He chuckled dryly. “Indeed not,” he said. “I have never wished for such things.”
“Donovan, take these two into the caves and place them in designation three. It contains six rooms, and four of them are bedrooms, so I’m certain you could arrange your household in any way you please. Also, it is next to the designation where I placed Will’s family, though he and I have yet to speak. I shall endeavor to make time to speak with the entire Knight family in another evening or two. Maybe we should plan a feast?”
“About that,” said Zach. “Our other brother, Alex, was traveling among the servants who are traveling this way. It may be that they had to take refuge and simply could not continue the journey during the day. Perhaps now that evening has come, they may arrive sometime tonight. Have you got a nearby cave for him as well?”
“It is quite crowded among the caves these days,” she said speculatively. “While he remains single, and since you have the room to spare, I should think you could give him a place to sleep there.”
“Very well, and the servants?”
“I have provided a dorm for the Knight servants collectively. Another four room suite,” she said, nodding sagely. “Once I was told of the Carpathian plot, I expected to see all of you—I just didn’t realize my daughter had not been mated to James.”
“I see,” said Zach, nodding. “Well, we should be going now, so that you may return to your duties. What would you like me to call you, by the way?”
“Samantha will do,” she said. “We are family, after all.”
“Well then, good night, Samantha,” said Zach. “We’ll go get settled in, and hope to see you tomorrow night for that meal.”
“And I shall send out ghouls in the morning, should your brother and servants fail to arrive,” she said, smiling. With that, she hugged all three of them, and then Donovan led them through the building and on into the caves beyond.
“Designation three is in quite deep,” he explained along the way. “It’s likely that she hopes to keep you safe, even if the Carpathians should manage to get past the gates.”
“Yes, and that is wise of her, considering the fact that her mate sent the Knight household soldiers immediately but failed to do the same for all of his mates here.”
“No one said my father tended to divide his interests fairly,” Vivian remarked with a little snort of derision. “Clearly, the men are more important than their mates in his mind. It has always been this way.”
“In his defense, don’t forget when and how he was raised,” Zach pointed out. “Where he grew up, harems were commonplace, and men were meant to provide. Women’s lib may have helped out the humans, but it was never a thing among the vampires. I’m surprised your mother is in charge at all. I would have expected a male vampire.”
“Well, that’s because the females here staged a bit of a rebellion of their own,” Vivian supplied. “I don’t know much about that, though, since it happened before my time.”
“I’ve never heard about that,” Zach said. “Though, my father’s memories seem to have a vague reference to it, I suppose. I wish I could see his memories with more clarity. I suppose, after the passing of some time, it might improve, but for now, the thoughts are hazy still.
“You—ingested your father’s memories?” asked Donovan, one brow raised in surprise.
“It is a tradition in some of the families,” Vivian explained before Zach could explain. “It is a way to let a part of the ancestor live on through his or her progeny. I’m not surprised that the Knight Clan would carry on the tradition, since they are a branch of the Arimatheans. Some old traditions die very hard.”
“It pleases me that I don’t have to tell you about such things,” Zach admitted, giving Vivian’s hand a little squeeze. “That would not have been an easy explanation for me.”
They stepped into the cavern at designation three through a large, covered opening. Inside, the housing area was built just like an ordinary home, using wooden beams and sheetrock, and even had electrical outlets and light switches. A small ceiling fan hung above a table for six, while in the living room area there were a couple of lamps and a hanging light. Every bedroom had an overhead light as well.
“Wow, I heard they made these caves pretty homey, but I never expected this,” said Zach as he looked around, clearly impressed. “We even have a full kitchen and a halfway decent bathroom. It must have been a lot of work to create a network of caves like these.”
“Well, all vampires have is time, right?” Vivian pointed out. “Like you, for example. How old are you?”
“Ninety-four,” he reminded her.
“See, and you’re still young and healthy after a century. And look at my father, too. He barely looks like he’s reached his thirties. With all the men who reside here being in such great shape, it couldn’t have been that difficult for them to put this place together, really.”
“Well, it looks like we’ve got about ten hours to kill before dawn,” Donovan interjected with a chuckle. “What do you crazy kids like to do for fun?”
“Read the end of my book while you two get to know each other better?” Vivian suggested hopefully.
“Oh, now I know that’s not what you want to do,” Zach chuckled. “Wouldn’t you rather we all three curled up together on the couch and watched a movie? I’m pretty sure we could make use of this television right here for something besides an ornament.”
“If there are even any movies here,” she added. “I’m amazed we were given a room with a television in it at all.”
“Would you stop stalling and come have a look?” Donovan teased her. “I don’t think you’ve seen even half of the DVD’s here since you were restricted from viewing anything even slightly suggestive while you were waiting to mate. Here, how about this one?”
“Blood Bound,” Vivian read curiously. “Is this one of those vampire flicks that didn’t even get half of the facts about us correct?”
“Yes, it’s quite amusing,” said Zach as he read the title over Donovan’s shoulder too. “You should enjoy it.”
“Okay, let’s do this thing then,” said Vivian as she sat down on the middle cushion of the sofa. “But I think we should actually be watching the movie and getting comfortable with each other right now, don’t you? I mean, I haven’t even bitten Donovan yet.”
“Let’s just see how it all goes for now, all right?” Zach suggested. “Whatever happens, happens. What do you say?”
“Sure,” Vivian agreed, though she scooted backwards and leaned into the cushions as each man sat to one side of her, then grinned at each other mischievously.
Donovan ran a knuckle over her knee, smirking. Zach’s grin broadened further as he reached over and ran a knuckle over her other one.
Vivian blushed and started to giggle. “Come on, you guys. This isn’t very fair!”
“All is fair in love and war,” Zach commented dryly.
“Especially in love,” Donovan added.
“Okay, what’s going on here?” she asked. “Is this some kind of a conspiracy?”
“Can you think of a better way to build intimacy than being intimate?” Zach wanted to know.
“If you don’t like it, I could stop,” said Donovan.
“No, that’s not it,” she replied. “It’s just weird, that’s all. I spent years convincing myself not to want you in that way, telling myself I shouldn’t be thinking like that about you because I was meant for another, and now suddenly the whole game has changed. In a way, it worries me that Zach will think I don’t love him if I become intimate with you, even though I understand that it sort of turns him on too. It’s a lot to take in. I suppose I haven’t completely processed it all.”
“Vivian, perhaps all your reservations could be set aside if you got the first kiss out of the way,” Zach suggested helpfully. “Kissing is one very quick way to become more intimate, since you two know each other so well already.”
“And you don’t mind seeing it?” she clarified.
CHAPTER 15
“Okay, I will,” said Vivian with a determined air. She turned around so that she was facing Donovan and looked up at him expectantly.
“You look more like you are waiting for me to do the honors,” Donovan observed, glancing into her eyes. At her encouraging nod, he smiled softly and brought his lips down to meet hers.
“Go on, Donnie, kiss the girl senseless,” Zach encouraged him. “You’re kissing her like she’s your kid sister.”
Breaking free, Donovan laughed. “You know, Zach, there are some guys who might think kissing their sister was pretty hot, but I’m not one of them.”
“Shall I provide an example?” he grinned, then dragged Vivian into his lap and caught her chin, tilting her head backwards. He claimed her lips and her tongue in a heated exchange that she was more than willing to enjoy.
Zach deepened the kiss, and Donovan tentatively slid one of his hands over Vivian’s calf. He smiled at her when she glanced at him through hooded eyes.
When Zach’s hand came down to cup her breast, Vivian gasped and looked up at Zach again. She had a fleeting thought about the fact that nobody had remembered to start the movie, but then she realized Donovan’s fingertips had reached her upper thigh. Was he going to touch her—there? Her body shuddered with anticipation. Zach’s other hand came down too, tweaking the nipple on her other breast to life. She moaned softly, her eyes now zeroed in on Donovan’s again.
He bypassed the most obvious place, his hand smoothing over her belly instead. She sucked in a breath as Zach’s lips left hers and he shifted his position slightly, turning her body more fully into Donovan’s direction.
“Now, let’s see if your ability to kiss her has improved,” he suggested to Donovan as his own lips meandered to her ear so he could whisper to her. “Don’t hold yourself back, sweetheart. I want you to enjoy yourself.”
Vivian gasped slightly at the sensation of both his words and the heat of his breath skittering along the sensitive flesh. Donovan’s blue eyes had darkened slightly in a way she’d never seen before as he moved in to kiss her again. There was nothing brotherly about the way his mouth claimed hers this time.
His tongue probed tentatively at her bottom lip, and Vivian opened her mouth for him. It was obvious from the pounding of her heart how nervous and excited she was as his tongue took full possession, teasing hers into taking actions of its own. Her hands came down to cover Zach’s as he continued to massage her breasts, gripping gently.
“Yes, baby, that’s good,” Zach whispered into her ear. “Indulge yourself, my love. Let the heat seep into your body as we hold you like this. Donovan, she really likes this. Maybe she’d like something more?”
Donovan’s hand had slid down onto her hip, but now he moved it around to cup Vivian’s ass as he moved more fully over top of her. He was careful not to press into her fully, but she was well aware that he was starting to grow hard, just as Zach was. Her body just seemed to know, her senses zeroing in on the fact as they recognized the sexual tension that began to grow between the three of them.
She let out an appreciative moan. It seemed to be a signal for the heat to grow.
“Yes, Viv, do you like to be between us like this?” Zach asked her, running the tips of his fangs along the pulse at her neck.
“Y-yes,” she answered shakily.
“Put your legs around Donnie’s waist, sweetheart,” he suggested heatedly. “Pull him to you the way you like to pull me.”
“That way?” she asked, blushing.
“Exactly, baby.”
Vivian did as he asked, pulling Donovan’s sex more fully against her own. She bit at her bottom lip as she realized that, although the sensation was not the same as holding Zach in this manner, it wasn’t unpleasant either. Donovan’s appreciative groan encouraged her to press him in harder still. And she could tell why he was so appreciative since he was as hard as a rock.
“Maybe we should take this little party into the other room?” Zach suggested then.
“Are you sure?” Vivian asked him.
“Very,” he replied, smiling.
She smiled back at him, and then smiled at Donovan as well. “So am I.”
“Me too,” he agreed, grasping one of her hands to give it a squeeze. The three of them were just about to go into the biggest of the bedrooms when Alex came wandering in.
“Oh wow, you too?” he laughed. “I must be the only one around here who isn’t getting laid tonight. She’s already told me the virgins are off limits, and now you guys are going to be in there while I can’t go to Will’s either for the same reason. This royally sucks!”
Zach snickered as he kept tugging the other two with him. “Sorry about your luck, brother. You could always go sleep among the servants.”
“You know what?” he called after them. “I think I will!”
They were all three chuckling as they stepped inside the bedroom. The bed there was barely large enough for all three of them, but they were more than willing to give it a try. Zach caught Vivian around her waist and tugged off her shirt, tossing it off to the side. At the same time, Donovan rid himself of his shirt as well. They both rounded on Zach, pulling his shirt off of him together as they laughed.
“Hey, now, what’s this?” he teased. “Do you really want me undressed that badly?”
“Whatever pleases the lady,” Don reminded him.
“Oh yes?” he asked, smiling. “Then we should totally see if she likes strip shows.”
“What, as in put one on for her?”
“Why not?” he chuckled. “It sounds fun.”
“Yeah, I guess it does,” he agreed.
Each of them turned to look at Vivian slyly, then they leaned together so their backs were touching as the stared to dance.
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me!” she grinned, then she sat on the edge of the bed and watched, her tongue touching the back of her teeth as the two of them got more into the role. “You two seem pretty good at this,” she added after a minute or two. “Now, why don’t you actually start removing some clothes?”
Each man reached down and undid his pants at the same time, then they dropped them in sync as well, kicking them aside. Vivian started to fan herself as they danced some more. Then, as one and with no discussion, each of them lost their boxers as well.
The sight of two fully erect men who wanted her personally was almost overwhelming, and Vivian’s heart began to race as they each headed toward the bed at the same time too. Zach laid down and brought her head down onto the pillows with him, while Donovan began to work at the button of her fly.
Vivian started biting her lower lip, but soon, Zach was biting it for her instead. Donovan easily got rid of her pants and underwear, and now he got onto his knees on the floor, arranging himself so that he was between her thighs.
It didn’t take a huge stretch of the imagination to work out what he was up to, but when his tongue actually found its way to Vivian’s clit, the sensation was electric. She sobbed into Zach’s mouth, and he chuckled right back into hers, clearly pleased with the way the events had decided to go.
“Make her come, Donnie,” he told him as his fingers slid lightly over her collar bones and then down to claim one of her breasts. “She really enjoys that.”
“Not a problem,” he replied. While Vivian had been enjoying Donovan’s teasing and tasting, now that he added a couple of fingers and started to suck on her clit too, she thought she would explode. Both of Zach’s hands were now employed with massaging her breasts and tweaking her nipples, and all the while, his tongue was tangling with her own. It was electric in a way she never could have imagined.
“Dammit, will one of you get on already?” she begged. “I’m going to die!”
The two men laughed, and Zach let her go, moving over top of her instead. Donovan laid down and began to suckle one breast and twirl the other one’s nipple as Zach
began to move within her. Vivian moaned, long and low, as her walls began to pulsate wildly.
But Zach managed to hold out this time, milking out her orgasm from seconds to minutes with an expert skill. Her body was thrashing and bucking, but Donovan continued stimulating her breasts, helping Zach with his task.
By the time Zach moved off of her, she was already desperate to crash and burn, but she didn’t get the chance quite yet. Donovan mounted her, and the difference in sensation—he was shorter but a little thicker, it seemed—had her body heating right back up again. He didn’t take nearly as much time to come, though.
“Damn,” he sighed. “It’s been a while, Viv. Sorry. You’ve got Zach worked up to pro status, but I’m going to have to rebuild my endurance.”
“Don’t worry about it,” she whispered as her head sank into the pillows at last. “I’m good.”
“Can’t argue with that,” he agreed as he laid on one side of her, leaving Zach to lay on the other.
“Well, I suppose all of that was a bit premature,” Zach chuckled. “But well worth the price of admission.”
“Would you two like me to stay, or go to my own room?”
“This time, maybe you should go,” said Zach apologetically. “I think Vivian will want to process how she is feeling now.”
“No, it’s fine either way, as long as we’re going to go to sleep,” she sighed softly. “That really took a lot out of me.”
It wasn’t long before all three of them drifted off to sleep.
*
Zach blinked and opened his eyes sometime later, and nudged Vivian in the arm. She turned toward him sleepily.
“What’s up?”
“How am I supposed to know if it’s day or night in this place?” he grumbled. “There’s no clock and no way to glance out the window either.”
“I don’t know; I never gave it any thought,” she shrugged. “Remember, I didn’t have to worry about it until now.”
Keep It In The Blood: A Vampire Romance For Adults Page 9