by Janie Marie
“You did that so Death would come?”
“I told you I don’t know what to do. I do know he has saved you more than anyone, so I hoped he would feel your pain and come back. It was stupid to hope and terrible to let you cry by yourself, but I also didn’t want to see or get physically close to you because I knew I might do something to hurt you. It’s so hard to see you and not kiss you. I knew I was fucking up, and I didn’t want you to think I would just fix things with sex. Minor mistakes, maybe.” He chuckled, and his smile became more genuine. “I just had to keep you at arm’s length until I figured out how to help you properly.”
“It’s not because you hate me? Because of what I did to that vampire and Lancelot? Because I disgust you and I’m evil?”
“I could never hate you.” He leaned down and kissed her softly. It was the kind of kiss where she could feel just how full his lips were. His kiss that stayed even after he removed his lips from hers. “It hurt to see her using your body that way, but you do not disgust me. And I don’t blame you for the things she did. All of my distance and attitude has been me angry, afraid, and uncertain of myself. I have doubted my abilities to be your Other and boyfriend.
“I am weak. Yes, I am immortal. Yes, I am the strongest of our kind, but I am not Death or Lucifer. I cannot even defeat what you become, baby. Arthur said it devastated you to see me save Artemis, so I have tried to keep you two away from each other. I definitely did not want you to see me around her in any way that might upset you.”
“You didn’t want me to think you were saving her?” she asked softly.
“I didn’t want you to think about her at all. That’s why I have kept you close to me, or I would tell you we had to leave. I was trying to keep you away from anyone who may upset you or someone you may worry about my interaction with.”
Jane looked down. What he was saying made sense; he had been abruptly jumping up and telling her they needed to leave. He could probably hear or smell her coming. “But you blamed me for what happened to her. You said I’m evil.”
“I never meant to blame you or say I thought you were evil. It is difficult to discuss matters about this darker side of you, especially without sounding like I’ve lost my mind. If I say anything negative, I mean her. I thought you may have felt betrayed and jealous at the sight of me helping Artemis because, yes, I have saved her more than I have ever come close to saving you from any harm, but I know you would not kill or hurt her for those reasons. Perhaps gloat a bit by kissing me in front of her”—he grinned—“but never hunt her down to inflict harm. You have had plenty of chances to kill or leave her behind, and you have saved her each time. Even Hades informed everyone that you sent him to save her when you were fatally injured. So you see, I know you were not the one to hurt her. I just need time to learn how to discuss the two of you in a way that makes sense.”
“I don’t know how I—or she—burned her.”
“I know.” He smoothed her hair back. “I have missed you.”
She watched as he scanned her face. He was looking at her like he used to, like she was something special. “I’ve missed you, too.” She put her hand over his heart. “I understand I’m not worth the trouble, and I will probably never be that girl who is so brave and good, so I understand your distance.”
“Baby, I’m trying to close the distance between us.” He smiled, pressing his lips to her forehead again. “I don’t deserve it, but I am asking you to give me a second chance.”
Jane’s heart pounded, and for a moment she saw that sad girl wiping her tears as she told her to go to him. “Will you make love to me, David?”
He leaned away, standing up straight but not letting her go. “I’m not sure that is a good idea.”
Her heart throbbed. “Oh. That’s fine.”
David tilted her face up, smiling softly before leaning down to kiss her. “Tell me.”
Jane sighed as he moved his lips farther away. “Tell you what?”
“With your eyes,” he said, caressing her cheeks. “Those three words you say with your eyes. I don’t expect you to say them out loud yet; I know you need to get closure with Death before you do, but I want to see them.” He grabbed the hem of her shirt as if he was preparing to take it off for her.
She smiled and held her arms up: I love you.
That gorgeous smile of his spread over his lips, and he lifted her shirt. Before he removed it all the way, he put a hand on her lower back and tugged her body flush against his while holding her arms over her head. She couldn’t see anything with her shirt still over her eyes, but she smiled as his lips pressed against hers.
“I love you, too.” He kissed her again and pulled her shirt off.
When he knelt, he kissed her stomach and unbuttoned her pants before sliding them down. After she stepped out of them, he kissed her hip. “Are you sure about this?”
Jane nodded repeatedly. “Please, David. I need you. But it’s okay if you don’t want to. I’m not sure I could if you did what I did.”
He grabbed her panties, smirking up at her as he slid them off. “Believe me, I want to. And let’s not talk about what happened, okay?”
“Okay.”
He sighed, nuzzling her stomach before kissing it. “My beautiful Jane.”
Jane was shaking as he pressed his lips across her stomach before trailing wet kisses up to her breasts.
He squeezed her ass and suddenly stood, lifting her up. “Let me love you this one time and then you can punish me.”
She touched his face. “I don’t want to punish you. Ever. I just want you to love me.”
David moved a hand to the back of her neck, pulling her close and kissing her. “I will always love you, Jane.” He laid her on her back, leaning away to remove his T-shirt. He was back quickly, nudging her legs apart with his knee so he could lean over her. His kiss was soft, and his touch softer.
“David, kiss me harder.”
He chuckled, pressing a firmer kiss to her lips. “I am trying to make things last. It has felt like a lifetime without touching you for these two weeks. I need to concentrate so I don’t ruin it.”
“You won’t ruin anything.” She sighed, arching into his hand as he slid it between her breasts.
She almost moaned at the way his eyes ravaged her exposed skin. The only thing keeping her from being completely bare was her bra. Those sapphire eyes darkened when they finally met hers.
“Do you forgive me?” he asked, kissing her scarred cheek.
“Almost.” She panted as he kissed down her neck.
He smiled against her skin. “Promise you will tell me when I am forgiven.”
“I promise,” she said, pulling his lips to hers.
David kissed her until she couldn’t breathe. When he leaned back she realized he had ripped the middle of her bra, making it fall away.
“David, you could have just taken it off.”
There was a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he looked down at how she was exposed to him. “I will have the seamstress make you more. I am trying to make this moment last, but I’ve missed you so much.”
“Please keep touching me.”
David pulled her legs around his waist as he kissed her again. His touch was gentle, but the way he slid his hand down her thighs had her body in flames. He was so strong, but he was so careful with her until he didn’t want to be, that is. He grinned against her lips and squeezed her ass, lifting her against him.
Jane gasped, sliding a hand down his side before quickly pushing his pants down enough to free his erection. He never wore underwear with these pants, and she was moaning with him when she began pumping her hand.
“Baby, you don’t have to go so fast,” he said, but he shoved his pants down more, chuckling when she used her feet to push them off all the way.
“I can’t wait anymore.” She panted, lifting her hips so he’d slide across her. “Oh, God.”
He growled and kept her from lining up with him just right. “Slow down, my love. I st
ill have more I want to do to you.”
Jane shook her head, writhing and gasping as she began rubbing herself against him.
He chuckled as he lowered his lips to her neck while he tried to keep her from getting him inside her but still teasing her by letting her get him close.
“David.” She couldn’t take it.
He didn’t respond to her. Instead, he started to kiss lower. Jane quickly leaned up so she could kiss his neck. He froze, obviously liking what she was doing, so she kissed him again, sucking but not biting him. David gripped her hair tight, tilting her face so he could kiss her again but also gripping her thigh and lining up with her.
She opened her eyes when he nudged her entrance and found him staring at her already. He was waiting for her to give him the go ahead, so she smiled, saying those three words with her eyes: I love you.
“I love you, too, baby.” He smiled and slowly thrust forward.
It was really happening. Jane gripped his shoulder, gasping because he was so much thicker than she was used to. She was shaking in his hands, but he kissed her and kept going, watching her eyes the entire time.
“Oh, God.” She cried, her eyes closing when he was all the way in.
He kissed her again before burying himself a little deeper. “Look at me, Jane.”
“David.” She already felt herself breaking as she opened her eyes, moaning at the sight of his satisfied smile and screaming when he squeezed her ass. She started panting as he watched her writhe in pleasure. “I think I’m already—” He gave a deep thrust, and she threw her head back, shattering beneath him. “Oh, God.” She whimpered, her chest heaving as she peeked at him, noticing he was just watching her have an orgasm.
He chuckled, sliding out when she stopped shaking. “I haven’t even started, baby.”
Jane lazily pulled him by the back of his neck. “Do I feel okay? I don’t feel ruined?”
His backward movement stopped, and he stared into her eyes before pushing forward. She gasped as he pressed his lips against hers. “You feel beautiful, my love. Better than I ever dreamed of.” He sighed as he pulled his hips back.
KNOCK, KNOCK!
David stopped moving and growled as he turned to the door. “WHAT?”
It was Arthur. “David, I need to speak to Jane. To both of you. Now.”
Jane shook her head at David. She already felt another orgasm coming.
He glanced at her, his eyes dark as he took in her face. “We’re busy. We’ll come find you in a while.” He pushed back in, making her moan loudly. “Shh . . .” He kissed her before covering her mouth with one hand and kept going, and she lifted her hips, moving with him. “Oh, damn, baby.”
“It’s urgent, David.”
Jane started seeing stars. She knew she was being silly, and it was just her emotions and the buildup, but she felt so sensitive with him inside her.
David hesitated, turning her face so he could whisper in her ear, “I love you, but I’m going to stop.” He kissed her ear, thrusting again. “I don’t want to hold back.”
She was so lost in him, and her only response was to lift her hips, getting her own rhythm below him.
He growled, thrusting in hard.
Arthur raised his voice. “David, this is serious!”
David bared his fangs, and she opened her eyes just as her legs began to shake, and she moaned when he kept going.
“Fuck.” He held still, but she was so close, she started moving again. He groaned, watching her panting below him. He ignored the voices outside and pulled out, thrusting himself back in again, and again, and again.
Jane dug her nails into his shoulder and his ass when he let out a frustrated growl she’d never heard before and gave her that final hard thrust. She closed her eyes, arching her back as she came. Keeping himself inside her, he kissed her neck as she moaned against his hand.
When Jane opened her eyes, her whole body still locked up, David pulled back to keep going.
“DAMMIT, DAVID! THAT’S ENOUGH!” Arthur shouted.
“Fuck! Leave us alone!” David bared his fangs, but stopped his movement.
“David.” It was Gawain. “Brother, we need to talk to you both. Please get decent. We wouldn’t interrupt unless it was urgent.”
Her vampire dropped his head to her shoulder as he took several deep breaths. “Give us a minute.” He sweetly kissing her shoulder before looking at her. “As soon as they leave, we can continue.”
She didn’t want to stop. The place could be burning down, and she wouldn’t want to stop.
He gave her a softer thrust and kissed her as he lifted her off the bed with him.
She threw her arms around his neck, panting again as he squeezed her ass. It felt like he was so much deeper and even bigger than before. “Oh, fuck.”
David slid her up and down on him for a few seconds, groaning when she began to move on her own. “Don’t moan loud,” he whispered in her ear. “I want you to come one more time.”
She nodded, sucking her own lip as he helped her move. “Please just keep going. I want you to go with me. It’s okay if it’s a quickie.”
He shook his head. “Hurry.”
She realized he’d carried her near the dresser.
He looked between them, grunting as he bounced her on him. “Hurry, baby. I don’t want them to break the door down.”
Jane was whimpering, her eyes filling with tears as she tried to hold on to him. It hurt in the most beautiful way, and she was so overwhelmed they had finally taken this step. He was amazing even though he was clearly denying himself everything he wanted to take.
“David,” she whispered, clenching around him as he seemed to consider just fucking her against the dresser.
No, he did start fucking her against the dresser.
“Oh, God!” She put one hand on the dresser to hold it still. “Yes. Yes.”
He growled, speeding up. The dresser was about to collapse. “Come on, baby.”
Jane gripped his shoulders, biting him to keep from screaming his names as she came.
“Fuck, baby,” he said, kissing her and pulling himself out. “I have to stop.”
She gasped when he was no longer in her, and he quickly sat her on the dresser as he gripped each side of her. His breathing was ragged, and his dick was swollen. She tried to reach for him, just to tell him to finish, but he stopped her.
“Not like this. I know he’s in my head and I only want you for myself.” He kissed her forehead and walked to retrieve their clothes. He tossed her what she was wearing and pulled on his pants, hissing as he tried to situate himself so his erection wasn’t too obvious. “And I swear I can do better.”
She grinned as he pulled a shirt over her head. She felt like mush. If that was him not at his best, she couldn’t wait for him to really try.
“I love you,” he said, holding her face. He kissed her several times before pulling her panties and pants up, sliding her off the dresser. He sniffed, smirking a little as he took her hand and led her to the door. He stopped when he noticed her hobble and quickly lifted her into his arms. “Am I forgiven?”
“Fuck yes,” she whispered, touching his full lips. “What did you do wrong again?”
He grinned, pulling her close to kiss her as his hand was extending for the doorknob. “I was a dick to you.”
She kissed him back, pouting as he placed her on her feet. “I forgive you, I guess.”
David ran his fingers through her hair a few times, frowning as he seemed to listen to the others talking. “Thank you. Ready?”
“No.” She smiled when he did and stood in front of him to hide his erection.
Arthur entered quickly. He was followed by Gawain, Gareth, Hades, and Tristan. They walked to the center of the room, all avoiding eye contact.
“What’s going on?” she asked, watching the other knights enter. They started grabbing their bags, also not looking at them.
David tightened his forearm around her, which was resting across her
chest. “What happened?”
Arthur rubbed his face, sighing as he finally made eye contact with David before focusing on her. Jane noticed Gawain’s eyes were red, and there wasn’t even a smirk on Gareth’s face, which she expected after her and David’s little show for them.
“Arthur, what is it? Are they kicking us out?” Jane asked.
David gripped her tighter when Arthur teared up.
“Jane, I—” Arthur shook his head. “I’m sorry . . .”
Jane’s heart was racing as she watched Gareth cover his tears. Her eyes stung and it became hard to see—hard to breathe.
“Brother,” David said, his voice shaking. “Please don’t say what I think you are.”
Arthur looked him in the eye. “I’m sorry, brother. Gwen called. There was an accident.”
“No!” she cried, shaking her head. “DON’T SAY IT, ARTHUR!”
“Jane,” he said, walking closer as the knights all watched her begin to sob. “My darling girl, I am sorry.”
She covered her mouth, her tears drenching her hand as she shook her head back and forth.
David supported her. “I’ve got you, baby. It’s going to be okay.”
Gawain and Gareth moved forward, kneeling when she dropped to her knees, to hug both her and David.
“Please, Arthur.” She cried, hugging David’s arm as Gawain stroked her hair and Gareth held her other hand. “Oh, God, please not them. Please. You said they’d be safe.”
“Arthur?” David asked, his body shaking.
“Jason and Nathan,” Arthur said.
“NO!” she screamed, imagining Nathan’s lifeless body, his eyes fixed open but seeing nothing. Her chest wracked with sobs.
“They’re still alive, Jane,” Gawain quickly said, kissing her head as she cried.
She didn’t want to get her hopes up. Still didn’t mean they would be.
“How bad?” David asked, rocking her a little as he hugged her from behind.
“Nathan’s arm is broken. He was fed on, but Gwen was able to get there just before . . .”
Jane cried, relieved but terrified and angry.
“And Jason?” David asked, murmuring in her ear that Nathan would be okay.