“You still never answered my question,” she pressed. “Are you?”
“I think you already know the answer to that,” he sat back in the sofa, focusing his eyes at the crackling fire.
“I want to hear you say it.”
He pressed his lips together tightly and slowly shook his head.
“Why?” She wondered.
“Because if I say it out loud it means that I am admitting to it. If I admit to it, it makes me vulnerable. I can’t feel that way about someone who doesn’t feel the same way.”
“What if that someone does feel the same way?” She scooted herself a little bit closer to him; positioning herself in the middle of the couch instead of on the other side. “I never got over you, Todd. When we split up, it wasn’t because I didn’t love you. That couldn’t be further from the truth.”
“Are you saying that you’re still in love with me?” He asked.
“I asked you first!” She teased.
He scooted toward her, meeting her in the middle of the sofa. He planted his arm on the back of the couch behind her, leaned in close to her face, and answered, “Yes.”
She leaned in as well, brushing noses with him and replied, “Me too.”
The landline phone again to ring, but they each casually ignored it. They hovered in front of each other’s faces, hesitant to make the first move. Emma, for one, thrived on anticipation and loved the art of teasing. She tilted her head ever so slightly and parted her lips, welcoming him in for a kiss. He accepted her invitation and began to slowly lean in, his warm breath gently teasing her mouth.
“Hello? Todd, are you there? Please pick up,” they heard Kelly’s voice echoing from the answering machine.
Todd squeezed his eyes shut and grumbled in frustration. Emma’s head slowly turned in the direction of Kelly’s voice, irritated with her for interrupting yet another perfect moment. He got up from the couch to go pick up the phone, but waited a moment to give him a chance to cool off.
Kelly called to beg him not to go to bed angry with her and to apologize yet again for her behavior. The conversation was mostly one-sided as he listened to her ramblings, and he lost count of how many times she said “I love you”. He could hear the panic in her voice as she knew that her homecoming on Sunday would not be a pleasant one. She was terrified of losing him, and he figured out it was because she was a fan long before she knew him as a person. He was certain that she was in love with the idea of him. The fact that they were both living weapons, which are extremely rare, only added to it. For a short time, he believed it as well.
As soon as he firmly yet gently eased her fears, he told her good night and they finally hung up with each other. He turned to Emma, who was now standing in the doorway of the parlor.
“I think that’s our cue to retire from each other for the evening,” she suggested. “You have studying to do and I want to watch my show, Dominion.”
Todd looked utterly defeated. “Emma…”
“Have a good evening, Todd,” she politely said as she began to walk up the staircase, leaving him standing in the middle of the parlor by himself.
When she finally reached her room, she shut the door behind her, leaned back against the door, and banged her head once on it. She grumbled to herself in words that couldn’t be deciphered as English. She shuffled over to her couch, plopped down, and grabbed the remote to flip to her DVR. She scrolled through until she found her show, eager to watch the archangels’ family feud and get her mind off of Todd and Kelly.
She realized that she forgot her glass of blood downstairs, but didn’t feel like having to go back down to get it. Of course, she could have done it in the matter of seconds with her speed, but she didn’t want to have to pass Todd. She was going to stick to her guns and have an evening by herself! As her show started, she couldn’t seem to get her mind off the full glass that was sitting on the end table and was, no doubt, lonely downstairs. She began to obsess over it. It was like a human going to a movie theater and not ordering popcorn; she wanted that glass of blood to accompany her solitude that evening.
She heard Todd walking down the hallway, and figured once he went to her room it would be her chance to go downstairs and grab it. Instead of hearing him walk into his room, she heard his footsteps stop in front of her door, followed by a knock.
She got up from the couch to answer it, opening the door only about twelve inches. In his hand was her glass of blood—it was as if he had read her mind.
“You forgot two things downstairs, so I figured I’d bring them up to you,” he spoke as he handed her the glass.
“Thank you, I had just realized I forgot it downstairs,” she smiled with gratitude. “What else did I forget?” She asked, confused because she couldn’t remember anything else that was in the parlor.
“This…” He said as he pushed the door to further open with his one hand, and grabbed her by the back of her head with the other. He forcefully pulled her to him as he leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. He then wrapped his other arm around her waist, pulling her body entirely against his. He felt her lips part, which allowed him to kiss her properly. She felt his warm tongue plunge into her mouth, which was a welcome sensation after such a long time without it.
She tossed the glass of blood off to the side, hearing the glass shatter against the marble floor. She threw her arms around his neck and literally climbed him like a tree, using her strength to pull herself upward and off the ground. He moved both of his hands down and placed them under her butt, hitching her legs up around his hips. He didn’t realize how much he missed the feeling of her cold skin against his face. He had almost forgotten what her curvaceous body felt like entwined around his. It was as though neither of them had enough hands to grope every inch of one another fast enough.
He began to blindly walk forward, never pulling away from her kiss. He peeked from the corner of his eye to move toward the fire place, where he planned to reacquaint himself with her on the rug. He knelt down with her still clinging to him, and leaned forward to lay her down. However, he wasn’t gentle as he knew she certainly wasn’t fragile. It was a refreshing change for him; he was able to be rough and aggressive without the fear of hurting her. And what was better was that she liked it.
He pulled away from her long enough to grab her shirt that was buttoned down the front, and use both hands to pop it open. As she was comfortable for the remainder of the night, she had nothing on underneath, much to his delight. He buried his face in between her breasts, kissing every inch of her skin that he could get his mouth on. She had her arms wrapped around his head and her eyes closed, savoring the feeling of him being on her after such a long time. She had missed his warm touch, his big hands gripping her skin, and his scent leaving its mark on her.
He quickly stood up with his legs straddled on either side of her, leaned down, and hooked his fingers under her waistband. He yanked her pants off nearly as quick as a vampire, leaving her stark naked on the rug in front of the fireplace.
She was so accustomed to being the dominant partner when it came to humans; she savored every moment with him in control. She let him do whatever he wanted as she craved nothing less than all of him. His six-foot-three frame towered over her as she lay on the floor, allowing herself to be defenseless against him. He remained there for a moment, admiring her porcelain beauty against the burgundy rug beneath her.
He quickly pulled his shirt off over his head, tousling his wavy hair. He knelt back down and lowered himself on top of her, leaving his pajama pants on for the time being. However, the thin fabric left little to the imagination and Emma could feel his excitement pressing against her pubic bone. With her arms wrapped around his back, she pulled him firmly against her, but careful not to crack his ribs. She had to remind herself that as magnificent as he was, he was still a delicate human.
They kissed with fervor; pawing at each other with fumbling hands, not able to get enough. Todd was so out of his mind with lust that he was shaking, c
ompletely buzzing with electricity. She slid her hands down to his waist and began tugging on the waistband of his pajama pants. She realized they were tied in the front, so she pushed him up with little effort and quickly pulled the string to undo the bow. Unfortunately, she pulled on it wrong and instead of releasing, it turned into a knot. Frustrated by its lack of cooperation, she ended up using both hands to yank the drawstring, splitting it in half. With his waistband loosened, she pulled his pants down with vehemence.
While in a beginning push-up position, he kicked his pants from his ankles and collapsed back down onto her. He plunged his tongue back into her mouth as she gripped his hair, remembering the way his wavy locks felt in between her fingers. She wrapped her legs around him, and linked her ankles around the small of his back. She had him locked in and he could not have gotten away if he tried.
He reached down in between them, and guided his penis into her, plunging in as fast as he could. Emma gasped and threw her head back, her fangs immediately descended. Todd had always found her gleaming, deadly teeth incredibly erotic. He slowly and forcefully thrusted as he ran his finger along the tip of her fang.
His intense arousal worked against him in endurance; after picking up speed in his rhythm, and the feeling of Emma’s hands squeezing his behind, he realized he was not going to be able to hold back for much longer. Lucky for him, vampires were not concerned about stamina. Instead of the show itself, they looked forward to the big finale. As Emma’s climax neared, he began to pound harder to reach his with her. He slammed into her a few more times before tensing and letting out a satisfied yell. All of Emma’s muscles tightened around him, as a roar escaped from deep within her chest. Never had she wanted him so bad, and the gratification from getting what she wanted was euphoric.
He panted in postcoital bliss, and allowed his entire body weight to lie on top of her. He didn’t have to worry about her not being able to breathe or the weight being too much to bear, which was refreshing to be so carefree. She closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around his back, and smiled with fulfillment. She allowed her fingertips to gently run up and down his spine, so glad to feel him on her once again.
Todd raised himself onto his elbows and looked her in the eyes, “I don’t give a shit about my future and the fact that I’m human and you’re not. I want you back, I want you as mine.” His demanding tone didn’t leave much room for options or arguments.
“As you wish,” she purred. “However, I don’t share. What are you going to do about Kelly?”
“When she comes back on Sunday I’m going to end things with her. I would do it right this minute, but I don’t do breakups over the phone. Especially since she’s visiting family…although I’m fairly certain she knows that it’s coming.”
“Are you sure this is what you’re going to do? I only ask because I have to have a plan in place for her,” she questioned.
Without hesitation he answered, “Yes, I’m one hundred percent sure. I just don’t want anything bad to happen to her, I do have a heart.”
“As do I, if you haven’t noticed,” Emma stated. “I’m thinking I’m going to set her free to go where she pleases, but have guards assigned to her for the rest of her life. Not only does she need that protection, but so do we.”
The guards sounded like an invasion of privacy, but Todd completely understood why they were needed. It was the best case scenario for Kelly considering what she was. It was either that or risk her being kidnapped, killed, were sent off with one of the other Kings or Queen. Being able to live her life the way she wants it, just under the watchful eye of vampire guards, is the best she would be able to hope for.
“However…that’s not without saying that we’re just going to let her go and be completely free,” Emma’s tone became dark. “If we need her blood for any reason, she’ll have to give it to us. If she doesn’t comply, then I will be forced to hand her over to Aidan. I’m not as inclined to protect her from him as I was with you.”
Todd nodded in agreement, not like he could argue with vampire rules anyway. But, considering all other options, this was the best deal for her. Living with two vampire guards in the shadows, and having to give up her blood on occasion paled in comparison to the other choices.
“You do what you have to do,” he agreed as he leaned down for one more kiss before climbing off of her.
CHAPTER 14
During the rest of the weekend, Emma helped Todd prepare for his audition a bit, but also made sure to have time to herself. However, the tone had changed; it was no longer just two friends, home alone in the same house. They were nearly back together as a couple, but not one hundred percent because Todd was still with Kelly. By late afternoon on Sunday, the Manor began to buzz with people again.
Daniel had returned home from his weekend getaway at his downtown condo. As much as he wanted Brianna there at the Manor with him, he didn’t want her to be involved with any vampire drama. And since there was clearly vampire drama being stirred up, he was keeping her as far away from it as he possibly could. So, she lived in his condo in the Hancock building and he visited on most weekends.
In the early evening, the black Escalade could be seen coming down the gravel road. Zachariah and Kelly had met up with each other at the airport to ride home together. Emma darted upstairs to Todd’s room and knocked on the door, warning him that they had just pulled into the driveway. However eager he was to get the breakup over with, he was still incredibly nervous about it. Unfortunately, Emma had to be nearby to explain the options to Kelly, who would no doubt be furious. Or upset. Or catatonic. It was hard for her to decipher how Kelly would react. However, when Todd did the actual deed of breaking up with her, Emma wanted to be nowhere near them. Fact of the matter was, while Emma could easily overpower her, Kelly was still deadly to her.
Emma darted back downstairs, and sat on the sofa in the parlor to read her book. She was attempting to look as casual as possible, but was certain she was failing miserably at it. Zachariah and Kelly came down the hallway with their suitcases in tow. He was being a gentleman by caring her suitcase for her since he had the strength to do so. They were casually talking and finishing up conversations about their trips.
Zachariah sensed Emma’s presence, but it took Kelly a moment to realize she was there as they walked past the parlor. Emma gave a polite, tight-lipped smile and a short wave at them. Kelly was cordial enough to say hello and wondered if Emma knew about the arguments she had with Todd. After the two of them began to go upstairs to put their suitcases away, Emma asked Zachariah to come back once he did. She knew he heard her.
Shortly after, he returned to the parlor with his hands shoved into his jean pockets. His shoulders were raised with tension, a little worried about how Emma was going to behave.
“Relax, Zach, everything’s fine,” she soothed while holding out her hand. “Tell me about your trip.”
He grinned, glad that she seemed genuinely interested in his weekend. He sat down beside her and recounted his time in LA with Vivienne. After he told her about all of the things they did together, he waited for her reaction to add in the last bit. When he saw that she seemed legitimately happy for him, he told her that he had made the decision to return to his human state.
“I already knew that, dear,” she said as she took him by the hand. “I knew the minute she turned human again that you were going to go down the same path if you could.”
“I hope you understand,” he continued. “I love you, I always have and I always will. I have had the best life with you…being your second-in-command, your partner in crime, your lover…but, all things end, don’t they?”
Emma chuckled at the fact that Todd and Kelly weren’t the only ones breaking up that evening. However, she was taking Zachariah’s breakup far better than Kelly was taking Todd’s. “Yes, they most certainly do. Sounds like some things are coming to an end upstairs as well.”
Zachariah smirked and lifted his eyes upward, listening intently to things unfolding up i
n Kelly’s room. The sound of choking sobs made them feel kind of bad for her, but being vampires, they just shook their heads at the drama.
“You and I have been together for nearly two centuries, they have been together for about six months. Yet, I’m the calm one and she’s absolutely hysterical,” Emma commented.
“Pft! Humans…” Zachariah teased.
“And you want to be one of them again!” Emma laughed.
They both went quiet so they could eavesdrop on World War Three happening upstairs. Normally, they would try their best to give others their privacy, but this was just too good to pass up. Daniel ended up joining them in the parlor, his finger pointed upward, with a look of mock horror on his face.
“Boy, she’s really losing her shit up there!” He said.
Between her wailing and yelling, Kelly sentences were incomprehensible. The only words they could understand were “please” and “no”. The girl was completely falling apart and they actually felt sorry for her, even Emma.
“Emma, can you come up here?” They heard Todd say without raising his voice.
“That’s my cue,” she announced that she patted the arm of the couch before dashing up the stairs.
She cautiously opened the bedroom door; she was always prepared for an attack, especially since Kelly was so upset. When Emma saw that she was at a safe distance, she walked in, but didn’t close the door behind her. Her face was wet, puffy, and red from the amount of sobbing she was doing. Instead of looking angry when Emma walked in, she was humiliated.
Revolutions (Davenport Manor Book 3) Page 19