Odyssey (The Vampire Destiny Series Companion Book 1) (26 page)

She continued her search and I knew she would not find a single mark.  All of them had disappeared.  Every single one was gone.

“They're all gone, Stefan.  Is this bad?”

“That I do not know.  I have only shared my blood with one other human and he is now a vampire,” I answered thoughtfully. “I can call one of my friends on the Council.  He may have answers for us.”

“I'm not turning into a vampire am I?” She questioned softly.  Her hands folded nervously in her lap, and her green eyes were wide with concern.

I forced a smile across my face and lowered my lips to first lightly kiss her forehead, the tip of her nose and then brushed my lips against hers.  “No.  You do not have fangs and you do not want blood.  We just require answers.  Perhaps contacting my friend would be a good thing.  If nothing else it will put both of our minds at ease, yes?”

She nodded and her shoulders relaxed in obvious relief.

“Let us go inside.  I have a bathtub I want to explore with you.”  I winked and offered her my hand.  I hoped the time in the bath would give me time to truly consider the implications of her vampire-fast healing ability.

***

We had bathed and I was no closer to an answer now than before.  She was much more relaxed, but was standing naked at the foot of my bed, eyeing the bed with uneasiness.  Her teeth caught her bottom lip and she shifted from foot to foot.

“What is wrong?  Why are you looking at the bed as if it will bite you?” I questioned as my eyes moved between her and the bed.  I wanted to be sympathetic her worry, but her overreactions to normal situations were quite endearing and rather amusing.

“Stefan, I'm not used to all of this.  I've never slept over at a man's house before.  This is one of those situations where I'm struggling to catch up,” Josephine said, lowering her gaze to look at the floor, her cheeks flushing crimson.

I forgot how innocent she was sometimes.  It was easy to overlook the fact when sexually she was a complete match to me, skilled and clever.  I pulled the dark brown duvet and crisp white sheet down and rolled across the bed, crossing my legs at the ankles.  I rubbed the bed provocatively with my hand and raised an eyebrow in invitation.

“Josephine, just get into bed.  I promise not to bite.  Unless you ask nicely,” I snapped my teeth at her, my fangs peeking out over my bottom lip.

Rolling her eyes towards the ceiling in annoyance, she gingerly sat down on the edge.  Excited to finally have her in my bed, I moved fluidly to gather her in my arms and curled myself around her before she could resist.  I flipped the bedside lamp off and snuggled against her, my head dropping to place kisses on the top of her shoulders.

“Was that so difficult, vackra?”

“I'm sorry I'm like this, Stefan,” she apologized, her body relaxing against me. Unable to resist her, my nose ran alongside the elegant curve of her neck, scattering kisses in its wake.

“Never apologize for how you feel.  I have had plenty of time to adjust to our relationship.  You have had only weeks,” I murmured.  Resting my chin on her shoulder, I sighed and hugged her tightly. “You cannot imagine what it was like knowing I would find you someday, only to be faced with centuries of being alone. Your face preoccupied my thoughts when I was awake and haunted me when I slept.  The last 10 years were spent looking for you everywhere.  It was frustrating and I was beginning to lose my patience.”

I wanted to show her the vision that had haunted me for centuries.  It was easy to recall and I projected it to her.  In the vision, she appeared much like she did that night on the beach.  She was preternaturally beautiful, her reddish blond hair falling in waves over her bare shoulders, framing her delicate oval face.  Her luminous eyes were green and large, shadowed with a fringe of thick eyelashes.

Her gasp of surprise made me smile sadly at how she underestimated her beauty. “
Now you know how exquisitely beautiful you are to me, Josephine.  Du är en gudinna.  You are a goddess.”

She twisted her head slightly to kiss my lips softly. “I only had to wait a few years to find you.  I can't imagine having to wait 200 years to meet you.  When I saw you that night on the beach, I can't describe what I felt inside.  It was...powerful, like we had an instant connection and I knew that I loved you…even that first night.  My body understood you were the one, Stefan.  My head was just harder to convince.”

“I love you, vackra.”  I kissed her temple lovingly.  “Now sleep.”

“I love you.  So very much,” she mumbled.  Already her eyes were growing heavy as she struggled to stay awake.

I waited until her eyes fluttered closed and her breath evened out in sleep.
“Stay with me, Josephine.  Forever
.”

***

Requiring little sleep, I had risen early and left her sleeping peacefully in my bed.  I was concerned about the minute changes I was noticing in Josephine.  She moved faster, was growing stronger…and her wounds were now healing at almost vampiric like speed.  I wanted to know if it was the result of the bond or something more.  I had fired off an e-mail to a contact on the Council, asking vague questions in regards to immortals mating with humans and the bonding process.  I had closed my laptop lid when I heard her heart race increase.  She was awake…and by her scent, obviously aroused.  Her fragrance flooded the entire house, calling me to her.

I stalked up the steps and stood in the doorway, watching as she clutched my pillow tightly in her arms.  Without thinking, I stripped out of my jeans and t-shirt.  Crawling into the bed behind her, my naked body pressed against her back.  Her skin was pliant and warm, and my fingers skimmed across her skin to palm her full, firm breasts in my large hands as I nestled my nose into the crook of her neck and simply breathed her in, enjoying the bouquet of her flesh.

She jolted fully awake and her hand reached back to comb through my thick hair.  Her happiness and lust flooded through me.  In less than a second, my mind switched from loving thoughts to extreme excitement.

“I could sense you were awake.  Your thoughts were titillating and I could smell your arousal.”

Instinctively, she scooted back and let her head drop back to rest against my shoulder, her ass pressing into the hardness of my cock.  My hand grasped her thigh and pulled it back slightly to drape over my hip.  Closing my eyes, I simply let my fingers run up the outside of her leg, brushing across her hipbones to descend and explore the slickness of her wet slit.  It was even sexier to only touch and not see, imagining the soft silk of her skin in my mind, recalling every inch by memory.

My mouth descended to place long, gentle kisses on her neck.  I had decided I could kiss every inch of her skin and never tire of it.  Ready for more than my gentle teasing, she boldly arched against me again; a series of small sighs spilling from her lips.

“Vackra, I cannot resist you. The feel of your skin....”

Before I finished my thought, I had sunk inside her depths and a growl of pleasure rumbled in my throat.  I withdrew almost completely and then thrust my hips to bury myself back inside of her again.  I began to move again in slower, fuller strokes as I rocked my hips against her languidly.

“You are so hot and tight, Josephine.  I love to fuck you...”

She cried out and allowed me to move her in a gentle rhythm.  Our cadence was slow, taking the time to explore her body as one hand continued to tease her nipples, the other rubbing small circles over her clit.  I was tender and meticulous, wanting to completely satisfy her as we moved together.  She made no attempt to rush me…it seemed neither of us wanted the intimacy of the moment to end.

“Stefan...” she moaned softly.  Her body writhed against the firm caress of my hands.  When she began to clench around me, I wanted to hurry, to meet our release together.

My speed increased and her flushed, slick flesh slid across mine.

“Ah, vackra.  The way you feel makes me want to eat you alive.”

I knew the effect my dirty talk had on her body.  When I spoke to her in this manner, her ardor increased and she seemed to lose all control.  Her hands tugged roughly on my hair and her hips rolled faster. 

“
Don't stop, Stefan...”
she released yet another moan.  The bedroom was filled with the sensual sounds of our bodies meeting, her breathless cries…and her thudding heartbeat.

“
I will never stop fucking you.”

As if to assure her, my fingers moved in fast loops over her clit.  I picked up speed, delving faster into her and when she cried out in pleasure, I found myself joining her, our voices blending together in a symphony of sensual moans. How had I survived this long without her?  If I lost her now, I would simply go mad.

“I want to feel you bite me when I come, Stefan.  Please…”

She simply had no self-preservation…and I no longer had the strength to resist her.  My tongue flickered over her neck and my teeth pierced her flesh.  A broken cry fell from her as she fluttered rhythmically around me, shuddering in bliss.  And I was lost once again, my hips jutting erratically as I spilled into her, my mouth sucking gently against her throat. Taking a final deep swallow, I retracted my fangs and lazily licked over the punctures.

I released her leg from my hip and she rolled to face me.  Her blissful smile illuminated her face and she covered my lips with her hot mouth.  This kiss was different; it was filled with so much love that my long-dead heart ached and tears burned in my eyes.  When her tongue swept across my lower lip, my mouth parted and our tongues intertwined together softly, reflecting the closeness of the moment we had shared.

Her hands ran along the length of my back, caressing every muscle with her gentle, loving touch.  And I could not resist her either. My hands splayed across her firm ass, pressing her tightly against me.  I could not get close enough to her.  If I could, I would never let her go.

Her soft lips left mine, and her forehead settled against my collarbone.  She sighed into my skin, her warm, fragrant breath washing over me.

Neither of us said a word.  The ocean and the steady sound of her breath lulled me into a state of bliss that seemed so familiar to me.  It was if I had lived this moment before with this beautiful woman in my arms.  But that was impossible…