by J. S. Scott
She was dazed and a little dizzy. He held her up with an arm around her waist as he dried her.
As he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom Callie could feel him trembling. He was breathing hard, but it wasn’t from exertion. She knew he was trying to gain control. She had learned much from Bri and she knew how he was feeling. She could feel some of his tension, his wanting, although she had just been completely sated.
He tucked her into bed, kissing her tenderly. “I have to go, Callie,” he rasped as he turned from the bed.
Callie’s heart ached. She knew he was feeling tortured, but she didn’t want him to go.
“Stay with me,” she whispered. It was selfish, but she wanted him here. She would feel so lonely without him.
His expression tortured, Rory turned back toward the bed.
Chapter 5
Ethan was right…Rory did feel like he was in hell. He had felt that way since he had first touched his mate, but this situation was the worst.
He couldn’t deny his mate. If she wanted him, he would stay. He wanted to stay. His heart felt like it was being ripped out of his chest.
His intense loneliness and desire to be at her side consumed him when he was without her.
His burning desire to possess her nearly killed him when he was with her.
He was completely fucked either way.
Pleasing his mate was a compulsion. He didn’t want to leave her. He wanted to be with her.
“If you don’t want to…I understand, Rory. I’m sorry.”
She was biting her lip and the look of raw vulnerability in her eyes made his chest ache. He slid into the bed, pulling her naked, warm body against him. “It isn’t that I don’t want to, Callie. I want to be with you every minute. It nearly killed me not to hear your voice for the last few weeks. It’s just…” his voice trailed off, low and soft.
“I know we can’t have sex. Bri explained it. I haven’t called you to me.” She snuggled up against his powerful chest.
“You will, Callie.” She had to…or he would go insane.
She went silent and Rory could feel her slow, even breathing against his neck.
He needed to feed. Satisfying Callie had taken a slight edge off of his insanity because her need wasn’t pounding at him, but he had come to her before he had fed. It would help to be at full strength.
Mature vampires could go a week without feeding, but being in the mating process and not being able to claim his mate had taken a lot of energy. He fed at least once a day to keep his beast at bay.
He slid slowly from the bed, hating the loss of her warm, silky body against his.
He heard her moan lightly, reaching for him. He slid a fluffy pillow into her arms and she clutched it and settled back into sleep.
He took one last longing look at her sleeping peacefully before he removed himself to a darker area of Denver. It was a place where creatures, human and immortal, roamed the night with no good intentions.
He found his source quickly, feeding from the drug dealer without remorse. He wiped the man’s mind clean, leaving him with nothing but a dazed look.
He flashed back to Callie’s apartment. As he stood at the side of the bed he felt a familiar sensation.
Fallen!
The evil was nearly palpable. There had to be more than one.
Nathan!
He called for his older brother. Nathan would get the distress signal. He didn’t call Ethan or Liam. He didn’t want Ethan to leave his mate and Liam was healing. They were twins and he could feel the faint buzz of Liam’s power when he was at work, which was almost every hour that Liam was awake.
Rory tried to sense the evil, pin down the location. It wasn’t inside of the apartment, but it was close. He transferred to the outside of the building and sensed a stronger presence.
He cursed himself for not surrounding the building with magic. He had nearly failed to protect Callie.
He barely had time to raise his arm to manufacture his sword before the fallen were upon him.
Three ugly, sunken faces appeared before him. They could sense him just as well as he could feel their evil.
The three attacked together, probably thinking they could dispose of him quickly to get him out of the way.
Rory spun around to get out of the reach of their razor-sharp claws, but he caught slashes in the back and to his chest as he moved. He swung his sword toward one of the fallen, slicing its chest open. Black fluid flowed from the fallen’s wound, but that didn’t stop it.
The attackers circled Rory, slashing at him with their claws, trying to drain him of his blood. Rory gave as good as he got. Both black fluid and blood flowed to the ground.
He wasn’t about to lose. His mate was near and he would never let them get any closer to her.
He transported, taking himself out of their circle. He appeared behind one of the fallen, spearing the enemy in the chest. His aim was perfect. The heart of the fallen ruptured. The creature fell to the ground writhing. It would soon be nothing but dust.
Rory would have taken a swipe to the neck that probably would have ripped his head off, if not for Nathan.
His brother appeared, completely armed and furious. With unrestrained violence and rage, Nathan cut through the fallen about to attack his brother. He sliced the head from his prey and plunged his sword into its heart.
Rory turned to the last fallen, determined to extinguish it. The bastard needed to die. Rory was seeing red. Literally. His mind was volatile at the threat to his mate. He stepped close enough for the fallen to take a few swipes at him, but Rory didn’t even feel it.
Destroy. Kill. Remove the threat from my mate.
He and Nathan struck at the same time. Rory from the front, Nathan from the back, their swords meeting with a force so hard that it sent vibrations through Rory’s body. Rory swayed and hit the ground. He heard Nathan curse.
“Why the hell didn’t you arm yourself,” Nathan asked in a loud, irate voice. “You could have ended up headless.”
“No time. They took me off guard,” Rory replied weakly.
“You should have fucking made time,” Nathan grumbled as he knelt at Rory’s side and started stemming the bleeding from his wounds. “You lost a lot of blood.”
Rory already knew that. He could feel the pain and weakness now that the adrenaline had dissipated.
Nathan removed what was left of Rory’s t-shirt and worked on all of the wounds, stopping the bleeding, but the slashes were deep. Rory needed blood and day sleep.
Nathan had gotten away without a scratch. He was dressed in their fighting attire which included a black shirt and gloves designed by Liam to repel some injuries from the fallen’s claws. It was a long sleeved, turtle neck of stretchy, lightweight material. Nathan’s lower body was encased in jeans, thick boots and a belt that held a wide variety of weapons.
“Are you okay?” Rory questioned his brother.
“Of course I’m all right. I was smart enough to come armed and I didn’t fling myself into the direct path of the fallen’s claws. What the hell were you thinking, Rory?” Nathan’s fingers were on Rory’s face, stemming the bleeding.
“Protecting Callie,” he answered, as though that should explain his bizarre behavior.
“Next time prepare to protect her.” Nathan shook his head, still angry. “You’re a trained warrior for Christ’s sake. You know better.”
“Didn’t matter. I needed to get them away from her.” Rory’s voice was growing weaker. He knew the blood loss was getting to him.
“It does matter? Shit! Can’t any of you keep your head on straight when you find your mate?” Nathan muttered vehemently.
Rory looked at Nathan’s ferocious expression and gave him a weak smile. “No,” he said simply.
He couldn’t think of anything except Callie.
Rory. Come to me.
The soft, feminine voice drifted through his mind. He jerked as he felt her gentle voice compelling him.
I need you
to come to me.
He knew instinctively that it was the mating call. It beckoned him. Seduced him. It was her unconscious mind and it was hypnotic.
“Take me to Callie,” Rory commanded his brother, knowing he was too weak to transport. He needed Nathan’s help.
Nathan rolled his eyes, exasperated. “You need blood. Now.”
“She’s calling. I have to go to her.” Rory’s voice was desperate.
Nathan looked like he was going to argue, but he touched his brother’s arm and transported him to Callie.
Rory appeared beside the bed, Nathan holding him up. Rory’s legs wouldn’t hold him. He sank to sit on the side of the bed with Nathan supporting him.
Callie woke her voice heavy with sleep, “Rory?”
Nathan bathed the room with light, turning on the bedside lamp. Then he used his magic to clean the excess blood from Rory and clothed him in clean jeans. He left him shirtless because of his unhealed injuries. Callie sat up and gasped as she saw Rory.
“Oh my God, what happened?” Callie eyed his torso and gently touched her fingers to his face.
Rory knew he was torn up and probably a pretty ugly sight. He would have waited…but Callie had called…and the urge to go to her was irresistible.
“He had a little run in with a few of the fallen. If you think he looks bad…the fallen lost.” Nathan answered casually. “He needs blood.”
He pulled a knife from his belt and slit his own wrist without hesitation. He held it out to Rory.
Rory took it gratefully, knowing he was weak. He took as much from Nathan as he could without weakening him and stopped the cut from bleeding with a swipe of his finger.
Rory felt the roar of Nathan’s powerful blood flow through his veins. He wasn’t at full strength, but it made him significantly stronger. The large gashes hurt less and he could move without much effort.
He turned to Callie and informed her softly, “You called me. Do you remember?”
She paused for a moment and then shook her head.
He put his hand to her cheek, looking into her eyes. “Remember, Callie.” It was a command, a subtle jolt to her subconscious.
She nodded slowly before answering, “I remember. I could sense that you needed me. I needed to see you. I did call to you.” She frowned as she looked over his injuries. “Do you need more blood? Can you take it from me?”
Before he could open his mouth Nathan answered, “He could use it.” Nathan and Callie exchanged a look, a silent communication. Nathan looked satisfied that Callie would take care of his brother. “I have to go do damage control and clean up duty. I’m pretty sure a few people noticed the fight. They need to forget it.”
“My injuries are closing from your blood. I’ll finish healing during day sleep,” Rory told Nathan.
Nathan’s eyes evaluated the gashes. He nodded his agreement. “You will heal. Next time try arming yourself before you take on three fallen at a time, brother.” He gave Rory a mocking expression before he disappeared.
Nathan was gone before Rory could even thank him. Not that Nathan would acknowledge it. “He always has to have the last word,” he grumbled to himself as he turned back to Callie.
“Lay down, Rory. Can you take off your jeans?” Callie started fussing, stroking his hair, her expression concerned.
He raised his eyebrows and gave her a mischievous smile. “If I say that I can’t, will you do it for me?”
Callie gave him a scolding expression. “This is no time for jokes, Rory. You were badly hurt.”
She was unbuttoning his jeans and pulling down his zipper before Rory had the chance to remove them. He was perfectly able to do it now, but her fingers were brushing against his cock and he rather liked the feeling. His mating instincts flared. His cock was hard and ready and Callie was struggling to move the zipper over his enlarged member.
He lay back on the bed, resting his hands behind his head and let her fuss over him.
His injuries hurt…but he had suffered much worse injuries with his work in The Coalition. This was nothing more than a temporary annoyance.
His mating instincts were another issue. As he watched Callie get his zipper down and start to gently pull his jeans off, his body was on fire.
Mine. Need to take her. Fuck her senseless.
Rory watched her eyes grow large as she shucked off his jeans. He wore no underwear and his cock was standing fully erect. She licked her lips and he almost groaned. He could feel her desire and he knew she was trying not look at his cock, her concern for him coming before her desire. But it was there.
She shimmied back up his body, examining his injuries as she went.
Need to have her.
When she reached the head of the bed she kissed him softly and held her arm over his lips, telling him anxiously, “Here, Rory. Take my blood. You need it.”
Rory started to smile at her earnest expression, and at her trembling wrist dangling in front of his face.
He pulled her body against his and rolled, pinning her beneath him, telling her in a low, wicked voice, “No sweetheart, that isn’t exactly what I had in mind.”
Chapter 6
Rory had moved so fast that he was on Callie before she could blink, the movement happening in a blur. His body felt so good on top her. Strong, warm and seductive.
“No, Rory. You’re hurt. You can’t do this.” She squirmed under him, trying to get away. She wanted him, but not when he could aggravate his wounds.
His mouth took hers, hard and demanding. His hands held her head, holding it still to accept his possessive claim. His tongue demanded entry and she gave it, helpless to fight him. She accepted the wet, erotic intrusion of his tongue, her body on fire. One touch, one kiss…and she was lost to him.
“It’s not my injuries hurting, love. It’s my need to fuck you,” he told her in a low, husky voice as he pulled his mouth from hers and put it near her ear. “I have to have you.”
He laved her ear and the side of her neck, his mouth moving over the large vein. She felt a sharp pain and then her body ignited.
She was flooded with erotic, sensual heat, her hips rocking up against him as he drew from her neck. Her desire escalated and her need for him pounded through her body. She held his head, ran her hands through his wavy, silky hair.
She groaned. “Fuck me, Rory. I need you.”
He reached down between their bodies, stroking between her thighs. He finished suckling and stopped her blood flow with his finger, while two fingers from his other hand slid into her warm, wet core. She was slick and sensitive, her body jerking as his finger slid over her clit.
“You’re so hot and wet. I need to be inside of you.” His voice was tortured and raspy. He pinned her arms over her head easily, taking her wrists in one hand. His hot breath panted in her ear, “Tell me you want me. Beg me to fuck you.”
His primal instincts had taken over…and so had hers. She wanted to sob with need. She wanted to submit to him as much as he wanted to conquer her. “Please, Rory. I need you. Take me.”
He took his massive cock in hand, teasing her drenched flesh with the head. He slid it along her clit, wetting himself with her abundant juices.
She thrashed her head, needing him to fill her. “Please, Rory. I feel so empty.”
“Mine,” he breathed in her ear with a growl.
“Yes. Yours. Always yours.” Her mind was in turmoil, focused only on her emptiness and the need for him to possess her.
He slid his cock into her in one smooth glide, breaching her completely in one hard thrust.
It burned. He stretched her, opened her. She had never been filled like this before, but she rejoiced at the feeling of their joining. Her walls squeezed him and she heard him make a strangled sound.
“So tight. So wet. So mine. Put your legs around my waist,” he choked out as his mouth moved to claim hers.
She wrapped her legs around him, locking them around his hips. He started to move as his tongue thrust into her mouth.<
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The silky friction drove her wild. He wasn’t slow or gentle. He mastered her, taking her hard, pumping into her with deep, fast strokes. His tongue fucked her mouth as his cock invaded her core.
His hands held her wrists firmly. She tried to pull them away so that she could touch him, but he had her captive. Her hips rose to meet him, colliding with his groin with ferocious intensity.
Skin slapped skin and she could hear the wet meeting.
Faster…harder…deeper.
He pulled his mouth from hers, his breathing shallow and rapid.
She could feel her climax approaching, her body trembling and her muscles contracting. “Rory!” She screamed his name, her body beginning to spasm.
“Yes, Callie, come. Come for me.” His chest was heaving as he continued to drive his cock home, his voice demanding.
She ruptured as the orgasm took control, seizing her body. Her muscles squeezed his cock and he threw his head back. “Mine.” He let out a tortured groan.
Rory buried himself deep inside her, releasing himself in a hot stream as Callie milked him with her contractions.
He fell on top her, his body sweaty and hot. He released her wrists and rolled immediately off of her.
Callie missed his heat. She was breathless and spent as she lay beside him. He took her hand in his, pulling it to his mouth to kiss her palm.
They didn’t speak as they tried to recover.
Rory raised his head and looked at her, raking his eyes over her body. “Did I hurt you?” He sounded anxious.
She smiled weakly as she met his nervous gaze. “I’ll be sore in muscles that I haven’t used for a while.”
He frowned and cursed. “I shouldn’t have taken you. We haven’t exchanged blood. You aren’t strong enough to deal with a vampire’s sexual urges. I tried to hold back once I thought about it, but I was too far gone. I tried not to hurt you.” His voice was remorseful, almost agonized.
“Rory, you didn’t hurt me. For God’s sake, I’ve never orgasmed like that. I wanted you so much.” She stroked his cheek lightly, avoiding any of his injuries. “I’m worried about you.”
He smiled. His bright, wonderful smile that made her heart accelerate and skip a beat. This man was so extraordinary, and he was hers.