Page 6

Meghan

Leo blinked in surprise. “Really? You would be willing to do that?”

“I’m doing this for me, too. I think we both need a bit of normalcy, however short it may be.”

Leo looked at me with awe, like I had just made all his birthday and Christmas wishes come true at once. My cheeks grew warm under the intensity of his gaze. Clearing my throat, I got up and went over to the kitchen to see what I could find.

“Do you think the previous owner left any food behind?” I opened and shut the kitchen cupboards in an attempt to distract myself. I had to escape from the confusing emotions clouding my head. Don’t be stupid, I reminded myself. None of this was real. We were just two traumatized people grabbing onto the first bit of comfort we could find.

“I don’t know, I never really noticed. It’s not like I need to eat.” Leo said from behind me. I almost jumped out of my skin at how close he was suddenly. Even though he wished to be a human man, he was still moved with the supernatural speed and stealth of a vampire.

I was essentially trapped between Leo and the kitchen counter. “Then you can help me look.” My voice shook as I spoke. My body brushed against his as I slipped past him. I bit back the moan that threatened to come out as a delicious shiver ran through me.

We both made a racket, slamming cupboards and drawers as we searched for something that we could throw together into a meal.

“Aha!” I cried out as I found a dusty plastic wrapped pack of dried pasta and a jar of spaghetti sauce. Behind the jar, I spotted a container of powdered Parmesan cheese, the kind you would find in a shaker at cheap pizza shops. I gathered the found treasure in my arms and displayed them proudly on the counter.

Leo grinned as he held up the sauce pot and a jug of water he found under the sink. “Now we’re cooking.”

I twisted off the lid and gave the sauce a cautious sniff. Even though it had expired over a year ago, it was still red colored and there wasn’t anything fuzzy growing on the surface. I shrugged. Beggars couldn’t be choosers, and it wasn’t like I hadn’t already eaten worse things. There weren’t any spices in the cupboards, and I thought what a sad life the person who lived here must have lived.

To my surprise, the stove still worked. Apparently the propane tank I saw earlier wasn’t empty. Leo started boiling a pot of water and put another sauce pot on the stove to heat up the sauce. I examined him with curiosity. Vampires didn’t need to eat, so why did he move around the kitchen with such ease?

“Do you often cook?” I asked. Watching him as he stirred the sauce so it didn’t burn, I appreciated the flex of his shoulders as he worked.

“My mother hated any reminder of my father’s mortality, so I didn’t exactly grow up in a normal family. However, one thing my father insisted on was dinner time with just the two of us.” The water sputtered as it boiled. Leo dropped two handfuls of spaghetti in. “Even if I didn’t need to eat, I loved spending time helping my dad and sharing meals with him. These were some of the only happy memories I have of my family. As much as my mother loved my father, I don’t think she really ever wanted to be a mother.”

Silently, I cursed at Leo’s mother for being such a cold bitch. What kind of damage did that she do to her own child?

Leo turned his head and gave me a sad smile. “There’s no need to pity me. I’ve had decades to think about these things. It’s not her fault, really. She cared for me in her own way, as much as the vampire inside of her would allow. My father was the best parent I could have asked for.”

Using a fork, Leo fished out a strand of spaghetti and held it out for me to try.

The pasta was perfectly cooked with just the right amount of bite. I flashed him a thumbs up. He drained the pasta using the saucepot lid to keep the pasta from falling into the sink.

I found two forks among a mess of mismatched silverware in a drawer, and two plates. Leo plated the pasta and drenched it with sauce before sprinkling a thick layer of cheese on top. “She was never the same after my father’s death. He was killed by some humans while out on a mission for Alex. It wasn’t Alex’s fault, but I know my mother blames him for my dad’s death.”

“I’m so sorry. I’m sure Alex will forgive her if she comes back.”

Leo shook his head. “You don’t understand. There’s no turning back after what she’s done. Let’s forget about all that stuff. Vampire business does not exist inside this house.” He grabbed both plates, and we headed back to the sofa to eat.

The pasta was not very flavorful or complex, but the conversation with Leo as we talked about our lives made this one of the best meals I could remember having. His eyes gleamed in the soft candlelight as he talked about the ridiculous vampire customs he had to follow. I entertained him with stories of the stupid things Amanda and I did while we backpacked through Europe. It was so easy to fall into the fantasy that we were just a normal boy and girl having a romantic dinner at home after a long day. My heart ached for a version of our lives that was never going to be.

Since he cooked, I did the dishes as best as I could with the remaining water in the jug. After washing the dishes, I handed them to Leo to dry with a dishtowel.

“Can we stay here for the night? I don’t want to go back there yet.” Everything inside of me screamed that this was a bad idea, but it was just for tonight, I reasoned to myself. Tomorrow, we would forget about all this and go back to normal.

Leo sucked in an unneeded breath. “There’s only one bed.”

“So?” Faking confidence that I didn’t have, I shrugged and tossed my hair over my shoulder.

“Are you sure? Vampire and human relationships rarely end well.” Even though his words were softly spoken, he was crackling with energy like a live wire. Leo reminded me of a mountain lion, ready to pounce for the kill. I gulped as I realized that I was the prey. His body was tense as he held himself back for my sake.

It only made me want him more.

I rolled my eyes. “That hasn’t been a problem for the vampires in your clan.” I placed my hand on top of his. “I can see the humanity in you. You aren’t your mother.”

“Do you know what you’re asking? I won’t be able to stop myself once I’ve had a taste of you.”

“Yep. Got it. Can you shut up and kiss me?”

“I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t resist you.”

Despite my bravado, nothing could prepare me for the moment he wrapped his arms around me and pressed his lips against mine. His soft teasing touches soon became a hungry, demanding caress. My lips parted, his tongue slipping inside as he drank from my mouth like he was dying of thirst. Leo tasted clean and fresh, and soon, his cool flesh warmed with heat from mine.

Reluctantly, I pulled myself away due to my annoying mortal need for oxygen. My heart pounded as my breath came out in harsh pants. An intense wet heat made my core throb in time with the blood rushing through my body.

Again, our lips met. This time, Leo’s hands left no part of me untouched as we made our way to the bedroom. By the time the back of my legs hit the edge of the bed, we were fully unclothed. Never before had I felt so overcome with heat and desire. I was a wild thing, losing myself to the need to be claimed by this man.

“We will take our pleasure from each other in every way.” Leo settled in between my legs which fell open for him automatically. Not a bit of me was ashamed to bare my center to him, begging him to fill me.

Eager to feel him against me, I pressed my hips up against his, grinding my wet core against his hardness.

Leo let out a low growl. His fangs descended and with a rumble of need, he buried his head against my neck. I felt the prick of his fangs against my skin, nipping in a warning or perhaps a promise of more, but he took care not to break my skin.

How sweet. It only made me want him more. My hands wove into his hair, and I tugged him closer to me. What was wrong with me? Something dark part of me wanted him to penetrate me, not just with his cock, but with his fangs as well.

“You’re so sweet,” Leo whispered against my neck before he soothed my sore neck with his mouth and tongue. He pulled my hips to his, rubbing his thick length against my core, coating his cock with my slick juices. He parted my plump lips, but didn’t spear me in the way I needed him to.

“Please,” I whimpered. “Stop teasing me. I need you inside”

His eyes flashed gold as his clawed hands gripped my thighs. A low purr rumbled in his chest and with a grunt, he surged forward and thrust into me.

I cried out as he split me with his cock. He was so big. Leo touched me so deep inside as he rode me that I felt like I was going to pass out.

Nothing could have prepared me for how good it felt to be filled by this supernatural vampire.

“Leo, please.” It was all too much, but as much as I thought I couldn’t take any more of him, my muscles clenched and rippled around his girth. My body knew better and my core was greedy for whatever he gave me.

Leo lifted my legs until my knees were next to my head.

“Yes. That’s it. Take it,” he grunted as he pounded away.

My head tossed and turned. Nothing made sense except for my need for more of this. Reaching up, I braced my hands against the headboard, so I could hold myself in place for him.

“Good girl.”

The new position rubbed my clit in just the right way against his pubic bone. I moaned as pleasure ripped through me. Gasping, I clung to him as I came undone and exploded into a million pieces.

With a shout, Leo shuddered and jerked into me. He filled me with his seed, coating my overheated channel with cooling wetness.

I lay limp, overcome with the pleasure he just wrung out of me. My core clenched around him, squeezing out the last drops of his cum as the aftershocks of my orgasm ran through me.

Leo rolled over and gathered me in his arms. I sighed and buried my head against his chest. The clean scent of him surrounded me in a welcoming cocoon. Draping a leg over his, I closed my eyes. Never had I believed it was possible to be so close to another person.

When I awoke, the room was deathly silent. With no need to breathe, Leo’s chest was unnaturally still beneath my cheek.

One thing that wasn’t still was the engorged rod that stood to attention and prodded at my thigh.

I moaned and rubbed my leg against him. For my action, I was rewarded with a trail of slick precum against my skin. My center ached in response. What was it about this vampire that filled me with such need?

I looked up to find Leo’s eyes sparkling in amusement at my actions.

“How long have I been out?” I asked groggily. The last remaining fog of sleep cleared from my brain.

“Not too long.” He caressed my cheek before he brushed his lips gently against mine. “I like watching you sleep.”

My cheeks heated. No man had ever been this nice to me after sex. How long was this going to last once we stepped out of our little hideaway?

“Don’t be sad, beautiful.” Leo tipped my chin up toward him. He must have felt my body stiffen in his embrace.

I shook my head. “I’m not. I just don’t want this to end.”

“Who said it needed to?”

He didn’t understand. Once we were back out there, in the vampire compound, everything was going to go back to normal. He was a vampire and I was his captive.

As much as he may be okay with that, I wasn’t.

My vision blurred with unshed tears. How I wished we had met in another life. Instead of all this blood and death, we would spend our weekends picking out plants for the garden or washing dishes together. It was a life that was never going to be ours to keep.

I pushed the thought out of my mind and blinked back the wetness that threatened to spill down my cheeks. For now, nothing outside mattered.

I smiled at him. “You’re right. That’s for tomorrow. All I want right now is to taste you.”

“Take what you need. Every part of me is yours.”

I didn’t need any more encouragement. I straddled his torso and bent until I was face to face with the tip of his weeping cock.

I licked my lips and blew a puff of air over his engorged flesh. His length twitched and jumped towards me in response.

“Tease,” Leo growled. He grabbed my hips with a firm grip and tugged until I was sitting on his face.

The first swirl of his tongue on my sensitive flesh sent shockwaves through me. Oh, goodness. His tongue worked furiously on me, sending me quickly towards the edge.

“Not fair!” I was supposed to be the one driving him out of his mind. Not to be outdone, I bent over and took him into my mouth, swallowing him to the root.

He let out a low growl and slapped my bottom. I let out a hum of pleasure and grinned. This powerful creature was putty under my hands and mouth.

My tongue traced each vein and ridge of his length. I did everything I could think of to drive him wild. Gripping his muscular thighs with my tiny hands, I held him in place as I worked him with my mouth.

Leo retaliated by doubling his efforts on my clit. The intensity was too much. My legs clenched around his head as I came. My womb pulsated as I rode out my orgasm on his face. His cock muffled my cries of pleasure, and soon he filled my mouth with a rush of cool seed. Despite my best efforts to swallow it all and not waste a drop, some of it dribbled down my chin.

I crawled off and collapsed next to him in a trembling heap.

“That was amazing,” I gasped.

Leo kissed my forehead. “I should be the one saying that.”

Pride filled my chest at his praise. I wanted so much to please him.

And yet, when I looked down, his still member was still rigid and standing at attention.

“Didn’t you–” I licked my lips and tasted the remnants of him. How was he still hard?

He let out a low chuckle. “Vampire stamina is one of the few perks of being half-undead. I will never have to recover like a mortal man.”

Oh gods. My insides throbbed in anticipation. As much as I wanted him again, I was still sore from how deeply he fucked me. At this rate, Leo was going to kill me with his dick.

Leo must have sensed my hesitation and guessed what was wrong with me. He gave me a knowing masculine look as his chest puffed with pride.

I rolled my eyes. “Men!”

He laughed. “Come on, little one. I know the perfect workaround for your problem.”

I was doubtful. What could he possibly do to ease the soreness between my folds? I followed his lead as rolled over as he urged me onto my stomach.

Resting my head on my arms, I closed my eyes and relaxed while I waited for whatever he was going to do. I heard the creak of a drawer open and stuff being tossed around.

“I swore I saw a bottle here,” he uttered. The bed dipped once again as he kneeled beside me.

I gasped in surprise as the first drip of cold oil landed on the small of my back. “I’m sorry I can’t warm it up for you,” he whispered before placing a kiss on my shoulder.

“It’s fine.” And it was. He was making me hot enough to warm up the oil all by myself. The sweet scent of almonds surrounded us as my skin heated the oil. I felt the slickness drip down my crack and run between my butt cheeks.

Leo kneaded my sore muscles, massaging the oil all over my back and down my buttocks and thighs. He kneaded my ass for a long period of time before slowly spreading me. He rubbed the oil all over my sore folds before he worked up to my pucker. I let out a whimper as he circled the tight muscle with a greased finger. My nipples were so hard against the scratchy surface of the bedsheets. Pressing and massaging, but not entering me, he teased and loosened my back hole in preparation for what was to come.

“I’m going to take your ass tonight.” He kissed my neck once again and gave me a sharp nip. The love bit sent a shock through my body, rearing up I pressed my hips against his probing finger. All the previous soreness in my body melted away until only the intense heat and need for him remained.

“Please,” I begged. What a needy thing I had become, as I arched my back and presented my ass for him to take. Even more oil dripped down my crack, and then he pressed one, then two fingers into my ass.

“Oh gods,” I whimpered. My legs trembled as I struggled to catch a breath. He scissored his fingers as he worked them in and out of my tight sphincter. Even his fingers felt like it was too much. The stretch hurt, but it felt so good. As he worked me, I heard the squirt of more oil and then the wet sound of him stroking his oil covered cock with his other hand.

I moaned in anticipation as he withdrew his fingers, and then he pressed the blunt tip of his cock against my pucker.

My muscles resisted as the thick head popped in and stretched my tight channel.

It was too much. Bracing myself on my arms, I took a deep breath. He began to thrust, working himself in bit by bit with each push.

“You will take all of me. We will fit together.”

I had my doubts as he stretched me to my limits, but I willed myself to relax. Bearing down against him, I opened myself and bounced tentatively on his length.

“That’s it,” he hissed. I grasped the bedsheets as he rocked into me. Together we worked until his entire rod was inside of me with his sack pressing flush against my folds.

“Good girl. I knew you could do it.”

I glowed under his praise as my chest filled with feminine pride.

Over and over again, he impaled me, filling me to my limit until the searing heat of him felt like it was going to split me into pieces.

Reaching under me, he rubbed my sensitive nub with the same intensity as his pounding thrusts.

“Leo,” I chanted as I flew closer to the edge. The Aching fullness was building up into a sweet pressure that was ready to explode in any moment.

The sharp nip at my neck sent me flying over the cliff . As his teeth sank in, I fell into the abyss and broke into a million particles of light.

Each sip of blood he pulled from my neck drew a matching twinge of pleasure directly from my womb. I was nothing but pleasure and sensation. I felt the gentle press of his wrist against my lips. Instinctively, I opened my mouth and lapped at the skin. The metallic tang of his blood was anything but repulsive as I would have expected.

“Mine!” he growled into my neck.

I drank from him as he drank from me. We were an endless cycle of pleasure and need. He reared into me once more before filling me to the brim with his spendings.

“Shh. Stop, Meghan.”

I cried out at the loss as he wrenched his wrist away and withdrew from my body.

“You have to stop before you take too much.” Leo gathered me in his arms and kissed the top of my head. I was as limp as a newborn kitten as I rested my cheek against his chest.

What was that? I couldn’t believe what had come over me and made me want to drink his blood like it was the most delicious wine.

“We are mated now,” he answered. “It is natural for you to desire my blood as I desire yours. Still, it isn’t wise to drink too much. Vampire blood can be intoxicating for humans.”

I sat up and looked at him. How did he read my thoughts? I did not say any of the words in my mind out loud.

“Oh my gods. You just read my mind, just like Amanda and Alex.”

Leo chuckled out loud. “Yes, as much as you can read mine. That’s one aspect of the mating bond,” he said silently in his mind.

I clung to him once again and traced a pattern on his chest. Suddenly, a sense of warmth and peace washed over me like the thickest blanket being wrapped over my body.

It was Leo’s love for me, I realized.

There had only ever been once source of constant in my life, and that was myself.

Until now.

Was I ready to change all that and let him into my heart?