Constantine

by Alicia Sparks

  Wrapping the sheet around her body, she made her way to the living room.

  Pressing the button on her answering machine, she wasn’t surprised to learn that no one had called. Who would? She had pushed away any and all friends for fear of retaliation by Sebastian. There had been a point when she realized it was far more dangerous for her to have relationships than not to, so she severed all ties, even the ones that went all the way back to grade school.

  Her feet were cold against the bare floor while Isadore impatiently rubbed against her legs. White cat hair came off on the sheet in a big cloud. She tripped over Isadore three times making her way to the kitchen. Opening up a can of fancy cat food, she spooned it into a cocktail glass then opened the fridge in search of wine.

  Constantine had ordered red wine tonight. She smiled thinking of him. He was damned unnerving and she was certain tonight had been part of some master plan of his but damn the sex had been good.

  Taking the bottle of wine in one hand and a glass in the other, she made her way to her laptop, which sat near the window overlooking the view of the French Quarter. She listened to be sure Constantine was still in the shower. She didn’t want him to know what she was doing. When she was satisfied that he would not interrupt her, she opened her laptop. Removing the ring from around her neck, she inspected it again.

  “Vampire database,” she said. The voice response program recognized her and opened her file.

  “New Entry. Licinius. Ancient ring.” She described the ring including the crest.

  “Any similarities?”

  “None found,” the computerized voice answered.

  “Shit,” she managed. She fiddled with the ring and slipped it over her thumb. Wearing it sent her into sensory overload. Incomprehensible voices seemed to come at her from all directions. Pulling it off, she placed it on the desk next to her laptop.

  “Find Rome. Ancient. Emperor Constantine. Most recent.”

  The computer screen flashed in front of her eyes as it sought an answer.

  “Constantine I Era Ring Missing from Museum Collection,” the computerized voice spoke.

  “Shit.” The article displayed on her computer screen. She scanned it, not reading it word for word. A ring had been stolen two years ago from a collection in New York. No suspects. No leads. No solution. Scanning for a description of the ring, she looked down at the one that lay next to her computer. She already knew this was the stolen ring. Her psychic powers, for what they were, came and went, but her instincts were pretty sharp.

  “Magnify and enhance image,” she commanded.

  “Image corrupted. File unable to be retrieved.”

  “Of course,” she muttered.

  “Save article in new database. Constantine. Save under ‘relics’.”

  “Article saved.”

  She brought the wine to her lips and savored the taste before swallowing it.

  Taking on Constantine as her protector might not be such a bad idea. If there was one thing she needed it was a protector. Lord knew she was damned tired of fighting the bastards alone. The city of New Orleans still did not recognize the fact that vampires existed. And to top it all off the crime rate was down.

  It was because Sebastian’s seedy minions converted the crooks, offering them life everlasting for loyalty, and part of that loyalty was to keep the local cops out of vampire affairs. That was why his club and those like it were so successful. They catered to a different kind of debauchery, where clients came in to donate their blood to the fiends. The clients seemed to feed off the sexual energy of the vampires while the vampires fed off the blood. With the local criminal element under his command, the more corrupt cops were happy to let a few strange goings-on get swept under the rug.

  It made the streets safer. For everyone who didn’t happen to guard millennia old treasures that could give the vamps infinite power, that is.

  She didn’t hear Constantine until he placed his hand on her shoulder.

  “I’ve started a bubble bath for you.”

  That sounded like heaven but she had to raise her eyebrow and give him a suspicious look. “Is there a reason?”

  “Yes. We have much to discuss and I thought you’d enjoy relaxing your body for a while.”

  “Are you planning on leaving?” He was naked, so she doubted it. But his clothes were in the next room.

  “No. Not until you and I come to an agreement.”

  “What kind of agreement?”

  “The kind where you and I are honest with each other for a change.”

  “Honesty? Are you sure you’re ready for that?”

  “Go take a bath then we’ll talk.”

  She stood, pulling the sheet with her. She wasn’t in the mood to argue right now.

  Moving to the bathroom, she dropped the sheet on the floor.

  She sank down into her warm bath. As the water hit her skin, steam rose into the air. She let out a long, low “ahhhh” as a vision swept through her mind. Constantine stood on the edge of a long, deep Roman bath, something she recognized from history books, nothing but a white cloth wrapped around his waist. As he made his way down the steps steam rose from his body. Slowly he pulled the cloth away, unwinding it a little with each step he took.

  She bit her lip and sat up straight. There would be no historical fantasies about him. She wasn’t that desperate yet. Still, as the wine started going to her head she couldn’t help but wonder if Roman men really had worn togas and what it was that they’d worn underneath them.

  * * * * *

  Constantine stared out of her bedroom window, his good intentions fleeing with each passing moment. Touching Helen had opened an entire world of feeling for him and he was more than willing to explore this further. He was completely weakened by her. He was a thief. He was here to steal his future, to reclaim his past, not to be made weak by a woman. But he had touched her. He knew how dangerous it was yet he had done it anyway. Again.

  Guilt crept into his heart as he contemplated stealing the ring from her. Ever since the first time he had touched her all he could think of was sinking his hands into her hair and pulling her to him again. He would never get enough of her. His cock reacted to his thoughts of touching her skin again, feeling her flesh mold itself to him, feeling her body writhe in ecstasy beneath him.

  He wanted her. He wanted to take her over and over again, to feel her quake around him.

  Just because she had the ring he needed in order to cast the ancient spell on the scroll was no reason why he couldn’t touch her just one more time. He’d think about the ring later. Right now all he wanted to do was be with her. There was something magical about her skin.

  There was more to Helen than just the physical connection he felt to her. He had a strong need to protect her, to keep her close to him. It wasn’t that she was a damsel in distress. She had managed to kill her share of vampires in the name of protecting her secrets. What he really wanted was for her to turn to him and accept his protection. He had come to care for her far more than he ever thought possible. He’d love nothing more than to see the worry fade from her face. The ring complicated things.

  He had obviously been close enough to take the ring earlier but he had hesitated, falling into her instead. Now, as he looked out her apartment window, he knew he had to recover the ring. Leaving it with her placed her in more danger than she was already in. He needed to find a way to implant himself into her life. She didn’t trust him. Her questions, her defenses, the very way she looked at him, read mistrust. How could he find a way in to protect her if she thought she needed protection from him? He was determined to find a way to win her trust and to show her that he did care for her and would do anything to keep her safe.

  He’d known too many stubborn women in the years since his supposed death. Each of them thought she could protect herself against whatever evils the world threw at her. Each had been wrong. He hadn’t been able to save any of them from death, and he could not save himself from life. It was part of the c
urse, rendered on the field of battle as two friends unwittingly struck a deal with the devil. Had he known then that he won the Battle of Melvian Bridge under the name of a false god, he would have never continued his campaign.

  That was a lie. His conscience wouldn’t allow him to lie to himself, though he wished it would. Had he known the consequences on that fated day he would have still defeated his enemy. He would have never believed that his conquest was what led his precious Rome to ruin later on. He and Licinius had been meant to save Rome, not destroy her. Yet they were no better than Caesar or any before them. They had all failed in protecting her, just as he had failed in protecting his mortal lovers.

  He ached for things to be different. Just once he would like to gain the power and wisdom to convince her that she needed him as much as he needed her. But men were at a distinct disadvantage when it came to women. His heirs, all of them, including the illustrious Justinian, had fallen to the soft touch of a woman’s sway. However the women had been untrustworthy. Not Helen. Helen had the ferocity of a lioness and a strong sense of right and wrong. He admired her more than he’d ever admired any other woman.

  He had been given another chance here, a chance to help a woman who needed his help. It may not save those he had let down in the past but it could save Helen who, whether she wanted to admit it or not, needed saving.

  He didn’t deserve a woman with such fire and passion. She had faced him down, put him on the spot, so to speak, demanding answers, none of which he had given. Then she had walked away, dictating when their acquaintance would end.

  He was falling in love with her and hated to admit that. Love had not been part of his plan.

  He listened to her move in the next room, imagining the water slipping around her body. Pulling on his jeans, he decided it would be best to be dressed when they discussed Licinius. He would do whatever he could to protect her.

  For now he believed he could keep the demons at bay but he knew they would return.

  Helen startled him when she entered the room. She was wrapped in a thick white robe and the ring shone up from around her neck, where it still dangled from the golden chain.

  “Did you come here to get answers out of me?” Her question was innocent enough but the answer was complicated.

  “I said I’d give you honesty. Are you ready for that?”

  “Yeah.” Her voice was soft as she sank down onto the bed. He sat next to her, hoping the scent of her bubble bath did not cause his thoughts to muddle.

  “I have been following you because of Licinius. I knew he would surface and I need that ring.”

  Her fingers went to the ring as if she were protecting it. “I’m not giving it to you.”

  “I’m suggesting a compromise. I have some very valuable items too. Your father knew about this. He died before he was able to tell you the full story.”

  “You knew my father?”

  “Yes. I did. And he knew that I was trying to track Licinius down. He knew the man’s weakness would be a woman. That seems to be a weakness for many of us.” He raked a hand through his hair as he tried to ignore the tiny drops of water she had missed when she dried her neck. He wanted to bend down and lick them off her.

  “You may as well take your sweet words and leave. I’m not giving you this ring. I intend to put it somewhere so that it can’t be used for its intended purpose.”

  “Do you know the purpose of that ring? Do you know its history? It was charged under the light of the Roman moon. My son did it. He was a mystic of sorts before he became emperor. He knew of the curse on me and Licinius. He charged the ring and a scroll with a binding spell that would keep Licinius and me safe from the other immortals. The two items were—are—very powerful. They can do something no other spell can do. They can render me mortal. They can render us mortal. They can aid in the reversal of the curse we are under thanks to our choices in the past.”

  “Why would you want to be mortal? You know the danger I am up against. Immortals are powerful in New Orleans.”

  “I have not used the spell. I always thought I wanted to be mortal then I met you. I do realize the dangers surrounding you. I also know that you need my help. So are you ready to come clean with me? Why so many secrets?”

  “There’s a lot going on here that you don’t understand.”

  “You mean Sebastian? I know you have something he wants. I can feel the danger all around you and I’m here to help.” He ran his fingers down her arm, sending a shiver of delight down her back.

  “It’s hard for me to concentrate, to find the words when you touch me like that.”

  “Your skin is so soft. Tell me, Helen, do you really want me to stop touching you?”

  Her nipples hardened and the last thing she wanted was for him to stop touching her. “No, I don’t. You and I both know we haven’t been honest. I guess you’re right. It is time to be honest. You know that my father had the Aztec stone, the one that must be protected at all costs.”

  “Yes. I know that. And I know it passed on to you when he died. What I don’t understand is why you insist on fighting this battle alone. You and I have history together. For more than a year now we’ve shared our bodies and avoided sharing our secrets. You are in danger. The location of the stone is in danger. You’re at war with an enemy who is determined to win back what you took from him. A dangerous enemy.”

  “I don’t need you to tell me about Sebastian. I know how dangerous he is but I also know that he will not kill me. You know what the stone is capable of then? The stone has the power to raise Tez and Quetz, the ancient gods who can give all the immortals more power than they have now. Right now the balance here is kept because of the law. Sebastian doesn’t want legal interference in their dealings. But if he unleashes the gods the entire city, maybe even the world, will be in danger.”

  “You’re concerned about the world. I am concerned about you. He could harm you.”

  “He hasn’t yet.” The last word hung in the air between them.

  “But he will. The stone is a source of power. I call us nightwalkers but we don’t just walk at night. We did at first. Now we are everywhere. Day, night. We are searching for different answers. Some of us don’t even care anymore that we’re immortal but we all have an item needed in order to set free the ancient gods. And you are caught in the middle.”

  “It all sounds so logical coming from you.”

  “There is no logic in what you make me feel.”

  “What exactly do I make you feel, Constantine?” She slid her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him. “We’ve been dancing this way for a while. Are you ready to move beyond sex?”

  “I am ready to move to eternity with you.” He smiled down at her and gripped her ass through the thick fabric of her robe.

  She let out a squeal before pulling away from him. “Eternity? I’m still not sure if I trust you.” She tapped her bottom lip. “Maybe you’ll have to prove yourself to me again.”

  “I would be honored.” He scooped her up into his arms and moved back toward the bed, which was still wrinkled from their earlier lovemaking. She ran her fingers along his hard chest and teased his nipple with her thumb. She wanted to laugh out loud at how they were so casually falling for one another in the midst of a life or death crisis but they had made it to the bed and the need inside her was growing.

  She slid to the middle and opened her arms, inviting him to join her. When his body made contact with hers the need turned to full-blown desire. Heat coursed through her as he teased her ear with his tongue.

  “I am in love with you,” he whispered against her skin.

  Tears stung the backs of her eyes. This was real. He was real. She wrapped her fingers in his hair, pulling his mouth to hers. “I love you too.”

  The words were difficult to admit but she meant them. In all her time studying history she never dreamed she’d fall in love with someone who helped shape history. He smiled down at her before taking her mouth with his. She opened for h
im, pressing herself against him, reveling in his scent, his touch, his taste.

  She spread her legs, giving him room to settle himself between her thighs. Her thick white robe had been pushed aside but was still preventing his cock from brushing against her pussy. It was agony to know how close he was to her. A moan escaped her lips and he must have known what it meant. He slid down her body, settling himself between her thighs, opening her robe.

  “You are incredible,” he whispered as his hand ran along her abdomen. He teased her by brushing against her pubic hair slightly. She shivered against the sensation. She wanted him to spread her lips and delve his tongue inside.

  She shifted, hoping he would move. His breath brushed against her clit. Just when she thought she would die if he didn’t touch her, his mouth closed over her pussy and his tongue ran across her clit, flicking back and forth.

  She gripped the bed sheets, twisting them in her hands. Arching her back against the bed, she rose up to meet him. Each flick of his tongue sent a new wave of delight through her body. Each sensation made her want to scream out.

  He rested his hands on her thighs, using gentle pressure to keep her from coming up off the bed. She tossed her head from side to side while his mouth continued to work its magic on her cunt. His tongue slid down to her opening and dipped inside before sliding back out and making its way down to her ass. There he pressed his tongue against her tighter hole, flicking back and forth across it, sending another wave of pleasure through her body.

  While his tongue teased her labia, his fingers dipped inside her wet pussy. His breath still washed over her as his tongue continued to move around the outer edges of her pussy. Finally, slowly, he slid it into her body. She stiffened at first but he moved his fingers inside her pussy, thrusting them in and out and forcing her to let out the scream she’d held back.

  Wave upon wave of delight flooded her body as she began to quake beneath his mouth and hand. Her pussy gripped his fingers, unwilling to let go as her orgasm ripped through her. She had hardly stopped shaking when he rose above her and sank his cock into her.