BittenandDefiant (3 page)

Frankie was going to protest, but found her words swallowed
in a hard kiss. She didn’t know how it happened. One second they were arguing
and the next they were wrapped around each other, mouths fully involved, hands
groping, bodies pressed together as if they couldn’t get close enough. She felt
his fangs lengthen against her tongue and she shivered. Never in her life had
she imagined such a thing. Now it was the biggest thrill she’d ever
experienced.

She didn’t mean to have sex with him again. Not unless it
was necessary in the turning process. But she found herself straddling his
hips, her panties once again yanked to the side, impaled on his cock that she
had no memory of freeing. He must have done it himself this time. All she knew
was that the feel of him, thrusting up into her still-sore pussy as he urged
her body down onto him, was incredible.

In the secluded darkness of the park the sounds of their
fucking echoed loudly but she didn’t care. She wanted him, his cock, and was
willing to risk being caught riding it in public as long as he didn’t deny her
what she craved more than she ever imagined possible.

His steel-like shaft filled her repeatedly as he hilted it
into her needy, wet pussy. Over and over he thrust it into her, pausing for a
beat to grind his pelvic bone against her swollen clit. It wasn’t long before
she was screaming into his mouth, coming furiously as he emptied himself inside
her grasping sheath. What was it about this man, this vampire, that made her
body react as it never had before?

Kellen held Frankie tightly to his chest. Never in all his
hundreds of years had anyone gotten under his skin the way she did. No one else
ever inspired his protective instincts. And he certainly never looked forward
to anyone spying on him as she had. Even before they spoke he felt drawn to
her. Now that he knew her story he felt as if he had to take care of her, to
make up for her loss somehow. Crazy, since he barely knew her other than what
she’d just revealed but it was enough.

The question was what was he going to do about it? Her
request to become a vampire was out of the question. Wasn’t it? He understood
her grief. He understood it was causing her thinking to be somewhat irrational.
Hell, he even understood her desire for revenge. But her plan for going about
it?

When Frankie squirmed he begrudgingly released her. More
than anything he wanted to keep her on his lap, impaled on his cock, safe from
the rest of the world. However, even he knew it wasn’t practical. The
keeping-her-impaled part. The rest of it was conceivable. If she would listen
to reason. It was just a matter of approaching her in the right way.

As Kellen rearranged his pants he watched Frankie. Now that
the intimate contact was severed she seemed to withdraw from him emotionally.
Back in her little cocoon of isolation where nothing and no one could reach
her. It wasn’t going to be easy but he knew he had to come up with something
quickly or she’d be gone before he had a chance.

“Come home with me,” he said, startling Frankie out of her
thoughts.

“What? I can’t.”

“Sure you can.”

“Why? What’s the point unless you’ve changed your mind?”

“No, I haven’t. I need some time to think about that one,”
he announced, stalling for time. It wasn’t exactly right, dangling that carrot,
but he was desperate.

“Really?” she asked hopefully.

“Frankie, when I said no, I meant it. But I admit you took
me by surprise, so I am willing to consider it even though I doubt it’ll make
any difference.”

She looked triumphant, obviously hearing only what she
wanted to. “Thank you, Kellen.”

“You’re not listening. I’m only thinking about it.”

“I know. It’s something and I’ll take it.”

“Good. Come on.” He shook his head. She thought it was
settled the way she wanted it to be when it was nothing of the sort. He didn’t
give her much choice. Grasping her hand firmly in his, he led her in the
direction of his home.

“Tell me something, if you would,” he requested as they walked.

“Sure. What do you want to know?”

“Where do you live?”

“I have an apartment over on South Peach.”

“Ah,” he said, mentally picturing the area.

“What?”

“My guess is unsecured building. Bad lighting. Kind of
ratty. Right?”

“Well yeah, but it’s not that bad.”

“It’s a dangerous location for the sort of thing you’re
undertaking. In that part of town no one will react if you start screaming.
Making you a target would be much too easy.”

“Oh. I guess.” She frowned.

“You need someplace better. More public.”

“I can’t afford anyplace else. I haven’t had the best record
with jobs since all this happened and I’m pretty sure that’s just going to get
worse.”

“That’s not at all what I had in mind.”

“No? What then?”

He opened an iron gate and indicated the house beyond. “You
can come stay here. With me.”

Frankie was stunned. “Huh? You want me to move in?” She
drifted toward the front door as if in a daze.

“Yes. There’s plenty of room.”

“But…”

“But what?”

“I can’t just come live with you.”

“Why not? You’ll have your own rooms, so you’ll have your
privacy if that’s what you’re worried about. And it’s a hell of a lot safer
here than where you are now.” He let them in and deactivated the alarm. “As you
can see there’s a security system. The glass in the first-floor windows is
shatterproof. There’s a lot more police presence in this neighborhood than in
yours.”

“Yeah, but…”

“Again, Frankie, but what? Simply living here would keep you
alive longer.”

“I suppose.” She wandered through the first floor. “This
place is amazing.”

“Thank you.”

“Um, can I ask you something? Personal?”

“Of course. Anything.”

“What do you do to live? I mean, how can you have all this?”

“I’ve earned it.”

“How?”

“I write. Always have.”

“Oh?”

Kellen named several names, all from different time periods.

“Oh my God, are you serious?”

“You’ve heard of me then?”

“Well duh! Me and most everybody else in the world who can
read. I can’t believe it.”

“Why not? I need to do something. Writing is perfect. I play
up that I’m a recluse who doesn’t appear in public. I age and die on paper. I
can move around and assume different identities as needed. Now that I’ve
started having agents it’s even easier.”

“Wow.” She seemed awed.

“What did you think I did?” he asked, enthralled by her
reaction.

“I didn’t really think about it. Or where you might live.
I’m sorry. That was dumb of me.” They were in his study and she was looking
over his bookshelf. She ran her fingers over a set of leather-bound books with
titles she knew to be written about a hundred years ago. “My sister loved these
books. She took a night class when I was in high school. English Lit. She went
on and on about how he, you, moved her.”

“I’m honored,” he said sincerely, moving to stand behind
her. “I wish we could have met.”

“Yeah. But I don’t know how she’d do with the whole vampire,
living-forever thing.”

“Not as open-minded as you?”

“No. Kate was much more practical. She lived in a
black-and-white world for the most part.”

“Nothing wrong with that. Still, I would have liked to meet
her anyway. We could have talked books without me telling her I wrote them. It
would have been interesting.”

“Wow! Look at this kitchen!” Frankie exclaimed as he
continued their tour.

“Like it?”

“Hell yes! It’s gorgeous. But, um, why do you have it? I
mean, it’s all new so you had it redone, right?”

“Yes, I did. If you’re wondering whether or not I have need
for human cooking, you’re correct, I don’t.”

“Then why did you bother? Was it just to add value to the
house when you’re ready to move on?”

He chuckled. “I have people over sometimes. Just because I
don’t need to eat doesn’t mean I don’t provide for them.”

“Ah. I’m really dumb sometimes. I never thought of that
either.”

“Stop that. Why would you? All the lore ignores the
day-to-day, mundane aspects of being a vampire. And honestly I like it that
way. It really is better if the world on the whole doesn’t think about it.
There are some who would come hunting for us if they suspected we might be
living right next door.”

“I suppose. I’m sorry. I never considered any of this.”

“It’s okay, Frankie.”

“Thank you for trusting me.”

Kellen smiled. It pleased him that she understood the
significance of opening up to her. Perhaps that would help encourage her to
trust him in return.

He led her upstairs. “You can have your pick of rooms here.
Mine are on the third floor.”

“Wait. You live in the attic? It’s got windows.”

“It only appears that way from outside.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll show you.”

“This is so cool,” Frankie declared when she saw the room
within the room upstairs.

There was a narrow hallway so light would be visible from
outside should anyone be looking. Inside there was another room without windows
to protect him from sunlight.

“You have a bed?”

Kellen laughed. “Yep. Sleeping in coffins is another myth we
allow. As is being tucked away in the basement. I prefer it up here where I can
hear the rain against the tin roof.”

“Look at this stuff. It’s all so high-tech,” she said with
awe when she spied his computer system.

“Oh? You thought I wrote in blood with a quill?”

“Kellen. Quit it. This is all so surreal to me. Very little
of what I thought I knew is right.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll stop teasing you. Okay, here’s the deal. We
live on blood although we can eat if we need to for appearance’s sake. Sunlight
burns like hell and exposure for a long period of time will eventually kill us
very painfully, but being caught in a sunbeam for three seconds won’t turn us
to dust instantly. Not everyone we feed from becomes a vampire. Silver stakes
to the heart will kill us. Holding a silver cross in our faces will not, nor
will any cross of any material. Garlic has no effect. Being shot hurts but for
the most part isn’t fatal. Not unless the majority of the head is blown off or
a silver bullet is used. I personally can’t shape shift, but there are vamps who
can, though not necessarily into bats.”

Frankie seemed amazed. “Thank you, Kellen. I’m honored. Can
I ask you something?” He raised an eyebrow in response, causing her to giggle.
“Right. Of course I can. I’m just wondering why you picked me to tell all this
to.”

“As I said before, there’s something about you.” He
shrugged. “Call it instinct or whatever else you want but I know I’m safe with
you, Frankie. Just as you’re safe with me.”

“Oh.” She hesitated, suddenly looking very lost. “Yeah.
Okay.”

“Come here,” he said, opening his arms to her. When Frankie
stepped into his embrace Kellen felt his undead heart throb. She was where she
belonged and he would do whatever he needed to in order to make her see that
too.

Frankie was beyond confused. This night was not turning out
at all as she expected. But then what in her life had lately? At one point
she’d had a plan. Finish school. Go home and live either with her family or
nearby. Help send Amber to college and get started in life. Do things that Kate
enjoyed to show how much she appreciated all she’d done for her over the years.
Not because she owed her. Because she wanted to. Then all that flew out the
window. The nice life she’d pictured was shot to hell and here she was,
discussing what an ordinary life entailed when one happened to be a vampire.

She was standing there, wrapped securely in his arms,
fighting tears as she seriously considered moving in with him. She was out of
her mind. Of course that was never in question. Not since she’d decided the
best way to take on the biggest drug lord in the city was to become a vampire
herself. No, that one took the cake. Along with her whole initial plan to
interfere with his business. Yeah, perhaps that one was the topper after all.

At the moment, however, she really didn’t want to think of
any of it. Not when he was holding her so securely to his rock-hard chest.
Frankie sighed, tightening her arms. It felt so good, so right, nestled there
against him. She could imagine staying there forever.

“Kellen,” she whispered.

“Yes?” He loosened his arms to permit her to lean back and
tip her head up.

“Kiss me? Please?” Frankie knew she sounded needy but she
didn’t care. She was. She needed more of him and if the feel of his growing
cock pressed into her belly was any indication he’d soon be more than able to
accommodate her.

Very slowly Kellen lowered his head. Their previous kisses
had been frenzied. This one was different. Their lips met with a sweetness they
hadn’t shared before. The kiss itself was unhurried, almost as if Kellen was
savoring her.

His fangs erupted against her tongue, the feeling still more
erotic than she ever imagined possible. When he removed her jacket, followed by
her shirt, she didn’t resist. Kissing her the entire time, Kellen soon had
Frankie out of her clothes. He eased away and stepped back, devouring her with
his eyes.

“Mmm, beautiful,” he declared.

Frankie shivered, his gaze, his tone caressing her. “Now
you,” she said boldly.

With a wicked gleam in his eyes Kellen stripped. Frankie
looked openly, knowing he watched her the entire time.

“Talk about beautiful.” She whistled, causing him to
chuckle. “What?” she asked. “Can’t I admire you?”

“Admire away,” he said, allowing her to look her fill.
“While I admire you.”

“Oh.” Frankie gasped. She’d been so intent on him that she’d
forgotten she was naked as well.

Kellen chuckled again, his hard cock bobbing. When Frankie
stepped closer and grasped it his laughter ceased. His breathing grew shallow
as her fingers tightened.

Frankie loved the control he granted. She could feel the raw
power radiating from him yet he stood motionless. Well, nearly so. His hips
were pressing forward as if urging her to stroke him. She did, enjoying the
velvety feel of his swollen cock.

Holding his gaze, Frankie slipped to her knees. She had to
taste him. Kellen gasped when her tongue circled the crown. He moaned when she
drew the plum-shaped head into her mouth. With her hands on his legs she could
feel the tension in his muscles. She knew he wanted to thrust into her throat. She
wanted it too.

She reached around and kneaded his ass with her nails.
“Don’t hold back.”

“Frankie,” Kellen pleaded.

“I mean it, Kellen,” she urged, pausing to stroke his length
with her lips. “I want this.”

Kellen’s growl was so feral Frankie nearly lost her nerve.
Then she got the first taste of pre-cum and she felt as feral as he sounded.
She dug her nails into his hips and, without intending to, scraped his shaft
with her teeth. The sensation made Kellen wild. His movements grew frenzied.
She relaxed her throat until she was able to take his entire length into her
warm, wet mouth.

“Fuck yeah. Bite me.”

Frankie went on instinct. She bit, scraped and clawed,
tearing into Kellen’s iron-like cock with all the desire she was feeling. One
hand shifted to his sac, pinching and squeezing, attacking it as she worked her
way up and down his shaft. The more out of control she was the more frantic his
grunts became. He reached down, capturing her head, holding her exactly where
he wanted as he fucked her mouth until his cock erupted, filling her throat
with his salty cream. The entire experience excited her beyond belief. She felt
her own wetness seeping from her pussy. Had she been in the position to squeeze
her legs together she suspected she would have come with him.