Once Upon A Midnight

by Stephanie Rowe

  I lifted my head to meet his heated gaze. "I think I should explain what's going to happen to you first."

  He puffed out an annoyed breath. "Damn it Gia, stop thinking and just act. What does your heart tell you to do?"

  "It's just..."

  "What?"

  "What if I can't stop again? Noah and Caressa had to pry me off of you the last time."

  "You were starving yourself. Of course it was hard to stop once you started.Besides, you've done it before and you stopped."

  "This is different. It will be a different sensation and so much more intense. If I don't stop in time, I could kill you and there would be no way to bring you back."

  "Would it make you more comfortable to have Caressa and Noah in here watching us have sex, you know, just in case you get out of hand? I don't mind if you don't."

  He winked at me and flashed that complacent grin I hate, but absolutely cannot live without. I placed my hand around his throat, putting a small amount of pressure to the area.

  "I guess that's a no." He managed to squeak out.

  I nodded. "You guessed right." I leaned into him, nuzzling his neck while I guided his hands to my back. His hands gripped my round bottom, lifting me slightly so he could slip into my slick pussy.

  He groaned as I lowered myself onto him until he filled me completely and we were touching skin to glorious skin. He started to move his hips to the rhythm of mine. His low groans fueled my desire even more as they echoed in my ears, causing me to speed up the pace.

  I didn't give him a warning before I sank my fangs into the warm, tight skin of his neck. At first, he hissed in shock from the pain, then he started to relax against my mouth with every pull I took on his vein.

  The taste of his blood hitting my tongue and sliding down my throat took me to another place. I felt as though I was having an out of body experience and was hovering above our beautifully joined bodies moving as one.

  I felt him shudder under me; I took one last mouthful of his blood into my mouth before he stilled, becoming limp in my arms. I broke our connection and quickly dressed him. I also put my own clothes back on. He would definitely be screaming any minute and I didn’t want us to be naked if one of the others decided to barge in on us after hearing him.

  He laid still for so long my stomach dropped at the thought of me killing him, permanently. I began to panic and paced the floor. What would I tell Caressa? And Noah, he'd surely hate me for eternity if I murdered his best friend.

  I was torn from my thoughts as Rhett gasped for breath and thrashed his head back and forth against the seat cushion. I've witnessed many vampires being turned and know this is the norm, but it still broke my undead heart to watch him go through this agony. This would be the last time he ever experienced physical pain and although it was an excruciating process, it was a small price to pay to be able to spend eternity with the one you loved.

  I padded over to him. I knelt beside him and bit my wrist. I held my arm above his head until my blood dripped into his mouth. As soon as the first drop hit his tongue he reached for my arm, bringing my punctured skin to his lips. He sucked on my vein hard then slowed as he stroked my skin with his tongue.

  I began to feel lightheaded and knew it was time for him stop, otherwise I would die. I tried pulling away from him, but he was already developing the strength of a New Blood. I tried again and was able to break free, thankful for temporary weakness he was experiencing.

  I backed away from him, pressing my back to the door to give him the room he would need to adjust when the transformation was over. Since New Bloods were unpredictable and sometimes stronger than the oldest vampires, it was best I stayed clear of his possible destructive path. It would take a while for him to get used to his power before it balanced itself like the rest of ours had.

  Rhett's body stiffened as his screams practically shook the room. I knew it would be over soon, but every second I had to witness him suffer was much too long for me.

  Finally, he stilled. He wasn’t moving, wasn’t breathing. I cautiously made my way over to him again. Considering he would be waking up dazed and confused it might be best not to crowd him. I leaned over him, noticing his skin slowly getting paler.

  He suddenly jerked awake, grabbing my wrist and pulled me onto the couch beside him. I tried to yank my hand away, but his grip was too strong. His eyes fluttered open as he tried to focus on my face. When he realized who I was he loosened his hold on me, but never let me go.

  He crawled on top of me like a wild cat sneaking up on its prey; his black eyes pinning me in place. I've never seen this kind of primal need in him before. His heated gaze raked over my body and stopped at my mouth. He licked his lips as his fangs made their first appearance. The sight of him sent a charge of electric heat straight to my core.

  He didn't say anything, instead he practically growled against my neck sending tiny vibrations along my spine. He frantically removed my clothes, leaving me naked in front of him. He pressed the palm of his hand onto my stomach then slid his hand between my breast and up to my throat. He applied pressure on the sensitive spot to the point where I struggled to breathe. I tried to break free

  A few seconds later he squeezed his eyes shut and eased his hold on my neck. I inhaled deeply bringing much needed oxygen into my lungs. I could see the turmoil brewing in his dark eyes, I knew exactly what he was going through. I could sympathize with his indecision to either rage out of control or be the man he was before he turned. I'd had the same feelings when I was brought into the darkness.

  A calmness fell over him; his determined gaze was still fixed on mine. I was so wet for him despite the tiny bit of uneasiness I felt in the pit of my stomach. I knew I should be giving him space, but my body and mind were at war with each other and my body was definitely winning that battle by a landslide.

  He placed his hand on my hip, aligning my aching pussy with his hard erection still in his jeans. The sensation of the rough fabric against my bare swollen clit drove me insane with need.

  I took his hand and guided it to where I wanted him to touch me, where I was desperate for him to touch me. "Rhett, please." I pleaded.

  He raised my hands above my head where I gripped the arm of the sofa. My nails dug into the leather, puncturing the fabric.

  He reached between us and I heard the soft sound of his zipper as he pulled it down. He palmed my breast with his other hand, kneading the hardened peak with his thumb. I arched my back wanting more, needing more of a connection.

  I got my wish when he plunged into me with one hard stroke. I gasped as I scraped my sharp nails along his shoulder while he pounded into me over and over. His strength was breathtaking and though having sex with him had always been great before, the power he possessed now awakened every cell in my body.

  He slowed his pace, taking me over the edge. I shuddered as the tingle spread outward from the little bundle of nerves to the rest of my body. He greedily kissed me, grazing his fangs across my raw lips drawing blood.

  He trailed his tongue along my jaw line to my ear and whispered. "Mmm, I could never get enough of you. I will never get enough." He pressed deeper inside me and stilled. He fisted his hands in my long red curls, winding them around his fingers. He pulled gently, tilting my chin up to expose my neck to his new fangs. "I need more of you Gia. Fuck, I need more."

  I know what he wanted. His body demanded his maker's blood, my blood. His urgency was evident by his tensed muscles. This would be his first feeding as a vampire and my excitement climbed higher. I dug the heels of my feet into his firm ass pushing him deeper inside me. "I’m yours Rhett, feed from me."

  He didn’t take a minute to think, he only acted. Something he had always done as a human and I relished in his spontaneity. I missed that aspect of my life since I became a night dweller. He made me feel so alive, so wanted, so completely desired despite my bristly personality.

  He sank his fangs into the bend of my neck, beginning to draw on the vein with such force it cau
sed me to see stars. Vampires weren’t supposed to feel physical pain, but damn if he wasn’t draining my power from me, making me weak enough to experience something I hadn’t felt since I was a human.

  He pumped into me as he sucked harder, the rhythm of his hips now moving in time with his mouth. His loud groans echoed in the room as he came, shuddering on top of me.

  His tongue skimmed across the puncture marks he’d made on my skin, soothing the sting of the bite. He lifted his head and titled it to the side. "You look so beautiful when you're underneath me." He said in a gravelly tone that made my body burn for him all over again.

  "Is that the only time you think I'm beautiful?"

  The corner of his mouth tipped up as he flashed his fangs at me. "No, you also look beautiful when you're on top me and when my head is between your legs or when my cock is buried so deep inside your..."

  I covered his mouth with my hand. "I get it. You're so bad." I laughed and he kissed me softly.

  "Yeah, but you love it."

  "I do."

  A few hours later a knock at the door jarred me awake. After countless hours of love making, Rhett and I fell asleep on the floor next to the couch. I slid my arm from underneath his head careful not to wake him.

  "Where are you going?"He said with his eyes still closed and some annoyance in his voice.

  Does he think I'm here to serve him and be his comfy pillow? I can say with most certainty that I am not here to be at his beck and call. I could see we were going to have many, many disagreements in our eternal future, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I smiled inwardly, just in case he opened his eyes. No way would I allow him to see how much his behavior entertained me at times. I think I'll continue to keep him on his toes. "I'm going to answer the door, someone is knocking."

  He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back down again, placing my arm back under his head. "Let them knock."

  I yanked my arm back and his head fell onto the carpeted floor. "Nope, sorry I'm answering it."

  "Ugh, c'mon Gia."

  "Stop whining you've had enough sleep. Besides they will never go away if I don't answer. Now get up and zipper your pants."

  He sat up giving me a mischievous grin. "That's not what you were telling me earlier." He winked before he zipped up his pants up.

  I picked his black t-shirt up off the floor and threw it in his face. "You are hopeless my friend."

  "I don't remember you saying that either. I do remember you saying, 'Oh Rhett, please don't stop." He said in a moaning girly voice.

  If vampires could blush, I'm sure my face would be as red as a beet right now. "Rhett stop."

  "Rhett stop." He said, mimicking me.

  "You are such a child."

  He laughed. "Answer the door."

  His laughter always seemed to warm my cold heart. I never thought I would ever have the capacity to love without a soul again, but here I am. I have fallen for the one man who I never thought would understand and love the real me.

  I swung the door open and met Caressa and Noah's surprised expressions as they looked over my shoulder seeing Rhett buttoning his pants. They practically plowed me over to enter, pushing me to the side.

  "What did you do?" Caressa said with a smile plastered across her face.

  Noah waggled his brow in my direction. "I know what she did." He stood beside me and placed his arm over my shoulder. It was an innocent gesture, one he's done dozens of times, so neither of us thought anything of it until we saw the enraged look on Rhett's face right before he lunged at Noah.

  He grabbed Noah by the neck, pinning him against the wall. "If you ever touch her again, I will drive a stake right through your heart."

  "Get him off me." Noah managed to squeak out.

  Caressa and I struggled to get Rhett away from Noah and suddenly I felt a case of deja vu coming on. It was only last year we had to do the same thing with Noah when he tried to attack me.

  We finally pulled them apart and Rhett collapsed to his knees holding his head in his hands. Noah attempted to go help him up, but I grabbed his arm and held him back. I knelt next to Rhett and ran my fingers through his dark shoulder length hair. He stood and wobbled a bit before I caught him. I walked him over to the sofa and sat him down.

  "Shit, I'm sorry Noah. I didn't..."

  "I know you didn't. I know how you feel. I felt the same way when I was first turned. Gia is like my sister so I wasn't thinking about how you would react by me touching her."

  "It’s okay, no need to explain anything to me. It was my fault."

  "It's not your fault." I interjected. "You have no control over it. It will take some time to get used to your new powers. Sometimes you'll get so out of control with rage and you will have no idea where it came from. But, that's what we're here for."

  "She's right." Caressa placed her hand on Rhett's shoulder. "You're a part of this family now. You showed your dedication to us last night and we are so grateful to you. We would be proud to have you in this coven and we promise to take care of you as you have taken care of us."

  I glanced up at my sister and for the first time in my immortal life I wish I could have shed a tear. Though she and I have rarely ever seen eye to eye, she welcomed Rhett into our small circle with open arms. I mouthed 'thank you' to her as she smiled back at me.

  Caressa shooed Noah out the door. "We should leave you two alone for a while. We'll be close if either of you need anything."

  I waited until the door was closed before I sat closer to him. "How are you feeling now?"

  He glanced at me, then brought my hand to his mouth. He rubbed his lips over my knuckles softly. "Better."

  "You need some more rest. You'll start to feel better soon, I promise."

  "I'll rest on one condition."

  "What's that?"

  "I want to feel those sweet cheeks under me again."

  I had forgotten how much male vampires craved sex. It was definitely going to be a very interesting experience for both of us, but one I wouldn't change for the world. "Haven't you had enough for one night?"

  "I' will never have enough of you. Are you tired of me already?"

  "No, I just think it would be best for you to get some sleep."

  He nuzzled against my neck. "But I'm not tired. I have plenty of energy left."

  I softly kissed his full lips. "I can see that. Rhett?"

  His whisper in my ear sent a bolt of electricity through me. "Yeah?"

  "I love you."

  He lifted his head to meet my gaze. He stroked the side of my face with his thumb. "I love you too sweet cheeks."

  CHAPTER NINE

  “NOAH, YOU CAN”T do that. You'll be killed." Caressa yelled from across the room.

  She'd been trying to convince him that going out to recruit more vampires was a bad idea and I have to agree with her on this one. We need to come up with a better plan than to go around carelessly making vampires out of any human. Some people would definitely not make good vampires. Marcus was a good example of that.

  "I've left the club before Caressa. I'll be fine."

  "That was before the Hunter’s attack. They are getting bolder with their plight." She argued.

  "That is all the more reason for us to make ourselves a tiny army to protect this coven.” Noah waved his arm around. “We cannot live in the shelter of this club forever. There is more to life than this place."

  "Then you should have thought about that before you asked me to turn you." She retorted.

  I could see the pain on her face because she thought she had made the wrong decision by turning Noah. I know my sister well enough to know that was exactly what she's thinking. She stomped off into the direction of the kitchen and left the room.

  "Caressa wait!"Noah yelled after her, but she didn’t stop.

  "Awkward." Keira said to me in a hushed tone.

  I gave her a sideways glance. "You're not helping Keira." I turned to address Noah. "She'll be okay: she just loves you so much. She doesn't want you to
get hurt and I happen to agree with her. I know, it's a shocker, but I do."

  Rhett interjected. "Aw c'mon sweet cheeks you can't be serious."

  "I am serious and stop calling me that when people are around please. You and Noah are New Bloods. You're still learning to cope with your newfound strength and powers. The Hunters can smell you coming from a mile away. These humans are trained from birth to hate our kind and they will stop at nothing until we are extinct. I think we should wait until we come up with a plan that we all agree on."

  "Does anyone care what I think? Keira said.

  "No." I said, ignoring her completely.

  "Well, I'm going to state my opinion anyway. I have been saying from the very beginning we should be make more vampires. We've been cooped up in the club for two years and I'm tired of sitting here on my ass not doing anything about the damn Hunters. If Marcus were here..."

  "Marcus was wrong. He was wrong about so many things, but we were so blinded by his conniving ways and endless manipulation that we believed everything he told us." This was the first time I ever voiced my opinion aloud about how wrong Marcus' teachings were. "There are so many things he lied to us about so he could remain in control of our minds and this coven. Caressa is our leader now and I think it's time we all give her the respect she deserves for keeping us safe all these years."

  "I guess you're right." Keira agreed and stood to walk to the back of the club. "Whatever you guys decide on, I'll stand by you one hundred percent."

  She entered the kitchen leaving me alone with Noah and Rhett.

  Noah ruffled his short brown hair then slid his hand down his face in aggravation. "I guess I should go and talk to Caressa."

  I nodded and watched him leave. Rhett sat in the booth next to me and pulled me into his lap. "Talk to me."

  I gave him a quizzical look. "About what?"

  "Why are you so insistent I never leave here? You know I can take care of myself don't you? I did kick some Hunter's asses while I was still a human. Imagine what I can do as a vampire."