Once Upon A Midnight

by Stephanie Rowe

  "Oh really? Is that why you looked at her like you wanted to skin her alive when I walked in here? You're jealous, admit it."

  "I am not!"

  "Okay, suit yourself. But you're not fooling anyone. I know you want me. You know you want me. The sooner you're ready to acknowledge that fact..." He took my hand and drew me in closer, whispering in my ear. "The sooner I can fuck you."

  I pulled my hand back so fast I almost hit Keira who was standing in back of me making a drink. "Fuck me?" I leaned back over the bar and lowered my voice. "Even if I were blind, destitute, desperate, and begging for it, I wouldn't let you fuck me."

  "Oh, I think you would sweet cheeks."

  "Well, you sir, are sadly mistaken. And stop calling me that!"

  "That's okay, I like a challenge." He yelled to me as I walked away.

  I stomped around Keira and pushed the doors leading into the kitchen open. I picked up a pan and slammed it down on the metal table, the sound echoing through the room.

  Both Bijou and Chanel jumped and turned to face me. They both shook their heads as they continued to prepare some of the food orders. I looked around the room; I noticed one of us was missing. "Where's Luna?"

  Bijou placed a few burgers on a tray and handed it over to Chanel who took it out into the bar. She wiped her hands on a nearby towel and put it back on the table. "She was depressing me so I told her to go downstairs. What's your problem? Is it your hunky human boyfriend?" She said as she fluttered her dark lashes.

  "He is not my boyfriend!"

  She looked at me and waggled her eyebrows. "But he is hunky."

  "I'm going downstairs if anyone needs me."

  I threw myself face down on my bed and squeezed my eyes shut. I was seething. How dare Rhett speak to me like that? Like I was some cheap piece of ass. Oh who was I kidding? I was treating him exactly like that for the last couple of months. I felt like utter shit for taking advantage of him so I could satisfy my uncontrollable needs.

  A soft knock on the door interrupted my self-loathing. I don't want to be bothered. I don't want to have to look at anyone's face. I'm the lowest kind of scum and I don't deserve to walk the earth. I screamed even though it's probably one of my sisters and they would be able to hear me even if I whispered. "Go away!" The soft knock got louder. I forced myself off the bed and padded over to the door. I didn't open it, instead I yelled again. "I said go away!"

  "C'mon sweet cheeks, open the door."

  Taken by surprise my voice softened involuntarily. "Rhett? What are you doing here?"

  "I came to apologize; can you open the door please?"

  I leaned my forehead against the door. I could smell his delectable scent through the wood and cursed myself for having heightened senses. I have to get rid of him. I can't do this anymore. I can't be with him like all the heavenly nights before. "Please Rhett, just leave."

  "Gia, I'm not leaving. I'll sit out here until you come out, but I would rather you open the door so we can talk."

  I don't know which one of my sisters told him it was okay to come down here without asking me first, but I was going to give whoever it was a piece of my mind. I let out a heavy sigh and relented. No matter how many times I promised myself I never wanted to be alone with him again, I knew it was a lie. I opened the door to find him leaning against the door jamb with his arms crossed over his chest.

  He unfolded his arms and motioned behind me. "Can I come in?"

  "No, what do you want?"

  He walked past me and closed the door. He leaned in towards me, capturing my lips between his teeth as he pushed me back against the door. He licked the raw spot and kissed me slowly, tenderly at first, then he deepened it.

  He took my hands in his and lifted my arms above my head. He slid his tongue along the curve of my neck until he reached my ear and nibbled on my lobe. My panties were drenched from the exquisite torture he was putting me through. I couldn’t stop him. I didn’t want to stop him. I could easily overpower him if I wanted to, but I need him. My body burns for his touch. He slid one hand down my stomach and into the elastic band of my panties as he held my arms up with the other. He barely touched my swollen clit as he slid his fingers between my slick folds to push them inside of me.My knees weakened with the first stroke and I let out a low moan. "What are you doing?"

  He smiled against my neck and licked my shoulder before delving his fingers inside me deeper. "I'm apologizing. Do you forgive me?"

  "Yes." My voice was barely a whisper.

  "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."

  He thrust his fingers inside me harder; once, twice, three times, and my belly began to warm as my climax neared. "Yes, I forgive you." I tried to speak louder, but I couldn’t. I could barely even think while his finger was buried so deep inside me.

  He nuzzled my ear. "I still can't hear you sweet cheeks. Louder. Scream for me."

  He placed the pad of his thumb over my aching clit causing me to throw my head back. Tiny pin pricks of light flashed behind my closed lids as I cried out my response to his demand. "God, yes."I came hard in his hand, soaking it with my release.

  He stroked his finger between my drenched folds a few times as my body quivered under his touch. "That's better." He lowered my hands as he brought them to his mouth for a soft sensual kiss.

  He ran his lips against my knuckles and I could feel my knees begin to buckle out from under me. He made me completely weak and vulnerable and I loved every minute of it. Whenever I'm with him I felt like a woman and not the indestructible vampire I am. He made me feel soft, delicate, and...loved.

  I haven't felt like this in centuries. It's been so long since I've been with a man who I actually let take control of me, who I let into my heart, and I don't want to let him go. But, I have to. I have no other choice than to wipe away his memory and with it everything we'd done tonight. Tomorrow night I'd have to have a discussion with Noah and tell him that Rhett was no longer welcome in the club. It's going to break my heart, but it has to be done. There were no other alternatives other than to drive him away from here and away from me forever.

  Tonight on the other hand, I will bask in the glow of his tenderness, his compassion, and the warmth of his heart for one last time.

  He walked backward a few feet guiding me to the kitchen island. I love that he takes control when we're together. For that brief moment in time no else existed and I don't have to make any painstaking decisions. I only have to follow his lead and enjoy the erotic ride.

  He leaned me against the cold marble countertop, lifting my shirt over my head as he gently brushed his hands down my lifted arms. He wound his hands around my back and gripped my ass with both hands giving it a hard squeeze.

  His hands slid into the tight leather fabric of my pants and pushed them down a bit. "Take these off." He demanded with a growl and I couldn't move fast enough to remove them.

  I got them to my ankles when he suddenly lifted me up onto the counter, pulling the stretchy material from my body. He licked a blazing red hot trail all the way up my leg, nipping me every few inches. He stopped when he reached the apex of my thighs and I swallowed hard at the feel of his warm breath between my legs. He ran his tongue over my already soaked panties with one long, languid, earth shattering stroke and I almost came from the sensation.

  The corner of his mouth tipped up before he grasped my silky panties in one hand, tearing them off me in one swift motion. "I want these off too."

  CHAPTER THREE

  “NOAH, WE NEED to talk." I grabbed his arm and pulled him into my apartment without anyone else seeing. I slammed the door shut behind me.

  "What's the problem?"

  "Shh, Caressa will hear us."

  "She's still sleeping.” He grinned from ear to ear.I kind of wore her out last night."

  "I think I just vomited in my mouth a little. Can we not discuss your sex life please, I have a problem."

  "Okay, what is the big secret that you can't talk to Caressa about?"

  "It's
Rhett."

  He sat on the edge of the sofa with his long legs stretched out in front of him, crossing them at the ankles. "What about him?"

  "You have to tell him not to come by here anymore."

  "No I surely don't."

  "Noah! This is serious. He is not welcome here."

  He folded his arms over his chest. "By who?"

  "By me!That's who."

  "Well, your opinion doesn't matter."

  "You are so lucky you aren't human anymore; otherwise I'd snap your damn neck. What do you mean my opinion doesn't matter? This is my club!"

  He unfolded his arms and placed his hands on the arm of the couch. "Last time I checked this club belonged to all you girls, not just you, and if I were to ask the others if they felt Rhett was a danger to them, I can almost guarantee they would say no. It seems the only one he's a danger to is you." He sighed." Give him a chance Gia. Tell him what you are."

  "Are you fucking crazy Noah? I can't tell him. I will not tell him."

  "Well, I'm not going to tell him he can't come here anymore. He's my only friend and I won't do that to him. Besides, it's not me he comes here for anyway. I can go to his house anytime, it's you he wants. You're the reason he comes here. So, if you don't want him here then you're going to have to do your own dirty work. You know I don't see the problem with you telling him. I'm sure after the initial shock he'd still care about you and want to be with you. Stop closing people off and let someone in that cold dark heart of yours.That man loves you and I'm not going to be the one to break his heart." Without saying another word, he straightened and walked out the door slamming it behind him.

  Well, that hadn’t gone as I’d planned. So much for asking him for help. I guess I have to do what Noah said. I have to be the one to tell him. The only problem is, that not only will Rhett be heartbroken, but so will I. It's the right thing to do, I know it is. Yet, I can't bring myself to think about what it would be like not to see him every day. He's become such a large part of my life; I can't imagine it without him.

  I took my place behind the bar and organized the glasses before the club opened. I'm sure Rhett will be here soon, so I prepared a well thought out speech in my head before he showed. I recited it over and over until I thought it was perfect enough. I have to let him down easy. I don't want to hurt him, but it's not a choice anymore. It's a decision I have to make to protect him. He needs to be protected from the Hunters and from myself as well. He deserves so much better and I plan on letting him go so he can move on with his life with someone worthy of his love.

  Keira snapped her fingers in front of my face. "Hey, earth to Gia."

  "What?!"

  "You said to let you know when Rhett was here. He came in through the back and I told him to wait for you in the office downstairs. What's wrong? You've been acting really weird lately."

  "Nothing."

  I left Keira in charge of the bar and took the stairs instead of the elevator, trying to delay the agony both Rhett and I were about to experience. I hoped with each passing second he didn't take what I have to tell him too hard. But how could he not? The man is absolutely head over heels in love with me. The problem is he doesn't know that because I've erased his mind so many times. I'm surprised his brain hasn't turned to mush from the many times I've used my powers on him.

  I stepped off the last stair and slowly made my way down the stone hallway past the wine cellar. With each step I took it appeared as though the door to the office moved further and further away into the distance. I felt like a death row inmate taking that excruciating long walk to the electric chair. How I wished that death would come creeping by and snatch the life out of me so I wouldn't have to go through with hurting him.

  I reached the entryway to the office and placed my hand on the door. I gently pushed it open and met Rhett's dark eyes. He was leaning against the desk in his snug blue jean that rested just below his hips.There was rip in one knee and several more in the fabric on the other leg. His dark gray t-shirt hugged his chest and biceps; the only thought that was going through my head was sinking my fangs into his taut skin again.

  I stepped in the office and left the door open.He pushed himself off the desk and sauntered over to me. I held up my hand and backed away from him. "No, please don't."

  He stilled and I could finally take in a deep breath. It was so hard to breathe around him at times. The closer he was to me the more I felt like I was suffocated by his intoxicating scent, which made it harder for me to concentrate. I needed to focus on the task at hand. I quickly recited the speech in my head again for the hundredth time before I spoke. "Rhett, sit we need to talk."

  He grinned, flashing those pearly white teeth my way. I instantly felt myself begin to melt. He moved toward me again. "I'd much rather kiss you."

  I side stepped him. "Rhett, please this isn't going to be easy for me to say."

  "This must be serious." He walked over to the chair beside the desk and it squeaked a little under his weight. "Okay, I'm sitting. What's on your mind sweet cheeks?"

  I never knew how much I loved hearing that endearment come from his lips until I knew I would never hear his voice say it again after today. There's only way I can tell him and that's to bite the bullet and blurt it out. "You're not welcome here anymore. From now on, you're banned from entering this club."

  He nonchalantly rose from the chair. "Fine."

  "I'm so sorry...wait, what?"

  "I said fine."

  "That's it? Just fine. You're not going to argue with me or ask me why."

  "No, I'm not because I already know why, you're scared. You're scared of the way I make you feel. I don't know why you won’t let me in, but I can't force you to. I'll leave for now if that's what you really want." He closed the distance between us and cupped my cheek with his hand, soothing his thumb over my skin. "If you change your mind you know how to find me. I'll be here whenever you're ready to talk and tell me the real reason why you're chasing me away. It's not going to be that easy to get rid of me because I'd wait for you forever." He slowly rubbed his lips against mine and kissed the tip of my nose. "I love you sweet cheeks."

  Then he was gone. I don't know how long I stood in that exact spot, but I needed to snap the fuck out of it and stop being soft and weak. I was doing fine for the past few hundred years without him and I was going to be fine without him from now on. Only I wished I really felt that way. All I wanted to do was crawl into a hole and live out my eternal life alone and in complete darkness.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  I AWOKE TO pounding on my door. My head felt as if it was going to explode and my stomach ached from not feeding for the last three days. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t bear the thought of sinking my fangs into another person after I'd had Rhett's sweet addicting blood. No one would ever come close to satisfying my insatiable appetite.

  Another loud knock and I jumped to my feet and stomped over to the door. I swung the door open meeting Noah's frustrated gaze.

  He pushed a small vile into my hand, spilling some of its contents on the floor. "Take this. Drink it."

  Ugh. Just what I don't want right now, fake blood. Caressa had contracted an out of state molecular scientist to produce a substitute for us if we ever ran out of food or if there was some kind of emergency.I've never ingested the stuff before and I'm not going to now.

  My insides burned with hunger, but it’s just what I need. I need to feel the pain. I am going to embrace my punishment for everything I did wrong to Rhett. I deserve every moment of agony for allowing it to go as far as it did with him. I pushed it back into Noah's chest, spilling some of it on his shirt. "I don't want it Noah. Just leave me alone so I can rot in peace." I attempted to shut the door, but his foot blocked me from closing it. "Noah!"

  He pushed the door open and shoved the vile back at me, speaking in a hushed tone. "Drink this now or I'm going to tell the others what's been going on with you and that you haven't eaten in three days."

  "Don't threaten me Mr. Sheppa
rd. You don't scare me one bit."

  "Oh no? Then maybe I'll just give my good friend Rhett a call and explain to him that you refuse to eat because it's his blood you crave."

  "How did you...you wouldn't dare!"

  "Yes I would. Now drink!"

  I threw my head back and poured the ghastly liquid into my mouth and swallowed it in one gulp. My stomach lurched in disappointment at the contents I had ingested. It was cold and uninviting.I wiped my mouth as my upper lip curled of its own volition. "That is the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted in my life."

  "Well, you'll only have to drink it for a couple weeks. It's not meant to be a permanent solution. So, as I see it, you have one of two choices. One, you haul your ass upstairs and feed on the customers, or two, tell Rhett the truth before I do."

  "I'm not telling Rhett anything. He's gone. He's never coming back Noah."

  "Fine, then I'll be expecting to see you upstairs tomorrow night."

  I slammed the door in his face. "The Hell you will." I whispered against the thick wood.

  "I heard that!" Noah yelled from the other side.

  Damn our heightened senses, they can be both a blessing and a curse, right now, they were a curse. That still wasn't going to change my mind about not feeding. I refused to feed from anyone but Rhett and since he's not an option any longer, I'll just have to starve to death. It really doesn't matter to me because the one thing I thought could finally make me happy was gone from my life forever.

  Before I had a chance to go back to bed another knock brought me out of my stupor. Fuck. Can't a girl die in peace? I rushed over to the door. I swung it open, fully expecting to see Noah on the other side and ready to go to battle with him. "Noah, I said...Oh, it's you."

  Keira walked past me and sat on the sofa. "Good to see you too."

  "Please come in and make yourself comfortable." I told her with my voice laced with as much sarcasm as I could muster. "What do you want?"