Page 22 of Embers in the Wind

Too soon to talk about anything with Corvinus. At least to tell him anything of substance because he thinks the vampires walk on water, well, at least that they are the best creatures in the world. And I thought that too, until I was ostracized and outcast by many after giving them my life. My entire life given to the vampires for an eternity with no way to reverse that decision.

Stuck in a world with vampires who don’t trust me, who talk behind my back and send vampires like Lord Corvinus after me. Maybe he’s trustworthy and maybe he’s not, and I need to remember that his allegiance is to them, for an eternity, as is mine. But I need to reconcile my anger before I can be of any good at all to them.

I thirstily finish the entire quart of ice-cold blood wishing that I had another one readily available to guzzle. But it doesn’t take long before the thick red liquid starts circulating in my veins.

Every nerve and instinct in my body feels Lord Corvinus before I see him.

He’s quietly transported through the door of the bedroom and stands watching me with an elbow on the door frame, now wrapped in black pants and a black sweater, the perfect backdrop for those deep red eyes that are alive with an energy that I’ve known in a very carnal sense, and desire to know again.

My breathing quickens, inhaling his scent, arousal racing through my blood and directly south to heat and wet my core.

And there’s no calming this storm, not until its culmination is through because I want what he wants, that clawing desire that almost suffocates me with its strength. He smells my craving, inhaling it in the air, undressing for me as my body heats beyond cooling, closing the distance with a quick hover that leaves me against the wall, his arms of steel wrapped around me in less than a blink of an eye.

A personal cage just for me, one I don’t have a desire in the world to be freed from. I hunger for everything he has to offer, every touch, but most of all, I want the storm, in all its glory, the fury of passion, raw and dirty, primal and somehow so life affirming. When he rips my clothes and tosses them on the floor along with his own, I’m already soaked, needy and ready for the strength of his power as he lifts me by my hips, pushing me deeper against the wall as he thrusts to the very end of me.

His hands lift my body up and down, driving his shaft deeper and deeper, his lips and teeth teasing the tips of my breasts, marking the tender flesh of my neck as he prepares me for what I need, what he needs and what we both know will consummate the feed.

When his fangs sink this time, every neuron in my body ignites, hungry still for every inch of him, driving into that special spot, making me dizzy with need until the blinding light behind my eyes is freed, the release so shocking and powerful a climax that I forget to breathe.

His hand cradles the back of my neck as his other slides under my thighs and lifts me into his arms, kissing me with bloody lips as he transports me to my bed. Corvinus lays beside me, cutting a slit in his wrist, allowing the fresh and pure blood of his body to stream into my mouth, replenishing what he took in the most intimate of ways.

He caresses me as I finish drinking, stroking a finger down the healing skin of my neck, mesmerized as he watches me with such interest and intent. “Not much surprises me love, but you certainly do. But this running away, this will have to end, or it won’t wind up well for you. You’ll find yourself continuously punished on the end of my tongue until you slowly lose your mind.”

I grin, spooning against him as he strokes my arm. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I wasn’t supposed to fall for anyone else. This was supposed to be my time to find myself, stay away from the vampires, but yet…”

“Shh … there’s no need for worry, love. I feel it too. We don’t have to label it, at least not right now. For now, we enjoy the experience.”

He’s right. We’re both adults, and if we want hot, sweaty impassioned sex with each other, all night long even, then who’s to say that’s not what we should do. The consulate surely shouldn’t get a say in what we do, although they’re the ones who will take issue with it. But there’s nothing to take issue with if we just keep it low key, between ourselves, our private little guilty pleasure. Away from the prying eyes of the other vampires. Nothing more, and nothing less.

My eyes pop open, having almost drifted off to sleep, suddenly overwhelmed with the need to make sure he knows. “You have to know. I’m not a traitor. I was never a traitor. I was a warrior who did her job, despite the fact that my lover was the one I had to go and kill. I was always true to the vampires.”

Corvinus wraps his arms around me tight. “When Descallia came to me about Lucas, he shared a lot about his past with me. He joined Descallia at a time when our overmaster was young, brash, and ready to burn the world down after losing his mate. Lucas helped him and earned his trust. Descallia doesn’t believe you were a traitor, he believes something happened to Lucas after he met you that changed him.”

“A couple of days ago I wouldn’t have cared what you thought, but today, I do,” I whisper in the dark.

Corvinus pulls me closer, kissing my hair and nuzzling into my ear. “I believe you, love. I had my doubts at first, but they’re gone. Take some time, but not too long. The vampires are your family, they always have been. Your gramma knew that, and you know that deep down too.”

I swallow through the emotion, a lump forming in the back of my throat when talking about the past. “Being part of the vampire life is what I’ve wanted all of my life. I fought hard for them, but they saved my life too. Lucas turned me but Overmaster Descallia was the one who blessed it. That’s a pretty special feeling. I always wanted to be a vampire. These feelings are hard.

At least since I was younger, and my grandmother told me stories about their plights. And once I was, it made me so happy, until they didn’t trust me, until they thought I was a traitor, cast me out, even had me locked up to keep me under lock and key. I won’t do anything to endanger the trust they have in me, with the witches that is, but I need time. They hurt me, Corvinus. Lucas hurt me. And it’s not just going to go away overnight, but I hope it will diminish with time.”

He doesn’t say a word, he doesn’t have to, the strength and the power of his arms holding me tight speak volumes, but still, he comforts me anyway. “Sleep, love. Tomorrow is a new day.”

The vampire and I, we have an understanding, at least I think we do. Sex, pure uncomplicated sex, a mutual understanding and caring.

And the comfort of his arms is not a bad place to spend the night, nuzzled in his protection, inhaling his masculine scent, and dreaming of chemistry so hot that it is impossible to ignore until I drift off. Yet chemistry and emotions are two completely different things, and my mind wrestles with these new feelings as I slumber.

Until Lucas flies through the dark of the night, red eyes blazing, wings laid back and fangs descended chasing me through the sacred land of the Carpathian Mountains, in and out of the trees of the Mystic Forest, but he doesn’t know these woods like I do. I weave between the canopies of the large oaks at breakneck speed, animals scurrying with haste as they jump out of my way, while still unable to shake the ferocious beast who I once thought was my mate.

My mind spins and quickly changes strategies. Let the bastard come, and close the gap between us, then he’ll see how skillful I can be with my trusty blade of steel.

The closer I draw him in, the easier it will be to run him through and stake his black-hearted soul. When I have the traitorous bastard exactly where I want, so close behind that I can almost feel him, and I’m just about to swing around, his image stops me cold.

In the tree right in front of me, and in the next one, and the next one until ten images of Lucas have me surrounded in the night, all closing in on me with that same evil fucking laugh.

“Bastard, traitorous bastard! Do your fucking best,” I scream, somehow finding the strength through all of my fear, and my despair. Because no one is coming, the vampires have left me to fend for myself, or they would have caught up to me by now. My sturdy blade of steel is drawn, but I can already see my demise.I’m not going to make it, not with that many of the evil bastard ready to run me through. And then they fly toward me in a rage, all at once. “Lucas no!”

A rough shake to my shoulder pulls me from my reverie. “Wake up love, wake up. Lucas is gone. He’ll never hurt you again.”

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