Just a Taste

by Charlie Tran

  "Because it was his fault in the first place. He should've never been here. You don't need a human to keep as a pet. You have Lago."

  "No. I do… I need him… Ah!" I gasped as I tried to roll onto my side; the pain was too much for me to bear. I panted, fighting to catch my breath as I stopped moving. It had already been days, but it didn't matter. Healing from such a wound was going to be a long road. Maybe weeks, more than likely months.

  "No, you don't need him. If it's such a big deal, we can find you other pets."

  Of course this modern vampire wouldn't understand. The new breed didn't understand loyalty. He should've sent Geoffrey to tend to me. He was understanding.

  "Go find him. Bring them to me."

  "I said shut up and stop moving. You're making this difficult on me, Sebastian. All the attention your pet brought here is going to cause the others to get worried. It's going to make more of these pricks come after us, too."

  "Not his fault…" I trailed off, taking several deep breaths.

  "You're as stubborn as ever. It is his fault, and yours too for not simply using him to feed on. Fuck and eat, you don't need more than that. Doesn't matter if he's with child, he'll probably die trying to deliver it anyway. Humans aren't strong enough without care."

  "Geoffrey could…"

  "No. Geoffrey will do no such thing, and you leave this in the past. Just like you did with your family before. You'll get over it, and you'll find a new pet."

  How I wanted to reach out and grab his throat and crush it with my hands at that moment. He was wrong, I never got over my family—as much as I forced myself to believe I had. With Duke, I could have moved on. I would have something more to live for.

  "I don't want a new pet," I found myself saying. "I want my lover back. I want Duke back."

  I watched Clay roll his eyes, turning away from me. More than anything, I hated being ignored. Damn my wounds, and damn the pain. I would get Duke with or without his help.

  "Get out. Now," I warned him.

  Clay huffed, running a hand over his face in frustration as he stood up and headed over towards where Lago sat in the room. Even my animal companion had been visibly upset at the lack of someone to play with him. He missed Duke too.

  "I need to return home soon. To make sure that Geoffrey is okay, so don't get any ideas of leaving this place. I'll come back with fresh blood. The three men I slaughtered should provide enough for a few weeks."

  "Go."

  Clay made a face at me from over his shoulders before he began to leave the room.

  As soon as I was able, I would find Duke.

  There was only one place that he could be, if he wasn't here with me.

  Chapter 11

  Duke

  "Don't worry, we can find a specialist help us with this." My mother was always talking about what we were going to do after I gave birth, and what we were going to do in the process of giving birth. I didn't want to hear it anymore. I just wanted to be left alone, forever. I still hadn't gone back to Sebastian's castle, hoping that he would come and find me. But he never did. Maybe he was dead after all, maybe I was going to be left alone to raise this half vampire inside of me.

  But my mother wasn't only discussing the birth, but also talking about getting rid of it. She wanted me to give birth to it—as religious as she was, she was against abortion —but she continued to bring up the idea of putting the baby into an adoption center. That way, we would never have to deal with it again and we could put this mess behind us. Even in my time of need, she had nothing to say that would actually make me feel better.

  "Mom, please. I don't want to talk about this anymore," I begged her, rolling onto my side and away from her. I just wanted her to get out of the room. I didn’t want talk to anyone. Not Marcus, not Jake, not her. I hadn't heard anything more about a quarantine being placed on the building. So I just gave up all hope.

  "That's okay. I'll call the doctor in the morning, and we'll get you checked out. Don't you worry. I'll have the priests come too so they can help us with this. We have to keep this a secret."

  "Good night, Mom," I told her, pressing my blankets to my face to stop my tears from being visible.

  "Okay. Goodnight, Duke," she said. I heard the room light flick off and the door shut behind her.

  A month.

  It had been a solid month since I last saw my Master. And nothing.

  Sometimes, like tonight, I felt like I wouldn't be able to live without him here. I needed his support in this, too.

  "Where are you?" I sobbed into my covers. "I need you."

  There was an annoying tapping at my window. The wind blew hard enough for the tree branches to scrape against the window. I pulled my pillow over my head now, trying to drown out the sound. The rapping continued.

  I couldn’t tune out no matter how hard I tried, so in a fit of frustration, I forced myself off of the bed and waddled over to the window. I pulled back the blankets that I’d tacked up there when Sebastian had slept in the room. I was unable to bring myself to take them down. But on the other side was a face. My heart jumped up into my throat as I gasped.

  "May I come in?"

  SEBASTIAN

  * * *

  I didn’t think he noticed me. The darkness made it difficult to discern the features of my face. But he opened the window for me and invited me inside. I made haste to enter, pushing the window shut behind me and pulling back the blankets there. Stunned, he said little to me. I looked him up and down. He appeared as if he had been crying. His stomach was enormous. He would be due any day now.

  "W-what are you doing here?" he asked, taking a step back. He rubbed his eyes as if he was in disbelief that I was finally here.

  "I'm here for you. Why else?" I smiled gently at him, trying to calm his nerves. I was careful in my approach, getting close enough to press my hands to his shoulders and give them a gentle shake to awaken him from his stupor. "Are you all right?"

  "No. I must be dreaming."

  "You're very much awake, my dear."

  He sniffled, the wetness in his eyes falling to the point of him crying more. His nose was still red as he placed his hands on top of mine, staring up into my eyes.

  "I thought you might've died."

  I couldn’t help but laugh, "I'm already dead."

  "Seriously. I thought I'd never see you again. After your friend told me to leave, I thought this wouldn't ever happen."

  "Fuck him," I snorted, running my hands up and down his arms, trying to make him feel a little bit better. I did not want to see him cry. "He wanted me to stay forever, locked away in that castle. But as soon as I was able to move again, I came here. I knew you'd be here."

  "M-master…" he said, but I cut him off by placing a gentle kiss upon his lips.

  "No. Sebastian. Call me by my name."

  "Sebastian." He sighed into our kiss, placing his hands behind my head to pull me in even deeper. I pulled away to take a breath, staring at his belly.

  "You're so close to giving birth now."

  "My mother wants to call a priest and a doctor over to deliver it at home. She wants me to get rid of it."

  I had to hold back my anger. I didn't want to scare him, especially when he was so far along.

  "Over my dead body. You're mine, and I'm your mate. No one will ever take my family away from me again. I swear this to you. You’ll have to go somewhere else, we will have to stay with other vampires or the humans will come after us again."

  "Maybe we don't."

  I cocked my head to the side, confused. "What do you mean by that?"

  "Marcus and Jake, my friends that went into your castle with me, helped me send some video to the mayor. We’re hoping that she’ll quarantine the place, making it unfit for anyone to go in there ever again. And since it's a historical site they won't try to break it down, either."

  It was my turn to look stunned, and I adoringly cupped his face, "You're so intelligent. We can go home after all, can't we?”

&nbs
p; "Nothing is set in stone, yet. But I have a good feeling that it will go through." He chewed on his lower lip, averting his gaze.

  "It's good enough for me. I have someone who can craft tinctures to aid you through the birth, and I'll be right there when you deliver. If you don't mind," I said, taking a step away from him and pinching the bridge of my nose, "I think it's time we go home. The garlic smell is still so pungent."

  "Sure, just let me grab some things to take with me." He smiled, racing towards the switch he used to control the lights in his room. I reached out to try and stop him before he could. His balance faltered, but I corrected his posture.

  "Wait. Do it in the dark."

  "What? Why? I can hardly see."

  Self-consciously, I touched the side of my face that was still partially bandaged around my eye.

  "I don't want you to see what I look like. Not yet."

  He made a face, and felt bold enough to reach for my hand and move it aside. Standing on his toes, it was his turn to take my face in his hands. He forced my head to the side, and I cringed as he examined the scars there. It looked as if I had been burned in a fire.

  "Hideous. Your mother is right now, I'm finally a monster," I chuckled. But he said nothing as his fingers crept over the thickened flesh there.

  "I see nothing wrong, Sebastian."

  "You don't need to feign ignorance to the fact that I'm disgusting now. I'd just rather you not see. Not until my face has completely regenerated."

  He scoffed, turned my head back so that I could look at him straight on.

  "I do not care. I…" He hesitated, taking a gulp, "I love you. And I care about you. Not how you look."

  "Every human cares about appearance."

  "I don't. You came back for me, and that's all I care about." He placed a kiss on my lips before leaning back down off his toes. "I care about our family."

  It was too much for me to bear. I couldn't stop myself as I rubbed my arms and pulled him back against me, wary of his stomach. I pressed a kiss to his lips, not wanting him to stop just yet.

  "I care about you too. Our child. Our family," I told him through kisses, desperately seeking more and more of him. I placed my hand on the small of his back, holding his weight easily as I tilted him to start to lean towards the ground. I rested him there against the floor, remaining on top of him. I kissed him everywhere, across his lips, his nose, his brow. Across his jawline, down his neck, tracing my lips across his collarbone.

  "Sebastian…" he started, letting out a moan as I bit slightly harder onto the spot where I'd marked him before.

  "No. No more words," I told him.

  I hadn't held him in weeks. Felt his warmth against my cold flesh. I was desperate for him. I needed him. Now more than ever. I ignored the scent of the herbs in the air, only breaking away from our kisses to remove his shirt and his pants.

  I undid my trousers, grabbing his bare legs and pulling him closer towards me. I was already stiff as I spat into my hand, attempting to smear the saliva across my manhood.

  I bade myself to be gentle, but it was so hard. Seeing his cheeks flush, sweat glistening across his cheeks and forehead as he looked up at me with that same desperation that I was feeling.

  "Don't stop," he begged, grinding his hips in an upward motion. I could see how hard he was as well.

  I complied, pressing the tip against him. It was much easier than the first time, though still a struggle to press myself into him. Duke's head tossed backward, his mouth opening wide, and he panted while I thrust myself into him.

  My jaw flexed as I pressed into him, pulling out and forcing my way inside again. The tightness of his walls sent shudders down my spine. I shook from the sensation.

  Duke's hands clawed into the carpet as his back arched. Tears continuing to spill down his cheeks. "I said fuck me!" he growled.

  I didn't hold back. I shoved my member hard into him, only to withdraw as he hissed.

  "Am I hurting you?"

  "No. Take me. Stop torturing me!" Duke whined.

  We were together in that moment. Completely connected as I made love to him, as I fucked him as I wanted to before. I no longer held back, giving my all to please him and to be pleased by him. I wanted to savor this moment forever, the sensation of him writhing beneath me. Continuing to plead for me to fuck him even harder as if I wasn't already. I ignored the pain in my abdomen as a pendant to him. Both our hips slammed together in union, meeting one another with each rise and fall of our breaths.

  Only after being apart for so long did I truly realize how much I needed him. I needed him more than he needed me, possibly. I needed him to help me realize that this undeath was worth going through as long as he was by my side. His hips rolled against mine as I reached underneath him to pull Duke up. I sat him on my lap, and we pulled and pushed against one another.

  He bounced up and down with each powerful thrust I gave, my claws pressing against him and his nails digging into my back.

  I could feel myself starting to swell, and I pressed my fist against his shoulder to keep myself from tearing up. I wanted to cry, the love I felt for him and the pleasure all combining as one. He must've felt how huge I was growing inside of him as he moaned aloud.

  "Turn me!"

  I slowed down, panting heavily against him.

  "W-what?"

  "Turn me, Sebastian. Make me yours, forever," he said as he squeezed himself around me. It was almost painful, and I liked that pain. My pleasure was only heightened by the taste of his blood as I plunged my fangs into his throat exactly where I had before. He gurgled slightly, writhing under me even harder as I tasted his blood. He tasted so good now, better than any liquor I drank in my lifetime. Better than any I would have after him.

  Duke cried out as I became stuck inside him as I came. His blood spilled over the corners of my mouth as I sloppily ran my tongue around my sharp canines.

  I stopped as I felt him start to fall lax in my arms. His head lolled dizzily around as I drained more and more out of him. He was about to reach that mark, the point of no return. I could have drunk him dry of every last drop, but I pulled back, stopping myself from going further.

  I brought my wrist to my mouth, ripping the flesh away and pushing the open wound to his face.

  "Drink it!" I demanded, my teeth still bared like a feral animal. His mouth opened lazily, and I forced my wrist against his parted lips. I could see his throat take in a gulp, felt him pull the blood from my veins with his eyes tightly shut. His brows furrowed as he drank more.

  I sighed, enjoying the stinging sensation while still stuck inside of him. That mixture of pleasure and pain was too good to not enjoy.

  He broke away from my wrist, and I held him close to my chest as he gagged at the taste.

  "What… now?" he asked, looking up at me as he continued to sway in my arms.

  "It will be a few days. But… you'll be like me."

  He sighed, slouching against me totally and resting his face against my shoulder as I still rocked slightly against him. I could feel his seed smeared across my body as I held him tightly against my form.

  "Forever?" His voice was barely above a whisper, the energy drained out of him.

  "Forever."

  Finally he had fainted, totally limp as I did my best to position him more comfortably. We would be stuck until my knot could slip out of him, but I didn't mind. As soon as I was free, I would take him far away from here. And no matter what, whether my castle was destroyed, whether his friends helped everyone stay away from us…

  We would always be together, with our baby.

  A new family.

  Epilogue

  I watched as the man called Geoffrey rinsed his hands off in a basin alongside my mate. Sebastian turned to smile at me. The loving look in his eyes was something I would never grow tired of. The other vampire, the one that had scared me out of the castle in the first place, sat by my side now. His arms were crossed with a sour look on his face. I’d learned that that was ty
pical of him, and it had nothing to do with me personally.

  "He did amazingly well." Geoffrey smiled, walking over to his mate at my side.

  "Because he's not human anymore," Clay retorted.

  "Perhaps, all the same. There wasn't a sign that he was going to be in danger during the birth. So well done, you."

  I smiled up at him. "Thank you."

  "Did you think of a name, yet?" he asked as Sebastian took sat on the floor next to me. I was covered in blankets and sat on several sheets to help keep the areas clean as possible next to the fireplace. I rocked my baby in my arms. He had been quiet during the last thirty minutes, only crying after he was removed from my stomach.

  Even getting stitched back up didn't hurt as bad as being turned into a vampire. It had felt like my body was constantly being ripped apart, like I was being consumed by flames. But it was worth it, because now our family could be together forever.

  "Whatever Duke wants, he can name her. He has excellent taste," Sebastian told him, running a hand through my hair as he lovingly stared at our baby girl.

  "Do you want to hold her?" I asked him, turning our baby around to face her father. I had claimed her first bonding time, so that we could connect immediately after her birth. She was such a good baby already, resting peacefully against my chest.

  "Are you sure? You were so adamant about keeping her to yourself first." Sebastian grinned. I flashed my fangs at him in a teasing fashion, carefully passing the child to him.

  "Mind her head."

  "I've held children before."

  I watched him as he took her baby into his arms, a loving smile on his face as he gently bounced her. He was an expert at this. But there was also no more hurt in his eyes, no more pain for the family he had lost before. And I was thankful he was no longer holding onto that pain. His scars were still recuperating, but had healed enough that he could at least see out of both eyes again.