“Hold still.” He then leant his face towards the cut I had received thanks to the knife held at my throat.
“Wait…what are you…?” I started to protest, once again making him growl and I stilled instantly, like he told me. He gave me no explanation but just went back to work cleaning my second wound…
Vampire style.
“Ahh” I moaned at the first lick of both pain and his tongue. However, his own moan was all pleasure as he tasted my blood for the second time today. He gripped the side of the counter harder, to the point where I heard it crack under the pressure of his strength. I knew it was probably some kind of torture, letting him lick me clean without actually doing what he wanted to do…which was sink his fangs into me and drink straight from the vein.
It felt different than before, as then it felt more like being patched up by some quirky doctor but now? Well, now it felt much more intimate. Being this close to one another with his lips at my neck. There was only one word for it and that was dangerous.
He growled low when I tried to pull back and one of his hands shot to the back of my neck so he could secure me to his mouth. I also felt his teeth hold me still and any minute now I knew that he would lose control. So, I did the only thing I could do to stop this. The only thing I had left in my arsenal against someone as powerful as the Vampire at my neck.
I raised my shaky hand to his cheek and the second I touched him he released his hold on me. Then I raised his face to mine and when he started to become compliant, I took a shuddering breath before placing my lips softly to his.
He inhaled deeply the second I touched him and the tender seconds ticked by like time had stopped all around us. I was just about to pull back after achieving my goal, but as if he knew my next move he counteracted it. In a quick move, he positioned himself closer into me and lifted my face up to his so that he could deepen the kiss.
So, I did what I knew was wrong. I opened up to him, getting caught in the moment, one in the arms of my saviour. The second I did this, the room once again filled with light. I didn’t understand why this happened but it was as if every time we kissed, the Gods would show him the sun. It was as though they were blessing us in some way and I felt torn, like my body was being pulled in two different directions. Either cast to the shadows or thrown into the light.
But in the end, I decided to give us both this one moment and call it what it was, a gift that I was still alive because of him. So, as he commanded the kiss, and dominated it, I lost myself in all that Lucius had to give and boy…in that one kiss, he sure knew how to give a lot.
Surprisingly, he seemed to know when to be gentle. He handled my injured side with such a soft and light touch. Then with the other side, he would grip me more firmly, telling me without words that he owned me in this moment.
But it was this tender side that really blew me away and after all the ferocity I had witnessed, I didn’t think it possible. And just like his hands, he himself was a contradiction of character. One side hard and unyielding and the other, well that was now the part of him that scared me the most.
It was the most dangerous.
This sobering thought was what made me place a hand to his chest and we both pulled ourselves apart at the same time. Lucius didn’t put up any resistance to me pulling back or silently asking him to do the same. Instead he kissed me softly on the forehead and whispered down at me,
“Your kiss maybe powerful but… you hit like a girl.” And that was it, my teasing, cocky captor was back. He then winked at me and turned towards the tub as it was now nearly full. This time he turned off the tap the good, old fashioned human way.
“What are you doing?” I asked as he started to pull his t- shirt off and my mouth went dry at the sight of all those pale muscles on show.
“What does it look like, Pet?” he said undoing his trousers with a snap of his buttons. He turned to face the shower and made it come on with a nod of his head. Then he pushed the denim down his legs and what do you know…Lucius wasn’t a fan of underpants. Oh my…my, my, my…wow, that was one perfectly shaped Vampire ass!
I actually giggled and he looked back over his shoulder at me and raised an eyebrow. My hands flew to my mouth and I shook my head making him smirk. Then he nodded to the tub and said,
“Bath’s for you, sweetheart,” before opening the shower door and stepping inside. I think I stood staring for a whole minute before I started to move, first looking at the bath and then back to the shower. He was stood facing the tiles with a hand on the wall as he leant his head under the downpour. I looked down at his feet and saw the crimson water pooling around them before circling the drain.
Suddenly my head shot back up when I heard a tapping on the glass. Lucius had caught me staring at him and was currently smirking at me. I coughed and cleared my throat as if this would help being caught gawping at the Adonis in my shower. Then he pointed to the side and mouth the words ‘Bath’ and ‘Now’ which finally pulled me from my carnal thoughts. I shook my head in vain as it still didn’t rid me of the image of that hard-naked body all wet. But I knew there must have been something wrong with me, because even the sight of all that blood washing away didn’t put me off.
I walked closer to the bath and ran my fingers in the water testing the temperature. It was slightly on the hotter side than I usually liked, but I knew after being out in the cold for so long, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. Well, at least this was what I told myself as I didn’t exactly want to admit that I was already feeling a little too warm after seeing Lucius naked.
No! Bad Keira! Bad! Just shut off your brain and get your ass in the water…you never know, it might help, I told myself. So, I unbuttoned my jacket and placed it gently on the side. Then after a quick look to check Lucius wasn’t looking I started to peel off the rest of my clothes. Then I stepped into the water and sucked in a breath at how hot it was. Well looking to the steam coming from the top of the shower door, I guess someone liked it hot, I thought blushing.
I stood in the water, waiting to get used to it and for the usual itching skin to calm before getting the rest of the way in. Finally, I leant back and let myself relax. I thought back to how close I had come to being taken from Lucius and I frowned wondering when I had turned to the dark side? After all, I was technically still his captive but then I guess it was better the Devil you knew, than one you didn’t.
Yes, Lucius had taken me from Draven and that factor still pissed me off, but so far he hadn’t treated me badly and even at times shown me care and kindness. Was that why I was so confused?
“That looks like some heavy thinking, even for you Pet.” Lucius’ voice brought me back with a start and my eyes snapped open, and at the same time I covered my breasts. He chuckled, leant closer with a hand to the rim of the bath and said,
“I have seen them before…remember kitten?” Then he winked at me before pushing himself off the bath and back to rubbing his hair dry. I swallowed hard thinking back to the mud and the bath he had given me. I wanted to slap myself and shout ‘Get a hold on yourself, you silly girl’ but then that in itself would have been embarrassing.
He smirked as if he could read my inner turmoil as clear as day. I hated myself for looking at him the way I was but come on, the man was not playing fair! Stood there in just a towel, hung low on his hips and rubbing the back of his head with another towel around his neck, making his biceps bulge with the action. Jesus, I didn’t need a hot bath, I needed a freakin’ cold shower…make that ice cold!
“You’re staring again, Keira,” Lucius said and I bit my lip and looked away, flapping my hands and saying,
“No, I wasn’t! But…bloody hell, can you like…do that somewhere else?” I heard him chuckling and I looked back to finding him now staring down at me and I quickly re-covered my nakedness, making him laugh harder this time. Something that made his stomach muscles harden further and I hated how I just wanted to touch them to see if they were in fact as solid as they looked. Damn him!
�
��And why would I do that when I am enjoying myself right where I am?” he asked and I growled, making him chuckle.
“That’s adorable you know,” he told me and this time I grabbed a sponge, dunked it under the water and threw it at him. It splat on his stomach before doing the same as it dropped to the floor. He looked down to where it hit him and then back up at me with mischief clear in his steel coloured eyes.
“You wanna play, little girl?” he asked me with a bad ass grin that told me he wasn’t bluffing. I bit my smiling lips and shook my head telling him no. His eyes homed in on my teeth torturing my bottom lip and he smirked before licking at one fang. I gulped at the sight and then heard to my horror the sound of the water escaping the bath. The bastard had pulled the plug!
“Wait! I haven’t even washed yet!” He raised an eyebrow as if to say, was that the best I could come up with.
“I think you’re clean enough for me, sweetheart,” he teased, laughing when he saw my panic as the water level lowered to my stomach. I was already using my arms to hide my breasts but what was I going to use to hide my girly parts I had no clue. Oh yes, he was enjoying this.
But then his next move surprised me as he walked closer, all humour removed from his features. No, now he was giving me a softer look and Lucius once again surprised me. He bent closer to me and whispered,
“Worth it for that blush alone.” Then he kissed my forehead gently before pulling back and whipping off his towel.
“Wh…what are… you…?” I stammered out before he laid his towel across the bath so that my naked body was now covered. Of course, this also left him completely naked and I swallowed hard at the sight. I quickly closed my eyes but it was no good, I had already imprinted that image in my memory bank, very large man package in all its glory.
“You can open your eyes now, it’s safe,” he told me and when I fell for it I was granted with a view of him from behind as he had walked towards the door. I made an over exaggerated groan and this time he laughed harder…oh yes, he was certainly enjoying himself.
“Just remember, you started it darlin’,” he told me in a tone that was clearly amused and entertained as he walked through the door. I scoffed and shouted back,
“I threw a bloody sponge at you…I didn’t start a sex war!” I heard the cocky bugger chuckling from inside the room. I shook my head, unable to remove the grin from my face. Damn him and his flirting making me smile this way I thought, cursing him as I got up out of the bath, holding his towel to my body. Oh hell, but it even smelled like him!
As soon as I was out I grabbed a new towel, one dry and didn’t smell like a hunky, sexy Vampire that made me want to drool when naked. No, Keira, get that image out of your mind right now! I was still telling myself off as I stormed back into the room and I bumped straight into the man himself.
“You’re dressed!” I blurted out and a grin played at the edges of his lips before he asked,
“Are you disappointed?” and what did I do…I bloody snorted. Snorted! Seriously did I have a single cool bone in my body!? His eyes widened which told me that unfortunately he hadn’t missed it.
“Well, isn’t that a delightful sound, tell me Keira, what animal was that again?” I growled pushing past him and he laughed once and said,
“Nope, that wasn’t it, try again.” I rolled my eyes and tightened my towel as I walked into the closet. There I grabbed the unfortunate lacy underwear, wondering what it was with this guy and lace!
Thankfully, I found a pair of jeans, a stretchy vest top in a burgundy colour and a big chunky woollen cardigan with a huge baggy hood that hung around the front as well as half way down the back. It was a deep navy colour and went well with the stonewash denim I was currently pulling up my legs after donning the underwear. I think finding these was on purpose as when I walked back out, Lucius was trying to hide a smirk behind his fingers.
“Thank you for the clothes.” I told him making him nod and say,
“You’re welcome, Pet.” Holy Hell on a stick but was there anything this man said that didn’t come out in some sexual purr? Christ but it felt like he was undressing me with his words and that wasn’t even taking into account what he looked like right now.
Dark grey denim encased his long legs and a slim fitted, light grey sweater covered his torso and square shoulders. He had the sleeves pushed up showing his forearms, which seemed to be a habit of his. A black leather band was wrapped around one wrist, and I had to wonder where he had gotten his clothes from, as I was pretty sure there was nothing that belonged to a man back in the closet.
Well, at least he had lost the look of a mass murderer and now decided the Gucci model was a better choice of style. I thought that now was as good as time as any to approach the delicate subject I was planning on.
“You have something to say?” he asked first as if he knew I was struggling with the right way to start.
“It wasn’t Pip’s fault.” The words tumbled out. He gave me a pointed look and I added,
“No, seriously. If anything, I was just glad she wasn’t there.”
“Why?” he asked surprised and I nearly choked as I swallowed. Was he serious?
“Because she would have been hurt! I couldn’t have that, I would have never forgiven myself,” I said pulling my cardigan closer together with a shiver just thinking about it. However, when Lucius burst out laughing I ended up frowning down at him angrily.
“Lucius!” I snapped his name and he finally told me why he found what I said so amusing.
“Trust me sweetheart, if my little faithful Imp had been there you would have seen far more carnage than that I created, of that I can assure you.” He laughed again when my mouth dropped open. Was he being serious?!
“But…but she’s so little and nice,” I said making him chuckle once and shake his head like he was recalling a previous bloody memory.
“Well, as we both know, vicious tempers can come in the cutest of packages, now can’t they?” he asked looking me up and down as if seeing for himself me fighting back. I didn’t answer him but then I guess I didn’t need to, as I knew my temper had both got me in and out of some tough places.
“If it helps ease your worried, little mind, then I will right your new friend’s hurt,” he said and then placed two fingers to his temple and looked to concentrate a moment. It took him ten second tops.
“What? That’s it?” I said making him raise an eyebrow.
“What did you expect, sky writing and a singing gondola boy with a boat full of flowers…I know I am good sweetheart, but I’m not that good.” I never got chance to answer as the next thing it was a ‘Speaking of the Devil’ moment. I was just about to sit down when suddenly the door burst open and I heard Lucius groan as if he knew what was coming. However, I only saw a flash of colour before Pip was flinging herself into me.
“OH, MY TOOTIE PIE! I am so, so, so, so, so, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!” she shouted making me lose track of the amount of ‘so’s and ‘sorry’s’ she said. The next thing I saw was Adam quickly run to the door, skidding around the frame as if he had been chasing her. I saw his relief when finding her in my arms, legs wrapped around my waist and all.
“It’s fine. Hey, come on now, don’t cry, Pip,” I told her as she started sobbing in my arms.
“I am a terrible friend! They hurt you and I wasn’t there to kill them for you!” she said. I looked to Lucius to see him mouth the words ‘told you’ and bat out a hand in a typical ‘told you so’ gesture.
“Pip, no! You’re an awesome friend! Don’t be so hard on yourself, you weren’t to know that some insane assholes with an obvious death wish were going to come and crash our party,” I told her making her sniffle and rub at her nose almost using the full length of her arm.
“No, I didn’t,” she said shaking her head like a child.
“I mean come on! That would be like me knocking on Dracula’s door with a slit vein and asking to use the phone to call an ambulance,” I told her making her giggle and
Lucius roll his eyes and muttered,
The Forbidden Chapters Part 1: Afterlife Saga Page 28