Cherry Blossom (Vampire Cherry Book 2)

by Sotia Lazu

  This book is a work of fiction.

  While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2014 by Sotia Lazu

  All Rights Reserved

  Cover Artist: Sotia Lazu

  Editor: Graham R. Rooles

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  Acelette Press

  Chapter One

  I like big beds.

  I like wide, comfy mattresses that allow me to stretch to my heart’s desire and roll over as many times as I please. What’s more, I like bedmates that don’t take up the entire space I lovingly try to maintain around me.

  Alex wasn’t that kind of a bedmate.

  Alex was a cuddler, which I more than appreciated right after naughty-times, but suffocated me when I woke up to the weight of an arm pressing my chest down or a hard body keeping me from turning around.

  He also snored from time to time, which made no sense, since he no longer needed to breathe. I guess old habits die hard.

  I wouldn’t have made a big deal out of any of those things that morning, if I hadn’t woken up to Alex spooning me from behind, both of his arms wrapped around me like steel bars, and his voice whispering in my ear, “I want you to meet my mother.”

  And I certainly wouldn’t have kicked him out of bed, if he hadn’t added, “And I want to meet your family.” I mean, that’s not the way to wake someone up.

  “What did you do that for?” Alex rubbed his head where it had impacted with the wall. He was still on the floor where he landed, glaring at me with those gorgeous grey eyes of his.

  I sat up and bunched the covers around me, still not fully believing I’d done what I had—or that he’d actually said what I’d heard.

  “Cherry? What’s up? And ow, by the way!” He didn’t seem as pissed off as I’d be in his place. “Did you have another nightmare? Think I was Willoughby again?”

  His concern made me feel bad. To be honest, I’d never had any nightmares of Willoughby. At times when Alex was too clingy in my sleep, however, I may have elbowed him in the ribs or kicked him in the shin, and afterward implied I thought he was my maker, haunting my dreams. He was having nightmares of his turning too, so he believed me. It made me feel the tiniest bit like a horrible person.

  I shook my head. “Not him. Different nightmare. About you wanting us to meet each other’s folks.”

  His dark eyebrows came together in a fierce scowl, and he sucked in his cheeks. That usually preceded yelling, which worked out quite well, because I wasn’t exactly feeling all lovey-dovey at that moment.

  “Why’s that so bad? My mother’s been hearing about you for two months now. She wants to meet you.” And that was a glaring example of why we should let our family think we died after our turning. If the vampire council caught a whiff of Alex’s still staying in touch with his mother, they might resort to extreme measures.

  Then again, they’d have to know he was a vampire for them to even care, so it was a moot point. After the havoc that resulted in Alex’s turning, the vampire council reinstated the Vampire Social Services—VSS for short—to help tighten the bonds within our community, and decreed a census, to record all vampires currently in the United States. We kept Alex’s change of status a secret from them, to avoid dealing with the repercussions of breaking the law against turning new fledglings.

  “What if she doesn’t like me?” ’Cause loveable as I am, there was always the possibility of that. I didn’t voice my worries that I might not like her. “And you can’t meet my family. I can’t meet my family again. They think I’m dead.”

  A familiar lump formed in my throat at the memory of the pain I’d caused my parents. I followed the news for the first few months after my turning, and saw them cry and beg for word from me time and again. Once my disappearance was bled dry by the press, my parents disappeared from the public eye. I tried looking them up online, since going anywhere near my hometown was punishable by vampire law, but found nothing. Since then, I consoled myself with the fact they didn’t show up in the obituaries.

  “Your parents think you’re missing. Finding out you’re still”—I could see he was searching for the right word, since alive wouldn’t cut it—“around would be the greatest thing to ever happen to them.” He was using his rational voice, which probably worked when he interrogated suspects, but which I hated when I was feeling unreasonable. He got on his feet, and dusted plaster from his hair. “And my mom will love you. Just like I do.”

  Yeah, okay. Play the I-love-you card, why don’t you? “We’ll talk about it,” I said, more to avoid a fight than because I was considering it. “I’ll ask Constantine what he thinks. He knows the council better than I do, and they like him. If he thinks it’s safe for me to go home, we’ll visit my family.”

  There was no way my ex would condone something like that. It was reckless and might endanger us all. Plus, he might be acting all cool and superior, and have taken us in to keep us safe until we found my murderous maker, but I could tell he wasn’t exactly happy about my relationship with Alex.

  Alex must have realized Constantine would say no, because he kicked dejectedly at the floor and approached the bed still scowling. I hated it when he was petulant, and his turning seemed to have intensified the specific aspect of his personality.

  His turning had also ensured us a future, so I would put up with a little childishness.

  “I’ll talk to him too,” he said, standing right in front of me in his birthday suit. “Maybe I can convince him.”

  He could certainly try. Meanwhile, I’d do my best to make him forget about the whole thing. I smiled, slid to the edge of the bed, and let the covers drop to reveal a state of undress that matched his, before using my fingertips to trace the lines of his body—hard muscle under soft skin that shivered ever so slightly under my touch.

  His gaze was locked on mine, as my mouth replaced my fingers down his stomach. I loved the texture, the smoothness of his skin. I feathered my lips along his hipbone and felt his legs tremble slightly. I loved his body’s involuntary responses. Smiling to myself, I brought one hand around him and dug my nails into his buttock, pushing him against my face.

  He rudely interrupted my efforts at driving him crazy with anticipation, by stepping back, grabbing my knees, and laying me flat on the bed in one smooth move. Before I could voice my protest, he was kissing me.

  I arched upward and wrapped my legs around his hips, but he resisted, hovering above me. “No.” The single word was heavy with promise.

  He kissed me again, slowly, his tongue teasing my mouth open before finding my tongue. The kiss deepened, as did my need for him. When he sucked on my lower lip, I ran one hand down the length of my body and between my legs, where I wanted him the most.

  He closed his fingers around my wrist, and forced my hand to the mattress. His cool breath tickled my ear. “Be a good girl, and don’t move.”

  It wasn’t like me to submit without thought, but the lust burning in his gaze stifled my rebellious side. I tangled both hands in the sheets, to keep from touching him.

  He moved his mouth down the side of my neck, kissing and licking the area over my jugular. I wanted him to bite me. I wanted to push against him
. I held back. He barely let a fang graze my skin, and chuckled at the whiny sound that escaped my throat.

  The bastard!

  He made his way down my body with his lips and fingers, pulling sighs and moans out of me with every kiss, every caress, every pinch. My nipples hardened at his touch. My stomach tightened. Every nerve in my body screamed for more, but he refused to give it. By the time his face was at the apex of my thighs, I craved him beyond reason. I couldn’t be held accountable for my actions, if he didn’t sink inside me immediately.

  Only Alex wasn’t done teasing me yet.

  He gently closed his teeth over the sensitive flesh at the inside of my thigh, without breaking the skin, and sucked while pushing a finger inside me.

  I bucked my hips, and my eyes watered at the pressure that had been building up in my belly. I needed just a bit more. More pressure. More friction. I needed him to add another finger and pump them both. I needed him to eat me out. I needed him to—Oh God...

  He didn’t do what I wanted, but he didn’t withdraw either. Instead, he splayed the fingers of his free hand on my stomach to hold me down, and pierced my skin with his fangs at the same time he pressed his thumb on my clit.

  I thought I was going to scream, but only a hoarse whisper reached my ears, when I managed to form a word. “Please.”

  He either didn’t hear me or ignored me. His thumb drew lazy circles around my clitoris, and his finger slid in and out so slowly, I couldn’t get the more I needed. His mouth kept pulling on my blood, and the sensation was enough to drive me to the precipice but not to throw me over.

  Pleading obviously hadn’t worked for me, so this time I went with an order. “Now.”

  Alex wasn’t in a compliant mood. He stopped touching me entirely, and raised his gaze to mine, making sure I watched as he licked his lips. Once he had my undivided attention, he lowered his head again, and slowly ran his tongue along my cleft.

  That was about when I stopped being nice.

  I grabbed his hair to anchor him to me, and began grinding against his face, urging him to go faster. Harder. If he wanted to play Hold off Cherry’s Release, I’d take matters in my own hands.

  I was so close—so fucking close—when he forcefully removed my hands from his head, and rolled me over.

  Now we’re talking!

  The bed was too tall for my knees to reach the ground, and my legs dangled awkwardly while I tried to find purchase on the floor with my toes. Just when I was about to, Alex nudged my thighs apart with one knee, throwing me completely off balance, and pushed inside me.

  Can’t say I complained about the manhandling. Perhaps I would have, if I weren’t enjoying it so much. I always loved seeing Alex’s mild manners put aside in the bedroom—or bathroom, kitchen, public place, wherever—and this dominant side of his came out more frequently lately.

  He dug his fingers into my hips, and lifted me to meet his thrusts. I didn’t even find time to push my body up with my arms. My face was rubbing against the mattress, but all I could feel was the fire he stoked inside me with every plunge. Every time he withdrew, I clenched around him, trying to lock him and the pleasure in place. My fangs extended, and I bit at the sheets, uncaring that I’d leave holes in them. I was nearly there nearly there nearly—

  Alex’s movements became jerkier. Shorter. He draped his body over mine, letting go of my hips so he could wrap his arms around my torso. I let him draw me to him, and tilted my head to the side, to get my hair out of his way and expose my neck.

  The moment his fangs pierced my throat, everything I’d wanted, everything my body had craved, flooded my senses. Short-circuited my brain. I couldn’t tell which of us was trembling. All I knew was that, pinned to him, torn sheets hanging from my mouth, I felt my body shudder with waves of pleasure, until I could no longer keep my eyes open.

  Alex obviously had some problem controlling himself, too, because his knees buckled, and we both toppled forward, his teeth and cock still inside me.

  In my fuzziness, I barely registered his tongue gently licking the wounds he’d inflicted, before he rolled to the side and gathered me close. It’s possible I purred with delight. This was one of the times I not only didn’t mind the cuddling, but also welcomed it.

  I don’t know if I drifted off or just zoned out, but in my efforts to distract him, I’d ended up distracting myself too. I didn’t even realize someone else was in the room, until Constantine cleared his throat.

  Chapter Two

  Asking my ex if he’d watched my current lover and me have earth-shattering sex would lead to all kinds of awkwardness, so I opted for yelling at Constantine to get out of the room and go wait for us in the kitchen.

  He left with the huff and flourish that seemed to constantly accompany him since he’d become a member of the vampire council.

  “Come on, before he pitches a fit.” Alex tossed my jeans and a top on the bed.

  I ignored the clothes, and just watched him slide into his own jeans. The sight made up for the cramped sleeping arrangements. “He can wait.” I stretched on my back, and reached with my toes for one of his belt loops. “I think you should come back to bed.”

  “And I think you should stop avoiding him.” He was right. I was avoiding Constantine. I bet Alex didn’t know why, though.

  I wasn’t sure I knew why. I only knew I felt odd being all couple-y with Alex in front of my ex. It was like I rubbed his face into my happiness with a man who wasn’t him. The lingering looks Constantine gave me from time to time didn’t help much, either. They weren’t looks of longing. He studied me, as if dissecting me. Trying to read my mind. He never said a word against Alex—or for him, to be perfectly honest—but his general disposition had turned snarkier. Gloomier. Not that he’d exactly been a ray of sunshine to begin with, but sensing I was the reason for his change made me feel bad.

  “I just can’t deal with his smartassness first thing in the morning.” Pulling the covers over my head acted like an end to the conversation. Or so I thought.

  Alex drew the covers away, and leaned over me, now fully dressed. “Get up. Stop being a five-year-old. He may have something important to tell us.”

  He had a point. Constantine or his people—council members always have people—might have finally spotted Willoughby. With a groan meant to show my displeasure, I got up and put my clothes on. “Let’s go,” I said, and led the way.

  ****

  Constantine sat at the table, entirely out of place in the spacious, well lit kitchen. It wasn’t his age that put him at odds with the modern tiles, shiny lacquered wood and glass surfaces, and metal elements. He looked mid-thirties and hot, his long blond hair framing an angular face devoid of wrinkles. Only his blue eyes betrayed he’d seen much more than his smooth skin and casual attire indicated.

  His jeans and white T-shirt weren’t too stylish for him to be in a place where food was getting prepared and served, so that couldn’t be it either.

  Eyes narrowed, I studied him until realization sunk in. It was his posture that made him clash with the surroundings. He held his back straight, shoulders square, and chin up, as though he were royalty sitting on his throne, waiting for peasants to bring forth their offers.

  I so wouldn’t be one of them.

  “Nice of you to finally join us,” he said.

  “Like we had a choice.” I’d known he’d be sarcastic. I should have come up with a reply that had more bite.

  Liza, who was never too far from Constantine, threw me a scolding look from her perch on the kitchen counter, her black eyebrows furrowed. She was absolutely gorgeous, and had been an aspiring model when my old talent agent delivered her to my maker, who wanted to add her to his undead army of models.

  Alex, Constantine, and I rescued Liza and two other fledglings from Ádísa and her cohorts. Constantine took the girls in, and they more or less worshipped the ground he stood on.

  Now I itched to tell Liza I’d been in Constantine’s life much longer than she had, and coul
d therefore speak to the man she viewed as a god any way I pleased, but it seemed petty. Instead, I returned her look and took a seat across from my ex. Alex pulled out a chair between us, turned it around, and straddled it.

  “Talk,” I said to Constantine.

  “Would you like something to drink first?”

  I looked around. “Where’s Wesley? I could go for some coffee. And maybe eggs.” Constantine’s human butler and his incredible cooking skills were among the perks of living at the mansion. Normal food doesn’t sate our hunger, but we enjoy the hell out of it.

  “Wesley is busy. Liza has brewed tea.”

  “Then no, thanks.”

  Next to me Alex shook his head. “I’m good. What’s up?”

  “There has been a possible sighting of Willoughby.” Constantine motioned at Liza, and she hurried to refill his teacup.

  Gag.

  “I can’t say more at this time, but you should be getting ready for a trip at short notice,” he said.

  Alex nodded, unperturbed as always by Constantine’s exaggerated air of mystery.

  I wasn’t that big a person. “You got us out of bed to tell us someone’s seen the bad guy, but not who or where? What’s next?” I deepened my voice to a basso. “It will rain one day in the near or distant future.” In my normal pitch, I asked, “Was that doomsday-worthy enough for you?”

  “Cherry, this is all I can tell you right now. You have to trust me. What matters is we may have a clue as to his surroundings, if not his intentions.”

  “A clue you won’t share with the class.”

  “I’m sure he’ll tell us more when he knows more.” Alex placed one hand over mine, which I’d apparently fisted without realizing it. His effort at soothing me had the opposite result.

  “He knows more now.” I locked my gaze on Constantine’s. “Don’t you?”

  Constantine shook his head and smiled ruefully. “When did you become so cynical?”