A Kiss For You

by Rachel Van Dyken

  "She hates me."

  "Shall I kill her for you? Once I've gained the information I need?"

  "No," I blurted.

  Ethan sighed against my neck. "Just give me the word if you change your mind. The woman's insane."

  "Ara?"

  "No. Your mother."

  "I hope it doesn't run in the family."

  "Your blood is pure." Ethan kissed my neck. "Believe that truth, and you'll be fine."

  "Is that—" Insecurity wrapped itself around me. "Is that why you wanted to mate with me? Because I remind you of her?"

  "No!" Ethan pounced on me, his eyes so black that I was afraid if I stared too long I'd fall into their depths and never come back to reality. "You're different — you feel different."

  "Different," I repeated.

  "Better," he soothed, nipping my lower lip. "The best."

  "I don't want to be her."

  "You aren't." His voice was commanding. "And I'm too exhausted to spend the night arguing with you."

  "You can take more blood… if you need to." The thought sent a little thrill of excitement through me as his eyes faded back to green.

  Ethan moved off me and stared up at the ceiling. "You don't want me to do that."

  "Why?"

  "Because," he growled, "it won't be a little blood, just like it won't be a little bite… just like I won't stop at the bite but will continue kissing you and possessing you until you can't breathe — until my body fills yours, until you scream for more just when you don't think you can take it."

  I had no words.

  "Scared you?"

  "I'm not sure." Was I feeling fear? Or excitement?

  "Your heart's racing."

  "Yes."

  "If I asked you for everything, would you give it freely, knowing what you know?"

  "If I offered you everything, would you take it? Knowing the possibility of my bloodline?"

  We lay in silence.

  I thought Ethan had fallen asleep.

  Until he moved, hovering over me, his lips grazing mine with the softest of kisses. "I don't think I can stop myself…"

  "What?"

  "I can't set you free. I know I said I could. I can't. I lied."

  "A vampire who's a liar. Who would have thought?" I teased.

  He didn't return my smile. "It's a death sentence."

  "Then show me sweet death." I wrapped my arms around his neck. He let out a pitiful groan before his mouth touched mine again.

  "You ask for death — yet you offer me life."

  "I'm human. We're confusing like that."

  His smile felt good against my lips.

  "Kiss me harder," I begged, hooking my legs around his body.

  "I'm old… go easy on me." He returned my frantic kiss with a slow torturous one of his own. He licked my lips then pierced the bottom, sucking away droplets of blood.

  "You don't want easy." I sighed.

  In a flash, I was on my back, my shirt completely gone. "You're right." He tongued the curve of my ear. "Mine."

  "Yours."

  My jeans went flying. "All. Mine."

  Cold air bit at my skin. My heartbeat sped up as Ethan's body hovered over me, his lips hot on my neck. With a growl, he tugged my hair, forcing my head back, exposing my neck completely to his lips.

  His fangs slid across my neck. "I'm going to mark you forever. You still have a choice, Genesis."

  "No," I breathed, squeezing my eyes shut, "I really don't."

  "You do," he urged. His body was scorching hot behind me. "Tell me no."

  "I can't," I repeated, tilting my head back further, arching my back.

  With a growl, he pierced my skin. I felt each drop of blood leave my body.

  I reached for his shirt, but he slapped my hands away, pinning my wrists above my head as his mouth nipped my neck again. My body almost bucked off the bed when he drank more. It was different than before.

  His tongue scalded me — in the best way — almost like he really was forever marking me, making it so anyone who looked at me knew whom I belonged to.

  "Ethan—" I almost choked on his name, stunned I could even remember it after all the emotions swirling inside me — fear, excitement, lust, and something else, something bigger than me, bigger than him, having him pressed against me, his hot mouth on my skin. It was right, even though I couldn't explain anything beyond that.

  He drank deeper.

  The room exploded into a burst of light.

  I gasped in response. His mouth left my neck and moved along my chin.

  He released one of my hands. I immediately dug it into his hair and pulled his mouth to mine. Our mouths met with such aggression — almost violence — that I was sure more blood would be drawn.

  He chuckled against my lips. "Is the need for me greater than anything else?"

  "No," I lied, not wanting to admit to him that my need was so great I didn't even want to survive without him — couldn't.

  His eyes darkened as his tongue slid across my mouth. "I can taste the lie on your lips."

  "Really?"

  "God, you're beautiful." His eyes were so black, so inviting.

  I tugged his head again then moved my hand down his chest. He closed his eyes; a hiss escaped between his teeth.

  He lifted the shirt over his head and grabbed my hand, holding it firm against his muscled stomach. "Touch me."

  I really didn't need an invitation.

  I don't know what possessed me to lean forward and lick his stomach — but that's what I did.

  A guttural growl erupted from him as soon as my tongue licked along the thick lines of muscle along his stomach. "I said touch me. Don't kill me."

  Laughing, I traded licks for kisses; he tasted sweet — scalding. Power surged through me with each tremble of his body, each moan. His hands dug into my hair, tugging me closer to his chest. I reached for the button of his pants, expecting him to slap me away or say something.

  He went very still.

  Too still.

  Nervous, I pulled back and looked up at him.

  His eyes were back to green. "There's no going back, Genesis."

  I kept my gaze trained on him as I slowly undid the button and slid my hands inside.

  Green turned to black as his fangs dug into his bottom lip. His head tilted back. He was like a god… in that moment more immortal than I'd ever acknowledged or realized.

  Ethan

  Her hands stopped moving.

  I'd killed her.

  That was my first errant thought — because at that point, I'd stopped thinking rationally and had moved past logic, straight toward possessing Genesis and marking her beyond recognition.

  With a groan, I touched my forehead to hers gently, so as to not scare her into realizing that she was, in fact, ready to give herself fully to something not human.

  Her breathing picked up speed again.

  I smirked and moved her hands down the side of my hips. When her fingers came into contact with my length, she let out a tiny gasp.

  "Care to explore?" I taunted. "Or does the human not like playing with fire."

  She gripped me — hard, almost painfully so — considering I was ready to impale the poor thing.

  "I can handle it," she whispered in a husky voice.

  "Prove it," I smirked, licking her lips again, needing that taste more than I needed anything else in my existence.

  Her tight little fingers began to move. I enjoyed her innocence for about two seconds before I was ready to lose my mind.

  "What?" she asked when I moved her hands away and quickly ripped off the remainder of my clothes. "I thought you wanted me to explore."

  "We'll explore later," I said gruffly.

  Her cheeks stained with delicious blood.

  "I'm not patient," I blurted. "Not when it comes to you — your taste." I lunged for her. "Your essence."

  With a predatory growl, I tugged her bra down and bit between her breasts then licked my way down toward her na
vel. Her body was made for exploring for hours on end — hours I didn't have — because selfishly, waiting seemed like a horrible idea.

  Each lick had her muscles clenching.

  Each kiss, her body damn near flying off the bed.

  She was sensitive to my every touch. Possessiveness washed over me as I moved down her hips and bit the inside of her thigh, where her life source — her blood — ran purest.

  I received a kick to the head. Dodging it, I chuckled and bit the other side of her thigh.

  "That… feels… funny." She gripped the sheets in her hands.

  "I believe, in this situation, the correct word is amazing… not funny, humorous, or any of the sort," I growled.

  "S-sorry." She tried clenching her legs together.

  "No." I pulled them apart and gazed upon every inch of her. "You're mine. I get to see every inch of you, I get to lick all of you, and when I'm done, I get to taste over and over again until you scream for me to stop."

  "You think I'll want you to?"

  I barked out a laugh. "You're only human."

  "Don't break me."

  "Wouldn't dream of it," I whispered against her inner thigh. "Now let the vampire play."

  "I'm not sure I'm capable of handling that without passing out," Genesis whimpered when my mouth found her core. She let out another gasp while I steadied her hips exactly where I wanted them. She tasted so sweet I could have died.

  "Ethan!"

  I pulled back. "That was more of an irritated yell, not a scream." Sighing, I sucked harder, drinking her in. "Try again, human."

  Tremors wracked her body.

  She clenched her eyes shut. When they opened, they were bright green.

  "Ethan." Now she said my name like a prayer.

  "Yes?"

  "What's happening?"

  I was making sure she never left me — that's what was happening. "You're ready for me…"

  "No." She shook her head. "I don't think I can take anymore of—"

  I took possession of her mouth then lifted her into my arms. My lips moved to her neck, and I bit, knowing the effect it would have on her.

  Our lovemaking wouldn't be fast.

  Not if I drank.

  I was going to extend every sensation… in slow motion.

  One drop of my own blood lingered on my tongue. I shared it with her just as our bodies joined together.

  Genesis's green eyes blinked in wonder as I lowered her down on me, inch by inch, sensation by sensation, each second sharing another drop of my blood, slowing down the process and making it so she would never forget what it felt like to be with her mate — to be possessed by me and only me.

  Her body was made for mine — stretched around me so perfectly that even in my old age, with my experience, with my patience, I refused to share more drops of blood, refused to drink anymore. I just wanted her. Over and over again.

  "You're mine," I demanded, thrusting faster and faster. "Say it!"

  Her nails dug into my back.

  I needed to hear the words.

  Her green eyes flashed. "Ethan."

  "Say it…" I slowed.

  "Don't stop."

  "Say it!"

  "I'm yours."

  The words washed over me as I thrust one last time, the walls of my carefully built world crashing down around me in shattered pieces.

  She gave me her body.

  In return, I gave her my soul.

  Genesis

  My body was heavy — on fire — and the only way it felt better was when I was pressed against Ethan. I had no idea how long we'd slept. He woke me up three times in the middle of the night. Each time, he'd drunk from me, never a lot, but enough to make it so my world stopped.

  Each kiss was like a slow drug.

  Each touch of his fingertips, each caress, went on for an eternity until I lost complete track of time.

  I fell asleep with my face pressed against his solid chest and my legs wrapped halfway around his body.

  "Genesis." His smooth voice was hypnotic. "Genesis, wake up."

  "No." I pressed my face harder against his chest.

  A warm chuckle erupted. "Yes, we have work to do. Well, you have work to do, and then after your so-called work, we're going to pay your mother a visit."

  I didn't open my eyes. "No staying in bed all day?"

  "About that…" Ethan sighed. "The good news is it will feel like we've been in bed for days when really it could have been mere hours."

  "Hmm?" I perked up. "Well, that's a nice trick."

  "I'm full of them." His eyes sparkled. "Care to know more?"

  "Yes," I whispered, my mouth finding his.

  With a groan, he pushed me back against the mattress and loomed over me, his naked body glorious-looking against the sunlight streaming through the window. "Perhaps we'll stay a bit longer."

  "Yes." I nodded my head eagerly. "I'm your mate, after all. Don't you want me to be pleased?"

  "You were pleased at least four times last night, possibly five, if we count the time I—"

  "Shh." I put my hands over his mouth.

  He smirked. "Afraid the dust will hear?"

  I rolled my eyes.

  "Ethan!" Alex's voice boomed on the other side of the door. "Feed her!"

  "Ignore him," Ethan hissed.

  The knock got louder. "For the love of God, she's human. Give her food."

  "He's a siren. He knows nothing." Ethan continued kissing me.

  "Mason will break down the door if he has to." Fighting broke out in the hall. "Ethan, I can smell the sex from here. One immortal to another, feed her before you can't feed from her anymore."

  Ethan growled and pulled back from me. "They have no manners."

  I was half-tempted to cover my face with my hands. Had they heard us? Of course they'd heard us, and they knew, and they could… Yeah, I wanted to crawl under the bed and hide for a few days. Instead, Ethan pounced from the bed, put on a pair of jeans, and jerked open the door while I tried to hide beneath the covers.

  Alex peered over Ethan's shoulder and waved.

  I had no choice but to wave back and hope that I wasn't as red as I felt.

  "She's alive." Alex held up his hand for a high five. "No? Not funny? Too soon?"

  "Horrible joke," Mason said next to him. "I made eggs. She's going to need food. Make her eat everything on the plate and—"

  He was still talking when Ethan slammed the door in his face and brought a giant plate of food over to me.

  "Forgive them." Ethan scowled. "There aren't typically secrets between us, and they're just concerned for you."

  I pointed at the eggs, ten slices of bacon, and toast. "Clearly, they don't want me to starve."

  "Wolves." Ethan looked heavenward. "He should be more concerned with his own diet, the ass."

  "It does smell good." I moved up the bed so I could lean against the headboard. "Do you eat?"

  Ethan's lips curved into a predatory smile. "I ate several times last night. Care for me to refresh your memory?"

  My cheeks burned.

  "So tempting." He reached for a piece of bacon and held it to his lips, taking a small bite that had my entire body clenching to keep from reaching out and attacking him. "And yes, I can eat. I typically do eat but haven't been because when we drink, we don't need normal food."

  "But before me…" I grabbed a piece of toast. "You were eating normal food."

  "I like you better." He winked. "But yes, I was."

  "Good to know I'm better than bacon."

  "Your taste…" His eyes brightened. "…is unlike anything I've ever had."

  "Hmm…" I licked my lips.

  "Stop it," he hissed and looked away. "Damn, I can't watch you eat. I'm going to shower while you eat your entire plate as per Mason's orders, and then I'll contemplate letting you leave this room so you can go to the bookstore."

  "Ah!" I almost knocked over the food. "My job! Am I late? Will I get fired?"

  Ethan burst out laughing. "It's
eight in the morning. He's expecting you when I drop you off. No sooner, no later. You won't get fired. He wouldn't dream of it, and you really are adorable."

  "And hot." I sighed.

  "That too."

  "No, I mean hot, as in, it's scorching in here."

  Ethan winced. "You may be that way for a few days."

  "Hot?"

  He nodded.

  "Why?"

  "Too much vampire blood makes you overheat a bit." He shrugged. "It won't turn you— You're very much human, like I've said before, but sometimes the vampire blood causes a type of burn to take over in your bloodstream, not painful, just not exactly pleasant if it's a hundred degrees outside."

  "Good thing it's Seattle." I bit into the toast.

  "Yes, well, I imagine at this point, raindrops would simply turn to vapor if they landed on your skin."

  I smiled.

  "Shower." He nodded. "I'm going to turn around now and walk away."

  "Narrating?"

  "Apparently, that's what I do when I can think of nothing more than ripping that sheet from your body, slamming you into the nearest wall, and possessing you all over again."

  I dropped the toast.

  He growled, taking two steps toward me, then swore and turned back around.

  "Have a good shower!" I called.

  Another growl was his answer, and then his jeans went flying. I wasn't laughing anymore.

  The ride to the bookstore was torturous. Ethan pulled over a half-dozen times just to kiss me. It was noon by the time we actually made it there, and even then, I almost refused to get out of the car.

  "Four hours," Ethan repeated for the tenth time. "Do your work, contribute to society, enjoy yourself, and after… we'll make a visit to your mother."

  My stomach dropped to my knees.

  He gripped my chin between his fingers and kissed my mouth softly. "We need to know the truth, Genesis."

  "Why?" My voice trembled.

  "Because it may have something to do with the prophecy, or it could just be a rare coincidence. I swear, I won't let her hurt you."

  I sighed, already drawing into myself.

  "My offer still stands," Ethan whispered.

  "What?" My head snapped up. "What offer?"