by L. Rosario
"I've never wanted you to fear me,” he said in a low tone. “From the first night on, I've only wanted you to crave me."
"The only thing I crave when in your presence is a way to escape."
He let her go so fast, she fell backwards onto the bed, squishing her duffel bag and cursing when the buckle pinched her butt through her leggings. Constantine glared at her, looking for all the world like he'd really love to strangle her, then surprised her by turning and stalking out of the room.
Sera collapsed onto her back with a loud sigh of relief. It was going to be a long trip to the coven, and she wasn't looking forward to it for one second.
"That makes two of us, my pet."
* * * *
It didn't take long for Valentino to grow restless. The sterile environment of the lab offered minimal entertainment, and the need to get the hell out of there consumed him until he simply tossed caution to the wind and leapt off the table. For a few moments he held onto the metal edge for balance, but then his muscles strengthened and he felt stable enough to head for the door. It opened before he reached it, and Dr. Reynolds strolled in, looking relatively unsurprised to see Valentino on his feet.
"Brilliance had to be sacrificed as well, it seems,” he muttered under his breath as he circled around Valentino. “Were you going somewhere, CF19?"
"Can I at least wait out my demise in my room?"
The doctor seemed to consider his reply for an awfully long time. Finally, “I suppose there would be no harm. You aren't contagious, after all.” His expression tightened before he went on. “Just see that you don't bite anyone."
Valentino fought the urge to growl. “I'll do my best."
Dr. Reynolds waved toward the door. “Go on, then. I'll pay you a visit later tonight to give you another injection."
Valentino wasted no time in escaping the lab. Naked, weak, and feeling like absolute shit, he climbed into the elevator and hit the button that would dump him on the main floor. The moment the steel box jerked into motion, he collapsed against the wall and closed his eyes against the fire in his veins. He refused to believe that Sera knew she was poisoning him with her bite. How could she, after all? She didn't even know he wasn't quite human.
God, how would she react to that? Maybe being a vampire would allow her to accept it more easily. Maybe he should have taken the time to tell her all about Captive Fantasy. She'd asked, after all. Doing so might have made a difference. What sort of difference, he didn't know.
The elevator doors slid open, and he shoved Sera from his thoughts as he caught sight of a blonde woman hovering in the hallway. Her tall, curvy body was barely covered by the tight, gold dress she wore, and she turned as the elevator made a clicking sound. Damn. Jennifer. Her brown eyes widened, then raked him from head to toe. Before he could utter a sound, she headed toward him and stepped inside. The doors shut behind her, and her coy smile grew.
"Fancy meeting you here,” she purred.
Valentino managed a weak smile in return.
Jennifer stepped closer and dropped her gaze to his chest. “Do you always roam the halls naked? Not that I'm complaining.” She looked up and winked. “It'll save time.” She grabbed the hem of her dress as if to lift it to get down to business. Somehow he knew there wouldn't be anything underneath.
"I can't entertain you tonight, Jennifer."
Undeterred, she leaned into him, pressing his spine against the cold metal wall. “You gave me your word."
"I realize that, but that was before I got sick. I've been ordered not to work tonight."
She wasn't listening. Shifting her weight to one side, she walked her fingers down the center of his chest, clearly aiming to take matters into her own hand. Not that it would prove anything. The way he was feeling, not even Sera could coax a hard-on out of him.
Jennifer curled her fingers around his flaccid penis and began to stroke him from root to tip. It felt good, but nothing happened. She frowned at him and increased her efforts until he finally covered her hand to get her to stop. “I told you, I was sick."
"You don't look sick.” She leaned back to look him up and down.
"It's food poisoning."
Her fingers flexed under his hand, and her frown deepened as she met his gaze. “Are you too sick to do anything?” She licked her lips just in case he missed her meaning.
The thought of using his mouth on her actually churned his stomach. “It would be best if I didn't.” His reply had nothing to do with the poison in his veins and everything to do with wanting Sera's pussy to be the last one he remembered.
Anger flashed in Jennifer's eyes, and she shifted against him to straddle his thigh. “I don't like being told no, Valentino.” Proving his earlier assumption correct, she rubbed her pubic hair against his skin. “I paid good money to get in here, and I expect you to perform."
He gripped her shoulders to hold her breasts away from his chest. “Look, Jennifer, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but unless you plan on getting off on my leg, I can't help you tonight.” Releasing her, he reached out to open the doors again.
Jennifer wasn't ready to admit defeat. She followed him out into the hall and all the way to his bedroom door. He could actually feel her gaze on his ass the whole time. “You know,” she started as he shoved the door open. “I can't imagine prudish Sera enjoying you."
Valentino gripped the doorknob and looked over his shoulder. “I won't discuss her with you."
Jennifer arched a platinum brow. “I see. I would think it goes against the rules to fall for one of your clients."
"Good night, Jennifer.” He stepped into his room, but she slid in after him before he could shut her out. Jesus Christ. Doing his best to pretend she wasn't there, he headed for his bed and the promise of a comfortable rest.
"Was she even able to orgasm with you?"
That got his attention, and he turned around to glare at her. “I cannot imagine Sera discussing such a thing with you."
Jennifer shrugged. “She didn't, but her best friend can't keep a secret under the influence of good wine."
Sera would be mortified.
"So did you give her one?” Jennifer pushed. “Did she scream and beg for more, or did she run away horrified by what she'd finally been able to do?"
Valentino had had enough. Moving toward Jennifer, he walked her back toward the door and caged her in with his hands braced above her shoulders. “Do you scream when you come?"
She blinked, and he heard her breath catch in her throat.
"I bet you do. In fact, I bet you do it so that your lover thinks you're for real."
She exhaled and shook her head, ready to voice a denial, but Valentino wouldn't let her.
"Everything about you seems fake, so I'd imagine your orgasms are as well."
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “How dare you talk to me like that?"
"But it's true, isn't it? Did you come here tonight thinking to fool me as well? You would have failed, if that was the plan."
"I've never met a guy who can tell the difference,” she spat. “You're all too wrapped up in your performance issues to pay close attention to us."
"I can tell the difference."
"Sure, you say that after you tell me we can't have sex tonight."
Despite the protesting muscles in his arms, he leaned closer to her, but stopped before their bodies touched. Again, her breath caught in her throat and she stared at him with giant eyes. “Do you want to know how I can tell?"
She nodded, and her gaze drifted toward his mouth.
"You want a kiss, don't you?"
She nodded again.
"Too fucking bad."
With a sharp gasp, she jerked her gaze to his. “Does Sera know what a jerk you are?"
"She has no reason to."
Jennifer pursed her lips and cocked her chin in the air. “I believe you were going to tell me what supreme wisdom allows you to sniff out a fake orgasm."
"It's really rather simple."
She arc
hed a brow. “I doubt that."
"When a woman comes, there is a spontaneity to her convulsions that can't be faked. It's the rhythm of your pussy that gives you away, Jennifer."
Her face exploded with color, and she squirmed against the door. “You cannot possibly tell the difference.” The ragged cadence of her breathing let Valentino know that his words had gotten under her skin. “You're lying just to irritate me."
"Am I?” He let his thighs brush hers. “You should know there are other things that give you away, as well."
"Oh really?"
Valentino nodded. “Really,” he drawled. “For instance, the flush of your skin and the beat of your heart.” He placed his palm over her racing heart and smiled. “Yes, just like that. It lets me know how aroused you are. You can't fake that."
"I'm fully clothed, irritated, and far from aroused."
"You even lie to yourself. Interesting.” He took his hand away and braced it against the door again. “I can assure you, that if you and I were to have sex, you'd never be able to fake an orgasm.” She opened her mouth, but he talked over her. “I'd be buried so deep inside, you wouldn't be able to think about clenching your muscles at the right time."
"I—"
"Your pussy would take over and strangle my cock when and how it wanted to, and you wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about it."
Her lips parted, her tongue peeked out, and she shuddered right before his eyes.
"Yes,” he whispered with his lips hovering over hers. “Just like that.” As she gasped for breath, he pushed away and turned toward the bed. “Now get the hell out of here, Jennifer."
The door hinges rattled under the force of her exit.
If things were different, her anger would be cause for concern, but he'd be dead in five days. Nothing had the power to concern him now.
As promised, Dr. Reynolds appeared a few hours later with a nasty looking syringe in his hand. Without permission, he poked the needle into the bend of Valentino's arm and shot him full of God only knew what. After issuing another order to remain calm, he left Valentino to drift into a drug induced slumber.
Sera came to him in his dreams. Her beauty made him moan and the satin bedsheets slithered over his thighs as he writhed under the intense pleasure of seeing her once more. If only he could touch her for real. Her lips feathered over the side of his neck, her teeth scraped his skin, and her sweet voice whispered in his ear, “I can save you.” Her tongue flicked out before he felt her teeth again. “One bite and you need never fear death again. Do you want to be saved, Valentino? Do you?"
Valentino jerked awake and stared around his room. His heart beat so hard in his chest, the pain brought tears to his eyes. My God, was that the answer? If it was, he needed to find a way to get the hell out of here, and then he needed to convince Sera that making him a vampire would somehow benefit both of them. Though how, he had no idea. Clearly she didn't relish being a vampire, so why make another?
But first things first. He needed to get out of Captive Fantasy. And to do that, he needed help. One name instantly came to mind. Raphael.
It was time to test just how strong their friendship really was.
Chapter Fourteen
Halfway between San Francisco and Santa Fe, Sera wanted to roll down the window of her Mustang and jump out. She just couldn't bear Constantine's company anymore. His attempts to pretend the scene in her bedroom hadn't happened had moved beyond annoying, and she was ready to cover her ears and scream.
"How much longer?” She sounded like a petulant child, but didn't care. If she weren't so weak they could have been there by now, but oh no, Constantine had insisted on driving. She'd rather take her chances with teleportation and risk falling out of the sky.
He shot her a glance and a wicked grin. “I can think of something for you to do that will pass the time.” He nodded toward his lap.
Sera rolled her eyes and glared out the tinted window. In addition to the tinting, she wore dark sunglasses to protect her from the waning sun. It had not escaped her notice that Constantine did not seem to require such protection. Yea, for him. No doubt it was all the fresh blood he'd been feasting ravenously on for centuries.
"I hope you lose the attitude before we arrive. I doubt the master will take kindly to it."
Sera shrugged. She didn't really care if the master liked her or not. Maybe he'd hate her so much he'd refuse to let her stay. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Constantine grabbed her hand.
"You need the coven's protection."
She turned away from the window to glare at his hand. “Stop touching me."
He actually did. With a sigh, he fixed his attention back on the road. “Sometimes you make me regret that night."
"What night?” The question was out before she could stop it.
"The night I turned you.” He looked over. “Despite what you believe, I didn't regret it right away."
"No, you waited about a hundred years."
"Forget it.” He turned away again. “There is obviously no talking to you."
Sera leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. “Let's agree to just leave each other alone for the rest of this trip, okay?"
"Whatever,” Constantine mumbled.
They drove on in a heavy, awkward silence, finally reaching Santa Fe as the sun threatened to rise on a new day. Constantine seemed to know exactly where he was going as he turned down street after street without a moment's hesitation. Sera watched the passing scenery through her sunglasses and decided the city was really quite beautiful. It was the sort of place she could imagine taking a honeymoon to.
"Such wistful thoughts will get you nowhere,” Constantine remarked.
Sera ignored him.
"Here we are,” he announced after a few strained moments had passed. He pulled off the road and stopped in front of a towering iron gate. He lowered his window to give his name to the security box, and then the gate groaned open. He shot her a look as he pulled through. “Just behave."
Sera scowled, then lost interest in Constantine as the coven house appeared at the end of the drive. Holy shit. Constructed of white adobe, it looked more like an old Spanish church than a house. It even had one of those arches at the peek of the fancy roof that housed a bell. Did it ring at sunset to summon all the good little vampires in for the day?
"Seraphina,” Constantine warned in a low rumble.
She continued to pretend he wasn't at her side. Only a few windows in the vast mansion blazed with light, but the courtyard was full of cars. Matching cars, in fact.
Sera couldn't help but gawk at the long row of giant, black Hummers. The lone, black Mercedes sedan on the end seemed grossly out of place. “This is beautiful,” she whispered.
"Yeah, wait until you go inside."
Feeling a tad overwhelmed and more than a little underdressed, Sera tried to hide her anxiety from Constantine as he parked her car behind a towering Hummer. Not sure what she should do, she waited for him to get out and open her door for her. He held out his hand as if she were disembarking from a carriage.
Sliding her hand into his, she hissed, “You could have told me to wear something else."
"You look fine."
There was nothing “fine” about her blue jeans and pink hoodie, and she knew it. “This is not what I want to be wearing when I meet the master."
He shrugged and curled her hand around his arm. “I'm telling you, it won't matter."
"Then why are you in a suit?"
"I've been in a suit since answering your cry for help. I, unlike you, did not have the benefit of packing for out trip."
Sera gave up. Nothing she said at this point would calm her nerves. As they approached the wooden front door, it opened, and Sera's anxiety nearly made her faint. What was wrong with her? She was a vampire too, for God's sake. She had every right to be here.
"Constantine, welcome.” A glorious looking man with pale blond hair, startling blue eyes, and a killer smile appeared
at the door to gesture them inside.
Sera tried really hard not to stare but figured somebody this good looking would be used to such a reaction. Like Constantine, he was dressed in a suit, only his shirt was white instead of maroon, the collar was open a little further down his chest, and the hem was left untucked. Had he dressed in a hurry to answer the door? If so, did that mean there was a really disappointed—or worse pissed off—she-vampire somewhere upstairs?
The man's blue eyes drifted to her face, and his smile was all for her. “You must be Seraphina.” He extended his hand and Constantine released her so she could accept it. “Welcome to Villa Sangue."
"Thank you.” She managed the weak response while shaking the man's hand. Villa Sangue. Or House of Blood, loosely translated. How lovely. Why not just name the place Devil's Den or Lair of the Vampire? Either would be just as obvious.
A twinkle gleamed in the man's blue eyes. “I'll see that you are shown to your room, so that you may rest after your journey.” Mr. Gorgeous looked over his shoulder and motioned another man forward who must have been hovering in the shadows. “Show our guests upstairs and see that Seraphina has all that she requires."
"Yes, master."
Master? Sera looked at the blond god with new eyes, and his smile told her she was correct in her assumption. Her mouth fell open. After a moment, he shifted his gaze to Constantine. “Do join me in my study once you have settled Seraphina into her room."
Constantine nodded, and the master left them.
"Oh my God,” Sera breathed. She watched the master vampire disappear down the hallway, and once he was out of sight, she turned on Constantine. “You could have told me who that was."
"It was more fun to watch you figure it out."
"Bastard,” she hissed under her breath, then stalked away to follow their guide up the split, marble staircase. She trailed her hand along the fancy iron railing, thinking the house was too insane for words. She could hardly wait to see what the bedroom looked like.
Their guide halted midway down the second floor hallway and gestured toward a partially open door. “You will find all you need has been provided.” With a bow, he left Sera and Constantine alone.