Courting the Darkness

by Fuller, Karen

  “You obviously didn’t hear what I was trying to say.”

  “I heard every word.”

  He pulled her back into his arms, holding tighter when she struggled. “Obviously not.” His voice was strong and husky. “The first thing I told you was that I am attracted to you.” He lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. “I’m very attracted to you. I don’t want to take you back and leave you with Drake.”

  Despite the cold, she suddenly felt warm. “Then don’t take me back to Drake.”

  “If only it were that simple.” He held her tighter. “There are things that you don’t understand about our vampire society. My peers consider me a rogue because I prefer my solitude, and I don’t like to follow orders. Rogues are not generally trusted and barely tolerated. We have to swear an allegiance with the local king and be bound to his service, to do as the king commands. If we refuse the commitment, then we are hunted down and destroyed, or at the very least, run out of the territory. Drake is not only my king. He is also my friend…and my maker. He can be a little selfish and arrogant at times, but deep down, he’s a good man and a strong leader. Even though he is a vampire, he is not generally a cruel sort unless you’re an enemy. If I thought he would hurt you, I’d take you and run.”

  Tears pooled in her eyes again. “I’m afraid he’ll never let me go.”

  He frowned at the desperation in her voice, suddenly concerned that she may have promised more than she could deliver to his king. “Exactly what kind of deal did you make with Drake?”

  “He didn’t give me much choice.” She shrugged. “I agreed to try to cast the spell he wants.”

  “Did he offer you anything in return?”

  “He said that if I could allow him to walk in the daylight, I could have anything I want.” She paused. “He also added if it was within his power to give.”

  “Those were his words?” She nodded in response. “If Drake is anything, he is a man of his word. If it is within his power, he’ll give it to you.”

  Her eyes lit up with a new hope. “I want to start working on that spell.”

  “Right now?”

  “Yes, if I can figure out that spell now, then I can stop worrying about all this mess. Do you have that cell phone on you?”

  “No, it’s in the van.”

  “Good.” She smiled as her plan unfolded. “I have to make a phone call to another witch from my coven. She’ll know about where I can go around here to get the ingredients for the spell. I need you to drive me there.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  With trembling fingers, Desiree dialed her friend Sherry’s number from the cell phone. The phone rang a dozen times before Sherry picked up.

  Sherry yawned into the phone. “Hello?”

  “Hi, Sherry, it’s me, Desiree.”

  “Desiree, do you have any idea what time it is?”

  “Yeah, it’s about two-thirty in the morning.” She suddenly felt guilty about calling her friend at that hour. “I’m sorry about the time, but this is important.”

  “Where have you been? We’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

  “It’s a long story.” She sighed into the receiver. “And I don’t have time to go into it now. I need you to get on the computer and pull up our directory.”

  Sherry automatically reached over, turning her computer on. “Why didn’t you do this yourself?”

  She looked at Mica, shrugging. “I’m stuck in a cave out in the middle of nowhere, and I am lucky to have this cell phone.”

  “Okay, the computer’s powered up, and I’m in the directory. What am I looking for?

  “Hang on a second.” She raised an eyebrow at Mica. “Mica, where are we again?”

  “We're in Sevierville, Tennessee.”

  She nodded, speaking again into the receiver. “I need you to pull up Sevierville.”

  “I heard him,” she remarked in concentration. “I’ve got the directory up for that area. Now, Desiree, tell me, you’re stuck in a cave in Sevierville with a guy named Mica? I want every detail.”

  “It’s not what you think,” Desiree remarked impatiently, “and it will have to wait for another time. I’m in a jam and I need ingredients for a spell.”

  “What kind of spell?”

  “I’m not at liberty to say, but it’s a huge spell—one with permanent effects, if you get my drift.”

  “Let me get this straight. You're stuck in a cave in Tennessee with a guy named Mica, and you need to cast a huge permanent spell, and you won’t even tell me what it’s for?”

  “Sherry…”

  “Okay, okay, I’ve got the directory up. There is a witch there; her name is Agatha. She has her own apothecary behind an all night laundry on the main road. It will be on your right just before you get to Pigeon Forge. She has a spell cast over the place, and unless you’re a witch, you can’t even see it. She’s a night owl. She should be up.”

  “Thanks, Sherry, I owe you.”

  “You owe me the whole story”

  “Once it’s over, and if I survive it, I’ll tell you most of it.”

  “I’m going to hold you to that.”

  “Bye.” Desiree hung up the phone. Biting her lip apprehensively, she handed him the phone. “How much of that did you hear?”

  Leisurely lounging up against the van, he grinned at her friend’s assumptions. “Every word.”

  “Great!” She rolled her eyes. “Not only can you see in the dark, you have excellent hearing as well.” She placed her hands on her hips in irritation. “Is there anything you’re not good at?”

  He threw up his hands in mock defense, laughing. “You tell me.”

  She laughed with him. “The only faults I’ve found so far are your short temper, and your aversion to taking orders.” She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “I’m stuck out here with Mister Perfect.”

  “You think I’m perfect?”

  “What, you’re not a mind reader too?”

  He pulled her into his arms. “I haven’t mastered that yet.” He locked eyes with her. “And you didn’t answer my question.”

  She leaned into him, resting her cheek against his chest again to break eye contact. “Just what are you trying to get me to admit to?”

  He placed his arms around her, holding her to his body. “You had me confess all earlier. I want to know what you really think about me.”

  She smiled, careful to keep her eyes averted. “I think you’re dangerous.”

  “I’ve been told that.”

  “No, I mean to me.” She snuggled closer. “I’m afraid I’m in danger of getting too attached, and you’ll leave.”

  Gripping her shoulders, he pushed her away to stare levelly into her eyes. “I will not leave—unless you order me to go,” he remarked, suddenly feeling unsure.

  A half-smile touched her lips. “I thought you said you didn’t take orders too well.”

  “I don’t…and if you gave me that order, I don’t think I would take that one too well either. I had hoped you might want me to stay.”

  She looked away, uncomfortable with sharing her feelings. “You scare the hell out of me sometimes, but I want to see where this leads. I don’t want you to go anywhere.”

  He lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him. “Good,” he remarked gruffly. “Now that my leaving is no longer an issue…” He dropped her chin, opening the driver side door of the Express Van. He reached inside and started the engine and the heater. Closing the driver’s door and walked to the rear, opened the back hatch, and smiled. “Ladies first.”

  She looked inside the van, and then looked back at him, returning his smile. “You’re going to make me ride in the back?

  He stepped toward her and lifted his hand, caressing her cheek with his fingertips. She caught her breath. “No, I thought you might like to get out of the snow.”

  She felt a flush of heat with his caress. “That’s sounds like it might be a good idea,” she whispered, swallowing hard. “I think.”

 
; He chuckled softly. “Are you having second thoughts?”

  “No.” She smiled, climbing into the back. “I’m just a little nervous.” Sitting down, she looked up at him. Her eyes followed his every movement as he climbed into the van behind her, closing the door.

  He leaned forward, cupping her face in his hand. His long, wavy hair fell onto his face. She reached up, caressing the locks with her fingers, and then rubbed them against her cheek, smiling at the silky feel. “It’s so soft.” She closed her eyes, burying her face in the hair she held in her hand. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted the run my fingers through it”

  His cock swelled, straining the zipper in this leather pants. “Why didn’t you?” His voice was gruff and restrained.

  Opening her eyes, she grinned flirtatiously. “If I had known how nice it felt running through my fingers, I wouldn’t have been able to help myself.” She bit her bottom lip, gazing intently into his eyes, watching his pupils dilate and darken with desire. She felt a thrill jolt through her, her heart skipping a couple of beats before it raced at a maddening pace.

  He tilted his head, his mouth descending on hers, hot and demanding. His tongue stroked hers in rhythm, exploring every crevice, igniting a shared hunger. With a groan, he eased his tongue deeper. She moaned, meeting his tongue with eager strokes of her own. She leaned into him, her breasts pressed against his chest. Her nipples beaded, aching at the tantalizing friction. He slipped his arms around her, deepening the kiss. Splaying her fingers, she slid her palms up his chest to encircle his neck with her arms, fisting his silken locks between her fingers. That molten kiss sent heat scorching through her veins to every nerve ending, pooling hot and throbbing between her thighs.

  Suddenly, she felt daring, and tore her mouth away from his, gazing boldly into his eyes. Raising her slender hands to the buttons on her flannel shirt, her fingers unfastened the buttons in a slow, deliberate show. His eyes followed the path her fingers were taking, watching in anticipation as the last button let go. She rose up on her knees, reaching up to remove the shirt, and eased the fabric off her shoulders.

  He smiled roguishly, plucking the shirt away, tossing it into a heap on the back seat behind her. The sight of her full breasts threatening to spill over the top of her low cut lacey bra attracted his full attention. With a quick movement of his fingers, the bra followed the shirt over the back seat before she knew what was happening. His eyes focused on her lush breasts with hunger. Lifting his eyes, his smile broadened.

  She smiled in return, her pink tongue darting out, running across her bottom lip in anticipation.

  He reached up with his large hand, cupping her breast, running his thumb over her beaded nipple. His cock heated, growing larger, barely restrained behind the zipper. “You’re so beautiful, and so perfect.” Leaning forward, he brought his lips to her pert nipple, taking it into his mouth and teasing it with his tongue.

  The moment his lips made contact with her over sensitive nipple, the ache between her legs grew. Breathing in short gasps, she arched her back, trying to get closer.

  Her musky scent teased his senses. His lips worked their way in a soft trail of kisses to her neck, stopping to nibble on her ear. “You don’t know what you do to me.”

  She would not be able to take too much more of this sweet torture. Running her fingers across his chest, she gripped the fabric of his shirt with her fists in impatience. “Show me…I want to feel what you feel.” She reached over, urgently tugging at the hem of his fleece shirt, working it up his torso. Pushing her hands away, he crossed his arms, grabbing the hem of the shirt, and pulling it up over his head. Her hungry eyes took in every ripple in his washboard abs and traveled up to his broad, well-muscled chest. She ran her fingers through the mat of dark hair, his muscles quivering and jerking everywhere her fingers touched. “I was right, you are perfect.”

  Sitting back, she pried her tennis shoes off, dropping them over the backseat onto the floorboard. She rose back up on her knees, lifting her leg over to straddle his lap. Settling herself over him, she felt his hard erection bulging against her through the fabric. She lifted an eyebrow in a challenge, smiling playfully; she wriggled her hips to tease him.

  Gritting his teeth, he grabbed her hips to stop her, neck corded with the strain. His hard shaft, seeking release of the sweet torment, inched further up toward the waistband of this leather pants, threatening to spill prematurely. He had not had that happen since he was a teenager when he’d lost his virginity. He felt his control over his actions slip a little, wanting nothing more than to bury himself to the hilt in her sweet, wet softness. “If you don’t slow down, I’m not going to be able to control myself.”

  She threw back her head, laughing in a teasing manner. “Then don’t.” She reveled in the new power she held over him.

  Growling, he grabbed her by the rib cage and her over onto her back, straddling her on the cot. She smiled up at him. He bent down, running his tongue around one of her pert nipples, drawing it into his hot mouth, suckling it. Closing her eyes, she squirmed beneath him. He smiled, giving the other one equal attention. Running her fingers through his hair, she drew his hot mouth closer to her, arching her hips against him. Her eagerness was his undoing. He bit down, piercing the skin, suckling, drawing in deep.

  She sucked in her breath first in the initial pain, and then let it back out in a sigh as his venom hit her blood stream, creating a mild euphoria, leaving her moaning in pleasure. “Mica…please…” she whimpered breathlessly. “I…oh God,” she panted. “And people call me a witch…”

  Withdrawing his fangs, he kissed the tiny wounds. Tracing a path down her body with his tongue, her skin twitched and quivered in response. He stopped at her, navel looking up at her. Biting her lip in anticipation, they locked eyes. He popped the snap to her jeans, easing the zipper down. Her tongue darted out, licking her lips, as she continued to stare eagerly into his eyes. He smiled, slowly inching down the fabric from her hips. When it reached her knees, he tore his eyes from hers and looked down. Hooking his fingers in her lacy bikinis, he swiftly pulled them to her jeans, removing them both. He ran his hands across her bare skin from her waist to her hips in admiration. “You are perfect,” he remarked. Looking back up, he locked eyes with her again. “There’s no turning back now.”

  “As if I could, or even want to. I think I would die if we don’t finish.”

  Sliding his hands back up her body, he laid down on the cot next to her. Caressing her cheek with his fingertips, he brought his lips to hers in a sweltering kiss, sliding his tongue in, stroking, and exploring. He kissed his way from her jaw line down to her neck, nuzzling, nibbling, and kissing the soft spot. In a gentle caress, his hands slid across her body, squeezing and kneading her buttocks.

  She groaned, hooking her leg around his hip, drawing him closer. Her fingers caressed his abs, finding the waistband to his soft leather pants, tugging at the smooth material as her fingers sought the elusive snap.

  He chuckled. “You are persistent.”

  She laughed at his little joke. “You can’t blame a girl for trying.”

  “No, I can’t. In fact, I’d be a little disappointed if you didn’t try.”

  “So this is a premeditated assault on my senses?” She squirmed beneath his weight. “You’ve got me wound so tight, I might snap.”

  He laughed at her comment. “Is that so?” His eyes sparkled. “I guess I’ll have to do something about that.”

  She rolled her eyes, grinning. “Finally.”

  He chuckled softly, but he did not do what she expected. Parting her legs, he picked back up where he left off earlier, tracing his tongue down her abdomen below her navel. Placing the palm of his hand on her soft mound, she caught her breath, moving her hips to rub against his hand. She was hot, wet, and ready for him. Slipping his fingers between her folds into her tight core, he moved his fingers in and out. She moved beneath him. He replaced his fingers with his tongue. He suckled, stroked, and teased until she cri
ed out, shuddering violently in release.

  He crawled back up the mattress, taking her into his arms.

  That little encounter barely took the edge off for her. Pulling away from him, she sat up.

  He furrowed his eyebrows, frowning. “Is there something wrong?”

  “Yes.” The frustration rang clear in her voice. “You still have too many clothes on.”

  He grinned. “You are impatient.”

  She locked her eyes with his. “I ache for you,” she whispered softly. “I want to feel you inside me.”

  Slowly, he reached down, popping the snap on his leather pants. She reached over, pushing his hand out of the way, taking over. Looking up, she locked eyes with him again, biting her lip; she eased the zipper down. He sprang free, hard and erect.

  Kicking off his boots, he helped her ease off the leather pants.

  She wrapped her fingers around his hard shaft, his flesh twitching beneath her touch. She squeezed lightly; he caught his breath as a bead of liquid emerged from the tip. She wiped it away with her thumb, squeezing once more. He groaned, and she locked eyes with him again. Her eyes sparkled devilishly, her lips held a trace of a smile. As she squeezed again, he closed his eyes. She bent down, running her hot tongue from the base all the way up to the shaft. He quivered beneath her touch. She did it again, placing her lips around the fat tip.

  He felt her hot mouth, and tongue descend on his cock in a bittersweet torment. Each swipe of her silken tongue brought him closer to release. Gripping her shoulders, he pulled her mouth away from him; the muscles at his neck corded with the strain.