by Aja James
Also during the night, her filmy white robes had shifted and her bare backside was now pressing firmly and tantalizingly into his groin, giving him a clue for the source of his raging erection.
And then there were the invisible hands that caressed him all over, the culprits, in fact, that teased him painfully awake this early morning.
He blinked hard, trying to dispel the last vestiges of slumber, and looked down at himself, trying to ascertain whether he’d dreamed the silken caresses that set him afire.
Her hair.
Flowing white tendrils curved this way and that all over his naked body, meandering like languid serpents seeking the comfort of heat in the cool, autumn dawn. Some tresses pooled over his chest and biceps, tickling his nipples and throat. Other tresses slid impishly over his stomach and thighs, trailing along his hips bones lovingly to wrap around his swollen manhood in a satiny glove.
There they tended him with gentle pressure, punctuated with voluptuous twists that milked him slowly. He could see the transparent strands surge with the milky glow of his Nourishment as it flowed through the silken needles to vitalize the Healer’s body.
“They have a mind of their own sometimes,” the warm female in his arms sighed sleepily. “Sorry about that.”
Slowly, the silvery white tresses left his body, lingering over his crotch as if sad to depart, obediently wove themselves into a fishtail braid and curled like a chastised child against the Healer’s breast.
“I-” Valerius swallowed hard and cleared his throat. Goddess above, would he ever get used to these intimacies?
“I would Serve you before you start the day, if it pleases you,” he finally said in a low, husky rumble.
Haltingly, painstakingly, he guided one of her hands to his swollen flesh with his own and wrapped her fingers around him. Even though he’d brought her touch himself, his body still shuddered involuntarily from head to toe as a wave of inner pain washed over him.
She gave him a long, lazy squeeze, but then took her hand away, taking his hand instead and bringing their entwined fingers to her lips, kissing his knuckles lightly.
Curling her backside deeper into his groin, she sighed in contentment and said, “There will be no Service this morning, warrior, you need to recover your strength. And besides, my misbehaving tresses have already stolen shamelessly from you and I feel better than I’ve felt in ages.”
Valerius could feel her smile against the back of his hand, and his entire being tingled with something akin to pleasure in response. To have fulfilled her, even for a brief period of time, made him feel a hundred times the man he had ever been.
“When must you begin your hunt, Protector?” she asked, a worried note in her voice.
“I am not to hunt today,” Valerius replied, a slow flush heating up his face. “The Circlet advised that I should attend to your needs until you are able to build a sufficient reserve.”
Her smile spread wider and he blushed harder.
“The Royal Council is most considerate,” Rain demurred. “Far be it for me to gainsay them.” She twisted around in his arms until they were facing each other, one of her hands holding his stubbly cheek and the other still in an affectionate clasp with his.
“But I am satisfied for now, airen,” she smiled a dazzling smile at him. “You have been everything I ever needed. I am humbled by your sacrifice.”
Valerius started to shake his head, but she stopped him with a kiss to his nose. “Don’t deny how difficult this whole ordeal is to you. We both know the truth. I don’t care anymore why you decided to apply to Serve me. Whether because you felt indebted or because you’re just plain heroic. I’m just so happy you’re here.”
She scooched closer and threw a slender leg possessively over his hips. “You can’t know how delighted I am to have you as mine own for this brief period of time.” She rubbed her thumb tenderly over his sharp cheekbone. “I’ve wanted you since the first time we met, you know.”
Valerius blinked rapidly at her confession. His heart pounded faster as her words flowed forth.
“You are the most beautiful man I’ve ever beheld. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and wow, you more than meet all my aesthetic requirements. But the Healer in me wanted you for another reason.” She softly nuzzled his face with hers, the kittenish touch startlingly as arousing to him as her lips around his cock.
She met his gaze again and said in a saddened whisper, “You are one large, open wound. I can practically feel the pain and torment radiating from your body. How can I possibly resist wanting to heal that wound. It is the purpose of my very existence.”
Valerius dropped his gaze and felt himself withdraw, even as his body stayed still.
“Don’t hide from me, Valerius.” At her use of his name his eyes flew to hers once more.
She smiled her Mona Lisa smile and said, “I can’t make promises, but I truly feel that this union will help heal us both. You provide me Nourishment. Let me take care of you in return. Let me love you for a little while.”
Valerius’ breath hitched and his heart stuttered.
How could he possibly deny her? But it wasn’t enough. Her kindness and generosity wasn’t nearly enough. He wanted…
Goddess above, he wanted an Eternity.
“So,” she said, oblivious to his inner turmoil, “this morning I shall serve you. You must be hungry. It will only take me a little while to prepare some traditional Chinese dim sum.”
Before he could tighten his embrace to keep her with him, she bounced off the bed in a flurry of silk and skipped lightly to the adjoining chamber like a spritely water nymph.
Soon thereafter, he heard the water run and pots and pans clanging, the sounds strangely soothing in their domesticity.
No woman, since his human age of fourteen-yearsold, had ever made him a meal.
And then he heard Rain’s voice humming a bright, cheerful melody, and he gazed at the living mural. Just as she’d promised, the scenery had shifted from night to dawn, with a vibrant pinkish-orange disk rising behind green mountains, playing hide and seek with curls of clouds that drifted past. The songbirds seemed to chirp along with their enchantress as they flitted across the pale blue skies reflecting over a glistening lake.
And slowly, surely, Valerius felt his soul begin to heal.
*** *** *** ***
Leonidas entered the abandoned railroad tunnel with arm raised over his shoulder, ready to unsheathe his makhaira, one of the cross swords secured against his back, at the slightest scent of danger.
The General Alexandros followed closely behind, his extra long sagaris axe at the ready.
They were some fifty miles north of Boston city, in a remote suburb that met in the middle of three different counties. In the early nineteen hundreds there used to be a thriving town built around the rails which transported manufactured goods to the south, but presently the town center consisted of one main street the length of two stop lights. There wasn’t even a McDonalds nearby.
But the body count in the surrounding towns was taking a sharp rise.
Their tracking of the Horde had led them here, and if their sources were right, deep in the tunnel they would discover a secret labyrinth that would take them to an underground cavern where as many as a dozen vampires slept during the day.
A Horde of this size was unusual. When vampires became well-organized, they formed Hives, or structured societies led by one vampire queen. Rogue vampires seldom traveled in large packs as the position of alpha was highly contested in the absence of a natural leader, but they could still form groups for the convenience of hunting.
In the Elite’s experience, Hordes were typically no larger than six to eight vampires, and even then they tended to split off into smaller factions of two to four. A dozen rogue vampires resting in one place was extremely rare, unheard of.
As Leonidas and Alexandros found the entrance to the labyrinth and made their way down the narrow passage that took them deeper and deeper
&nbs
p; underground, their senses were intensely alert, for both males felt that something was not quite right.
At the end of the maze, they entered a large cavern, just as the source had described. Dim disks of halogen lights placed in nooks of stalagmites provided some illumination, while dragon-teeth stalagtites descended sharply from the ceiling, the combination casting eerie shadows on the cavern walls. The air was still from wind and sound, save a methodical dripping of water.
And there they were, twelve large sarcophaguses, scattered at different angles across the damp floor.
The two Pure-males exchanged a silent look and each took position beside one sarcophagus, weapons raised. As they slowly and as quietly as possible tipped the lids, what they found sent shivers of shock and wariness down their spines.
Both beds were empty, but for two piles of dead vampire ashes. Someone had taken care of business before them.
But before they could check the remaining beds, the trap they’d walked into became all too clear. *** *** *** ***
Thank the Goddess Aella was her Elite guard today, Sophia thought as she hustled to her second class.
Aella she didn’t need to hide for fear the folks on campus would look at her askance. The Amazon looked as young as a college student herself, and she even signed up to audit the classes Sophia was taking so she could sit in class with her on her days to guard the young queen.
Aella was the closest thing to a girlfriend Sophia had.
Sophia had always been too in awe of Rain and Eveline, both because of their ethereal beauty and because of their mind-blowing Gifts. And Ayelet was too much like a parent. Aella, however, looked, and mostly acted, as if they were of an age. And Aella was the coolest friend – funny, trendy, loved to talk about boys – except when she performed her role as one of the Elite in formal Royal Zodiac gatherings. Then she got all solemn and Xena-Warrior-Princess-like. To see her with Sophia, one would never guess she was almost two thousand five hundred years old. Sophia also liked to show her friend off, like small kids did with shiny new toys to gain popularity and attention.
Though it didn’t do Sophia any favors walking beside a guy’s wet-dream-cross between Gisele Bündchen and Doutzen Kroes.
They were chatting and laughing as they entered the classroom, and Sophia didn’t notice a pair of chocolate brown eyes tracing her every move.
They found a seat towards the back of the lecture hall, large enough to seat fifty or sixty students. But before they even sat their butts down, three upperclassmen, by the looks of them, already formed a tight circle around Aella, shutting Sophia completely out.
“Hey gorgeous,” the tallest of the three greeted, hitching a hip against the edge of their table. Sophia rolled her eyes at the asinine opening. “Are you one of those Victoria Secret supermodels?”
“Hey ass-wipe,” Aella responded in the same tone, “Did anyone ever tell you the quickest way to piss off a girl is to pretend her best friend doesn’t exist? Now get out of my personal space and go harass a female in your own orbit, because I’m so far out of your league I’m in a different universe.” To complete the shutdown, Aella glared until all three boys paled at her lethal gaze and moved away with a lot less swagger than their approach.
Sophia grinned and sighed reverently, “I love you, Aella.”
“Back at you babe,” the Amazon returned with a cheeky smile.
“But you know,” Sophia said quietly, more seriously, “you don’t have to dismiss guys just because they ignore me. I’m used to it, I’m OK.”
“Sophia,” Aella said in that tone that warned Sophia of a pending lecture, “how many times do I have to tell you that you’re a beautiful girl? No, don’t shake your head at me, missy. I’m not being biased because I’m your friend.” Aella leaned in to whisper, “Or because you’re my queen.”
“You have all the makings of a stunning beauty, but you just have to grow into it first. I hate it when you put yourself down.”
Sophia shrugged, knowing argument was futile. Instead she said, “Well, there was this one guy who did pay attention to me.”
Aella leaned forward on her fist in conspiracy. “Do tell.”
“You’re not going to lecture me about no dating and no boyfriends on pain of death, et cetera?” Sophia mumbled warily.
Aella did a slow blink, her more refined version of rolling of the eyes. “I don’t need to lecture you on things you already know well. I trust that you know what you’re doing and you’re level-headed enough to not take it too far. And I’m hardly one to tell you to eschew having a little fun with boys you like. I’ve had countless ‘boyfriends’ over the years, and believe me, I’ve figured out every way there is to toe the One Sacred Law without actually breaking it. Hell, I’ve invented some new ways myself.” Aella grinned broadly at that little boast.
She flicked a finger against Sophia’s arm. “So tell me about this brilliant guy with exquisite taste.”
“Well,” Sophia started, squirming a little in her seat. “He’s hot.”
“Promising,” Aella encouraged.
“And… and… he’s totally hot hot.”
Aella gave her a half-pitying look. “Honey, you didn’t get too far beyond that, huh?”
Sophia twirled her hands in the air as if frustrated she couldn’t find the words. “I mean, he’s so hot I want to go buy a book on kama sutra and –“
“Hello, Sophia.”
At the sound of the velvety male voice, Sophia turned the shade of a boiled lobster.
Without turning around to face the owner of that voice, she made a pained face at Aella and wished the floor would just open up and suck her into a black abyss.
Aella smiled lopsidedly at her teenage queen before raising her eyes to the male who had approached them, standing just behind Sophia’s seat.
Giving him a thorough and appreciative once over, Aella said warmly, “Hello.” She then elbowed Sophia none too gently and urged, “Shouldn’t you introduce me to your new friend?”
Sophia fantasized for a few more seconds that she was an ostrich and her head was in the sand, then took a deep breath to bolster her confidence and turned to face the “hot hot guy.”
“Hullo,” she greeted in a small voice and gestured with her hand to her companion. “This is Aella, my best friend since forever. Aella, this is Ere. He’s the teaching assistant for this class.”
Aella batted her eyes flirtatiously and Sophia could have kicked her except what would be the point? It wasn’t like she had dibs on Ere or anything.
“Nice to meet you, Sophia’s friend,” Ere said with an affable smile, though his words made clear who he was focused on. “May I sit beside you?” he asked Sophia, “you have the best view of the class from here.”
Sophia shrugged ungraciously, but Ere didn’t seem to take offense and sat down beside her.
Aella widened her eyes like an owl and mouthed to Sophia, “Wow, he’s really hot!”
Sophia gave her a look that said “told you so.”
Then Aella frowned and poked Sophia with a finger, again mouthing, “Be nice to him.”
Sophia decided to ignore that last broadcast and looked straight ahead, trying to focus on the professor as he started the lecture.
Things got a little tamer after that, and Sophia’s stiff posture finally began to relax half way into the fifty minute class.
Until she felt Ere’s knee brush hers under the table.
Sophia let out a tiny squeak and bumped her knee on the underside of the table in reaction. She darted a glance at Aella and saw her friend shaking her head in disgust.
“Amateur,” the Amazon formed with her lips. Yeah, Sophia thought dejectedly, that about covered it. Right next to “wimp” and “loser.”
And then she saw a slip of paper slide a few inches from Ere to her. She picked it up and read, “How do you like the class so far?”
Strangely gladdened by the grade-school note passing, she quickly wrote back, “I love it! I wish Professor McGowan t
aught a course on ancient Persian history too. But no one in the faculty seems to think it deserves its own full class.”
Ere replied, “My Ph.D. thesis is on ancient Persian history, the rise and fall of an empire. Maybe I can share the progress with you sometime if you’re interested?”
Sophia was so delighted by the offer she broke her mechanical pencil lead twice before she managed to scribble, “That would be so awesome! Do you need help with research? Cuz I’m pretty good at that.”
“I would really appreciate your help,” came the reply that gave Sophia the warm fuzzies.
But then she almost fell out of her chair at the next line, “So you think I’m hot, huh?”
The boiled lobster impression was back. If he heard that much, then he would have heard the rest… Oh, she was so dead. She could probably fry an egg on her face.
She darted a look at her tormenter and saw that he was looking right back at her with a grin so radiant, she felt momentarily blinded.
Carefully averting her eyes again, she spent the next few moments, while the buzzing and echo in her ears from the sonic boom of his beauty subsided, painstakingly folding the notes into halves and fourths and eights and tucking them away into her laptop bag.
And just when she thought her equilibrium had been restored, he wrote her one final note.
“I think you’re hot too, Sophia.”
It was quite possibly the best day of Sophia’s life.
Chapter Seven Rain brought Valerius with her to work this day, since his agenda was free. She was eager to share the “normal” aspects of her life with him, apart from being the Healer of the Pure Ones.
They decided to walk to her clinic in Chinatown together despite Valerius’ protests that she was too weak. Rain loved to walk and it was too gorgeous an autumn day in Boston not to take every advantage. Wan’er had already left and would be there to set up ahead of them. As in ages past, it was understood that Rain would see less of her handmaiden during the Phoenix Cycle as Healer and Consort formed their own bond.