“Are you okay with Kaitlyn being here, John? Because if you’re not…”
“Rogue, it’s fine,” John interrupted. “Never mind my ramblings earlier. Kaitlyn is welcome here now that she’s getting over her ‘sickness.’”
Rogue was glad to hear it. If John had said anything else, he would have taken Kaitlyn and left.
“Get some rest,” John said. “See you later.”
* * * *
John left the kitchen, thinking about his role as the head of the Unkindness. Now that they had a way to reverse the turning of a vampire, he had another dilemma; if he had to choose who would be saved, wouldn’t his role in the whole scheme of things be too much like playing God?
He was thinking about the issue and how he needed to discuss it with Madison when he realized that Ramsey was leaning against the wall in the hallway just outside the kitchen door and he had walked right past him. John stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. “Ramsey, what are you doing there?”
Ramsey looked up from inspecting his fingernails. “I was hungry.”
“Then why didn’t you get something to eat?” John still wasn’t comfortable with Ramsey having free rein in the main part of the house. True, Ramsey had stopped fighting against them and had given in to Lydia’s demands to testing him within days of his arrival here, but there was something about the man that wasn’t quite right. John couldn’t put his finger on it, but when Lydia and Eric had spoken to him about giving Ramsey more freedom—since he had begun being so helpful—John had agreed, with reservations. None of them were to take Ramsey into their own personal wing. If he was confined to the main areas of the house, there was always someone available to keep an eye on him.
Ramsey’s mouth quirked up in a smile. “I didn’t go in because it sounded like you two were having a pretty deep conversation. I didn’t want to interrupt.”
John narrowed his eyes. There was something … he shook his head. Maybe he was just tired. With a wave of his hand, he turned and started walking toward his own wing. “Go ahead. We’re done for the night.”
“Goodnight, John,” Ramsey said.
John didn’t answer him. He kept on walking.
* * * *
Rogue decided that he’d take the time to see Aunt Grace before he collapsed for the night. He made his way to Drake’s wing of Ravencrest, feeling tired and so much older than when he had left a few days before. He approached the door that led into their wing and knocked.
“Come in,” Grace called from behind the heavy door.
Rogue opened the door and entered their living room. “Well, don’t you look comfy?”
Grace smiled at him from the couch, her feet tucked under her, a book open on her lap. She closed the book and patted the couch beside her. “Sit. Tell me about her.”
Rogue dropped down onto the couch beside her. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you just sitting, reading a book.”
Grace sighed. “There’s been an awful lot of changes in our lives, hasn’t there? I never had the chance to relax before. Always worried about being the sheriff. Worried about Dad. About you.”
“You can stop worrying about me,” Rogue said. “I’m done with my wild ways.”
Grace laughed. “That’s one thing I never thought I’d hear coming from your mouth.” Then she focused on him, her eyes turning serious. “You mean it, don’t you?”
“Yes. I mean it.”
Grace tilted her head. “It’s the girl, isn’t it? Kaitlyn.” Then Grace’s eyes lit up. “You’re in love with her.”
It was Rogue’s turn to smile. “I love her more than my own life.”
“She’s okay now, isn’t she? Lydia said that the antidote worked. Kaitlyn isn’t a vampire now, right? Because I can’t have you…”
“She’s fine, Aunt Grace. Stop worrying. Kaitlyn isn’t going to turn me into a monster.”
“Well, I can’t just stop worrying about you. It’s not something that you can just turn off, you know.”
Rogue reached up and raked his fingers through his hair. Exhaustion and worry about Kaitlyn had worn him down to the bone. “Aunt Grace … you’re the one who said that we’ve been through a lot a changes. This is another one. I’ve seen more than most people have seen in their lifetime when it comes to the battle between good and evil. I’ve lost someone I loved … Grampa. And now I’ve found the love of my life … Kaitlyn.” He shifted on the couch, facing her. “I’m a man now. You don’t have to mother me any more. You can stop worrying about me and relax—live your own life. I’ll be just fine.”
Tears sparkled in Grace’s blue eyes. She let out a strangled laugh. “Can I at least have a hug?”
Rogue drew her into his arms and hugged her tightly. “I love you, Aunt Grace. I’ve never said this before but … thank you for being there for me.”
* * * *
Kaitlyn felt three thousand percent better. It had been two days since she had arrived at Ravencrest and thanks to her newfound friend Lydia, she was now so alive with life that she didn’t want to spend one minute of it sleeping.
She reached over and stroked her fingertips lightly across Rogue’s solid chest.
He groaned and rolled toward her, the bedcovers shifting with him. “I suppose you’re not finished with me yet,” he said, his voice deep and husky.
Kaitlyn grinned, her hand moving lower between them. “Are you complaining?”
“Hell no, but I’m wondering if this ravenous appetite for sex you have is a leftover from your gig as a vampire.”
Kaitlyn widened her smile. “The only ‘leftover’ I have from that brief period are these sharp pearly whites,” she said, then she ran the tip of her tongue tauntingly over her fangs. “They do make me feel like I fit right in here with the rest of you.”
“They are pretty sexy,” he said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, “as long as you don’t sink them in some place too sensitive.”
Kaitlyn moved her hand lower still, circling his surprisingly hard cock. “You mean like here?” She tightened her grip. “Looks like I’m not the only one with an appetite.” She began to slowly stroke him, loving the way his ocean-blue eyes darkened at her touch.
“You know,” she continued, “my appetite—my craving—for you was never vampire related.”
“Really. You sure about that?”
“Absolutely.” Kaitlyn felt the beginnings of a warm tingling low in her belly, hot coals of desires flickering into flame. “I’ll never get enough of you.”
Rogue groaned as she pressed herself closer. “You’re going to wear me out one of these days, woman.”
Kaitlyn released her hold on his member and pushed him onto his back. She flung the covers off of them in one swift movement, then rose up. “Then if you’re so tired, I guess I had better do all the work this time.”
She swung one leg over him. This time though, she had opted to face his feet.
“What’s this?” he asked, running his warm hands of the globes of her bottom. “A new position?”
Kaitlyn shuddered at his touch, her pussy wet with need. She arched up, her hands on his muscled thighs, and eased herself down on his thick, hot rod. Pleasure already swirling through her, she began to move. “How does this feel?” she asked, tickling his scrotum with one hand.
He jerked up at her touch. Kaitlyn almost came, his cock diving deep.
“Wonderful. It feels wonderful.” His fingers kneaded her ass, sending shivers through her. “I like the view, too,” he said, his voice taking on a raspy tone. “You have the most beautiful round ass.”
Kaitlyn’s arms began to tremble. She licked her lips, her breath coming in short intakes of air. She began to move in earnest now, not wanting to hold back. In this position, every move she made pressed his cock directly against the most sensitive spot inside her pussy. Kaitlyn let herself go, reveling in the sensation, ramming herself down on his shaft, taking him deeper than ever before.
“Oh yeah, baby,” Rogue said. “This i
s so good.”
Kaitlyn whipped her head back. Rivulets of sweat from her efforts trickled down between her breasts.
Rogue’s hand dipped between their joining for a brief second. Then Kaitlyn felt the most tantalizing touch. His fingers, slick from dipping into her juices, delved into the cleft of her bottom, exploring. Kaitlyn gasped as his fingertip entered her anus. She hesitated, her movements ceasing while he eased his finger deeper. Kaitlyn’s pussy clenched, her muscles gripping him while he slowly began to stroke in and out with his finger.
“Move, baby. I won’t hurt you,” he said, one hand stroking her lower back while the other—the other was sending shivers all the way up her spine to the top of her head.
Kaitlyn began to move again, widening her legs to give him all the access he desired. Within moments, their rhythm increased, Rogue following her lead, his finger moving in time with her down stroke.
Kaitlyn shook, every muscle in her body screaming for release.
One breath later, she screamed as the most intense orgasm she’d ever had roared through her. Rogue followed, his yell joining hers as his seed spilled into her hungry pussy.
Later, they both lay on their backs, the bedcovers forgotten as they each tried to catch their breath. Kaitlyn had never felt happier in her life. Ever.
“Rogue,” she said, “you have no idea how much I love you.”
He reached for her hand. “Then marry me.”
Kaitlyn’s newly beating heart stuttered, then pumped full and hard. “Are you serious?” she asked, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.
He jumped from the bed, moved to her side and knelt down. Taking her hand in his, he kissed it. “Miss Kaitlyn Gale, would you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Kaitlyn screamed. “Yes!” In one swift movement, she sprang from the bed and threw her arms around him. With a laugh, they tumbled to the floor and rolled, Rogue coming out on top.
Kaitlyn smiled so widely that it hurt. She captured Rogue’s face between her hands. “You, my soon-to-be-husband, not only have you literally brought me back to life—you have redeemed me. I will love you until the end of time.”
Rogue smiled down at her, his blue eyes sparkling. “You, my soon-to-be-wife, have redeemed me. I’m not some rogue young buck anymore. You’ve made me into a man. I will love you to the end of eternity.” Then he lowered his face to hers and kissed her tenderly.
Kaitlyn felt complete. She hugged him to her, never wanting to let go. She’d never thought that she would feel so connected to a man but with Rogue—he was the one and only man that her heart beat for.
Rogue broke the kiss, rising up. “Are you ready to get back into bed now?”
Kaitlyn nodded. “As long as you hold me close.”
*
Settling into bed, the covers now back in place, Rogue pulled Kaitlyn close, spooning against her back. It was true, what he had told her. He felt more like a man—a real man—since he had met Kaitlyn Gale. Also, he’d never known true love before her. Rogue would lay down his life in a heartbeat if she were in danger.
He slid his arm around her waist, his hand splayed across her stomach. She murmured softly, then her breathing returned to the steady rhythm of sleep. He felt her pulse beneath his hand, the warmth of her body comforting. He thought about children. Would Kaitlyn be able to have any? Would it be wise if they did? Rogue wasn’t sure what had gone on inside Kaitlyn’s body between the vampire venom and the antidote that Lydia had given her. It was something that needed to be talked about and soon. Rogue filed it away in his mind and closed his eyes. He fell asleep, breathing in the scent of her hair.
*
A loud banging woke Rogue with a start. “What!” He sat up in bed.
The bedroom door opened.
“What’s going on?” Kaitlyn asked, her voice thick with sleep.
“Rogue—get up.” It was Colin’s voice.
Rogue squinted against the light that shone from the hallway. “What the hell, Colin? Why are you banging on my bedroom door in the middle of the night?”
“They’ve called a meeting,” Colin said, standing in the doorway.
Rogue gritted his teeth. With the light behind Colin, he was no more than a silhouette. Rogue couldn’t see his face to be able to tell if he was serious. It would be just like Colin to be playing a joke on him “What for?” Rogue asked, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. “You’d better not be barking up the wrong tree Colin or I swear…”
“I’m not,” Colin interrupted. Then he turned and closed the door behind him.
Rogue frowned.
“What is going on?” Kaitlyn asked.
Rogue stood, snatching a pair of jeans out of the closet. “I don’t know. Go back to sleep.”
“Hurry back.”
“I will.”
* * * *
Rogue entered John’s office to find them all assembled. The five Ravens plus Colin.
“What happened?” Rogue asked, leaning against the door jam.
Eric turned to him. “Ramsey has flown the coop.”
“Huh?” Rogue rubbed his eyes. “That’s not possible.”
“He’s not here, so that means he’s escaped,” Drake Raven said. “It’s now a question of who is going to track him down.”
John rose from where he sat behind his desk. “Listen up, boys.”
Everyone turned to him, Rogue included. Rogue could tell from the sound of John’s voice that he required attention.
“Ramsey missing creates a specific problem for us,” John said. “If he has made it out of the compound, we’ll need to beef up security.”
“Why? I figured we were secure enough,” Dirk said.
John turned to him. “If Ramsey is still here—then we haul him back and restrict him like when he first arrived. If he’s not…”
“—he knows where Ravencrest is,” Holt Raven said in a low voice.
“Exactly.” John’s gaze traveled over all of them. “That makes us extremely vulnerable.”
“Well—let’s get to searching the compound before we go off the deep end,” Drake said, unfolding his tall form out of the chair he was sitting in.
“Fan out in pairs,” John said. “I’m throwing the house system in gear as soon as you’re all clear so if you find him or you need back inside, call me on the radio.” He passed out two-way radios to all of them. “Find anything, call in. I’ll be here, checking the systems.”
They all nodded.
Rogue walked silently beside Colin as they headed back to their own wing to get some gear and so Rogue could get dressed.
Ramsey couldn’t have gotten off Ravencrest land, he thought. Not without one of the security cameras picking him up. Rogue hoped they found the asshole quickly. It was just a nuisance having to find him, that was all.
He wanted to get back to bed.
And to Kaitlyn
* * * *
Colin didn’t like this. Not at all. He nodded to Rogue as Rogue ducked into his bedroom. Colin heard Kaitlyn’s soft voice just before Rogue closed the door.
As Colin moved to his own room, he wondered if there would come a day when a woman’s soft voice would greet him from his own bed. Not just any woman but one that would be there for life.
One like Heather.
Heather had been so fragile when she had arrived at Ravencrest, having been in the hands of the vampires aboard the boat Bloody Hell.
But she was slowly coming around, slowly gaining her confidence back.
Colin let out a heavy breath. Finding Ramsey had thrown a wrench into things.
He made a promise to himself.
As soon as he could, Colin was going to let Heather know how he felt about her.
Soon.
The End
Author’s Note:
In this novel, you may notice a character named Rachel who is reading a book by Dee S. Knight, titled Impatient Passion. For those of you interested, Impatient Passion by Dee S. Knight is a real b
ook by a wonderful author. If you’re so inclined, you can visit Dee’s website at www.deesknight.com or read more about Impatient Passion at Liquid Silver Books. WWW.LSBOOKS.COM
About the Author:
Rhiannon Neeley has thought about writing all of her life and has now finally made time for it, along with learning to play an Irish jig on her fiddle. Rhiannon is a very busy woman who has her fingers in almost every pie but she does make time to reply to email if you give her a day or two.
You can email her at [email protected] . For those of you with Irish roots, Rhiannon's 'Neeley' line hails from County Tyrone, Ireland. She has done quite a bit of research into her family tree. And of course when it come to romance, Rhiannon likes them hot and steamy and preferably paranormal.
Meet Lsb Authors At Http://Lsbooks.Net
We invite you to visit Liquid Silver Books
http://lsbooks.com
for other exciting literary erotica romances.
Weekend Games—Chris Tanglen
Destiny's Magick—Rae Morgan
Love Lessons—Vanessa Hart
Portal—Sydney Morgann
Bittersweet—Louisa Trent
Business or Pleasure…or Both?—Rae Morgan and Jasmine Haynes
And many, many more!!
Rogue the Redeemer Page 13