Demetrius (23 page)

She lunged forward and wrapped Ethel in a hard embrace, wishing she had a couple more centuries with the woman. Ethel had showed her more motherly compassion than she’d experienced in her whole life. All the ladies in residence had—at least the lucid ones.

Before she released Ethel, she gave her a subtle sniff. “Do you have your doctor’s appointment set up soon?”

“Oh yes. They didn’t take much at my last appointment. Said my hemoglobin was more normal than they’d ever seen. That’s never happened before.”

I’ll bet
. “I’ll be back to visit soon.”

Ethel gave her hand a squeeze before she wandered out of the nursing home back to her fancy car. Maybe she’d drive around for a while; she had a lot to think about.

***

Waiting for the garage door to open three hours later, Calli’s thoughts were still in turmoil. She’d driven aimlessly through Freemont. Coffee houses were closing, she’d already seen all the movies in the last week. Clubbing held no interest for her. Odd. They’d been so enticing before. Now she’d look at each and every vampire wondering if they were dancing with a demon, or worse, if their eyes turned black.

She started pulling inside, but she saw a shadow on her step. It was short and…amorphous?

Throwing the car in park, she got out. As she got closer, she saw it was a bag covering something. Something colorful?

Approaching with caution, she tried to figure out was in the bag until a floral scent surrounded her.

Flowers! Ripping off the packaging, she found a giant bouquet of multi-colored wildflowers.

They were gorgeous, the colors teasing her eyes with their beauty. She couldn’t help her giant grin as she picked the vase up and buried her nose into the succulent petals.

It was the first time she’d ever gotten flowers.

She carried the bundle into the garage and set them out of the way until she had the car parked and fought with the door to close it.

Snapping them up again, she bounced into the house, individually smelling each type of flower, at least ten varieties. Tucked deep into the bouquet was a small envelope. Calli toed off her shoes and dug the card out.

When she got to her room and settled the vase on her desk, she sat on her bed to open the card.

Roses are red, violets are blue, these wildflowers made me think of you. D

Calli laughed out loud. She would’ve been surprised if the flowers hadn’t been from Demetrius, but the silly poem was a delight. Hearing from Demetrius, after all these nights, made her giddy.

Her conversation with Ethel ran through her mind.

She grabbed her phone and dialed him before she could conjure up every reason why she shouldn’t.

When his smooth voice answered, she closed her eyes, enjoying the shivers tickling her spine hearing it.

“Hey. I got the most beautiful flowers tonight.”

“You did?” he feigned surprise, but she heard the humor in his voice. “Do I have competition?”

“Of course not. Although in the poem writing department you might find a worthy adversary.”

“It was my first poem. I’ll only get better, princess.”

“I’m sure you will.” She hesitated; the other end was silent as if he was waiting for her to lead the conversation. “Can you come over?” she blurted.

“Is something wrong?”

“Yes.” It was. It really was.

She heard him muffle the receiver when he spoke to someone. He pulled his hand away. “Are you at your place?”

“Yes.”

He was silent for another heartbeat.

“Open the door, Callista.”

Chapter Twenty-six

A girly gasp slipped out when she realized he had already flashed to her place. Clicking off her phone and tossing it, she jumped up and raced to the door. When she opened it, he was standing where the flowers had been.

He was a much darker, more virile gift than flowers. And he looked different. He’d cut his hair short. It made him look even more confident, commanding, than before.

He put his phone away. She recalled him speaking to someone else, and she smelled others on him.

Oh...what if he’d been using the methods to get around their bond so he could feed and…she didn’t want to think about it. Otherwise, it gave her the urge to rampage and the house wouldn’t survive the anger at him, and at her herself.

“Did I interrupt something?” A totally non-jealous way of asking if he’d been with another female.

“Absolutely. I can’t thank you enough. I’ve been holed up with the Synod since you left, schooling them on everything demon. We’ve read that damn tome until our eyes crossed. I barely got away to order your flowers.”

“Did you have to pay a fortune to have them delivered at night?”

He shrugged.

She realized they both stood rooted on their respective sides of the door. “Come in.”

He stepped in, his presence overwhelming the foyer. Overwhelming her. She wanted to press herself against him, sink her fangs deep into his neck. And she wanted them both naked. Wanting didn’t give her the right. Not after the way they’d parted.

Demetrius stood rigid; he must be able to smell her arousal. “What did you need me here for, princess.” His spoke low, his voice husky, suggestive.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m being stupid.”

He cocked an eyebrow. If he hadn’t been so epically patient with her, his immediate lack of disagreement would perturb her.

“I’ve been bored, Demetrius. Trying to find myself sucks because I already found myself with you. I don’t need to roam around trying to figure what to do, where I would like to go now that I can go anywhere. I like Ophelia, and Rourke. I think Zoey kicks ass and hope I can be friends with her and Bishop and Creed. I like the compound and learning all about demons so they can’t sneak up on us again. I was making this whole self-discovery thing way too complicated. I
love
you. I want to be with
you
.”

With every sentence, she watched the hint of deep red take over his pale green eyes. His jaw was tight, his body coiled, ready to spring on her.

“Are you sure?”

“Bond with me Demetrius.”

“No.”

She blinked. Her butterflies hung quivering, like they’d plummet to the ends of the galaxy if he was seriously refusing her.

“I’m not going to bond with you during your first time. You weren’t being stupid. You were being cautious, and rightfully so. This last week without you was full of self-discovery for me as well. I needed it. It sucked without you, but I needed it to understand your feelings. I want this to be
your
experience, and not overshadowed by anything else. I want to make sure you’ll like it.” The heat in his smirk burned from her center down to her toes. She would most definitely like it.

The butterflies went wild. She’d been with this male in so many other ways, but now that it was time to make love, she felt like a virginal bride. Which she sort of was.

He took a lazy step toward her, towering over her, hunger in his gaze.

“I need to taste you Callista. I’m so thirsty.” He trailed a finger down her cheek, traced the vein in her throat he eyed hungrily. “But I’m afraid I’ll lose control. So I’ll wait to sink my fangs into you.” His hand drifted down, cupped her breast, giving it a sensual massage before he continued to move down until he reached the hem of her shirt. “Until I’m inside you.”

“Yes,” she hissed out. The look of promise he wore revved her body, prepping for his attention.

“I can smell your excitement, Callista. Are you wet for me?”

“Absolutely,” she breathed.

“Good.” Yanking her shirt up and off, he dropped it to the side and pulled her into him.

He kissed her, but with reserve. She didn’t force him, suspected he didn’t want to nick her with his fangs and lose his famous control.

So good. His taste, so right. Her tongue swirled around his. Too long. It’d been too long.

“Callista.” He kissed down her neck, following the same trail his hand had taken.

His mouth moved closer to her breasts and her bra came flying off. She didn’t care. Her clothing was stifling, restricting, and she wanted him to tear it all off.

She must’ve said that out loud. He tugged at her waist, ripping the seams. It was an old fucking pair of pants, and it was a good way to go.

His searing tongue swirled around one nipple, then moved to the next. Her breasts got full attention from his mouth even while he shredded the rest of her clothing.

She wanted more of him. Bunching the shirt that stretched tight across his back, she pulled up until he allowed her to slip it over his head. He intentionally blew across the wetness his mouth left on her nipple and she shivered.

His shirt hit the floor and he backed her into the door. Hot kisses trailed down her belly until Demetrius was on his knees.

She caught and held his bright gaze, knowing hers were glowing just as fiercely. He slowly lifted one leg over his shoulder, opening herself to him.

“So wet, that sweet nub waiting for me.”

“It begs for your tongue.”

“Not tonight, princess. You will not have to beg tonight.” He dipped his head down.

It was an erotic show she failed to pull her eyes away from. She watched his tongue sweep out to lick her. Moaned as she watched him circle her clit until she writhed between him and the door.

But when he looked back up at her, bared one fang and grazed her swollen nub, her head flung back with her shout. She collapsed against the door. He swung her other leg over his shoulder and held her in place, his big hands cupping her ass, like she was a goblet of fine wine and he was taking a nice, long swig.

“Ohmigod!” She held his head. Banged her head back into the door, trying to get closer to him, trying to find the end to the race he started. “Yes!”

True to his word, she didn’t have to beg. The climax hit hard and fast. He drank her up and she swore she came for five minutes straight.

They were still in the foyer and she wondered if they were going to have sex there.

That’d be okay.

She needed to be filled with Demetrius. “Now.”

“Not here.” He was just as breathless as she was.

He swung her up and stormed through the house. He hadn’t been in this area of the house before and almost took a wrong turn.

Leaning up, she whispered, “To the left.” Then licked and nibbled his earlobe.

His pace increased until he was almost running. She barely noticed when he flew down the stairs as she peppered his chest with kisses. Next thing she knew, he laid her gently on her bed, stepping back only to kick off his pants and boots.

His mouthwatering body was on full display. She’d never tire of tracing the valleys between his abs, or following the ridges that rounded his hips, leading to the protruding member she couldn’t wait to get her mouth on again.

Demetrius saw where her attention landed and shook his head with warning, reminding her that right now was about her. Catching one of her feet, he kissed his way back up her body. There was no lingering at her center, he kept a steady trail ending in a sweet kiss on her lips and his eyes locked with hers.

His knee parted her legs, she made room for him, opening until she cradled his powerful body. His back muscles bunched as he placed himself at her entrance. She wanted to wrap her legs around him and press him into her, be filled with him at last, yet she wanted to savor the moment. There was only one first time. This was the unexpected bright side of the awful deed her mother had done: she got to lose her virginity with her true mate.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he pushed into her. Her body stretched, more than willing to accommodate him. She inhaled, tilting her hips to take more of him. It felt. So. Good. Nothing like when he’d used his tongue or his fingers on her. The combination of the stretch, his heat, and his size—she just wanted more of it.

His face shadowed with intense concentration. His teeth ground together.

“So incredible.” Before he was seated completely, he withdrew and slid back in even farther. “So right.”

She gasped. “Amazing.”

He did it again to seat himself fully inside.

“That feels so good,” she groaned. Wrapping both legs around him, interlocking her ankles above his ass, she couldn’t stop the rocking of her hips, trying to ride his length.

“I never imagined it could feel this good,” he growled. “Are you ready, princess?”

“I’ve been ready for so long.”

He reared up, hands anchored on either side of her head. “I want to watch you.”

Giving her a few slow strokes, she saw a hint of a smile when she kept trying to coax a faster pace out of him. She’d love to take her time, but her mind and body was screaming for him to push her to the limits of pleasure as fast as possible. There was somewhere deep inside she knew only he could touch and he was close, so close.