Immortal Distraction (30 page)

Angus walked in with Dr. Bremmer sometime later. She had no idea how long it had been since she’d stumbled from the bedroom as she’d fallen asleep yet again, but it was still dark and no doubt late into the night. She tried to sit, but it was such a struggle she slumped back down. Angus moved quickly to her side and helped her rise.

It was still odd to her at times to see him this way. It wasn’t hard to recall how they’d treated one another when they’d first met. He toyed with her incessantly, and she fought him with the same vigor. He still knew how to toy with her, and she sure as hell still knew how to fight him, but it was different. His eyes were still seductive when they watched her, but it was such a familiar and intimate seduction now. She still stood up for herself, but it didn’t always need to be spoken. He could tell by the look on her face what she was thinking, and their eyes communicated as easily as their words.

He intimidated her in a far different way now. Before, he intimidated her because she couldn’t control him. Nothing she did had any real effect on his actions. But now, he intimidated her because she was living in his world. She was a pathetic newbie, and there was no denying she needed his guidance. Brit didn’t like guidance, dependence, or attachment. But, she felt all those things for him. And it was terrifying because she wanted to feel them.

Dr. Bremmer sat on the coffee table in front of her as Angus let her rest against his body. “Angus says your jaw is hurting. That’s a good sign. But no teeth yet?” She shook her head.

“I’m really hungry too. Like I could devour a buffet line.”

“Well if you did, you’d regret it. Your GI tract is changing significantly right now. It no longer has any interest in food or anything with bulk, and your stomach has lost its ability to pass food into your intestinal tract. So, if you eat, it will not stay down.” Dr. Bremmer looked at her sympathetically as he spoke. But then turning to Angus he continued, “You can try giving her your blood. She won’t get much without teeth, but it might lessen the hunger until she’s through her transition.” Angus nodded, and Dr. Bremmer turned back to her once again. “Now back to bed. I’ll check on you again tomorrow.” She nodded as Dr. Bremmer stood.

Once Angus had helped her back to bed and bumped the thermostat up again, she listened as the warm air started pushing from the vents. He crawled in beside her, pulling her back to his front and nuzzling into her neck. She heard the soft sound of his teeth sinking into his skin, and then he was holding his thumb up to her mouth. The small spot of blood where he’d punctured the pad of his thumb was in front of her lips and she could smell the metallic scent of it. His blood smelled oddly like him as though somehow unique to him alone, and she wanted to taste it. She also wanted to be revolted by the thought of it. The problem was, she wasn’t at all revolted.

“Taste it.” His voice was warm as he encouraged her with his lips at her ear. She opened her mouth and pulled his thumb between her lips, sucking. He tasted like his scent. It was salty, metallic, and masculine, and the moment she swallowed, her body relaxed and the uncomfortable hunger subsided. It wasn’t enough by a long shot, but as she sucked and licked at the pad of his thumb, it eased her body. He was quietly humming against her ear.

His hold on her body was gentle but firm and her lazy and tired body took what it could from him as he kissed and nuzzled her neck. The occasional quiet moan and purring sound he made was relaxing and soothing. His mouth was on her neck, and his teeth were grazing over the sensitive skin of her neck. She could feel the points of his fangs raking her skin, she could hear them scraping, and she wanted to feel his teeth in her. She wanted him to bite her. What made it so erotic and desirable, she had no idea, but she wanted it.

But he didn’t break her skin. He held her, enjoying what her mouth was doing to nothing more than the pad of his thumb, and her body was lulled gently into sleep as his blood strengthened her.

* * * *

He caught her naked in the bathroom the next morning with her lip pulled up, poking at her gum. When she saw him, her hands dropped and she started nervously biting her lip. He walked, just as naked as her, to stand behind her and kissed her on the shoulder. “Whatcha lookin’ at?”

“I thought … I mean … I saw teeth. I know I did, but then they were gone. It hurt.”

He chuckled. “Hmmm. And what exactly were you thinking about to incite such a thing?” Her gaze shifted from his in embarrassment. Oh yeah. She’d been thinking about something arousing. “Well let’s just see if we can’t make them protract again, shall we?” He reached around her waist, letting his hand drop to her pussy. He slid a finger into her as she gasped, and as her mouth dropped open, he watched.

Beautiful white fangs, the perfect size for her delicate small mouth, pushed down as she groaned at the pain. “Ow.” She said the word, but it was quite obvious she was far too mesmerized with her new teeth to much care. He left his finger in her body, gently wiggling it and thrusting it to keep her aroused, and he watched over her shoulder.

“Well, don’t you look exceptionally cute with canines?” And she did. Hot was more the word he was looking for, and he was already anxiously awaiting those teeth sinking into his body. She looked nervous, and her brow furrowed as she looked at herself. She reached up, stroking the tooth, and when her tongue met the tip of one, his cock was suddenly wide awake.

“Should I feed now?” Her voice was quiet and unsure.

“I’d like that very much.” God he was ready for this. He’d never allowed a vampire to feed from him. This would be a first for him too, much like her finger up his ass was. He’d enjoyed that far too much not to want more firsts with her. “I’m sure you’re tired of being in bed at this point, but … back to bed.”

He pulled her between his legs as he lounged against the headboard. Her back was against his chest, and he held her tight in his arms for a few minutes. He could hear her heart racing. It still beat at a fairly human pace, and it was thudding away loudly. He was nervous too. He rested his chin on her shoulder as he held her, and she rested her cheek against his temple. It was so incredibly intimate, and he wondered how it was he went so many centuries without this connection to anyone. He couldn’t imagine giving it up now.

“Are you nervous?” His voice was quiet against her cheek. He already knew the answer, but she nodded. “What are you worried about?”

She turned slightly too him, brushing her cheek up against his. “I guess that I might hurt you. That … I’ll hate it. I know I’m changing, but this … well it kind of brings it home a bit.”

“I’m sure it does.” He kept his voice warm and soothing. “You won’t hurt me. And you’re programmed to love this … even if you think that’s impossible.” He kissed her sweetly on the cheek. “Now what are we going to have to do to get those fangs protracted again?” He gave her his best seductive voice, and as soon as he palmed her sex, pushing his finger to his knuckle within her tightness, she moaned quietly. He kissed her neck, running his tongue gently across her skin to the base of her neck where he kissed her again. He gently and slowly thrust his finger in and out of her body, and when she turned to look at him, he could see the tips of her canines peaking past her lip. She was ready.

When he held his free wrist in front of her, she froze. “Come on, love. You can do this.” He kept stroking slowly in and out of her body to keep her nerves from winning her teeth over. He needed them fully protracted and ready. She reached to his wrist gripping it in her hand and as she raised it to her lips, she stilled again. “Now, Brit.” It might have been an order, but his voice was soothing. He was giving her permission to bite him, take from him, cause him pain.

“Oh God.” Her words came out on a painful sigh, and he shushed her with his lips to her ear.

And then she bit. He groaned loudly. “Fuck.” He couldn’t hold the word in as her sharp teeth crunched into his skin. Pain radiated up his arm, and his groan was his fight not to pull away. She cried out when she heard the pain in his reaction, but he quickly held his place against her back, so she couldn’t pull away as he spoke through gritted teeth. “Don’t stop.” She whimpered, and he dropped his forehead to the base of her neck, willing the muscles in his arm to relax against the sharp teeth. His hand had stilled in her pussy, and he started thrusting again as his muscles slowly released their tension, and when he encouraged her to suck, she did. Once the pain of her teeth faded, the sensation of her mouth on his wrist took over, and it was incredible. It left a cool tickle running up his arm as she pulled the blood from his vein. “Good girl.” He was murmuring as he kept his forehead against her neck.

He was aroused and his cock was high between their bodies. She pulled and sucked and drank from his body until her lips loosened and she pulled her teeth gingerly from his arm. He slipped his finger from the tight sheath of her sex, sucking it clean. She turned to him immediately, licking her lips subconsciously. She was worried, and he smiled at her concern. Couldn’t help himself. Her skin was suddenly flushing and vibrant. His blood obviously agreed with her body. “I can see why Truman enjoys this so much.”

She looked incredulous for a moment. “I hurt you! You didn’t enjoy it!”

“The hell I didn’t.” He was trying for seductive, but he couldn’t wipe the shit-eating grin off his face. He chuckled. “It’s not like I haven’t been bitten before, but never quite like that. Having to get used to your teeth
staying
in my skin, that was a challenge, but it felt incredible once I did.” She didn’t look like she believed him. Change of subject. “How did you like it? Was the taste as awful as you thought it would be?”

She shook her head. “No.” She said nothing else, but the shy, embarrassed look on her face, gave her away. She liked it, a lot, and frankly, so did he.

“I could definitely get used to that.” He was still murmuring, feeling a slight tingle running through his body. She’d not taken enough blood to hurt him, but he could feel it in the light buzzing that was pulsing through his body. It was hypnotic and soothing. Oh yeah, he could definitely get used to that.

He lay down, pulling her down with him. “What do you mean you could get used to that? Do you expect me to feed from you?”

“I mean, if you didn’t want to hunt, I would be okay with you feeding from me instead. Ember and Truman do it. She’s never taken a life, and she won’t.”

“Truman and Ember are married.” Her voice was quiet and bordering on accusatory. Did she think marriage was some sort of prerequisite for such an arrangement? Maybe she was right to have such an expectation—to allow herself to be so dependent on another.

“I’m aware of that. Brit, I’m not going anywhere. I sired you, even if that wasn’t my choice…” He caught himself muttering.

“Yes well that’s my point. It’s like the girl who gets pregnant to keep her boyfriend around.” Her Britness was creeping into her tone, and he wasn’t happy to hear it—not right now at any rate.

“Well thank God we don’t have to worry about that.” He smirked, but she didn’t take the bait.

“I didn’t do this to keep you around.” The words would have taken his breath away if he actually needed air to live. It’s not as if he didn’t understand her reasons, but having it spelled out for him and made clear that he wasn’t even a thought in her mind when she made the decision hurt. It hurt in a very real, powerful and human way.

“I’m well aware of that. But thanks for the reminder.” He threw the covers aside, grabbed his pants from the chair, and stalked from the room. She didn’t stop him, and as he sank down in his desk chair, it became apparent she wouldn’t be following him.

*

Why had she done it? Why had she hurt him? The moment he mentioned Truman and Ember it sent a shiver through her body. Truman and Ember were real. There was nothing more real than their relationship. She should be happy the man she loved was willing to attach himself to her in such a way, but it smacked of rejection, and she didn’t understand why.

She couldn’t tell him that she’d tricked him into infecting her for him because it wasn’t true. It was about Driscoll. It was about her driving need to see this thing through with him, and that drive hadn’t lessened an ounce. The suggestion she should attach herself to Angus by becoming so dependent on him was in one breath enticing, but in the next, she saw forever with a man who didn’t do forever. He’d given her no reason to think that had changed other than the simple fact he’d sired her and
had
to be responsible for her. She ended up feeling hurt even as she said the words that she knew would hurt him.

What the fuck was she doing?

Her body was suddenly awake, strong and full of angst that she couldn’t stow. She’d slept nearly around the clock for over two days, waking only long enough to let Angus fuck her or cuddle her or bathe her. It had all been exceptionally comforting, but it was contrived. He
had
to be here for her. And she wanted him to
want
to be here for her.

But how long did she have with him? He may want her submission, her dependence on him, and she may want him to want more, but she couldn’t ignore that in the end, did it matter? If she was given the chance to destroy Driscoll, there was nothing that would stop her. Not even her blessed sire. And what were the chances she’d survive it? She’d be lucky if she could destroy the man before he destroyed her, but she’d be damned if she wasn’t going to try.

That came with its own heartbreak. She wasn’t ready to say good-bye to Angus. Given the choice, she never would let him go. But she had to finish it. And it likely meant her end. She might have a chance, far more of one than she did as a human, but she wasn’t invincible; Angus had said as much himself. She was surprised to feel a tear trickle down her cheek. She wasn’t even aware she could still cry, and as she sniffed her way through the heartache, she crawled from bed.

The reflection looking back at her in the bathroom mirror looked remarkably normal. Her skin was pale, but she’d always been. She finally looked awake. She certainly didn’t feel fully charged by any stretch, but she was starting to feel strong again—more than strong.