JARHARIS

by Fawn Lowery

  He closed his fist around the amulet and stuffed it back inside his shirt, out of harms way. He knew where she was at last. He rose into the air and, calling the magic, turned his path toward the gravel road leading to the woods where Aston’s sanctuary lay. Within seconds, he was dropping to the ground beside Selena’s still body.

  She lay in a shallow ditch beside the road, the glare of the headlights illuminating her still form. Her clothes were blood stained and her throat displayed a deep gash. Jarharis sensed she was still alive, but she had lost a lot of blood. He glanced around quickly taking in the scene that sprawled across the roadway and beyond into the stand of trees. The car was demolished, its doors standing open, its windows broken. The other passengers were lying about, four all total, silent, unmoving, dead perhaps. He didn’t take time to examine them. Selena was his only concern.

  Jarharis bent over Selena. He could heal his own wounds—any vampire was capable of rejuvenating himself from injuries outside of the wooden stake through the heart, fire, dismemberment or exposure to sunlight—but he didn’t know if he could help Selena. He felt her pulse. It was very weak. He placed his hand over the wound on her throat, pressing slightly, hoping to seal the gaping gash. When he pulled his hand away, he had not made any difference. Distraught, he slid his arms beneath her body and lifted her against his chest. He had no powers to help her. Anguish welled up inside him. The woman he loved lay dying in his arms and he could do nothing to save her.

  He threw back his head and released a loud cry of sorrow. Hate for Aston and his band of vampires congealed within his body. If it was the last thing he ever did he would hunt each of them down and destroy them forever. He gazed down at Selena’s limp body, silently promising to avenge her death.

  “Give her some of your blood, Jarharis.”

  He barely heard the voice, his emotions so distraught.

  “Let her drink from your vein.”

  He jerked his head up, spying Mi hovering near his head. He stared at the pixie, trying to make sense of her words. “No. She would be like me. And I will never turn a mortal into the undead thing that I am. No. I will not put her mouth to my vein.”

  “She will surely die then.” Mi flitted upward into the darkness, and disappeared.

  Jarharis lowered his eyes to Selena. She was so beautiful. And so helpless. Yet he dared not turn her into a vampire. It was a curse worse than death. He cradled her body in his arms and sat back on his heels.

  He had not known the true meaning of being with a woman until he met Selena. Nor had he truly known the pleasures of the female body until he lay with her. She was true perfection in every sense of the word.

  Why then am I willing to let her die? He was shaken by his thought. Could he stand to watch her die? Could he cradle her body and let her pass without trying to save her? He stood suddenly and, clutching Selena’s limp body against his chest, rose into the air. He would take her to his sanctuary, lay her on his healing bed of fragrant soil and watch over her, keeping a vigil, until she left him forever.

  His body felt heavy as he entered his sanctuary. It was then he realized he had not fed while he was out. But one look at the ashen face of his beloved, took all thought of leaving her even for the few minutes it would take for him to revive his body. He held her tightly and hurried through the lavish rooms he had been provided as a safe haven.

  Jarharis entered his sleeping chamber and gingerly placed Selena upon his coveted sleeping space. He felt her pulse and grimaced at its faintness. He levered his head back on his shoulders and cursed all vampires worldwide. Promising he would mount an attack upon Aston and his legion, he kneeled beside the crypt and held Selena’s hand.

  Unconsciously, he grasped the amulet hanging around his neck. Without warning, a tremor of hope surged through his insides. He tightened his fist around the jewel and raised his head.

  You have no soul to bargain with, Jarharis.

  The voice sent him reeling backward on his heels. He lost his balance and fell to the floor beside the crypt. Raising his eyes, he searched the darkened chamber for the owner of the voice. But momentarily realizing he was alone, and that the voice was the same that had been speaking to him of late, he got to his feet. He paced back and forth across the room, his brow furrowed, his mind racing. All of a sudden he paused. Had he unconsciously asked the amulet for a solution to his problem? His soul was long ago taken from him. But did he have something else he could bargain with? He went to Selena and kneeled beside the crypt. He would do anything to save her life. He grasped the amulet in his hand. “What can I do to save Selena’s life?”

  Serve me.

  His brows furrowed. He looked down at the amulet lying in his palm. He had been curious about the gem since he slipped it into his pocket at the witch’s castle and, until that very moment, he had wondered about its powers. He raised the gem and stared at its faceted sides. He had seen visions within it, heard the voice of a deity he could not identify and been privy to have a pixie visit him. He combed one hand through his hair. The exact value of the amulet was a mystery to him. “Who are you?”

  The owner of the talisman you hold in your hand.

  “But I took this from the neck of a witch.”

  The witch was my servant.

  He released the gem as though it had burned his hand. He gazed at Selena—remorse filled his insides. “I serve no master.” He took hold of the amulet and lifted it above his head, tugging at the chain around his neck. The links tangled in his hair, snarling painfully and making him wince. “I serve no master!” He shouted the words, giving the chain a forceful pull to get it over his head.

  “Jarharis?”

  He paused his hand, the amulet in his grasp, as he watched Selena rise to a sitting position on his fragrant bed of soil.

  “What happened? Where am I?”

  He rushed to her, inspecting her throat for the deep gnash left behind by the vampire. It was gone. Her skin healed. He gathered her in his arms and pulled her against his chest. Closing his eyes, he held her tightly.

  “Jarharis, where are we?” Selena pushed out of his arms and swung her feet over the side of the crypt. Brushing at the soil clinging to her clothes, she stood up.

  He caught her arm and pulled her against his side. Leaving the bedchamber, he walked with her into the spacious room leading to the door of the house.

  “Is this your house?”

  “Yes. I brought you here when I found you lying beside the road. Do you remember what happened?”

  She pulled in a long breath. “Where are the rest of the hunters?”

  He shook his head. “Those in the car with you are dead.”

  She gasped and covered her mouth with one hand. “Tanya told us there was another way into the woods. When we came upon a tree blocking the road, we turned around and tried that route.” She combed her fingers through her hair. “I don’t remember much after that. I think the car hit something. But I’m not sure. Kaleb is such a shitty driver—” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Oh my gosh! Is Kaleb dead?”

  He stared at her and contemplated his next move. Despite the circumstances surrounding her recovery—he knew his fate was sealed. He would be a servant for eternity because he wanted her saved. He heaved a sigh. Looking at her, ravishing her beauty with his eyes, he thought it was all worth it. He had no future as a mortal anyway—so why did he feel compelled to rip the amulet from his neck and cry foul?

  He swallowed down the urge to scream his misjudgment. The sight of Selena healed, her flesh completely intact, her memory of the incident foggy—he should be happy with the result of his plea.

  “I have to leave, Jarharis. I have to go check on the other hunters.”

  “I’ll come with you.”

  She turned toward him, a smile on her lips. “Thank you for saving me.” She rose up on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly.

  He groaned and wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her tightly against his chest. A wave of warmth filtered through his c
old body as he devoured her mouth with his. He pressed her breasts into the wall of his chest and lowered his hands to clasp her buttocks. His ardor grew as he savored the feel of her shapely body. When she tightened her arms around his neck, he relented and allowed himself to agree that saving her had been a good idea.

  A gnawing thought rankled his mind. What did Selena owe the Master for her second chance at mortal life?

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  He pulled her down on a velvet lounge and covered her body with his, his appetite fierce. His cock strained against the zipper of his jeans, needing set free. He tasted her mouth, hungered for her blood, but refused to give in to his vampire needs. He wanted to ravish her body and have sex with her. He pushed all thoughts of feeding aside.

  He pushed her blouse off one shoulder and sampled her warm flesh, lapping her skin with his tongue. His senses reeled out of control when she tangled her fingers in his hair and pushed her bra aside then guided his mouth to her breast. He groaned and sucked her ripe nipple between his lips. The bud puckered and firmed. His tongue danced along its surface, reaping sighs of delight from her throat.

  She held his head at her breast and planted tiny soft kisses across his forehead. She pulled his shirt from the waistband of his jeans and slid her hand across his back, feeling his skin. She slid lower on the chaise lounge, opening her legs and urging his crotch to press against hers.

  Jarharis pulled away briefly, ridding her of her blouse and bra and yanking his shirt over his head before he resumed pleasuring her with his mouth. He fell on her warm flesh, sucking her nipples and stroking her crotch with one hand. He couldn’t get enough of her body. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever been allowed to touch.

  Her fingers found the snap on his jeans and pulled it free. In the next second she slid her hand inside his pants and grasped his hard cock. He pressed against her body and withered in her grasp as her fingers wrapped around his flesh. His mouth returned to nip at her lips, to taste her rosy flesh. He began kissing her face, working his way across her cheeks to her chin and lower, onto her collarbone then her breasts. She moaned and tightened her fingers around his prick.

  He followed the contour of her body with his tongue, tasting her skin and leaving a wet path in his wake. When he raised his body to his knees, she pulled her hand from his pants, groaning as she released his cock. He placed one hand on the waistband of her pants and slid them off her hips, baring her abdomen to his eyes. In the next second, he whisked the garment off her body and tossed it to the floor then he lifted her legs and placed them across his shoulders.

  “Oh Jarharis!”

  He lowered his head to her crotch and began lapping at her pussy with his tongue, making her sigh and tangle her fingers in his hair. He felt the pressure of her hands on his head and concluded that he was pleasing her with his tongue. He reached one hand to delve amid the dense blonde bush and separated her fleshy lips, revealing her clitoris for his lips to pluck. He poked out his tongue and licked the tiny rose bud, making her suck in a quick breath and tighten her legs around his head.

  His senses reeled out of control. He felt pleased with his efforts to pleasure her. He held her tightly and lathed her tender tissues with his wet tongue. If only he could put the events of the night behind and spend eternity wrapped in her arms. He dared not believe such bliss was possible.

  He pushed the thoughts from his mind and pulled his head from between her legs. He unzipped his fly and allowed his prick to spring through the opening. Taking it in one hand, he guided its bulbous head to her crotch. He entered her quickly, pressing her back against the lounge and raising her hips up so he could hold them in his big hands. He began to fuck her, working his long hard cock in slowly and pulling back, looking down on her face while he moved.

  Her eyes were closed, her long lashes lying softly on her cheek. Her lips parted, displaying a row of white even teeth. Her long hair spilled across the velvet lounge, framing her face like a halo. The light from the crystal chandelier in the room illuminated the supple flesh of her body, accentuating the velvety shimmer of youth.

  He sucked in a quick breath as the first sensations of orgasm started in his belly. Their bodies moved in rhythm for Selena seemed to sense his impending climax. She opened her eyes and groped the edge of the lounge with both hands, herself close to coming.

  “It feels…divine!”

  He silently agreed, smiling down into her flushed face. Nothing else felt like climaxing inside her body. A shiver of desire raced lightening fast through his insides. He had never met a woman like Selena, soft, tender, giving—yet bold and fearless at the same time.

  He shivered at the thought of her, of touching her, of making love to her. His mind soared with the realization that part of his body was joined to hers, thrusting madly inside her most inner cavern.

  She was made just for me. His admittance brought a smile of epic proportions to his face. He couldn’t deny his feelings for her any longer. He wouldn’t deny his feelings any longer. His chest heaved with exertion as the orgasm gathered within his body then exploded into a mind-boggling blast of incredible tingles.

  “My god, Selena! I can hardly stand it!” He lost all sense of place or time—knew only the incredible barrage of sensations racing through his body. He closed his eyes and laid his head back on his shoulders as the wildly racing feelings took total control.

  Sweat blanketed his face and chest. The muscles in his buttocks knotted. He dug his fingers into Selena’s fleshy hips and held her crotch against his while the orgasm spilled through his body.

  Sated at last, he released a long sigh and slid her legs off his shoulders, crawling atop her on the narrow lounge. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and lowered his head to claim her lips. He tasted her sweetness, nipped at her lips with his teeth. A great need welled up inside him. He kissed her cheeks—made her close her eyes so he could kiss her eyelids, kissed her nose.

  He almost spoke the words that inched up his throat. Almost. He swallowed the love cry down and nestled his face in the hollow between her neck and shoulder. His lips found her supple flesh just beneath her earlobe and nipped playfully. In the next instant, he was fighting the urge to take her blood, to break the supple skin and drink to his heart’s desire. He groaned and snuggled his face against her throat.

  He felt her arms tighten around his shoulders. She moved slightly beneath his body. She sighed. He could feel her pulse in her neck, the steady rushing of blood to her brain. He closed his eyes and imagined the red substance, nectar to his vampirism. He shivered in longing.

  She moaned and shifted her head, positioning her neck against his lips. A tremor of resistance strummed through his insides. He poked out his tongue and lathed her vein then he bared his fangs and drew closer. Temptation was too great. He brought one hand up to clutch her chin and sank his teeth into her vein.

  * * * *

  Jarharis sat on the lounge, his head in his hands. He had done the unthinkable. He had drank from Selena’s vein, used her blood to nourish his needing body—for the second time. Torment filled his big body.

  Selena picked up her jeans, made a disgruntled snort when she found the rip along one leg seam then wiggled her ass into the garment and went in search of her shirt. She found it lying on the other side of the room. She pulled it over her head and combed her fingers through her hair. “Stop beating yourself up, Jarharis. It was just a little blood. I’ve bled more than that with a nose bleed.”

  He raised his head and stared at her. He had tried not to give in to temptation. “I’m sorry. I didn’t take time to feed—”

  She crossed the room to the front door. “It’s daylight. I have to go.” She turned to face him suddenly. “Do you have a clock in this mausoleum? I have a feeling I’m going to be late for work.”

  He stared at her, realizing that she sounded more concerned with being late for her job than the fact that he had taken blood from her again or that she had nearly died along with three of her fr
iends only hours earlier. He pushed to his feet. His body was weary despite the nourishment of fresh blood. He needed to sleep. He stretched his arms over his head, feeling the tightness in his muscles. “You should go home and crawl into bed.”

  She shook her head. “I have to get to the office and find out who was murdered last night—besides Kaleb and Reece and Merrick.” She bit her bottom lip. “I wish I could remember what happened.” She turned suddenly and grasped the doorknob. In the next instant the room was flooded with bright sunlight.

  Jarharis shrank to the far side of the room, one hand raised to shield his eyes. No matter how much he wanted to go with her—or to protect her—he was destined to remain behind. The door slammed and the sunlight disappeared from the room. He released a sigh of resignation and turned toward his bedchamber.

  * * * *

  Jarharis opened his eyes. Finding the quiet oppressive, he raised his body to a sitting position atop his earthy bed. He combed one hand through his hair. Upon each awakening, his first thought was of blood and searching for a victim to take it from. He groaned and lifted his feet over the side of the crypt. It was his destiny—but he didn’t have to like it.

  He left the bedchamber and entered the outer room. His eyes strayed to the velvet lounge and his mind was flooded with memories of making love to Selena upon its softness. He raised one hand and grasped the amulet hanging about his neck. He had tried to take it off—and found he could not. He was still puzzled by the event. He gazed down at the stone, once more marveling at its beauty. If he had known it would cause him such strife, he would have thrown it into the fire with its previous owner. A flash of light sparked from the jewel as he looked upon it. He blinked his eyes—uncertain whether he had imagined the show of light or if he was about to learn of another commodity of the amulet.

  “The jewel will serve you well.”

  Jarharis jerked his head up, spying Mi as she hovered at eye level.