by D. R. Rosier
Then I moved us into more advanced moves, twirls, flips, cuddles, and carries. Truthfully, I was having a ball, and was very much enjoying my hands on her, and hers on me, as we danced.
When the song ended, she smiled, and looked at me suspiciously at the same time.
“Teach you to dance?” she asked archly.
I winked, “Just a little surprise, I guess your research didn’t pick up everything. Katia loves to dance, and made me learn more than one style the last couple of years. Not that I’m an expert.”
I really wasn’t, the moves we did could be called intermediate at best, but I was at least a very good amateur.
She grinned, “I guess you get a pass, because that was a lot of fun, double time?”
Ah, her revenge, dancing twice as fast so we’d still be following the beat. I could do it, but I’d be out of breath, and she wouldn’t even break a sweat. Still, it’d be fun, and I wasn’t one to turn down a challenge from a beautiful woman.
I pulled her back into me, and we danced…
It was a good night, and a lot of fun. We’d danced for hours, with breaks in between of course, and she’d had my whole focus for the night. It was one of those dates where everyone else in the room was just kind of in the background, I couldn’t take my eyes, or my hands, off of her the whole night. If I was any judge, she had a blast, and was equally taken with me.
I walked her outside of the club, and stepped close, as I held her hands.
“I had a great time tonight.”
She nodded, and her light blue eyes were full of restrained desire as she looked into mine.
“I did too,” she said softly.
No cheek kiss tonight, it was the end of our second date, and I still hadn’t tasted her sweet lips. I bent my neck slowly and tilted my head, she leaned up eagerly, and our lips met for the first time. I sighed as my arm went around her waist, and my other hand was half on her cheek, half on her neck as I brushed it with my thumb.
All first kisses are a little awkward, at least at first, and no two people find the same rhythm together. It didn’t take us very long to find the unique rhythm that was all ours, and when she sighed in needy desire and deepened the kiss it took me by surprise. It turned passionate, hungry, and was full of promises of both decadent and wild pleasure that I was sadly sure wouldn’t be fulfilled tonight. A brief taste of the future, and the passion we shared, or at least, I hoped it was.
I saw the surprise in her eyes after we broke the kiss, that I was sure was echoed in mine. Yes, we’d had a great time together, and I wanted her badly, but that kiss was… beyond intense.
She smiled, “Thanks for tonight Andrew, I’ll see you tomorrow?”
I nodded, “Annaliese,” I paused for a moment, “Where is it that we’re going?”
She smirked, and looked absolutely adorable as she giggled.
“Why Andrew, are you asking me if my intentions are honorable?”
I guess I deserved that, it was usually the woman’s question, right? Still, most people dated hoping for the gold ring, finding the one. I already had four and a half mates, and we hadn’t even discussed what Annaliese thought about that, instead focusing purely on us during our dates. I just… wanted to know where she saw this going, or at least, where she hoped it would go.
Before I fell in love with her, and found out she wanted something I couldn’t give.
I laughed lightly, and squeezed her hand, “Something like that, I really enjoy your company, and I want more of it, a lot more.”
She bit her lip and I could see the desire in her eyes that my words stirred, “Me too, more I mean. Third date. I have a friend with a yacht, night after tomorrow, nighttime out in the water beneath the moon and stars. We’ll have dinner, I’m going to cook for you, and then we’ll talk the night away. I’ll tell you then, okay? This conversation isn’t for the sidewalk.”
I nodded, “Can’t wait.”
She smiled, reached up on her tip toes, and claimed another kiss. This one chaste and wistful, and then she said, “Goodnight.”
I said it back, as she turned and walked off. It seemed rude not to walk her home, but I gathered the coven didn’t advertise their location, and the idea of walking her home to keep her safe was laughable. It was obvious, that my Julia was only the second most powerful supernatural being in the city now.
Julia said, “I like her.”
I wasn’t startled, I hadn’t heard her walk up, but I’d felt it with my detect magic, and through the infernal connection we had.
“Me too, she’s a truly attractive woman, walk?”
Julia asked, “Truly attractive?”
I shrugged, “Like you my love, not just beautiful on the outside.”
She replied, “I love you too,” as she took my hand and walked down the sidewalk. It was a warm June evening, and so far, the rain had held off. I hoped our planned date wasn’t rained on, but in Seattle it was unpredictable.
She asked, “You don’t fear her at all, do you?”
I shook my head, “Not even a little bit. She’s not a killer, not by nature, and I’m not a threat to her or her coven. But I’ll do what I promised.”
She squeezed my hand, “I just worry. If she did try… I don’t think I’m powerful enough to stop her, or would even be able to run quickly enough.”
“I don’t want to sound… reckless, but I really don’t think it’ll be a problem.”
We walked and chatted for a while, like last time just to clear Annaliese out of my mind, before I went home to my mates. The vampire’s sweet scent was still in my nostrils, and the night air felt good as we walked randomly through the city. We got several blocks, before we walked into an ambush, so much for being safe enough to start going on dates, at least with Katia. Luckily, the streets were deserted, I just hoped there were no cameras nearby.
Julia froze, “Wolf shifters. Levitate!” she ordered, and literally picked me up and threw me into the sky about twenty-five feet straight up.
I passed the thought to the partition in my mind that held the levitation spell, and started to float about twenty-five feet up. I looked back down, and saw six large men closing with Julia.
I had two sleep spells cast and waiting, and released them with a thought at two of the men. One went down, the other just shook his head hard, and kept going.
The other four shifters made it to Julia a split-second later. Julia’s hands turned black as they were surrounded by shadows, and she waded into them without hesitation. Arms and heads went flying as she was tackled. I wasn’t too worried about her though, she had the lesser ward protection necklace on, and I was feeding it more magic now that she was taking physical attacks.
The wolf shifter I only slowed down, but didn’t knock out, took a running leap. Apparently, twenty five feet up wasn’t high enough. But, I managed to bathe the asshole with green balefire, it was all I had time for, I didn’t have any other sleep spells on standby, and the rest of my spells I had were all of the lethal variety.
The burning shifter screamed as he took a swing at me, which connected, and sent my flying off like a beach ball, as I was cocooned inside the shield. I felt a little shaken from the blow, but since I didn’t hit anything for a jarring stop, and just stopped when the inertia bled off, I didn’t lose my concentration on my spells. The shifter on the other hand, never made it back to the ground. He was burned to ash.
I looked back at Julia, and she’d finished her fight too, all four shifters were in various states of dismemberment. Damn, my after-date buzz was totally gone now.
With a thought, I floated back to the ground. Then I incinerated the four bodies, replaced my sleep spells, and used a clean spell to get rid of the blood covering Julia. There was one left, and as far as anyone would be able to tell, the other five never existed.
“What should we do with that one?”
Julia frowned, “He’ll probably be killed.”
She took out her phone, and called Gina for advice, which was o
kay with me, I wasn’t sure what to do. I mean, I knew I’d send a report about it per the treaty to the other three leaders, but as far as a live prisoner, no clue.
Julia hung up and said, “Gina said to bring him to her house, she’ll have Kelly send some of her enforcers to pick him up.”
I nodded, “Let’s go then, and then go home.”
Julia smiled, “You okay?”
“Yes, just fine. You?”
Julia nodded, and took us along with the sleeping rogue shifter to Gina’s pride house…
Chapter Twenty
“Whore.”
“Slut,” Malina said cheerfully.
Lilith snickered, “The crazy Fae bitch didn’t change her mind, did she?”
Malina shook her head, “No, she considers Andrew her stepson you know, and is insanely loyal to the Moore line. I had to do some fast talking to stop her from separating your head from your shoulders when she found out you pinched him.”
Lilith frowned, that wouldn’t have been good at all. It wouldn’t have killed her of course, but it would be an inconvenience, especially if the bitch managed to catch her essence before she got back to the infernal plane.
“So, what do you want?”
Malina said, “This is going to sound weird, but some of his siblings want to visit. It’s a human thing. Now that he’s in the know, and not hidden, they can get to know their brother.”
Lilith smiled, “I get that. And you’re here to…”
Malina shrugged, “Let you know his oldest sister is working on getting permission to visit, and to expect her in about a week.”
Lilith asked, “Permission from whom?”
“Mages, Karen’s first daughter. They have to get dispensation to visit other cities.”
Lilith said, “I’ll let him know.”
Malina studied her for a moment, “You really are different, aren’t you.”
Lilith laughed, “A bit yes. Between this body, Andrew, and being pregnant, I suppose I’m a lot less bitchy.”
Malina snickered, “You said it.”
Lilith sighed, “You can visit you know, your nephew, if you want.”
Malina grinned, “Thanks, you did steal a Moore, so I have a feeling we’ll be in contact more, and not fighting. You’re still a nasty, skanky, and slutty, gutter tramp though, so don’t forget it.”
“Fuck you, bitch. Do something useful with that dirty mouth and go suck a dick.”
Malina grinned wider, and winked, “Later sis. I think I will.”
Lilith shook her head when her sister teleported away, she didn’t even flip her sister off this time.
She really had changed…
Chapter Twenty-One
Annaliese felt like she was floating on air as she entered the coven, as she relived that kiss in her mind for the twentieth time. She bit her lip and sighed, the rabbit wasn’t going to cut it this time, she wanted him badly. She’d had an amazing time, and she could still feel his touch, her skin tingled where his warm firm hands had held her, and she could still scent him on her dress and skin which made her quiver. Three thousand years old or not, she was feeling wooed, and a little bit smitten.
She hadn’t felt like this in… she couldn’t even remember when. She was thrilled, and couldn’t wait for their next date. She was also nervous, he was a good man, smart, intelligent, wise, sexy, and good lord could that man dance. It felt effortless as he’d led her around the dance floor. But… she was nervous because she didn’t know if he would be open to the idea of actually mating, she didn’t think he just wanted a fling, a hot sordid but doomed affair, but they hadn’t talked about it yet, and he already had four mates. That kiss though, had made her toes curl, and her pussy throb.
She supposed she’d find out in two days, when she put all her cards on the table, and she feared, that she would also put her heart into his hands. What would he do with it?
She knew he wasn’t perfect, no one was, her included. But… the core of him, what he stood for, and who he was, was admirable. She knew that’s what counted most, anything else was just window dressing. People changed all the time, but not the core of who they truly were. His core beliefs were very attractive to her, perfectly so, and although it was secondary, his firm hard body, and handsome face were very attractive to her as well.
Another thing that attracted her to him, was he held no fear of her at all. She was a three-thousand-year-old vampire, and was extremely powerful, yet he’d taken her hand confidently, without a trace of fear, and led her around the dancefloor as if she were just a normal woman. She… liked that a lot. She was a woman after all, underneath the age and the power, and as absurd as it was, being held in Andrew’s arms had felt… safe. Very few of her mates over the millennia had managed that, especially in the beginning.
She’d teleported a few times since arriving in the city, but tried not to do it much, since it was supposed to remain a secret that the truly old vampires could do so. Which was why she’d walked home, well, much faster than a walk, in truth. She was used to being a loner, and as a loner she could get away with it more often, but as the head of the coven she’d need to not do it as often as she was used to.
Jason intercepted her, “We have a problem.”
She frowned, she didn’t want to hear that, she wanted to soak in the tub, and relive the night in her mind while she…
She shook her head, clearing the lustful thoughts, “What is it?”
Jason said, “Five wolf shifters invaded one of our night clubs, killed two of our vampires before the rest realized the problem and overwhelmed them. Three are still alive, chained up in the basement of the building.”
She sighed, “I was afraid this would happen, but I hadn’t expected it quite so soon, did they have anything to say for themselves?”
Jason said, “Not that I know of. I was about to head over there now.”
She looked down at her dress and high heels, way overdressed for one of their night clubs, “One minute. Get Helen here too, I want her to come along.”
She ran to her room, and changed into a pair of tight black jeans, and a clingy t-shirt that showed some mid-riff. It was hardly risqué, but she knew it wouldn’t stand out like the dress would in one of their clubs. She tried to embrace the times as much as possible, but she’d never be caught dead in one of those micro dresses the kids wore nowadays. Fortunately, that wouldn’t be required, plenty of young woman would be dressed just like she was now. She pulled out the pins and shook out her hair, a fancy hairdo wasn’t required either. She pulled on a pair of two-inch heel sandals, and ran back out to Jason.
She was also losing her after date buzz, which was annoying but unavoidable. She nodded to Helen, who looked uncomfortable. She knew Helen would get over that, she was the second oldest vampire in the coven, and that idiot Arthur had her hidden away. Well, he was a control freak, and Helen had been his mate.
“Let’s go.”
Jason asked, “How was your date?”
She smiled, “Good. Very good. Thanks. I suppose it’s odd to you?”
Jason shrugged, “A little surprising. You have the coven doing a one eighty, including that, since Arthur was determined to kill the warlock.”
She nodded, “And your opinion? On the coven.”
Jason replied, “It feels better, it was a little stifling under Arthur to be honest, but I suppose I won’t know for sure for a couple of years, once all the unknown consequences come to roost.”
Helen said, “I think it’s a good thing, better to deal with small problems than strangle our people.”
She nodded in agreement, “It’s better to give people the rope to hang themselves than to assume if you don’t control them completely, they’ll start problems. There will be problems, but in the long run we’ll all be happier.”
It didn’t take long to get there, the three ancient vampires moved quickly through the city.
She looked up at the club, there was still a line outside, and she could hear the loud bea
t of the music inside. She much preferred other kinds of music, and more organized dancing, but there was something to be said for it she supposed.
They walked in and headed for employee only door, and then once away from the human crowd’s eyes they dashed to the stairs and down to the basement at vampire speeds.
There were three men in chains, including a neck chain in case they tried to shift, it wouldn’t get them free. Two looked scared, the third had a sneer on his face. She focused on the latter one.
“Who are you, and why did you attack.”
He replied, “Fuck you leech, there will never be peace between us.”
She stepped forward and gripped his chin firmly with a move so fast he couldn’t avoid it, and turned him to face her. As soon as their eyes met, he was hers.
She stood back up and walked a step or two back.
“Now, who are you, and why did you attack.”
He said, “My name is Jeremy, I’m the former wolf shifter alpha, and I attacked to prevent this stupid fucking treaty from going through. If I’m lucky, the warlock is dead.”
She laughed, “I doubt it. His guardian Julia could lay waste to every wolf shifter in the Seattle area, without breaking a nail. Enjoy your stay in our… accommodations. I’m going to let your alpha, and the head alpha know you’re here, and let them deal with you. I’ll turn you over to them tomorrow night.”
Jason asked, “Why not just kill them, they killed two of our own. We have the right, and the coven will expect you to extract justice.”
She nodded, but then said patiently, “If I kill them, it will be justice. If we hand them over, and the alpha kills them before the other shifters, it will be justice and a deterrent. There will be others who will hate the idea of peace, if these shifters simply disappear in the city, it won’t have as much impact if they see them pay the price of disobeying their alpha in person. It won’t dissuade all of them of course, but it will sway some of them to weigh the cost of going rogue as too risky. It will also prevent them from blaming the deaths on us and continuing the circle of revenge between us.”