Under Orders

by Doris O'Connor

Her conviction faltered when she realized that he had done just that in the past—countless times if the rumors round the office were to be believed. Had she herself not acted completely out of character around him? That scene in the conference room played itself out in her mind’s eye in glorious Technicolor detail, and bile rose in her throat at the thought. She pushed against his chest, and he released her.

  “Leonard, is he?” She covered her hand with her mouth, afraid to be sick, when he nodded just once. “There are a number of us in the organization, and no, I am not telling you who they are.”

  She staggered backwards until her legs hit one of the plush chairs, and she sank down. Anna brought her knees up to her chest in a defensive gesture, and she shook her head in denial.

  “No, it’s not possible. I would have known. You’re warm. You walk in the sun. You look human, damn it.”

  His short, cruel laugh wrapped itself around her heart like an ice cold fist.

  “Your kind has hunted us to extinction. To enable us to survive we had to evolve. Mixing the bloodlines was always punishable by death, but it was the only way for us to blend in. There are still some original Vampyrs left. Heavily guarded against the slayers.” He spat the word at her as though it was poison on his tongue, and she flinched when he moved in a blur of air.

  In the blink of an eye he was on top of her. Arms on either side of her, he pressed her against the seat of her chair. His breath mingled with hers, as his eyes bored into hers. Like lasers they pinned her in place as effectively as any bonds would have been, and despite the situation a small part of her just melted.

  “My kind?” she whispered. “You mean us humans, right? What did you expect us to do? Sit back and be happy at being walking, talking snack bars? Have our babies stolen from our cribs because your kind treasure the blood of the young?” He flinched as though she had physically slapped him, and the compassionate part deep within her, the part that still wanted/needed to see good in everyone, wanted to swallow her tongue whole. The nightmare stories she grew up with, however, tumbled forth without restraint. She’d read the family journals. The tales of untold cruelties forever imprinted on her brain.

  She hadn’t wanted to believe them, had chosen at an early age to not go down that path, and even her parents’ early demise had not changed that conviction. She wanted no part of that world, so what on earth was she doing here? What cruel twist of fate had thrown her into the vampire’s path? Had her even now aching with the need to touch this man in front of her. He represented everything she should hate, and yet, her heart just wasn’t listening. She couldn’t reconcile those dark tales with Jonathan. He had plenty of opportunity to hurt her, yet he hadn’t.

  “There we have it. You do think I’m a monster.” He stepped away and simply looked down on her. His lips curved into a self-depreciating smile when she shook her head.

  “It’s ironic then that it is my kind who are facing extinction, is it not? It’s we who have to hide who we are, whilst you and yours thrive and overcrowd this planet we share. It’s humans who are capable of killing each other without a moment’s thought. At least when we kill it is for food, not that I have ever killed a human I feed from.”

  He ran his heavy-lidded gaze slowly over her body, and Anna had to force herself to sit still and not fidget. Every cell in her body yearned to take him up on the promise in that heated perusal, and she dropped her knees and squeezed her thighs together at his next words.

  “Most would say it has given them the most intense orgasms they ever experienced. They may not remember the ins and outs in the morning, but they do remember the pleasure, little one.” He paused again, his smile sin itself as he stepped close enough to trail just one finger up her exposed leg. It left a trail of gooseflesh in its wake, and when he tapped her knee she couldn’t help but open to him.

  “You and I both know that I could have taken you anytime. I still could, despite you knowing what I am.”

  Anna’s breaths came in short agonized pants of pleasure, and she put up no resistance when he grasped her knees and yanked her ass forward until she was half hanging off the edge of the chair. He folded her dress up in slow measured moves, exposing her to his hungry gaze, and she gasped when he dipped his head and inhaled against the sodden fabric barely covering her slit.

  “Jonathan, please…”

  “What?” He mumbled the word against her clit, the vibrations of his deep rumble against the sensitive nubbin the most exquisite torture. The soft click of his fangs sent a shudder of anticipation through her, and her mouth went dry when he ran his fangs along her inner thigh. Digging in just hard enough to leave marks, he didn’t break the skin, and Anna found that she desperately wanted him to.

  As though he’d read her mind he raised his head from between her legs.

  “Do you want me to take away your choice? Have my wicked way with you, so that you can justify this to yourself in the morning, rather than face up to your desires? Is that what you want me to do, little one? Is that what it takes for you to look at yourself in the mirror?”

  His growled words hit too close to the mark, and Anna frantically shook her head.

  “Yes, no, I mean …. Fuck.” All coherent thought fled her befuddled brain when he took the elastic of her thong between his teeth and pulled. The lacy fabric bunched inside her slit, exerting pressure on her clit. He moved his head from side to side creating friction against that bundle of nerves, and Anna gave herself up to sensation. Her head fell back, and cool air hit her swollen folds when the fabric finally gave way with an audible rip.

  “So wet for me, so responsive, little one.” His breath feathered over flesh slick with her arousal, and her cunt clenched in need.

  “Look at me.” She responded to that edge of command instinctively, and he smiled his approval when her eyes locked with his.

  “You need to ask me, little one. I will not make this easy on you. If we’re going to do this, if we’re going to explore this connection we share, it has be to your decision. Your body tells me all I need to know, but I want your mind, your heart, your soul, or I will walk away. I will make you forget you ever met me. I’ve done it before, and I will do it again to keep you safe.”

  The words broke through her haze of arousal and dimmed some of her ardor.

  “What do you mean, you’ve done it before? I remember the conference room … I mean you—”

  She tried to scoot away from him, but he had an iron grip on her legs.

  “You were with me every step of the way in that room. I did not influence your decision. I wouldn’t do that. Not to you. Not once I recognized you.”

  “Recognized me?” she asked, more confused than ever.

  “Anna Chapman is a common name, and you had red hair when you were little.” He smiled at her pussy, and Anna squirmed a little. She hadn’t shaved in a few days, and the little fuzz she did have would show her true hair color. Heat suffused her whole being, and he chuckled into her core, nuzzling against her and kicking her arousal right back up again. His breath against her sensitive lips, the lick of his tongue as he lapped the renewed gush of her juices slipping past her labia, caused the tingles to start. He tunneled his tongue into her quivering channel, his nose nudging her clit, and Anna couldn’t help her moans and sighs. She grabbed hold of his hair in a bid to keep him there, to urge him on, but it was useless. He took her right to the edge, and then withdrew. Sitting back on his haunches he smiled at her and licked his lips.

  “Delicious, little one.” His voice was hoarse, his hard long cock clearly outlined against the fabric of his trousers, and Anna’s pussy clenched in need. She so needed to feel him inside her. She must have said that out loud, because he closed his eyes and groaned.

  “Say that again.”

  His fingers dug into her soft flesh, and she winced, the pain just adding to her sensation overload, overriding the questions batting against her brain. He could explain that afterwards. Right now, she needed him like the air she breathed


  “Fuck me, please. Make me yours.”

  Chapter Four

  His growl vibrated through her, and he stood naked in front of her in the blink of an eye. She blinked to try to get her eyes to focus, to take in the perfection standing in front of her. He was big all over, his cock jutting up to his abdomen, the heavy sac swinging underneath covered in a dusting of blond hair that she was just itching to explore. He didn’t give her the chance to, however. He pulled her up, lifting her effortlessly, and she locked her ankles behind his butt, as he slid her down on his cock with infinite slowness. Anna clung to his shoulders, taking him inch by slow inch, until she thought she was going to burst.

  He kissed her, murmuring endearments into her neck, until finally, she was impaled. He held himself perfectly still to give her time to adjust, and then he moved. Locked together as they were he walked across the living area. Every careful step lodged him deeper still, and Anna rubbed herself against him in shameless abandonment. By the time he had her pinned against the window, she was hovering on the brink of release. The glass was cool on her exposed skin, and he used his fangs to slice through the thin strip of fabric holding up her dress. It fell away, exposing her breasts barely concealed in their lacy confines. The heavy globes spilled across the top of the cups, and Jonathan groaned.

  He flexed his knees, pulling out just enough to enable him to thrust into her core, whilst biting her nipple through the bra. His fangs sank in, and Anna tensed, only for her orgasm to hit. Jonathan started thrusting in earnest, pounding her back into the window. She arched into his mouth. Every suck sent her over the edge again, as liquid fire sped through her veins down towards her thighs. The feel of his thick member pistoning in and out her tight clasp with ever-increasing speed, made her lose all sense of time and self.

  Anna screamed her ecstasy. Her body shook uncontrollably under the onslaught on all her senses, and she was dimly aware of Jonathan tensing, before he spilled deep inside her core and the world turned black.

  ****

  When she next became aware of her surroundings satin sheets caressed her naked body and a heavy weight pinned her into the huge four poster bed. Her arms were bound above her head in silk restraints, and her legs were similarly tied. Open, exposed, and vulnerable, she ought to have been terrified, but instead excitement coursed through her veins.

  “Hello, sleepyhead.” Jonathan’s deep rumble against her abdomen had her yank on her restraints. Her heart beat galloped, and she felt his smile in the light kisses he delivered to her tummy. His stubble scraped the underside of her breast, and then she arched into his touch. He licked a path of awareness around her areola, soothing the faint sting left over from his earlier bite marks, and her already erect nipple firmed to the point of pain. She squirmed as much as her bonds would allow, and Jonathan laughed.

  “It’s no use. I have only just finished restraining you. You will not get free unless I untie you. I rather like having you at my mercy. I owe you an apology, and this way you’ll just have to hear it.” He took her nipple in his mouth and sucked, and Anna panted her question.

  “Apology for … for what?” He sighed against her, the sensation giving her goose bumps, and then he released her only for his fingers to play with her nipples instead. Like livewires of electricity, her nerve endings sparked and sent darts of need towards her clit.

  “In my haste earlier I didn’t use anything. I’m clean, but is that going to be a problem?” She froze, and he cupped her chin, his face so close to her now his breath fanned over her. “Anna, answer me.”

  She blinked, once, twice, and he frowned.

  “Yes, I mean, no, it won’t be. I’m on the pill, but it wouldn’t anyhow. I mean you can’t … can you?”

  “Can I what, little one?”

  Heat rose in her cheeks at his intense study of her. He settled one heavy hand on her abdomen, and she swallowed hard, watching his hand just rest there.

  “Seems slayers don’t know everything.” She flinched at the hardness of his tone and looked up at him from under her lashes. He looked tense, but above all hurt. His beautiful eyes held a maelstrom of emotions when he glanced at her briefly, before removing his hand. She ached to reach out to him, but she couldn’t move, so she had to use her words instead.

  “I’m not a slayer. I decided long ago that I wanted no part in killing off another species, no matter what they did to stay alive. That obsession killed my father and my mother. It broke Grand-pop’s heart to lose Mummy. I was not going to put him through that again—ever.”

  Jonathan nodded once, and encouraged, she rushed on, the words now tumbling out of her mouth.

  “And you’re right. It seems my father did not know everything. I loved him with all my heart, but I wasn’t blind to his faults, and neither was my mum. She was going to leave him, you know, before … before the accident. I’d heard them arguing when I couldn’t sleep.”

  She yanked on her restraints, blinking furiously to stem the threatening tears from falling. She hadn’t thought about that night in years, the memories too painful to process. Jonathan made a rough sound at the back of his throat when a lone tear did spill down her cheek, and in a few swift tugs he’d untied her arms. Her ankles followed, and he gathered her up against him, his hand in her hair, one arm around her waist, and simply held her.

  Cocooned by his big body she felt safe, cherished even, and she buried her face into his shoulder.

  “You don’t have to tell me this, little one.” His voice rumbled against her cheek, and she nodded her head.

  “Yes, I do. I haven’t told anyone, not even Grand-pops. Dad hit Mum that night. It wasn’t the first time, but this time was the worst. And I wished, I wished with all my heart that he would die. And then the next day, Mummy took me to Grand-pops, and they went on one of their trips, and they never came back.” She choked back a sob, and he tilted her head up. Jonathan kissed the tears off her face with such tenderness it made her cry harder.

  “Don’t. It was my fault. I …. I wished him dead, and I killed Mummy, too.”

  The menacing growl erupting from him at her stuttered words made her jump. Fear coiled her muscles, and she would have clambered off his lap had he not stopped her.

  “Your father’s death is not your fault, little one. He brought that on himself. I should know. I was there.”

  He froze as though he realized he’d said too much, and this time when she pushed against his chest he released her.

  “What do you mean, you were there?” The words came out as a choked whisper, as a new scenario dawned on her, one too horrifying to contemplate. “You said you hadn’t killed anyone. Was that a lie? God, what have you done? What are you? Who are you really?”

  He didn’t look at her, a faint flush creeping across his high cheek bones, and she pummeled his chest in frustration.

  “Damn you, answer me.”

  “I was under orders, little one. Orders to watch over you. When a slayer as obsessed as your father was procreates, the council has a decision to make. Let that child live or eliminate the future threat to us all.”

  He smiled grimly at her sharp intake of breath and caught her still flailing hands in his.

  “A watcher is assigned to assess that child. That watcher was me. I’ve been the voice in your ear, the shadow flickering across your consciousness, from the minute you took your first breath, until they day your father killed my entire family.”

  “What?” He couldn’t mean what he’d just said. That would mean…

  “You heard me, little one. He massacred them all in their sleep. None of them ever harmed a human being in their life. Your mother pleaded with him. He’d left her in the car, and she tried to save my sister. She was the same age as you, and by all accounts, she’d run out of the house. In his rage he killed them both.”

  “No.” Anna clamped her hand over her mouth at the inhuman sound she’d just made. But his grim words had woken the monsters inside. Her nightmares weren’t dreams. They were snatches of rea
lity, projected to her, as seen through the eyes of her dying mother.

  “I wasn’t there to save them, because I was with you. You saw it all. Woke up screaming, and your grandfather ran in about ready to stake me. When he realized what was happening he made a bargain with me. Erase all your memories and kill the bastard who stole your mother from him.”

  He ground his teeth, and the sadness radiating off him broke her heart. Tentatively she touched his cheek, and he shook her off.

  “I couldn’t be your watcher after that, not that you needed one anymore. The other part of the deal was to leave you alone. Something I stuck to until you walked into that conference room.” He smiled ruefully and ran a hand through his hair. “Your Grand-pops will stake me for sure this time when he finds out.”

  Despite the gravity of the situation Anna laughed, and his eyes narrowed.

  “Grand-pops couldn’t stake a plant, let alone you, and besides … I—I … wouldn’t let him.”

  “Going to do it yourself, little one?”

  “No, of course not.” She glared at him, and he smiled and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. Such a simple gesture, but one that her mum used to do all the time, and her eyes filled with tears again. She rapidly blinked them away and chewed her bottom lip between her teeth.

  “Don’t do that, little one. It makes me want to bite you and claim you as mine.” The words were hoarse and told of his need for her as much as his hardening cock under her ass and the way his fangs ran out.

  A shiver of anticipation went through her, and she couldn’t tear her gaze away from those canines. He held himself perfectly still when she ran her index finger over them, and tingles spread up her arm. Calm settled over her, the knowledge that all was as it should be, and she could almost see her mum smiling at her through the mists of time.

  “It is ironic, is it not?”

  He frowned at her, and again she giggled.

  “What is ironic, little one?”

  “Us,” she said. “Assuming you want there to be an us, and you didn’t just say all those things earlier to get into my knickers.”