Betrayal: The Awakening

by Kira Hillins

  Her walls clamped down around his pulsing cock. She arched her neck back and cried out breath after breath. He gave an exasperated shout and groaned with every urgent thrust of his hips. He breathed hard into her neck as he held his body firm against hers until his last jolt of pleasure.

  He leaned back to look into her eyes. He grabbed the back of her head then brought her to his parted mouth, but stopped within inches of a kiss. A grin crept across his face.

  She shuddered. He had never smiled like this before. He looked happy. Human. The pigment of his skin had changed to a soft peach. His eyes carried a hint of blue in them. They were so beautiful, even as the color faded to black.

  She didn’t want to part with him, but he let her down from the wall. He turned off the shower then scooped her up in his arms. She laughed as he carried her to the small area rug near the sink then set her down on her feet.

  He slid the soft, warm towel down her arms, her backside, and her legs. He pressed his cool lips to her inner thigh. He kissed up her abdomen, stopping to taste her nipple. Her skin tingled as he pressed his body against hers to towel-dry her hair.

  “Beautiful.” His deep whisper sent lightning through her veins.

  She placed her hands on his broad chest. “So are you.”

  That gorgeous teeth-baring grin spread across his pale face. “You think I am beautiful?”

  “Oh, yes.” She palmed his smooth cheek. “I love everything about you. Your eyes, and how they change colors with your moods. Your rich black hair is so soft to the touch. You have an incredible body that I want to be near. I love the way you smell like the forest beside the ocean. So intoxicating.” She breathed him in then smiled. “And then your lips, god how I love to kiss you—”

  He parted his mouth over hers. The ache inside her came fast. She led him to her room. His body glistened as he laid back on her bed, his cock full and ready again. Her lavender comforter accented his pale skin and midnight hair as if he were part of the décor.

  This felt right, as if fate had brought them together. It didn’t matter how long it took or how much he fought it, he was her destiny, and she was his calling.

  ****

  This was the most irresponsible thing he’d ever done. By being with her, he’d put her life in danger. He just couldn’t fight his emotions anymore. With everything he had, and every fiber in his body, he loved her, and he would keep on loving her no matter how their story ended.

  He glanced at the cover on the window. “My wool blanket.”

  “I told you that I kept it.” On her hands and knees, she climbed onto the bed. Her rounded breasts begged for his touch as she hovered over him. With a grin on her face, eyes brighter than ever, this unbelievable, sexy woman had him in the palm of her hand.

  “Promise me—“

  “—I promise.” He lurched forward to steal a kiss. When his lips made contact with hers, she leaned back.

  “I don’t care if the world is ending.” Her warm breath brushed his lips. “Promise that you’ll never leave me again. Promise you’ll be with me forever.”

  As she straddled his hips, he slid his hands up her back. “You ask the impossible, Anna.” Though he wished he could make that promise. He lay back on the bed. “You should not waste your time pining for someone who has nothing to offer but darkness.”

  The soft hair between her legs felt good as she slid against his hard shaft. “You need to accept your destiny, Mr. Ashfield. We’re meant to be together. You know I’m right. It doesn’t matter if it takes me the rest of my life, I’ll make you believe you’re worthy of love just like any other man.”

  He cupped her face then brought her to him in a kiss. “You are too good for me.”

  As she worked her lips over his, leisurely, enchantingly, he held the tip of his cock against her opening. With slow movements of her hips, she glided down on him. When he was deep inside her, she closed her eyes. Breathy moans escaped her open mouth as she rolled her hips.

  This was the way she wanted it, slow and easy. He thrust upward as he pulled on her, not forcing the pace, but emphasizing he wanted more. He rose up and caught an erect nipple with his tongue. She inhaled sharply as he sucked it in and lashed at it. He loved the way she whimpered, and the way she clutched his shoulders.

  He tried not to lose control, but she was moving too slowly, and he was too eager. His eyes caught fire. He turned her over on her back. When he plunged deep inside her, she gave a throaty scream.

  He raised her hands above her head. With a half-grin, he pulled out of her until the tip of his cock was almost exposed. He slowly pushed back into her and then thrust hard against her hips. Her breasts bounced. A pleasurable grin spread across her face.

  “Oh, Tristan. Ungh. Do that again.”

  He moved his hips in a circular motion as he slid out to the tip, then pushed hard into her again. He did the same move again, but faster, until he pumped his hips in constant motion. Her temple wrinkled. When her breath quickened, he stopped. He leaned his temple on her chest.

  Memories of his chauvinistic life rushed through him. How could he have forgotten all the different things he’d done to please a woman? He’d known how to do things that would send her into immediate orgasm. He’d prided himself on the different positions he’d known that would make sex last from a few minutes to hours.

  He didn’t want that for Anna. This wasn’t about sex. This was making love to the woman who held his heart.

  He slowed his pace. He wanted her to last long enough for them to come together. By her erratic breath, and the way she pulled on his backside, she was ready to come.

  He nuzzled her neck. When he nicked her skin with his bite, she gasped loud in his ear. The thought of sinking his teeth into her sent him over the edge. Globes of fire spread through his veins and gyrated down to his cock. He pumped into her faster, harder.

  He was going to do it. To calm his desires, he was going to sink his daggers into her flesh. They were as close as any two bodies could be. Then, she relaxed her body.

  “Take my blood.”

  Her panting became erratic. Excitement coursed through him as she held on to him. Her inner walls throbbed in orgasm. When his fangs punctured her skin, she cried out.

  With a shout, he released his tension inside her. Like a wolf about to tear her apart, he growled. You must stop. He fought back his demon teeth. He licked her delicious blood from his lips then buried his face in the crook of her neck. His eyes burned as he tried to rise from her body, but he couldn’t move away. He didn’t want to.

  “I am sorry,” he said in an elated breath as he gazed down at her. “It seems that is all I have ever done is hurt you.”

  She brushed a lock of hair from his face. “You didn’t hurt me.”

  “These scars will never go away.” He traced her neck with his fingers to the wound on her shoulder, and then down the scratches on her arm. “All the times I have caused you pain. I am ashamed.”

  “Don’t feel that way.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “No matter what happens, I love you. I always will.”

  He kissed her lips. “I am unworthy of your love.”

  “Someday you’ll take my blood.” Her body shuddered beneath him. “You’ll find a way to make me yours forever.”

  His heart sank. With the rare blood flowing through her veins, it would never happen. As much as he wanted her to, she would never be like him. He would soon have to tell her the truth about why he couldn’t drink her in. And now that he’d let his emotions go, Madeline would be hunting her.

  He moved to her side and glanced at the small clock beside the bed. It was almost 7 a.m. “You have not had a good sleep in days. You must be tired.”

  “I am.” She nestled her warm body against him. “I’ll try to keep my hands to myself.”

  He chuckled as he stroked her arm. Goosebumps spread over her skin. Being this close to her kept him aroused. He wanted to make love to her over and again. If he could just keep his demon in check,
they could stay in bed for days. The only way to do that was to have his sustenance readily available.

  “I will leave tonight.” She rose to look at him. Brows arched, she opened her mouth to argue, but he pressed his finger to her lips. “Do not quarrel with me. I will only be gone one night then return to you by morning.”

  Her eyes glittered. “Where are you going?”

  He thumbed a tear from her cheek. “To retrieve a few bottles of…wine…from the house, so my appetite is curbed while we are together.”

  Her face went pale. “The house…I forgot about it.”

  “Why are you trembling?”

  “I found the body of a woman in the room you used to sleep in. Her face was frozen in fear, as if whatever killed her had terrorized her. Every time I close my eyes...” Her voice became frantic. “I see her staring at me. I can’t get her out of my head.”

  He palmed her cheek. “You are tired. I will hold you in my arms and chase away your bad dreams.”

  “Just please, don’t leave me while I’m asleep,” she whispered as she snuggled tight against him.

  He tightened the blanket around her then held her close. “I swear on my life, I will be here when you wake.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Dreams

  The day went by like a glorious dream. It was the first time he wasn’t aware of anything else but the woman lying in his arms. Her warmth had kept him from waking from his slumber, giving him the best sleep he’d had in centuries. But opening his eyes, he found he was alone.

  At first it frightened him, thinking she’d been stolen from him during his sleep. Madeline had come and taken her somewhere where he couldn’t find her. But when he heard her footsteps in the kitchen, and her voice humming a tune, he breathed a sigh of relief.

  He looked over at the clock. 3 p.m. A folded note with his name on the front sat on the nightstand. He flipped it open and read.

  Went to town for a few things. I promise I won’t be long.

  I love you. Anna.

  He lifted the note to his lips then inhaled. Vanilla and cherry blossom waft into his nostrils. He closed his eyes and grinned. Her scent aroused him. If she was here, he’d take her in his arms and make love to her until their bodies tired.

  He sighed. There were still a few hours until nightfall and he was wide awake. He rose from the bed. As he strode to the bathroom, he caught his reflection in the mirror.

  How could she love this creature staring back at him? Black eyes, long stringy hair over pale skin, he was frightening. He picked up the scissors from the edge of the sink. Maybe it was time to make a change in his life. It was time to clean up, and look like he belonged in this century. He had to take responsibility for the incredible sin he’d committed and protect Anna with his life.

  He lifted the scissors then snipped off a long black strand. As he chopped off several larger chunks of hair, a memory shot through him.

  He was ten. He stood at the mirror in his room while his mother brushed his shoulder-length hair. She’d smiled at his reflection as she tied his locks back in a blue ribbon. He’d been a selfish boy, desiring only the finest things in life. Clothes. Toys. Food. She’d done her best to give him everything he wanted and he never showed her any gratitude.

  Tristan sighed. Sorrow filled his heart as he finished cutting his hair. She would be upset that he’d done this to himself, but maybe she’d be proud of his reason why.

  He stepped in the shower stall and turned on the water. As he cleansed his body, he thought about that morning with Anna. He’d come to her covered in blood again. She’d cried for him. Like that selfish boy, he’d taken her body. He’d never planned on bedding her. He never meant to let her into his heart far enough it’d create an unescapable danger. Because of him, they’d be running for the rest of their lives.

  He had to do something to end this. Even if it meant leaving her as he always did. He’d send Madeline on a wild-goose chase then trap her and kill her. And then, maybe—just maybe he and Anna could be together.

  He knew better. The selfish part of him would stay with Anna and pretend their lives were normal, but it never would be. She would tire of his cold body and wish for someone warm who would not leave scars.

  * * * *

  Anna fixed a cup of hot tea. The sweet taste of honey and peppermint made her smile as she relaxed at the breakfast nook and watched the sunset through the sliding glass door.

  Everything felt strange, as if she hadn’t seen daylight for years, though she’d been out in it for the past few hours. She’d gone clothes shopping. In blue jeans, a black pullover and a matching hoodie jacket, she was ready for the trip to the coast.

  No chance in hell would he leave her here alone. She wasn’t even sure why they needed to leave her apartment; except for the blood Tristan needed was still in that house. It shouldn’t take all night to grab a few bottles and bring them back here.

  She looked at the new clothes draped over the couch. She couldn’t wait to see him in the black trench coat and matching slacks. With a white button-up dress shirt, he was going to look stunning, though she rather loved seeing him naked. She wondered if he was awake.

  She draped his clothes over her arm then headed down the hall. Eager to see midnight hair flowing around his shoulders, she picked up the pace. Her body twitched in excitement. Maybe they’d have another rendezvous in bed before they left.

  It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkened room. When she found the lengthy lump in her bed, she inched forward to get a closer look at her sleeping prince.

  Her heart leapt to her throat. His muscular body lay outside the blanket. She touched his foot then slid her hand up his leg. His cock swelled as her fingers swept across his abdomen then up to his shoulder. She traced the perfect line of his jaw with her finger then bit her bottom lip, hoping he’d lie still long enough for her to inspect this new look.

  His hair didn’t hide his face anymore, but was short and feathered back around his ears. His bangs hung around his dark lashes, beautiful as he opened his eyes.

  She gazed down at him. “You cut your hair.”

  He ran his fingers through his black mane. “Do you like it?”

  She leaned down and kissed his lips. “I love it.”

  “You left the house today.” He rose to a sitting position. “Where did you go?”

  She brushed back his bangs with her fingers until his hair stuck up in thick tufts. If she could sit here and play with his body for the rest of her life, she would. With the sun almost down, he’d be ready to leave for the coast. “I went out and bought us some new clothes. I hope you don’t mind that I threw away the old ones.”

  He retrieved the garments from her arm and set them beside him on the bed. “Thank you.”

  She couldn’t look away. Desperate to touch him, she ran her hand down his chest to his abdomen. When she enclosed her hand around his hard cock, he caught her wrist.

  “As much as I want to make love to you right now, it is not an appropriate time.” He palmed her face then tenderly kissed her lips. “When I return, we will stay in bed as long as you like.”

  “I understand.” As much as she yearned for his touch, she rose from the bed and headed for the door. “Meet me in the living room when you’re ready.”

  With a light step, she entered the hallway bathroom. She retrieved her mascara from the cabinet, and then touched up her lashes. To look like a woman—to feel like one—was refreshing. She inspected her appearance in the two-mirrored medicine cabinet and found Tristan standing in the doorway, watching her.

  He looked damn good, like a bad-ass gunslinger in a vampire movie. He caught her hand. With a quick tug, he pulled her into his arms.

  “You are so beautiful.” He spoke against her lips. “I do not want to leave you.”

  She slid her arms around his neck. “When we get back from the coast, we should spend a week in bed. Maybe we could go out on a date too. There’s a candlelit walk in the park. Or we coul
d take a ride across the bay on the ferry.”

  “We are not going to the coast together.”

  “Tristan.”

  He pressed his thumb to her lips. “We went through this last night. You are staying here, and that is final.”

  “All you’re going for are bottles of blood. I want to go with you.”

  “It is best you stay here where it is safe.”

  “What do you mean safe?” Goosebumps spread over her skin. “Are we in danger? What the hell are you protecting me from?”

  The slight color in his face drained as he made his way down the hallway. “I will return soon.”

  “Oh, you are not leaving without an explanation.” Anna stepped in front of him in the living room. No way would she allow him to move until he confessed his secrets. “Don’t you think it’s time you told me everything?”

  “No.”

  He tried to get around her, but she caught his arm. “Please, Tristan. Mac sent me to find you and help you with whatever you’re hiding from. I won’t let you leave until I know what it is”

  “Enough!” His angry voice startled her. “You cannot help me. Now let me go.”

  Her heart sank, but fire burned through her veins. “You know what…forget it. I’m tired of your games.” She folded her arms across her chest and bit back tears. “If you hadn’t destroyed Mac’s journal, I would already know the truth. If you’d just stayed away and left me alone! I…well, I don’t know.” With a puff of her lips, she slipped out the back door and into the shadows of her backyard.

  Tristan clutched her arms tight and turned her around to face him. “This is not a game, Anna.” He shook her as he spoke. “If I had not destroyed Mac’s journal, you would not be standing before me acting like a snobbish child. You would be living in fear, hiding from me. Or worse…dead.”

  “If I had just stayed home, I never would’ve tried to find you. I’d still think you were some loser lowlife who’d fooled Mac into believing your lies.” She struggled to free herself from his grasp, but he was too strong. “Let go. You’re hurting me.”