Passion Follows Pain (Passion Series Book 3) (27 page)

“What do you mean you could feel what was happening to me?”

“It’s the blood baby. I fed from you enough that there is a blood tie between us. It’s not much as I’ve not fed from you a lot but I can feel when you’re hurting and I could feel your pain when that prick was hurting you and…and…I saw…I saw in my mind him…him on you…he was…he was…FUCK!” He slammed his hands down on the steering wheel making me jump. “How can he do that to his own daughter?”

Tears welled in my eyes at the rage and frustration coming off Lucian in waves. Tentatively I reached out and placed my hand on his arm, feeling the muscles tense up under my fingers. “You came for me, you saved me. When it was bad with him, really bad, it was you who got me through.” I smiled over at him. “I learned something while I was with my father; I learned that I’m done with hiding. I’m done with being scared of everything. I’m done with letting what my father did to me for years shape me. I’m not going to spend another day running away from living. I want to find out what it’s like to have sex that isn’t forced on me. I want to find out what it’s like to have sex with you.” I turned my gaze on him, blushing when his eyes shot to mine. Those beautiful chocolate eyes of his heated and I must have distracted him too much because the van swerved and Lucian had to quickly get it back under control.

“Fuck baby, don’t tell a man something like that while he’s driving.” He growled and I giggled, I actually giggled at his words, despite everything, what I’d endured, the look on his face made me giggle.  

Suddenly the van swerved again and we were both pitched forward as far as our seatbelts would allow as Lucian hit the brakes hard, bringing us to a halt at the side of the road. I watched my father’s car continue on for several more metres before it too pulled over.

I looked at him in surprise. “Why have we stopped?”

Lucian unbuckled his seatbelt and slid along the bench seat towards me. Gently he cupped my cheek and turned my head to his. “That is so beautiful baby. That sound. To hear you laugh like that despite everything, now that leaves me in awe of you. You are so beautiful and I desperately need to kiss you. Can I kiss you?” He asked and I nodded, my throat suddenly feeling too tight for me to speak.

I watched his head lower towards me and just before his lips touched mine, I closed my eyes and waited for him to kiss me and gently, so gently he brushed his full lips against mine, back and forth, barely touching me. It was nice but I wanted more, I needed more and boldly I pressed my mouth firmly to his. He groaned, his lips closing over mine and he kissed me, really kissed me, his tongue touching mine, licking and tangling with mine. I could feel the passion rising between us and just as I lifted one hand to rake my fingers through his soft and silky hair, there was a tap on the van’s window.

We jumped and Lucian’s mouth was gone from mine leaving me breathless and dazed from the feelings he’d stirred in me.

He rolled the window down to speak with Fabian and I blushed, my face feeling very hot as he explained he’d stopped to kiss me. Fabian’s strange pale eyes looked over at me and I thought I saw the hint of a smile on his lips but I wasn’t sure.   

“Well, if you’re both ready to continue now?” He asked and I nodded, my face flaming.

I breathed a sigh of relief when he left us, heading back to my father’s car and Lucian slid over to the driver’s seat, grinning at me. “Don’t be embarrassed. My sire has a way of speaking that makes us all feel like we’re being told off. He’s ok though, it’s the eyes; they always feel like he’s looking right through me.”

I shivered. “Yes, his eyes are very unusual. He scares me a little to be honest.”

“He’s alright really. He’s much nicer since he met Sirene. He was a bit of an arse before her. He didn’t treat people very well but like I said, he’s better now. Still, we don’t cross him because he’s our sire and he won’t settle for anything less than our total respect.”

“Why did he say no to the idea of me becoming vampire?” I asked.

Lucian shrugged. “I’m not sure but trust me; Fabian will explain his reasons at a more appropriate time. Maybe he’s just worried that you’re being impulsive.  With all that’s happened to you it’s understandable but once you’re vampire, there’s no going back. Everything changes, your life, you can’t have friends because sooner or later people will notice that we don’t age. You don’t want to be a part of that unless you’re sure and the diet’s pretty limited.”  He smiled. “It’s blood only for the rest of your existence.”

I smiled at his joke about the diet but I couldn’t help but wonder if he didn’t want me to be vampire either in case it made him feel responsible for me? He might like me and he’d certainly treated me well. He had seemed very upset about what had happened to me, but maybe he wasn’t interested in a relationship? I really didn’t know, the reality was, we didn’t know each other that well. Still, I knew how I felt. I’d worried that thinking I was falling for him was a knee jerk reaction to him being so kind to me, but despite my father taking me and raping me, I still wanted Lucian. He really had been my anchor while my father beat me and raped me and it was what he’d shown me last night, how he’d selflessly worked on bringing me to orgasm without seeking his own sexual gratification, that had convinced me that I wanted  this man, that I wanted to be with him.

My thoughts turned to my father and what would happen to him now. He was coming with us whether he wanted to or not, and it seemed he was going to be punished for what he’d done to me. I was to decide his fate apparently; I just didn’t know what I wanted done to him yet. I wanted him to die but I got the impression Lucian and Fabian wanted him to die after being tortured first.

I thought about what that torture might be, but it was all too much for me and suddenly I just felt exhausted. I’d had no sleep all night and day. I’d been unconscious for some of that time but I don’t think that really counted as sleep. I rested my head against the window of the van, closing my eyes and within just minutes, I’d given in to my fatigue and I slept.

Lucian

Lucian was pleased to see Arissa sleeping. She’d been through so much and she needed the rest. As he drove, he cast little glances over at her still feeling such rage towards her father when he saw how battered and bruised she looked. His blood had reduced the severity of her wounds but she hadn’t consumed enough to heal her completely.

When Fabian suddenly indicated and turned off the road they were on, Lucian followed. Obviously it was time to dump the car somewhere. They kept driving for a while until they hit civilisation and finally his sire turned into a crowded car park for a large shopping centre and parked the car.

He and Sirene climbed in the back of the van and Lucian drove out of the car park heading for home. They spoke quietly to one another for most of the drive and Lucian wondered what they were talking about. He cast glances at them through the rear view mirror occasionally, but each time he met the pale eyes of his sire who indicated he should concentrate on driving and not them. It was frustrating since he wondered if they were discussing what was to happen with Arissa’s father or the possibility of her being turned vampire.

By the time he finally pulled up in the driveway of his sire’s large sprawling home, Lucian was exhausted but when he turned to Fabian and Sirene, he could see the fatigue in their eyes too. None of them had slept since the old woman had come over to their door to tell them about Arissa.    

“What are we going to do about Mrs Appleby sire? She will probably be watching this place closely because she’s worried for Arissa.”

“I will go and check on her now. I left her under mild mind control so she should be alright for a while. We have much to do and we must get it done while we still have the night to conceal our activities. If you could get your woman inside while I go and tend to the old lady, Sirene will help you and see if the others are home. We will need to fill them in on what has taken place.”

“Yes sire.” Lucian nodded and watched as Fabian walked over the road. He turned his attention to the pale woman sleeping in the van and carefully opened her door, before reaching in and gently lifting her into his arms. God she weighed nothing to him. She was so fragile and yet she possessed an incredible inner strength to have survived all she had.

She stirred, moaning softly. He wasn’t sure if it was a moan of pain or simply because he’d disturbed her sleep but given it was a soft, throaty moan that sounded very similar to when she’d come for him last night, instantly he hardened, his cock straining against the denim of his jeans.

“Lucian?” She murmured her voice husky and he ground his teeth together at her tone. Fuck she was driving him crazy without even trying and this was hardly the time to be looking at her and thinking of her sexually. He needed to get her inside and let her either sleep some more or give her a chance to shower and feed her more blood.

“It’s ok baby. We’re home but at Fabian’s home. We have to keep you with us until you’re better and until the decision is made about you becoming vampire. Fabian has gone over to see Mrs Appleby and to keep her under mild mind control for now. She will be fine but we need her to not be looking for you for now. Do you understand?” He asked.

She nodded. “Whatever you say; can we go inside now? I need a shower and a change of clothes.” Suddenly her eyes shot open wide. “Oh, I don’t have any clothes or underwear. I have nothing.”

Lucian pushed down the image that popped into his head of her not wearing any panties. He’d seen it. She wasn’t wearing panties now but that was different. She had been raped by her father and she was right, she needed to shower. She was embarrassed that she’d wet her nightgown a little when she’d needed the bathroom and had been unable to reach it due to the shackle and chain her father had on her but the smell coming off her that upset Lucian the most was the smell of her own father’s cum on her.

“I will find clothing for you. Either Sirene or Francesca should have something that will fit you. You can’t go back over to Mrs Appleby’s home yet.”

“Put me down Lucian, I can walk.” She tensed and he lowered her feet to the ground, keeping an arm around her until he was sure she could stand ok.

Together they walked into the house just as Francesca came down the corridor towards them. “What’s happened? We all saw the note Fabian left but….” Her voice trailed off when she spotted Arissa. “Holy fuck! What happened to her? Don’t tell me that her father did that to her?”

“Shut up Fran.” He warned her, shooting a glance at Arissa who had dropped her head, colour staining her cheeks.

“Can I have that shower now?” She asked her voice little more than a whisper and Lucian glared at Fran as he took Arissa’s hand and led her to his bedroom. When they entered it, it felt like a lifetime since he’d been there with her and brought her to her first orgasm. It was hard to believe that it had only been last night. So much had happened since then.

“Do you need me to help you baby?” He brushed her hair back from her face. “Will you be ok on your own?”

She nodded. “Please, I’m fine but…but what do I put on when I come out of the shower? I...do you have a shirt or something I can wear? I…I don’t want to wear something of Francesca’s. I...she…we don’t wear the same kinds of clothes.” She raised nervous eyes to his. “Her clothes are a bit too revealing for me.”

Lucian grinned. “My sister does like to show us all what she’s made of, I have to agree. I bet you would look beautiful in her clothes but of course, for now you can wear something of mine.”

He stepped into his walk in robe and rummaged around, producing a black t-shirt, handing it to her. She thanked him and disappeared into his en-suite bathroom closing the door.

Once he heard the water start he went back to see the others. It was one of those rare occasions where everyone was there except for Dominick and Allegra. They had their own home and preferred to live their lives alone so they didn’t drop around much.  Dominick had never taken to the life of a vampire and it seemed his woman, Allegra wasn’t so big on the vampire lifestyle either. They lived as close to human lives as they could aside from the blood diet of course.

Fabian turned as Lucian entered the living room. “She’s alright is she?” He asked.

“She’s fine, surprisingly so, given what she’s been through but she’s having a shower now.”

“We need to go and get her father from the van. I want him in the dungeon. I have a special area down there, a secret area where we can keep him hidden. I don’t really think we’ll have an issue with anyone looking for him, but I would prefer to be prepared just in case.” His pale gaze swept around the room. “It is imperative that no one says anything about Arissa’s father to anyone. We don’t talk about her or what has happened to her to anyone. Now, come son and help me get him down to the dungeon.”

Arissa

Oh god the warm water cascading down on me in the shower from the four shower heads felt wonderful. I’d never had a shower that felt so good and I’d never had a shower that was so luxurious, so decadent.

I washed the blood from my hair, watching the water turning red as it ran down the drain and despite the areas on my body that were still bruised and swollen, I scrubbed at my skin until it had turned a rosy hue. Between my legs received the same treatment as I scrubbed and scrubbed, desperate to remove every trace of my father from my body.