“Get out.”
“What?”
Carissa picked up his jeans and threw them as hard as she could at him. She then threw his shoes, which hurt more. “I said get out! Take your shit and go back to the room I showed you.”
“Carissa…”
“Get the fuck out of here! I don’t want to see you, and I sure as hell don’t want you sleeping in my bed!” she yelled at him.
Julian snapped inside. “Fine!” He stood up, yanking his jeans on. “But if you think this is over, think again. You need me as much as I need you!”
Carissa shoved Julian out the thin wooden door. “You’re not that good,” she told him before she slammed it on his face.
Lucian was standing out in the dark, stone cut hallway leaning against the wall. The moment he saw Julian, he started to clap his hands. “Well played.”
Julian stormed past Lucian with a pissed look on his face. “Blow me.”
Lucian shook his head and laughed. “Oh, I knew this trip was going to be interesting.”
Chapter 5
Julian was woken up the next night by a kick to his ass. “Time to get up.”
He rolled over, opening his eyes and looking up at Carissa, who was dressed in her black leather outfit without the mask. “Do you have to keep kicking me?”
“Yes, I do,” she told him in a matter-of-fact voice. “Now, get your ass up and go home.”
Julian groaned as he rubbed the sleep from his face. “Not this shit again.”
“Carissa,” Lucian put in, coming to his feet. “We have to bring you home. Ambrose has pulled his rank.”
Carissa looked at him then back down at Julian. “Figures,” she replied in her cold voice. “Didn’t think the two of you left home on your own.” She kicked Julian again. “Too soft.”
Lucian chuckled as Julian quickly got to his feet. “Do you have to keep kicking me?”
Carissa tossed him his shirt. “Yes, I do.” She turned her back on them, walking out of the tiny room. “Then, let’s get going. Don’t have the time to keep fucking with you two.”
Julian shook his head, pulling his shirt over his head. “She just keeps getting moodier and moodier.”
“Well, I do think that seeing you brings out the worst in her.” Lucian smiled. “She sure did look happy when you showed up.”
“You know you could support me here,” Julian snapped.
“Oh, you are on your own.” Lucian groaned, stretching his muscles out. “This is your mess. You figure out how you are going to get out of it.”
The group managed to get back to the house moments before the sun rose. Lucian remarked a few times to Julian how if he would have listened to him in the first place, they would have been home hours ago. That the shortcut Julian demanded they took was more like the long way home.
Carissa didn’t say a word, however. She sat in the back of the truck, looking out at the night.
The house was dead quiet when they walked into the front door. Lucian yawned, but it was cut short by Carissa rushing past him. She headed down the stairs without a word to each of them.
“She’s in a fucking mood,” Julian remarked dryly.
“Reminds me a whole lot of you.” Lucian smiled. “You were in quite a mood before we left.”
“That was different.” Julian walked into the dark kitchen, digging in the cabinets for his whiskey. “Ambrose had no right pulling rank for us to go out and do his dirty work.”
“I thought it out.” Corbin walked into the kitchen, yawning. “That shit will kill you.”
“So does your cooking at times.” Julian growled.
Corbin flipped Julian off. He walked to the fridge and pulled out a red looking milk shake in a water bottle. “Drink that.” He tossed it at Julian. “Might help that shitty attitude you suddenly have.”
“I don’t have a shitty attitude!” Julian whined.
Lucian only laughed. “I am going to bed.
* * * *
Julian felt the pounding of tiny hands beating on his chest when it was too early for him. He grumbled and rolled over in his bed, only to have two bodies start to jump on him.
“Papa! Wake up!”
Julian opened his eyes slowly with a deep breath. Both Alina and Paris were in his face smiling. “She’s here!” Alina informed him cheerfully.
“Who?” he grumbled again in a sleepy voice.
“Carissa!” Paris exclaimed.
“Come on!” Alina put in. “She is out back with Uncle Lucian and Ambrose.”
“They are fighting,” Paris informed him. “And she is taking them both on. It is so cool!”
“Come on, Papa.” Alina tugged on his arm. “Get out of bed!”
“Okay, okay.” He moaned. “Give me time to at least get dressed.”
By the time Julian got up and out back, everyone was outside watching the show. True to what the girls had told him, Carissa was taking both Ambrose and Lucian on in hand to hand combat.
Lucian stopped and smiled at Julian. “Glad you could pull your sorry ass out of bed.”
Since he wasn’t paying attention, Carissa lunged at him. She did a quick cartwheel, wrapping her legs around his neck. She yanked him down, hitting him so hard in the stomach that it knocked his wind right out of him.
“Pay attention,” she snapped at him.
Isaiah was sitting on Tempest and started to laugh. “That was good.”
Even Tempest started to laugh. “He has a point. Being brought down by a girl is the highlight of my evening.”
“Oh, the support is growing.” Lucian moaned.
“I think we can call it an evening.” Ambrose panted. “Even the strong need to rest.” He finished with a hard look at Carissa.
Everyone started back into the house, but Julian kept his eyes fixed on Carissa. She was picking up the thick wooden staffs, trying her best to ignore Julian.
“We need to talk,” he finally said to her.
“We have nothing to talk about,” she responded in her cold voice.
“What is really bothering you?” Julian demanded, preparing himself for a fight. “You act as if someone has hurt you to a point of no return.”
Carissa turned and looked hard at Julian. She tried to not show any of her emotion but failed. “What hurts me the most right now is being so damn close to you.”
Julian stopped and stood up straight, looking at her with his own pain. He let her see the hurt that he still carried deep inside. “Well, in case you ever decide to give a damn, you hurt me when you walked away. You left me standing here wondering what could have been between us. Not knowing is what killed me.”
“You died when Serina died.”
“Bullshit!” he yelled. “I lost a lot when she died, and I learned how to take what was special between us then and put it toward my daughters. I won’t lie and tell you that I never loved her because I did. But I didn’t have the time to feel for her what I feel toward you. I wanted to tell you so much, but you walked away. You never looked back!”
“I walked away, Julian, because I couldn’t bear to not have you look at me as I knew you looked at her,” Carissa spoke softly. Then, she lowered her eyes as she pushed the tears back. “You are a weakness to me. One that I cannot bear to have when I am out there. Deep down, we both know that you will never love me as you loved her. That is why I had to walk away.”
“You won’t give me a chance to.”
Carissa looked up at him. No emotion, no sadness or happiness marked her face. “You are a luxury that I can’t afford.”
She started to walk past him but was stopped by his hand on her arm. Julian met her in the eye. “You can’t keep going on with only the small memories. You need me just as much as I need you.”
Carissa reached out and touched his face so gently that he thought he was dreaming it. “But you don’t need me.”
Julian let her jerk her arm away and walk inside. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“You didn’t really t
hink that it was all going to be sweet and easy, did you?” Tempest asked, walking back out to join him.
“I sure didn’t think it was going to be this hard and painful.” He sighed.
Tempest smiled. “Her pain is so much deeper than what you think. Julian, think back to when it all started. This thing between the two of you didn’t begin five years ago. It started when you two were children. She has loved you since she was a little girl. Hell, she told you so that night at your own table.” Tempest smiled gently. “She even told you when you snubbed her. I’m sure coming back here to face you and help you find Alina was crushing. I wouldn’t have been able to help the one I loved find his child by another.”
“So, what would you do then?” He looked at her with his charming smile—the smile that the whole family missed. “Oh, wise one.”
Tempest smiled back at him. “First thing, don’t be so damn needy. No woman is going to want a man who is…” She wrinkled her nose at him. “Well, like you right now.”
“Thanks.” He chuckled with a roll to his eyes.
“You need to grow a new set of balls, my friend.” She smiled cheerfully at him. “Cause the set you have now is in Carissa’s pocket, and I don’t think you are going to get them back anytime soon.” She finished off with a pat to his shoulder, walking back into the house.
Chapter 6
Julian went on a search in the house for the girls. After his small conversation with Carissa, he made extra sure to stay out of her way. At least until dinner time that is.
Instead of finding his daughters, he found Tempest and Corbin arguing over how to cook something in the kitchen. He had to smile at the sight, just because he knew how long it took Tempest to be comfortable in the house. It had taken a very long time to open up, and when she did, it was a sight.
“Hey, have you two seen the girls?” he asked.
“They are out back with Carissa.” Tempest grinned at him. “They somehow talked her into showing them how to tumble.”
Julian frowned. “They know how to tumble.”
“Yes,” Tempest remarked with an even brighter grin. “But not this way, they don’t.”
Julian grinned and walked out the backdoor. Sure enough, Carissa was out back with all three of the kids. He was somewhat shocked to see that all four of them were doing a handstand without any kind of help. Julian had to admit it was a very impressive sight. Plus, the fact that this was the first time he had seen the girls this still.
“Papa!” Alina suddenly cried out.
All of them lost their concentration and tumbled to the ground. Carissa was smiling as she went down, along with the kids. However, her smile slowly went away when her eyes met up with Julian’s.
“Papa, you have got to see this!” Alina exclaimed, rushing up to him. “Carissa showed us how to do these flips.”
“Yeah, Papa,” Paris put in with a big smile. “They are great.”
“Why don’t you three show your Julian,” Carissa said, avoiding his eyes. “I need to go find Ambrose.”
“You are going to stay, right?” Paris asked, grabbing onto her hand.
Alina took hold of the other hand. “You did promise us.”
Carissa looked at Julian before she smiled down at the girls. “Yes, I’m staying.” She looked back up at Julian. “For a little bit longer.”
“Great!” Paris beamed. “Come on, Papa. We want to show you.”
Julian watched Carissa walk back into the house as he was dragged out into the yard by the kids.
Instead of finding Ambrose like she said, Carissa went back downstairs to her room. She locked the door, leaning against it with a heavy heart. She closed her eyes willing away the sudden pain that hit her. Yet, this time it didn’t go away like normal. This time the pain that shot through her system brought her down to her knees.
Her arms went around her stomach as she dropped down. She knew what her body needed and what her heart demanded. Her pride wouldn’t let either have its way.
Somehow, Carissa managed to strip her clothes off and crawl into the bathroom. She barely made it to the toilet before she threw up. All of this was something that hadn’t happened in a very long time.
Still on her knees and still very shaky, Carissa managed to finish taking her clothes off and start the bath water. She groaned in pain while she climbed into the tub, turning the shower on to beat down on her head.
Carissa shook in pain and watched helplessly as her body started to swell. It had been so long since she had this happen that Carissa thought she didn’t know how to handle it.
With eyes closed, she reached out to grab the knife that she also had near the tub. It was her emergency knife, needed only when she needed a deep bleeding.
Her hand closed around it. For a brief second, Carissa felt some peace knowing that within moments she would be getting that relief. However, she wasn’t expecting a hand to grab her wrist, stopping her from bringing the knife into the tub.
“What the hell do you think you are doing?”
Carissa opened her eyes to see Julian frowning at her angrily. “Go away,” she pleaded.
Julian put enough pressure on her wrist to cause her to drop the knife. “This won’t help things.”
“How did you get in here?” She groaned again with pain. “I locked the door.”
Julian pulled his shirt over his head then stood up. He kept his eyes fixed on her while he kicked his shoes off and unzipped his jeans. Within moments, he was climbing into the tub, sitting down behind her.
“There isn’t a lock I haven’t been able to pick,” he told her, pushing her head back on his bare chest. “And unfortunately, the girls have learned that trick as well.” He brushed hair from her face. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“I don’t need you.” She groaned again in pain. “I just need to bleed myself.”
“That doesn’t work any longer,” he told her, licking the vein on her neck that stood out. “And deep down, you know it.”
Carissa sat straight up and moaned in pain. She wrapped her arms around herself. Julian stood up and walked around. He looked at her with hooded eyes as he sat back down in front of her.
Firmly he took hold of her legs and yanked her onto his lap. His arms went around her body, hands skimming up her back to fist into her wet hair. Julian pulled her head back, exposing her neck. His mouth opened, and his eyes changed to metallic silver. His arms bulged out with power while he held her still, letting the anticipation of the feed build.
Julian pricked her skin with his sharp incisors. Closing his eyes, he inhaled the sweet, heated scent of fresh blood before his tongue licked the red liquid. The excitement that rushed through his system by her simple taste was enough for him to want everything she had.
Julian sank his teeth slowly into her neck and clamped tightly, sucking the hot blood down his throat.
The pull and need within Carissa was too much for her to fight. Her arms wrapped around Julian’s neck as she pressed her body as close to him as she could, yet it wasn’t enough. Her soul cried for more, cried to a point that she could not deny.
While he drank from her, bringing the pressure and pain down, Carissa let Julian enter her body. Her hands held his head to her throat, letting him drink as much as he wanted.
Carissa closed her eyes, and her head went back as her hips moved on their own. Water from the shower beat down on their heads, and still Carissa moved her hips as Julian drank from her neck.
Her hands ran up his back to his long hair. Her nails scraped his scalp as she kept a rhythm with his drinking. Every so often she would jerk hard with her hips, smiling when she heard him moan against her neck.
Julian closed the wounds and helped her move against him. His lips kissed around the slightly bruised flesh. His tongue snaked out, licking and kissing along the collarbone and up to her slightly opened mouth.
He kissed her deeply as he picked up the speed with which his hips were moving. Julian’s eyes never changed color while he watche
d her. He grinned at her, loving how her body tightened up on him moments before her orgasm broke.
This time Carissa reared her body back. Her arms went over her head to press against the wall. She used this as leverage to push her hips hard on him. Julian’s own eyes closed tightly. His head went back, one hand cupping her breast hard before he looked down at their bodies, watching her pound herself onto him.
Julian snapped his head back again and cried out his sudden release. It was matched by Carissa’s own cry of pleasure. Her pussy tightened so hard on Julian that it gave him extra pleasure. The spurts from his cock deep into her brought extra chills down his spine and a deep desire for it to never end. He wanted each and every one of these moments to be like this. He wanted to find a peaceful ground that they both could reach, not when she needed to be fed upon.
With each time they came together, Carissa felt as if he were pushing her closer and closer to the point of no return. The closer he brought her to the one place that she tried like hell to forget about. He made her feel complete. It was the one and only thing that made Carissa open her eyes and see that she was just like him—lonely.
Carissa closed her eyes and placed her head on his shoulders. Julian wrapped his arms tightly around her body, also closing his eyes.
“This changes nothing,” she told him as she breathed hard against his shoulder. “I still don’t need you.”
Julian chuckled as he kissed her bare neck and part of her shoulder. “Keep telling yourself that one, baby. I know better.”
Chapter 7
Dinner was an event full of laughter and tension. Julian sat at the far end of the table with Alina on his lap, eating a meal with nothing but his hands. Corbin informed them all that he and Carissa decided it was time for something different. A large Indian meal was spread out. Things like flatbread, several roasted chickens, fish, rice and beans, raw vegetables, a dipping sauce, and soups. Everything was to be eaten by fingers.
Tempest and Lucian bragged about how good everything tasted and commented that even Isaiah was eating something. Lucian was starting to get worried about the lack of food his son was eating.
Bloodmate IV Page 3