Shade's Loss

  He slipped his shirt and boots on then left closing the door behind him quietly. Amelia was just heading to her room. Apparently she had stayed up most of the night and was just now going to bed, no doubt waiting up for him. Of course she spied him coming out and pounced on him.

  “Is the little one finally asleep lover?”

  She did not know when to quit. Damon pried her arms off and shook his head at her. She thought because she did not know what faithful meant that he did not either. He may not be sleeping with Shade but she was his mate and he would not hurt her like that or any other way.

  “I did not come here to be with you again Amelia. I thought you understood that.”

  She looked at the closed door and put it together. In her mind his shaking his head no meant she was not asleep.

  “Of course I do. I call my all exes lover, you know this,” she said laughing and turning back towards her room.

  He shook his head again and headed downstairs to get blood. Amelia left her door open so when he passed he would see her. She was in a silk robe and when he walked passed she dropped it to the floor. She bent over towards the bed as she crawled in showing off what she thought was undeniably desirable. He went down the stairs quickly afraid she would follow.

  Amelia didn’t understand the word no. She got what she wanted and then used that as ransom to get more. He remembered her body beneath his and above and knew she was an experienced lover. Her attitude and self-righteousness was a turn off and eventually he came to see her for who she really was. She was no longer someone to satisfy his cravings with.

  Damon helped himself to the blood that Amelia had delivered for her vampire guests. He knew she had plenty to spare so he filled himself up before returning upstairs.

  He did not want to be away from Shade for long. Damon took the steps quickly but quietly hoping he could slip by Amelia and back to his room without any problems… apparently not. She was waiting in the door again.

  “Can we have that chat I spoke of earlier, Damon?”

  “I am in a hurry, can we do this later?”

  “It won’t take but a second. Will you join me by the pool?” Amelia coaxed turning so he got the full view of her outfit or lack of. He averted his eyes.

  “I have not slept in two weeks, Amelia. I am really tired. I need to rest so please share with me whatever it is you feel is so important.”

  He suppressed the urge to just walk on to his room. He was trying to be nice but she was making it very hard.

  “I was just curious as to why the Royals have a warrant out for you. They are seriously ticked off and seem to think you are in the south somewhere. I thought Gideon had arranged things?”

  She must have called and checked to see if he was lying.

  “Are they on their way here Amelia? If you called them here on me…” Damon responded leaving the threat open.

  “No why would I do anything like that. I’m sure you wouldn’t cause me any problems and would be quite willing to comply with a simple request like joining me by the pool,” she replied.

  It was a veiled threat. If he did not join her on the patio she may tell them.

  “Whatever, I am not dressed for a swim nor do I feel like one.”

  “You don’t need to swim…” She replied flirting now that he was willingly following her.

  Once outside on the patio she took her robe off and reclined in a lounge chair. She massaged tanning lotion slowly into her skin while peering sideways at Damon to see his reaction. Damon was staring off into the distance paying her absolutely no attention.

  She growled.

  “What did you want?”

  He was simple and to the point, he did not want to play her games.

  “Sit and I’ll tell you.”

  When he complied she began telling him of how they met.

  “I remember very well Amelia, what is the point?”

  “Why are you being so rude?” she pouted at him.

  “It seems my actions are not clear enough. I came back only for a place to stay simply because we were friends. If you think I need to pay you in some way for being here a day then I will take Shade and leave.”

  “I want to apologize for being hasty before Damon. That is all. You don’t care for me the way I do for you. I see that now.”

  “You care only for the pleasure I gave you.”

  “Now I’m hurt. I’m a succubus Damon. Werewolf or not that is what I am. I don’t deny that. I want to keep what pleases me close it’s true. I have feelings though and you’re hurting mine.”

  Damon sighed.

  She saw her opportunity and stood, very slowly coming closer to him.

  “I want you Damon. I haven’t denied that nor claimed otherwise. I do however want to keep my dignity. I’ve seen all of you. I know you better than some…”

  “That is in the past Amelia. We are nothing but friends now.”

  She purred at him and dropped to her knees in front of him.

  “That girl can’t give you what your body craves. She’s innocent and we both know this. Allow me to please you and release the frustration that is clear to anyone who knows you. You can go back to her and let her stay an innocent.”

  Damon knew he had control of that side of himself but her words were true in some ways. Either way he would hurt Shade. Unless he stayed strong and ignored what his body wanted. It wanted Shade and it wanted her now and forever.

  Just as Amelia’s hands reached his legs he realized that being down here was a bad idea. She would not relent in this and he had to leave. He was not as hungry and could drive another day or so before needing more. Just as he stood up and pushed her off he looked up at the room he shared with Shade. She was looking down with tears in her eyes.

  The picture of the two of them was damning from her point of view. Shade must have seen the way he avoided looking at Amelia, how he pushed her away but it hurt that he had not gotten up and came to her.

  Damon did not belong to her though, she remembered. Those two had been lovers often and there would always be something between them. Shade stepped away from the window ashamed at having caught them in some kind of moment. Damon seemed like he was torn. He was not walking away but not returning the attention that Amelia was pushing on him one way or another.

  Shade being innocent and not ready for sex was not fair to Damon. He had needs that she could not meet. They were not a couple, whether he thought they were mates or not. She got dressed in the bathroom and when she came out Damon was sitting on the bed next to the bathroom door. He had his head down, eyes closed, hands clasped with his elbows on his knees. His hair hung over his eyes blocking her view.

  As she went to walk by Damon reached out and pulled her to him, between his knees. He was clearly upset and even seemed on the verge of tears. He looked her in the eyes and just held her there for a moment. She was nearly even with him, he looked up only slightly. He then pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her.

  Shade sighed and wrapped her arms around his head. His head was resting on her chest and she fought the urge to rip away and hide. This man would not hurt her, physically at least, she kept reminding herself.

  “Amelia is a very jealous and needy creature. She has tried several different ways to get my attention and every time I either ignored her or denied her,” Damon said quietly, into her shoulder.

  “You’re a grown man, you can do whatever you…” she started.

  “No! I do not want any other woman out there, including Amelia. She found out that the Royals are hunting for me. She vaguely threatened that if I did not speak with her by the pool she would turn us in. When she spouted the nonsense about you being innocent and me having needs I pushed her away, you saw that. I was trying not to anger her so that she did something we all regret. It seems that was unavoidable. I think she is temporarily pleased because she knew you saw us down there.

  “Do not do this Shade. Do not push me away again. We have finally started understanding each other
and after last night, you explaining that you feel something for me… No we cannot go back. We both care for and need each other. I am not a very sexual man, like most my age Shade. I can wait for you. I will wait for you. So do not do this to us…” Damon whispered against her.

  Shade shuddered. She fought all the chaos inside and sought her heart. She wanted to ignore her head for a moment and listen to her heart. What did she want?

  Damon trembled against her. His hand, spread, rested against her hip. His other arm was wrapped around her. She was so small that his hand reached all the way around to her other arm.

  Shade knew deep down somewhere she was falling in love with him, if she could get passed the nightmares anyways.

  She sighed and leaned into him.

  They stood that way for another moment before Shade kissed his head like he had hers. Damon visibly trembled and released his held breath.

  He pulled her onto the bed with him and lay back pulling her down so that they faced each other. She started to panic but he held her there.

  “Wait, just lay here with me. I promise I will not do anything to you. You do not have to fear me okay?” He whispered pulling her closer in his arms.

  Shade calmed herself and relaxed. He had taken her by surprise.

  Damon reached for her chin and tilted it up so they faced each other.

  “Let me give you an innocent kiss Shade then we will leave here.”

  She stared wide eyed but did not reject him when he moved forward. He brought his lips to hers quickly and gave her a butterfly kiss. He did not kiss her like at the gas station. His lips barely, briefly touched hers and were gone. His eyes were closed when she opened hers. He seemed to be concentrating hard on something. After another moment he sat up and pulled her with him so that she was still in his arms.

  Neither said a word. Both their hearts beat as one, wild and panicky. Damon had never had this with anyone before. It was new to him. He had been a virgin when he had been turned and the only sexual relationships were with dominating women like Amelia, nothing like this.

  Damon released her and pulled their bags from the closet. Shade stood up, grabbed her night clothes from the floor and stashed them in her back pack. She followed Damon out and downstairs and half expected Amelia to try to stop them. Or someone pop out and block their way.

  Her heart was still pounding when they got to the car. Damon threw their stuff in the trunk and unlocked the doors. He joined her in the car and started it.

  Damon felt that holding Shade and making sure things were good between them was important. If she had time to consider it she would have distanced herself again and all the ground he had gained with her would be lost.

  He put the car in reverse and backed out of the garage. Moments later they were at the dock and waiting for the ferry to come by. If there was no cars waiting the ferry would simply keep going.

  Damon reached for Shade’s hand. He knew if she allowed him to hold hers things were fine. If she ignored him then he would have to start all over, and it would hurt. He never thought emotions could be so razor-sharp and excruciating. He waited several seconds, never looking at her. She reached for his just before he gave up. When she took his hand it felt like he could breathe again.

  Damon smiled at her and looked back out to the water.

  An hour later they were back on mainland again. Damon headed south once more.

  His cell chirped startling them both. It seemed he was not the only tense one in the car.

  He searched his pocket and pulled the ringing cell phone out.

  “Damon.”

  “I’m sorry to see you go babe, but it was probably for the best. It seemed my call made some people suspicious and they’re on their way here. I’ll stall them if you say you forgive me?”

  Damon wanted to do nothing more than cuss her and hang up.

  “Forgiven,” Damon said trying not to growl.

  Shade heard everything and took the phone from Damon who was worried she would say something to irritate Amelia.

  “There is nothing to forgive Amelia. We both appreciate the hospitality showed. You should forgive us for leaving so soon. We decided to take the next step and are going to find a place to exchange vows. You have shown me that I cannot bear to lose him.”

  Amelia growled whatever into the cell and hung up.

  Damon laughed and took his cell phone back and tossed it on the dash.

  Shade looked pleased and had a smirk pasted on her face.

  “I did not realize we were on our way to elope. Are we having a honeymoon too?”

  Shade turned red and gulped the self-satisfied smile gone.

  “I was saying that only to aggravate Amelia…”

  “I know and it will so we got to get out of here. They are more than likely already at her house questioning her.”

  “She wasn’t going to delay them at all,” Shade replied.

  “I am joking though about eloping… unless you were serious,” Damon said smiling.

  Shade punched him and gave him a dirty look.

  “Guess not,” he said chuckling.

  Damon concentrated on driving and hit one fifty. He would take several roads in different directions to throw the pursuers off but move in a southerly direction.

  Gideon said he’d have the papers drawn up on Shade and try to figure out why he was wanted. He agreed with Damon’s theory on why they wanted him dead and was sending demons after him. He had to wait and be patient to figure out the reasons behind everything.

  An hour later his cell rang again.

  “Damon.”

  “It’s Mikhail. How is she?”

  Damon handed the cell over to a sleepy Shade.

  “Hmm?” she whispered into the phone before a long yawn.

  “Shade, it’s me.”

  “Mikhail?” she asked hysterically.

  “How’s he treating you?” Mikhail asked.

  Shade looked over at Damon who was dreading her answer. Whatever she said might not be the truth because she would try not to worry Mikhail.

  She hesitated at first, something Mikhail noticed.

  “Good. He has been a gentleman believe it or not.”

  Mikhail laughed.

  “I miss you,” she said.

  “I miss you too little sister.”

  “This sucks.”

  “I know sweetie, but life sucks. Now we don’t have to deal with stupid people anymore. Being a part of this world means that things are not the same. I’m more or less married now. You’ll like her Shade. She is a bit dominating and aggressive at first but a really good person. She does good work here.”

  “What’s her name?” Shade asked.

  “Shayla and you won’t believe it. She’s almost two thousand years old, an ancient, one of the only female werewolves in the world to live that long. Most werewolves either are killed or go feral. She’s a unique mixture of several different species. She was a faerie before she was bitten so she can live a long time.”

  “Wow that’s… um fascinating,” Shade replied completely confused.

  “I know it seems like a lot to handle but if she’s right about all this then so are you Shade, a faerie or dark elf that is.”

  “How is that? Wouldn’t you be as well?”

  “It doesn’t work like that apparently. After the first generation it is usually only females. I take too much after dad I guess. I’ll explain when you get here,” Mikhail said.

  “Okay, I’m really tired. I haven’t gotten much sleep and apparently newborns feed, sleep, and feed some more.”

  “I love you Shade, take care of yourself okay,” Mikhail told her.

  “You too, Mikhail,” whispered trying not to cry.

  “Let me talk to Damon.”

  Shade handed the cell back and got comfortable once more. Now that she had spoken to her brother she could actually relax. It had been several days since she ate food and she knew she was hungry but it was for blood only. Ignoring her stomach she laid her
head on Damon’s shoulder and drifted off listening off and on again to Damon’s conversation.

  “Yeah,” Damon said into the cell.

  “Thank you for taking care of her. She seems okay. Are you on your way here yet?”

  “Sort of, there was a problem with our last stop and so I have to throw anyone off chasing us. We can’t take an airplane and I am not sure driving the whole way is a good idea. I am thinking we are going to have travel Shayla’s way.”