by Ryan Field
Chapter Sixteen
After the Christmas Festival, Sienna and Avenir drove back to Oceanview. They stopped at Raspberry Hall to put Latte to bed in Sienna’s apartment first. Sienna had been the one to suggest this. She said she thought that Latte looked tired and that he needed his sleep because he was a growing kitten. Avenir glanced at Latte in the back seat. He was sitting up, in his red sweater, with wide eyes and perked ears. He didn’t look tired at all, but Avenir didn’t argue. He’d wanted to be alone with Sienna for a long time.
Avenir waited for Sienna outside the apartment. When she returned to the car and they pulled out of the driveway, he pointed to the main house and said, “Every light in the house is on. Can you imagine what’s going on in there?”
Sienna looked at the house and shook her head. “No. I can’t. And I’m not looking forward to going to work tomorrow. Karla is not going to be happy about Larson and Jaydin. And I’m worried she’s going to take it out on me.”
“Then quit,” he said. “Leave them. Move into Oceanview and don’t look back.”
“I am going to leave eventually,” she said. “But I’m not moving to Oceanview right now. I’ll move in with Jaydin if I have to.” She reached down and held his hand. “It’s too soon for us. We hardly know each other.”
He smiled. She was right. They hadn’t known each other long, and he didn’t want to push her. But in the same respect, he couldn’t let go of the feeling that he’d known her for hundreds of years.
When they arrived at Oceanview, Mavis was nowhere to be seen. Avenir assumed she’d gone to bed early. The construction crew had been working in the kitchen all day and Mavis had been screaming and yelling at them for installing the wrong granite countertops. She knew that Avenir had ordered plain black granite, and they’d installed white granite with little black specks and swirls. By the time Avenir woke up at dusk, she was sitting in a kitchen without countertops, sipping an ice-cold glass of vodka. He told her to go to bed early and take the night off.
Avenir opened the front door for Sienna and said, “Looks like we’re all alone.” She was wearing a fuzzy pink sweater under her coat, and a pair of tight, black jeans with black high heels. He knew she was wearing the cute little ankle bracelet, too. He’d seen it when she’d gotten out of the car to bring Latte up to her apartment.
She turned to him and said, “Take me to the west wing. I’d like to see the room you were talking about the other night.”
He hesitated. He thought they were going to cuddle in front of the fireplace that night. “It’s very dark,” he said. But he couldn’t say no to her. “Let me get a few candles.”
When he returned with the candelabra, she was waiting for him at the foot of the steps. She was looking up the staircase, biting her bottom lip and tugging at her sweater. “Are you sure you want to go up there?” he asked.
She nodded. “I’m curious,” she said. “I can’t stop thinking about those old pages you found. If there is a ghost, and this ghost is trying to tell us something, maybe there is something to my grandmother’s story about the hidden painting.” She clenched her fists and said, “I just wish I could remember what happened the day my mother died.”
At the top of the stairs, they turned right and walked to the end of the hallway. The door to the west wing was wide open. Avenir said. “It’s always like this. We close the door all the time, and then come back to find it open.”
Sienna extended her arm and said, “After you. I’d rather not go first this time.”
They walked to the end of the hall and found the last door wide open. But Sienna folded her arms across her chest and rubbed them because it was freezing. This time there was no music playing and the window wasn’t open. Avenir went in first and placed the candles on the round table. Sienna followed him and looked around the room. “I don’t remember anything specific,” she said. “But it’s all so familiar. I know I’ve been here before. And I smell something familiar, but I can’t quite make it out.”
“It always smells this way, like lilacs,” he said. “Sometimes it’s stronger.”
She took a deep breath and looked around the room.
“Have you ever seen the portrait of Adriana Harrington?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I’m not sure.”
He pointed to the fireplace and said, “There she is.”
When Sienna gazed at the portrait over the mantle, she opened her eyes wide and smiled. “We look identical,” she said. “The resemblance is almost creepy.”
He reached out and put his arms around her. “That’s how I found you,” he said. “I saw the wire photo of you when you found the baby seal, and I thought you were actually Adriana at first.” He sighed. “I stared at that photo for a long time before I decided to come back to Glendale Harbor.”
She placed her hands on his shoulders and said, “So you came all that way looking for Adriana, not me. I’m not sure if I should be flattered or insulted. I’m not Adriana.”
He pulled her into his body and kissed her forehead. “It’s not like that at all,” he said. “I wasn’t looking for a ghost. I wasn’t trying to recapture my lost past. I was curious about you, not Adriana.” He ran his hand down her back and sighed. “And when I finally did meet you, I realized that you’re nothing at all like Adriana. I was glad. I loved her then, but you’re a completely different woman. You have some of her traits, but there’s no one else like you. The moment I saw you standing at the front door in Raspberry Hall it was love at first sight. I know that sounds trite. But that’s what happened.”
Sienna slid her hands up and down his wide shoulders and said, “I’ve seen enough in here for one night. Show me where you sleep during the day.”
He kissed her forehead again and stepped back. “Follow me,” he said, lifting the candles from the table.
When they were out in the main hall again, he blew out the candles and led her to his bedroom. It was the last door on the left in the east wing. His bedroom had recently been renovated, and she hadn’t seen it in a while. The interior designer he’d hired had painted the walls chocolate brown with glossy white trim. The walnut floors had been refinished and the fabrics were dark, masculine earth tones in light browns and beiges. The only accent color was a silver blue. It covered the bed and stippled the draperies.
Sienna crossed to the window and ran her fingers along the edge of the thick indoor shutters that had been designed to keep out the sunlight. Then she smiled and said, “I love the transformation in here. It was so dark and creepy before. But now this room is elegant and bold; just like you. And the bed is one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.”
He walked to a large round table and stared at a huge bouquet of flowers that had been perfectly arranged in a tall, crystal vase. “I always have fresh flowers in here,” he said. “It reminds me of daylight.”
She walked to the table and touched a pink rose in the middle of the bouquet. Then she reached for his right hand and lifted it to her face. She leaned forward and kissed his palm. “I’ll tell you a secret,” she said. “I knew I was in love with you, too, the first time I opened the doors and saw you walking up the front steps at Raspberry Hall.”
Avenir took a breath so deep that his chest heaved forward. Then he took her in his arms and kissed her soft mouth. Her body tipped and she arched her back. She put her arms around his shoulders for support, then pressed her lips so hard to his mouth his eyes rolled back. He had to concentrate hard on his footing so he wouldn’t lose his balance.
But that didn’t stop him from kissing her. Sienna’s body went limp. She became light and pliable. “Hold me,” she begged. “Don’t ever let go.”
He lifted her up to his chest and carried her to the bed. He lowered her slowly to the silver blue silk duvet. Her body sank into the fluffy comforter and the fabric gathered in all directions. When she removed her arms from his shoulders, she looked into his eyes and said, “You’re the first man I’ve ever loved this way.”
He s
miled and removed his leather jacket. He was breathing so hard and moving so fast, the tailored sleeves got stuck on his wrists and he practically had to rip the jacket from his arms. He’d had a feeling she’d never loved anyone else. Her eyes darted with anticipation and her lips quivered with desire. She seemed hesitant, but he knew she didn’t want him to stop. And knowing this only made his heart beat faster. All he had to do was look at her tiny, perfect fingers and a sensation of extreme heat flooded his entire body. When he closed his eyes and imagined the ankle bracelet above her soft foot, he could hardly contain his desire.
The leather jacket flew across the room and he climbed up onto the bed. When he kissed her this time, he rested his weight on her delicate body. She took a breath, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I’ve never felt so safe and protected in my life,” she told him. “Hold me tighter,” she begged. “I’ve been dreaming of this for a long time. Your face is the last thing I see before I close my eyes at night, and it’s the first thing I see when I wake in the morning.” Then she dug her fingernails into his back and said, “I trust you, Avenir. And I want to be part of you.”
When he kissed her soft lips and slipped his tongue into her sweet mouth, he grabbed the edge of the mattress with his right hand and squeezed it as hard as he could. His chest was heaving and his heart was pounding. He had to control every muscle in his body, because he wanted her to remember their first time together as a loving, tender experience. Not a rough, sloppy encounter. He felt a strong responsibility to make this one of the best nights of her life.
Her arms were around his shoulders and her fingertips pressed into his back. When he carefully slid his left hand under her shirt and placed his palm against her soft breast, her mouth opened and her head went back. She hesitated for a second, took a quick breath, and then she lifted her arms and threw them back so he could remove her shirt. He took a few deep breaths, and pulled it off fast. Then he cupped her firm breasts with both strong hands, pushed them together, and buried his face in her chest. His mouth opened wide and he moaned out loud. She sighed and ran her fingertips through his hair.
A few minutes later, he got up and removed his clothes fast. His shirt went over her head and his pants hit the window on the other side of the room. And while he was removing his socks and his white boxers, Sienna removed the rest of her clothes.
When his underwear went down around his strong, muscular thighs, she looked between his legs and her jaw dropped. She hesitated again, and then she smiled and extended her arms. He leaned forward and kissed the tops of her hands. He gazed at her naked body and said, “You’re even more beautiful than I imagined you would be.”
She smiled. “So are you, Avenir.” Then she reached between his legs, grabbed him in her palm, and pulled him closer. She whispered, “Come to bed now. I’ve been dreaming about this for a long time.”
His bottom lip quivered and his eyes rolled back. Her touch was light and delicate, just like everything else she did. He was ready to erupt. So he slowly climbed on top of her and slipped his tongue into her mouth again. She held his shoulders and opened her legs wider for him without a hint of resistance. And when he slowly entered her body, she clutched his shoulders and gasped. Then her legs went higher and she arched her back so he could go deeper.
At first, he bucked his hips with caution. She was small and tight and slippery, and he didn’t want to hurt her. But when she grabbed the back of his head and pulled his face toward hers, his hips instinctively moved faster. While his tongue explored her mouth, she lifted her legs and rested her tiny feet on the backs of his powerful thighs. The harder he pushed, the deeper she kissed. The bed began to rock; the antique frame squeaked. The only other sounds in the room were her soft whimpers and his heavy moans.
When they were both ready to climax at the same time, he lifted his head and looked into her eyes. His hips were still bucking and the bed was still rocking. Sienna smiled and nodded, and then she turned her head to the right and closed her eyes. He opened his mouth wide and his sharp fangs dropped. A second later, his teeth were buried in her soft neck and he was feeding on her for the first time. He had no intention of turning her into a vampire. He wanted her blood to always be fresh and human.
Sienna’s body began to vibrate. Avenir saw flashes of light that came in waves as if there were huge explosions going off him his head in rapid, even successions. He sucked slowly; he’d never tasted anything this spectacular before. It was sweet and warm and thick, the way he’d imagined it would be on the first day he’d met her. A moment later, they climaxed together. He took one last taste and lifted his head. She turned to face him and took a deep breath. Then she smiled and whispered, “I love you, Avenir.”
He cupped her breast with one hand and squeezed it gently. “I love you, too,” he said. Then he rested his weight on her body and sighed.
An hour before dawn, Avenir walked Sienna downstairs to the front door. He held her hand and walked with slow, even steps. Her hair was messy and there was a long tear at the top of her sweater, but he thought she’d never looked better. He smiled at the two little puncture holes in her neck and said, “This will go down as one of the most wonderful nights of my life.”
She ran her fingertips up and down his rippled stomach a few times. His torso was naked and his feet were bare. He was only wearing jeans, and the top button was open. She smiled and said, “I don’t know how I’m going to get up for work in a few hours. I wish I could just go back to bed and sleep with you all day.”
He sighed. He knew that was the one thing that would never be possible. When vampires slept, they went into a state of being that resembled death, and they were vulnerable to everything. He couldn’t take the chance that she’d accidentally get up and look out the window. The slightest ray of sunlight could destroy him. But more than that, he didn’t want her to see him in that state of deep sleep that resembled death. So he smiled and said, “Walk down to the garage with me. I have a surprise for you that I was saving for Christmas, but I want to give it to you tonight instead.”
She gazed down at his bare feet and said, “You need shoes.”
He laughed. “I’m fine. I feel no pain. I could walk on a bed of nails and I wouldn’t feel a thing.”
The brownstone garage at Oceanview was on the left side of the house, toward the back. There were ten garage doors in one long, neat row. They were the old-fashioned kind that opened in the middle and pulled out instead of sliding up. Avenir held her hand and led her to the last door, then he unfastened the latch and spread both doors wide. He flipped on the light switch and extended his right arm. Then he smiled and said, “Merry Christmas, Sienna.”
She covered her open mouth with both hands and stared at a brand new Camaro. It was the newest, latest model. So new there were hardly any on the road yet. It was the same silver color as her old Camaro, and the seats were black leather. Avenir had placed a huge red bow on the middle of the hood.
“I don’t know what to say,” she said. She stepped into the garage and touched the shiny hood.
“Do you like it?” He was smiling. His hands were in his pockets and he was rocking back and forth on his bare feet.
She crossed to where he was standing and placed both palms on his chest muscles. “I love it. I really do. But Avenir, I can’t drive this car back to Raspberry Hall. Karla and Robert will ask too many questions. Karla has already asked why she’s seen your Mercedes outside my apartment. Karla doesn’t miss anything. If I drive this car back there tonight, I’ll have to explain it to them. And I don’t want to do that. Not yet.”
He spread his legs wide and placed his strong hands on the small of her back. “I’m curious. What did you tell her about my car being there? Did she think I spent the night with you over the garage?” He wasn’t sure why, but he liked the idea of Karla and Robert wondering about him being with Sienna.
“I told her that we are friends, and that you let me drive your car back,” she said. “And then I changed the
subject. I don’t owe Karla, or anyone else, an explanation of what I do and where I go. I’m a good employee, and I’ve been loyal to them.”
He kissed her neck in the exact spot where he’d made the punctures with his fangs. “I understand.” He said. “You’ll take the Mercedes home tonight.” Her soft fingers were clutching his chest. “And you’d better get going, because it’s almost dawn and I have to go upstairs.”
He walked her to his car and opened the door. When she sat down behind the wheel he rested one elbow on the roof and the other on the door frame and said, “I might be able to help you remember a few things.”
Sienna started the engine and said, “How?”
“One of the things about vampires is that we can hypnotize humans,” he said. “I’m very good at it, and I can get anyone to do just about anything I want them to do.”
Her eyebrows went up. “You sound devious now.”
He shook his head. “I’m not joking,” he said. “Just think about it. If you can remember the day your mother died, then maybe you can remember where the painting is.”
She slipped the car into gear and said, “I’ll think about it. Now you go upstairs and get into bed.”
He closed the door and Sienna removed her foot from the brake pedal. He stood there watching, with his legs spread and his hands on his hips, as she slowly headed to the road. Then he jogged back into the house with a huge smile on his face. He’d finally tasted her, and she’d been even sweeter than he’d imagined. When he switched off the hall light and headed up stairs, he didn’t walk. He ran up the stairs so fast, taking them two at a time, his pants almost slid down his legs.
Chapter Seventeen
For the next few weeks, Sienna saw Avenir every night. He would arrive at the bar around ten and wait on his stool for her to finish her work. Then he would drive her back to Oceanview, where they would spend long hours in front of the fireplace in his bedroom. Some nights they just sat and talked for so long, it was hard to believe that hours had passed. Other nights he took her into his arms and their bodies connected in ways she never thought were possible. He could make her eyes roll, her toes curl, and her stomach flip all at the same time. And all she had to do was touch him with the tips of her fingers and she could see his heart race.