by Brianna West
I would want to ogle him too, sista.
I quickly finished the sandwich I order, taking care not to spill any of it on my new blouse. I didn't get any of it on my blouse, but my cleavage, well, that was another story.
I was wiping the mustard from my breast when Lucas chose to enter.
This wasn't awkward or anything.
He watched me as I popped the mustard covered fingertip into my mouth, and I noticed the bob in his Adam's apple before he was walking briskly towards the luggage left at the far end of the room.
“Pavel shall be here shortly,” he said as he pocketed a few things from the bag.
“Oh, how lovely,” I replied sarcastically. “At least now I can have my own room,” I added before standing and adjusting my top.
“Pavel will be sleeping separately tonight,” Lucas said as he finished his task. “You and I will continue to share this room. I would like to make sure after this evening that we do not need to further explore Arcata.”
“Hold on,” I breathed. “Why can't I have my own room?”
“You need protection,” he replied simply.
This jerk never gave up.
“I can take care of myself,” I reminded as frustration bubbled inside of me.
“You are not yet trained,” Lucas admonished firmly. “You have only received basic training and hardly enough of it to prepare you for the real experience.”
I was ready to throw something at him, and I would have if not for the very sudden knocking at the door. I turned around and made to open it before I was jerked backwards and hidden behind the large wall that was Lucas.
“I will answer it,” he growled before he was pulling the door open.
I could feel Pavel even before Lucas had opened the door. I knew it was him when I went to grab the door to open it. Instead of saying so, I just allowed Lucas to have his little protective moment, my arms crossing against my chest in annoyance.
“You look like you've been having fun,” Pavel said as he ambled into our room with little consideration and sat himself on the bed.
I gasped as I was pulled backwards and into the lap of a dirty Russian. I made to stand but was immediately weighed down by arms encircling my waist.
“Pavel,” Lucas growled in warning.
“Let me go, you bastard!” I bit out.
Pavel tightened his hold on me, smelling the back of my head and groaning. It caused an unbidden heat inside me to grow as I struggled against his hold.
“Moya solnishka, you look every bit as delicious as you smell,” he stated huskily.
I was jerked upwards and behind Lucas once more as his body blocked my view of Pavel. I could feel the tenseness of his body as he bore down on Pavel with a rage I hadn't encountered since I had decided to underhandedly disobey him and ask Victor to stay.
“Must I remind you that you are not to touch, Izzy, or must I take a different course of action to ensure your understanding?” Lucas hissed.
I could practically hear Pavel's grin. “Jealous?”
“Do not test me, Pavel,” Lucas responded in a low, commanding voice that had me biting my lip at the onset of tremors it caused.
His voice was incredible. He could command an entire army with a voice like that.
“I would never,” Pavel countered with false insult. “I am merely expressing how much I missed our little saucy minx, especially after our goodbye kiss.”
Lucas rounded on me, eyes illuminated with rage. “What does he speak of, Izzy?”
Bastard Russian.
Throwing my hands up in surrender, I eagerly explained the misunderstanding. “Blondie is exaggerating. He only kissed my cheek yesterday, and it was done entirely against my will!”
I leaned to catch sight of the bastard who was entirely to blame for my current interrogation. He was grinning and winking as if this was exactly the reaction he had been aiming for.
This asshole was enjoying every minute!
I closed my eyes, imagining him head to toe in a ballerina outfit, his hair curled and twisted into bows and body caked in pink tights. When I opened my eyes, he was the embodiment of the perfect pink ballerina, and I broke down into giggles at the flames of rage that burnt in ice-blue eyes.
Oh, this was too good.
I searched my cleavage and aimed my phone at him. Before he could guess what I was doing, the camera clicked, and he was on his feet.
“You—“ he growled as he tried to muscle his way past Lucas.
Lucas, who was having a hard time staying angry on account that he was now having to wrestle a large, pink ballerina to keep me protected.
“It is nothing less than you deserve,” Lucas mentioned with a smile. “I have to say though, pink really does suit you.”
“Ohmygod,” I was in hysterics, my stomach hurting from all the laughing. “It totally does!”
I narrowly escaped as Pavel appeared behind me and made a grab for my body. I swiftly avoided him, my eyes dancing with amusement as the ballerina growled at me. I smiled victoriously before returning him to his original dress.
“So you can dish it but not take it, hm?” I taunted. “Guess I should have known.” I secretly peeked the picture I had taken, and once more giggles broke from me. “Oh good god, you look glorious.”
Pavel's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.
I guess he was trying to be the bigger person. For once.
“Enough,” Lucas demanded as he stole away my phone. He quickly searched through it and pulled up the address for Evil Cowboy. “We will leave separately. If he does not suspect anything amiss, we may be able to ambush him. Since you demand to take part in this,” Lucas said while eying me, “you will play your part.”
“I'm ready,” I replied with glee.
Time to shine!
–
I drove along the winding street towards what had to be Evil Cowboy's place. It was the only house in the area and was just as desolate as if I had driven to the desert.
No one would hear my screams. Or his.
I parked in the makeshift driveway, turning off the car, and sending a quick text to Lucas of my arrival. They had left ahead of me, finding a good spot to hide their car and themselves.
I couldn't feel their essences which unnerved me slightly. Despite all my bravado earlier, I was nervous.
I stepped out of the car, shutting the door with a bang, and walked the small path towards the stairs that led to the house. It was a modern house, its luxurious embellishments causing me to suspect that someone had spent a pretty penny on it, especially considering it was in the middle of freaking nowhere.
Evil Cowboy stepped out the front door, greeting me the smile that caused my stomach to twist.
“You made it,” he said with a small chuckle. “I just finished making our supper. Come on in.”
I clenched my fists. It was going to be fine. Pavel and Lucas were just behind me and would protect me. Not that I needed their protection. I breathed out my anxieties and followed after Evil Cowboy.
As soon as we entered, I felt the deep evil that encased the home like molasses. It caused me to falter in my step, and almost seconds later, I could feel them, the collective pulses inside the home.
Holy shit.
Evil Cowboy turned towards me, his body morphing into something from my nightmares. His skin was black as tar, and his eyes glowed a deep red that triggered a fear to quickly grow inside me. Spikes rose unevenly from his body, reminding me oddly of a porcupine. Long claws reached towards me, and almost instantly, my body pulsed.
A high-pitched scream echoed through the air and forced me to cover my ears in hopes of quelling the sound. The beast crouched and shook off its injury. Its body grew larger, eclipsing the small entry way with its width. Pulses from all around responded to it.
Fuck.
I felt the energy around me and pulled what I could, but I was afraid and trembling. The light within my palms sputtered and disappeared.
The beast called out
into the room, an animal-like call that caused my fear to increase tenfold. I was suddenly wishing I hadn't been so stubborn. I wanted to run and would have if the demon didn't choose my momentary hesitation as an opportunity to grab me and slash its claws into me. I felt the deep burning before I saw it. The blouse and skin tore away beneath the assault and began to gush blood.
And it hurt like a bitch.
I could hear screaming before I realized that it was me. Just as suddenly, there was a bright, eclipsing light. When the light died, so had Evil Cowboy with it. He was a pool of blood at my feet. I collapsed to the floor, searching for the other pulses. I couldn't feel them.
Where were they?
I was suddenly gasping as the burning sensation increased, and I looked towards my stomach to see the large, gaping wound staring back at me.
“Izzy!” I heard someone yell.
When I looked up, Lucas was there beside Pavel, covered in blood and goo that I could only assume belong to the demons they had slayed. I smirked at them as my body fell back towards the floor. Lucas caught me before I could hit it, however.
“You guys are late,” I breathed as the pain had softened my voice. “I got that little Jimmy bastard though. Told you I could.”
Lucas was inspecting the wound on my torso, saying something to Pavel in Russian.
“You did very well,” he replied smiling, though it looked strained. “But we need to get you to Victor.”
I fought back the tears that threatened to spill as the pain nearly drove me to scream.
“You need to focus on your wounds,” Lucas said as he started to pull me gently into his arms.
Pavel was on the phone at his side as we left the building. I could see the piles of goo everywhere from what had previously been demons. There had to be thirty of them. I cried out when Lucas jostled me a bit too much on his way to the car.
“We need Victor now,” Lucas demanded angrily. “She won't last until morning.”
“He'll be on his way soon,” Pavel said after ending his call. “He's tied up at the moment but should be here within thirty. He's bringing a team with him.”
“Bloody hell,” Lucas cursed, causing a raise in my eyebrow, which he promptly smiled to. “Apologies. We shall heal you soon. Focus your energy on the wound. It will help ease the pain.”
I couldn't focus though. My body felt like it was on fire, and I was burning alive. The pain that had started as a slight burning was now consuming me from the inside out. I was no longer able to hold back the screams that resulted with every pulse of pain. I trembled and fought the hold Lucas had on me, screaming in anguish as the pain increased with my struggling.
Lucas was hushing me while he spoke urgently to Pavel in Russian. “We need to get the poison out of her system,” he finally said in English. “I am going to have to do it myself.”
“You mean...” Pavel said with wide eyes.
I mean, I think they widened, but it was freaking hard to focus on their faces when I was consumed with devastating heat and in dire need of an ice bath.
“It's our only option,” he growled as he brushed the damp hair from my forehead.
My voice had gone hoarse from all the screaming, and I could only whimper and tremble in his grasp. The pain was incredible, and it debilitated me to the point of no longer wishing to live.
“Please, Lucas,” I whispered hoarsely. “Kill me or drink me,” I continued weakly, “but make this damn pain go away.”
Lucas hesitated, his hand stalling at my cheek before it cradled my neck. “There are consequences, Izzy, to my drinking your blood.”
“Consequences?” I gasped as another pulse of pain wracked my body.
It was as if every nerve fired every time the heat of pain coursed through me. I caught his eyes with my own, and the emotion I found there had me hesitating.
My pain was incredible, but what were the repercussions if I let him sift out the poison?
“We don't have time,” Pavel interjected angrily. “The poison might kill her before Victor arrives.”
Well, ain't that a bitch.
I was definitely starting to regret my insistence to come along.
Lucas had been hesitating before Pavel spoke, but he was now gazing at me with firm resolve. I was left gasping when his mouth touched the sensitive flesh of my throat. I groaned at another pulse of pain, forgetting the vampire at my neck. A sharp sensation startled me before I felt and heard the pleasurable growl as Lucas tasted me for the first time.
I was surprised by the quick feeling of pleasure that blossomed inside me. After only a minute, the pain that had my blood boiling ebbed away into another feeling entirely. The building pleasure inside me had me forgetting the pain of my injury, and instead pulling Lucas towards me, forcing him against my neck to feel him deeper.
I moaned out, and Lucas growled in response, pulling me into him and molding my body with his. He had been previously hovering above me, but he had swiftly maneuvered himself between my open legs, taking care not to rest on my injury. I could feel his hand against the torn flesh, mending it as he greedily drank from me.
I clutched the silk locks within my grasp, relishing the pleasure that this man was giving me. Invisible fingers touched my flesh as if I wore nothing. I could feel their touches as if hundreds—no—thousands of them were traveling over me and giving my body the best pleasure I had ever known. I wanted it to never end.
“Lucas,” Pavel demanded. “You have drank enough.”
I moaned in dismay as Lucas pulled away. My vision swam as I whimpered at the loss of the incredible feelings his bite had created. My hands found their way back to Lucas, splaying over the hard ridges of his muscles and sliding over his shoulders in attempt to pull him back towards me and resume the amazing sensations of before.
“Please,” I pleaded as Lucas once more pulled away. “Don't stop.”
If I had been in my right mind, I would have probably been appalled by my behavior. But I wasn't, so I didn't give a damn.
“Izzy,” Lucas groaned, appearing to have a hard time denying my request. “You don't know what you're asking.”
But he did because I could see the evidence of it in his pants, straining against the material. I watched it hungrily. Suddenly in desperate need of a stiff one.
Pavel was beside him. “I'll carry her. Go collect yourself. She'll be fine now that the poison is gone, and you've healed her wound almost entirely.”
The growl Lucas gave way to caused even the fearless Pavel to retreat. I watched the two of them lazily; my body was made of jello and no longer moved at my discretion. My hands had fallen to my sides when Lucas finally gazed towards me again.
“I will take her,” he finally said as he lifted me from the ground and placed me gently inside the car.
I was finally regaining some of my normal self, the feelings Lucas' bite had elicited disappearing to be replaced by a sudden realization...
I had just gotten taken on a dirt road in front of Pavel, but I guess things could be worse.
“But—“ Pavel began to argue, ignorant to the turmoil now swirling inside me.
“I have regained my control, Pavel,” Lucas barked as he maneuvered me into his lap. “Drive,” he ordered.
Somewhere along the way, I had passed out. For a long time, I was swimming in embarrassment and unable to truly look at Lucas.
For his part, he stayed quiet and held me as if protecting me from the entire world. I guess he felt guilty. I had seen what they were up against as we left even though I was consumed in pain. I knew they had tried to get to me and were blocked in their attempts.
When I woke from my dreamless sleep, Lucas was watching me with worried eyes. He smiled at me as soon as my eyes focused on his.
“We will be home soon,” he informed as his fingers weaved through my loose tresses. “Victor will be there to ensure you are well before they assess the scene. We were ambushed, which means that they knew we were coming. We are not sure how they anticipat
ed our being there, but Victor has decided to involve himself for the remainder of this investigation.”
Peachy.
I started to sit up, but Lucas quickly pushed my body back into his lap. “You need to rest. As soon as we arrive, I will help you to your room.”
“I'm fine,” I grumbled as I attempted to sit again. Lucas stopped me once more. “Seriously, Lucas, I feel fine. I'm a little weak, but it's nothing I can't handle.”
“You almost died, Izzy,” Lucas voiced softly. “If not for...”
He seemed to be struggling, so I threw him a bone. “You mean if not for your having drank my blood and saving my stubborn ass? I know. I realize that tonight was entirely my fault.”
“It was not your fault,” he argued firmly. “We had not anticipated the possibility of other demons or their being aware we had come. You were able to defeat a demon of much higher ranking than any novice I have met. You proved me wrong tonight. You are ready.”
“And then I got myself slashed open and poisoned,” I replied, laughing. “Hardly means much killing a demon of higher ranking if you don't live to tell the tale.”
“But you did,” Lucas reminded.
“Because of you,” I countered.
Lucas' fingers pulled gently at my hair as he grinned towards me, his sapphire eyes flashing with amusement. “Shall I never claim victory in an argument with you?”
“Maybe one of these days,” I replied, giggling. “But not likely.”
–
Victor was there when we arrived. I couldn't convince Lucas that I was capable of walking, so I was in his arms like a princess when we opened the door to his fair-haired angel boss. Victor regarded us with a smile, obviously entertained by the sight of Lucas and me.
“She looks to be doing well,” he voiced with another smile. “I worried she would be much worse upon your arrival.”
“Yeah, well...” I started hesitantly. “Things happened, and now I'm all better.”
Victor rose his brow and then fixed his gaze on Lucas who still held me firmly in his arms. “You drank from her?”
“Yes,” he stated without hesitation. “I was left with little option.”