huh.” Lola rolled her eyes. “You’re totally fine.” She grabbed Zoe’s arm. “C’mon, chickie, I’ll walk you to your car.”
She shook her head. “I’m good. I’m in the middle of nowhere.”
Because she’d been late.
“I can drive you.”
Zoe nudged the girl out the door, their argument bouncing back and forth until they reached the fork in the sidewalk. Left would take Lola to her car while Zoe needed to go right.
“Go. I’ll see you tomorrow night.” She waved Lola away and got a muttered “stubborn” in return that simply had her rolling her eyes.
The rest of the class was already gone, the night-time students anxious to get home and Zoe felt the same way. Most of the class was made up of adults with just a handful of younger students who doubled up on classes to get through college as fast as possible. Lola was one of those—anxious to be done and out of her parents’ house.
Lola Winthrop’s parents were rich, assholes, and should have divorced long ago. Between constant fights and being told she wasn’t perfect enough for the hoity-toity Winthrop family, the girl just wanted out.
Zoe couldn’t blame her.
She shook her head and turned down her path, nearly shuffling down the sidewalk, the overhang hiding the stars and moon. The dim, yellow lights cast random shadows across the concrete, bushes and trees looking more like creeping monsters and… men?
Yes. Zoe swallowed hard, staring at the shadow that wasn’t really much of a shadow at all. Her heartrate doubled while adrenaline rushed into her veins. That dark shape separated from the darkness, slinking into her path. Blue eyes and dark hair, a smirk that told her she was caught.
She slowed, knowing her hesitation expressed her fear and not caring a bit. Fear was a survival instinct, something humans had experienced from the beginning of time. Fear was real and Zoe was pretty sure Franklin D. Roosevelt hadn’t known about vamps when he’d coined that famous phrase.
The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Zoe amended that. And vampires.
Zombies too if there were such a thing. Werewolves? Yeah. Vampires, zombies, and werewolves.
Suddenly she was awake, all hint of exhaustion from the previous night and today gone with that dark figure. His dark clothing contrasted with his pale skin, making the color stand out even more and showing off one of the hints of his otherness.
She cleared her throat, forcing her voice to be smooth and even instead of hysterical.
“Cason.” She acknowledged him, mind whirling while terror jumped forward.
“Little pretty.” He tilted his head, lips still curved, his expression unwavering.
His expression… She was prey to him. That was what she saw in his eyes, and that ratcheted up the rising panic.
She needed to get past him, to her car and safety. Safety-ish, anyway. He could stop her at any moment, grab her and keep her with hardly any effort. Even if she locked herself in the vehicle, he could easily bust the glass and any wound he suffered would heal almost instantly.
Zoe wasn’t going to be intimidated—much. She could fake it till she made it… to safety. If he let her get that far. She sensed the darkness, the evil, in him. Something was broken inside his heart, something she hadn’t sensed in Arik. The blond Viking had frightened her because of his overwhelming sensuality, not his need for her blood.
But Cason was different.
“Fancy seeing you here.” She fought to keep the words calm and light while she pushed herself into motion. She went to the opposite side of the ten-foot-wide walkway and returned to her stroll toward the parking lot. “Taking classes?” His expression didn’t change, not a bit, and she kept talking.
“Me?” she babbled. It was thing. Nervousness tripped her word-vomit trigger. “I’m studying to be an accountant.” She made it past him, praying he’d leave her alone and nearly groaning when she heard his clipped steps behind her. “I mean, Aubrey’s a paralegal and Nat is a teacher and Gwen is an administrative assistant and they all need their taxes done, right?” Still babbling and he still kept pace. “Only things certain in life are death and taxes.” She forced a chuckle past her lips. “Except for you, I mean.” Another laugh and she glanced over her shoulder. “With the death part.”
He was still there, eyes on her, red rimming the irises. She’d searched for a few other things on the web. Like the meaning behind the red eye thing.
Cason was hungry.
For her, if his presence was an
y indication of his intent.
“But, yeah. Taxes.”
Then he was in front of her, towering over her, his massive presence blocking her path.
“I do not wish to discuss taxes, little pretty.” He parted his lips fully, smirk turning into a wide smile that exposed his elongated fangs.
So not good.
“We can talk about the weather? Is there a full moon tonight? I heard there’d be— “
“No, the moon holds no sway over me.” He reached for her and like true prey, she froze, unable to move. He traced her exposed collarbone, sharp fingernail scratching her skin. “I wish to discuss you.” He let his finger travel over her, sliding up her neck, and then he held her captive, hand wrapped around her throat. “And how delicious you shall taste.”
“Unfortunately,” she fought to smile, hating how it wavered. She wasn’t going to panic—or think about how easy it’d be for him to crush her throat. “I’m not going to Claret to donate again. I’m sorry to disappoint you.”
Zoe tried to pull away, knowing it was a futile effort, but giving it a shot regardless. Cason did as she anticipated, holding her even tighter.
“You misunderstand, little pretty.” He pressed his thumb into her flesh, digit resting over her carotid artery. Enough pressure and she’d pass out, leaving her at his mercy. “I am not giving you a choice.”
He leaned toward her, tongue darting out to lick the side of her face from jaw line to cheek and then his lips pressed against her ear. “Do you know how delicious you are? You smell like heaven. Will your blood taste as glorious?” There was nothing she could do about the tear that coursed down her face. “I cannot wait to savor your dea— “
Cason didn’t get to finish his final threat. His hand was ripped from her neck in a fierce yank. She watched, transfixed by the sudden appearance of Arik and his fierce defense. The man who’d been so tender the night before now held Cason firmly against a nearby pillar, the concrete cracked and broken where the vamp’s body struck the structure.
Arik’s body vibrated with suppressed violence, the tension in his shoulders belying his casual stance. The inherent threat in his arrival and actions should have scared her, should have sent her running in the opposite direction away from any and all vamps and yet… she remained—unafraid now that Arik had appeared. Weird.