“No. Doesn’t work like that with them.”
I began pacing again. “What do you think is happening to Athena?” Because if that one is let loose she would come straight for me and I wouldn’t have to worry about the Elders. It seemed that Alexis had killed two birds with one stone: Esmerelda for hurting me, and setting Athena on the trail of someone other then me.
“I’ve never known of one as powerful as she being punished. But then no one knows much about the powerful ones.” Julie started walking out the door. “I’ll go home, make some calls. I still have contacts in Spain and sometimes you can get more info from the low men on the totem poles them from the chiefs.” She disappeared.
Monica turned to leave also. “I can do the same. I’ll call the ladies and have them do some digging, too.”
“Thanks Monica.” I collapsed on the couch and before I could even begin to relax I saw the little envelope sitting on the table.
With a frown I picked it up. It was too small for a letter, plus I felt something light weight inside. I carefully opened it and poured the contents on the cocktail table.
It was my crucifix.
I picked it up and closed my eyes. “Shit, Tony.”
***
We spent the majority of the evening making calls. Well…I didn’t have many contacts so I left the calling up to the ladies. But after many hours I had time to think and had come to a conclusion. I needed to talk to Tony. It should have never ended the way it did considering how important he had been in my recovery. And of course I still loved him…but I just couldn’t…be his woman. That’s what Tony wants; an old school relationship where He’s man -- She’s woman.
I knew that I wasn’t throwing Tony away for Alexis because it would be a long time before I could be with him. And I wanted Tony to know that it wasn’t happening like that. I just wanted there to be closure.
I materialized on Tony’s front porch. I rang the bell and tried not to think too hard.
Mah Wei opened the door. “Miss Kim. Come in.”
“Hi Mah Wei.” I came in. “Is Tony home?”
Mah Wei shut the door behind us. He sighed which was something I hadn’t seen him do before. “He is here. I will tell him you are here.”
I folded my arms in front of me nervously. “Thanks.”
I went to the living room and sat down tensely. He made me wait. And the longer I waited the more tense I got. Ten minutes later he strolled into the living room. He exhaled a long breath then sat down on the couch and watched me.
When he didn’t speak I leaned forward and dampened my lips with my tongue. “Tony, what happened the other day was…scary; me turning into that…thing and attacking you. It was pure rage, like I’ve never felt before. I hope I never feel it again. I’m sorry I attacked you. Even though we’re not in a relationship anymore,” I said distinctly. He just watched me. “I obviously still care for you. But it’s not right anymore.”
“You are so damn stubborn.” He said coolly. “But that’s your call, Baby. If you can throw us away just like that, even with our bond, then it was never real in the first place.”
“Not true.” I said while shaking my head. “Every time you kept something from me it only made me have to scrape harder to catch up. You think you’re protecting me. What you’re showing me is that you have no faith in me-”
“Fuck.” He said. “Faith? You’re talking to a Vampire, not a human. I protect mine the best I can.”
“I’m not yours, Tony. I’m not yours to make decisions for. I’m not yours to keep up on a shelf-”
“I don’t keep you up on a shelf.” He made a face. “Your area kills more Vampires then any other-”
“Rogues!”
“-you’ve killed more Vampires then me and I’ve been a Vampire for damn near a hundred years. Everything about you is controversial. We Neratomay follow an internal instinct that you have no concept of. To break out of our mode is damn near impossible. I’ve had to think about it myself, do I really want to deal with your desire to modify rules we’ve had to live by for thousands of years? This ain’t a fucking soap opera! This is the Vampire Nation, Kim!” He sighed. “You’re angry because I didn’t tell you that Alexis is imprisoned. You called for him and he didn’t answer and it left you feeling rejected-“
“That’s exactly right! That’s exactly why you keeping that information from me hurt so much.”
“And I won’t lie and say that the only reason I didn’t tell you about Alexis is because I was afraid of what you’d do; that you’d go off and try to rescue him. Yeah, I was trying to secure my place in your life. But I looked at you healing and knew that as much as I loved you, I’d never be able to go through something like that again. I can’t watch you be put through another torture. I won’t watch you put your life in constant danger. So, you want to know why I didn’t tell you about Alexis? That’s why. All of the above.”
I stood up slowly. “I’m sorry. I won’t change, and you can’t change.”
He stood, too. “True. Are we through here? Because it’s getting late and I was in the middle of something.”
“Yeah. We’re through.” He walked out the room angry at me. I went home feeling completely unsure. Did I dump him or did he dump me?
CHAPTER 9
The next day was Sunday and I decided to buy a house. I’d been thinking about it for a long time. My life was feeling so empty. I could lie and say that the knowledge that Alexis and I would be apart for so long was putting me in a funk. But truthfully I was going through Tony withdrawal. I woke up remembering our long sessions in the bedroom…or the garden…the Jacuzzi…the limo…the dining room chair. We even did it in a utility closet once.
I felt so guilty fantasizing about Tony’s hard penis in me when I knew that I was so in love with Alexis. But I was afraid to think about him too hard. It pissed me off that fear of Athena tracking my thoughts kept my memories of Alexis to a minimum.
I was a succubae that hadn’t had sex in a couple of days and to say that I was getting horny was an understatement. Tony and I made love in some form or other every single day--a couple times a day when we could.
When I fed from Kat I had to think about kittens and nuns to keep the lust from overwhelming the both of us.
Tyler was bringing her man Jason over so that I could slough some of that lust at them. I was even more unsure about it under the circumstances.
Kat had arranged for a real estate agent to take us around some houses. We were paying a pretty penny to get someone to take us so late in the evening. I dressed more business like in a grey herringbone suit. The skirt was on the shorter side but the black turtle neck kept it very sophisticated.
It’s been a while since I had to interact with a human that didn’t know I was a Vampire. When she asked me what I did for a living I had to think fast about some of the businesses that I was invested in. She was really nosy so I eventually looked at her and gave her a silence suggestion.
Everything she showed us was way too opulent. I wanted something homey. Nice, but comfortable. The last house she wanted to show us was just before midnight and it was a Mediterranean transplant.
Not nearly as big as Johan’s or even Tony’s house this place had everything my human mind could want. There was a pool and Jacuzzi, even a grotto. The backyard was any person’s fantasy with a bath house and a walk out that was very open air. Italian travertine marble covered the floor in a rustic decoration. Glass doors closed off the oversized walk out. Kat was telling me that we’d have them replaced with the uv protected glass that Vampires used. There were four bedrooms, perfect if anybody needed to crash. Each had its own personal en suite.
Monica would always have a place if she wanted it, but I figured she’d want to stay in her wing at Johan’s.
The master bedroom is what sealed the deal for me. It had a rook wood fireplace in perfect condition. The hardwood floors were of the dark wood that I really liked. There was a patio with French doors that led out to the pool
and a private garden. The private garden was encased in a seven foot high rock wall and brick and flagstone pavers. I could see myself sitting out nice lawn furniture right next to the water feature. It was a bas relief of a lions head that was spitting water from its mouth. The water collected in a rustic basin with the most soothing trickling sound. An iron gate covered in ivy led to the rest of the back yard and pool.
The bedroom would be big enough for bedroom furniture and a sitting room with couch and chairs. One last thing; I checked out the master bath. Claw foot tub. Yes! Sold!
On the drive back to Johan’s, Kat was already making plans for the upgrades. As a Master Vampire, I would need a safe place for other Vampires. Once the house was mine she would make an underground hideaway to comfortably accommodate half a dozen Vampires at a time. It would be many months before everything would be ready for me to move in.
I was excited and briefly was able to think about something other then Alexis or Tony.
When we pulled up in the driveway I saw Tyler’s motorcycle. The tension instantly returned.
Tyler was showing Jason the house. When he saw me he stepped forward anxiously and offered me his hand to shake.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.” He said when he had my hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“Tyler has told me some about you, too. Did you want a drink? There’s liquor and refreshments in the fridge.”
“Oh, no. Thanks. Tyler and I just had dinner.”
We took a silent appraisal of each other while Tyler watched hopefully. Jason was a cutie. I could see why Tyler liked him. Like her, he was tall and thin but you could tell that he was well built despite his thin build. His hair was longer then hers, thick and wavy but not unruly the way Alexis’ could get.
I wouldn’t even venture to guess his age but he didn’t seem older then twenty-two or twenty-three. His chronological age couldn’t really be that young, I thought. In the Vampire world that would make him a baby.
“Kat and I were house hunting.” I said gesturing to my clothes.
“Oh, how did it go?” Tyler asked.
“Good. I think I found something I really like.”
Tyler made a face. “I’m happy. I never really felt at home in this place.”
“Me either. Look, I’m going to change real quick and I’ll meet you in the family room.”
It was more relaxed then the living room and where we generally crashed when we needed R and R.
I slipped on low ride pink terry cloth jogging pants, pink flip flops and a pink baby Tee with SUPERSTAR spelled out in white rhinestones. Then I pulled my hair back into a ponytail. I hurried to join Tyler and Jason because since I decided to do this I wanted it done now.
Jason’s brow shot up in shock when he saw me.
“I told you.” Tyler said with a warm smile.
“Told what?” I asked sheepishly.
“That you’re no stuffy Neratomay. I told him that you were down to earth and easy to talk to.”
“Oh.” I smiled and curled up on the suede sectional. Tyler picked up the remote control and turned on the radio to the local alternative rock station.
“Oh! That’s my song!” She danced a little and Jason sat down and watched her with a loving smile on his face. He looked at me to gage my reaction, but Tyler was our free spirit and she loved listening to music and dancing. So different then a year ago…
“Jason, who were you a donor for?”
“Selina Mason. She wasn’t a Master or anything but a Second. But her master sent her to handle some business in a different state. I couldn’t go because of school. They offered me to another Vampire but I decided to hold off.”
“School?” I asked with a raised brow.
“Yeah. I’m studying psychology.”
“Do you mind if I ask how old you are?” Tyler flopped down next to him once her song was over.
“Not at all.” He replied. “I’m twenty-seven.”
I was relieved that he wasn’t quite as young as he looked. “How’d you like Selina?”
“I liked her. We didn’t hang out or anything. And we weren’t…” his face reddened. “You know…intimate. But she was real fair and easy to get along with.”
“Was it…hard when she left?”
He thought about it before answering. “No. Not really. I knew I’d miss her bite, but I also knew that I could find another Vampire if I wanted. Vampires seem to like dealing with donors who know what to expect. I had been with Selina for six years. Before that I was first bitten by my sister’s Master.” Only then did he begin to look uncomfortable. I remembered Tyler’s story about how the Master had liked seeing her blood squirt. I wondered if he had hurt Jason, but I didn’t think it was polite to ask. Maybe when we were closer.
“See Kim, Jason’s a pro at this.”
“Well Jason if you want to be a donor I welcome you.”
He stood up and shook my hand in gratitude. “I do. I understand…about how it is with you. And I want you to know that I won’t take advantage.” He looked lovingly at Tyler. “And no offense but I only have eyes for Tyler.”
For the first time I was completely relaxed. He was speaking the truth. “None taken.” I said. I stood up and stepped close to him. “I haven’t fed. Is it okay if I take a full feeding?”
He nodded while staring at me. “I haven’t donated blood in months so there’s plenty.
I was concentrating on his neck and the nervous pulse that I found there. He was calm on the outside but not quite so on the inside.
We both leaned forward and I was thankful because it meant that I didn’t have to press my breasts against him. He was thoughtful. I put my lips on his neck and felt my mouth watering. My teeth slid from my gums and I sank them into the vein pulsating against my tongue.
He gasped and I felt Tyler rise from the couch and take his hand.
“Jason, open your eyes.” She was saying. “Watch me…”
I hadn’t put up a wall. They wanted the lust…but maybe it was too much for a newbie.
Jason’s blood was thick compared to Tyler’s and the other donors, who had been on blood thinners for years. I liked the change.
And his taste was rich. I let my eyes flutter close and I relaxed with him in a way that I never could with the ladies. It was strictly the sexual side of me. And not that I was thinking sex but my body knew that this was the right fit for me. I concentrated because I wanted no mistakes.
When I felt myself growing wet and my nipples tighten I pushed the feeling right into Jason. That’s the only way that I could describe it.
He shuddered and I felt him stagger backwards.
Ooops.
Tyler gripped his hand and kept him in place.
I slowed the amount of blood I was taking until it was a just a small amount rolling across my tongue.
Tyler pressed herself lightly against the side of Jason. She began nuzzling his throat and his hand came up to grip her to him. I watched her run her tongue up his throat, across his chin to lap at his lips teasingly. They kissed with teeth and tongues then lastly with lips.
I shivered involuntarily, then pushed that into him as well. Not my lust…theirs.
Jason groaned. I think that he meant to never show me how turned on he could become. But with that groan he reached up and put one hand around my waist and the other ran up Tyler’s side. Pushing his pelvis against her he rotated lightly. I withdrew my teeth gently and tried to seal his wound without too much attention.
Discreetly I slipped out of his grasp and he seemed to barely notice as they held on to each other and kissed passionately.
I was surprised to feel sad as I slipped out of the room. I would never have that with Alexis…and I had lost it with Tony.
I was walking to my room to relax, listen to music and just get away from Tyler and Jason when I heard the faint sound of an engine coming from outside.
My supernatural hearing allowed me to decipher the sound of a motorcycle coming
up the drive before anyone else in the house would have heard it.
Other then Tyler I didn’t know anyone else that rode a motorcycle.
I glanced at the clock. It was after two. Generally no one came here unannounced. Everyone in my territory knew to make an appointment if they wanted to see me.
I opened the door with my mouth poised to tell whoever was at the door to make an appointment, but the words froze on my lips.
Paul was walking up my porch stairs.
***
Paul’s eyes seemed to gleam as they scanned my entire body. I couldn’t help the choked sound that escaped my throat…or the tingling that centered between my thighs. I was in a state of total shock at the sight of him, he looked totally different! He was dressed in worn jeans, a black t-shirt and a brown leather jacket. His long hair surprised me. It was so long that I don’t think he had cut it in the entire year that he had been gone. His skin was deeply tanned and a worn suede satchel was draped over his shoulder. He looked great! All of my concerns that he had turned into some animal disappeared.
“Kim…” His eyes seemed to drink me in--in all my pink. “You look…beautiful.”
I leaped into his arms without another word and he caught me with no effort. He swung me around and laughed.
Damn…even though he wasn’t some monster, he had changed. Paul had bulked up! His muscles felt like steel beneath his skin. He held on to me for a moment staring into my face.
“You look good, Kim. I-I didn’t know what to expect after...” He said quietly, his smile hesitating.
Now was not the time to tell him just how bad it had been. I was happier than ever that Alexis had taken away my scars. It wasn’t vanity. I just knew that it would have hurt him somewhere down deep to see my scars…him moreso then anyone else in my entourage.
Slowly, he lowered me so that my body slid down his and I could feel every bulge, every ripple.
I smiled self consciously and pushed away from him gently. “How’d you get here?” I looked past him to see a motorcycle next to Tyler’s.
He picked up his bag. “Bike. Who else rides?”
“Tyler. Come in. Are you tired? Hungry?”