“I understand. She’s a little overwhelming.”
“I suppose we should go back.” Vanora reached up to adjust her tiara and started up the long length of the hallway toward the doors that opened to the ballroom. She could hear laughter and music emanating from beyond them, but the festivities seemed so far away.
“Vanora,” Armando said in such a way that her heart sang with hope. “Let’s not go back.”
Rotating toward him, Vanora observed him with uncertainty. “Why?”
Leaning against the door to the library, Armando regarded her with a mesmerizing stare. The golden fires in his eyes burned into her soul. “Because the thought of you being afraid of me is something I can’t endure. I want to be certain that all is well between us.”
“Armando, I don’t know what is between us.”
Lowering his eyes, he sighed. “I came to Houston with a very set purpose. I knew what I needed to do and why. I was focused. I found your brother and his friendship has meant the world to me. He has reminded me of so much of that which I had forgotten. What it’s like to have a brother. To have family. To be part of something good. And lately, when I look at you…”
Vanora felt dizzy from lack of air. She was so afraid he’d stop talking, she was holding her breath to keep herself from ruining the moment with a stupid comment. He reduced her to so many jumbled emotions. Releasing a pent up breath, she dared to ask, “When you look at me…what?”
“Let’s speak in private, Vanora.”
There was an audible click as the library door opened. Slipping inside, Armando took hold of her hand and drew her after him. The room was filled with the night. Outside the windows a waning moon cast pale light over the lawn and mausoleum. Closing the door, Armando locked it. He left the lights off, leaving them in darkness.
Vanora felt close to hyperventilating.
Turning about, Armando drew close to her again. She could see the lines of his face faintly illuminated by the moonlight. “Vanora, you render all that came before meaningless.”
“I don’t understand.” She truly didn’t. It was as if she was missing a vital piece of a puzzle and unable to see the full picture his words were painting.
“I came here tonight with the intention of telling you that we are merely friends. I wore the mask because I believed it would be easier.”
“And?”
Armando’s fingers caught her face and he rested his forehead to hers. “Vanora, I can’t say those words to you because they’re a lie.”
“I’m not for you. You’re not for me.” Vanora struggled with the words, not fully believing them, yet feeling instinctively that they were true. The thought was too painful to ponder. She knew what her heart felt for Armando, sixth sense be damned.
“I don’t care,” Armando said, his voice ragged. “I’ve spent the last few months with those words as my mantra and one look of fear on your face…you fearing me…reduced me to splinters.”
It was hard to think, hard to process, and even harder to believe what she was hearing, yet she could sense the truth in his words. “Armando, what did you think your purpose was when you came to Houston?”
“To be alone.” Armando’s golden eyes burned in the darkness. It was eerie, yet lovely.
“And now?”
“I can’t be alone knowing you exist,” Armando whispered.
Pressing her lips to his forehead, Vanora slid her hands into his hair. Her power surged through her fingertips, but there was no resistance from Armando. He clutched her wrists and pressed her fingers against his scalp. It was if a great emptiness opened beneath her and swallowed her whole. But instead of being subsumed, her power spread through the darkness obliterating it until all that was left was her burning light.
“You are my moon, my light. Do you see?”
Vanora kissed his lips tenderly. “Yes. I see.”
With a soft moan in his voice, Armando whispered, “Then we’re both truly lost.”
“I don’t care,” Vanora answered, and meant it. All that existed for her in the moment was the vampire and her love for him. She didn’t know how it would change her future, but she couldn’t make herself be concerned about the implications of their actions. All her fears were dispelled in the fervor of the kisses he adorned upon her lips
Swinging her about, Armando pressed her to the door. The warmth of her mouth and breath heated his lips. The vampire’s kisses deepened until he left her gasping. She was mesmerized by the softness of his hair wrapped around her fingers, the wetness of his tongue as he licked her neck before lightly nipping it, the hardness of his chest against her breasts, and the way he breathed her name as he kissed her.
Caressing his neck, she lightly tugged on his bottom lip with her teeth before pushing him back. “Wait…”
“I’m sorry,” he muttered, instantly releasing her.
“No, don’t be.”
Vanora dragged the chain holding her cross over her head before tugging off the silver bracelet he had given her that was concealed under the cuff of her sleeve. Setting the silver jewelry and wand on the nearest bookshelf, she reached up to take off her tiara. Armando’s deft fingers touched it first and he carefully extracted it from her hair before placing it aside.
In silence, Vanora’s quivering fingers pulled at the fastenings of the long, dour coat Armando wore. Pressing kisses to her face, Armando let her do as she pleased while loosening the remains of her ornate hairstyle. Beneath his coat was his regular t-shirt and jeans. Tossing the coat over the back of the nearest chair, she wrapped her arms around his chest.
“Not impressed with my costume?” he teased.
“Impressed with mine?”
Nipping her ear, he murmured, “More impressed with your beauty than the dress.”
Vanora had always imagined this moment as rather hazy, romantic, and dreamlike, but she was acutely aware of the sound of the zipper of her dress being drawn downward, the coolness of his fingers, and the way the air from the vent overheard brushed over her spine. Armando allowed her dress to catch on the curve of her shoulders, obviously giving her a choice.
The sound of her breathing filled her ears. She was conscious of the fact that she alone in the room actually had breath or a heartbeat. Armando drew his fingertips across her jawline and lips with the softest of touches. Frozen by abrupt indecision, Vanora tucked her face against his neck, breathing in the scent of his skin and hair. The enormity of the choice she faced struck her despite her desire to fling caution to the wind. Nothing would ever be the same between them again.
Armando merely held her, gently swaying. Everything within her cried out for release in his arms. There was no doubt in her mind anymore how they felt about each other. The world of humans was far removed when they were alone. Nothing else mattered but that they were together.
Vanora shrugged the dress off her shoulders, letting it pool at her feet. Sliding her hands under his shirt, she allowed herself the luxury of touching his bare skin. Lifting her head, she invited his kisses once again.
The feverish passion between them reignited now that she had made her decision. It was a matter of seconds before the rest of their clothes were discarded. Vanora trembled, feeling vulnerable to his touch. She was glad for the shadows filling the room. It made it easier to be naked in his presence.
“You can touch me,” he said in a husky voice. “Don’t be afraid.”
Vanora tried not to let her nervousness escape her in an awkward giggle. Instead, she kissed him and dared to glide her hands slowly down his back, feeling his muscles shifting beneath her palms.
The coolness of his hand gliding over her breasts and waist to cup her ass made her a little dizzy. The soft hair on his chest tickled her nipples when he tightened his hold on her. Lifting her easily, Armando carried her to the sofa. Arms and legs locked around him, Vanora could feel how hard he was when his cock brushed her thigh. Settling onto the sofa so that Vanora was straddling him, Armando dragged the rest of her tresses out
of the hairdo it had taken her hours to construct. In the pale light of the moon, her long hair was very white against his skin.
“You’re so beautiful in the night,” Armando whispered, then dipped his head to lavish her breasts with tantalizing licks of his damp tongue.
Resting her cheek against his soft curls, Vanora’s hair fell over him like a veil.
“Don’t be afraid, Vanora.” Armando seized her hands and guided her palms over his chest down to his waist.
Growing bolder, she dared to explore his body with her fingertips. “Like this?”
With a playful growl, he tossed her onto the sofa and crawled over her, kissing her from her ankles on up. Sprawled together on the wide cushions, Armando’s mouth and hands slid over her skin, building the sweet torment within her until she bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out. She felt reckless, needing him so much it hurt. His low laugh of delight and devouring kiss when she finally dared to touch his cock only frustrated her more. Shifting her hips, she rubbed the head against her wetness, but he resisted.
“At last, you touch me where I want you to,” he whispered.
“Don’t tease,” she grumbled.
“But it’s so much fun,” he said against her lips, before finally allowing their bodies to join.
Clasping her arms around his shoulders, Vanora clung to him, trembling as he gradually filled her. Any discomfort, pain, or awkwardness was swept away by the exquisite act of finally being with the man she knew she loved with every aspect of her soul.
***
Alisha laughed as Angel caught her around the waist and twirled her about to Bauhaus’ “Bela Lugosi is Dead.” At some point during the night, Sheila had firmly taken over the DJing duties and the music had definitely taken a hard swerve into more macabre music. A long swath of glitter along Angel’s arm showed exactly where he had held her. She’d be washing glitter out of everything for months to come. Her arms, hair, and makeup sparkled with the stuff, but she had wanted to be a proper Tinkerbelle.
Angel was a somewhat short, stockier version of Michael Jackson, but he had all the right dance moves. Begging for a break to grab a refreshment, Alisha scooted off the dance floor and served herself some blood-laced punch. She’d been dancing for quite some time, but didn’t even feel winded, but she was a bit hungry.
Looking about the ballroom, she frowned when she realized she had lost track of both her brother and sister. Clutching her crystal goblet that had black spider webs painted across its surface, she wandered around the edges of the party. She finally spotted Roman and Carlotta through the doors that opened to the garden. It had been a very long time since Alisha had seen Roman so animated. He was obviously enthralled with the beautiful brunette.
“One down,” she murmured.
Ducking around the big speakers, she sidled up to Sheila. Shifting one side of her headset off one ear, Sheila leaned toward Alisha. “What’s up?”
“Have you seen Vanora?”
“Armando and her were over there about an hour ago, then disappeared. Maybe she took me up on my advice,” Sheila answered, winking.
Alisha set her hands on her hips. “Great. Now I have to be the interfering sister.”
“Let it go,” Sheila said, wagging a finger. “We’ve all been there. The hot irresistible guy that we should never fuck around with, but absolutely should fuck!”
Alexander ducked around the speaker to hand Sheila a drink.
“Alexander, have any clue where my sister is?”
His sly wink told Alisha all she need to know.
“Dammit.”
Alisha deftly avoided the larger throngs of vampires, discarded her glass, and headed into the long hallway. A quick study of the hall told the story. Armando’s hat and mask were set on a table near the door to the library. Clenching her fists, she stormed toward the door. Most likely they were just talking, but she wasn’t taking any chances. Vanora was so young and innocent. There was no way in hell she should be with a vampire.
Alisha was almost to the door when the bittersweet memory of Sin filled her mind. Alisha hesitated, staring at the door she just knew her sister was behind. She felt her sister’s power, her love, and her joy seeping through their sisterly bond. The sensation felt so intrusive, Alisha took several steps back.
What right did she have to barge in on her sister? Did she even want to find out what was actually happening? Maybe she should just pound on the door. But was that fair? Hadn’t Alisha defied Roman to love Sin?
“Ugh!” Wringing her hands, she headed back to the party. “Fuck!”
If Roman wanted to know where Vanora was, Alisha knew she’d lie to protect her sister’s privacy. She hated being in this situation, but how could she deny her sister’s right to self-determination? And though it pained her to admit, she was fairly certain Armando had feelings for Vanora.
Entering the ballroom, Alisha shut the doors behind her. Sheila spotted her and gave her two thumbs up.
Roman drifted into the ballroom from the patio, his arm protectively around Carlotta’s waist. The new vampire was gazing at him with adoration and Roman was clearly smitten by her. Alisha gave him a slight smile when he glanced her way, but she laughed out loud when he winked at her. It had been so long since she’d seen him so happy that it sparked a bit of joy inside her.
“Stop freaking out,” she chided herself.
Everything was fine with her siblings.
Angel moonwalked in her direction, and she moved forward to rejoin him on the dance floor.
The doors to the ballroom exploded inward and a huge black vampire named Ben barreled into the room. “I’ve got him! I’ve got him!”
“What?” Alisha stared at him in confusion.
“Some asshole dressed like a clown was trying to get some kids into his van just down the street from the house! Me and Tracy saw him!” Ben exclaimed furiously, waving a huge hand toward the doorway.
The room was absolutely frozen. Sheila even killed the music, the silence was disconcerting as the burning red eyes of the large vampire looming before Alisha. No one moved as a female vampire, who had recently joined Roman’s family, entered with a middle aged man dressed in a clown suit cowering in her fierce grasp. Gagged with the sash from Ben’s pirate costume, the clown thrashed about trying to break free.
“That’s the guy from the paper!” Sheila declared.
Ben paced in a tight circle around Tracy and her captive. “I found the bastard bribing four Trick or Treators! I clearly heard him ask sick sex shit in exchange for these huge bags of candy. He was telling them it was going to be fun!”
“I heard him, too.” Tracy dragged the guy across the floor to the center of the dance floor. Her sexy pirate costume was a little bit mussed, but her glowing red eyes and sharp teeth made the issue moot.
Alisha could feel the anger in the room building. It licked across her skin like fire and she felt her fangs descending. Frightened, she stumbled back against the refreshment table.
“There was another guy with him, but he ran when Tracy grabbed this one. Zachary went after the other guy. Can you believe this? Two assholes hunting children in our city!” Ben stalked about, obviously enraged.
“What does he have to say for himself?” Angel asked, his dark eyes burning with hunger.
“Let’s find out,” Ben said, yanking the gag out of the captive’s mouth.
“Who are you people?” the man shrieked.
“You don’t want to know!” Sheila grinned, baring her teeth at him.
“Oh, you think that scares me! Fake fangs! I know my rights, you stupid bitch! Let me go, or I’m going to sue all of you!”
Annoyed, Sheila spit out her fake fangs.
Ben was in a state of fury. “He had fucking sick stuff in his car! A camera with photos of kids in it! Look! Polaroids, too!” Jerking the photographs from his pocket, Ben threw them on the floor.
“And they call us monsters!” Sheila raged. Alexander tried to calm her but she yanked her arm
away. She came around the DJ equipment in a fury, her black cape swirling around her thin frame. “You fucked up assholes screwing with kids ought to be castrated and left to bleed to death!”
The others vampires gathered closer to the clown, murmuring among themselves. Instead of music, the room vibrated with strong, violent emotions. Vampires were very emotional about children. Unable to conceive, Sheila had explained to Alisha that children were elevated to almost religious icons in the eyes of many of the vampires. Children were strictly off limits and any vampire who hurt a child was immediately killed.
“Look, bitch, I don’t have to answer to you or anyone else here!” The clown was very sure of himself, seemingly not afraid at all. “Why don’t you call the cops? I’ll be out by morning if you do. I know my rights!”
The vampires were growing angrier as the disgusting little man in the clown suit belligerently shouted at them.
“Mother fucker, you have no rights here!” Sheila answered menacingly.
“Someone tell this bitch to shut her mouth!” the clown shouted.
The vampires were silent, their fierce eyes focused the mortal in their midst.
“I would have snapped his neck, but I remember what we used to do in days gone by.” Ben directed his gaze at Roman, who’d been silent throughout the tirades. “We don’t let his kind live.”
Angel smiled slowly. “I remember it well.”
Alisha began to feel dizzy. The bloodlust was growing in the room.
“All that he’s good for is his blood!” Ben declared.
“Roman, say something,” Alisha pleaded.
The costumed vampires swiveled toward Roman, waiting.
“Roman?”
***
“I can’t stop kissing you,” Armando complained.
Vanora giggled. “Well, I need to freshen up before Roman comes looking for me. We’ve been in here for like an hour.”
Armando reluctantly let her slide off his lap, but rose with her, kissing the back of her neck and shoulders fervently. Vanora playfully tried to fight him off, but he followed her into the small bathroom connected to the library. It only had a sink and toilet, and was quite small, but he stepped inside anyway. Flipping on the light, Vanora quickly saw that her makeup was done for. Running the water, she used a hand towel to wipe off the rest of her smeared cosmetics.
In Darkness We Must Abide: The Complete First Season: Episodes 1-5 Page 27