NightFall: Book One: Bloodlust Is the Cure for the Immortal Soul (34 page)

Raven now knew his intentions.
He meant to push her over the cliff. He wanted her dead. She always knew that he
would one day try to kill her. She just didn’t think the day would be now. But s
he would not let him win.
She couldn’t.

“
Au revoir.
”
Zane
said as he
started pushing her over the edge, but not befor
e Raven got in the final word,
“
A bientot.
See you soon.”
She quickly focused her mind on Saldivar’s and mentally and loudly called for help. She hoped he heard h
er plea before her body landed
on the jagged rocks
.

*

Darkness had just settled in as Indea
met Saldivar at the c
abin that they had made love in
. From the sound of his voice, something was bothering Saldivar greatly. His worried tone worried Indea as well.

He had told her he hoped he could be forgiven for what he was about to tell her.

What could be so terrible that Indea would hate Saldivar? She loved him and nothing could change that. It couldn’t be another woman. They spent every waking moment together.

She knew that he loved her. It was plain to see his feelings show in his gentle amber eyes.

Indea didn’t think it could be anything to make her want to leave Saldivar and forget about him. That was as impossible as asking her to quit breathing.

Indea walked up to the cabin door and knocked softly.

Saldivar opened the door and she walked in. Saldivar closed the door and immediately wrapped Indea
in
a crushing embrace. He held her tightly as if afraid to let her go. She snuggled into his arms, feeling more protected than ever.

Saldivar looked into her eyes before bringing his head down for one of the
sweetest
kisses Indea has ever experienced. So soft and gentle
,
in fact, that Indea felt the back of her eyes burning as tears threatened to fall. A
couple of
tear
s
managed to fall onto her cheek.

Saldivar lifted his head and, upon seeing Indea’s tears, took his thumb and wiped it away and brought it to his lips. He tasted her affection, her love for him and it was then he wanted to curse himself for what he was about to tell her.

He led her over to a chair where she sat as he sat opposite to her.

He let out a breath, trying to find a way to tell her.

“Indea.
There’s something I just have to tell you. I wanted to tell you sooner, I just didn’t know how. I still don’t know how to tell you that will make you understand completely. You might end up hating me when I’m finished. Either that or you will pity me and then leave Paris and never think of me again.”

Indea placed a hand on his knee. “Saldivar, nothing could make me want to delete you from my mind. I couldn’t even if I wanted to. You’re too much a part of me. I love you, Saldivar. Surely, you know that by now.”

Saldivar closed his eyes, letting the words he had been longing to hear, wash over him. He just hoped she would continue to feel that way after he told her his story.

He grabbed her hands and folded them in his. “
I love you, Indea. I have for
a while
. There’s no one else in the world for me. You are mine as I hope I am yours.”

Indea voi
ce broke a little as she said,
“You
are
mine, Saldivar. Please, tell me what is wrong.”

Saldivar got up from his chair and paced as he began his story. “I must beg you not to
interrupt me for I feel I will not
be able to continue.”

Indea nodded.

Saldivar talked at length of his time in Paris in 1200.
About his childhood.
About Zane and his transformation.
About meeting Van in 1700 and helping him when he had no where to turn.

Indea sat stock still, trying to let Saldivar’s story sink in. It was near impossible to fathom this. She found it hard to digest this
kind of
information.

When Saldivar finished, Indea was in
total
shock.

What was going on here? Had Saldivar lost his mind?

Finally fi
nding her voice, Indea started,
“What are you saying, Saldivar? You’re immortal?”

Saldivar nodded somberly. “I am
a vampire, Indea.”

Indea shot out of her chair.
“What?!
No. I don’t believe it. If this is your way of breaking up with me, it would have been easier to just tell me flat out instead of making u
p this kind of story, Saldivar. When I said nothing could ever make me forget you, I had no idea you would tell me something like this.”

Saldivar’s nostrils flared. “
’
Make up this story
’
? I would never do such a thing, Indea. You know I love you. I don’t want to break up with you. I need you to believe me. Please.”

“How in the world could you make me believe in a vampire myth? Vampires aren’t real and if you believe they are, you’re crazy. People like you thinking along these lines ar
e usually destined for the loon
y bin and you know it. So why tell me?” Her eyes widened. “I was just a roll in the hay for you, wasn’t I? How many notches were on your bedpost before me Saldivar? Van’
s in
it with you, isn’t he?
Simone is out with him now. He’s as crazy as you are.”
S
he folded her arms to her chest, feeling as if she had gone a little mad herself.

Saldivar couldn’t blame her for being furious with him. But calling him crazy did make him a bit angry. He could prove it to her, though it might scare her to death. He could
Persuade
her but that would be wrong on so many different levels.

Saldivar’s eyes darkened. “I am
not
crazy, Indea. Why can’t you believe me? I have never lied to you. Not once.”

Indea clenched her jaw.
She wanted to believe him, but found it
so
hard to swallow.
“How do I know that?” She dropped her arms to her sides harshly. “Face it, Saldivar. You used me. You don’t want me any more and this is your way of saying you’re through with me.
Fine, Saldivar.
I can handle it.”
She turned her back
to him.
Heaven help her, she still loved him no matter what he had told her.
She just couldn’t turn it off in the blink of an eye.

Saldivar crossed the room and pressed closely to Indea. “You think I don’t want you any more?” He pressed his arousal against her. “Does this feel like I’m through with you? Does this feel like I don’t want you?”

Indea stepped away
, turning to glare at him.
“You’re a man, Saldivar. Press yourself up against a woman and you’re going to get aroused. It’s human nature.”

That was the final straw for Saldivar. “I am
not
human.” He growled and suddenly, his eyes darkened to almost black. He opened his mouth, his sharp canines gleaming dangerously.

Indea’s eyes widened. She swallowed. She was speechless.

No, it couldn’t be real. Was she dreaming?
No, no, no.

“
Yes, yes, yes.”

Indea’s brow
furrowed deeply. “I didn’t say anything to you.”

“You don’t have to. I
can hear your thoughts, Indea,”
he explained.

Indea shook her head in disbelief.
“Really?”

Sald
ivar nodded.

Take off your clothes
,
she
dared silently.

Saldivar stepped away from Indea and in a split second, he removed every trace of clothing. He saw Indea’s jaw hit the floor.

“Anything else?”
h
e
asked almost flippantly.

Indea found herself liking this game, as much as she hated to admit it. Mad as she was with Saldivar, one look at his smooth, hard naked body and she began to feel that familiar throb between her l
egs. Angry sex could be
really
good.
Just as good as gentle sex.

Indea thought for a moment then
narrowed her eyes.
Take off my clothes
, she demanded.

Saldivar grinned. He walked over to her and in one motion, ripped her shirt and bra in two. Next, he pulled down her jeans. He stared at her intently as he grabbed her lacy panties and tore them apart.

Before either could breathe their next breath, their lips met in a heated battle. Tongues sparred. Hands roamed.

Indea slowly made her way down, her tongue following the happy trail
all the way down to Saldivar’s
rigid manhood. Suddenly, Indea’s mouth took all of him in. She wrapped one arm around his hips as she pulled at him, her hand encircling him, massaging the base. Her tongue bathed him, milked him. Saldivar growled as his hand played through her soft hair. Her warm, moist mouth felt like velvet on him. It felt like heaven. Like sweet torture. She pulled at him harder until he could take it no longer. He pulled away and lifted Indea from her knees and turned her around and carried her to the bed.

“On your
hands and knees, my sweet Indea.”
Indea did as bade and then felt Saldivar come up behind her. He caressed her
back,
his finger glidin
g a path down her spine, and he
watched
her arch
like a
cat. Her dark hair spilled onto her smooth, creamy back. He positioned himself behind her and watched his manhood disappear
into
her soft folds. His hands
caressed their way up to her shoulde
rs. He
grabbed them and pulled
her down hard on his
throbbing
shaft
,
burying himself as far as he could go.

Saldivar grunted, burying himself as deeply as he could inside her.
He couldn’t seem to get enough of her warm body gliding over him, caressing him, teasing him to new heights of unadulterated ecstasy.

Sal
d
ivar placed both hands on he
r shoulders and smoothed them all the down to
her soft buttocks.
He kneaded them, pinched them and
watched them reddened at his ministrations.