by T. S. Ryder
Her body arched against his, making him moan. Was she even aware of what she was doing? His head dropped to her neck, where her scent was the strongest, and his lips sought out her pulse.
Chapter Nine – Tindra
Tindra’s skin felt so tight that she was almost afraid it was going to split open and birth a new, grotesque Tindra. Her hands found no purchase on the wet surface behind her. The glass was cold, but the water trickling down her face and Rollon's body pressed against her were both so hot that she welcomed the reprieve. Her breath hitched in her throat as his tongue flicked over her neck the way it had in the hallway after the fight.
"I could have killed you. If I had drunk from you then . . . I would have drained you dry."
"But you didn't." She grasped his shoulders, afraid he was going to move away. His nakedness against her did things to her she didn't know her body could do. Was this how it was supposed to be between two people? "You didn't."
Rollon licked her again. "It will hurt. Then it will feel good."
It was all the warning she got. His fangs sunk into her neck; as promised, a spike of pain shot from the spot. Tindra yelped, her hands tightening on his arms. It turned into a moan as he took his first gulp. The slight suckling pressure sent heat flaring through her. Her core tightened and she found herself wanting to open her legs. She slung one of them over his hip and he pressed her more firmly into the glass. He ground against her, snarling as he drank.
Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she made strangled, gasping noises, unable to stop herself. She moved rhythmically against him, wanting the hard length that pressed against her to be inside.
"Rollon," she gasped.
The pressure on her neck stopped. He moved back and she all but collapsed against him. His hands ran down her back, pulling her so firmly against him that her breasts were flat against his hard chest. Such a beautiful chest.
"The bite will heal itself in a few minutes," he told her. "There is something in vampire saliva that helps it close."
"Is it always that intense?" she searched his eyes. "Every time vampire drinks from a human?"
"No. It's because, as you said, you're attracted to me. If it was Ingrid or Hilda, or anybody else you're not attracted to, drinking would be . . . unpleasant."
"Then I'm glad I'm attracted to you." She lifted herself over him again, pressing her mouth to his. Rollon responded by pressing her back against the glass again. His tongue plundered her mouth hungrily. Her hands twisted in his long hair.
And then he was gone again. His chest heaved, but he gave her a small smile as he held her up with one hand and turned the shower off with the other. He licked her neck again, making her moan, and carried her out of the shower. Tindra wrapped her arms firmly around his neck, everything tense with excitement.
Rollon set her down in the middle of the bathroom and handed her a towel. She stared at it for a moment before following the king's lead and drying herself off. She worked as quickly as she could, then flung it away. Fire coursed through her veins as she reached for him.
"No."
Tindra froze. "N-no?"
Rollon brushed the hair from her face and took her hand. She followed numbly as he led her into the bedroom and turned down the blankets. Tindra's skin heated again as he picked her up, but he put her on the bed and tucked her in before wrapping his towel around his waist and going to a minifridge on the other side of the room.
Tindra twisted the edge of the blanket in her hands. Was Thor wrong? He said that Rollon wanted her, but if this was any indication . . . If he didn't want her, then what was she going to do with herself?
"Would you like orange juice or apple?" he asked.
"What?"
The king took something from the fridge. "I took more blood than I should have. You need some sugar and to rest."
"Rest." Her blood was still coursing through her body at double speed, that tightening inside reaching an uncomfortable level. "You're joking, right?"
"I would never joke about your health."
Tears sprang to Tindra's eyes and she avoided his gaze. "If you don't want me, just say it. I'm a big girl. I can deal with my feelings being hurt."
"Not want you?" Rollon sat on the edge of the bed. The tower gaped open and he gestured downwards. "Does the Leaning Tower of Pisa look like I don't want you?"
She had to giggle at that. If his statement was anything to go by, he wanted her just as badly as she wanted him.
"You've been through a traumatic event and I just took blood from you. Drink your juice, eat your cookies, and rest. Then we will see what we can get up to."
There was a sparkle in his eyes that made her giggle. That didn't mean she wanted to waste time eating and sleeping when they could be doing other more enjoyable things. Reluctantly, she took the juice-box. She sucked hard on it, letting her cheeks go concave, and gave Rollon a suggestive look. He made a strangled noise and stood.
"Stop," he ordered her firmly. "I'm not going to touch you until you've rested. Make it easier on yourself and just obey."
Tindra wrinkled her nose. She discarded the juice and ate the cookies, then laid down and closed her eyes. Her body was full of energy, restless and anxious. After a few minutes of trying to lay still and appear restful, she let out a deep sigh.
"Human, my patience is wearing thin." Though it was growled, there was a playful note to Rollon's threat.
"I'm trying to rest. I just can't. I'm too hopped up on vampire sexiness." As she met his eye, she spread her legs under the blankets and reached for herself. "Maybe if I take the edge off . . . "
Rollon's gaze darkened and he made another strangled noise in his throat. Tindra let herself smile as she bowed her back, applying just the right amount of pressure to herself. She moaned deeply, a bit exaggeratedly, but was surprised by how sensitive she actually was.
"You'll be the death of me," Rollon growled as he flung the blankets away.
His damp hair flopped in front of his eyes as he draped himself over her, caging her with his huge body. He pressed a hard, fierce kiss to her lips, claiming her mouth. Everything tightened further, the dying fires springing back to life. Her hands wrapped in his hair, pulling him in closer as he began to grind against her.
The spot where he had drunk from her throbbed, but Tindra didn't care. She rose her hips, alternatively pressing her feet into the mattress to increase her power and wrapping her legs around his. Rollon snarled, the sound deep. It vibrated through Tindra's chest as his mouth dropped to her breasts. He propped himself on one arm as he feasted at her offerings. The flesh seemed to swell as his teeth scraped against it, her nipples hardening as his tongue swirled around them. She panted, mewling, her hands still twisted in his hair.
"Delicious," the king purred. "Like apricots."
The heat rushing through her had nothing to do with the flush in her face at that. "You mean they're small."
Rollon sucked her whole breast into his mouth then released it with a popping noise. "I mean they're delicious. Apricots are my favorite fruit."
A surprised giggle burst from her at that, only to quickly turn to a moan as Rollon's hand slipped between her thighs. He brought one leg over his hip while pinning the other to the best and cupped her. His palm pushed against her rapidly. Her core tightened further. Her head fell back and a cry of pleasure ripped from her throat. Rollon pushed two fingers inside of her, still using his palm to tease her. He made that strangled noise that she was learning was due to arousal.
"All ready for me, huh?"
"Not yet," she panted. "I have to help you."
Rollon flicked his thumb over her, causing a surprised shout to burst from her. Her whole body jerked up and fell back down. Her eyes rounded and all the air left her lungs. What she had been saying completely fled her mind as her fingers tightened around Rollon's thick biceps.
"No need," he whispered in her ear. "I'm ready for you."
Tindra groaned, half in disappointment. She wanted to hav
e her hands on him, to watch him become jelly under her touch.
But as he rolled her onto her back and opened her legs, she decided maybe she didn’t need it this time. He eased himself in slowly, his gaze on hers, his grip firm on her thighs. Tindra tried to raise her hips, to have him in her fully, but he held her down, controlling his descent. A smirk grew on his face as he finished his entry and sat there for a moment. She writhed beneath him, wanting more.
He reached out and ran a hand down her neck, his touch light and soft and gentle. He began moving, still achingly slow, but even just that movement was enough to make Tindra's back bow. She grasped the pillow behind her, nails digging into the fabric. Every stroke a little harder, a little deeper, eliciting a cry from her every time. The momentum built until Rollon's teeth were gritted with concentration, his grip tight on her thigh. She reached for him and he twined his fingers in with hers
Harder and harder. Faster and faster. Tindra lost track of time, staring into the eyes of her vampire king. She never wanted this to end, this moment between them. Her body screamed for release, but she fought it, knowing what would come after. He dropped over her and pressed his lips to hers.
Everything came undone.
Chapter Ten – Rollon
He had meant to see her completed at least twice before he found his pleasure, but the way her body arched towards him, her eyes rolling to the back of her head and her face going all red . . . it was too beautiful. Rollon dropped his mouth to her breasts, kissing her twice before he erupted. All his muscles seemed to go slack and he was just able to catch himself before he collapsed over her.
She made the most adorable mewling noise as she ran her hands through his hair. Rollon kissed her neck a few more times before withdrawing, careful not to go too fast so he wouldn't hurt her. Her arms wrapped around his waist as he moved to the side. Her hair was a mop around her face, making her look even more beautiful than usual.
"Well, do you think you can sleep now?"
"Hmm. Maybe." She rested her head on his arm. She was silent for a long time before she adjusted herself against him. "Can I ask you something?"
Rollon grunted in the affirmative.
"That was your sister, right?"
Eva. Rollon sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yes."
"Why does she seem to hate you so much?"
Rollon traced his fingers across her skin, loving the softness of her. "That's a bit of a story."
A pause. "You don't have to tell me."
A smile crossed his face. After all his years of solitude, he found himself wanting to share everything with the beautiful woman in his arms. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Eva and I both became vampires around the same time. For many years, it was just her and I against the world. Eventually, we started to build this kingdom together. But . . . but once I decided to stop turning humans into vampires, that was the end of things. She thinks that it's a gift to humanity and that I was turning my back on the people we could save. Not everybody wants to be a vampire, though. She wouldn’t accept that. Then she rebelled."
"She rebelled against you because you didn't want to turn people into vampires?"
Rollon shrugged. "Well, I arrested her first. She turned Ingrid without her permission. And so Eva fled and vowed her revenge. All very dramatic, isn't it?"
Tindra sighed as she snuggled deeper into his arms. "I never had any brothers or sisters. I often wished for them . . . but my parents had hardly enough time for me, except to tell me to grow up. When I was five, they refused to let me watch cartoons because they claimed I'd get unrealistic life expectations from them."
This from the girl who had a huge collection of comic books? They certainly didn't do a good job if they didn't want her to get into that sort of thing. Why would a parent deny such a harmless passion, though?
"When my mom first found my comic collection, she grounded me. Said I was wasting my money. I had my own job, I worked for that money, but they wanted to control what I could spend it on. They started taking my paycheck and calling it rent. So I left. Sixteen years old. I had no idea what the world was really like. For all of their blustering about wanting to prepare me for life, they did nothing."
"Do you have any contact with them at all?"
"Yeah." Tindra propped herself on her elbow. "At least, after they split up. It's easier to talk to them now, although Mom is always on my case about growing up and having kids."
Rollon shook his head. "You don't have to grow up. I've seen you with Hilda. You have patience and such a vivid imagination. Good qualities for a mother. Your comics don't make you childish." He kissed her again. "You never have to worry about being judged for what makes you happy when you're with me."
With me. He shouldn't have said that. There was no with him.
He pulled himself out of her arms and slipped from the bed. "You need to rest now."
"What about you?"
Rollon shook his head. "I had blood and sex. There's nothing else I need. Thank you for helping me heal fully . . . You know that this was only a one-time thing, right?"
Her eyes widened.
"I should have made myself clearer, perhaps." He felt like a heel for what he was saying. He had made no indication that it was only going to be a one-time thing. That was because not staying with her forever wasn't even on his radar from the moment she stepped into the shower with him. "I can't get involved with a human."
Tindra's arms tightened over her chest. "So you're kicking me out?"
"No. You can stay here as long as you wish. You can shower again if you want, and there is food in the fridge." Rollon forced his voice to go smoothly and even. "But I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't be involved with humans any longer. You're just too fragile."
"I'm not fragile."
"You are. I have to remain in complete control. When were we in the corridor today? I could have drained you in five minutes. And in this bed together, if I had thrust too hard, I would have broken your pelvis." Rollon shook his head. "No. I prefer partners that can match me for strength."
Tindra stared at him. He expected anger, tears, pleading. Not this silence as her eyes seemed to pierce right through him. She didn't even move. It was so different from the high-energy woman he knew that he was unnerved. Had he really hurt her so much? Or was he putting thoughts out there that hadn't crossed her mind? Was he giving away his own growing affection for her?
"Okay," she said evenly.
Okay? That was it? Wasn't she going to fight for him more? He stared at her uncertainly. Was she waiting for him to turn away before she started to cry? Maybe she just wasn't all that into him . . . He quickly found some clothing and dressed. By the time he left, Tindra had rolled over with her back to him and was hugging a pillow.
Rollon hurried to this study. It was for the best. Still, when he got there, he collapsed at his desk, feeling drained. It was a mistake to accept her into his bed in the first place. He should have asked for a different human . . .
"Knock, knock." Thor stepped into the room, a smug, self-assured smile on his face.
"What are you so happy about?"
Thor's smile slipped off his face. "What happened?"
The most amazing lovemaking he could remember having. But Rollon wasn't about to admit that. "I will tell you what happened. Instead of being honest with me about your preferences, you dragged that poor girl into something she can't understand, hoping for us to get together. All you had to do was tell me you're asexual. You didn't have to go to these lengths to distract me."
Thor's brow furrowed. His eyes narrowed. "That isn't what I was doing and you know damn well it isn't."
"You know why I can't be with a human. You know that it wouldn't be forever. Did you even think about what that girl was going to go through here? What were you thinking?" Rollon roared, slapping both hands to his desk. His eyes blazed and Thor jumped.
"You know what I was thinking," his son snapped back. Thor brought a fist down on th
e desk as well. "I was thinking that my father is completely miserable. He has nothing in his life except all this violence. Your world is too small and I wanted to see you happy again. What is so bad about that?"
"You thought that—"
"No." Thor held up a hand. "No, Dad. I know. You might not have loved Mom, but you still cared about her. I don't know if you've ever been really, truly happy, but I know that this . . . This isn't healthy. Every year you get harder and I'm not going to stick around and lose you little by little without trying every damned thing I can to save you."
What could he say to that? Rollon slumped back in his chair. His chest ached. He rubbed it. Apparently, he hadn't healed up as much as he thought he had. No matter. In a few hours, he'd be right as rain. Thor still leaned on the desk, eyes blazing, looking so much like his mother that Rollon almost laughed.
He didn't though. There was nothing funny about this situation.
"I appreciate your concern. We'll have to talk about this later when we're not in such emotional states. For now, I need you to be the prince."
"Dad—"
"Eva was able to get into the palace. She knew about Tindra and a secret passage even I didn't know about. I need you to investigate. Find out how she knew."
Thor ground his teeth but nodded. "It will be done, my lord."
Rollon flinched. "Thor—"
But he was already gone. Rollon let his head fall back. Great. What was he meant to do now?
Chapter Eleven – Tindra
After Rollon left her, Tindra had rolled over, buried her face in his scent and cried herself out. She had slept a little, and when she awoke, she realized she didn’t want to be waiting in his bed when he came back. She dressed and left the room. She had headed straight back to her apartment and called room service to clean the king’s chambers.
If he didn’t want her, then she wasn’t going to leave anything behind for him.