Once Bitten, Twice Seduced [Revenants 1] (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Mackenzie Williams

  Her eyes shot open. For a few seconds, Addison’s eyes wouldn’t focus. It was like a sheer blanket was covering her face, making real life seem blurry. She stood still, as if not moving would make Joe go away. Part of her wanted that more than anything. The rest of her needed the opposite.

  “Addison, I...well, I need to—”

  “My car.” Her tone was completely flat, her face expressionless again. Addison felt like a zombie.

  “What?” Joe’s face started to come back into focus.

  “My car is on the highway, broken down.” Like a robot, Addison blinked her eyes and cocked her head to the side. Her vision had returned to normal, but she felt like someone else was controlling her.

  “Oookaaay?” Joe drew out the word as confusion played on his face. “It’s probably just out of gas. You’ve done that before.” That small statement brought home the fact that he knew her well, knew her whole being well. Except, not now.

  “Take me to it.”

  Joe tilted his head from one side to the other. Addison knew he found her behavior odd, but she just couldn’t force herself to act normally. She watched her ex’s face, knowing that he was running through scenarios in his mind, how to play this.

  “Addison, what is happening with you? You seem...off.”

  “Take me to my car, please.” She cocked her head to the other side and forced a small smile.

  Joe shook his head and looked down at the ground. Addison wondered if he felt any guilt now for cheating on her. If he did, that would probably be the reason he would help her today.

  “Fine.” Joe lifted his head and looked into Addison’s eyes. She saw just a very tiny flicker of remorse. “But when we get back, I need to get some of my stuff that I left at your apartment.”

  And there we go. There’s that knife in my heart. “Fine.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  After stopping by a gas station to pick up a gas can and fill it, Joe and Addison were on their way to rescue her stranded vehicle. To Joe’s credit, he had paid for the gas and can. Addison was sure that this was all part of his need to ease his guilty conscience. If he could help her this one last time, then he could walk away scot-free. Well, in his mind anyway.

  “This might sound weird, but something has happened to you since last week.” Joe looked at her while he drove down the highway. “You look...radiant.”

  As Joe turned his focus back to the road, his statement hung in the air. Was this just another part of his emotional weightlifting play? she wondered. It didn’t seem like it, though. Joe turned back to look at her and she could see the honest look he gave her. It was a little bit of awe and a little flirtatious.

  Addison turned away from his stare and looked at herself in the side mirror. Even in the small, jiggling reflection, she could see what he was talking about. She was in her early twenties, but her skin looked younger, somehow. And her eyes, they were brighter. They were still dark brown, but her irises seemed to now have bright yellow glitter in them.

  She was fascinated by her image. Addison turned her head from side to side and watched the flecks of light in her eyes dance. She almost felt like she could control nearly anyone with an intense stare. That thought instantly brought a mental picture of Gabe into her mind. Her whole body shuttered and Addison turned away from the mirror.

  They rode in silence and a wave of emotions for her ex came over Addison. This felt so much like old times that she was having trouble separating her past feelings of love from her feelings of betrayal. Just as she was about to speak, to say something along the lines of “I want you back, take me here and now,” a sign came to her.

  The newest hit from The Wong Paulie slowly filled the car. Addison could almost see the notes and lyrics wrapping around Joe and then floating toward her. “I never feel human. I never feel clean. Do I even want to be saved?”

  Addison turned her head to stare at her driver. A flourish of heat ran through her body. When the sensation ended in her toes and fingers, it turned to an uneasy prickling. It was like she had an itch she couldn’t scratch. Her hands curled into fists on their own. Just when she felt the urge to strike Joe becoming too much to handle, he spoke and broke the rhythm of the song.

  “There she is.”

  It took Addison a few seconds to realize that Joe was talking about her car. With her hands still balled up, she turned to look out the windshield and saw her oldie moldie sitting alone, just where she had left her. Funny how that seems like years ago.

  Joe slowed and pulled his car off the road, pulling up right behind the helpless vehicle. He threw the car in park but didn’t make any sudden attempts to exit it. Addison watched as he nervously rubbed the steering wheel and then she heard his rough breathing speed up some. What’s he thinking?

  After a few more seconds, Joe moved his hand down and unhooked his seatbelt. Then he reached for Addison’s and repeated the movement. His hand went straight from her belt to her thigh. What is it with me in cars with hands? Addison almost laughed out loud.

  “Addi, I know things can’t be the same with us. Truthfully, I don’t want them to. But the new us doesn’t have to be bad, either.”

  As Joe’s hand started rubbing up and down her bare thigh, Addison started to get the gist of what he was going for here. A “we can still fuck” thing. He gave her his best bad-boy smile as his fingers slipped under the edge of her skirt. Addison looked from his gorgeous smile down to his wandering hand. He was wasting little time going straight for what he wanted.

  Addison knew that he wasn’t nervous, because this was so familiar, she felt it, too. Her body was already answering him. She could feel her pussy starting to wet her panties. As his fingers reached the edge of her underwear, she felt her clit come completely alive. Addison could feel it swelling and then beginning to throb.

  With no instruction from her brain, her body started to squirm in the seat and even turn toward Joe. Her eyes fluttered shut as her legs parted to give him better access. What am I doing? Addison had a brief moment of clarity. She started to close her legs and grabbed Joe’s arm to stop him.

  “Babe, it’s me.” Joe’s voice was a whisper while he slowly used his free hand to pull her legs back apart. “I want you and I know you want it, too.”

  To prove his point, her ex-boyfriend ran his fingers over the wet part of her panties. When he reached her clit, which was now hardened and fully out from under its hood, he pressed firmly. This touch sent electricity from her pussy down her legs, making her toes flex.

  He was right about one thing, she did want this. If not her heart, at least her body did. Addison wondered for just a quick moment if any of her lust was Revenant-related or if it was just knowing that he still wanted her. Either way, she didn’t care right now. Addison’s mind was focused on just one goal.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Joe continued to tease Addison through the thin fabric of her underwear as he leaned forward, kissing her neck gently. A shiver ran down her neck and mixed with the heat that was now running through her body. She felt her nipples harden while a soft moan came from her mouth.

  “Take off those panties,” Joe whispered into her neck.

  There was no hesitation on Addison’s part. If her body hadn’t taken over her mind, she would have been ashamed of herself. She would have felt like a needy doormat. That didn’t matter to Addison now. She wanted that climax almost more than anything else in this world.

  Joe sat back and started to undo his jeans as Addison lifted her ass off the car seat. She lifted her skirt and hastily pulled her panties down to her ankles. Lifting her feet, she kicked off her flats and pulled the underwear completely off. Carelessly, Addison threw the discarded garment into the backseat. Shameless.

  Without instruction from her man, Addison roughly pulled her tank top off and flung that to lay with her panties. It was a top with built-in cups, so there was no bra to remove. Addison smiled and thought, what a timesaver.

  Joe obviously appreciated it. He turned to s
tare at her bare breasts and Addison could see his ache for her increasing, in his eyes and in his dick. She looked from his face down to see he had pulled his cock free from his pants. It was stiffening further as she watched.

  Joe kept his eyes on her tits as he stroked himself. Addison watched clear pre-cum start to peek out from the head of his shaft. She mirrored him by starting to rub her own breasts. Joe smacked his lips together as he watched intently. Addison then took both hands and pinched her nipples, causing them to stand out further. She whimpered softly and Joe answered with a masculine groan.

  Addison turned her body to face Joe and bent forward to kiss him. Their lips moved over each other’s quickly and they were full of passion. Love, no, but passion, yes. Addison soon felt something building inside her. At first she thought it was only sexual energy, but it soon started to feel different. She didn’t know what or why, but it almost felt like she was having an out-of-body experience.

  Her hand moved over and took hold of Joe’s erection. He released it and Addison took over the stroking duties. Joe reciprocated by going back under her skirt. His fingers slid through her wet lips, back and forth. Addison moaned into Joe’s mouth. Her hand sped up, working more of his pre-cum out.

  Joe also upped his game. His fingers finally slid into her pussy, causing Addison to pull back from the kiss. She inhaled sharply and then whined as his fingers started to wiggle inside her. She felt her orgasm coming closer as his hand pressed deeper.

  Out of pure, animalistic reflex, Addison screamed out and lowered her head to Joe’s neck. She was no longer in control of herself and was completely unaware of her actions. She only came back when her pussy felt the sudden loss of Joe’s fingers. She then felt his body tremble as he yelled out.

  “What the fuck!”

  Addison sat back from kissing Joe’s neck, only to realize exactly why he was yelling and now moving away from her, pressing his back up against his door. Where her “kisses” had been was stained red. There were two very small trickles of blood running down the side of his neck. It was just reaching the top of his shirt. The light-gray T-shirt was starting to change color on a very small spot of the collar.

  Joe lifted one hand to touch the wet spot. When he pulled it down to look at it, Addison watched the anger grow on his face. She was only mildly worried that her first reaction wasn’t horror or even guilt. Her first reaction was hunger.

  “You fucker! I’m bleeding!”

  Her mind was almost entirely blank as she leaned toward Joe and stuck out her tongue. Just before her tongue touched his neck to give her another taste, Joe lifted both arms and shoved her back. The shove had quite a bit of force behind it. Addison fell back, hitting her own back on her car door.

  Addison’s mood went straight to rage. What happened then took her off-guard, even more than anything else that had happened in this car. She actually felt waves of heat rolling off her body. It was like giant storm clouds were being pushed forward and their target was clear. Joe.

  In a split second, his face scrunched up in pain and he howled. Joe doubled over in his seat, grabbing his stomach. Addison just stared, almost like this was a sick obsession. She felt more storm clouds coming off herself as Joe started writhing around in his seat.

  “Hell!” Joe continued to roll back and forth in his seat while more painful moans and grunts flew from his mouth.

  It was only after Joe screamed out at an almost deafening level and then started kicking the car floor that Addison was pulled back to herself. She blinked rapidly and shook her head. She heard Joe’s moans subside as she buried her head in her hands.

  It was her, she knew it. It was just like when her attacker, Gabe, had punished her in the woods. He had had the power to cause pain without touching her. Addison apparently had this power as well. This thought made her feel sick to her stomach but also feel dominant. She had the sudden urge to do it again, to cause Joe pain.

  Without even really deciding whether to do it or not, Addison looked up from her hands. Joe was panting and rubbing his chest. She could see the sweat running down the sides of his face.

  “Why the hell are you looking at me like that? What’s going on?” Joe’s tone was angry, but also frightened.

  This fact almost made Addison’s decision for her. This time was much more controlled. She felt the wave of heat slowly build up into her chest. Then she released it while directing it. Addison couldn’t technically “see” the cloud, but she felt it. She knew exactly when it would touch Joe. Again, he pulled his body into a ball and yelled out in pain.

  What the hell am I doing? This isn’t me. Addison hastily cut off the heat wave flowing from her and watched Joe’s body relax. He laid his head back on his headrest and she saw that the wound on his neck had stopped bleeding. She needed to get out of here before anything else happened.

  Chapter Twenty

  “What the fuck?” Joe spoke through large, stressful breaths. “Why did you bite me?”

  Joe lifted his head off the headrest and stared at her. Addison could feel tears form and then start to trickle down her cheeks. She had become a monster. Sure, Joe may have deserved some emotional pain, but not this. I don’t want to be like Gabe.

  Addison reached over the backseat and grabbed her top. She started to quickly put it on when she felt Joe grab her wrist.

  “Addison, you better start fucking talking. What is happening with you? What was that?”

  She could hear the panic in his voice and his fingers started to dig deeper into her skin. Addison knew that he wouldn’t let her just grab her gas can and be on her way. She had had a similar experience in the woods and she knew Joe wouldn’t forget this easily.

  “Joe, I’m sorry. Seriously.”

  She roughly pulled her arm away from him and finished putting on her shirt. Addison could see by his shocked expression that the force she had just used with her arm was more than normal for a young woman. It was getting harder and harder for her to tell what was abnormal anymore.

  Addison cocked her head to one side and let out a pained sigh. “Joe, thanks for the ride. I’ve got to go.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t. You’re not just—”

  She cut him off but not with her words. This time Addison sent a cooling, calming wave toward Joe. It amazed her slightly that this was so easy for her. She barely had to think about it. It almost felt like ice water flowing from her chest.

  Addison watched Joe’s face relax. His eyes seemed to glass over and he sat back in his seat. She leaned forward and whispered into his ear.

  “It’ll be okay. Go home. Don’t worry about me anymore.”

  She closed her eyes and laid her forehead on his shoulder. Addison forced more of the calming wave around Joe like a warm blanket. She heard his breathing even out and his body relax completely. She lifted her head and kissed his cheek, avoiding the blood stain with her eyes.

  Without another word from either of them, Addison slipped her shoes back on and opened her car door. She stepped out and paused, holding onto the door. Why did this feel like the turning point in her life? This is the last Chapter of my human life. Addison felt like throwing up, crying, screaming, punching something, but all she did was slowly close the car door.

  Numbness filled her mind and body. Addison walked around the back of the car. As she stood there, the trunk popped open. She felt Joe’s numbness, too. Addison reached in to grab the red plastic gas container before slamming the trunk shut.

  She walked around the driver side and paused at Joe’s window. He was staring straight ahead. He looked just like Addison felt, numb, like a zombie. She didn’t know what she was waiting for, but Addison didn’t move for a while. Finally, Joe’s head turned to face her. His stare was still mostly blank, but a very small smile pulled up one side of his face.

  Addison guessed that was her sign. There was nothing left for her to do here. She returned the weak smile and then turned away. Addison walked to her car and started to open the gas container, fitting the n
uzzle over the opening. As she worked, she heard Joe start his car. Seconds later, she was alone. Alone, again, in these woods. It was starting to feel like fate.

  After messing with the gas and container for fifteen minutes and then making several attempts to start her car, finally Addison was on her way. The idea to just head back to her apartment never even entered her mind. She knew that wasn’t what she wanted, even if it was an option. No, I need answers. I need guidance. I need Luke.

  Addison wasn’t completely sure where she was driving, but she had a gut feeling, like when she was just running through the woods. Somehow, she knew that she would find him sooner or later. If not, he would find her. It was a fact, she knew it. Addison started to feel dumb for running away in the first place.

  While slowly driving down the highway, Addison spotted a small gravel road shooting off into the forest. There were mental arrows going off in her head, telling her to turn down it. Addison drove onto the much narrower road and slowly ventured away from the blacktop highway. After ten minutes of driving, the road just stopped. The gravel ended in a line of evergreens and that was it.

  “And the adventure continues,” Addison said into the empty car.

  She put the car in park and turned off the engine. As she exited her rust bucket, Addison was a mix of emotions. There was a small amount of fear, but it was quickly eclipsed by her need and hunger. Need and hunger for Luke and primal food. There was no use trying to fight either.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Addison had been walking through the woods for a while. When she had started, she took note of all the sounds surrounding her, the birds, frogs, the breeze rustling the leaves. But that was changing. The longer she was among the trees, the less and less normal it sounded. Soon, there were no animal noises, not even the occasional squirrel running from a tree. No, now there was just the sound of the breeze, and even that sounded muted. Addison wondered if it was her having this effect. Or was someone else nearby?