The Romanov Sisters

by Svetlana Ivanova

  "What happened?"

  "It's the hunters. They're making quite a riot in Moscow," she said and dropped the letter on the table with a low sigh.

  "Will you go back?" I asked.

  "What? You think it will hand you a chance to be with Avery again?" Alex looked into my eyes. I had to admit I was counting on that.

  "You think about it, Alex," I said. "But if you claim that you’re the one for her, you should give her some space. Let Avery decide."

  We held each other's gaze for a moment.

  Then I turned and walked out of the room.

  Chapter 25

  Avery

  The room was brighter than usual. There was a different chill to it too. It was quite welcoming in a way that I wanted to curl up into a ball and never leave. Then this rare thought surprised me. Why did I feel comfortable in Alexandra's chamber? I should be anxious or even scared.

  Instead, all I harbored in my heart was this cozy calmness.

  Alex had sent for me again this evening. Of course, I couldn't refuse her order.

  Most of the curtains were now opened. I noticed the uplifting change after I walked into her room. I wandered further and found Alex sitting on the bench of her black piano. She looked like she was in some deep thoughts. When she heard me coming, Alex turned around and gave me a whole-hearted smile. That smile made my breath hitch in awe. Alex was so dazzling when she smiled.

  "Come and sit here with me, my rose princess," she said, holding her hand out.

  I walked up to her. I was about to sit down when Alex pulled me onto her lap instead. She wrapped her arms around my waist and stared up into my wide eyes. I couldn't help blushing away.

  "You look so lovely when you blush," she said.

  I turned my face to her again. At the same time, Alex leaned forward and stole a kiss on my lips. My cheeks reddened even more. She giggled melodiously at my reaction. I tried to bite my lips from smiling, but it felt so nice to hear her laugh.

  "You want to listen to some music?" She asked to my surprise. And when I kept staring at her mutely, Alex released me from her hold again. I sat back down on the bench next to her as she opened the glossy piano lid. She placed her hands gently and gracefully on the keys. I had never noticed how long and beautiful her fingers were until then. I swear they sort of took my breath way.

  Alex traced the tips of her slender fingers over the piano. I was still admiring how strikingly delicate her hands looked, when suddenly every thought was pushed out of my mind— blown away by the flowing melodies as Alex started playing.

  The melodic notes were slow at first, but then it got more harmonious and full of vibrating pitches. The music seemed to flow from those delicate hands effortlessly. I sat there, paralyzed from the acoustic sensation that shook every cell in my being. Now, I understood why Anastasia said Alex was a genius. It seemed as if her music could make everything come to life with it. It had made her come alive as well. The animated song was lively and strong, sometimes with occasional humorous tones— just like Alexandra herself.

  I looked sideway at her marvelous face. Her thick curved lashes were so long, they almost brushed her cheeks. A lovely smile curled at the corners of her luscious lips as she played. I couldn't picture the bitter Alex anymore. The one I was sitting with now was a total different person.

  As Alex reached the end of the song, she held the final note longer than its full value and let the heavenly sounds vanish back into the air.

  She exhaled and turned her face to me with a sheepish smile.

  "Sorry, I felt a bit nervous playing for you," she said. "I haven't done it in a very long time."

  "Alex, that was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard," I told her. "You're beautiful!"

  She raised an eyebrow at me. Then I realized what I just said.

  "Er...I referred to the music," I tried to correct myself. "The music was beautiful."

  Alex laughed whole-heartedly. Then she put her arms around me again and pulled me back against her. She kissed my temple and let my head rest on her chest.

  "I think I'm going to miss you like crazy, Avery," she said, smoothing my hair.

  "Why did you say that?" I pulled away from her with a frown. "What's wrong?"

  "I have to go back to Kremlin for a little while," she said. "The hunters are causing a stir there. Some loose ends to tie."

  I knew a few things about the hunters. They were the only enemy of the vampire race— the only ones who dared to defy the new order. Their goal was to liberate humans from the vampire's oppression. Most of the hunters were trained to be skilled assassins. They would hide and attack whenever they got a chance.

  For a moment, I didn't know how I should feel about this news. Alex kept studying my face as if to search for some sort of reactions from me. I had no idea how I looked to her, but she just leaned in to kiss the corner of my lips.

  "Don't worry about me, I'll be back soon," she said. Our eyes lingered on each other's faces. I could see her golden pupils widened with pouring emotions. Then her lips curved up in a mischievous grin.

  "But meanwhile we're still together, why don't we..."

  "No...no..." I said, shaking my head vigorously before she could finish.

  Alex flashed an alluring smile at me again, the kind of smile that could melt my bones. I knew that smile. And it was time to run, or else I would be so done.

  I pried her hands off and got up, but Alex pulled my body back to hers quite easily. She laughed and started tickling me all over. I hated that, but I couldn't help twisting in laughter and half-heartedly yelled, "No!" and "Stop!", yet I wasn't even convincing to myself.

  She finally stopped and then held me still.

  "Just a little, please?" Alex whispered in my ear and nuzzled my neck earnestly. She traced her tongue over my goose-bumped skin. Her hands slithered inside my shirt from behind. They kept feeling every inch of my body. There was this lustful part of me that anticipated the things we had done— things that we shouldn’t have done but would still do. I had tried to draw the line between submission and protest, but the line had been long gone, crossed and erased to nothingness. There was no way I could restrain myself from falling hard under the spell of Alexandra Romanov.

  When the mood and the urge struck, I found myself surrendered completely to her. I had become a mindless prey at last— the kind of prey that I didn't realize I longed to be.

  One of Alex's hands slid down between my parted thighs. Her long delicate fingers gave me a gentle, playful fondle over my already wetted part. My heart pounded. My adrenaline raced.

  "Let's go to bed, shall we?" Alex whispered into my ear. I could barely nod, but deep down I knew what my answer would be.

  Chapter 26

  I was lying on Alex's bed again. My head spun with a shameless excitement. I pushed myself up to recollect my thoughts. But the sight of Alex undressing herself made my mind freeze and my breath catch in my throat. I stared at her stunning body in wonder and awe. She unbuttoned her silk blouse one at a time, revealing her firm breasts underneath her black lacy bras.

  My body was lit up in prickled flames.

  After Alex shed off all her outer layers, she moved over me like a graceful lioness. My pulse hammered in my ears. Then I let her unbutton my white shirt, unhooked my bras and slipped off my skirt. But she shredded away my panties, tearing it from my grasping thighs.

  Alex pulled me by the legs and spread them wide. My heart pounded faster. I could see her eyes gleamed with needs as she stared at my nakedness. I should have felt embarrassed, but everything she did simply set my whole being aflame.

  Alex lowered her elegant body over me. A burst of burning sensation ran through whole being once we touched skin to skin. In that moment, I learned the truth about myself— that I did love being taken by Alexandra Romanov.

  "I'm falling in love with you each time I see you, Avery, you know that," she whispered as she hovered over me. "You don't have to love me back, but there's nothing you can do to
change how I feel about you, ever."

  I gazed back into her eyes. The same tingling feeling aroused from the pit of my stomach. When she leaned in and placed her lips against mine, I devoured her scented lips as earnestly as she did mine. Then her soft curling velvety tongue swirled inside my mouth. This sensual gentle touch made my mind twirl. My entire body was screaming.

  Alex held my hands up above my head as she kissed and nibbled my lips. She ran her fingers along my jaw and nibbled on my neck and shoulders. I heard myself whimper as she sucked hard on my skin. Her hand stroked over my breasts and squeezed them, my back arched from the bed. I felt her hands scratch lightly on my sides as she licked and sucked on my hardened nipples. My hips kept moving upward against hers without even realizing it. It seemed to please Alex. She wrapped one of my legs over her waist and continued to kiss me. Suddenly, I felt the tips of her fingers made their way down to my purring hot pot. Just the touch of her hand sent me a jolt of electrifying ecstasy. I gasped, throwing my head back. And before I could recover from the first move, Alex, being mean in bed as she always was, slipped a finger inside my dripping softness. I was about to weep musky tears of lust, when she slipped it out again, leaving me begging inside.

  Alex gave me a goofy smile.

  "Your turn," she said then rolled onto her back and pulled me on top of her. I was confused by this sudden shift, but Alex repositioned our hips from below, and we were completely touching, skin to skin.

  "Go ahead, now you can enjoy me," she said to my utter embarrassment. My jaw dropped when I heard that, but before I could wiggle away, just to give my mind a break, Alex started moving my hips. I had to grip onto the sheet as the sensual heat rushed up from my opened thighs. A moan escaped my lips. She finally got me stirring on my hot wetted sex against hers.

  "Enjoy the ride," Alex teased. Our breasts brushed over each other. My hair flew down to Alex's bare chest. The burning pleasure poked at me from the inside, causing me to let loose a wash of slippery, scented juice. Alex inhaled deeply as if she was also taken by the overwhelming joy we were creating. Her hands kept squeezing around my churning back cheeks. Alex gasped, her mouth went ajar. I couldn't help feeling even more hyper to see her arousal as strong as mine.

  I had never felt so wild and so free, like being on top of the world, even it was just being on top of Alexandra. Until an orgasm the size of an entire forest hit me, I almost tore the sheet out of the bed. Alex held me when I collapsed onto her. She rubbed my back as I panted.

  "Want more?" Alex asked. I thought she was joking, but she just rolled me onto my back and I felt the weight of her body on me again. She kissed my chest and my stomach. Her fingertips glided up and down over my pink femininity and my heavily soaked opening. My feral heated walls were screaming to be filled with those long lithe fingers. Alex's mouth wrapped around my hot swollen pearl. Her frenzy slithering tongue rubbed over me until I whimpered. All the while, she moved her fingers inside my warm dripping folds, swirling about and whipping my scent into the air.

  I choked on the endless pleasure as Alex continued teasing. I just wanted to beg for her to do me already. Then when I least expected it, she plunged two slender fingers inside my craving wetness. The inside of my hips shivered, feeling her entire finger length buried deep into me. I found her mouth nibbling on my heated pearl again. Alex started moving her hand, slowly and cautiously and then became more urgently. My whole body was shaking with pleasure.

  When my muscle started trembling and I started screaming from sheer pleasure, Alex had to actually cover my mouth to quiet me, holding me down to stop me from squirming away at the intensity. My fingernails were digging into the bed as her teeth were on me. I wanted to beg her to stop and not to stop at the same time.

  When the sensation became too powerful, the hot flaming joy erupted between my spread legs. It came rushing throughout my body like a wildfire. I had to keep myself from passing out from too much carnal bliss.

  Alex kept her hand moving even as I came all over her. The feeling was beyond description. I didn't know who or where I was anymore.

  Until she was sure it was over that she slipped her fingers out of me. I winced a little to that wonderful aftertaste. A smile lighted Alex's face as she looked down at her hand. I couldn't be more embarrassed, because when she held her palm up, turning it around, and I saw my clear slimy juice dripping down her elbow. I was surprised at how hard Alex had made me come this time.

  "Mmm...You taste like sweet peaches," she said, licking her soaked fingers. I blushed and buried my face in a pillow. Alex giggled and dropped down beside me, pulling me into her arms.

  Chapter 27

  Time moved slowly yet passed quickly. While Alex was preparing for the trip to Moscow, I spent my time with other slaves in the house. Although I was no longer restricted as one of them, I was still a human, and I needed human companions.

  But once I got into the kitchen, I was shell-shocked by the sight of my fellow servants. They looked like lifeless zombies, too pale, skinny and worn-out, I almost couldn't recognize them all. My heart sank. I was the only one in the house that didn't share the horrible look.

  As I stepped toward them, they looked at me with those sunken eyes.

  "What are you doing here, Avery?" a girl asked me in a weak voice. I remembered her name was Lisa. She was the one that told me about her brother who got sent away to the human farm.

  "What happened to you, Lisa?" I said with concerns. "You don't look well."

  She didn't say anything, but something in her eyes showed me her fear and misery.

  "Is it the new mistress Nikol?" I asked again.

  "Please, don't mention her name. We don't want to get into trouble," Lisa said nervously. "You shouldn't be here. We're serving our blood for the breakfast. She’ll need me at the east wing soon."

  Suddenly, I felt seriously sick and angry. But I knew I couldn't do anything about it, which was why it frustrated me even more. Lisa turned to a tray of wine glasses mixed with fresh blood. When she held her hands out, I caught a glimpse of her wrists. There were more scares than I could count. Her neck and shoulders also covered in bruises and pink scars that looked like animal bites. The girl looked so weak and so pale.

  "Tell me, Lisa," I said. “How many times does she feed on you?”

  "I’m sorry, Avery, I have to bring my blood in by now, I can't be late," she just said, but when she started to walk, her knees buckled. I rushed to her side, took the tray of blood from her and helped her to sit down.

  "You're not well. You can't go like this."

  "What else can I do? I don't want to be punished," she said helplessly.

  "I...I'll take the blood there for you," I found myself speaking.

  "Really? Are you sure?" Lisa looked at me in surprise, but I could tell she was also somewhat relieved from the burden. I knew I couldn't back down either.

  "Yes." I nodded. “Leave it to me.”

  "No, no, you don't have to. You're not with us anymore."

  I hated being treated as a slave, but now I realized I also hated not being anything in particular, neither slave nor free. I swallowed back the feeling and looked at the girl in the eyes.

  "Lisa, it's alright. I'll go very quickly, and I would be careful, alright?" I said. The girl nodded, and I took the tray then left the kitchen.

  I reached the east wing of the mansion where Nikol's room was and also Anastasia's. I knew they shared the chamber together and everything, but some stupid part of me wanted to take the risk.

  "Well, to hell with it," I muttered to myself.

  Then I pushed open the grand door of their room. The room was enormous, just like Alex's. But it looked more decorative with pieces of landscape paintings and artistic objects hanging around. I walked inside with a lump stuck in my throat. The voice inside my head told me to get out of there, but my heart kept pushing me in. Even I knew Nikol was there, I was still hoping to see Anastasia, at least just a little.

  There was no sound ins
ide. Curiosity got the best of me. I walked toward the bedroom. The door wasn't locked. I pushed it gently and then I saw them. They were both asleep in bed, but the worst part that I didn't expect to see they were both naked. Their hair cascaded over each other's body so perfectly; they looked like they were in a classic painting. The way Nikol placed her head on Ana's chest, a satisfied look on her sleeping face made my heart drop. How would I feel to see my lover passionately made love with someone else? I'd never felt so hurt and so livid. I just wanted to throw up.

  Soon, burning tears rolled down my cheeks. Even I wanted so badly to leave; I couldn't make my legs move.

  Then Anastasia's golden eyes flared open as if she’d sensed someone in the room. I jolted back in surprise, causing the wine glasses to clink together. The sound made her look in my direction. A shock registered on her face when she saw me. I put the tray on the table by the door and ran out of the room.

  My body felt anesthetized and weighty as I was struggling to keep my legs moving. I had to concentrate so hard not to fall. Every step I took, I kept telling myself over and over that I was stupid, stupid, stupid! Why did I even come here?

  I ran along the hallway and down the staircases. The sound of faraway footsteps came after me, and I heard her calling my name, but I ignored the silky voice. I just wanted to keep running like that until I reached the end of the world.

  Two strong arms grabbed me by the waist, pulling my body to a halt. It felt as if I had run into an iron chain.

  "Let me go!" I cried, twisting around and trying to push the hands away.

  "Avery! Shhh! Please stop! Listen to me!" Ana's voice tried to calm me.

  "It doesn't matter anymore!"

  "Avery, it's not like what you think!" Anastasia said. She dragged me away from the hall before she let me go. I turned myself around to see that beautiful face again. She was in her flowing nightgown. I could feel her soft breasts against my body. Her hair didn't look like she'd just rolled out of bed to catch me in the hallway at all. The silky golden waves twirled around her shoulders, covering her stunning body.