Sarma flicked off the light, crawled back into bed, and pulled the covers over herself. He’d touched himself. When he came, she sensed it, but it happened fast. He didn’t enjoy it at all. She meant to hurt him, the way she’d been hurt. The things he confessed still stormed in her mind. The bitterness and heartbreak from his words—she was his duty—taxed her heart as she fell asleep.
~ * ~
Marita had been on Sarma’s mind, but she never answered Sarma’s calls and didn’t return the text messages. Marita and Gatis were always together because Marita would certainly call Sarma if Gatis dumped her. Sarma gave up. She warned Marita of the danger, and Gatis hadn't tried to approach Sarma. Maybe he gave up as well. October was Marita's birthday month. With not much to do, Sarma made one last attempt to organize a birthday party for her, but she received no reply.
That night Sarma got buzzed, something she never did—drink alone. Reinis was somewhere close by, but it didn’t matter. Did he only hang around because she was his assignment? What did he hope for? What could either of them hope for? Sadness knotted her heart, and she pushed it away. Still, knowing he was there no matter what helped peel back her layers of anger. Part of her wanted to run outside, leap into his arms, and tell everyone to screw off. What if it were humans that faced extinction? She sighed. In a way, she couldn’t blame them for what they did. She would do anything for survival.
She sank her head down onto the table. What had her life become?
Chapter 30
Sarma stared into the fridge, not hungry but craving something. Outside, a cold November day dampened everything with gray clouds but no rain. If clouds hung overhead, she at least wanted to hear the soft pitter-patter of drops on the window. No such luck. She went to bed hungry.
Sarma woke up to freezing air with the rain pounding the roof. She forced herself to climb out of bed. It was dark outside, and the front door was ajar. Her heart leapt into her throat. She was groggy but certain she closed and locked both doors. Reaching out, she nudged the door.
In a flash, Gatis slammed it open and seized her. His fangs were extended, and the veins around his temples ash colored. Sarma froze. She wanted to kick and fight, but couldn't move. With his arms clenched around her, Gatis shoved her inside and squeezed her nose closed until her mouth opened. Three drops of sweet liquid fell onto her tongue from a dropper. Sarma struggled and spat, but the liquid slipped down her throat.
A wave of heat rolled through her. Her body flushed, and she moistened between her legs. The scent of her own arousal filled the room, though she had no attraction toward Gatis. What was happening to her? The desire jarred her and felt estranged, but she couldn’t stop it.
“Baby, baby, baby,” Gatis whispered in her ear. She tried to pull away, and he hissed. He flung her on the bed. Her head smacked against the headboard.
He hovered at the end of the bed, unbuckling his belt. Sarma reached under her pillow, grabbed the talisman, and held it up toward Gatis who froze.
“Where did you get that?”
“Stay back.” A sexual wave passed through her, but with the disk she resisted the sensation.
He laughed as if the talisman didn’t matter, yet didn’t advance.
“Don’t come near me.” Sarma fought the heat, her body stiff with fear.
Although the power of the disk held him back, Gatis pushed forward. He moved as if walking through cement. Sarma jumped off the bed, yanked the lamp from the nightstand, and hurled it against his shoulder. He clutched it, grimacing as if in excruciating pain, but continued. Sarma bolted past him. Rushed for the door.
With the disk not pointing at him, Gatis broke free and ran after her. He gripped her shoulder, and threw her onto the sofa. Sarma fumbled and dropped her protection, which went rolling, but she couldn’t see where. She grabbed a bookend off the table, smashed it on Gatis’ head, and scanned the floor for it. Gatis paused but didn’t let up.
“Sarma, you can’t fight me.” He spread her arms, pinning them to the couch. His voice slithered like a slimy slug.
Sarma's whole body burned with arousal, yet Gatis repulsed her. Whatever the liquid was, it controlled her—blurring her eyes, hazing her mind, making her want to do what he willed. He kissed her mouth, and Sarma pulled away screaming at the top of her lungs. She fought the sensations in her body. With all the strength she could muster, she yanked her leg up and tried to knee him in the groin. He pressed his broad shoulders against her, squashing her into the cushions.
“Get off me you, pig.”
Gatis managed to open his zipper.
Reinis barged in. He wrenched Gatis off Sarma and throttled him through the door. In a blur of movement, he lifted off the ground and flew after Gatis. Sarma followed, running to the grassy area in front of her studio. Gatis fumbled like a drunk rat. In the pouring rain, Reinis smashed Gatis’ face and screamed what sounded like Latvian obscenities. Gatis didn't fight back. Apparently, passed out, he slumped Gatis over his shoulder and soared off into the night.
Breathless, Sarma slammed the door closed, scooped up the disk, and wrapped herself in her blankets. Grasping her knees, she trembled, rocking back and forth. She hummed as she tried to take her mind off Gatis’ nasty lips. Nausea crept through her like a polluted stream. The urge to take a shower overwhelmed her.
On the bed lay a folded up bunch of papers. Sarma grabbed them and her mouth dropped open. The pages were copies of Marita's journal accounting Sarma’s experience with Reinis. Inserted was a photograph of her and Reinis kissing in Latvia. He also had images of her at the old house, around town, and outside her jobs. Gatis had stalked her and Marita. The danger was real and she had no clue how to defend herself. She crunched the papers into a ball.
A wild thumping on the door snapped her out of her it. “No. Please no,” she screamed. Deciding to face Gatis head-on, she faced the entrance, her stance solid and ready to fight.
But Reinis popped through, sopping wet. She slung her arms around him, hoisting her legs around his waist. He scooped her up in his arms and placed her gently on the bed. Water dripped off the end of his nose, his hair was flat, and his t-shirt was soaked, outlining his sculpted muscles.
“We should leave here. I dumped Gatis in the hills. I don't want you to stay in this place anymore, Sarma, not for Gatis to find you again.”
“Where the hell were you? You were supposed to protect me,” Sarma cried.
“I’m so sorry. I failed. I was weak from hunger and couldn’t wait any longer to feed.” He exclaimed. “I need to get you out of here, Sarma.”
“He finds me wherever I go.” She folded her arms over her knees and buried her face in the crease of her elbows.
“Doesn't matter right now. Bad things happen to you here, and I don't want you to face it anymore. You’re miserable, Sarma. Come away from all this. You know you can't live like this.”
“Live or love like this?” She shook her head staring up at the ceiling. Listening to him was like watching the last bubbles of air come out of her mouth as she drowned on false promises.
“Live. I meant live. But you can't love like this either.”
“What do you know about love?” She glared at him, her eyes hazy.
“Let's go, Sarma. Please.” Impulsively, he kissed the back of her hand.
“Don't.” Sarma snatched her hand away.
“I don't care if I die. I just want to feel you. One more time. Let them put me to death if they so choose. “
“You're crazy. Did you see what happened to me?” The drug pulsed through her veins and resisting was damn near impossible. The feeling in her body left her in a tango of sexual heat.
“That’s not what I’m talking about. I need to be with you. As a person. As my little heart. Come on. We need to leave.” He searched the room for warm clothes and threw them into a bag.
“You’re right, I’m not safe here,” she mumbled. She grabbed the papers Gatis brought and shoved them into her purse. Weary, all fight drained from her body
, she closed her eyes and exhaled. Reinis wrapped her with the blanket, carried her to the car, and drove to a hotel.
Sarma wrapped herself in a dry blanket and sat on the bed while Reinis brought in the bags. He fetched a drink of water and brought it to her. “Are you comfortable? Are you hungry?”
Soaked to the bone, with dry blood on his knuckles, he still cared for her wellbeing first. “I’m fine, thank you. Not hungry.” She smiled weakly, not sure what to think.
“I’m going to clean up. You want the TV on?” He found the control and handed it to her.
“Um, I’ll leave it off, thanks.”
Reinis pulled some fresh, dry clothes out of his bag, grabbed Laima’s satchel, and ducked into the bathroom. Sarma inhaled deeply, listening to the sink running in the bathroom. She gulped the entire glass of water, wanting to get the elixir out of her system as soon as she could.
She was divided between feeling safer than when she was at her house and half-heartedly angry he was here. He defended her twice, and now he put himself on the line for her. Everywhere they went, no matter what, he ensured her safety, her comfort. All he wanted was to make her happy. She didn’t want to fight anymore.
What if she took the risk and let him into her heart?
Through the open bathroom door, he toweled off his bare, chiseled chest. The elixir’s effect wore off, even so, warmth rose in her body, and her pulse quickened. He reached his hair and peeked at her, meeting her eyes, a slight smile curved his lips. His wet jeans hung low, exposing his hipbones. She swallowed hard and pressed her lips together. If he tried anything she doubted she could resist him. Glancing at her again, he closed the door, and the bath water ran. She inhaled the scent of lavender.
Reinis stuck his head out of the door, and said, “Your turn.”
“My turn for what?” She glanced up at him, seeing he was now in fresh, clean attire, his usual slim jeans, and t-shirt. How someone could look so insanely hot in such simple clothes?
“No thanks, I took a shower already.”
“It will calm your nerves,” Reinis said.
“No, really,” Sarma replied. “I’m not in the mood.”
“Sarma.” A grin spread across his lips, and he cocked one eyebrow up. “Don’t you ever just let go?”
“You have got to be kidding.”
“I am. Come on, I made a bath for you.” He beckoned her with one hand.
Sarma eyed him. Her body ached, her nerves were shattered. A bath did sound soothing. “I’ll accept.” She unwrapped herself from the blanket.
Reinis gingerly peeled off her clothes and carried her to the bathroom. He lowered her into the steaming water and leaned her against the slope of the tub. Her skin glistened in the water, and his body stiffened. He forced it to relax. This wasn’t about that. She closed her eyes and relaxed into his grasp.
Soaping up a washcloth, he massaged her back. As he pulled her hair to one side, he hummed a song under his breath. He gently ran the cloth in circles, over her shoulders, following the lines of her muscles, down her arms, and over each crease of her body. He did what he wanted to do since they met—examine her carefully to know every part of her body. A small beauty mark on her right shoulder, a scar on her left knee, the curve of her toes.
Delicate in his touch, he washed her face. She had a few small freckles sprinkled across her cheeks. He cleansed her entire body, deliberate around her breasts to express affection. After, he lathered her hair and poured water over the back of her head, careful not to get water or soap in her eyes. He loved the way her hair swirled with the water. She leaned her head into his hands while he massaged her scalp. He relished her tranquil, trusting posture.
Reinis massaged her shoulders, her legs, and feet. He kneaded the knots in her back until the water went cold and her muscles loosened in his hands. Reinis finished, scooped her up, dried her off, and placed her on the bed where he swaddled her in a sheet and blanket.
“You have your mother's healing touch.” For the first time in a long while, Sarma smiled, extending her hands to grasp his.
He released her, fished in her bag, pulled out her brush, and braided her hair. Without removing his clothes or getting under the blankets, he embraced and rocked her, humming again.
“You can braid?” Sarma laughed. “I never met a guy who could braid hair.”
“First of all, I’m not ‘a guy.’ I’m a vampire. And yes, I can braid hair. My mother and sister taught me. It’s common in our society for us to braid each other’s hair, even males to females. It’s a way of showing we care.” He cradled her from behind, loving the scent of her fresh, clean body.
Sarma turned toward him. “You really do have your mother’s healing touch. I feel so soothed.” Without notice, she grasped the back of his neck, pulled him close, and kissed him with full passion on the lips.
Reinis gasped, surprised. “Paldies. Thank you. Sirsniņa, you are my only remedy. I don’t want to do this until you’re ready. Besides, the elixir makes you go against your own feelings. I never want you to feel used again. I’ve hurt you enough.”
Clutching the hem of his t-shirt, Sarma captured his lips again, slipping her tongue into his mouth. The blanket fell around her waist, exposing her damp, pert breasts.
“It already wore off. I’m positive and I’m ready. Don’t say no to me.”
Her scent emanated from the apex of her thighs. Her arousal made him dizzy, and he was rock hard in an instant. Every ounce of his body blazed to ravish her, and it took all of his self-control not to immediately take her.
“I’m serious.” He placed a flat palm on her naked shoulder.
“So am I.”
Chapter 31
Nudging Reinis back into the mattress until he lay beneath her, Sarma crawled over him on all fours, hooking him with her stare, dangling her exposed body. She unzipped his pants and removed his clothing, piece by piece, dropping the items on the floor until he was nude. Only his uneven breath gave him away. Suspended over him on hands and knees, she cast her eyes hungrily over his body. She slid her fingers across his pecs and brushed them over his stomach. His sex was already firm, but Sarma took it slow.
Through the imprint, her thoughts and emotions drove him wild. The hum in Sarma’s chest drove her to unite with him, and his longing echoed through the warm purr reverberating through her body. Suspended in her heart hung the memory of the first time they made love. The experience was an incomplete movie scene that had left her needing more. It touched him that she didn’t only want to receive, she craved to give to him, satisfy his desires, and soothe his parched heart.
Spreading her thighs over his, she perched, pressing her moistness against him. Not letting her erotic gaze shift, she wrapped her hand around his hard, smooth erection and slid the skin upward.
Reinis’ blood raged through his flesh. He was hungry to touch her. Hungry to enter her tight slit. He lowered his gaze to her bare breasts, the curves of her shoulders, waist, and hips. She tantalized him, and the reason he wasn’t supposed to do this faded from his mind. All he felt was the meeting of their bodies.
The muscles in his legs and abdomen tensed and became as taunt as a tightened violin bow. Except he was the violin, and she played a deep, moving love song with her touch. Reinis twisted his head back, the tendons in his neck protruded with the strain of pleasure, his thick member throbbing. Blood hunger hit him, and his teeth elongated. This was one thing he couldn’t do—feed on her. It would be wrong to ask her, already demanding so much of her. It was one rule he wouldn’t break. Distracted, his focus shifted from her sizzling touch to controlling his body. If she saw him as he was, she would reject him.
“What’s wrong? You don’t like this?” Sarma asked as if she sensed his discomfort.
“No, please.” He sucked in air, managing to regulate his fangs but he didn’t want to look her in the eyes, afraid to find a rebuff. His fingers curled into the mattress.
“Then what is it?” She stroked him, pulling toward hi
s swollen head.
“I don’t know how to tell you.” He shifted his eyes to her furrowed face. She also feared rejection. The heat hadn’t left his body, and he didn’t want her to stop.
Sarma’s expression softened. “Whatever it is, please tell me. I need to know.” One hand caressed his sack, the other continued to squeeze softly.
It was so hard to think of an answer with her doing that. He breathed deeply. “When I’m aroused, my face changes, my teeth grow long, and my eyes look different. I don’t want to scare you.” Closing his eyes, he exhaled sharply, waiting for her to refuse him.
“Don’t you ever just let go?” she murmured. She crawled toward him and swept her tongue into his mouth, hard and fast. Her sweet caress told him she accepted him, and the fire in his loins grew. Locked on, he held the exchange and devoured her lips. Sarma slid down his body and continued the even tempo on his cock.
Mouth agape, he groaned as she tugged at an even, mesmerizing pace. His teeth grew long, and his face tightened with pleasure. This time he didn’t fight his body’s reaction. He shifted his head so he could view her with heavy lids. Her feminine hand pulled up his shaft, to the dark red head, and over the top as if milking it. His thighs tensed with her hand’s smooth rhythm. His hips rose off the mattress.
Her eyes filled with a playful smirk.
“Do you like it?” he asked, referring to the change.
“No, I don’t,” she paused, glancing up. “I love it.”
Her response was unexpected. He had compared himself to a wolf and was aware he looked primal. Even so, she continued to stare into his eyes, taking in who and what he was and building her desire from it. He was now certain that he made her hot, ready for him. That turned him on even more. He imagined her lips engorged, the wetness slicking them up.
She dove her head down, enveloping his hard, ridged head with her soft, slippery mouth. Wrapping her tongue around the base of the shaft, she rode up around the top, pulling him deeper into her throat. He drove his hips forward, aligning his pumping with the rhythm of her sucking. She applied perfect pressure, her hot tongue licking every sensitive part of his length. From deep in his throat rose a growl. His face contorted from the exquisite torture she delivered. He curled his fingers into the bed, clutching the sheet. With the swirl of her tongue, his mind went blank, his reasoning dissolved. The past faded, the future was obsolete.
Forbidden Darkness (Immortal Desire Series Book 1) Page 18