Blood Life Seeker (12 page)

“I'm going to end this. I'm going to kill him. He has broken the
Iunctio's
law already and forced me into something that I did not know was happening. He deserves to die.” My voice was even, no hint of emotion, so cold. I'd never heard myself talk like that before. A small part of me cringed, but a bigger part just smiled.

“He means you no evil, Lucinda. You said this yourself. How can you kill him, when there is Light within?”

“I'm not you, Nero, this is me. And this is what I have decided to do. I will not be a victim. I will not wait for him to come to me.”

“I understand your need to take back control, but there are other ways. You not only endanger yourself by Dream Walking twice in one night, but you assume you can take him on alone, without support. I cannot come to your aid again for three days. I cannot help you even if I desired to.”

“Then it's just as well you don't
desire
to then, isn't it?”

We stared at each other for a heartbeat. I thought he'd give up then, but of course, this was Nero, he never gives up that easily.

“This is not who you are, Lucinda. This is not the Light talking, but the Dark. You will regret this. You will not be able to live with this decision; to take someone's life when they did not truly deserve it. Do not do this. I am begging you.”

I almost froze at the look on Nero's face. He was so concerned, so anguished at what I had chosen to do. He didn't understand. He is so full of Light, he would never understand, but I had to do this. I had to do this for me. I turned to Michel.

“What do you think?”

He smiled, his knowing smile, that for some reason didn't have the same effect on me that it usually did. It didn't make me frustrated or annoyed, it settled my nerves and left me feeling vindicated.

“I support whatever my Nosferatin chooses to do.”

Of course he did, this would mean an end to Gregor's claim on me. This is exactly what Michel would want.

“Then you get to come with me.” If he was near me when I Dream Walked, then he would also appear in the Dream Walk too according to Nero. A more perfect back-up I couldn't possibly have. He nodded his head in agreement, the smile turning a little wicked then.

Nero sighed and glared at Michel. It was wasted on him of course, but it didn't stop the Egyptian from doing it. “You would willingly encourage this madness? Have you no concern for the Light that resides in your kindred? Do you wish to crush all that she is?”

His words were bitter, accusatory, he threw them at Michel as though they were a weapon. Michel didn't even blanch, but suddenly appeared in front of Nero with his hand closed around his throat. Like Gregor had managed to do to me in my first Dream Walk to him. Somehow Michel knew exactly where Nero had been, despite not seeing him at all. Vampires could obviously home in on the the voice and various other indicators, to form enough of a picture to make that move. It wasn't a fluke, but skill. I'd have to remember that for future Dream Walking reference.

“Do not underestimate my feelings for my kindred Nosferatin, Nero. You would not understand the depth of connection we share, so do not even try.”

His voice was low, a growl. He wasn't squeezing Nero's throat, merely holding him still, threatening him. Nero didn't even try to remove the fingers, he simply moved his eyes to me and said, “Please do not do this, Kiwi. Please.”

I shook my head at him, I'd made my mind up and if there is one thing to be said about me, I don't go back on my word.

We looked at each other for a moment, no one said anything, just the stillness of silence wrapping around our bodies like a shroud. Nero was the first to break it.

“Good luck, my Kiwi. May the Light call you back from the Dark.” And he simply faded into a flickering light and was gone, leaving Michel with a closed fist in mid air and me with another hole in my heart the size of Australia.

We decided that it would be better to Dream Walk from Michel's chamber at
Sensations
, as the night was drawing to a close and it would endanger Michel if we weren't in a light-tight environment.

The bar was quiet when we entered, the last of the late night clubbers long gone home to either finish their party there or get some much needed sleep. Michel's day crew wouldn't arrive until dawn and his vampires were out doing whatever creatures of the night do in the last few moments of true darkness.

It had been a few days since I had been in Michel's chamber, since I had stayed overnight. We'd been trying for a little separation; my idea not his. To allow me to have a hint of a normal life again. When I joined with Michel and then Bonded shortly after, my life had been turned upside down. The need to be near him so overwhelming. Part of me resented it for the mere fact that it infringed on my independence and another part of me resented it, because I really wasn't sure if what I was feeling for him was genuine. Or just a by-product of a tightly bound joining to my kindred Nosferatu. I was determined we'd take things slowly for a while and just see if what we felt was deeper than convenience and ancient magical rights.

So far I wasn't sure. I'd craved him when apart and savoured every moment together, but I could not tell, for the life of me, if that was me talking or the Bond.

I felt a frisson of excitement go through me as I entered his day resting place. Michel liked luxurious surroundings, his chamber was not excluded from his tastes for the extravagant. The giant sized bed was adorned with richly dark fabrics, in bronze and gold, deep brown and cream. The carpet felt plush beneath my boots, making me feel like I was sinking into soft grass back home on the farm. The walls were cream with a delicately embossed pattern to them, one I hadn't noticed before. Had he redecorated recently? I took a step closer to see what the image was. It was of a dancing dragon, barely visible from a distance, but noticeable up close. I had seen this dragon once before, on Michel's private jet. It obviously held some significance, but I'd never asked. I turned to ask him now, but he wasn't there. I thought he'd followed me into the chamber, but the room was empty and the door stood ajar.

I shrugged and turned back to the bed. I suddenly felt a little nervous. I shouldn't have. Despite it only being less than four weeks since we had joined, I'd known Michel for over two years now, all of that time he had tried to woo me, tempt me into his arms. He'd failed, but then he was also quite patient when the need arose. His patience had eventually been rewarded when we joined and since then, just over three weeks ago, I'd got to know Michel a hell of a lot better. Even that thought made me slightly blush.

I shook my head to clear the thought. You'd think I was an innocent the way my hormones were behaving. Just because it's been a couple of nights since I last fell into his arms. Jeez.

Michel's scent filled the air around me, a beautiful heady mixture of salty sea spray and freshly cut green grass. It washed over my arms managing to raise goose bumps even under the material of my jacket. I felt a tingle go down my spine. Michel may not be able to affect me with his power any more, since we joined, but his mere presence was always enough to get a reaction. He came up behind me and bent his head to the curve of my neck, taking the smell of me in, barely touching my skin, but leaving a hot trail down my flesh, making me shudder ever so slightly.

“You are nervous,
ma douce
. I can not tell if it is because of me or because of what we are about to attempt.” His hands took hold of my shoulders from behind and his lips found that sensitive part of my skin, just at the base and side of my neck, above my clavicle.

I leaned back into him involuntarily, my body seemed to have a will of its own, I lacked any self-control over it when Michel was near. His tongue lay a wet circle just above the bone making my body tighten and my heartbeat increase. His lips began caressing my neck, slowly, tantalizingly, up towards my ear lobe, where he sucked the lobe into his mouth and gently nibbled. I closed my eyes and sighed. I had missed him.

“I have missed you too,
ma douce
.” He continued to lay kisses all over my neck, turning me slowly to face him and carrying on with more kisses around my throat, up to my jaw, across my cheek. Then two kisses on each closed eyelid. I felt my hands go around his neck and found myself on tip-toe to get closer to those lips. He was bent over me slightly, meeting me half way. I hadn't opened my eyes again, but I knew when he was about to kiss me. I felt his warmth against my face, his breath against my lips and then his soft mouth against my own.

I moaned, I couldn't help it, he felt so damn good. His mouth became firmer, his hold tighter around my back and neck, pulling me against his hard chest and taking my breath away. His tongue pushed inside, between my teeth and then I was lost. Lost in a wave of desire and heat and a need to get closer to this man, closer than I now was. My leg wrapped around his thigh, I started to climb up his body seeking his mouth, his touch, his warmth. I felt his hands move to my rear, lifting me off my feet, pulling me against his waist. My other leg went around the side of him and I settled into position devouring every inch of his face, his neck, his chest.

He held me against him as we explored each other's face and neck and mouths. Tasting, seeking, trying to get closer and closer. I felt him shudder against me, then take a step closer to the bed. I lost a few seconds then, because the next thing I registered was Michel on top of me, both of us lying on the bed, his hand frantically reaching up under my short skirt, grabbing my tights and pulling them down. The cold air on my skin woke me up from the blissful dream we were having and I pulled away from his mouth.

“We're getting distracted.” It came out all breathy and completely not how I normally sound.

“I disagree.” He didn't stop removing my tights. Somehow managing to get them, my boots and then my skirt off without me even realising he had moved in order to it. He had vampire speed on his side and sometimes, just sometimes, it came in very handy indeed.

“Michel”

“Mm-hmm” He wasn't listening, he was too busy removing my jacket and T-Shirt in a movement that took my breath away and also impressed the hell out of me.

“We don't have time for this.” My voice was husky and less than convincing.

“We could make it, how do you say? A quickie.” His hands were still moving with assured practice over my body, finding every spot he knew would make me melt, destroy my will. I had to swallow twice before I could get the next sentence out.

“You're not capable of a quickie.”

He laughed against my skin sending another wave of heat through my body. “I could make an exception, if it would ease your mind,
ma douce
.”  And then he did something that completely stole my resolve and made me forget what we were talking about for a few minutes.

“You were saying?” His voice was soft, just a murmur against my skin. Like velvet it caressed me, wrapping me up and enfolding me in its embrace.

“Um.”

He smiled, a little of that knowing smile he so often wore and a whole lot of just sheer male. The look they get in their eyes when they know something is a foregone conclusion, when they know they've won and about to get their just reward. It's all hunger and need and desire and hot, hot fire. If I hadn't already melted into a puddle of wanton sexual desire, it would have undone me for sure. As it was, I was already lost.

My answer was to rip his shirt off, making the buttons pop and the material tear. I didn't manage to get the front undone in one movement, but Michel came to my rescue and slipped the shirt off over his head, baring his broad chest and delicious deep cream skin to me. I ran my fingers over that chest, relishing the feel of his hard body and taught nipples. The darker skin surrounding them making them stand out in sharp relief against his pale chest. They fascinated me and called to me. I lifted my head, glancing up into Michel's eyes - which had turned a beautiful shade of amethyst - and licked around the edge of each nipple.

He groaned and threw his head back, closing his eyes and pushing against my mouth, trying to get closer to me. I ran my hands up his back, digging in my nails and scraping down his sides. His mouth found mine again in rough possession, his tongue lavishing attention to my own. His hands finding my breasts and thumbs stroking my nipples. I arched against him and wrapped my legs tighter around his waist, grinding against his hard length through his trousers.

“I think a quickie would be good,” he said breathlessly against my chest as his head came down towards my nipples and his waist pulled away from my grasp. I didn't want him to pull away, so tried to follow, climbing my body up his thighs with my legs, kind of like a koala climbing a tree.

“Oh no,” he purred, pushing gently against me and undoing his trousers at the same time. “Patience,
ma douce
.”

“Not one of my better qualities,” I managed as I watched him strip in front of me. He noticed my attention and slowed down his actions, drawing them out, teasing, tempting, frustrating me. My eyes flicked up to his and we locked gazes, his a deep amethyst with violet flecks and with such a look of utter desire and need that it stilled my breath.

Finally, he stood naked in front of me and just watched as I took him all in. Every inch of that masculine body, lithe shape, strong physique. He was literally magnificent, beautiful, like a painting by an renowned artist, perfect in every way. I licked my lips, he always did manage to make me have these involuntary movements, but they also were quite useful from time to time, because he crumpled and was upon me in an instant.

He kissed his way back up to my mouth, his hands stroking my skin along the length of me. I arched up trying to bring us closer, but he managed to keep a small distance between us, making me crave to close that gap and bring my body against his, feel his weight on me, his hardness between my legs. He held himself there for a full minute, just kissing me, keeping me captive under the spell of his tongue, his lips. Then finally he lowered himself gently against my entrance, just inside, no further, just a hint of what could come.

After a few seconds of this torture I thought to hell with this and rose up to wrap him with my body, making him sink that final few inches inside. He called out in surprise and then thrust hard against me. I could feel him deep, to places I didn't even know he could reach. He felt so big, so long and full within me. He slowly pulled out, but my patience had well and truly left me and I moved in against him in a fast rhythm that he couldn't fight.

We began to find a pattern that worked for both of us, in tune with each other. Floating higher and higher on a need to climb closer, to practically climb inside one another. His thrusts became hard and fast, a pounding against me that was close to pain, but just this side of ecstasy. Before I even realised what was happening I crested a wave of delight and sailed away on a spray of bliss, floating there while Michel found his point of release and then finally falling down together in a crash of euphoria.

Michel collapsed against the bed beside me, breathless. I could feel his heart pounding in time with mine. His arm and leg draped over me, clinging to me, holding me tight. I didn't complain, there was no where else I wanted to be.

It took a few minutes for my breath to even out, my heart still pacing a quick beat across my chest. It was Michel who spoke first, his voice quiet, soft, barely recognisable.

“Whenever you feel the need for a quickie,
ma douce
, I am more than happy to oblige.”

I smiled, but couldn't think of a decent reply. He was right, of course, I could never refuse him again. Right now, as far as I was concerned, he was always right. I'm just glad I didn't say that out loud.

We did manage to shower and dress again relatively quickly. It might have been because I insisted on separate showers, despite Michel's protestations. But we were dressed and ready for battle without any further undue delays, so things were looking up. Or not, depending on what way you looked at it.

I was already resting on the bed, relaxing in the afterglow that still bathed me in it's light, when Michel came out of the dressing room. He was wearing his tight fitting black casual dress trousers, the ones that hugged his thighs and hips, and a simple black shirt, sleeves rolled up to bare his muscled forearms. This was his usual fighting garb. Normally, he'd be in an expensive Armani suit, just off black, white shirt and blue tie of some description, but recently with all the battles we had had to face, he had lowered his dress standard to encompass something a little less formal. For me, it wasn't too much of a disappointment. I loved him in black.

He climbed on to the bed in a sensual glide, something akin to a big sleek cat, predatory but smooth. His eyes never leaving mine. If he was intending to distract me again I would have to seriously put him in his place. But something must have registered in my face, because he just smiled, a teasing sort of smile, one that said
just kidding
. Humph.

His arm curled around the back of me, pulling me closer, his lips brushed my neck and cheek. I settled into his side, completely wrapped up in him as though he couldn't bear the thought of letting me go.

“Are you ready for this,
ma douce
?”