Mortal Wish (4 page)

He felt the rush of his semen through his cock just as her interior muscles spasmed as her orgasm broke. He joined her, thrusting into oblivion with one last stroke, spilling inside her.

Breathing heavily, he dropped his head to the crook of her neck. “You’re perfect,” he repeated once more and kissed her neck only to realize that his fangs had descended.

He knew what his vampire side demanded from him now. And he couldn’t deny himself what he’d craved ever since he’d first touched her: her blood.

“Claire,” he said softly, whispering into her ear. “I can’t stop.”

He licked over the plump vein in her neck and peeled his lips back from his teeth. When his fangs touched her smooth skin, he sensed her shiver beneath him.

Using his suggestive powers, powers every vampire possessed, he sent his thoughts to her.

Feel my kiss. Feel my lips caress you, my tongue lick you.

Then he sank his fangs into her neck and pierced her vein. Rich blood ran over his tongue and down his throat, revitalizing his body. All the while Claire was fully conscious and aware of everything around her—his cock gently thrusting into her, his hands caressing her—except for one thing: she believed that he was kissing her neck, not biting her.

Claire moaned softly.

“Yes. Take from me,” she murmured.

Shock coursed through him. Was she aware of what he was doing? Or was she merely drowning in the wave of sexual bliss that his bite was heightening?

Could she feel him? Damn it, he
wanted
her to feel him. To know he was drinking her blood, though he knew it wasn’t wise. He wanted her to know what he was: a creature of the night, a man who thirsted for human blood; a vampire.

He sent a question into her mind.
Claire, do you like what I’m doing?
He sucked harder on her vein while he thrust in and out of her sex.

“More…”

Yes, darling, I’ll give you more.

Because he wanted more, too. More of Claire.

5

Claire had woken in her own bed, alone, her body still humming from a night of lovemaking with Jake. To her surprise, she wore her nightgown. For a moment she lay there, daydreaming. She felt no regret having given herself to a stranger she’d met only hours earlier. In fact, it had been liberating to be with a man who knew nothing about her. She could just pretend to be who she wanted to be: a young woman who had her life ahead of her.

She couldn’t remember how she’d gotten back to her room. And she’d had strange dreams: of Jake biting her neck while he made love to her the second time. She’d enjoyed it, loved the way it had made her feel. She shook her head at the strange notion and got out of bed.

Instantly she swayed, her head suddenly pounding. A sharp stab of pain radiated through her. “Oh God, no!” she whimpered. Another attack was imminent. She searched her room for her handbag and found it sitting on a chair. She rushed to it and opened it, rummaging through it, trying to find her pills. But she couldn’t see them. Frantically she spilled the contents of her bag onto the bed, but her pill bottle was not among them.

Another stab of pain assaulted her. She gripped the bed frame for support, waiting for the wave to pass. Then she ran to the door. She had to get Mrs. Adams to call the doctor who she’d seen a few days earlier.

As she grabbed the door knob, her eyes fell onto the dresser next to it. On it stood her pill bottle, a neatly written note underneath it.

I found it in the hallway,
it said on stationary belonging to Sunseekers Inn.

Relieved, she snatched the bottle, twisted its top off and popped two pills into her mouth. She swallowed them down with the last swig of the water from the bottle that stood on her nightstand.

Her heart beat frantically now, and none of the bliss she’d felt last night was left. Her illness was encroaching further and further into her life, trying to wipe out any joy she had.

She didn’t want to wither away and have the last image of her life be that of excruciating pain. No, the thing she wanted to remember was the pleasure she’d felt when making love to Jake. She wouldn’t allow her illness to overshadow that. That’s why she had to take charge of her life—or rather, her death.

She’d never truly believed in the power of the hot spring. She’d lied to herself, not wanting to confront the inevitable. But now she was strong enough. She’d felt something beautiful the night before, and she wanted to leave this world while this memory was still strong in her mind. For a few hours she’d been happy. It was all she could have hoped for.

Ignoring the pain in her head she set her bag on the bed and started packing, even though where she was going, she couldn’t take anything with her.

~ ~ ~

Jake woke from an uneasy sleep. During the entire day, he’d drifted in and out of sleep, which was unusual for him. But the events of the previous night had shaken him. His mind couldn’t rest; it was working overtime. It wasn’t fair that Claire should die so young, when he was contemplating taking his own life. How ironic was that? She wanted to live and would die, whereas he wanted to die and would live forever. Life was cruel.

Last night he’d felt needed for the first time in his life. Needed by another person. He’d been able to give Claire pleasure and make her feel desired because he desired her. More than he’d desired any other woman before. Was it because he wanted to save her? Or was it more? Had he finally met a woman who could give him the purpose in his life that he so desperately craved? Had he found somebody to take care of, somebody to give his soul to?

And what about the reason that had brought him to the island? If the hot spring really had any powers, then why wasn’t it granting Claire’s wish? Or did it indeed need a sacrifice, one that
he
could make?

He had to speak to Claire. After last night he felt close to her, and he hoped she felt the same. If she did, there was something he could offer her. But it had to be her choice.

Impatient for the sun to set, Jake took a shower and got dressed. As soon as the sun dipped below the horizon, he tore out of his room and headed for Claire’s. He knocked at the door, but there was no answer. He tried the door knob and it turned. When he looked inside the room, he jerked back involuntarily: the bed was made and the room was empty. All of Claire’s personal effects were gone.

Panicked, he rushed downstairs and found Mrs. Adams behind the reception counter.

“Miss Culver, where is she?” he asked without as much as a greeting.

Mrs. Adams raised her eyebrows and gave him a curious look. “She checked out.”

His heart stopped. “Where did she go?”

“I don’t know.”

“What did she say to you? She must have said something.” He didn’t care that he sounded desperate.

Mrs. Adams frowned. “Now that you’re asking. Well, hmm, she said she was ready to leave now. When I asked her where she was heading, she just said
where there is no pain
.”

His heart clenched. “And you didn’t stop her?” But he didn’t wait for her answer and instead charged out of the house.

Jake stared into the night. Where would she go to end it all? Where would he go? For a moment he let his mind travel, then he could see the place where he would go to end his life: the last place where he’d been happy.

He ran as fast as he could, not caring if anybody saw him and wondered how a man could run as fast as a car. He had to get to Claire. His legs carried him to the beach where they’d made love the night before. He passed the shed, his eyes scanning the shore, when he perceived a movement, where the waves crashed against a small outcropping of rocks.

Claire stood there at the ledge, looking into the distance.

“Claire!” he screamed, but she didn’t turn her head. She probably couldn’t hear him over the surf that had already drenched her clothes.

He sprinted toward the rocks, his feet sinking into the wet sand with every forceful step. But he didn’t let this slow him down. He knew he had to reach her, because her intention was evident from the way she leaned toward the waves. Any second now, she would jump, and the surf would swallow her up and slam her against the rocks.

He couldn’t let it happen. And suddenly he knew that there was a way for both of them to get their wish. As he ran toward her and raced up the rocks, he finally realized what his heart’s true desire was. It wasn’t to be mortal again; it was to regain his humanity, to feel needed, to feel loved. Claire was the key. That’s why he was here. Not for the magical spring, but to save her.

And he couldn’t fail now. Not when he was so close. Not when so much was at stake.

As he reached the top of the rocks, another big wave crashed, hitting Claire.

He stretched out his arms, barreling toward her, but the wave swept her up, made her lose her footing.

“Nooooooo!” The scream dislodged from his throat as he lunged for her with superhuman strength and speed. His fingers found purchase, wrapping around her arm. He pulled her from the clutches of the dark ocean, dragging her toward him, holding her tightly to him, as the next wave already built. But by the time it crashed against the rocks, he’d already carried Claire to safety.

She seemed dazed in his arms as he carried her to the beach and brought them down in the dry sand. Finally, relief flooded him, and he dared breathe again.

A sob tore from her. “Why didn’t you let me die, Jake?”

“Shh, darling,” he cooed.

She struggled in his arms, pushing against him. “I have brain cancer. I can’t take the pain any longer…”

He drew her closer to his chest and stroked his palm over her wet hair, feeling her shiver. “I know, darling.”

She braced her hands against his chest, pushing him. “You knew?”

“I found your pill bottle. Mrs. Adams told me the rest.”

Another sob tore from her chest. “Is that why you slept with me? Because you pitied me?”

“No! I made love to you because I desire you. I want you more than anything else in this life.” It was the truth, though he had no idea how it had happened. Maybe it was fate. Or maybe it was the magical spring.

More tears streamed over her cheeks. With his thumb he wiped them away.

“Claire, what I tell you now might seem fantastic, but it’s the truth. Do you think you can keep an open mind?”

“About what?”

“You want to live, don’t you?”

A sob bigger than the previous one disturbed the night.

“Then I have a solution for you. The spring worked, Claire. Because it brought us together. You’ve wished for a cure. I can give you one.”

Her big blue eyes stared at him, half in hope, half in doubt. “How?”

“I’m a vampire, Claire, I’m immortal, and I can give you immortality.”

He watched her eyes as her expression changed to disbelief. “No.” She shook her head and pulled back. “No.”

“It’s true. And you know it. Deep down you know, don’t you?” He focused his gaze on the spot on her neck where he’d bitten her the night before.

Her hand came up to touch that same spot.

“You know it because you felt it last night. You sensed my bite.”

Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Then she stroked over her neck. “I dreamed it.”

“It wasn’t a dream. When I made love to you the second time, I used my suggestive powers to make you believe my bite was just a kiss. But I think I didn’t use my powers to their full extent, because deep down I wanted you to know what I was doing.”

Slowly, realization seemed to settle in. “You drank my blood.”

He nodded and put his hand on her neck, brushing over the bite mark. Only he and other vampires could see it. To humans, the mark was invisible. “And I loved it. Let me give you something in return. Let me help you.”

“How?” she whispered and looked straight at him.

“I can turn you into a vampire. It will wipe out any illness or disease you have. You’ll be immortal and without pain.”

“Immortal? And how would I live? In the dark? Drinking blood?” Her lips trembled.

“The dark can be beautiful.” He pointed to the canopy of stars in the night sky. “Even in the dark there’s light, there’s beauty.”

“And the blood?” she whispered.

“There are ways. You wouldn’t have to feed directly from humans if you didn’t want to. Though you might grow to like it. But if you don’t, there are always blood banks.”

She looked at him for a long while, clearly contemplating his words. “I’m scared.”

Jake reached for her, stroking his knuckles over her cheek. “I know. But I’ll be here for you.”

Slowly she moved her head closer. “Why would you do that for me? Didn’t you come here with a wish, too?”

He smiled. “Do you know what I wished for?”

She shook her head.

“To be mortal again.” He sighed. “But I understand now that it wasn’t my heart’s true desire. It wasn’t my mortality I wanted.”

“How do you know that?”

“I know because I’m holding my heart’s true desire in my arms right now. I know now that I was drawn to this island so I could meet you and fulfill your wish.”

“So the spring really does work?”

He kissed her. “Yes. But only for those who are prepared to open their eyes and trust in the impossible. So, Claire, do you trust me to give you a second life?”

Slowly, she nodded. “I trust you. I don’t know why, but I do.”

“It won’t hurt,” he promised. “I’ll drain you of your human blood, and at your last heartbeat, I’ll feed you mine. When you wake, you’ll be like me, a creature of the night.”

“What if it doesn’t work?”

“I promise you it will work.”

She swallowed and her voice trembled when she spoke her next words. “When I wake, will you be there?” Her eyes glimmered with hope.

“Claire, I want a life with you. If you want that, too, I’ll be there for you through eternity as your lover. If you don’t, I’ll be by your side as your friend. The choice is yours.”

There was no hesitation in her voice when she responded to him. “Bite me, my lover.” She closed her eyes and whispered again, “My lover for eternity.”