by C. L. Quinn
Eillia shook her head. No, this was not what she needed right now. It complicated the uncomplicated life she was trying to build. But she wouldn’t let him die here in her arms. So, she rolled her eyes up at the heavens, asked them, “what the fuck,” and then yanked back several layers of the clothing around her right wrist. Eillia tore it open, sealed her wrist over his mouth and compelled him.
“Drink,” she said, and he did.
Daniel was dying. It was a good way to go. Peaceful. The cold had already settled in, and he no longer felt it at all. Then suddenly he felt his body lifted…and there she was. His angel. The woman he wanted more than anything else in this world was touching him. Now he knew he was dead, because that’s the only place he could look up and see her staring down at him. God, he hadn’t been able to forget her face. But he realized his memory had not done her justice. Or was it that now she was an angel, she was perfection? He groaned and tried to put up a hand to touch her cheek, but he couldn’t move. She was speaking to him, but he couldn’t understand. Then one word came through. Drink. What? What did she want him to drink? Argh. Hot. Spicy. Smelled weird. Like blood. What was she doing? He was dead. Why did he suddenly hurt so much?
Eillia gathered the frozen dying man up in her arms and vampire-raced toward her cabin. She left the nasty green scarf lying wounded in the snow.
CHAPTER FIVE
Sydney was one of her favorite cities. Lovely shopping. Healthy strong young people to eat. Every time she went out for her blood meal lately, she’d ended up in Sydney, at the little shops looking for something unique and fun. Blood meals were far more than just meals, also sex and entertainment. And that made the choice important.
Sometimes Tamesine got so bored. But tonight the game had gotten much more interesting. She’d found another vampire. Not a first blood like herself, but vampire nonetheless. He was smallish, unremarkable looks, definitely not the hot and sexy vampires she was used to, but he was the first she’d found in this area since she’d been here this past year. It would be nice to share a meal with a vampire for a change.
He’d chosen a pretty young girl, pale hair and skin, blue eyes. Tamesine watched and followed as he used compulsion to lead her through the narrow street and behind a little shop into a courtyard with dim lighting. She remained in the darkness as he instructed his “catch” to lie down on a lounger near the back of the courtyard.
Tamesine muffled her laugh. He was so awkward. He needed her help, she could see that. She waved her hand and the pretty blonde froze in place. It was one of the many skills a first blood vampire could use. Total control over every muscle of all humans and most vampires. It was useful.
She watched as the vampire stared at his silent and still blood meal. He tried to compel her to move, but that would not happen while she was under the control of a first blood. Tamesine couldn’t help herself now. She giggled as she walked forward to meet the confused vampire.
“Hey, little vampire,” she taunted. “Lose control of your little girl?”
He turned to her angrily. What the hell? Who the fuck was this asshole vampire who thought it would be acceptable to interfere with his meal?
Alvin stood up and faced her.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Playing with you. It’s fun. A game. I like games. You’re the first vampire I’ve seen on this continent since I’ve been here. You want to share? I’m Tamesine, by the way.” The gorgeous vampire raced to the lounger and leaned down to lick the blonde victim on the neck. She smacked her lips.
Alvin was pissed. He was fascinated, but he found her too forward. She thought it was okay for her to interfere with his feeding? She needed to be taught her place. He used vampire speed to push her away from his chosen blood meal. She flew backward and fell heavily against the wood picket fence.
“Let’s try this again. If I want to share, I’ll let you know. Vampires are so arrogant.” His condescension was apparent.
Tamesine stood and stared at him. Then she began to walk slowly back toward him, a slight smile on her face. He watched her move ridiculously slowly for a vampire, and for a tenth of a second, he wondered about her odd expression. Then he was hanging suspended from her hands over her head. He struggled but couldn’t move.
From above her, he looked down. She was still grinning.
“So, what was that about arrogance? ‘Cause you win the prize for that, little one. Don’t you have an idea what I am?”
He didn’t. Because this small female vampire should not be able to do this. He was bigger, male, and should be stronger. But he literally could not break free of her grip. He struggled to speak, but her pressure on his vocal cords was too great.
A few moments later, she dropped him unceremoniously on the ground.
“Sorry. I am such a bitch. It’s probably because I’m so good at it. And here I was really just trying to be friends. It can be so lonely “down under” for vampires. Not many of us seem to end up here. You’re not first blood, not my equal, but at least vampire. Well, anyway, I actually just wanted to play with you and your meal. You really wouldn’t mind, would you?”
Alvin lay crumpled on the ground, swearing in his mind. Motherfuck! And what did she mean by first blood? Alvin was more than fascinated now. What was she that she was extraordinarily strong, and referring to him as “vampire, but not equal.” This required more information.
He might be hunted and an exile, but he wasn’t an idiot. He knew he’d better tread carefully. And see if he could find out what she was. He’d learned over the past year that there were more supernatural species than he’d ever known. She was definitely something else. It was apparent she could have crushed his throat with a single squeeze of her hand. That was not good.
So he stood slowly, brushing off his white slacks, and gave her his brightest smile. He knew he wasn’t the biggest or most handsome vampire in the world, but he was charming. Women did tend to like him.
“I would be overjoyed to share her with you. This type of thing is always more fun as a party. And might I say, you are an extremely lovely party.”
He had her. She smiled coyly and shook her long hair.
“I know! And vampire, I play hard!”
“Alvin, please, my lovely lady. That sounds delicious! So tell me, how would you like to proceed? Ladies first, I always say.”
“Oh, you are a charming asshole! I like you, Alvin. Let’s just do it together. You ride her, I’ll watch and feed, and then we’ll trade off.”
“Whatever pleases you.”
Alvin felt sick already. He was vampire, a monster, he knew that. But he still tried to maintain his humanity. He could tell she would not be like him. But he also knew he had no choice. He followed her over to the sweet little thing he’d chosen for his blood meal. He’d wanted to have her entertain him, perhaps mount her, and then get his blood meal. But he hadn’t planned to kill her. Now, he wasn’t sure how this would play out. Oh. Well.
He eased up to the girl and told her, deep in his compel, to lay down on a plush piece of grass near the back of the yard. It was more comfortable and out of the dim lights near the front. Tamesine was grinning.
“You first,” she said.
So he smoothed the girl back with his hand, and worked his cock to its full hardness. He had to admit it was pretty stimulating to have the female vampire watch him handle himself. All his years, he’d never thought about an audience. Now he realized what he’d been missing. It was a total turn-on. Fully erect, he pushed into the girl, who would have cried out, but he compelled her mute. He kept his eye on Tamesine, who did the same, and then came forward to strike hard and fast at the girl’s throat while he was riding her. Damn, this was good! He put his hand on Tamesine’s head as he watched her feed and shot into the strongest orgasm he’d ever had.
Tamesine wiped the blood off her chin and pushed him off the girl.
“You drink now, and let me.”
He wondered what she meant and was surprised
when she got down and began tonguing the girl. The girl began to groan and writhe as he tried to drink from her throat. He’d barely gotten enough when her body spasmed in orgasm. Tamesine sat up, wiping her mouth.
“Everybody should have a good time!”
She got off the ground. “I like pussy,” she explained. She began to aggressively brush off her dress, then looked up and tilted her head. She just stared, didn’t speak for several minutes while he sealed the girl’s wounds. Alvin looked up at the sexy, crazy vampire above him.
“Come with me,” she said abruptly, and walked away toward the busy street.
Oh, hell yes! He turned to the girl and told her to dress quickly. “You will go home, bathe, and feel very good. You will not remember me, this woman, or anything that happened here tonight.” She scrambled away and grabbed her bundle of clothes to run to the front of the yard as far away from him as she could get. He smiled. She’d be okay. Now, to follow the loony vamp and find out what the hell her deal was.
Tamesine was already past the markets and heading down to the beach. She moved vampire-fast and nearly lost him. But when she slowed down and stopped to bury her feet in the warm sand, he was right behind her. First bloods could move much faster than average vampires, but he’d kept up enough and did not lose her. Umm. She loved warm sand between her toes. The sun had dropped less than an hour ago and the slightly damp sand had retained the heat.
She watched him walk up.
“Not too bad, vampire Alvin. You almost kept up with me. That isn’t easy. Of course, you know I could outrun you if I really wanted to.”
He watched her squeeze her bare toes into the sand the way a child would.
“I bet you could. Why is that?”
“Oh, I’m special. I bet you’ve never met anyone like me before.”
“I bet I haven’t. So, I’d love to know. You said you are first blood. What does that mean?”
She giggled. It was charming in an unsettling way. She was stunning, obviously very powerful, sexy, yet with a childlike naiveté. It was too odd.
Tamesine laid down on the sand and started to make a pattern with her arms and legs.
“Sand angels! Come on, make one with me!”
He just watched. Damn, she was nuts. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t use her.
“I just like watching you do it. It’s quite sexy.”
“I know!” She sat up and stared at him again. “You’re strange for a vampire. Usually you guys are huge, but you’re kind of small. Sort of geeky. Why is that?”
It didn’t miss his notice that she’d repeated his own words back to him. “I’m smaller, yes, not quite the bulging muscles most men gain when converting. I don’t know why. I fought the conversion. Maybe that was it.”
“Why would you do that? Being vampire is way better than human.”
He sucked air through his teeth. Vampires were abominations! He thought of his failed attempt to begin their destruction last year. Didn’t mean he gave up, he just had to reassess.
“I was in an accident, badly injured, with my wife. We were dying. She begged a vampire she had known for several years to save our lives and I agreed to be changed. She wanted him to convert me first, then after he had begun the process, and started on her, she got frightened and made him stop. She was afraid God would be upset. That it wasn’t natural.” Alvin scoffed. “Of course it wasn’t natural! But I wanted to live. And I wanted her to live with me. But she was afraid. I told the vampire to do it anyway. I knew she’d eventually accept it. But he refused. He said she had the right. I was furious. I still am. So, I completed the conversion in anger. I always thought that my chemical make-up screwed up the change. Anyway. Doesn’t matter. I’m still very fucking powerful!”
“Well, I’ll just have to let you show me. You’ve had your ride and I took care of the girl. I want a ride, too. But, and don’t get offended, I like you, I do, but, you don’t appeal to me. Sexually, I mean. You don’t get me off. I like pussy, but I also like cock. So I need to do a little shopping. You want to come? And watch?”
Alvin thought about it for a moment and he realized he did.
CHAPTER SIX
Eillia hauled the barely conscious man into her cabin, the snow following them in to blanket the floor in white. It showed how cold it was inside when the snow did not begin to melt quickly. She laid him on the tattered rug in front of the dark fireplace and lit it immediately. He was soaked, so she used her abilities to undress him and threw the damp garments across the room to land in a heap beneath the frozen window. Then she pulled the comforter off her bed and wrapped it around him.
She dropped back to sit on the floor and let herself lean against the front of the couch. Her eyes stayed on the still figure illuminated by the growing brightness of the fire as the flames gathered strength and grew larger and hotter. Just what she needed, she thought. A stranger to rescue. Another person in her sanctuary. Who didn’t belong there. She shook her head and laid it back against the seat of the couch. Damn! Well, she couldn’t leave him. It wasn’t in her nature to ignore someone in distress, and she knew without a doubt he was dead if she hadn’t given him a chance by feeding him a small amount of her very powerful blood.
But now she had a human in her home to deal with. He’d heal quickly now and she’d probably have him gone within a day or two. Still, it was an interruption at a time she was really working hard to get well again. He wasn’t welcome. Well, it was a moot point. He was here now and she just needed to heal him, get him out of there, and wipe his memory. So there was no reason to worry about concealing her nature. He wouldn’t remember her or any moment of this time.
With a soft sigh, she crawled forward and unwrapped him a little. He might need another small dose of her blood, so she needed to assess him. As she pulled the comforter back, she got a good look at his face for the first time. The color was already back to normal, and he seemed to be breathing okay. She tilted her head as she stared at him. He was the man from the bar who thought he knew her. What the hell had he been doing out there at dusk on a snowmobile? He seemed like he would be smarter than that. Well, he was a lucky idiot since he had the good fortune to try to die with a first blood vampire passing by.
She pulled the bedding back a little further to check him over. He was still very cold. He needed body heat. She had body heat. She’d share, but she wanted to check for any other injuries. He had multiple lacerations on his face and upper body, but they were already healing. She pulled the comforter down further and checked him carefully. His legs were badly bruised, but they, too, would fade soon. He’d be fine. Lucky for him, the human body responded very quickly to vampire blood. In another few hours, he wouldn’t even know he’d been injured. She pulled the comforter back over him, avoiding the private area. Her eyes had touched on him there and she didn’t even want to think about the male sex organ lying there close by when she found herself as horny as hell the past week. And she remembered him well from the bar. Because he was hell and gone handsome and she wouldn’t let herself think about that right now.
Eillia turned away and went barefoot into the kitchen to put on water for hot tea. She breathed deeply and made herself calm down. Yeah. She could mount him and ride him when he was better, satisfy her need, and then make him forget. It was a simple biological need. No one would ever know, so she could indulge herself. She could feel her body tighten and twinge at the thought. But no. It would be an affront to the memory of the man she’d loved for most of her life.
An argument ensued then between her libido and her better self.
Oh, really?! You think you’re going to go the rest of your life without sex because you’ve lost your man?
I think it hasn’t been enough time to grieve. And I should have saved him. I’m a first blood. I should have been able to protect him.
You’re a first blood vampire. You’re powerful. But you’re still very human. You can’t protect everyone. You can’t control everything. Hamid’s time had come. It
’s how it works. And you need the connection. You need blood and sex.
I’m fine. I’m drinking again. The sex… I don’t need it.
You will. You do now. Go look at him again. Tell me when you see his cock, you don’t want it inside you.
Go away. This is pointless. I won’t have sex again until I’m ready. And that is going to be a very, very long time.
Um, hmm. We’ll see. Finish the tea, and go warm him up. You may not need him, but he needs you.
Ha. You think I won’t be able to control myself. That if I lie against him to warm him up, I’ll jump him.
Um, hmm. Do what you think you need to do.
“I will!” Eillia said out loud, and yanked the pot off the hot stove, filling the teacup with wild splashes and then dropping into a chair. She glanced back at the cocooned man. Oh, hell!
Daniel awoke abruptly, and realized immediately that he was warm and wrapped up against another body. Oh, shit. Joey D’s mother again? Wait. His last memory was of his snowmobile rolling on top of him. He remembered freezing to death. Ah, fuck! Was he dead?
He moved his arms and tried to sit up, but had to disentangle himself from the tightly wrapped bedding. Finally he was able to pull free. The cool air against his bare chest told him he was alive and still in Alaska. He could see his breath in the air around him. As he started to pull his legs out, he glanced at the still form beside him. Definitely woman. Thank god. And definitely not Joey D’s mom who had garish bleached blonde hair. This woman had long smooth satiny black hair that disappeared beneath the comforter. And milky white skin marred only by a symbol on her shoulder tattooed in henna brown ink. He recognized it as Celtic, but he didn’t know what it symbolized. Her face was buried in a king size pillow he’d been sharing. He looked closer, but without seeing her face, he couldn’t tell if he knew her. By the straight black hair, he though she must be Inupiat. By the part of her body he could see, he knew he’d never been with her before. What the hell had happened last night?