Her Secret

by Tara Fox Hall

  Danial abruptly stopped, holding completely still. “Shit.”

  Danial almost never swore. “What is it?” I said, alarmed.

  “Do you like horses?” Danial asked, hastily slipping on a shirt.

  “Yes?” I said uncertainly. “Why?”

  He gave me a quick smile, and then led me out of the bedroom to the front door. Someone was knocking. Danial opened the door.

  A cheerful man stood there, dressed in denim. Strands of hay clung to his flannel shirt, and his shoes were covered with muck. The scent of horses, hay and saddle oil permeated the air.

  These were all good smells to me. I inhaled deeply, giving him a tentative smile.

  “How you doing, Racklan?” the man said, giving him a broad smile.

  “Fine, Chuck,” Danial said, giving him a broad smile in return.

  They shook hands. “I’ve brought Poe tonight, as you asked,” Chuck said, eying Danial’s clothing. “You going to ride in those?”

  “My apologies,” Danial said graciously. “I quite forgot I’d asked you to come. Let me present my friend, Sar.”

  Chuck looked me over thoroughly, appreciation in his eyes. He nodded to me politely. “Ma’am.”

  “Hello,” I said. “My name is Sar. It’s good to meet you, Chuck.”

  “This your lady, Racklan?” Chuck said, switching his eyes to Danial.

  Danial never missed a beat. “Yes, she’s my lady,” he said, prideful. “Would you please take her outside to meet Poe? I’ll change and be out shortly.”

  Chuck nodded, moving aside so I could step out the door. A huge blue dually—an oversized truck with extra back tires made for pulling heavy loads—waited in Danial’s driveway, a horse trailer hooked to the back. Chuck went into the trailer, and slowly backed out a beautiful gelding. He was easily eighteen hands tall, very large boned, and glossy black, his coat clean and shiny. Chuck tied Poe to a post, then rummaged around in the back of the truck. Soon he was back with a western saddle, blankets, and a single bit western bridle.

  “Danial usually does this,” Chuck explained. “But I need to be home in a few hours for my last round of the barn, so I’ll help him out, just this once.”

  Danial must be paying him good money to get him out here. Chuck had most likely been up since dawn, and probably had done more today than I had all week. He likely had more jobs waiting for him at home besides settling his horse Poe in his stall for the night. “I can do it,” I said.

  Chuck looked at me in surprise.

  I took the bridle from him. “Does he mind if the halter is left on? Will he stand for me?”

  “Yes, you can take it off. He’ll stand still without being tied.”

  I slipped the halter off Poe slowly, moving confidently. He didn’t know me, and I didn’t want to startle him. I took the bit in my left hand, and put my finger in Poe’s mouth, in the corner, finding the gap between his jaws. I opened his mouth gently, slipping the bit between his teeth, and he accepted it nicely. I slid the bridle over his ears, and made sure the strap was the right length, not too tight and not too loose. Tying the reins loosely to the post, I handed Chuck the halter. “Does he need two blankets?”

  “Yes,” Chuck said. “He’s sensitive, and he’ll ride better that way.”

  I nodded, and put the blankets on, folding them once, putting one back a little farther than the other. Chuck settled the saddle on his withers, as Poe was too tall for me to do it without messing up the blankets. Quickly, I gathered up the girth strap, and leaned into Poe’s side. When I felt him draw in breath, I cinched it tight, buckling the saddle on. I tried to move the saddle a few times, as Poe breathed in and out, and it stayed put.

  It had been two decades, yet I’d still remembered a lot from my riding lessons. “Can I get on him?” I asked Chuck.

  “When I saw you standing there with Danial, from the looks of you, I’d have said no. But it’s clear to me you know what you’re doing, Miss.” Chuck gave me a broad smile. “Go ahead.”

  I untied the reins. Putting them over the saddle horn, I grasped it with my left hand, and put my left foot in the stirrup. Then I pulled myself up, swinging my right leg up and over. Poe was taller than any horse I’d ever ridden. Yet the saddle’s feel under me was familiar.

  Chuck checked the stirrups, then shortened them both. “You’re all set.”

  “Does he have a soft mouth?” I asked “Is he easily scared?’

  “Nope to both,” Chuck said. “Just stay out of the forest. I don’t want him tripping over a tree root and throwing you.”

  I grinned. “Okay.” I turned Poe and we began to walk down the drive.

  It felt so good to be on horseback again. I tightened my legs into Poe’s sides and suddenly he was galloping, stretching out his neck to run. I crouched over his neck, trying to move with him and not bounce, the night air sweeping through my air and lungs invigoratingly.

  In ten seconds, we had reached the driveway, and were barreling down it. I eased back on the reins. Poe dropped into a trot and then a fast walk. He was certainly eager to run. In spite of how eager I was for that too, I turned Poe around, and tightened my legs around him again, not wanting to deprive Danial.

  Poe and I galloped back down the driveway, tearing across the lawn. We slowed abruptly, coming to a stop in front of Danial and Chuck.

  “She’s quite a horsewoman, your lady is,” Chuck said, giving me a smile.

  “So it would seem,” Danial said, giving me a considering look. He turned to Chuck. “Next time you come, can you bring a horse for her?”

  “Sure thing,” Chuck said. “I have another who will suit her just fine.”

  “Go ahead, Sar,” Danial said, giving me a smile. “Ride him a little more. I’m enjoying watching you.”

  “Are you sure? You were supposed to ride tonight.”

  “I will, in a while,” Danial said. “I want to watch you for now.”

  “Take him down the driveway,” Chuck reminded. “The woods aren’t safe to gallop in at night, but the driveway won’t have any trips or holes.”

  I didn’t need any more urging. I wheeled Poe around, and we were galloping again in a flash. It took us only a few minutes to reach the road. Turning him, we raced back down it, the speed leaving me breathless and excited.

  “You’ve been wonderful,” I said, patting his neck. “Come, let’s walk around the yard a bit. Your sides are heaving.”

  After about thirty minutes of pleasant meandering around the front yard, Poe and I were familiar with each other, and he was no longer breathing hard. Slowly I walked him back to Danial.

  “Done?’ he said, as he came over to help me dismount.

  “Yes,” I said, giving both he and Chuck a brilliant smile. “It’s been a long time since I rode. But it was fantastic. Thank you.” I handed Danial the reins.

  Danial gave me one of his soft looks. “You’re welcome.” He quickly lengthened the stirrups and swung up into the saddle. He looked so good sitting there, as if he belonged on horseback. At four hundred plus, he probably felt more at home there than behind the wheel of a truck.

  Danial smiled down at me, then turned Poe with a deft touch on the reins. They ghosted away over the grass, trotting toward the driveway.

  “Danial, he really likes to ride,” Chuck mentioned, watching then disappear into the night.

  I didn’t reply, too upset that I’d never known of Danial’s love of riding. But Danial hadn’t ever mentioned it to me, not in the years we had been together. This couldn’t have been an interest he’d developed in the last few months, not with his skill. Why hadn’t he shared it with me?

  Danial was soon back. Effortlessly, he began elegantly cantering around the yard. It was obvious he was an excellent equestrian. Poe went beautifully for him, seeming to move as an extension of Danial. I watched raptly, enchanted.

  A half hour later, Danial rode back to us and dismounted.

  “Walk with me,” he said to me. “I need to cool down Poe before
he goes home.”

  When we were out of earshot, Danial said softly, “I never knew you could ride.”

  “I never knew that you enjoyed it as much as I can see you do,” I answered. “You never said anything about it, not in all the time we were together.”

  Danial smiled and took my hand as we walked. “We had other things to think about then. We didn’t pay enough attention to one another the first time we were together, or share enough of ourselves. The second time, there was Elle to raise and we were trying to have Theoron.” He stopped walking and turned to me. “I am not going to miss this third chance. In the time we have, these Saturdays, I’m going to do with you all the things I never made time for before.”

  I squeezed his hand, then gave him a soft look of my own. “Good.”

  As we continued to walk, Poe’s breathing quieted. When he was cool, Danial took off Poe’s bridle, blanket, and saddle, and gave him a quick rubdown. Chuck covered him with a blanket, then loaded him into the trailer.

  “Next week?” Chuck asked, his hand on the truck’s door.

  “Yes,” Danial answered. “And please bring an additional horse.”

  “You got it. Goodnight.”

  As they drove off into the night, Danial took my hand and led me back inside. “Are you hungry?”

  “Yes,” I said expectantly. He wouldn’t have offered if he hadn’t had something in mind.

  “Good.” Danial led me into the kitchen with a smile. “This was just delivered via fox.”

  “Pizza!” I said joyfully. “This just gets better and better.”

  Danial laughed. “I hope you still say that after the pizza.”

  “We’ll see.” Laughing, I carried the pizza and a soda into the great room, quickly demolishing most of it.

  After I’d eaten, I lay back on the couch, relaxed and happy.

  “Are you tired?” Danial asked. “Your eyes are fluttering.”

  “No,” I whispered to Danial, stretching slightly. “I’m not...”

  * * * *

  I woke nude lying before the wood stove. I sat up, a little confused. “Danial?”

  Danial walked in, his naked skin bathed in shining light. God, he had never looked so gorgeous. I checked my bottom lip to make sure I wasn’t drooling.

  Danial held some kind of remote up, and pushed a button.

  I blinked in surprise. “Don’t tell me you put a TV in here—”

  The first strains of the Righteous Brothers “Unchained Melody” rose from the room’s corners, enveloping me in longing, making my heart pound. Danial walked toward me with intent, his eyes locked on mine. I backed away submissively. When he was close enough, he grasped my naked arms, and began kissing me.

  I hugged him, luxuriating in the sensations. My lust for him was rising, but it wasn’t the uncontrollable lust that we’d silenced earlier. This was the lust mixed with love that I always had for him, the desire that was never truly silent, never truly gone.

  “Are you still mine?” he said softly, looking into my eyes. He kissed me with passion, then he moved lower to my neck, pricking me gently as he had before with his fangs. “Do you want to be?” he whispered.

  “Yes,” I whispered back. “And it’s me answering this time.”

  Danial bit me again gently. I tensed up, but the lust didn’t uncurl within me. Danial applied more pressure, and I felt one fang slide in just slightly. I shivered, waiting for the lust to rear up, but nothing happened.

  I went weak with relief. “It’s gone.”

  “Good.” Danial smiled, and then reached over, pushing some buttons on his remote again. The song began to play over, and he began to kiss me gently, then more passionately, our crescendo building along with the music as the song repeated again and again. There was none of the franticness of the lust, or the pure physical rush. Instead, we luxuriated in each other, slowly building up to an emotional climax that completely satisfied us in a way the purely physical one had not.

  After, we lay in each other’s arms, spent. “I loved that,” Danial said contentedly. “I wanted us to make love at least once without The Lust.”

  So had I, but voicing that felt like the betrayal it was. I sighed and pressed myself closer to him. “Thank you for being safe. I know you hate wearing them—”

  “No more talking,” he whispered. “Sleep, my darling, and have hope. Things will be better tomorrow.”

  Chapter Three

  I opened my eyes. I was warm and everything was absolutely wonderful. I shifted slightly stretching in contentment. Cool arms reached around me to pull me close.

  “Good morning,” Danial whispered softly, kissing me.

  I tensed immediately, and swallowed hard. “Good morning.”

  “It doesn’t sound as if it’s good for you,” Danial said, concerned. “What is it?”

  I’m a complete and utter slut for waking up with you so happy while Theo’s home by himself going crazy. I swallowed again, and brushed back tears. “Nothing.”

  Danial kissed my cheek, then hugged me. “Don’t cry, please. I understand. Just stay here a moment with me. I want to hold you for as long as I can before you have to leave.”

  I blinked rapidly, then shook my head. “No, I’ve got to go. We did what we set out to, at least for now.”

  “Did we?” Danial nuzzled my neck softly. “We’re two for one in favor of lust over love.” His hands moved down, pulling my hips back against his. “Let’s make it even.”

  “Stop,” I said halfheartedly. “You know this is wrong.”

  “What I know is that you want me, Sar,” he said teasingly. “Just as much as you ever did. Last night you were happy to be loved.”

  “Last night was then,” I protested.

  “You exude satisfaction and happiness now because of how good our last time was. I’m only offering more of the same love while we have the opportunity—”

  He moved his hips slowly, flexing his erection against my buttocks. He kissed my neck, and reached his hands up from my waist to cover my breasts, squeezing gently. I drew in a long shuddering breath. The moment my mouth opened he was kissing me, his tongue slipping inside to taste me.

  I wanted him all right, and the lust was all my own. I moved against him, pushing backward and spreading my legs deftly. The tip of him penetrated my vagina slightly. Danial let out a groan, then gripped my hips as he pushed, sliding a little further inside. “Ah, God, Sar...you’re so warm...”

  The Lust hit me like a freight train in the space of a second. I shoved back hard against him, driving him inside me to the hilt. Danial let out a cry, his body thrusting involuntarily as his back arched.

  The feel of his bare skin slipping into me was almost more than I could stand. I began to move my hips back and forth, stroking him. He felt so good inside me! I moved faster, straining.

  Danial grasped my hips and weakly tried to stop me, but he had no will to stop. He was groaning with each movement of my body, his body jerking involuntarily as he fought not to continue. “Stop, please!” he gasped. “Sar, I’m close!”

  “I know,” I purred seductively. “I want you to come, Danial. I want to hear you scream for me.”

  “No.” He grabbed my hips and tried to pry me off him. I resisted, sliding on him as fast and tightly as I could. He began to shake with the effort of holding back. “Stop,” he groaned. “Stop.”

  “No,” I purred, and moved faster. “Let go.”

  Danial’s back arched as he came, his fangs bared in a primal scream. This was the moment I’d been waiting for. I reached back and yanked his head forward, straining up with my neck. His fangs connected, slicing deep.

  The effect was instantaneous: Danial’s arms contracted like a vise, his hips pistoning frantically as he finished coming. Even better, his fangs were buried in me, sucking steadily, his soft sighs muffled. Suddenly, he bit down hard.

  I let out a scream of pleasure, jerking back against him, another orgasm bursting over me. Danial continued to move. His penis
was still stiff within me, but his thrusts were languid now, in time to his long pulls as he drank me down. I lolled in his arms, pleasure radiating through me.

  Danial withdrew abruptly, pushing away from me. “God Damn it!”

  As he lay near me, shaking in frustration, I came back to myself. Quickly I dashed for the bathroom where I threw up the pizza, and what felt like everything I had ever eaten. I stumbled to the shower, turned it on, and got in, sobbing, rinsing my mouth out and trying to wash away what I had done.

  Danial entered the shower. I tried to turn away from him, but he grabbed me, holding me tightly under the water as he looked over my neck. “Hold still.” He relaxed his grip. “You’re not bleeding. The bite’s scabbed over.”

  His words terrified me. “I’m sorry,” I said tearfully, my tone uneven. “Please, I’m sorry.”

  Danial held me close to him, and hugged me gently. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault, not yours.”

  We held each other for a moment, and then separated, quickly cleaning ourselves under the showerheads. Danial emerged after me, and we began to dry off.

  “I should’ve known better,” Danial grumbled. “I spoke to Devlin about this last night. He said I had to have control of myself utterly because you would not have any.”

  I didn’t know if I wanted Danial talking to Devlin about me like this. But that was irrelevant, as Danial and I needed his advice. “He must have a lot of experience with this.”

  “Yes,” Danial assented. “He’s been making vampires for over two hundred years.”

  I wanted to know if Devlin had asked about me, but this was the worst possible time to ask. Besides, it was better if I didn’t talk to him anyway. “Did he have any other pointers?”

  “Yes: don’t provoke any encounters, which I blew this morning.”

  “Don’t be sorry, Danial,” I sighed. “You did just what you were supposed to.”

  “Either way, it doesn’t matter. This isn’t working. I think we should get a second opinion from Dr. Camlyn. As much as I want to be intimate with you, I’m not going to risk your life.”

  “I agree, Danial. I’ll call him later today.”