“Yes. I’m willing if you are.” She threw herself back against him. “More! Fuck me harder, Kellen. Do it! Come with me.”
At her encouragement Kellen let himself go, though she sensed he was still holding back so as not to hurt her. The next time Frankie came he joined her. When her mind returned Kellen was sprawled on top of her, trapping her between his limp body and the hard counter. She couldn’t help but smile. It made her ridiculously happy to know she wasn’t the only one feeling weak-kneed at the intensity of the experience.
“We should go to your place,” Kellen stated a short time later.
“Now?” Frankie questioned.
“Yes. He must know who you are by now. It won’t take him long to find you. If he hasn’t already.”
“Oh. Yeah. You think they’ll be waiting?”
“Possibly. Don’t worry. I’ll protect you if they are. May I make a suggestion if they aren’t?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t think we should bring everything here right away. Only the things that are most important. Leave your place looking as if you’ll return at any moment.”
Frankie considered it for a minute. “So they waste time hanging around there, looking for me?”
“Exactly.”
“Good idea. There’s very little that would upset me to lose. Some photos. A hard drive with things that Kate and Amber wrote for various classes. A quilt Kate made from clothes we all loved so much we wore them until they nearly fell apart. And Amber’s stuffed lion from when she was little. The rest I really don’t care about. Some clothes too of course. You are thinking they’ll eventually get tired of waiting and go in and trash the place, right?”
“Yes, I am. If it looks as if you’re there but they never see you coming and going it will make him wonder. I can even slip in past them to turn lights on and off, move some things around. That would really confuse him.”
“Anything that preoccupies him is a good thing.”
“Any other plans on the horizon? Of how to get to him, I mean.”
“Well…”
“What?”
“I considered hanging a banner with ‘murderer’ on it from the building across the street so he’d see it first thing in the morning but I doubt I could manage it, even at night.”
“Just to annoy him or for the world to see?”
“Mainly to annoy him.”
Kellen grinned. “How about you go one better? Spray-paint it on the inside of the wall surrounding his place.”
Frankie laughed without humor. “I’d love to but how? It’s not very likely they’d let me just stroll in there.”
“You could if I kept his men on the gate busy.”
The longer Frankie thought about it the bigger her grin became. “You really think it would work?”
“I’m certain it could. I’ll even poke around in their minds and plant the thought that it was an uneventful night with nothing out of the ordinary happening.”
“You can do that?”
He nodded.
“Oh that would be so good!”
As they were leaving Frankie’s apartment with her few treasured possessions Kellen wondered, “What is it that you said you needed daylight to accomplish?”
Frankie waited until they were safely in his SUV to respond. “I applied to the agency that does his cleaning. I thought I could write on his bathroom mirror or something.”
Kellen whistled. “Wow do you have balls.”
“No. Not really. Before you I just didn’t care what happened anymore.”
He looked at her expression in the dim light. “And you do now?”
“Yes. I’m not numb now that I’ve met you. You’ve made me feel things other than pain and emptiness.”
“That’s great, Frankie. It goes both ways, you know?”
“I do. I heard what you said before. All of it. I want this behind me so we can get on with the things you talked about. I understand there are risks but I just know it’ll be okay.” She paused. “I’m sorry but I can’t just let this go. I have to do this first. I have to.”
He squeezed her hands clenched in her lap. “It’s okay. I get it. You’ll never forget how you lost them. But we’ll talk often and through you they’ll become my family too. For eternity.”
Kellen was glad they had just pulled into his garage. His words affected Frankie and she was sitting there with tears rolling down her cheeks. He slid his seat back and pulled her across the console onto his lap, comforting her until she calmed.
“I’m not really crying,” she stated.
“Of course you’re not.”
“It’s just that’s about the nicest thing anyone ever said to me.”
“I do understand, Frankie. So you know, I meant every word of it. I want to know all about them, everything you remember about your parents too.”
“You’ll tell me about your family as well?”
“Absolutely. I’ll tell you everything about my life. After all, we will have unlimited time for it.”
His comment drew the chuckle he hoped for.
“Now come on. Let’s get you settled in and then we can come up with a disguise for you when you go inside since I can’t be with you that day. I need to make sure you’ll be safe until you get back to me.”
She hugged him tightly. “Thank you, Kellen. If I get hired I promise I’ll be okay. And then, once that’s done, you can make me into a vampire so I can confront him. Several times, even after he thinks he’s killed me off.”
Chapter Seven
“Kellen!” Frankie called as she raced up the steps to the third floor. “Kellen! Are you up?”
He caught her just inside the door to his sanctuary. “Of course I am. I’ve been pacing since half an hour after you left this morning. I could feel you but I couldn’t tell what was happening. First time ever I didn’t sleep at all during the day.”
“I did it!” she exclaimed excitedly. “Gods, I was so nervous walking in there. I thought they’d check closer after I wrote on his wall but they barely looked at us.”
“Why would they? I’m sure you turning up as part of his established cleaning crew is not a move he would ever anticipate. Tell me about it.”
“Being the new girl, I was assigned bathrooms as expected. The woman in charge of us only checked the first one, you know, to be sure I cleaned it satisfactorily. Once I was sure she wouldn’t keep checking I wrote on each mirror. I even went back and got the first one. I wish I could see his face when he discovers it.”
“Me too.” Kellen grinned. Her exuberance was infectious.
She sobered. “Should I feel guilty that this may cost the cleaning place an account?”
“I wouldn’t.” He hugged her. “They’ll fill in the time spent at his place with somewhere else soon enough. Concentrate on him. Even though he won’t replace the firm himself it’ll still be on his mind whenever the new crew comes in.”
“True.” She giggled. “So…”
“Yes?”
“You going to bite me now?” she wondered, tilting her neck toward him.
Kellen laughed. He couldn’t help himself. “You sure you’re ready for this? Ready to give up daylight forever?”
“Absolutely. You know I spent the last month outside thinking about it. Sure, the sun on my face is nice, but you and all we’ve discussed are so much more appealing.”
“And what you’ll be able to do to him.”
“Of course, but that’s becoming such a minor part of things. Oh I’ll do it. I’ll make life a living hell for him as long as it takes. But you’ve made it possible for me to move on once I have. Thank you, Kellen.”
“You’re welcome.”
She angled her head again. “Ready?”
He chuckled. “Patience. Tonight. After I feed.”
“But it won’t be dark for another hour.”
“That’s okay. There’s something I want to do between now and then.”
“What?” she asked, her eyes wide
and curious.
“You’re so cute,” he teased lightly. When he tossed her on the bed and landed beside her, he looked deeply into her eyes. All playfulness evaporated. “Frankie,” he whispered before claiming her mouth.
By the time Kellen lifted his head Frankie was breathless. He propped himself on his elbow, studying her. Very slowly, watching her expression the whole time, he unbuttoned her shirt. Her pulse rate increased with each button he opened. When he was finished she was practically vibrating with anticipation. With great restraint he leaned down and licked her neck.
Frankie gasped. “Please.”
“Later,” he murmured against the paleness of her throat.
Kellen moved lower and kissed the mounds of flesh pushed up by her bra. She arched her back in offering. Sitting up, he grasped the flimsy lace and yanked, severing the cups to expose her breasts. Her nipples were peaked and hard. When he scraped an areola with his fangs while tonguing the bud she shivered.
“I will bite you here too.” He shifted to the other side. “And here.”
“Now!” she pleaded.
“No.”
“But Kellen—”
“No. Not until I feed. I need the added blood for both of us.” He drew a nipple into his mouth and sucked hard enough to bruise, eliciting a moan. “Don’t worry, Frankie. Once I have I won’t deny either of us.”
After extended teasing of her nipples he moved lower, popping the button on her jeans. He could scent her arousal. It was almost enough for him to forget himself. Frankie may believe she was the one being tormented, but he was torturing himself even more. If she affected him this much as a human he could only image how much more intense it would be once she was a vampire. A vampire and his mate for all eternity.
Kellen growled as he yanked her pants and panties from her. “I’m going to sink my fangs in deep here too,” he declared, caressing her mound. “And then here,” he added, licking one of her outer lips. “Both sides.”
“Oh my gods, please.” She gasped. Frankie struggled against his arms which caged her legs, preventing her from opening herself to him.
“What do you want?”
“More!”
He teased the tip of his tongue into her slit. “How’s this?”
Kellen knew what he was doing to her. And he was thoroughly enjoying himself. She might want a quick finish to this, but he didn’t. He wanted her out of control with passion before he finally let her come. He wanted her weak-kneed and wanting more when they went out to hunt. And then, after they returned, he would give her what they both desired.
By the time Kellen scraped her clit with his fang Frankie’s body was humming. He felt it reverberating through his mind. It only took one thrust to trigger her climax. Once wasn’t enough for Kellen. He thrust his pointed tongue deep into her pussy, demanding more. He was relentless, drawing orgasm after orgasm from her willing body. The taste of her made him nearly wild. He wanted more than anything to sink his fangs into her. His fangs and his cock. But he did neither. Instead he filled her with his fingers, teasing her with what was to come while he nipped and sucked her swollen clit. The rest had to wait for later. First he needed to feed so he had the strength.
Kellen kept Frankie coming until he was sure it was full dark. He then licked and nibbled his way back up her body, pausing to give enough attention to her engorged nipples to evoke one last orgasm. He kissed her deeply until she began to calm.
“Taste yourself on me.”
“Mmm.”
“Next time I kiss you, you will taste your blood.”
Frankie was breathless with anticipation. Throughout the time she’d been with Kellen he often nipped her. She knew without a doubt that this would be completely different. She hadn’t forgotten the risks but she’d decided that everything would turn out just fine. It had to.
They had plans. For the first time in as long as she could remember she had things to look forward to. Even before she learned of the trouble with Amber there’d always been an element of sadness lurking in the recesses of her mind. She was old enough when her parents died to have vivid memories of them. Kate made sure she’d had a full life once her parents were gone but it didn’t prevent moments when she missed them beyond belief. They hadn’t discussed it often but she knew Kate felt the same way even after she’d had Amber.
Now there was Kellen. He would never replace them but he would add to her life exponentially. He already had. Well. Her un-life as it were. She giggled. When she first came up with the idea of approaching a vampire she never expected it to end as it had. No, that was wrong. Things as she knew them were ending. This was the beginning of what she believed would be a remarkable adventure that would last for all eternity.
She finally realized Kellen was watching her. He looked fascinated. The intensity of his expression made her blush.
“I almost wish I could pick up more of your thoughts,” he stated quietly.
“Just almost?”
“The emotions playing across your face amaze me. Some I’m sure I can guess what’s behind them. The rest,” he shrugged, “I admit I’m clueless.”
“It’s nothing bad.”
“Now that is one thing I do know. Nothing in your expression suggested that.”
“Good.” Frankie grinned. She tilted her neck toward him. “Bite me.”
Kellen laughed. “Patience, woman. We’re in for a rough couple of days. Relax and enjoy this.”
“Oh I have every intention of enjoying it. But relaxing? Somehow I doubt that.”
Again Kellen laughed but it was brief. He turned serious. “You’re absolutely certain about this?”
“Yes! A billion times yes. Why won’t you believe me?”
“It’s not that I don’t believe you. It’s a big step. Irreversible.”
“I know. I want this. You know my life was over before we met. It still will be if you don’t do this. I have to finish what I started and he will kill me unless you do this.”
“I’ll be killing you too.”
“Yes and no. Yes, I will no longer be alive as I am now, but I’ll be so much more so. Because I’m with you. I believe what you said about us being mates.” She looked at him with all she was feeling showing openly on her face. “I love you, Kellen. Now what must I do to convince you? Bite you first?” She leaned forward and nipped his lower lip.
With that he chuckled. He spun her so she was trapped against the wall. “Hold that thought. I promised you’d taste your own blood next time we kissed.”
Frankie shivered. She couldn’t believe how the thought of that excited her. “Then get to it! Please,” she added softly.
“Strip,” Kellen ordered, stepping back to give her room when she complied. He needed to separate himself for a moment or he would devour her on the spot. Oh who was he kidding? He was going to devour her no matter how much restraint he tried to show. She was still human and he could hurt her. But once she was transformed he’d never need to hold back again.
“You too,” Frankie demanded when he remained motionless. “I don’t want anything in our way once we get started.”
She was incredible! Passionate beyond his wildest dreams. And once she was a vampire he was certain that would be magnified. Though he would always hate the circumstances that sent her looking for him he would be eternally grateful that she had. He hadn’t ever considered his existence to be lacking but now that he’d found Frankie he realized just how empty his time was. No more! Never again. It was time.
Once he was naked Kellen led her to the bed. He motioned for her to stretch out but then, instead of joining her instantly, he stood looking at her.
“Kellen?”
“Shh. Indulge me.”
“Okay,” she agreed.
“So beautiful. Open your legs for me.” Once she had, Kellen nearly drooled. Unbelievable. This gorgeous-in-all-ways woman was about to become his mate for the rest of their existences. She lay spread before him, offering herself to him, shivering in anticipation o
f his first bite. The only question was where to do it.
Kellen crawled onto the bed between her thighs. He wanted to take his time and savor her but he knew better. Once he tasted her for real his thirst would be unquenchable. He’d teased himself, nipping her from time to time. By doing so he had a tiny sample of her essence. Still, he was sure nothing would compare to the full force of her blood once he opened her vein.
Holding her gaze, Kellen worked his way up her body. He licked her everywhere, but just barely.
“Stop teasing,” Frankie pleaded, trying to capture him.
“No,” Kellen replied, silencing her with a finger to her lips. When she caught it with her teeth he couldn’t help but grin. “You’re going to make quite a vamp, aren’t you, Frankie?”
“I sure hope so.” Her grin matched his. “I know you’ve been holding back, protecting me from myself. I can’t wait until you stop doing that and let me do what I want.”
“Don’t worry. Soon as you wake up the first time you’ll be able to have your way with me however you desire.”
“Really? I’m going to want sex? I thought you said I’d need to feed.”
“You will. But I strongly suspect the two will go hand in hand for you. At the beginning at least.”
“Is that wrong?”
“Hell no!”
“Good.” She arched, pressing her distended nipples against his chest. “Kellen, please.”
He growled. No matter how much he wanted to extend this he couldn’t resist her a second longer. He lowered his head and fastened his mouth on her breast. Prolonging the moment as long as possible, he toyed with her peak. Her moan when he scraped it with his fang was too much. He sank his teeth into her flesh. Instantly his mouth flooded with the rich tanginess of her blood. It was beyond compare. The slightly metallic taste of her had him intoxicated.
“Holy fuck,” Kellen muttered, forcing himself to release her. “So good.”
“Don’t stop,” she gasped before he had a chance to shift to the other side.
“Not a chance.”
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