Commander Ian knew as well my delicate state
of mind, and that we would shower and find solace in one another,
and Dimitri and I knew he had everything under control.
Dimitri dropped me off at the shower, down
the hall from our rooms, and went to get me a much needed change of
clothing.
I undressed slowly, trying to avoid touching
brains and other bits of flesh.
Someone was quite loudly, to me at least,
coming down the hall and then there were two sets of boots. One was
Dimitri bringing me my clothes.
“
Is she
alright?”
Ash… he had come to check on me.
“
Fuck,” I groaned to
myself. I didn’t need another battle of who’s was bigger and
better. Why couldn’t those two just freaking get it over with, when
I was not around of course.
I tried to ignore them as the water sluiced
over me, washing away death, and my past horrors.
“
She’s fine. I’ve got to
bring her clothes. I’ll tell her that you asked about her.” Dimitri
replied, hostile and protective.
“
I plan to stay and wait
for her.”
I could sense a fight brewing but I wanted
nothing to do with it. Fortunately Lane was there all of a sudden.
Her elfin stature made it hell for me to hear her approach, so she
was always sneaking up on me.
“
Boys, I suggest you carry
this to the training yard. I will take her clothes to her.
Commander Ian is waiting for you both.”
I smiled at how easily she could fix
everything. It was one of the many reasons I loved that girl. She
was not blood but might as well have been. I was lucky I knew, to
have so many people care for me, to protect me. At times it was
just freaking stifling though. Now was one of those times.
Lane let herself in quietly, knowing I would
have heard the whole encounter. She sat by the door and waited for
me to respond.
“
Thanks, I appreciate
that,” I whispered. She didn’t reply for a long time.
She knew I needed support not two love sick
pups trying to get my attention.
“
Your clothes are on the
bench. I will lock the door behind me.”
She didn’t move.
“
I’m okay. Not a scratch
and barely a bruise. Dimitri took most of the battle wounds for
me.”
“
Those two will either fall
in battle or by each other’s hands. Dimitri will more than likely
be the victor but you will be the victim. Losing someone you care
for no matter which way it ends. I’m lucky there is only
Ian.”
“
Now,” I replied, unable to
respond.
“
Yes, lucky that now I have
Ian.”
She’d been in one other relationship before
Ian, and I had killed him with my bare hands. He had dared to hurt
her. I had witnessed it finally, after countless times of not. He
died instantly. I regretted it of course, but he deserved no
less.
Ian had been her friend at the time, had
been head over heels for her, and when I called him to have him
come to her and comfort her… well he flew. I knew she cared for him
as well. Knowing she was in good hands, I went back to work as a
hunter and training with Dimitri.
For the longest, we had denied our desires,
Dimitri and I. I’d denied them simply because, he would’ve been
sent to another facility, and because of my age. Now that I was
twenty-one though, it was a whole different story.
I was old enough to be legal, even if he was
almost five years older than me. I was not going to lose him.
Lane sighed and then left, locking the door
behind her as she did so, bringing reality back like a cold draft
of fresh air..
I dried and dressed quickly, eager for my
man. I knew that being in his arms would help me more than anything
right now.
In my room, I quickly bagged everything I’d
need for later, and set the bag in the only chair in the room. My
bed, a queen sized, stood in the middle of the room with the chair
on one side, a nightstand and a dresser on the other. We shared
bathrooms but I did have a sink and toilet in my little room. The
one, tiny closet held all my belongings.
I checked my cell and found a text from one
of my aunts, Willow. Her and her two sisters, Aspen and Holly, were
doing well. Phoenix had been under attack, but no deaths, and only
two casualties. They wished me love and were sending good luck
charms my way.
These charms were powerful and coveted by
all who knew of them. Saved my life, or so I believed, twice now. I
was wearing the same one I had the night of my parent’s murder.
They had not been wearing one.
I texted them back. I didn’t mention
tomorrow’s hunt so they would not be worried, or today’s attack.
All three were either a widow or divorced.
Packed and ready, I brushed my hair and
teeth, trying to avoid looking at the haunted face before me. In
the flickering light, the girl looked nearly dead, almost as if she
were a ghost seeking something she would never find.
I listened for the sounds of life outside my
doors, hearing nothing I took a deep breath, letting the morbid
thoughts fade away.
I crept stealthily out into the hall,
locking my door behind me, and into Dimitri’s room. I locked his
door quickly, while I gave him a very naughty look.
I knew he’d be waiting for me.
My Dimitri was lying half naked on the bed,
with eyes open, staring at me. I was wearing my usual black leather
pants, and black tee shirt and boots, nothing too scandalous or
sexy. At least nothing sexy that he could see anyways. Underneath
my outer clothes, it was black, lace, and wicked.
“
Hi,” he whispered, clearly
excited by my arrival.
We always left the bad stuff outside and
went on with life in here, when we were alone together. No point in
brooding over death when it occurred every day around here. We
relished these moments and would not ruin them.
I turned out the light, not that it mattered
to either of us.
As I untied and kicked off my combat boots,
I felt him stirring behind me. When I turned to face him, he had
his boots off. I left my own clothing on, for now. We had not slept
together, and for some time probably would not.
We only wanted the closeness and comfort of
being together. We were two hybrids, with no others like us, who
were pretty lonely.
He was the other reason I was single. My ex,
Ash, didn’t like him too much. Not that I blamed him. Dimitri was
five times the man he was. I guess Ash instantly had been aware of
our mutual attraction to one another, even before I had been
aware.
I crawled up to Dimitri, and snuggled as
close as I could, wrapping one leg over and through his. My arm
held him close, and my head rested on his defined and muscled
shoulder. His hairless chest was perfectly chiseled in all the
right places. It gave me chills when it was bare, the tingly
shivers echoing down my spine pleasantly.
He was what I would call rocker Goth. Not
the usual military type guys around here.
Dimitri’s hand gently brushed my hair back,
out of my eyes. He enjoyed running his hands through it.
“
What’s so absorbing
earlier, that you didn’t pay attention to Commander Black?” Black
was Ian’s last name.
His hand moved to my arm, gently caressing
me there, while his other hand found my hip.
“
Nothing really, just
replaying the same shit as always through my head. Those meetings
are useless, most of the time, because they can’t get their heads
out of their asses. If they’d listen for just two minutes, I’d
explain that you and I going out on our own was not suicide but our
only true option.
“
The humans they pair us
with usually end up dead, or wished they were. Almost half get
turned because they’re just not fast enough. Hell, we’re not fast
enough but together we can take out one or two vamps. I bet now we
could take down an elder.”
I sighed and played with his hair, a habit
of mine, when it was in reach. I’d caught myself several times, in
public, just as I was reaching. I had to be careful.
“
Shade you and I know this,
but I think they’re just scared that if we’re not with them, they’d
be vulnerable. They need us and they know it.”
Dimitri’s hand, which had been on my hip a
moment ago, found my lower back and sneakily lifted my shirt giving
him access to the scandalous clothing underneath. Within minutes,
he always had his hand under my shirt, and was caressing my back.
This time was no exception. I was almost afraid to breathe, to
move. For fear that he would realize and stop.
For a moment, I felt regret and guilt. I’d
always do this… feel bad about being with Dimitri and not Ash. Ash
still wanted me, and I could clearly see the pain in his eyes, when
he looked at me.
Ash, for a human, was really good looking.
He was always neatly dressed, had a smile or something funny for
people, and was very laid back.
Overall Ash’s Russian features stood out.
Black hair cut military short, a day or so of stubble, and stormy
grey eyes. His cheek bones and jaw line was American Indian, Navajo
I think he once said, and very defined. His Russian/Greek heritage
was always very prominent with his clothing style and the sharp cut
of his nose.
He was a very strong, dark, and
self-confident man.
His one obsession, other than me, was video
games. Ash was twenty five and still played RPG or shooter games.
There was one he was hell-bent to play in his free time, something
entitled duty calling, or something like that.
He and Santos usually had their systems
rigged to play together.
Not that I didn’t like to play, but there
were other things to do with my time, such as snuggling and
kissing.
Even though Dimitri and I had not taken that
next step, we’d come pretty close. Tonight might be one of those
times.
The hunters going on the trip tomorrow were
to get some much needed R and R, and then sleep in late. Sometime
after lunch, we were to warm up, and get ready to roll later that
night.
Times like these were rare, and scared the
hell out of me. I never knew when it would be our last. If we’d be
exposed, or one of us would fall in battle, or get turned.
My hand found his exquisite chest again,
tracing the hard planes that drew me. I nearly exploded right then
and there.
I’d loved Ash with all my heart, but Dimitri
was something else. I’d die for him, without a hesitated thought.
He was the air I breathed, the light I followed, and the blood in
my veins, literally…
He’d learned of my need for sustenance and
quickly decided he’d be my donor. Before, it was a few others,
who’d take turns going to the clinic and donating a liter or so,
like Ash. I would never bite them, they just donated to the Red
Cross and when I became hungry I would go pick up the warmest one,
if there was a warm one.
Another reason he despised and envied
Dimitri I supposed. I was sure Ash knew of our secret
cuddling.
Dimitri was strong enough that I could drink
from him anytime I needed to. His blood was also better in many
ways. It carried no diseases, illnesses, or weaknesses. It was the
perfect source for me. He also did not require blood like I
did.
You may wonder how I drank my blood. Like
most vamps, except my incisors were tiny, bigger than humans but
nowhere close to the size of other vamps. Another thing Dimitri did
not have.
My kitten sized fangs, were something the
whole base either joked about, or feared.
“
You’re pale again Shade,”
Dimitri whispered. His mouth was only millimeters from my ear. His
warm, intoxicating scent teased me mercilessly.
I was still getting use to biting people. It
made me feel like a monster and he knew it. Biting humans for me
was one rule the compound would never waver on. They were afraid I
might not be able to control my thirst, like a normal vamp.
I tried explaining I didn’t have a demanding
or unquenchable thirst. It was more of a hunger or craving, almost
sexual or like a drug. It was a strong craving right now. Dimitri’s
precious scent made me heady. It was obviously a turn on for
me.
He smelled manly, but spicy like cinnamon.
There was also a pleasant burnt wood smell. I could not describe it
any other way. When I was this close it was almost impossible not
to sniff him, like I needed to inhale it to be calm or something.
That sounded so contradicting except that it was the truth.
He laughed, deep in his throat, at my failed
attempt to hide this from him. His laugh was ultimate pleasure,
leaving me shaking like a leaf. It pulsated through me, creating a
ghost-like touch which reached my inner-most core.
“
If you don’t bite me my
little pussy cat, I’m going to spank you,” he threatened, kinkily.
His hand inched down over my butt. He was playing, but his serious
tone made me believe him. It wouldn’t be the first time
either…
I hesitated only briefly. The times I’d
bitten him, we’d gotten very sexually aroused, as if we were not
now. When vamps bite it usually hurts, but their venom calms the
victim. Whatever mood the vamp is in, so is the victim. If the vamp
is a baby one, then they may feel frightened or upset in some way,
and so will the victim.
I usually feel sexually aroused or very
relaxed with Dimitri. Therefore he would, if he already wasn’t.
This was probably the main reason, of many, why he was so willing
to donate.
I trusted him completely. He has saved my
life twice now. I owed him and yet he continued to give to me. This
man meant more to me than, everything in the world, times ten the
drops of rain.