“Honor, they’re tomatoes. It’s a food not a heart. Relax, it’s okay.”
“A food, it’s just a food, just a food,” she chant-mumbled. “A hideous, disgusting organ-looking food, that makes me want to puke.”
“Okay, I think we’ve spent enough time in the garden for now.”
Laken spun her around and, with a heavy arm gripping her waist, he practically carried her back to his room. When Laken settled Honor onto his bed he sat beside her and gripped her hands. Honor was trying to digest all the information she had been given—it wasn’t easy.
“So let me see if I understand this,” she began. “Poop-like potatoes grow in the ground away from the sun. Carrot cocks grow in the dirt too, as do onions. The bloody heart tomatoes grow on the ground like strawberries and raspberries on veins.”
“Vines.”
“Cows are not only food but they magically make food.”
“There’s nothing magic, Honor. After you give birth you will lactate.”
“So you’ll drink my blood and the baby will drink my milk. I feel like the faucet you showed me.”
“I won’t take blood from you while you are pregnant or nursing.”
“The killer chickens give eggs, yet you can eat the chickens. What do the pigs give?”
“Meat.”
Honor was feeling a cross between horror-stricken and interested. Everything she had seen she had eaten. Everything had tasted wonderful, so why was it so scary to actually witness what it was and where it came from? Guilty, she was feeling guilty. There was a name and breath to animals, whereas before they were just food. The animals were eating food when she had roamed the barn. Food ate food. Astounding.
“Laken?”
“Hmm.”
“Why do you have sex with your food?”
Laken chuckled. “I don’t eat your flesh.”
“True.”
“Would you like me to show you something, how a vampire feels when having sex and drinking blood?”
“I don’t want to drink your blood.” She moved a bit away from him thinking the idea was nauseating.
“Just give me a moment.”
Laken rose and left the room. Honor waited and wondered until he returned carrying a bottle of something and holding a bowl of strawberries and the whipped cream she loved so much. Honor jumped when Laken opened the bottle and a huge popping sound came from the glass sounding as though it was protesting—or burping.
On the bedside table was a glass and Laken poured some of the bottle’s contents into it. The liquid was bubbly and curious. Laken handed her the glass and Honor sniffed at it. The bubbles teased her nose and she sneezed, making him laugh. She took a small sip and rolled the contents across her tongue and into her cheeks.
“Mmm, do you mean I taste like this?”
“Better.”
“But when we drink all that’s in the bottle it will be gone. If you take all my blood I’ll be gone.” The image of Laken’s Nanya popped into her mind.
Laken cupped her face between his palms. “I will never take too much.”
Honor drained her cup, crossing her hand over his wrist. Laken released her face and plucked a whipped cream covered strawberry from the bowl and fed it to her. He refilled her cup and told her to take a sip of the champagne while the food was still in her mouth. The flavor was delicious. She was surprised when Laken kissed her. Her mouth became filled with him as well. He stole half of her berry and Honor almost laughed.
When their kiss broke, she downed the contents of her cup and Laken took it away. He poured himself a glass and, after filling his mouth, he locked his lips over hers. Honor was literally drinking from him. She was taking sustenance from his mouth. This was what she gave him when he drank from her. It was no wonder it had been hard for him to stop taking from Nanya, this was Honor’s first taste of the amazing liquid and she wanted more. Laken had shared his images for the future with Nanya, he had shown her babies and how protected she was, how wanted and loved. Laken was right, Honor hadn’t wanted to feel the emotions but she did now.
Nanya had welcomed Laken’s ideas, she wanted his love. The idea of loving someone so much that you would offer your life willingly—not just in death but in a lifetime of togetherness was foreign to her. Honor felt Laken’s heart break when he realized what he had done to Nanya, how alone he felt. Laken had lost everything. Not once had Laken thought of Nanya as food or prey. Honor wasn’t just food either, and she felt certain he wouldn’t kill her. She should have let herself feel the emotions more in-depth before she had stunted them with her hurt.
Honor gasped for air when their kiss broke. When she looked into his stunning blue eyes she saw desire, but Honor wanted more. The barrier of emotions broke like a huge piece of ice from a glacier to smash her resolve.
“You’ve shown me so much, but there’s more to just seeing and tasting and interpretation. You can’t make me love you—or can you?” she asked.
“I can open your heart so you can let the experience in—but no; I can’t make you love me. Only you can control that emotion, otherwise it’s not real. There is nothing more hurtful than forced or fake love.”
“Forced?”
“I can seduce you, or I can hypnotize you. I won’t ever do that.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
Honor didn’t back away when he leaned in for another kiss. His lips were teasing and soft. He sweetly suckled her bottom lip into his mouth, and with tenderness, he trailed his fingers down the sides of her arms. She could pull away, but she didn’t want to. She couldn’t go back to her frozen world when there was so much emotion she wanted. Honor needed to be touched—she had known this all along. Her body demanded to be loved and maybe she couldn’t make him love her, but she would make him understand she wasn’t his Nanya—she was his Honor, there was nothing more important than Honor.
Honor locked her mouth over Laken’s and tasted his sweet breath. His rolling tongue lapped the sides of hers and she sucked him into her mouth. She sensed his surprise, but Honor was thrown feet first into this new place, and she was going to learn everything. She wouldn’t be bitter like Meg and she wouldn’t die like Tia. And if she had to breed with other men, she was going to make sure Laken burned with the idea. He would understand what it was to have to share her with another while she shared him with a ghost.
Honor pulled Laken’s hand to a breast and groaned when he kneaded her soft skin through the silky fabric of her teddy. She sank her hands into his long hair and deepened the kiss. Laken flipped her under him and she groaned into his mouth when his substantial weight rested on her. The teddy was fisted into his hand and he slowly dragged the garment from her body, ripping it.
Laken was sucking in huge gasps of air when he pulled his mouth from hers. His gaze was intense, but she wouldn’t be intimidated, and she stared back with as much passion as she thought she could muster. Sex was new to her; everything in the coven was new to her—except Laken. He was hers.
As the teddy was torn from her body, Laken moved down with the garment. His body dragged over Honor’s and she was introduced to each muscle, every bulge his body had to offer over all of her. His lips and mouth nipped and licked at her soft flesh until she squirmed and moaned wanting the torture to continue so bad she ached between her legs.
The lingerie was tossed to the ground and Laken stayed between her thighs. When he spread her legs Honor full-fisted the bed sheets beneath her. His hot breath at her mound made her quiver with excitement. Two fingers rubbed her outer lips for mere seconds before she felt wet. When those two fingers spread her and dipped into her heat, Honor wanted to scream. She gritted her teeth together when Laken moved closer and his tongue flicked out to lick her bud.
Round and round he laved then sucked; all the while, the pad of his thumb stroked and teased her labia. Honor couldn’t keep still, she whimpered his name. Laken ceased his torment for only the time it took for him to strip off his clothing. Then he pounced
. His entire body was settled over her onto his hands and knees and once more, Laken attacked her clit. His cock was erect and lowering towards her mouth, Honor had never taken him into her mouth, but she did now.
His huge cock pushed past her lips and Honor’s hands shot up to grip him. Double-handed, she stroked his long length and still there was enough past her lips to cause her a few seconds of worry until she realized he wasn’t trying to push his entire length in. Easily, he slid his massive cock back and forth seeming to know how much she could take.
Her panic subsiding, Honor felt him, she tasted him. Her eyes closed from the wide-eyed position she had stretched them into, and she began to relax. Her legs that had tensed uncomfortably loosened; Laken was stroking the inside of one of her thighs with his strong fingers. The rocking motion Laken set them in was soothing, not frantic. Honor was able to take more of him in, she wanted more. Her hands released their firm grip on his cock and explored his balls. They were large and soft and so curious to look at. Honor liked the way a man was built, exposed for all to see. It was just like a man’s personality, what you see is what you get. Honor liked how a woman was made, her sex wasn’t hidden inside as a disgrace—it was a woman’s personality, mysterious, warm and welcoming, a home that would one day house a babe.
Laken’s tongue and teeth razed over her lower lips, insides and outsides. This was the real magic of the world, Honor decided. The feelings men and women invoked. No, sex wasn’t love, she understood that, but it could make a person glow with the happiness of being wanted. Laken slipped his cock from her mouth and turned. His body hung over her until he settled half his weight onto her.
Her thighs remained spread, Honor reached out to brush a lock of hair from Laken’s face. She then cupped his cheeks in her palms and drew him down for a kiss. When their lips met it was sweet wonder, a gentle caress. Laken lifted his hand and took hers into it. They splayed their fingers together and he carefully pressed both her hands onto the mattress. Honor didn’t feel trapped, his elbows and knees kept him from crushing her.
A gentle push between her thighs grew in intensity. Laken never took his gaze from hers. Both had their mouths open in shallow pants; his breath was sweet like the champagne they had shared. Further he sunk his cock into her and she welcomed him, wanting him. She lifted her legs to wrap around his waist and rocked with him. A man could become one with a woman; that magnificent part of him made it possible.
Honor was in a place where nothing frightening existed. She was loving a vampire; when he dipped his head and sucked at her throat she turned her neck exposing herself to him, offering what he needed. Laken’s look was questioning for only a moment before his fangs slipped into her delicate skin. Honor didn’t stiffen, she didn’t cower; she made only one request while he was in her thoughts. He could love his Nanya, but not while he was with Honor.
Laken took her mind to a stunning place where he held her close. He showed her this great being called a mammoth, then an elephant. Honor was surprised when she understood, the scientist people he had spoken of mixed these creatures to bring the mammoth back. Honor had to see, she must see, though she felt Laken’s hesitancy. No more fear, she begged. From a distance Honor was shown a crocodile, it was so interesting, she was then shown an image of a Kronosaurus, it was terrifying. She realized the image wasn’t real—Laken had never seen a real live creature like this either, it was before his time. It was astounding, Laken was so old but the world was ancient. Honor now understood—she wasn’t stupid like she had thought, she just had never been shown.
Everything Laken showed her wasn’t to frighten her—it was to teach her. It was knowledge, beautiful wonderful knowledge. The thought was enlightening. Never again would Honor look at this new place with fear. She wanted to learn everything about her surroundings.
Laken removed his fangs from her throat. Honor was fine, he had taken very little and his thrusting increased. Honor raised her hips upwards to meet his plunges, it was heavenly. She wanted to feel his strength and he showed her some—she knew he held back so as not to hurt her. Still, the pounding of his thighs against her body was not unlike thunder and Honor decided that element was also less fearful. Let it rain, let it storm, Honor may be human, but she had a vampire who watched over her. Nothing would ever harm her.
Laken groaned and slowed his motion. When he released her hands she wrapped her arms around his neck and held tight. Laken pulled from her and turned them sideways. There were no windows in this room and Honor liked it that way. Wrapped in Laken’s arms, all she felt was safety. There was no distracting sun, or moon, or stars. She knew where to find those things if she wanted to see them, but she could decide. Maybe she hadn’t made a difference to the ice-dweller world, but she had changed her own. Perhaps that was what taking a stand was after all, not changing the way of another—changing her own way, choosing the right path for herself. Lying there, Honor was happy she had.
Chapter 10
Laken was watching Honor in the kitchen the next day. She was trying to get the cleaned dead turkey she was holding into a deep pan for roasting. She had washed it but was finding the wet poultry to be slippery, heavy and awkward. It fell for a second time into the sink water splashing the front of her. Laken grinned looking at her now see-through lingerie, her tits were well-defined—Honor didn’t notice.
With determination, Honor gripped the meat, too tight, and the bird went sliding across the counter top and was airborne, flying as though it had wings. Laken caught it like a football. Laughing, he settled the fowl into the pan. When Cindy, their cook, brought a bowl of stuffing over Honor’s look was incredulous.
“So let me get this straight,” Honor said, her front dripping, hair askew. She looked like she had been in a fight and the food had won. “First you kill the poor sorry bastard, then you shove food up its ass?” Cindy’s mouth dropped open and Laken thought he’d piss himself he was laughing so hard. “Talk about the indignities. I’m getting more respect for my food by the second.”
“Well, it’s called stuffing because you stuff the bird.” Cindy was spluttering.
“And is it my imagination, or does this huge neck look like a limp cock?” Honor was holding the turkey neck near the middle of her thighs and began bouncing it around. “Am I hung or what?” The end was rounded and bobbled up and down.
“I need to make stock from that,” Cindy complained, her face was beet red.
Cindy made a grab for the neck-cock and dumped it into a pan with water. When Cindy handed the bowl of potatoes to Honor to peel, she scowled. With her face twisted into another determined grimace, Honor picked up a paring knife and settled before the garbage, where the contents would be made into compost. As the potato began to grow white from its flaying, Honor looked a bit more interested.
“So this potato-poo thing needs its face scraped off before you eat it? Kinda cruel, and I’m glad it doesn’t bleed.”
Cindy gave Laken a horror-filled gaze at Honor’s analogy. Laken shrugged.
When Honor began peeling the carrots, it was his turn to grimace. “Can you imagine skinning your cock this way, Laken?” He had an unnatural need to grip his dick.
Cindy took Honor to the stove and flicked the gas burner on. Honor cried out. “Holy shit, where the hell did the fire come from?”
Laken dragged a hand down his face. Honor was staring at the fire; she then looked under the stove and around it. Finally, she declared it magic. Cindy walked over to the fridge shaking her head. She pulled an ice tray down from the freezer to toss a few cubes into a cup. Honor raced over and grabbed the cup before she could pour any juice into it. Honor shook the cup then opened the fridge.
“Are there tiny ice dwellers in there?” she asked with amazement. “It’s so cold. Do you give them furs? Look at the ice on the sides, it crusts like snow. How do they hunt? What do they hunt?”
Laken took the cup and gave it back to Cindy who looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown. He turned Honor to face
him and placed both hands on her shoulders.
“There is nothing or no one living in this, Honor. It keeps food frozen, or everything would spoil. We have much bigger ones in the basement. Nothing alive is put into this or it would be cruel.”
“It’s not cruel to be cold, Laken,” she said quietly. “There could have been love in the frozen dwelling. I don’t remember much of my parents, but they loved me. Peter’s parents loved him; they told him. Your gadgets are new to me, I just need to be taught, not looked at like I’m some type of amusement or in the way.”
Laken cupped her chin as she had hung her head as she spoke. She was forced to meet his gaze. “You’re not a burden, and we want to teach you. We don’t mean to laugh or look cruel. It’s just your discoveries of the simple things we take for granted are quaint. Your innocence is such a breath of fresh air. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to teach you; I wish you would stay the way you are. But it’s for your own safety and peace of mind.”
Laken was startled when the kitchen door swung open so fast it crashed off its hinges. Honor and Cindy both screamed when Tavish was suddenly before Laken. Tavish’s eyes glowed, his fangs were bared—he was definitely furious.
“What’s happened?” Laken asked. Honor was breathing fast, Cindy was cowering behind him; both women’s hearts were pounding like locomotives. Very rarely did Tavish frighten his coven humans especially the females.
“Three breeder females have gone missing.” Tavish was thunderous. “One is pregnant.”
“How is that possible?” Laken said and was practically sputtering.
“Rumor of Honor’s exploits over the fence caught the attention of one—Meg.”
“Oh no,” Honor cried out. “Meg would talk Nora into following her.”
“She did, and another, Cara, who had made friends with Nora, went with them trying to stop them.” Tavish snarled.
A Vampire To Watch Over Me [Vampire Coven Book II] Page 12