She eyed him suspiciously.
He stood and leaned down over her, bringing his face much too close to hers. “Or we can remain here and continue to discuss my sexual appetite.”
His lips started to pull back in a smile or was that a snarl? She didn’t wait to find out. She slipped out of the chair and squeezed past him, relieved that he didn’t stop her.
When there was a safe distance between them—though was there any safe distance from a vampire—she said, “I’m starving.” This time she rolled her eyes at her words.
“Never worry, Lara, I’ll see that all your hungers are more than satisfied.”
Lara froze, not sure if shivers were running through her or if cool fingers were stroking her flesh. When she thought she caught a hint of red in his eyes, she quickly fled the room.
Chapter 5
Lara stood in the foyer, bent over at the waist, catching her breath.
Keep your distance from him. Keep your distance from him. She repeated the silent litany over and over, whether it would do any good or not was another thing. Suggestive words, blatant or simple touches, faint kisses and those damn dark eyes tinted red sent her into a sexual frenzy capped with a hint of fear.
Dark and dangerous that’s what he was and she had never been one to go for such a man. The type was trouble with a capital T.
She changed her litany. Keep your wits about you. Keep your wits about you.
A cool hand suddenly traveled up her back. She straightened in a flash and backed away from Michael. He was smiling, and she couldn’t help but think of the sly Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderful—the rabbit hole scenario again— though Michael’s smile was not as wide and definitely was much more pleasing to the eye. Still, her situation seemed as surreal as Alice’s.
“Keeping your wits about you in any situation is wise, though in this one I would recommend the inevitable... surrender.” He turned away and headed toward the hallway to the far right.
“I told you to stay out of my thoughts,” she said, following him.
“And I told you to stop sending them to me.”
“How do I stop doing something that I don’t know I’m doing?”
“Ask,” he said without turning to face her.
They were in the kitchen before Lara could ask him and once there the room caught her by surprise. It was a modern kitchen with the backsplash a blend of white, black and grey tiles, sleek black cabinets, and high-end, stainless steel appliances. What use did he have for a stove and two wall ovens or a microwave? And what about the fully stocked wine fridge beneath the island snack bar, unless it was stocked with his specific flavor?
“I see my kitchen surprises you,” he said, walking over to the fridge and opening it.
Her eyes widened at the fully stocked fridge and she tilted her head at him questioningly.
“Appearances,” he said and stepped aside, “help yourself.”
She eagerly rifled through the fridge and whipped together a favorite of hers, a cheese sandwich. She also sliced an orange pepper and was about to sit on one of the steel stools beneath the snack bar when he snatched her plate from her hands.
“Follow me,” he said and walked out of the room, leaving Lara no choice but to follow.
She was glad she did. He took her to a small, cozy room right off the kitchen with four overstuffed chairs grouped around a square wooden coffee table that sat in front of a stone fireplace flanked by two windows. A bottle of red wine and two glasses sat on the table as did a large bowl of apples, oranges, and pears.
He nodded to one of the chairs closer to the roaring flames and waited until she sat, then placed her plate in front of her on the table and took the seat across from her. He poured them each a glass of wine and sat back in his chair, wine glass in hand.
“Have you always been interested in the unbelievable and strange?” he asked.
“Since I’ve been young, but what would you expect when raised in a cemetery?”
“Cemetery?”
“My mom died when I was young. I hardly remember her. Dad didn’t have any family left and he got along better with nature than people. With no people skills and limited talent, he didn’t have many job opportunities. After my mom died, a friend of hers got him a job as caretaker of an old, private cemetery. It came with a small house on the property, which worked out perfect, since he could take me along with him when he tended the grounds, until I was old enough to attend school.” She smiled. “I got to know most of the residents, as Dad called them, and I talked with them as if they were still alive. I’d even pat the headstones, as if comforting them. It may seem a strange upbringing to some or most people, but I wouldn’t have changed it for anything. My dad and our unique living conditions gave me the courage to explore areas that other people feared and led me to the most amazing and fun career.”
“Your dad sounds like an exceptional man.”
“He was,” she said with a sad smile. “He passed last year while doing what he loved, tending our garden.”
“But he left an amazing legacy... a fearless daughter.”
“I have my fearful moments,” Lara said and sipped at the delicious Pinot Noir.
“Tell me of such a moment.”
“I would prefer you answer a question of mine,” she said, not wanting him privy to any of her fears.
“You want to know how to stop what you don’t even know you’re doing.”
“I purposely didn’t think about that this time. How did you know?” she asked irritated.
“No mind reading this time. Simple deduction.”
“This time, but what of the other times? And how do I stop you?”
“Stop wanting me.”
“Excuse me,” she said, though felt a flush creep up to faintly stain her cheeks.
“You’re attracted to me as I am to you. Your body sparks to life around me and that spark lingers in you never seeming to go away. Mine is more of a fire for you than a spark, though once we make love, I would venture to guess that yours will burn as hotly as mine. With your thoughts lingering on such intimacy between us, it makes it easier for me to hear your thoughts. While you could try to stop thinking about me in that way, your body won’t and besides, you’re here to learn about my sexual appetites, so it really is an impossible task not to think of me in a sexual manner.”
Lara swallowed what was left of her wine, and possibly her sanity, and refilled her glass from the bottle on the table.
“Tell me why sex has been such a disappointment to you.”
She held on to her composure, though by a thread. “Tell me why sex with a vampire is always satisfying—wait, let me guess—you place a woman under your spell?”
“You watch too many vampire movies,” he admonished with a playful shake of his finger at her.
“I admit it,” she said with a grin. “Vampires, werewolves, zombies, any unearthly creature movie, and I’m right there to watch it.”
“Then you need to put aside all your preconceived notions when it comes to vampires. We don’t cast spells on unsuspecting women and bend them to our will.”
“But you can sense when a woman is attracted to you and use your acute senses to play on it.”
“So a vampire’s sex radar is more highly attuned than the average human male. That doesn’t make us predators. Our highly developed senses allows for more beneficial and satisfying sex for both parties. As you’ve learned yourself, I can sense your attraction to me, can feel what your body aches for, which also means I can sense if I’m satisfying you. Not every woman likes the same thing when it comes to sex. A vampire can modify each experience, making it unique and gratifying for his partner as well as himself.”
“Have you ever met a woman whose libido you haven’t stirred?” Lara asked annoyance stinging her words.
“Why? Would it bother you if I had?”
“Why should it bother me?” she snapped.
“I don’t know, but your own question obviously annoyed you.”
He was right. It had and that bothered her even more. He didn’t mean anything to her, so why should she give a fig how many women’s libidos he had stirred? Was it that she was just one of the many who found her body sparking around him?
“You should have phrased the question differently,” he said breaking through her thoughts.
“How so?” she asked curious.
“You should have asked... have you ever met a woman who has stirred your libido—first?”
“Now you have me more curious. Explain.”
“I sense a woman’s attraction to me and proceed from there. It is a rare find when a woman sexually stirs a vampire. It is even rarer when her scent stirs him before they meet.”
She scrunched her brow, knowing he would understand that he should explain further without voicing it.
“She could be a few feet or a few miles away, but her scent is so alluring, so strongly sexual that he has no choice but to find her.”
“And do what?” she asked, this time with a quiver rather than annoyance in her voice.
“Make love to her.”
Lara’s whole body tingled at the thought of him wanting a woman so badly that he would chase after her. Why did she find that so appealing?
Michael stood with such speed that he startled Lara, her breath catching.
“I have some things I must see to,” he said. “I will find you when I am done.”
He was out the door before Lara could say a word. She couldn’t help but wonder what was so urgent that caused him to leave so abruptly and for the second time in just a few hours. There was no cell or telephone service and no Internet service, so he couldn’t be conducting any business. Perhaps he had reports to write. The book on Mull made mention that the Valaines had expanded their business ventures through the years and were very successful in all their endeavors. They also made certain to continue to invest heavily in the town, which was why Mull prospered even when towns around them didn’t. From all accounts they were a generous family.
Lara stretched herself out of the chair, feeling relaxed and gave the near empty bottle of wine a smile. With the day she was having, she was grateful for a reprieve from the tension. She cleaned up after herself and went straight to the library. She intended to read or scan the books she had come across and see if there was anything in there that could help her.
Help her do what?
But then that was the question.
Once in the library, she settled herself in one of the oversized chairs by the fireplace, and reached for the book that had her more curious than any of the others... The Life of a Vampire.
The author started by explaining how in his village, when he was a boy, there were many who believed in such blood-sucking creatures. And some samples of incidents that might make one believe that vampires did exist were included.
Lara saw the incidents for what they were worth, signs of a time where fear ruled rationale thought. And she believed the author was trying to do just that... make people see reason about vampires.
Unfortunately, reading how vampires lived off blood, had powers beyond normal, and could sense peoples’ thoughts, didn’t help his cause. In actuality, it read more like a fantasy novel than a non-fiction book. And she could only imagine the stir it had created when published. It did not mention a vampire’s sexual habits, but then at that time, if it had, it would have never been published. It did mention that a vampire mates for life, though it gave no detail as to how a vampire found a willing mate.
It read like a personal journal, rather than conjecture or fact. And it seemed as if the author wanted to portray vampires, not as brutal, evil creatures out to harm humans, but as near to human creatures as possible.
It was interesting and entertaining, and to some it could prove disturbing, since it presented the vampire in a vastly different light. A funny thought, since they were believed to be creatures of the night.
Lara placed it aside and dug into the other vampire books. Some expanded on the myth, though remained in preconceived boundaries. One or two stepped out of the box and added some nuances to the myth that seemed to reflect some of the things Michael had told her.
Majority seemed to rule when it came to the censuses that once caught by a vampire the only possible way to break free of him was for him to let you go. The author of The Life of a Vampire held a different and one not widely accepted opinion. He stated that a vampire isn’t foolish enough to reveal his true identity to anyone. If he did, it would be for a good reason and if a vampire was accidentally discovered, he would do what was necessary to protect his identity. However, he did not say what that would be.
So the question begged to be asked... why had Michael revealed his identity to Lara?
A yawn had her realizing that the wine had not only relaxed her, but had made her sleepy. She could easily fall asleep in this chair that you sunk into like a welcoming bed. Add to that the warmth of the fire that caressed and she’d be a goner in no time.
But before she gave into her yawns, her bobbing head, and lazy eyelids, she wanted a quick glance at the book... Forever Spells. She picked it up, its cover old, and its pages fragile. There were a variety of spells, mostly benign, rather sweet actually, but then the book was about spells not curses. Some would argue there was no difference, but Lara always thought of a curse as something evil. After all, a love spell would certainly lose its appeal if referred to as a love curse.
She turned the page and smiled at the title of the spell, though it was quickly swallowed by a yawn.
Forever Mine.
She began to read, through drooping eyelids.
In the dark deep chasm of night—she scrunched her eyes. The next line was in a different language. The line that followed read, I call on the forces that be, again the next line was a different language.
Another yawn interrupted her reading and she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. And just as her eyes fully closed, she caught a few words from the spell... I curse his soul.
Chapter 6
Lara felt herself wake with a jolt. She moved to the edge of the chair and listened. Something had woken her, but what? After a few moments of silence, she shook her head, thinking herself crazy, then she heard it.
Lara.
She shut her eyes against the soft, sensual whisper of her name that seemed to drift around her like a gentle, yet eager embrace.
Come to me, Lara, come to me.
He was calling her, Michael—no the vampire—was calling her. She forced herself to stay where she was, not move. She would not surrender to him. She could not, for if she did she feared that he would satisfy her beyond reason, and then what? Sex had been a big disappointment to her, if he should satisfy her, how would she ever find satisfaction with a human male? She would want him and only him, just as she did now.
Why did her body betray her? It was humming and throbbing and begging her to go to him. Go and find out for herself if once and for all she could have a decent orgasm.
Lara.
“Ohhh,” she moaned, as if she’d been intimately touched and damn if it hadn’t ignited her passion to the point where she felt herself wet with desire.
She was out of the chair, through the kitchen and up the steps before she could stop herself and no amount of reasoning slowed her. It was when she got to the second floor hallway that she stopped dead.
What was she doing? Was she crazy thinking to make love with a vampire? Sex. It was just sex, nothing more. Making love—to her at least—involved so much more. And she could honestly say she had yet to make love, though have sex? Definitely, after all she was human. She had to laugh at that. Had human sex disappointed her so badly that she was willing to surrender herself to a vampire?
Lara.
Oh hell, his voice was growing ever stronger in her mind and she was growing ever weaker to ignore it. Or was it that her lust was getting close to spiraling out of control? She never had such a craving for sex as she did at this moment.
Lara. Come.
Damn, did she want to come and hard. Yes, please very hard, she silently begged.
She held herself back as long as she could, which wasn’t long at all, since her feet started moving before she even gave them permission. And she was through his bedroom doors not even recalling opening them.
He stood wearing only black jeans, the metal button unhooked and the zipper partially open. And she thought how easy it would be for her to slip the zipper the rest of the way open and slide her hand down inside to feel him.
She raised her eyes to his and the glint of red in his dark eyes propelled her forward. She quickly discarded her sweater, shirt, and bra as she went. She stopped when just a few feet in front of him, suddenly feeling unsure and vulnerable. Did she really want to do this? Did she really want to surrender to a vampire? Was she that desperate?
Lara.
She shut her eyes, her name whispering around her in a sensual embrace and when she opened them he was standing in front of her.
“What do you want from me?” he asked his hand caressing her throat.
A mind-blowing orgasm, she thought, but instead surprised herself and said, “I’m not sure.”
“You must be sure,” he whispered and lowered his lips to hers and kissed her lightly. “I will not make love to you until you’re sure.”
His arms went around her and eased her against him so that her naked chest rested against his. Cold shot through her, though was followed quickly by warmth. And then his lips descended on hers again, only this time with hunger.
Never had she been kissed with such strong, bold, confident passion. And when his tongue slipped into her mouth, it was almost orgasmic. Her arms went around his neck and held on, her legs having gone weak.
She found herself returning his kiss like she had never done before, or was it that her hunger was as great as his and she had no choice but to return it?
Sexual Appetites of Vampires Page 5