Kiss of the Sun

by Racheal Pierce

  Darius’ eyes nearly crossed at the look she gave him. Holding her hips for support, he rammed his body into hers. His thick shaft penetrated her over and over, each thrust giving more of him than the last.

  He listened to her panting. “Is this what you need?” he asked. His voice was husky as he controlled the heavy pounding he was giving her.

  She bit her lip to keep from answering. Let him think what he wanted.

  "Rosalind?” Darius stopped all movement. His hand went between them, massaging her clit to keep her on edge.

  She wondered what he would do next. If he would do something next.

  "Don't you dare stop.” She read his last thought.

  Darius captured her legs in his elbows, bringing her hips up from the ground. Now she could not move unless he allowed it. She was his to do with as he wanted.

  "Let me come,” she finally pleaded with him.

  Darius concentrated on their Link, sending every feeling he had back to her three times as powerful. He clutched her shoulders as her orgasm flooded her heaving body. When she fell still on the ground Darius released her legs and allowed himself one final thrust, then he joined her to completion, a satisfied smile on his face.

  Rosalind opened her eyes slowly. Her breathing was finally hers to control. Darius lay covering her body, protecting her from the morning chill. “Morning,” she whispered confused. Looking at the top of the dome, Rosalind saw the sky was slowly brightening to the sun.

  "Darius, the sun is rising.” She pushed at his shoulder to wake him up.

  "What?” he mumbled through his sleep fogged brain.

  Fear had her voice shaking. “The sun is rising."

  Darius jerked away from her to look above them. “Damn it. We fell asleep."

  "Close the dome.” She urged as the sky brightened even more.

  Darius ran to the steel wall and pressed his palm to the release mechanism. Nothing happened. The dome did not move. “It's busted."

  "What?” she shrieked in panic.

  "Rosalind, you have to use the power."

  "I'm not ready!” she cried.

  Darius held her to him. She had their clothes clutched in her arms. He took them away from her and started to dress. Himself first, then he helped her with her torn shirt. “It is just like the fire. Only think of the light.” He tried to laugh.

  "It is not just like the fire, Darius. If I can't do this you will die."

  "You wouldn't let me die.” He gave her a tender smile.

  "I wasn't ready to do this so soon,” she warned.

  Just a bump in the road called our life, honey.

  Rosalind slapped at his arm. Idiot.

  Darius opened the door to the dome. He stood to the side as the dome was filled with bright morning light. He hid his pained flinch from Rosalind. She had enough to worry about. His very life was in her hands.

  Rosalind walked out into the cool morning air. The sun touched her face. Unlike the other vampires Rosalind had never needed to fear the sun. Even after her change she had been able to go out during the day without fear. Niko had stayed with her that day to make sure it wasn't her controlling it. After most of the day he had decided it was just natural for her to be outside under the sun.

  They had never tested her ability to bring other vampires under the sun. She was too scared to test it on her friends. Not even the volunteers were enough to change her mind. It was her choice to use the power. She didn't know when she would be ready, if she would ever have the guts to use the Kiss of the Sun.

  She closed her eyes and thought of Darius. Her love for him. Her annoyance of him when he went all kingly on her. Her dislike of how he treated her sometimes. Every emotion he evoked from her she embraced until she felt her muscles loosen and her breathing steady. “I'm ready,” she called to him.

  "I know,” he whispered proudly into her ear.

  Rosalind yelped in surprise. “How long have you been out here?"

  "I followed you."

  Rosalind looked at him. The sun gave him its morning glow. He smiled into her eyes. No pain in his features alerted her. She slumped against him in relief. “Thank god."

  Darius put one arm around her shoulders and began walking. “It isn't far to the city. A stroll through the park would do us good, don't you think?"

  Rosalind walked alongside him, her hand tucked into his back pocket. “Sometimes you act like a child.” She shook her head in confusion.

  "Well you don't want to get bored with me, do you?"

  Seventeen

  Rosalind stood on the roof of the mansion, Bethany at her side. She looked on as Bethany saw her first sunset. Being a Chosen Child, she didn't even have the memory of the sun. This was her first experience with the dangerous orb.

  "It's beautiful,” she said as the sun finally disappeared behind the mountains.

  Bethany turned to Rosalind. Tears fell down her cheeks. “Thank you, Rozzy, for giving me this."

  "Now, don't cry. Roman will have my head."

  They both laughed at the threat. “You finally did it."

  "Not by choice, let me tell you. I'll never fuck that man again that close to morning."

  "At least not outside,” Bethany added.

  "Definitely."

  "Have you tried the whirlpool yet?” Bethany smiled at her blush.

  "Those jets.” Rosalind closed her eyes in remembrance.

  "Oh, yeah,” Bethany sighed in agreement.

  "Tomorrow night bring Roman out here. Show him the sunset,” Rosalind suggested.

  "Can we do that without you?"

  "Yep. I can do the entire roof from the bedroom as long as I am not hungry."

  "Really?” Bethany asked with excitement. “I do have some news to give him. A romantic sunset would be the best setting."

  "What news?” Rosalind asked.

  "I lost the bet, Rosalind.” Bethany threw her arms around her friend as they screamed their happiness.

  "How are you keeping this a secret from him?"

  "It isn't easy. But I have a feeling it will be worth it. Roman will be groveling for a week after tomorrow."

  Darius winced in sympathy. Males really hated to grovel. “That isn't nice, Bethany."

  Bethany jumped in surprise. She hadn't realized Darius was near. “You won't tell, will you?"

  "No, he won't,” Rosalind answered for him.

  Darius perked one eye brow. “I won't?"

  "No you won't. This is a surprise. Women still like surprises in this day and age."

  "Really.” I will give you a surprise.

  Rosalind rolled her eyes at his threat. There is nothing you could do that would surprise me.

  "Bethany.” Darius jerked his head. Signaling for her to leave.

  "I think I will go find Roman."

  "Hey!” Rosalind yelled at being abandoned.

  "So, nothing I do can surprise you?” he questioned softly. His arms snaked behind his back.

  "Nothing,” she challenged.

  Darius snapped his fingers and the torches lining the roof came to life. Fire glowed all around them, leaving the rest of the building hidden in darkness. “What are you up to, Darius?"

  Darius fell to his knees in front of his Chosen Mate, giving her his only submissive pose. Taking her shaking hands in his, he spoke with a clear voice. “I choose you as you are, as you can be, as you will be. All that you are I see with clear eyes and an open heart. From this day until forever our hearts will become one. My breath will sustain you. My strength to keep you and yours safe. My heart to do with as you will.” He pried her fingers apart and placed a ring on her left hand.

  Rosalind looked down. “Darius. It is beautiful."

  "It is an exact copy of my mother's ring from my father."

  "Are we married?"

  "Not until you say the words as well."

  "I don't know them."

  "Do you want to?"

  "Oh, yes. I love you so much. I want us to be together in every way."

/>   "Then repeat after me and we will to together in every way."

  As he spoke she spoke. Their voices combined to make one. When they completed the oath Rosalind leaped into his arms. Wrapping her legs around his strong body, she kissed him until neither could breathe. “I love you, Darius."

  When he walked backwards into the hallway he bumped into a wall. “It is about time you married the girl, Darius,” Mason spoke from behind them.

  Darius reluctantly released Rosalind. It had been many months since she had seen the Historians. “Mason!” she screamed happily, launching herself into his outstretched arms.

  Darius watched the emotions swimming in the man's face. There was more than just affection in the man's demeanor for Rosalind. He could see tears hidden in the man's eyes. A sadness he could not explain. “Mason?” Darius asked quietly.

  Mason lifted his dark eyes to the King of their race. He saw the questions burning Darius’ eyes. Mason pulled Rosalind away from him. “Veronica is with Bethany. They are screaming and yelling like children. Would you know anything about that?” he asked playfully.

  "I have to go.” She smiled at Mason and vanished around the corner.

  "Real smooth,” Darius said dryly. “She didn't get that subtle hint."

  Mason walked to the edge of the roof, overlooking the ancient city. He had hoped they could live here one day. He and Veronica. They were tiring of the endless travel. Always moving. Always waiting. “We want to come home, Darius.” He smiled when he heard the happy cheering of children in the nearby park zone.

  "Then come home, Mason."

  Mason looked at the man his Chosen had turned. He had grown to be a man of honor, of unequal strength. Until now. “It isn't as simple as that."

  "Why not. This is your home. You built this city. We live here because of your generosity."

  "No Darius. This is your city. We built if for you, for your people.” Mason looked into Darius’ coal black eyes. “For our daughter to have a safe haven."

  "What daughter?” Darius asked very carefully.

  "Rosalind is our daughter,” Mason spoke quietly into the night.

  Darius hissed and clutched his head. The pain took him by surprise. Her pain. Rosalind's distress. “Damn it!” he roared as he flew down the stairs to see the fire savaging around Rosalind. She laid on the floor, her face in her hands. Her sobs broke his heart.

  He made to move to her, but Veronica was already there. She walked into the fire and circled Rosalind's still form in her arms, hugging her to her breasts as she had longed to do for her daughter. “It's okay, baby. Mama's here,” Veronica wept as she held her crying daughter. Darius saw with amazement as Veronica waved her hands and the fire vanished harmlessly into her palm.

  Darius turned on Mason. “What is going on?"

  "Rosalind is our daughter.” Mason fell to the couch across from his Chosen, watching helplessly as she rocked their quiet daughter in her arms. He looked at his friends. “By blood, by power, Rosalind is ours."

  "You didn't see the need to tell her she had two loving parents. Mason, you know what her life has been like."

  "We know.” Mason shook his head.

  "How could she be mortal?” Roman stood beside Bethany, holding her hand tightly as she clung to him.

  "Our children are born mortal. We give them immortality when they are fully grown. If it is what they want."

  Darius had never been more confused. “Who are you?"

  "We are the parents. Her parents."

  "My father and mother.” Niko threw open the doors in his haste to get to his family.

  "Niko.” Mason stood at his eldest son's entrance.

  Niko walked up to his father, his fist flying before Mason could duck. “That is for not telling me about the legend."

  "Her destiny was already changed. I had no choice but to let it play out."

  "You could have changed it. Saved her from this life,” Niko argued.

  "You know even I cannot change what is written. They made sure of that when they took her."

  "Wait, who took her?” Darius came between father and son.

  "Outcasts,” Mason answered. “Marcus, Vee and the others."

  "Marcus was an Outcast?"

  "Yes, you banished him when you banished Vee. Only with his memory power he fixed it. Made it as if nothing had ever happened."

  "What happened?"

  "Marcus and Vee are brothers. What one does the other will do twice as bad just to even the score."

  "They aren't brothers. Vee was mortal. Marcus was an elder."

  "Marcus convinced you of that. Vee was never mortal. When his mother gave birth to Vee, Marcus killed both parents and raised Vee himself, turning him into the perfect weapon. He is a master fire elemental. Marcus knew he would need that power for when the day came."

  "Outcasts know about Rosalind?” Darius was furious. No vampire was to communicate with the banished.

  "Mortals don't always follow the rules of the city. Marsha, the female, has been seen in the camps for the past year,” Niko revealed.

  "That must be why Will wasn't able to retrieve the bitch,” Roman realized.

  Mason nodded. “The male is smart enough not to take on an entire camp of vampires."

  "How did Outcasts get Rosalind? When? I found her when she was only a child."

  "Vee stole her from us. He took her to Marcus and they wiped her memory. Her entire childhood is gone. Niko was able to rescue her but not before they broke connection to us. We love our daughter, but her destiny was no longer with us."

  "You were her parents!” Darius yelled. “Destiny has nothing to do with it."

  "If we had interfered in Rosalind's new life she would have died,” Veronica whispered.

  "So we sent you to her, Darius,” Mason continued for Veronica. “We had already known of her Chosen. I just tweaked time a bit."

  "Niko,” Rosalind whispered from the floor.

  Niko knelt beside his sister, tears in his eyes. “Hey, little sister."

  She looked at him in wonder. “Brother. I have a brother.” She threw her arms around his neck, clinging to him as happiness welled inside her.

  "Rozzy.” He pulled her to face him. “You also have two parents who love you very much. Our parents only did what they thought to be right."

  Rosalind stood with the help of her brother. “You left me alone. I was only a child."

  Veronica breezed to her feet. Tears fell from her eyes. “No, honey. We wanted to be with you so much.” Her voiced was choked with sadness. “But we couldn't. If we influenced you in any way the results would have been deadly for you."

  "Walking off a cliff wasn't deadly enough?” she shrieked.

  "Rosalind!” Darius grabbed her hand.

  "What could have been so bad? I was murdered by your people. For something I had no control over.” She pointed at the silent historians. “They knew what was going to happen."

  "The alternative would have been the extinction of an entire race.” Niko stood next to his mother, his arm protective around her shoulders.

  "What?"

  Mason walked to Rosalind. “You have always had the sun in you. A gift we had given you when you were conceived. When you reached adulthood and chose this life as we knew then. We would have trained you how to control it. Use it however you wished.

  "But the Outcasts found you. Took you and changed everything."

  "What did he do?” Darius’ voice was deadly. Rosalind walked to her mate and pulled his arms around her body. She stood in his embrace, holding him, calming him.

  "If you had changed Rosalind the power would have emerged fully with your blood. Annihilating Vampire City. Killing every living being."

  Rosalind's eyes rolled back into her head as she slumped into Darius. He caught her body against him and laid her on the couch. Her eyes fluttered open, glazed in shock. “I have that kind of power in me?"

  Veronica sat next to Rosalind. Her finger brushed her daughter's hair back. “W
e did what we could so that would not happen.” Tears fell freely. “You had to die so that Darius’ blood could help you. His love keeps your control almost perfect. It is only when your emotions get the best of you that the fire is loose."

  Rosalind looked at Darius, her eyes shining. “But it limits so many things that he could be doing."

  "We had it on good authority that Darius would not mind one bit having to be your only ‘meal.’”

  "Whose authority?"

  "Who knows Darius better than his own brother?"

  "Bastian. You can speak with Bastian."

  Rosalind saw a bright flash. “Who do you think gave you the gift?” Bastian smiled at her.

  Rosalind jumped from the couch. “What took you so long?” she demanded.

  "Rosalind, I love you as a sister, but I really did not want to be around when you and my brother got your groove on."

  "Our groove on.” She rolled her eyes and looked at Darius. “Your brother is weird."

  Darius smiled at her. “Some things never change.” He closed his eyes when he felt the gentle breeze. “Hello, brother."

  "Are you here to stay?” Rosalind asked her childhood friend.

  "I am always with you, Rozzy."

  Rosalind looked at her nervous parents. The Historians, she just couldn't believe it. The most beloved couple of their race were her parents. “You are staying,” she told them.

  Veronica squeezed Mason's strong arm. “If that is what you want."

  "Good. I want to know my parents.” She looked at Niko. “And my brother."

  "You know all there is to know about me, sis."

  Rosalind thought of the conversation she and Bethany had had that fateful night. “Not everything, brother. I want to know about the mystery woman.” When he winced, she laughed. “And since I am your sister I have the right to harass you to my heart's content."

  "You have always harassed me. What does being blood have to do with it?” he mumbled with a smile.

  Rosalind turned to Darius, pulling him down as she nipped at his neck. Her lips sucking at the skin. When he could not contain his moan she let go. Looking into his lust filled eyes she whispered, “I'll see you later."