Page 31 of Those That Don’t Exist (Hidden Vampires #1)

“Can you really smell everything?” My cheeks heat once more thinking about how turned on I was.

“Yes, and with practice so will you. You just need some training.”

“Great.” I grimace, not sure I was wanting to be able to smell intimate details on everyone around me.

“You’ll learn how to block it out most of the time too.” He lowers his voice. “And how to have fun with it.”

The butterflies are back in my stomach, and I hope he can’t feel how my hand is heating in his as my temperature ratchets up a couple of degrees. Just when I think he’s going to stop teasing he leans down to add next to my ear in that delicious smooth tone of his.

“You should wear dresses more often when we’re together. Your arousal might be my new favourite scent.”

I stumble in my heels as my feet forget how to walk. Ty is quick to react, spinning in front of me to stop my fall. Another laugh escaping his lips.

My hands grip the shirt covering his chest as I peak up at him through my lashes.

His crystal blues catch in the streetlights, dancing with amusement.

It's not fair how gorgeous he is, especially when he’s being flirty and playful like this.

My heart doesn’t stand a chance as it takes off in my chest.

He brushes my hair back with a soft touch, hooking it around my ear. He lets his fingers linger on my skin, drifting them down the side of my neck, until he reaches my pulse point. I feel the caress all the way down to my core.

“Red, you’re really feeding my ego right now. If you react this much to my touch I wonder what would happen if I were to kiss you?”

My mouth drops open on a pant. I know this reaction to him is strong, I barely know him, but I don’t want to understand. I just want to feel.

“Please…” I plead. I need to feel his lips on mine. One side of his mouth pulls up in a grin.

He stares into my eyes for a few more seconds, I think he’s looking for certainty. I gently pull on the material of his shirt, to show him I am.

Just as he leans into me a little more, and brings the hand on my neck to my nape, to cradle my head, a drop of cold water lands on my nose.

A second later another lands on my cheek, making me tip my head back.

Before I can blink more cascade down, interrupting the moment with a literal cold shower.

I swear I hear Ty growl before he pulls back.

He grabs my hand again before pulling me along the street, back towards the campus.

We break into a run as the rain turns into a deluge.

We’re both soaked in seconds, it’s like the sky is trying to drown us as cold rain pummels my skin. Tiny shards of ice land all over my skin but my lips remain warm, the ghost of that almost kiss refusing to die.

We’re crossing the main courtyard, the one where I first spotted him, only a few turns from my house, when Ty suddenly deviates. He swings right, pulling me into an archway of one of the lecture buildings.

I slam into him, the momentum at which we were flying too much to easily stop in my heels. He lets out a harsh ooph as his back hits the concrete wall behind him. He recovers quickly, wrapping his arms around my waist and starts laughing.

“We might need to work on your gracefulness as well as your senses,” he taunts.

“You try stopping quickly and gracefully from a sprint in these stilettos, I dare you,” I fire back as I peel my now dripping hair back off my shoulders.

“Sure, blame the shoes,” he replies, not letting go of my waist, holding me against him. A feline grin on his face. He looks younger than I’ve ever seen him. Still a man but one full of youth. Even with five decades separating us he’s still young as Vampires live for a couple of millennia.

“Stop mocking me, I’m cold and wet,” I complain. I swat his chest with both hands before leaving them there. His pecs are solid under my fingers, warm through the soaked shirt.

His hands grip my waist tighter as I explore. It stutters my next breath. We both stop chuckling as our eyes lock. His gaze drops to my lips, his expression softening. It's the same expression he had moments ago before the rain started.

He slides one hand up my back pulling me impossibly closer as he steps both of us back further under the archway and into the shadows. I pull my lower lip with my teeth.

The need to kiss him returns with force, so I decide to make the first move. I watch his eyes as I tilt my head up, releasing my lip. I see the moment he registers what I’m doing, and for a moment I think he’s going to reject me.

Then he bends down, placing a feather light kiss to my lips before pulling back an inch. It felt damn good but was way too short.

I open my eyes, to gauge why he stopped so swiftly. He’s still holding me tightly but his face looks unsure.

In no way was that kiss enough.

I push my hands, from where they’d been resting on his chest, up and around his neck to gently pull him. He tenses for a second but gives in, closing the gap between our mouths again.

This kiss is longer. I savour the taste of him, needing more. He still seems hesitant to deepen it as his lips remain firmly closed.

I test him further by swiping my tongue across his lower one. Will he deny me a deeper kiss? He instantly pulls away. Dammit .

“I’m sorry.” His lips barely move, the two words barely audible above the rain behind us.

“Why?” I’m trying my best not to let the crushing disappointment show on my face. “You seemed so into this before, what changed?”

“You know what I am,” is the cryptic response I get, leaving me confused.

“And?” I ask when he doesn’t explain.

“Bloodlust isn’t the only thing that can make us lose control. I’m barely holding on here Red.” And he pulls back his upper lip, exposing those sharp fangs. My heart races at the sight. Does he want to bite me?

“I want you.” His voice is firmer now. “Lords above, I want you. I’ve imagined a hundred different places I can put my tongue on you.

I want to find out what makes your body sing for me, I want to watch you fall apart from my touch, my hands, my tongue, me.

But I’m scared I’m going to lose control.

You were human and now you’re not, I don’t know how much I need to hold back. I don’t know how breakable you are.”

He leans down again but past my lips, running his nose up my neck instead. I hear him inhale against my skin. A soft moan breaks out from my throat. Surprisingly, the thought of those deadly fangs plunging deep turns me on further.

“Are you afraid you’ll hurt me?” I reply as he places a gentle kiss on my jawline. Distracting.

“Yes,” he responds. “But I’m also afraid that if I lose control I’m going to forget I’m walking a dangerous line right now.

I’m afraid I’ll just take you and make you mine.

I know I said I won’t force you into anything but knowing another wants you is bringing out my possessive instincts.

I don’t want to lose control with you Red. ”

That should probably scare me but it heats my skin instead, like his words are flames licking at my body. I might be on board with the possessiveness in certain situations.

“Why do you call me Red?” I ask as he continues peppering my jaw and neck with the smallest of kisses. I flex my fingers on the nape of his neck, trying to guide him back to my mouth.

“It helps me lie to Adicious. In my mind you’re someone else. I can skirt the truth better.”

“But why Red?”

“Because it's the colour of danger. It's the colour to remind me I should be stopping this. I shouldn’t be letting myself get close to you. But instead I feel like a bull to a flag. I can’t stop. And now I’ve seen your real hair, it seems even more fitting, you’re a literal red flag.”

“Please kiss me,” I whimper. “Or let me kiss you. I’ll be the one in control.”

He straightens to look at me. His nostrils flare slightly as he inhales, picking up on my scent. I’m not even embarrassed this time. I want him to know how much I want him. He nods almost imperceptibly and I smile up at him.

I lean up slowly, touching my lips to him once more. I don’t give him a chance to rethink, immediately asking him to open for me by swiping my tongue over his bottom lip. This time he complies.

The second our tongues entwine I’m lost in the kiss. I swear fireworks explode across my mind. I twirl our tongues together again and again. Ty’s meeting mine stroke for stroke but he’s definitely the submissive one, letting me lead. Maybe I like his submissive side. It's heady being in control.

I press my body up closer to his in a bid to drive my tongue deeper.

He widens his stance so I can step between his thighs.

It makes our bodies flush. A moan escapes my throat as I push into his hard erection pinned between us.

I do it again, seeking friction, as I hook my tongue around his, the glide sends more sparks flying through my body.

As I go to repeat the motion my tongue scrapes the side of one of his fangs.

They must be sensitive as Ty releases a sound between a moan and a growl, which I swallow eagerly.

His body vibrates underneath mine. I lick at his fang again on purpose this time as I want more of that sound from him.

I want to elicit pleasure in him and he rewards me.

But his control snaps, and in a blink I’m the one with my back against the wall.

His hands move from my back to lower. One grips my ass and the other trails down to lift my thigh.

He wraps my leg around his hip and presses me into the wall, all the while devouring my mouth, fucking me with his tongue.

Holy gods, I like his dominant side too it turns out.

The new position of our bodies means his cock is aligned more with my core. If we were naked right now he could easily push inside, which is what I imagine as he continues plundering my mouth with his tongue. He grinds against me, sending shivers of pleasure radiating from my clit.

He slowly trails the hand that was on my ass, up my body leaving a trail of fire over my ribs, my breast and finally my throat.

He shifts his fingers until they’re at my jaw.

With one last twirl of his tongue against mine he breaks the kiss and leans back from me, holding me against the wall with his hand and hips.

We’re both breathless as we lock eyes and stare at each other. I’ve never been kissed like this, the high remaining for several seconds before the world around us comes back into focus. We’re in a pretty public space right now.

And on that thought a group of women come into sight, giggling and talking as they stumble from the direction of the club across the campus courtyard.

I try to quickly yank my leg down from where he still holds it up against his hip.

The angle means the skirt of my dress has fallen up my thigh and is leaving barely anything covered. Ty holds tight and doesn’t let me go.

“It’s ok Red, my shadows have us hidden,” he whispers, leaning his forehead down to mine. “But stay quiet, they don’t hide noise.”

“You heard them didn’t you? That’s why you stopped?” My voice comes out a little breathless.

He nods. Clearly he’d held some semblance of control, more than I had, if he was still able to be aware of our surroundings.

The women pass by, not even glancing at us. As they get out of sight Ty slowly lowers my leg so I’m standing once more on both feet. He takes a step back and lets out a breath. I immediately miss his warmth.

“That was…” The words die on my tongue, I can’t find an accurate description for that kiss.

“Fucking hell Red, you taste like pure sin.” A grin breaks across my face and I stand a little taller at the compliment. “I told you not to test my control and you smashed it to smithereens.” He returns my grin, so I don't think he’s upset about it.

“I like you losing control.” I can still feel his grip on my thigh, and his body pressing to mine in all the right places.

“Maybe next time we don’t do this in a public place.” His voice is practically purring.

“Then maybe next time we can remove some clothing.” I can’t help toying with him and am highly satisfied when he chokes on air. He takes a moment to compose himself before offering me his hand.

“I knew you’d be dangerous, Red. How am I supposed to think clearly if you’re going to give me that kind of mental image?”

“Come home with me now and I can provide more than an image.” I tilt my chin up at him, hoping he takes up my offer.

“I’m sorry. It's late and I should be getting back. I’m er…” He pauses and looks mildly embarrassed. “We have a curfew imposed.”

“What?” I’m stunned. Anger swells in me, this Adicious guy really has a chokehold over Ty.

“We’re only allowed out from the ranch when he gives permission, and it always has a deadline. If I were to stay out all night I might not be allowed out tomorrow, and I want to see you tomorrow.”

“That’s bullshit.”

“Yes, but it is what it is. At least for now. So let me get you home safe.” I take his hand as we step out of the archway.

The shadows cling to me for half a second before receding, feeling like silk against my skin.

Ty seems to watch them return to the corner before clearing his throat and walking down the steps.

Thankfully the rain has slowed to a drizzle, I barely notice it on the remaining walk.

We get to my house, he waits until I unlock my door before placing a chaste kiss to my lips and leaves.