The Darker Side Of Me (A Ravana Moon Novel Book 1)

by S. L. Perrine

  I could tell she was holding back, not using her full strength. Though with the same abilities, I was able to withstand so much more. Being with a human couldn’t match the excitement I felt at the strength of one of my own; hunter or vampire. However, Ravana was something more. I knew the first time I held her against the bathroom stall at the club. I felt it when we’d moved to the alley. I knew there was a reason why I craved her touch, and as the machine began to beep signaling it was finished, I craved her more.

  Red, reached over and pulled the needle from my vein. She bent down to my ear and with a whispered breath she asked, “Feel any different?”

  I had to admit at the moment all I was feeling was her. She knelt over my lap. Still stroking me, and finally, I was able to bend my free arm and place my hand over hers. I squeezed her hand against me and moved it in rhythm with her rocking hips.

  She took the hint and smiled. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  She moved back until she was sitting over my legs. My hand no longer able to reach her. I placed my fingers in my mouth and sucked hard, closing my eyes as I enjoyed the taste of her in my mouth. I opened my eyes to see her gaze following my other hand to my still exposed shaft. I stroked myself and her eyes widened.

  “If you won’t keep going, then I’ll just have to remedy myself.”

  “Oh, no.” She pulled my hand away from me, then took the other as well. She moved off the end of the table and pulled me with her. “This room is supposed to be sterile. Let’s not give poor Delia more of a mess to clean.”

  “Hmm.” I didn’t realize the girl doubled as her cleaning service. “You sure you want to move. Last time we tried that…”

  “I still shut a door in your face. Yes, I know. How about you just start walking, and I’ll try to close the door after you’re in the room this time.”

  Her lips curled up again, and as we moved through the apartment toward her room I was able to feel the effects of the blood in my system. I wondered if she felt the same thing when she gave herself an infusion. It was like my senses were heightened tenfold. My pulse quickened, and my breath hitched in my throat as I watched her smooth skin move through the rooms. I suddenly realized the effects my body had post injection of blood versus feeding on blood was completely different. Not only did I feel energized, but I felt stronger and if I had to bet, I thought I could have run faster than even Ravana.

  I took my chances, lifting her up in my arms as I had done the previous night and blurred us into her room. I stopped just inside her door and set her down. She looked at me. Need rising in her, her heart stopped for a fraction of a second, but I saw it. She reached a hand to my temple, her fingers moved through my hair. With her free hand, she threw the door closed.

  “What?” I asked as she studied my face.

  “The door is closed.”

  “So, it is.”

  I picked her up and at a normal speed, I walked her to the side of her bed placing our bodies in the middle, but sideways. Letting our gazes hold, I let my hand travel down the front of her blouse. The first three buttons were open. My fingers slid over the skin exposed and pushed the fabric away from the middle of her breasts. I wanted to take my time with her. The bathroom, the alley; that was a moment of pure need. I wanted to devour her as quickly as possible. Now, I wanted to devour her, but I wanted to drive her crazy in the process.

  She lifted her chest as my hand moved to the fastened buttons and I plucked them free of the thread that held them to the shirt.

  “I liked this one.”

  “I’m sure your Keeper will sew them back on for you.”

  I bent down, breaking eye contact with her to pick the last one off the fabric with my teeth. I pushed down around the button to grab ahold of it, noticing the button settled over her sex. I held there for a moment, moving my mouth as if I were having a hard time, then ripped the button free letting the fabric fall away from her. She reached down, her nails scraped the skin on my back, waist to neck as she lifted my shirt from my body. The familiar sting of the iron wasn’t present. That made me think until she pushed my face into the joining of her thighs. I grabbed at the elastic waistband of her thong and pulled them from her body. The thin strip of satin snapped, and the skimpy garment was thrown to the floor. She moaned, and her knees came up as she thrust her hips toward me her ankles hooked together behind my head.

  Chapter 12

  Ravana

  There was something about the expression in his eyes when he looked up at me. The blood infusion had worked. I could hear his heart pumping as fast as mine. He could be like me. There was nothing that we could learn from Emerick that could do that, I knew that after reading the journal Delia gave me. However, after seeing his usual dark eyes after the infusion I was convinced he could change if he knew. If I told him that his eyes turned blue with an amber ring around them, would he take that as a sign? Would he want to change the way he lived simply because it made him different? If I told him and he went along with it, I wouldn’t know if he agreed just to get in my bed, or because he really wanted to make his existence better than what it was. We could be unstoppable if we were the same. I may even be talked into resuming what a hunter’s true purpose was for; protecting the innocent.

  I almost told him. I almost pulled him to the bathroom and made him look at his eyes. Then I changed my mind. I wanted to know who he was. I already knew I had a deeply seeded crush on him. I knew I lusted for his every touch. Even then as his hands moved up my thighs, his thumbs caressing the insides of my legs as he ventured up further. His thumbs grazed my apex, and I shivered. I craved his touch even as his hands roamed my body. I pushed my head back into the mattress. My neck craning back, and my hips rocked forward, pushing my pelvis up to meet him. I felt his breath against me. His lips were warm when he led up my inner thighs with them. He stopped over on my lips and let the tip of his tongue move from my clit down toward my rear. He retracted his tongue and let the heat of his breath coat me. I heard the whimper escape me and silently wished I hadn’t let him see how he made me react. How my body was answering his movements, his touch, his heat.

  From the first time I’d met him, he’d never been more than the same temperature than me. I couldn’t even tell what he was that first time because of the similar temperature and strength. In the moment I hadn’t even thought of it. Not until I let myself. That’s when I shoved a heel through his shoulder to relieve myself of him inside me. Now, I was begging him to take me. I could hardly remember what it felt to be wrapped around him, though I knew it was something I couldn’t get off my mind. The need was becoming too much to fight. So, I would give him what we both wanted, and let him make the decision about his life based on something other than winning me. I couldn’t deny myself. If he’d made the wrong decision I would be forced to stay away from him based on principle. This way we both got relief and I got a straight answer. I needed it. I needed both.

  When his mouth came crashing down on me I screamed. I felt the small release within my body and silently cursed myself for not being able to hold it in. I felt myself explode in his mouth. He sucked on me, the feeling sent me over the edge and I was releasing again. It’d been so long since I’d let anyone distract me. Now I’d pay for it. He’d make me squirm for every bit of control I relinquished.

  His hands tugged at my hips then he released himself from me and looked up. When my cries stopped I heard the soft steps from two people out in the main area of the apartment. I listened as a hand touched the doorknob and froze when Massimo blurred from the bed to the door to hold it in place.

  “You didn’t think to lock it?”

  “I’m sorry, I wasn’t really thinking about it at the time. I was a little busy.” I cocked an eyebrow at him as Delia shouted through the door and tried to turn the handle.

  “Ravana? You okay in there?”

  “Yes, perky. We are fine in here.”

  I heard an exasperated ‘Oh’, and her footfalls as she moved to the kitchen, her companion
in tow.

  “I don’t suppose we can stay and finish?” He nodded his head toward the door and I was already on my feet.

  My blouse lay in a ripped heap in the middle of my bed next to my favorite thong. “I don’t think so.” I moved to the closet and grabbed a pair of black leggings and a short black crop-top. I adjusted my hair on top of my head and padded across the room barefoot. Massimo stood there staring at me. He placed his hands on my hips and considered my eyes. His had gone back to their normal dark brooding selves. I reached forward and as quick as I could manage I fastened his pants and belt.

  “Aw,” he grimaced.

  “Quiet. We have time. Unless you plan on going somewhere?”

  “Not anytime soon, love.” He reached behind my neck and pulled our lips together before opening the door.

  Kelly was taller than Delia, even without heels. The woman wore flat, sensible shoes. I had a feeling this one might be trouble when she gave us a nasty look as we exited my bedroom. She only glanced at Massimo, with a nasty sneer, and then looked me over head to toe. Her mousy brown hair was pulled back into a neat bun. She had small diamond studs on her little earlobes, and the way her hazel eyes looked me over once more made me want to lash out.

  “I was just explaining to Kelly what the schedule is like, so she can adapt,” Delia said as we approached a bit closer to the kitchen counter.

  “It’s fairly easy to comprehend. Sunset to sunrise,” I pointed out as I moved to the fridge turning my back on the new Keeper.

  “That’s hardly protocol. You don’t have a sensitivity to sunlight, do you?” the woman asked.

  I turned and glared at her as Massimo offered her his hand. “I suppose you’re my Keeper? I’m Massimo. My friends call me Mo.”

  “You can call him Massimo,” I lashed out. “And no, I have no sensitivity to the sun. However, those I hunt…do. I can hardly find them out and about if they’re at home resting.”

  “Even still, you not supposed to adapt to their schedule.” She stuck her nose up and I moved to the island, keeping it between us.

  “This is my schedule, and if you don’t like it, you may leave,” I pointed to the door.

  “I have a cooler of blood bags I need to deliver to Mr. Massimo’s room. If someone will show the way, and then to my own. I’d like to rest.”

  “Massimo won’t be needing it. Leave it here. Delia can show you where to store it in the infusion room. Now, if you’ll excuse us, it’s past our bedtime,” I pointed to the now lit sky.

  “Massimo won’t be feeding?” Delia asked.

  “We’re going to try infusion therapy,” I told her smugly.

  My keeper merely looked at me and smiled.

  Kelly made an inaudible noise and turned away. “We shall see about that.”

  “What stick crawled up your ass?” I asked after I used my ability to stand directly in front of her. I tipped my head down to look at her and if she were frightened by the movement her face didn’t show it.

  “I’m sorry?”

  “You heard me. I invited you into my home and you’re being a bitch to my face?”

  “First of all, this is not your home. This is a government issued dwelling, procured by the PCI. Second of all, soldiers should not be cohabitating with each other.”

  “I’ve never eaten a human, but I’m pretty sure for you I can make an exception.”

  Delia pushed between us and the look of fear made me stop. “I’m sorry, Ravana. They didn’t tell her where she was going. Nobody would take the job when they were told first.”

  “Wait,” the woman began laughing. “Of course, I know who she is. The minute I saw her it was obvious. Everyone knows she’s in Seattle. What do you take me for, a moron?” Kelly looked down on Delia.

  “If you know who I am, then you know I bought this building and am allowing the Order, not the PCI to make use of it. One floor of it. That hardly makes it their property. Second of all, don’t talk to her that way. Or I will eat you.” I started my way toward my room and spoke as I went. “Only I get to talk to her that way. Now, get out.”

  I’d never wanted to eat anyone before. Kill, maim, torture, and devour. Never eat. I wanted to rip that woman’s throat to shreds. The condescending attitude was enough to put me in a foul mood and Massimo could tell. At least that’s what I told myself when he walked the women out of my apartment and into the elevator letting the doors close behind him.

  “Just fucking great. Now I’m pissed and sexually frustrated.” I didn’t even bother to undress, but climbed between my covers and let sleep take me.

  When I woke, Delia was in her usual spot on the floor of the living room pouring over books. Coffee and pastries were on the counter. I emerged in a pair of pajamas, since I couldn’t bring myself to walk around in just a thong. I may have realized she deserved a bit better than that. However, I wouldn’t be cleaning up after myself anytime soon. I left the wrapper from the muffin I’d chosen on the counter and went to check my emails from the Order and send one of my own. What they thought sending an uptight stick in the mud to my door, I’ll never know. If they couldn’t get volunteers to come here, then maybe they needed to get some agents with balls attached to them.

  Delia looked at the wrapper on the counter and sighed. “I’ve taken the liberty of hiring a maid. She will work in the day while you are sleeping. She has also been instructed to not vacuum…ever.” She looked back down to the book in front of her.

  With my mouth full of the blueberry muffin, I was only able to shrug my shoulders at her as I escaped to my room to get dressed. The sun was setting, and I’d wasted enough time the night before doing too much of nothing, and no one.

  I met him before I heard the elevator open. Of course, two sets of foot prints were entering my apartment and I was not pleased. I pulled my hair free of the towel I’d wrapped it in after my shower and let it cascade down my back to the underside of my rear. Blow drying only took half the time when I could air dry it with a few spins around the room. By the time I emerged from my room I was fully dressed and ready to go.

  “Let’s go.”

  “Where, is it you’re going?”

  “Listen, lady. Don’t think you’re going to come in here and change anything. We have work to do, and you get to look at books.”

  “No, we have to formulate a plan, and I’m coming with you.”

  “DELIA,” I said in as unstrained a voice as I could. “What is homicidal Barbie talking about?”

  “I actually have no idea. This is the first I’m hearing about it.”

  “Do you really think the Order sent a second Keeper here to scour through books? I’m here to keep you two under control.”

  “She’s going to die. That’s all there is to it. She’s going to die because I’m going to drink her dry.”

  “Red. Stop.” Massimo reached up to take my hand. He cupped his hand under my chin and made me look into his eyes. “She just needs to see that we are taking every avenue we can to get to Emerick. That’s all. We should take her to see Kyron.”

  “Kyron. He’s utterly disgus…” My eyes widened when I realized what he was doing. I retracted my fangs, not realizing I had let them out and smiled at him with a nod. “Yes, she should come with us to see Kyron, but she still might die.” Then I peered around him to look at the woman. “I promise I won’t be holding the weapon.”

  “Good, then we have a plan and now we may go. Where are you parked?”

  “Parked? Ha.” I let Massimo explain to his Keeper how vampires get around the city as we rode the elevator to the bottom floor.

  She was deeply upset that we had to walk everywhere and insisted on getting us a car from the Order as soon as possible. I was betting she didn’t last long enough to make that call. So, I didn’t argue the fact that I liked walking. I also wasn’t planning on telling her I owned several cars. Of course, I almost took back my statement about holding the weapon that does her in, when she began to insist that my heels were not walking shoe
s and that I needed to change. She almost ended up with a heel to the eye, but I kept my cool.

  Walking to the Industrial District was long and tiresome with a human underfoot. She could barely keep up even with her sensible shoes. Her brown pencil skirt didn’t allow for much leg movement either. I didn’t bother explaining to her that everyone in passing could only see and hear her. It was too much fun watching them give her the dirtiest looks as she tugged at the bottom of her skirt as she went. The stockings she wore kept making it bunch up her legs, showing a bit more leg than she was entirely too comfortable with. When she stopped to pick gum from the bottom of her shoe, we couldn’t help but laugh as a couple of teenage boys pushed her onto a bus bench while she picked at her sole.

  Chapter 13

  Massimo

  The look on Ravana’s face was priceless when she figured out what was up my sleeve. I think she may have taken it a bit farther in her own mind, but the look was what I was paying attention to. Like I’d given her the keys to a castle.

  When she exited her room wearing those skin-tight black jeans I had to look twice. Did the woman own any clothing that didn’t have holes in them? Down the front of her legs, from her thighs to her ankles were square gold buckles holding strips of fabric together. In between was exposed rectangular patches of skin. The shirt was nearly as bad. A thin red blouse over top of a black lace bra. As usual, the top three buttons were undone. A thin strip of fabric ran across the back of her shoulders, her back was completely exposed, but only visible when her hair moved to the side. Something she did when she walked through the building. I’d assumed it was so she didn’t get it closed in a door.