by CJ Ellisson
Asa moans in pain on the floor.
“What else can I do?” Panic taints my voice as I struggle to remain calm.
His words come out on a gasp of air. “Go to the inn and get me the blood.”
“The inn?” I crouch lower and cock my head so our eyes meet. “I can’t find my way through the tunnels.”
“Outside.” His eyes slide shut.
“And chance being possessed by some psycho spirit? Then we’ll both die.” I touch my finger under his chin, one of the few places that isn’t blistered and bleeding. “Asa, you need blood to heal. You need to bite me.”
That comment gets his eyes open again. “No.”
“You need it and I just happen to have some.” I shove my wrist at him because that’s what I’ve seen on all the TV shows. My neck would be good too, but that’s too awkward in his position. “Bite me.”
Despite his intense pain he rolls to his back and away from me. “No.” His breathing is labored and I’m really starting to freak out. “I can’t.”
“Can’t or won’t?” I scoot forward and tower over him. “If you don’t bite me I’m going to cut my wrist and shove it down your throat.”
He turns his head away. I curse under my breath. Stubborn vamp. I should let him die and then reap his ass. Sitting back, I search the ski lodge for something sharp. Cutting myself is not my first choice. Waxing my upper lip takes all my will power. This will probably make me pass out. I just wish he’d bite me and do the dirty work for me.
Seeing he’s not going to, I stand and start searching for a knife. The bar area looks promising so I make a bee line across the open lobby. I tug open the drawers and find a paring knife and an ice pick. The paring knife has a smooth edge and a deadly sharp tip. The ice pick looks a little dull to do much damage unless I drive it into my vein, which I already know I will not be doing because I’m a big wuss. Picking up the knife, I toss the pick into the drawer and slam it.
I jog back to Asa and kneel. “I’m going to cut myself and you’re going to drink.”
He shakes his head and then turns to look at the opposite wall.
So much for his cooperation. Force-feeding a vampire is not on my to-do list today. I brace my wrist on my knee and lay the knife against my skin. You can do this. I exhale and before I talk myself out of it, I drag the blade across my wrist.
It doesn’t hurt at first, but a few seconds later the pain hits me. “Sweet Mutha!”
Asa’s head snaps in my direction and a muffled curse whispers from him. The blood stream is small at first, barely pooling, and I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut myself again. I push against my wrist. Finally I get a decent flow. Lifting my arm above Asa’s mouth I let the blood dribble onto his lips. “Drink it.”
He tries to fight me at first but I see his pupils dilate until his whole iris is black. As if instinctively, his tongue flicks out and licks. “No,” he manages. “I’ll hurt you.”
“Uh, this already frickin’ hurts, so a little more pain won’t matter.”
“You don’t understand.” His gaze captures mine and I see real anguish there. “It’s like nothing you’ve ever felt. I don’t want to—damage you.”
Okay, that doesn’t sound good. Still, I can’t let him die when there’s something I can do about it. “I know you’re trying to protect me, Asa.” I soften my tone. “You’ve been doing it since I got here. Please—let me help you now. It’s my turn to save you for a change.”
More of my blood dribbles into his mouth. He licks and swallows. I can tell he wants more. Slowly I lower my wrist to him. His fangs extend beyond his lip. The sight should be unnerving but a little thrill of desire races through me. If he wasn’t blistered and bleeding I’d be all over him.
Just when I think he’s going to comply, he shoves my arm out of the way. “You don’t get it, Lisa. You have kids. They need you.” He coughs and his body tenses. “I won’t do it.”
I won’t lie, his words concern me—a lot. When he says damage me, what are we talking? Never want to talk to him again or worse, like drooling in a corner of a padded cell? I don’t ask, not wanting to know the answer. One thing I know is that I can’t sit by and watch him die.
“Did you know I’m one of the few angels of death that can reap a supernatural?” That gets his attention. He turns back to me. I nod. “That’s why I was sent, but I can’t do it alone. So why don’t you have a little faith that I know what I’m doing and bite me.” I cock an eyebrow at him. “Either that, or I’m going to stake you with this paring knife. Your choice.”
Chapter Ten
Asa
The tangy, enticing scent of Lisa’s blood fills the air. Combined with the gut-wrenching agony encompassing by body, I’m not sure how long I will be able to hold back from biting her. At her insistence, the fresh wound on her wrist drips a slow stream into my mouth. The rich taste instantly erases a large portion of the burning pain.
The magic of life-giving blood will never cease to amaze me.
“Aren’t you supposed to drink or something? If you wait for me to bleed into your mouth we could be here all day. Won’t the cut clot on its own soon?”
The hunger gnawing in my gut leaps forward, goading the monster inside me to latch onto her offered flesh and drink my fill. I withstand the urge by a bare thread of sanity.
I swallow the small mouthful and shake my head once. “No, I don’t want to hurt you.” I open my mouth again to catch the next slow trickle.
“For crying out loud you just burned your skin off for me! Drink dammit, I can deal with the pain.”
She doesn’t understand. She has no idea what she’s asking of me. If she truly did she’d never volunteer.
I close my eyes to avoid looking at the caring expression on her face. If I bite her she’ll never look at me with such concern ever again.
“Dammit, you’re stubborn! Do I need to slice an artery to get you to drop the noble hero routine?” Lisa thrusts her open wound onto my lips. “Drink or I will cut myself again.” Her voice holds a hint of hysteria. “I’ll do it. Then you’ll be sorry if I bleed out all over this pretty floor.”
Hearing the truth in her words, I give in, unwilling to watch her with the knife again. Regret twisting my face, I close my lips over her wound. I draw deep, pulling her succulent blood across my tongue. My body tenses, waiting for the first cry of pain to rip from her lips.
Nothing.
Tentatively, I suck again, cracking one eye open to see if she’s in agony. Lisa’s face remains concerned, her gaze locking on mine.
“See? Now was that so bad? I don’t understand all the fuss you made. It doesn’t hurt at all. It’s kind of gross. But other than that it’s okay.”
Could she be immune to whatever it is that hurts other humans? Or could she be different enough as a reaper that my bite doesn’t hurt her? That’s what happened when I had sex with Joanna and bit her—no pain, just pleasure.
Joy surges through me. The fates have finally given me a chance not to hurt someone I’ve come to care about.
I push my desire for this incredible woman into our joining. I twist the normal discomfort she’s feeling into pleasure, like I did with Joanna. Granted, we were naked and having hot monkey sex at the time, but I’m hoping the same principle of intent works here.
“Oh…” Lisa whispers as she relaxes next to me, settling back from her kneeling position to sit on her ankles. “That’s not bad at all.” One hand rests on her lap, my own clothes too much of a bloody mess for her to touch. “Despite you looking grosser than the prom scene in Carrie, I’m feeling strangely attracted to you right now.” Her smile turns soft, while her eyes blaze with heat.
Hope flares to life in my heart. Could I make something work with her or did I fuck up too badly already with pushing her away in her room? Would she want anything to do with a vampire beyond a few lusty kisses?
Very quickly my body responds to the fresh blood. Yes, fresh is definitely better than bagged. Both are equally n
utritious to a vampire, but the personal connection with feeding from someone is so emotionally intense… I’d almost forgotten.
Forgetting was easier than remembering the exact moment their desire turned to hatred and fear.
I want to slip into her mind, to share all the poignant richness she has experienced with her family and their love, but I resist. That type of sharing is best done with the donor’s awareness—and Lisa hasn’t signed the donor forms Vivian enforces at the inn. Without asking, I’d feel like I was violating her.
Gently my fangs pierce her skin near the wound, holding her wrist in place while I take what she’s freely offering. I tense, wondering if this will be when her pain starts. After a deep pull and no change from her, I relax, realizing my worst fears are unwarranted. She’ll be okay. I won’t scar her for life like the others.
The damaged flesh of my sun-exposed skin re-knits, and the last of the excruciating pain vanishes. Next, my own blood is reabsorbed through the healed skin, like a sponge. All that’s left is the mess on my clothes and whatever congealed or started to dry before I drank from Lisa.
I pour my sexual cravings into the slice on her wrist, wishing I had enough time to bring her pleasure with my bite for what’s she’s done for me.
“Hey now,” her voice sounds stronger. “You’re looking much better. No more exposed muscles and blistered, peeling flesh. And I’m not sure how, but the worst of the exposed blood is gone.” She snuggles her wrist more firmly against my mouth. “This donating bit isn’t so bad.” Her cheeks flush and she looks ready to purr. “In fact. I think I’m digging it.”
With reluctance, I pull away from her skin, aware I’ve had enough to heal completely. I don’t like stopping, but the thrill of not hurting her has sent such a spark of desire through me I know it’s best if I distance myself for the moment. No one wants a guy covered in bloody clothes to make a pass at them. Well, maybe someone would, but I doubt Lisa is that type.
My tongue laps at her ragged flesh, the enzymes in vampire salvia close her self-inflicted injury and my small bite wound. A tremor washes over her during my ministrations. Heat floods my face as I think about spreading her out on a bed and triggering those tiny tremors all night long.
Slowly I sit up, cradling her wrist in both hands, unwilling to break the magical connection we’ve shared. The sickening sound of wet fabric peeling from the floor does the job of killing the moment just fine.
The clouded, lust-filled look in the reaper’s eyes fades. But if I’m not mistaken there’s a hint of interest still lingering in their blue depths. Just maybe… maybe if I play my cards right I’ll be lucky enough to have her share my bed. After we reap the rest of the ghosts, of course.
“Thank you,” I say, wishing I could take her in my arms and hug her for the incredible gift she’s given me—not just with her healing blood, but in allowing me to drink from someone without having them despise my very existence. “You have no idea what that meant to me.”
She snorts and looks away, perhaps embarrassed by my intense scrutiny. “I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t get a bonus if the client helping me died.”
My heart plummets. Is that all I am to her? Just a client? Time to change her thinking. I’m not above crude fraternity tactics. I’ll make her see me as a man, not a vampire.
I stand, feigning nonchalance, and look over my ruined clothes and the broken phone lying where Lisa discarded it.
“I’m sure your boss would have understood. After all, they didn’t exactly prep you for this job.” I glance away, like my next actions are totally normal. “Not that I’d want to be dead for good. Not yet anyway.” I grab the soiled hem of my t-shirt in both hands and yank it over my head. “Too many things in life worth living for—even in this altered ‘undead’ state.” I flash her a little fang when my head reappears. Using the inside of the tee, I wipe my face and arms of any remaining residue.
Lisa takes a sharp inhale of breath. “What… uh, what are you doing?”
I lean down and unlace my black boots, toeing them off while I glance up at her. “Getting rid of my bloody clothes.”
Her face turns beet red. “Oh, yeah. That makes perfect sense.”
Noting my socks are free of stain, I straighten, hands going to my waistband. Slowly I open my jeans, watching her every reaction. She audible swallows and her hand goes to her throat.
“You don’t mind, do you?” I ask, mischievous smile in place. Not that she’d notice. She’s staring too intently at my hands.
“Mind?” she squeaks. “No. Not at all.” She waves a hand at me. “You go on with whatever you need to do. I’ll uh…” She looks around wildly and hoists herself up from the floor. “I’ll shut the door so we can leave.”
She falters in her step when the metal of my zipper rasps in its descent. I know she’s dying to turn around. Hell, if the situation was reversed I’m sure I’d be blatantly ogling her, mother of three or not.
By the time she finishes with the door and closes the window shutter I’ve got my boots on and have balled my soiled clothes into a nearby trashcan. I venture behind the bar for bottled water and towels, hoping to clean up whatever remaining glop might be on my head and neck.
I crack open a water and lean over the tiny bar sink, wishing the ski lodge had showers like the gym. Cool water cascades over my head and trails into the metal sink. Perfect time to ask for help. She’ll be able to approach me on her own and stare her fill without censure.
“Hey, can you give me hand?”
Lisa clears her throat. “Uh… Sure. What do you need?”
“Come see if I got all the gore off.”
“Okay.” Relief sounds in her voice. “I can handle that.”
Lisa joins me behind the bar. I’m wearing the black boxer briefs my aunt gave me and in my spare time I work out like crazy—what the hell else is there to do in the Army or the long winters of Alaska? Sure, I might look silly walking through the tunnels in underwear and boots, but if it gets her checking me out and possibly thinking about having sex with me, then I don’t care. I’m not above a little blatant flaunting.
“You have a little on your back,” she says.
I thrust a bar towel toward her and the bottle of water. “Here. Can you get it for me?”
She moves closer, the heat of her body nearing my hip. Water trickles onto my back, to be followed by Lisa’s tentative wiping. “So… what do we do now? We’ve still got quite a few ghosts to reap, right?”
“But no more coins.” Her hands halt in their rubbing and I want to beg her to keep touching me. “We’ll need to call Vivian from the hotel and see if she has more stashed somewhere. Is there any on my neck or head?”
She leans in, pressing her breasts into my side. “Nope. You look fiiinne. I mean good!” she corrects, jumping back from me like I’ve burned her. “You look clean. No more blood.”
I smile into the sink, well aware of the effect she’s having on me and thrilled I’m able to ruffle her calm in return. Nothing like a brush with death to make you want to embrace everything living has to offer.
And in this case… that would be one super cute and very flustered reaper.
I stand and face her, resisting the urge to flex, but just barely. “Thanks. I appreciate it.” I momentarily sway toward her, torn on if I should try and kiss her or not. If she chances a look down there’s no way I’ll be able to deny how she affects me—nor would I want to.
Lisa nods. As if sensing my intent, she rushes away, toward the closet with the secret hatch to the tunnels. “No problem. Guess we’d better hurry then, eh? Those ghosts seem to be popping up everywhere.”
I join Lisa and enter the code in the security lock inside the doorframe. I raise the lid and motion for her to proceed down the ladder. I wait ‘til she’s down then I descend, halting briefly to lock up the lid.
Yup, I’ve got a new goal. When this mess is over, I want to bed Lisa.
Wonder if she’s averse to sleeping with a vampire?
I aim to find out.
Chapter Eleven
Lisa
From half way down the ladder Asa jumps and lands solidly in front of me. He straightens and smiles. It’s a struggle to keep my gaze on his face when my eyes want to skate across his naked chest. Man this guy has muscles on top of muscles. I’d give up a month’s worth of soda for one unrestricted touch.
He flicks his head down the tunnel. “Come on. Let’s get back to the inn so I can call Vivian and find out where more coins are.”
I nod like a wide-eyed bimbo. My mouth is suddenly dry and I barely squeak out an, “Okay.”
He leads the way and I’m more than happy to trail behind him. Muscles like this don’t exist in real life—I mean non-supernatural real life. Don Burner, my neighbor, looks nothing like this. Not even in his younger days. Asa’s body is a masterpiece of form. I lick my lips, letting my eyes drink in the sight of him. The black boxers trimmed in red draw my attention to his well-formed buns. Temptation in the flesh.
He leads the way through the tunnels and after several minutes we end up in the basement. Rounding the desk, Asa picks up a desk phone and dials. I assume it’s to Vivian to find out where more gold is. I’m only half worried because I can’t seem to pull my thoughts away from doing naughty things to him.
While I’m staring at his ass, he ends the call and turns to me. Busted. A smile stretches across his mouth. “What are you looking at?”
There’s no good ruse that he’ll believe so I opt for the truth. “Your black boxers.” I smirk. “From an old girlfriend?”
He sets the phone on the desk. “Actually, they’re from my Aunt Cali. I think they were meant as a joke, but—” He wiggles his hips a little. “I like how they feel.”
I’d like to see how they feel. Maybe rubbing between my thighs, against my cheek, with my fingers inside the waistband. Instead I say, “That’s sweet.”
Our gazes lock for a few seconds and I get the feeling that if I take one step toward him we’ll be all over each other. Too bad we still have a lot of work to do. I wouldn’t mind spending a few hours locked in a dark room with Asa. When he drank from me, the sensation was beyond anything I’d experienced. He thought he’d hurt me. Far from it. All he managed to do was incite my curiosity to a dangerous level.