Sucking Bites (San Francisco Vampires Series #3) (16 page)

“Pretty much what he said.”

“I’m not surprised. I’m sorry you had to go through that. It could not have been easy for either of you. Did you kiss him?”

“No, but he kissed me,” I whisper.

He is quiet for a minute. His hands fist and then he slowly releases them.

“I’m not angry. I understand. I know that you love him in some way. It makes me crazy. But I understand.” He engages me with vampire intensity. “Do you want to be with him?”

“No! No, Sebastian. If I had any doubts, which I didn’t, the moment I was in your arms, I knew that is where I need to be. I feel safe and secure there. I feel like I belong there.”

“You do.”

He wraps his arms around me.

“I will have to be content to tolerate Aidan to a certain extent. I can’t have a tortured soul on my hands.”

“Oh, Sebastian, what did I ever do to deserve you?” I don’t deserve either of them.

I ask Sebastian to pick out my outfit. He choose a new Narciso Rodriguez cross halter black dress I’d bought when I went shopping with Aidan. He doesn’t need to know that. I have some black Louboutins to wear with it. I put on a present from Sebastian, a gorgeous emerald and diamond necklace and earrings, set in white gold. A little makeup and I’m ready. Sebastian wears a charcoal suit with an emerald tie to match my jewelry. We look hot together if I do say so myself.

Helena is wearing a Christopher Kane Heartbreaker dress, a slip under a shear sheath, in purples and blues. She looks stunning. Julian is in a tailored suit. He is so broad across the shoulders that he has to have all his suits custom made. Aidan is in Armani, navy, that goes with his eyes. He looks smashing. Every one of us is a show stopper. It is fun to dress up and go somewhere nice. After all the drama of the past few days, I feel the need for a light diversion. Aidan rides with Helena and Julian, while Liam and Andrew ride with Sebastian and me. The club,
You Belong to Me
is less than a mile away and the boys chatter the whole way. Sebastian bought it as a surprise for me and it has quickly become very popular in the city. It’s decorated in a lavish Forties theme with a big band, red velvet couches, candy girls and photographers, huge photos of stars of the period grace the walls. While it is a hot venue, it requires a lot of attention to maintain its success.

We wait for the others after Sebastian hands the keys to the valet. When we enter the club together, we check our coats, with the coat check dressed in 1940’s garb. The ambiance is magical. Sebastian and I argue a lot about all the time he puts into the club, but his hard work really has paid off. The music calls to me and lightens my mood immediately. His new manager is up front greeting patrons. He moves toward us.

“Lily, let me introduce you to Seth. Seth, this is my girlfriend, Lilith Goodwill.” Sebastian takes my hand and places a sweet kiss on it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Ms. Goodwill.” Seth grins and shakes my hand when Sebastian relinquishs it.

“Believe me, the pleasure is all mine. Anyone that can share some of the responsibilities with Sebastian is an instant friend of mine.”

Sebastian introduces Seth to the rest of our party and then Seth escorts us to a table reserved for V.I.P.s, a strategic distance from the band. A waitress quickly takes our drink orders.

“Cherie, why don’t you and Aidan dance?”

Aidan and I both look at Sebastian, but he has an easy smile on his face, his true feelings hidden.

Aidan looks suspicious. But ultimately, I can tell his desire to be with me wins out. He grabs my hand and swings me onto the dance floor. While we dance, he keeps an eye on Sebastian, but true to his word, Bast is showing a tolerant face. The band is excellent and Aidan is a masterful dancer. Soon he and I are relaxed and laughing. Aidan has an enormous smile on his face. When the song is over he holds me tight.

“I better take you back. I don’t want to strain Sebastian’s good will.”

We return to our table. Our drinks have arrived in the meantime.

“Aidan, you dance divinely. Would you dance with me?” Helena asks.

“Of course! How could I resist such a beautiful woman?”

Julian has no problem with the arrangement. Those two are so secure in their love there is never a hint of jealousy.

“Andrew would you care to dance?” Liam asks. Andrew looks pleased and blushes at the same time.

“I would be delighted.”

I only hope Liam knows what he is getting into. Andrew dances like a hippo playing water polo.

“You looked stunning, ma petite. Will you dance with me?” Sebastian asks me. I nod. I’m ready and eager to move to the music.

Sebastian leads me onto the floor and twirls me around. Since Sebastian and I had been dancing these same dances in the Forties together we were very familiar with the moves and the way we move together. Sebastian picks up on my feelings and grins. I turn my head to the side and grin back. The next song is a slow number by Louis Armstrong and Sebastian pulls me close. He nuzzles my ear, turning my legs to Jell-O. He braces me with his body and whispers sweet nothings into my ear. I cling to his back. Andrew and Liam dance by and Andrew leans towards us.

“Get a room,” he hisses.

Sebastian chuckles and I can feel it through his chest. I think it is time to be a bit more respectable. I pull myself away from him a bit. Seth, still watching the crowd, gives us a huge grin. I say something to that effect to Sebastian and he flashes me some fang. OhMyGod!

“It’s my club. I can be as respectable or unrespectable as I want.”

He slides his hand down and cups my butt. I gasp and he chuckles and removes it, taking his time. I grin at him like a fool. We sit down after the song ends and enjoy our drinks.

“Lily, you look simply radiant,” Helena says.

“I feel good, Helena. It’s a beautiful night and I am surrounded by beautiful friends.”

“Well as long as you are feeling so beautiful, let me bask in some of that well being and dance with you, Lily,” Julian asks.

Julian leads me onto the floor.

“You have two men looking at you with very hungry eyes, little miss,” he says nodding to our table.

“I know Julian. It’s a delicate situation.”

“Helena talked to Aidan on the way over here. He is so in love with you, sweetheart. I don’t think I have heard so much anguish over love for a woman in centuries. I don’t envy you or him, for that matter.”

“Sebastian and I talked about it. Sebastian is trying to be a good sport about it. Until the next time Aidan stirs something up.”

“I noticed that. It was very kind of him to offer Aidan the first dance. I hope the diplomacy lasts awhile.”

“It certainly will be the easier on me. I don’t know if I deserve it. And I don’t know how easy it will be for Aidan. If I could take his pain away I would. It is so hard to watch. It makes me hurt.”

“Be careful, Lily. That tender heart could get you into trouble.”

“I know, Julian, I know.”

Our song ends and Aidan is there to pick up where Julian leaves off. We are slow dancing and he holds me close and tells me I am beautiful. Sebastian is watching every move we make. When Aidan hands me back to Sebastian, I see Bast relax. They trade off like this all night until the last song when Aidan kisses my cheek and makes his farewells. Bast lets out a breath of air. He wraps me in his arms and moves me expertly around the floor to the slow song. Soon he is kissing my neck. His teeth nip my neck and I moan softly into his ear.

That’s all Bast can take and he lifts me up and carries me to the door. He nods at Julian—who’s taking everyone else home. Our jackets come in record time. The boss’s car is always kept close to the front doors so we are soon on away. Sebastian driving like a maniac home.

After he parks, he leans over and kisses me. Long kisses. His tongue slides over my lips and let it come into my mouth. He has his hand in my hair pulling me into him. After several minutes we draw apart. His eyes are burning with emotion. He flicks his tie straight as he walks around the car to open the door for me. We walk hand in hand up the stairs to our room. The anticipation kills me.

Sebastian draws me in front of him and then takes off his jacket and tie. He resumes kissing me, running his hands up and down the satin of my dress. His hands reach around and slide the zipper down. The dress drops to the floor leaving me in my black panties and black pumps.

“I never get tired of this view,” Sebastian says with a hoarse voice.

“No fair, you still have all your clothes on, lover.”

I unbutton his shirt and slowly remove it. I soon have his belt undone and his pants unfastened. I back up so he can take his shoes and socks off and slide out of his pants. His silk boxers are having trouble containing his enthusiasm. I look down and grin. He looks down and grins back at me.

Sebastian throws me on the bed, high heels and all and pulls off my panties. He moves my world before we come in a glorious climax. I still have my shoes on.

“I like those shoes,” Bast says. “A lot.”

I giggle, giving him a peck on the cheek.

“I hope we weren’t too loud for Liam. He shares a wall with us now,” Bast whispers in my ear.

“Ohmygod! I forgot.”

I bury my head in Sebastian’s chest and he laughs and smoothes the hair from my forehead. I love listening to him laugh while I have my head on his chest.

Everyone but Aidan is in the library having coffee or tea.

“I’m trying to keep vampire hours, or at least the same schedule as you, Lily,” Liam says. “Besides, it was a bit too noisy to sleep,” he says with a smirk.

“Oh my gosh, it was too noisy for us to talk down here. I thought the plaster was falling from the ceiling,” Andrew says.

I stick my tongue out at him. I notice he and Liam are sitting next to each other. Excellent.

“I think the plaster dust was from the repairs,” Julian says.

“Merde,” Sebastian says.

At least he has the decency to look abashed. I’m mortified. I am so thankful that Aidan isn’t here.

“They have a very healthy sex life. Nothing to be ashamed of,” Helena says.

I quickly make myself a cup of coffee and sit on the arm of Sebastian’s chair. He pulls me into his lap and I hide my face in his chest. Helena smiles down at us like she had arranged the whole thing.

The days pass in a blur. Julian and Sebastian comb the foreign papers for news of attacks and Aidan investigates wherever an attack takes place. Any victims are handed over to the king or queen of the country they live in. Julian and Helena spread the word that I’m not contagious. This alleviates the fear somewhat. New werewolves are sometimes given the choice to be turned, others are destroyed. This weighs on our conscience. But there simply is nothing else we can do. We can’t take responsibility for all of them and they can’t be allowed to spread the disease. We hope for mercy. The King of France is the most understanding. He offers to turn the victims if they are amenable. Many of the victims are so traumatized they can’t come to grips with their condition let alone the fact that vampires exist. Some simply go into shock.

Time at work passes. I have an unending worry of the impending full moon at the back of my mind. Liam adapts well to our lifestyle. He and Andrew seem to be developing a strong friendship if not something more. They spend long hours in the night talking. Our suite is almost done and Helena is in a buying frenzy to add the final touches.

Aidan. When Aidan comes to visit there is so much tension in the room it is palpable. Sebastian is true to his word and overlooks Aidan his kisses on the cheek or his long, smoldering looks. I can tell Aidan is hurting. Aidan and I never have the opportunity to talk privately. But he and Bast maintain an uneasy truce. Bast’s new manager is working out and he has much more time to spend at home. Between him and Helena my time is always occupied.

Today is a day too close to the full moon. I don some designer jeans and an off the shoulder shirt, to go out and do some errands. Julian’s birthday is coming up in a few months and Sebastian and I are giving him a trip to Madagascar. Of course Helena is going with him. Julian is a closet botanist and has been itching to explore Madagascar’s thriving undiscovered botanicals. Hopefully he will accept our present and take the time to enjoy himself with his lover by his side. Helena’s studies have always focused in herbs and medicinal plants, so she will love the trip as well.

Downstairs in the library, everyone is doing their thing. Helena is reading on my iPad, Sebastian is reading a French newspaper and Julian is scrolling through his laptop. Liam our new family member is reading an old fashioned print book. I have to smile at that. Andrew comes in with tea and coffee and some biscuits for Liam. Sebastian puts down his paper to kiss me when I drop down beside him.

“Good afternoon, Cherie.”

“You just saw me, darling.”

“Yes, but it seems like forever ago.”

“You have it bad for me don’t you?”

He growls and scoops me into his lap.

“Let’s go somewhere private and I will show you how bad I have it for you,” he promises in a husky whisper.

“I heard that. Please. Some of us are trying to keep our breakfast down here. Mr. Casanova of the Night, keep it to a dull roar if you please,” Andrew begs.