by J. P. Uvalle
I’m gonna punch Chelsea in the face when I see her.
I maneuver the part that zips up over the side of my torso. Getting it about half way, I spin it back around to get the zipper the rest of the way up. I try to let out a sigh of relief but realize quickly the dress is cutting off my air supply.
Fantastic.
“Trinity you’re up.” One of the other models says, passing by the makeshift dressing room.
I saunter over to the curtain and strike a pose, waiting for the stagehand to pull the curtain back and reveal the latest ensemble. The curtain opens, and I’m greeted by blinding strobe lights and hundreds of faces. The fact that I’ve never walked down a runway before hits me. I gulp and strut out—one foot in front of the other, my hand on my right hip while “Trndsttr” by Black Coast is being remixed by the DJ. Camera flashes and people’s cheers edge me on with a little more enthusiasm. With renewed confidence, I feel bolder, attempting a fancy turn, but my heel snags on the trim of the runway. I hear gasps when I lose my balance and tumble to the right of the stage.
Someone catches me. “What would you do if I weren’t around to catch you?”
From the seductively low sound of this his voice and the heat once again taking over my body, I know it’s Lord Vladimir holding me firmly in his arms, and he smells invigorating. I deeply inhale him in almost forgetting the fact I hate vampires. “Put me down,” I huff.
He does so smirking. “You should be more careful. I’d hate for you to fall into the wrong hands.”
“Yours?”
“Exactly.”
THE REST OF the show goes off without a hitch. But now, Vladimir is walking me home again. He wouldn’t take no for an answer—saying I’m the clumsiest person he’s ever met. We’re inside my dorm room, and he doesn’t waste a minute making himself at home—sitting on my couch with his boots propped up on my coffee table. I glare, walking over, pushing his boots from my table as I sit down. “Don’t get too comfortable. You’re definitely not spending the night.”
“Don’t worry. I prefer Egyptian cotton sheets.”
I snort. “So, if I’d allowed you to stay, my sheets wouldn’t be good enough for you, your majesty?”
“Nope.” He laughs.
I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is that draws me to Vladimir but right now that sexy, deep laugh speaks to me. I was always under the presumption Vampires were emotionless creatures with no regard for human life. However, Vladimir proves the opposite. And whenever he talks, all I can think about is kissing his lips. Before my thoughts run rampant about all the things I want to do him, I break my gaze. I shouldn’t be having these feelings or thoughts about a vampire. Then an alarming thought surfaces. The fact that he seems to know where I am, and is always around to save me, makes me wonder if he is compelling me to feel this way?
His hand meets my shoulder. “Is something the matter?”
“Why are you following me around? If it’s my blood you’re after, you’re definitely not getting that.”
“I know,” he sighs. “You’re not a donor.” His thumb grazes my tattoo, sending chills cascading throughout my body.
“Sex?”
“Trinity…no. Unless you wanted to, that is.”
I whip my head to look back at him, furrowing my eyebrows together. “If it’s not blood or sex you’re after, what the hell do you want, Lord Vladimir?”
That gorgeous smile appears, and I find myself weak at the knees all over again. “I just want your company.” His voice is a soothing lull. Vladimir extends his arm out to me. I scoot in to rest my head and hand on his chest. Yawning, suddenly my eyes feel heavy, and I fight to keep them open.
“Come to me, my love.”
Unable to resist this consuming urge taking over my body, I run for the door and open it. Eyes wide, I watch Lord Vladimir pleasuring a woman with long black hair on his bed made of red and gold silk. After studying every feature of this woman, I soon realize the woman on the bed is me. I’m completely naked. His head is in between my legs, and he is going to work on my clit through my panties, with his thumb. I see myself arch my back in response and moans continue to escape from me in waves. Watching us entwined in such animalistic passion, I find my hands in between my thighs, rubbing my clit as furiously as he is rubbing mine. The buildup of pressure is too much, and my knees give way. I feel my walls clench together as I shove a finger inside me, pushing me over the edge. Heat floods to my pussy…
“Ahhh!” I yell, panting heavily, I wake up to realize Vladimir is gone and I’m in my bed. Looking down, I notice I’m still in the lace dress with my hand inside my panties. While my breathing is so out of sync, I keep hearing his voice in my head, telling me to come to him. I try to contain the deep ache seeded in my core as I find myself gravitating toward my front door. I can’t control it—whatever it is that has taken control of my body.
“Come to me, my love.”
Chapter Twelve
Lord Vladimir
A TANTILIZING PULL in my belly jolts me from the comfort of my bed.
She’s here.
There’s a soft knock on the door. I open it, and she slides in through the small opening, closing the door behind her. I’d sensed her presence a mile away. My blood still courses through her veins. The mere thought of a slither of me inside her extends my fangs. By the end of the night, my love will have more than my blood inside her.
Trinity’s vivacious curves call to me—painted in red. Like her lips: sultry and inviting. My eyes feast on the delicious sight before me as I take a few gulps.
Trinity clears her throat. Her gleaming eyes trail around the room, avoiding my penetrating gaze. “So, this is how the infamous, Lord Vladimir lives. I must say, you have exquisite taste.”
“Yes, I like my room how I like my women—classy and full of charm.”
Her adorable laugh echoes throughout the room, and it makes me smirk. A sigh escapes her lungs while the tension in her posture subsides as she begins to sway over to my wall of paintings. The dangerously tall, lace-up heels she’s wearing—although sexy—make me cringe. I envision her breaking her ankle. They look so uncomfortable. And with this thought plaguing me, I stand closely behind her, afraid she might trip and fall with each impending step.
When we come across a less than tasteful painting of me, her pouty, sweet mouth gapes open with a gasp. “Did you really impale all those people, years ago?”
“So, you were paying attention in vampire history class?” I raise an eyebrow.
“Maybe a little.”
Then there’s painful silence that follows as Trinity continues to study the painting with wide eyes—a depiction of hundreds impaled by swords and wood. Helpless souls who met their fate at my merciless hands. Glancing at her, the question of what she’s thinking eats at me, so I hone in on her thoughts. They become mine. Everything about her is mine.
“Why am I suddenly drawn to you, when I know you’re capable of such monstrous things? I shouldn’t be here.”
I refrain from frowning when she glares at me, her blue eyes, illuminant and wanting, “but, you’re hot as fuck.”
I can’t hold in my chuckle, and it vibrates deep in my chest.
Her face twists in a scowl. “What?”
“Oh, nothing,” I smirk. I grab her hand. After a little resistance, she willingly follows me over to my bed. We sit together, shoulder to shoulder, the warmth of her skin sends sparks raging against mine. Her cheeks become rosy as she disconnects her body from me.
“So, what brings you here, my lady?” I ask even though I already know the answer. She can no longer resist me. We are entwined. Our bond, unchangeable.
She tugs at her bottom lip. “I’m so curious about you.”
I hum, reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “The feeling is mutual, my lady. Your beauty, everything about you is compelling.”
Her gorgeous globes meet mine, and sh
e subtly parts her soft lips to speak. “But, you’re the greatest vampire Lord who ever lived, surely there’s someone more compelling than I am.”
I grasp her hand once again and pull it to my mouth, planting a gentle kiss there. “Not in the slightest.”
She wilts under my touch as heart races against her chest. Her breathing hitches as her skin flushes a light shade of pink. I’ve gotten to her, and she can no longer deny the yearn deep inside her.
“Lord, Vladimir. I should hate you, but you’re constantly in my thoughts—in my dreams.” Her free hand begins to roam the length of her body as her breaths shorten.
“Mmm…please elaborate on what these thoughts, these dreams, entail.”
Trinity’s back collides with my bed, her hands twitching with nervousness. Reading her thoughts, she recalls the dream she had. The dream I’d planted in her pretty little head—to bend her will. What a stubborn woman she is. But now, the sight of how turned on she is, is glorious. It makes my cock harden watching her touch herself in places I can’t wait to experience.
“Oh, God. My skin feels as if it’s on fire just thinking about the things you did to me.” Trinity reaches into her hair, tangling her fingers inside the web of stands.
I growl, running my fingertips up her torso. Her back arches to meet my touch. “Tell me what things I did to you.”
A soft moan escapes her crimson lips, and she grabs my hand and shoves it down in between her thighs. My hand glides along the lace fabric of her panties. “First…” she pants. “You rubbed my clit through my panties.”
“Mmm…like this.” I lift my finger in time with her spreading her legs for me. I find her clit and rub softly through the fabric. Her back arches from my touch and I increase the pace. Just like I did in her dream.
“Yes,” she whimpers.
Kissing along her neck, I rip her panties off and slowly inserting a finger in between her slick folds. Then another. My saucy minx grinds seductively against my hand. I speed up, fucking her harder. We work together furiously, coaxing her orgasm.
“I don’t understand. Why do I ache for you so bad?” she moans.
“Because no one can make you cum like this.” Growling, I shove my fingers into the hilt, unleashing the slickness I plan bathing my greedy tongue in. Every single drop. She opens her mouth to scream, but nothing comes out while her body trembles uncontrollably. Looking at Trinity in a daze, puts a smirk on my face. Allowing her to catch her breath, I lightly trace her taut frame with my sharp nails, moving up then down.
“You’re so fucking right.” She exhales a long breath, sits up and jumps on top of me like a crazed woman. “I’ve been going crazy thinking about you.” Her lips soar to mine, and I groan with pleasure, slipping my tongue in to tease along hers, grappling a handful of her hair. I’m completely enamored by everything that is Trinity. Having her near me, touching me, kissing me, is better than anything I’ve ever dreamt of. Her passion is consuming me from the inside out and packing a dizzying blow.
The smell of her all over me and her sweet arousal soaking through my pants has my mind whirling to devour her like she’s devouring my mouth. “Ride my face,” I say in between biting her lower lip.
“Only if you promise not to bite me.” She sits up to raise an eyebrow at me.
“I promise nothing.” As I pull her sweet pussy toward my greedy and cold tongue. I shove my nose into her honey, smelling her, wanting her, needing her. I drool, my fangs elongating, the anticipation almost suffocating me. I flatten my tongue, gliding it over her folds, then flicking it against her swollen clit.
Shuddering, Trinity begins to buck her hips against my mouth, pushing both of us beyond our limit. “Vladimir, harder. Please, fuck me harder with your tongue.”
Her request unleashes the animal in me. My fangs extend as I lose all my senses. I dig my tongue in as far as it will go. She rides me harder. And before I can stop myself, my fangs rip into her inner thigh, and I clamp down. Even the terrified scream that escapes her doesn’t deter me from unlatching myself.
“Vladimir, please stop you’re hurting me!”
I don’t stop. I’m over stimulated to the point I have converted back to my basic instinct: the craving for blood.
A fury of Trinity’s punches strikes my face and only then do I release my hold.
Trinity dives off me. “You monster. Don’t you ever come around me again.”
The door slams and I’m in such a daze that I can’t seem to process what just came over me.
How could I do that to her?
Chapter Thirteen
Trinity James
SEVERAL DAYS HAVE gone by since I’ve last seen Vladimir. Since he bit me. He broke a rule—I’m not a donor, so feeding on me is illegal. I won’t turn him in because I feel so strongly towards him. I hope he’ll continue to keep his distance. I glide my hand over my thigh as that night flashes in my mind. I wince from the recollection. Although the puncture wounds have healed, there’s a phantom-like pain where they used to be. Just like my back. To add to this, I seem to have come down with the flu, hurling up my guts for the past day. Harper insisted I go and see a doctor because I look like death. She is right. I don’t even recognize the person staring back at me.
EVEN THOUGH I feel like I’m going to keel over any second, I’m at the office because I promised I would turn in my report to Cruella. When I reach the floor of the agency, the elevator door opens, and I see Leo, Harper’s fiancé—Mr. Dreamboat with perfect teeth, gorgeously bright brown eyes and black hair that every girl secretly envies. Well, at least I do. He looks so good it should be a sin.
He frowns. “Trinity, you okay? You look like shit.” He embraces me for a hug, trailing his hand up and down my back. Being this close and him touching me the way he is, makes the skin along my back start to itch.
He’s brutally honest.
“I’m fine.” I grit my teeth, pulling away and force a smile like nothing is bothering me. “How have you been, stranger?” I smile.
He walks me onto the floor, his hand still on my back. “I’m doing fantastic. Harper and I just got back from having a food tasting at the boat house.”
“That’s awesome. I bet it was delicious.”
“Very.” He licks his lips at me.
I clear my throat trying my best to ignore that fact my best friend’s fiancé just licked his lips at me. “Well, it was nice talking to you, Leo. But, I should go, Lara is expecting me.” I walk off in haste.
What the hell was all that about?
UNLOCKING THE DOOR to my dorm room, I suddenly feel like someone is watching me. I stop to glance up and down the hallways to find no one in sight. For a moment, I hoped it was Lord Vladimir, even though I know I should never see him again. That vampire has danger written all over him. Upon stepping into my room, my eyes immediately dart to a woman standing in the middle of my living room like she belongs there. Her floor-length blonde hair is draped over an old fashioned purple robe.
“Who are you and why are you in my room?” I cross my arms.
“You wear the mark of the beast,” she doesn’t hesitate to say, her eyes holding sincere concern.
“Mark of the beast? What the hell are you talking about?” I glare.
She sighs, seeming conflicted with her thoughts. “You were chosen by the master.”
“Umm, still not following...for what?”
She tilts her head. “To be one of them.”
I gasp, eyes wide. The memory of being carried off by that thing infects my brain. I don’t want to become one of them. “How do I get rid of this mark?”
“You. Must. Die.”
WHEN YOU’RE DESTINED to turn into a winged beast, you would think killing yourself would be simple, right?
Wrong!
I've tried everything. From slicing my throat. Shooting myself in the head. Overdosing. Jumping off a high-rise building.
Nothing.
Trying to die is exhausting.
Whatever this mark is doing to me, it's preventing me from ending my life. Which fucking blows. I've never wanted to die more in my entire existence.
I have the worst karma ever.
Well, here I am, my last ditch effort. A train. I run full speed and jump to lay in the middle of the train tracks, ready to be smashed. The headlights extend outward. It's close.
This has to be it.
The horn blares. I don't move. I wait for the end—my endless darkness. To finally be with my family. This is what I want. Life has been empty without them.
I close my eyes.
Wait a second...
I open them to discover that I'm no longer on the track but held tightly in someone's strong, cold arms.
I look up to find him.
Lord Vladimir.
“Stop saving me. I want to fucking die!” I push my way out of his arms.
“I can't let you die,” he growls.
“Why? Are you afraid your elders will rip you a new asshole if you don't tend to all your almighty duties?”
“No.”
“Then what the fuck, dude?”
He takes the longest sigh inhumanly possible. “Catching you on the stairs wasn’t the first time I'd saved you.” He gives me this look as if I can read his mind.
Wasn’t the first time...?
Then it dawns on me. The picture becomes clear...he healed me. How else would I have survived the fall without medical attention? He broke the rules when he bit me and he broke the rules then. Which means...we're both in danger. If they find out, they’ll kill us.
“Now do you understand why I can’t let you die?”
I nervously chew at my lip. “Yes. But why did you do it?”
Closing in on me, he pulls me into him and lifts my hand, so it’s hovering above his heart. “Do you feel that, Trinity?” His heart drums against his rib cage with such force that I’m afraid it may burst through his chest.
“Yes.”