by L. Rosario
He took hold of her arm and yanked her forward to hiss in her face. “You're better off without him."
"Am I? Do you hope keeping me away from him will make me forget how distasteful it is to be in your bed?” She didn't bother to keep her voice down and the drone of conversation ceased.
Constantine's eyes darkened. “Not here,” he ground out.
"I don't care if everyone knows how much I despise you."
His fingers bruised her skin through the sleeve of her blouse. “Regardless of how you feel, I refuse to hand you over to that freak of nature.” He shook her. “Understand?"
"Release her, Constantine.” The master's voice sliced through the tension. The command was calm, but one couldn't ignore the fire behind it.
Constantine snarled softly and did as ordered. The hostile look in his eyes did not lesson, however.
Sera moved closer to the master and rubbed the sore spot on her arm. “You can't control me,” she told Constantine. “Making me does not make you my keeper."
Constantine took a step toward her, but froze as the master spoke again. “One more step, and you will be asked to leave this coven."
"Why are you protecting her? She's hardly a vampire, for God's sake. She won't even drink from a damn mortal.” The disgust in Constantine's tone chilled Sera to the bone. He despised her just as much now as he had three hundred years ago. So why demand to control her? Why claim to want her all to himself?
His eyes settled on her face. “I look forward to finally making you into the vampire you should be, my pet. It's really that simple."
The master caught her as she stumbled backwards into him. He brushed his hands up her arms, then gently set her aside. “Go to your room, Seraphina,” he ordered her softly.
"Don't you dare move,” Constantine barked.
Sera was trapped between the will of two very angry vampires. A place no one would want to be. Very afraid, she stopped breathing and waited for one of them to make the first move.
"Are you challenging me, Constantine?"
"You're control over this coven? No. You're attempt to interfere with my property? Yes."
The silence in the large room reached a level that made Sera's ears ring.
"I told you to go to your room, Seraphina.” The master repeated the command without taking his eyes off Constantine.
A cold hand slid over Sera's, and she jumped to find the queen at her side. “Come with me, my dear.” Sylvia pulled her out of the fray and toward the doorway. She followed, too afraid to even glance back.
If possible, the silence had become even more deafening.
Once upstairs, and far away from the volatile atmosphere of the great room, Sera found the courage to speak. “What's going to happen?” she whispered, lest her voice travel. Vampires had exceptionally good hearing, after all.
Sylvia reached past her to open the bedroom door. With a little nudge, she guided her into the room. “Constantine will likely regret his little rebellion."
Sera turned to face the queen. “How can you be so calm?"
"My dear, I don't have a choice.” She took Sera's hand and led her to the bed. “Now try not to upset yourself thinking about things you have no control over. Why don't you lie down and try to relax?"
Sera sat on the edge of the bed, but relaxing was not an option. There was something she needed to do, and with Constantine otherwise occupied, this might be her only chance. “Will you tell me which room Valentino is in?” Her question narrowed the queen's eyes. “Please?"
"No, I won't. It's not a good idea for you to go to him."
"Why? Because it'll upset Constantine? You have to know, I don't care."
Sylvia shook her head. “I'm not sure how safe it is for the two of you to be alone."
Twisting the comforter between her fingers, Sera tried to keep her growing impatience at bay. “Care to explain that?"
Sylvia sighed and came to sit next to her. The pleasant smell of orchids surrounded both of them. It was a soothing fragrance. “My husband is concerned about Valentino's transformation. It didn't happen naturally, and therefore, it's hard to say what sort of vampire he will be."
"He took my blood and changed. Isn't that the way it happens?” To her knowledge there was no other way.
Sylvia again shook her head. “No. It's much more complicated than that. Until the master knows more, you should keep your distance."
"He won't hurt me, if that's what you're worried about. Constantine might have erased most of my memories, but I know that for a fact.” Sera got up and began to pace off her nervous energy. She needed to see Valentino. It was a thick, heavy craving, growing stronger with every second that ticked by. If Sylvia refused to tell her where he was, she'd simply search until she found him.
"That would waste too much time, my dear."
Sera had forgotten that little talent. She glanced at the queen. “Please tell me.” Desperation would make her beg if need be. She dropped to her knees and gripped the edge of the bed on either side of Sylvia's legs. “Please. I've seen you with your husband; I know you understand what it means to feel truly connected to someone. I think I felt that with Valentino, and it isn't fair to let Constantine steal it away.” She boldly took her queen's hands. “Please help me."
Sylvia's green eyes were a little sad, but she nodded. “All right, my dear. I'll help you, but once you go to him, you are on your own."
"He won't hurt me.” In her heart, Sera really believed that.
"And if he isn't alone? Won't that hurt?"
An image of the blonde mortal formed. The girl had led Valentino out of the room as if she had every right to do so. Where had they gone? And to do what? Unease tightened Sera's gut. “Just tell me where he is.” She'd deal with what she might find when she got to him.
Please Lord, let him be alone.
"The master gave him the room in the attic. It's very secluded and very private."
Sera smiled at that. If the circumstances were different, and one of them wasn't a queen, she'd kiss Sylvia on the cheek. Instead, she squeezed her hands and whispered a thank you before hurrying from the room. Unsure of exactly where to go, she let her instincts guide her. Eventually she found a door near the end of the hallway that housed a narrow stone staircase stretching up into a black abyss.
Her heart flipped over, and she pulled the door shut behind her without making a sound.
Every step took too long and by the time she reached the top, she was nearly hyperventilating. She needed to calm down, for heaven's sake. There was nothing to light the way, but she could see just fine. Amidst the organized clutter along the back wall, she noticed a heavy wooden door. Careful not to make a sound and wishing she had slipped off her heels, she approached and stared at her trembling hand as she reached for the doorknob.
She took a deep breath, prayed again that Valentino would be alone, and opened the door. It squeaked on old hinges and announced her presence, whether she wanted it to or not. She froze and looked around the room. A good size bed rested along one wall, flanked by two nightstands. The pieces looked ready to crumble to dust, they were so old. Across the room, stood an ancient looking wardrobe, and next to it, Valentino.
Sera's hand slid off the knob. “Am I intruding?"
He shook his head, sending his hair over his forehead and into his eyes. He made no move to brush it away. Was he trying to hide from her?
"Can I come in?” She cupped her throat and felt the flutter of her pulse. When was the last time she'd been this nervous? Most likely, never. Valentino made her head spin and heart race, two rare occurrences for her even before she had become a vampire. He stood next to the time-beaten wardrobe, looking like an untouchable fantasy. But she had touched him, and she very much wanted to do so again.
"Does this mean you remember?” His voice only added to the emotions building within her.
Sera shook her head, then nodded. “Yes and no.” Oh, it was too hard to explain. His shirt lay open over his chest, and sh
e drank in the sight of his exposed skin. Memories of how it felt to touch that sleek, golden flesh teased her. “I remember some of our time together."
"Sera?"
She pulled her gaze from his chest. “I want to remember more.” She wanted to remember it all.
Without a word, he took off his shirt and let it fall to the floor, leaving him dressed in only the fluid, black, silk pants that did little to disguise his lengthening erection. “Come here."
Sera licked her lips and focused on Valentino's face. The look in his eyes melted her and made it impossible for her to move.
He chuckled and held out his hand. “I said, come here.” He crooked his finger at her and finally shook his hair out of his eyes. “You aren't afraid, are you?"
Yeah, to be honest, she was. She basked in the warmth of his gaze and decided to be completely honest. “I'm terrified. I don't know what to do."
He spread his arms out and leaned back against the wardrobe. “I'm yours, baby. Do whatever you want to."
Chapter Twenty-four
Sera stepped into Valentino's room with all the boldness of a mouse. The timidity clashed with the almost feral look in her eyes, however. She swept her gaze over his body, as if trying to figure out where the best place to start might be, and it was all he could do not to offer a few suggestions. He lowered his arms and hid his impatience at her slow approach.
A lifetime seemed to pass before she halted in front of him. She lifted her gaze to his and scraped her teeth over her bottom lip hard enough to leave red marks but no blood. Thank God. He wouldn't be able to handle that temptation right now. He opened his mouth to say something to put her at ease, but she reached for him and the words got trapped in his throat.
Her fingers dusted over his chest on her way to explore the tense muscles in his arm. She traced the vein in his bicep with her index finger. “Did you feed?"
"Yes.” The word sounded raw and forced.
She peeked up through her lashes. “Did you do anything else?"
"No, I don't want anyone but you."
Her lids eclipsed her eyes, and pale color washed into her cheeks. “That woman looked very interested."
"Yes, she was.” He gave in and reached out to cup her chin. He tilted her face up until she was forced to look at him. “I'm done having sex with women just because they want me, Sera.” Something shifted in her gaze. A memory?
"You told me that before."
"Yes, I did. My life at Captive Fantasy is over. I want to be your man, and only your man."
She moved her hand to the center of his chest. “Yeah, I'd like that.” Her fingers walked down his body until they were wrapped around the hard length of his cock. “I'd like that a lot.” She squeezed him through the silk, and he didn't do a damn thing to stop her.
A little smile formed on her lips, and she released him to hook her fingers into his waistband. She watched his face as the silk pants slithered over his hips and down past his raging cock. “You said I could do anything I want, right?"
He nodded, unable to speak past the anticipation.
She shoved his pants to the center of his thighs. The sound of silk against flesh filled the air and heightened his lust. “I want to do something I've never done before,” she whispered.
His cock jumped, the tip hitting her belly and causing her to gasp. “It's ready for you, baby."
Blushing, she dropped her gaze and knelt to slide his pants all the way off, which brought her gorgeous mouth right where he wanted it. She moistened her lips and stared at the thick head of his cock. It oozed cum, and he fisted his hands at his sides when she flicked her tongue out to lick it away. Jesus Christ, she had no idea how close he was to grabbing her head and shoving her forward so he could feel the back of her throat.
He suppressed the urge and bit back a growl as she wrapped her cold fingers around him. She stroked him from root to tip until more cum beaded on the head. Again, she licked it off, then shocked and pleased him by taking the fat tip in her mouth. She hummed softly and slid her mouth down further.
Good God.
Valentino leaned his head back on the wardrobe and prayed for control. This was what he had craved his whole life. This feeling of standing on a ledge seconds before the world fell away. One little slip and he'd dive head first into unimaginable pleasure. All because of Sera's warm mouth and wet tongue. He'd had women on their knees for him that were skilled enough to moonlight as prostitutes, but nothing compared to the innocent suction of Sera's mouth.
Kicking his pants away from his feet, he widened his stance and leaned fully against the wardrobe. The rough wood dug into his spine and ass, but it wouldn't matter if he was on a bed of nails right now. He'd suffer any form of discomfort as long as Sera kept sucking him. And she did.
The cool brush of her fingers slid toward his balls, and hesitantly, she cupped his heavy sac and then began to massage him. All the while, her mouth grew bolder. She scraped her teeth up his cock to let him feel the sharp tips of her fangs, then soothed the path with quick flicks of her tongue.
"Sera."
She hummed around him instead of pulling away to answer. One hand stayed between his legs while the other moved to grip his thigh. She squeezed his muscles and scraped him with her teeth again.
"Sera.” The sensations threatened to drive him crazy, but he didn't want to come in her mouth. Not yet. He blindly reached for the back of her head, and tried to pull her away. She held on, sucking hard on the very tip before gripping it with her teeth. He hissed at the slight pain and glanced down to meet her gaze.
She shook her head while still holding him.
"Keep it up and you're going to make me come,” he warned her.
She bit a little harder, then lowered her gaze and slid her mouth down his length. She couldn't take all of him, but it was enough to silence his protests.
"Fine,” he ground out. “You win.” He kept his fingers tangled in her hair, but did nothing to stop her as she proceeded to give him the best blow job he'd ever had. When every muscle in his body was tensed and ready to explode, she took her mouth off of him, flattened his cock against the taut surface of his belly, and licked him from the center of his balls upward. She caught the cum as it trickled from his slit.
"If you finish now, will we be able to have sex?” she asked as her lips brushed over the pulsing vein on the underside of his cock.
He struggled to answer. “Yeah.” He could come for her all night if that's what she wanted.
"Good.” That one little word was all the warning he got. She jammed her hands against his hips to pin him to the wardrobe, then angled her mouth down to swallow all but a few inches. Her throat fought the intrusion and he heard her stifle a gag, but it didn't stop her. With the tips of her fangs gliding lightly up and down his flesh, she sucked him into her mouth over and over again, until both of them were panting with the need for something greater.
"Sera,” he growled low in his throat and held her head still. He began to thrust into her mouth, setting the rhythm that he knew would work the best. She dug her nails into his hips and held on. A few times he went too far, and her throat closed around him and she gagged slightly, but not once did she struggle against the hold he had on her hair.
He was so close.
She took a hand from his hip and snaked it between his legs to clasp his balls. She moaned around a deep thrust and then gave his sac a light squeeze. He tightened painfully, then exploded in her mouth.
"Oh God...” Try as he might, he couldn't temper the rate of his release, and his semen shot straight down her throat, giving her no choice but to swallow every drop.
Sweat dripped into Valentino's eyes and beaded across his upper lip while he waited for the world to stop spinning. It took a while. Finally, he released Sera's hair and lifted his shaky hand to his own to scrape the damp locks from his eyes. She looked up with a smile and licked her lips like a satisfied pussycat. Oh God, his body hardened all over again.
"Did I do th
at right?"
Was she nuts? He couldn't think of words to express just how right she'd gotten it. Gripping her shoulders, he hauled her to her feet and slammed his mouth over hers. She gasped in surprise but parted her lips to let his tongue thrust inside. She tasted like him.
Still ravaging her mouth, he walked her back toward the bed until she hit the edge of the mattress. With one last long drag on her bottom lip, he ended the embrace and shoved her backwards. Her short skirt rode up to the tops of her thighs as she struggled to land gracefully.
Her legs were bare, and as she wrestled with the skirt, he caught a flash of black panties. His mouth watered at the sight. He reached for the skirt and tore it in half from hem to waist.
Sera squeaked, and her eyes grew huge in her face. “What are you doing?"
He dragged the ruined skirt away from her body and threw it to the floor before giving her blouse the same harsh treatment. This time, she giggled softly. “You aren't going to destroy all of my clothing are you?” She grabbed his hand as he reached for her bra. “Let me get undressed. Please."
He crawled on top of her and buried his face in her neck. “That'll take too long, and I want to be inside you now.” He found the flimsy material of her thong and shredded it with ease. It lay in tatters over her pussy, and he didn't bother to toss it aside. He sucked at her neck and nudged his hard cock between her legs.
"Spread your legs, Sera."
She did.
* * * *
Pinned to the bed under the weight of Valentino's sweat dampened body, with his teeth harmlessly nipping her neck, and his cock impatiently nudging her opening, Sera could only close her eyes, arch her back, and pray she didn't scream.
Valentino thrust into her with one single move, forcing her to take all of him at once. It was too much, and it felt too good. Her body sucked him in but then began to fight the rough invasion. Her muscles cramped and stretched in an effort to hold him in and push him out. The battle left her breathless.