by J. N. Colon
Demy strode through my door, closing it behind him. His face was a mask, but those violet eyes were flashing in a mixture of determination and rage.
“Demy, I…”
“Miranda told me you haven’t been drinking enough blood,” he growled.
Annoyed I got up and crossed my arms against my chest. “I had some…”
“Stop lying to me Rubi.” He marched closer until he stood on the other side of my bed, glaring at me from across the room. “I can tell you haven’t and you probably haven’t drank any all day.”
Guilt twisted in my chest and seeped into my expression. I opened my mouth to deny it, to think of something, but words utterly failed me. My body refused to lie to him anymore.
Demy’s jaw flexed hard, carving his face in stone. Without warning he ripped his t-shirt over his head, tossing it forcefully onto the floor. He stood before me, his tan torso etched in sinewy muscles while his jeans sat low on his hips to reveal a defined V disappearing into the waistline. His inky black hair was a mess around his furious face and his chest heaved with ragged breaths.
All the moisture left my mouth as I stared at him. “W-What are you doing?”
Chapter 5
“Since you’re not drinking the donated stuff, you’re going to drink from me whether you like it or not.”
Shock slammed into my chest, knocking me back into the couch. “Excuse me?” I squeaked.
“I promised Mac a long time ago if anything ever happened to him I would take care of you. And I intend to keep that promise.”
My pulse quivered uncontrollably beneath my skin and I knew it was anticipation as much as nerves. Demy was a piece of Kobe beef, dripping with slathered herb butter on a steaming plate before a starved me. If I had any spit in my mouth I’d be drooling. A lot. “I don’t think that’s what Mac had in mind,” I hissed, trying not to stare at the web of veins throbbing in his neck.
A humorless smile curled his lips. “It’s exactly what he had in mind.” He inched closer and I could almost feel his pulse beating against me, taunting me. “Remember what happened the last time you weren’t drinking enough blood.”
Yep. I attacked him. “That won’t happen. I was new and…”
Demy cut me off again. “You’re right it won’t happen because I’m giving you what you need before you attack some defenseless human.”
I rubbed my temples and shut my eyes, trying unsuccessfully to block out his intoxicating presence. “Demy you know I can’t just feed from you.” The connection between us wouldn’t simply be satisfied if I bit him. It would want more. We would want more. I couldn’t deal with bloodlust mixing with plain lust for him right now.
“I don’t give a damn,” he growled. “Do whatever you want to me.”
My eyes snapped opened, surveying him. He meant it, deep in my bones I knew that. He would let me use him and I hated how my body reacted to that, warming in ways it shouldn’t. My heart fluttered inside my chest and skin tingled with want. “No Demy. I can’t.” My currently breathy voice didn’t sound too convincing.
His studded brow arched in challenge—a look he’s the master of. “Didn’t I mention you had no choice?” Before I could say another word the pupils of his violet eyes elongated, turning into cat-like slits. His hand came up, one finger lengthening into a razor sharp claw. It pressed against his throat, slashing through the skin to create a shallow cut, spilling crimson.
Demy’s comforting earthly amber scent mixed with his briny, buttery blood slammed into me and I gasped as my fangs instantly tore through my gums with an aching, painful need. I slapped my hand over my mouth and pinched my nose, but it was too late. He already awakened the urge and burning thirst.
His irises melted back to normal and bored into me with unadulterated intensity that doubled everything I was already feeling. “Come here Rubi.”
I shook my head, my gaze accidently slipping down to the crimson slowly leaking out his cut. Blood pounded in my ears and I wasn’t sure if it was his heart or mine that created the erratic staccato. Maybe it was both. Fire crawled up my throat and my canines throbbed so prevalently I could feel tiny whimpers trying to make their way out. My entire body began trembling with the effort it took to stay away from him.
Demy swiped an index finger across the cut, scooping up droplets of blood and extended his arm toward me. “Here. Take it.”
Apparently that was too close to resist because suddenly my feet were moving of their own volition and I found myself barely a foot away. My hand fell from my mouth, his strong scent and blood filling my senses. I had tasted him once and that had been to suck poison out of his system. I had no doubt that little drop of crimson lingering on his fingertip would be a million times better without the bitter aftertaste of the toxins.
“Let me do this for you Rubi.” Demy’s voice had gone deep and silky smooth, thickened by his Russian accent. “Take it.” He held his finger close to my mouth. All I had to do was open up.
Burning hunger and thirst were filling up my brain, overshadowing any reservations I had moments ago. Just one little taste. What would one little taste hurt?
My mouth opened and clamped around his fingertip, my tongue lapping up his blood. My taste buds exploded with the buttery smooth flavor, pulling a tiny moan from me.
“Good girl,” Demy whispered, his voice caressing my skin. “Now take some more.”
My gaze flickered over to see a line of crimson dripping down his chest, barely an inch from my face. My body released a shiver, deepening the need in me. I was so thirsty. Maybe it would be okay if I didn’t bite him. I could just have what was already spilling out.
My tongue flicked out and licked the trail of warm blood on his bare chest. Without warning Demy’s arm snaked around my waist, pinning me to him while the other tangled in my hair.
“You’re doing good princess. Just a little bit more Rubi.” His words coaxed me as his had did the same, guiding me toward his neck and the glistening cut.
Maybe just a little lick or two. No biting. It would be okay. I could handle that.
I let him pull me up while he bent down until his neck was pressing against my lips.
“That’s it. Almost there.” His hot breath blew erratically down my neck, spreading tingles down my skin.
My mouth opened and I simply meant to lick except my body had other ideas. My fangs sank into his flesh, drawing a gasp from him. His intoxicating blood flowed into my mouth, filling me with a euphoric haze I hadn’t felt in months. My body hummed against his as heat unfurled from deep within me, stemming toward every extremity.
I could sense Demy’s struggled to withhold his emotions slipping and without warning a deep, rasping moan slipped out his mouth and his hold tightened, pressing me further into him. He was enjoying this as much as me and I could feel his filling the air around us, mixing with my thirst. I should have backed away. I didn’t. I couldn’t.
I lost track of time or everything because suddenly the bed was beneath us while I lay on top of him, still drinking his salty, buttery, wine blood. His hands drifted under my clothes, squeezing my hips before massaging the small of my back.
Oh man. My entire body was melting into him, wanting nothing more than to give in and let him take me away where there was no pain and no heartache. A place where my soul wasn’t shattered and my insides weren’t dying a little each day. I knew he had to ability to do it. If I let him.
Reluctantly I released Demy, licking his wounds until they were no longer spilling his precious blood. Before he could stop me I slipped off him and rolled on my side away from his intoxicating presence, attempting to get myself under control. I couldn’t look at him, his half naked body lying in the bed next to me, tempting me. I had my fill of blood, but my own betraying body wasn’t finished. It wanted more from him and I knew he would give it to me in a heartbeat.
“Rubi, it’s okay.” Demy curled around me, his fingers brushing my hair back, creating lines of heat where he touched.
&n
bsp; I shook my head unable to speak. I was afraid I’d say something besides no. I was afraid I’d say don’t stop.
I closed my eyes and unsuccessfully tried to force my body to stop responding to Demy. Instead it was actually trembling again with the effort it took not to turn toward him. I had no doubt Mac asked Demy to take care of me. Hell, I remembered him telling me so moments before he took his last breath. Mac also knew Demy and I had a connection. He had to have known what would happen between us if I fed from him.
Demy’s hand suddenly slipped under my clothes again, sliding against my stomach and dragging me to his hard chest. His lips brushed my ear. “Let me be here for you Rubi. Let me help you get better, feel better. It’s what he would have wanted.” His warm lips kissed my neck, starting a fire within my belly. “He knew what would happen,” he whispered, as if reading my mind. “You know he knew.”
I couldn’t bear it anymore. It felt like I was holding my breath under water, my chest aching and crushing beneath the weight. “Demy.” His name was a soft, heart wrenching plea and he knew what it meant.
His hand rolled me over until he hovered above, his violet eyes filled with such need and longing it ripped a hole in my chest. And then that gaze disappeared as his lips found mine, his tongue forcing my mouth apart to let him in.
I moaned deeply as new sensations rocked my body. He tasted salty and untamed, but his motions were slow and deliberate. Demy was all about the slow seduction as I experienced once before when Mac insisted I get it out my system. His fingers massaged at my hip beneath my shirt and then up and, teasing the bottom of my bra.
Fire suddenly consumed my skin and—as if he felt it—Demy yanked my hoodie and shirt off in one swift motion, leaving me in my bra and jeans. His violet eyes roamed over me, taking in my curves and spreading heat through my insides with just that one look. I swallowed hard as he head dipped, kissing a trail down my neck. He kissed across my chest, paying special attention to my star shaped scar while his hands caressed me.
It was maddening and exhilarating. Demy knew me and apparently my body well. He’d always shown affection, but this was different than the easy pecks on the lips, hugs, or even cuddles at night. This was a deep seeded, aching desire that he’d been keeping inside.
I couldn’t say I wasn’t feeling something similar. If I was being honest I had always been attracted to him. I guess that was why my hands were roaming freely over him, feeling his naked skin and currently squeezing his ass.
Yep.
Demy unexpectedly gripped the back of my knee and wrapped my leg around his torso, a deep, throaty growl slipping out as he moved against me. An explosion of sensations rocked my bottom half, spreading tremors through my body.
“Rubi,” Demy breathed, the first word he’d spoken since we started making out.
When I opened my own mouth to speak all that came out was a desperate whimper. I wasn’t sure what I was trying to say anyways. Stop? Please keep going?
Demy apparently decided it was the latter because his fingers teased the hem of my jeans, stopping at the button. He flicked it opened and slowly pulled down the zipper, the release of each set of teeth sending sparks through me. His fingers slid across the silk band of my panties, making me gasp.
Suddenly I reached out and gripped his wrist, stopping his exploring from going any further. “T-Too much,” I rasped, my chest heaving and heart pounding.
Demy looked into my eyes, his half-lidded, and gently zipped my pants back up. “Sorry. I got a little carried away.” A sleepy, crooked grin curled his lips, still damp from our kisses. He slid off me and rolled me over until we faced each other on our sides, his fingers running up and down my arm.
I swallowed hard and tried to ignore the sensations. I wasn’t sure what the hell was going through his head. He was taking this so easily and it scared me. “Demy, you know we can’t do this.”
“Do what?”
I motioned between us. “This. We can’t be together. I can’t… I’m not ready… And I don’t think I could ever…”
A soft chuckle escaped his mouth. “I know that Rubi. I’m not stupid.”
My brows knit confused by his behavior. “What?”
“I know you and I could never really be together. We can’t actually have a future like that. You’re going to be a vampire queen and you would need a vampire husband. I’m a shifter and while I could be turned into a vampire, that would mean losing my alpha status.” He sighed and brushed my snarled hair out my face. “Like you are the last Davenport, without my brother, I’m the last Dragoniv. I have to carry on the line.”
“Oh.” I guess we were kind of in the same boat in that aspect.
“That’s why this is perfect for you.”
“You lost me there again.” I shivered from the cold now that Demy wasn’t covering me.
Noticing, he kicked his shoes off and then grabbed the blanket from the bottom of the bed, draping it over us. His arm slipped across my torso again. “I can be here for you. You can feed from me and whatever else you need…” He let the sentence fall off his lips as he lifted his studded brow in that suggestive manner he had mastered. “This way other potential vampire mates—who simply want to be king—will leave you alone for now. They won’t know I have no intention on turning.” His gaze darkened. “And believe me. They are sniffing around.”
My stomach churned at the thought.
“Listen, you and I both love each other, but we’re also aware we’re not meant to spend the rest of our lives married or whatever.” I opened my mouth to protest until his finger pressed against my lips, stopping me. “Of course we could always be lovers on the side.”
I rolled my eyes.
His face turned serious. “I mean it though Rubi. You need me right now. Don’t push me away.”
“What about school? You can’t just leave.”
Demy scoffed. “Yes I can. I hate school. I’m miserable because I know you’re in pain and I could be helping.”
I bit my lip, reluctant. This is exactly what I didn’t want. He would make me feel better and I didn’t want to feel better. I wanted to stay in the dark agony of missing my mate.
As if he could see it all over my face, his darkened. “Don’t you realize that I need you too?”
My chest tightened.
“I’m a mess Rubi. I’m not ready to go to college. I’m not ready to leave you.” His thumb traced my cheek bone. “Mac made me promise I’d take care of you, but he also knew I would need you too.”
That ever present lump grew in my throat again, making my eyes burn and water. Part of me knew Demy was using my weakness for him to his advantage. But it wasn’t only that. The conversation with Vikrum flooded my mind. Demy was hurting badly. How could I deny him the comfort he needed?
My heart squeezed because I wasn’t sure how comfortable I would be with a romantic relationship no matter how nonpermanent it was.
Sensing my internal struggled Demy continued when he sensed my internal struggle. “It’s just whatever you need Rubi. If you don’t ever want to make out with me again, you don’t have to.” One side of his lips hitched up tauntingly. “Of course I don’t see that happening.”
I smacked his chest, the sound echoing between us. “We’ll see about that.”
Happiness sparked in his eyes. “You’ll let me stay with you?”
How could I say no to him? “Sure. I guess for a little while.”
***
I stood in front of Mac’s headstone, my fingers tracing the lines of his engraved name. His image was burned into my mind along with his heady, wild forest scent. If I closed my eyes I could smell him, feel his hands running over me. I pressed his royal ring dangling from the necklace into my chest so hard I knew it would bruise just to take away the pain if only for a moment.
A cold wind blew, shifting my hair around my face and scattering leaves across my feet in a dry, scraping sound. A shiver crawled down my back, a thick ominous feeling suddenly descending over me.
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My brows furrowed as I glanced up, watching the stars in the pitch sky wink out one by one until nothing but the moon was left. And then that too was gone.
I rubbed my hands across my arms to stave off the sudden icy chill. It didn’t work and my body only seemed to tremble more. A cold, misty fog crept over my feet, swirling between my legs as if to grab them. I turned around to see more low clouds rolling toward me.
My pulse elevated, trepidation speeding through my veins. Something wasn’t right.
I attempted to move away, but something had a hold of my ankle obscured by the dense fog. Panic sliced through my heart as I struggled to get free.
Suddenly I was yanked down, my hands catching on the grass. A screech slipped out my mouth as I could feel myself being pulled into the cold soil, twigs and dirt scraping against my pant legs as they tugged up.
A flash of white shimmered up ahead along with tinkling laughter like drops of ice cascading with silver. The outline of a slight person—probably female—merged through the mist.
“Help! Help!” I called out, praying she could see me waving from the ground or hear my terror filled voice. “Help!”
The grip on my ankles tightened, dragging me further into Mac’s grave. I cried out, tears burning my eyes and sweat clinging to my body. My fingers gripped the ground without success only serving to till up the grass until it was mixed thoroughly with rich brown soil.
I glanced over my shoulder, a gasp echoing out my mouth at what I saw. Instead of Mac’s name, mine was expertly carved into the headstone.
I was being dragged into my grave.
Chapter 6
My eyes snapped open, staring up at the canopied bed as dim light began seeping through the curtains off the balcony and in through the windows. My breathing came in heavy pants through the quiet room and my heart violently battered my ribcage.
What the hell was that about? Normally my nightmares consisted of Mac’s murder, not me being dragged into my own grave.