Chapter 19

Chapter

Nineteen

Crusher

F our female humans enter the room. They're attractive, I suppose, but appearances are irrelevant as long as they're healthy. Besides, when it comes to looks, for me no one on earth can hold a candle to Ana.

"Where would you like us?" asks one woman who has a hint of a Romanian accent. Acting as spokeswoman, she seems to be the oldest of the foursome.

"Where would you be most comfortable?" I ask. "Once we've fed, you'll all need to sleep."

Ana stands. "Are there no attendants with you?"

"We each have an attendant," the spokeswoman answers. "They're stationed in the hall outside with transport chairs. Alert them once you've fed."

"Splendid," Ana says, and then turns toward Blade. "When I lived at the palace, my intimate was exclusive to me. I had, a series of intimates, of course, but they all chose to recover from feedings in my apartment. I believe this is the more common practice."

"Your Highness," the lead human bows slightly. "If you don't mind me saying, I knew your most recent intimate very well. In fact, she helped train me."

"Maria?" A wistful smile spreads on Ana's face. "Have you heard from her? Is she well?"

"Very well, Your Highness. She's settled in a city not far from here and is training to be a nurse."

"A nurse." A worried look crosses Ana's face. "Is her pension inadequate?" Ana takes a step forward. "I'm sorry. I have not asked your name."

"Crina," the woman answers. "And to answer your question, Maria isn't becoming a nurse for the money. She deeply misses caring for others."

"Oh, I see." A soft smile washes over Ana's face. "If she's happy, I'm very pleased." Ana gestures around the room. "Do any of you ladies have a preference for whom you feed?"

The three in the back exchange looks I can't quite read.

"I know these vampires are large," Ana continues, "and they probably appear intimidating, but I am certain each of them will be gentle." Taking on a stern expression, she looks between the three of us, basically telling us that we'd better be gentle. And of course we will be.

I clear my throat. "It is against our code to harm humans. And we will only take what blood we need." I spread my legs. "In fact, I won't feed. I'll keep watch to ensure no harm comes to any of you."

Two of the women exchange looks and giggle uncomfortably.

"That's not necessary," Crina says. "You require nourishment, and we are here to serve you."

"Crusher." Ana turns, looking at me fully for the first time in so long that her gaze singes my skin. "Don't be foolish. We all need to feed. We don't know when or where such a safe and easy opportunity will next arise." She raises her chin. "Or perhaps you don't plan to accompany the rest of us on this journey?"

I look down. She's right, of course. And she's being so formal with me again, so cold, as if we mean nothing to each other. Proof that I no longer mean anything to her, if I ever did, even if she will always mean everything to me.

I've had few regrets in my life, but keeping the truth about Timur's death is my greatest. If I'd known how much she'd come to mean to me… How deeply I'd fall in love with her…

I shake my head. I couldn't have possibly known that, when I made the decision to conceal the truth. I didn't expect to fall in love with anyone . Not ever. The possibility never crossed my mind.

Ana beckons for Crina to join her on the large easy chair where she was seated before the women came in. Two of the other women rush toward Blade. The one who reaches him first beams like she just won a lottery, and the other one steps toward Flame. The last woman, an unusually tiny human, who doesn't look much out of her teens, steps tentatively toward me.

"Are you certain about this?" I ask her when she's about ten feet away.

"Certain about feeding you?" She takes another step forward. "Of course. It is my job."

"How old are you?"

"I know I look young," she says. "But I'm twenty-five and have been serving as a palace intimate since my eighteenth birthday. Since the day I was old enough to sign the contract." Her face fills with obvious pride, melting the fear I thought I saw.

"My family has a long tradition of serving the palace." She steps up beside me. Closer than she needs to be. "I know it's forbidden," she says very softly. "But if you would like anything from me beyond my blood…" She looks expectantly into my eyes, her offer clear.

I step back, folding my arms over my chest. "No, thank you."

She shrugs, and then sits on the arm of the chair I was using, pushing her hair to the side and exposing her throat. "Is this position acceptable?"

"That's fine," I answer as my eyes zoom in on the blood flowing beneath her pale skin. My nose homes in on the coppery scent of my meal, and a fierce hunger summons my fangs. I shouldn't have let myself get this hungry. Since we met Ana, some of us have fed from each other, but none of us have had human blood to my knowledge. And for me, it was several weeks before that.

Something else I let slip. I spent so much energy trying to protect the men from their emotions that I neglected their most basic need. Food.

Wanting to get this over with, I palm the woman's head, cupping it firmly to safely position her. Then I dig in my fangs.

The instant the woman's blood flows, I feel better, stronger, more vibrant. My cock pounds with need, and I shift my meal to improve my view of the rest of the room.

The other three—six really—are all on the sofa together. Ana, Blade and Flame are touching each other as they eagerly feed from their humans. All six individuals are so aroused the scent overpowers the blood of the human I'm feeding from.

Sated, I release my fangs. Quickly checking her already healed wounds, I settle her sleeping body into the seat of the chair. Smiling in her sleep, the human moans contentedly. I have no idea how a feeding feels for a human, but if it's even a fraction of how great it feels for a vampire, I expect she's having very pleasant dreams indeed. My back turned from the others, I adjust the painful hardness inside my jeans, hoping to disguise it, and then I head toward the door to fetch this woman's attendant.

I pause at the door. Failing to ask her name, I'm not certain which attendant to bring in. Perhaps it doesn't matter.

"Call them all in," Flame says, and I turn to see that they've finished with their humans too.

Leaning over a sleeping body, Ana and Blade are kissing, passionately, as Flame strokes his obvious erection, standing and looking down at the other two.

The moment I open the door, four attendants, all vampires, rush in, each with a comfortable looking transport chair. Moving quickly, they easily lift the sleeping humans, settle them into the chairs and head away. The entire process is seamless and happens in a matter of seconds.

Once they're gone, I lean my forehead against the closed door, keeping my eyes away from Ana, Blade and Flame. Not that my lack of sight line can hide what's going on. The three are kissing, touching, moaning, and a deep longing swells inside me.

Leaving my forehead against the door, I cross my arms, grab onto my elbows, and squeeze, hoping to press out my desire and self-pity. I don't deserve to be with Ana. Her discovering my lie only hastened the inevitable. She'll break my brothers' hearts too, but it's too late to protect them from that.

"One of you fuck me," Ana says, her voice breathless as the kissing sounds continue.

Unable to resist the pull any longer, I turn. Ana's standing on the sofa, while Blade and Flame caress every part of her, their movements both desperate and fluid, the three moving like molten lava.

Hiking up her dress, Ana turns and bends forward to grip the back of the sofa, spreading her legs. Flame releases his cock, so ready and angry it's purple compared to his light complexion, but Blade shoots him a look, shaking his head.

"By all means," Flame bows toward Blade.

Blade slides his hand over Ana's ass, pushing her dress further up her back, and exposing her glistening sex more fully.

"Fuck me hard and fast." Ana's hips swivel. "Like last time."

My chest clenches. The last time she had sex I was involved but won't be this time. Won't be ever again.

Blade lifts Ana, then sits her on the arm of the sofa, facing away from the seats. Her eyes widen at the unexpected change of position, and Flame moves to kneel on the sofa behind her, supporting her upper body. She leans back against Flame as he lovingly strokes her.

Blade stands in front of Ana, motionless since he set her down. "This won't be like last time." He takes Ana's face in his hands. "Last time we did what you wanted. This time, I plan to do what I want."

The strength in Blade's tone and words shocks me. I've seen him bold and commanding while facing an enemy, but never with us, and certainly never with Ana. With her, Blade has been like a puppy seeking approval. But right now, he looks and sounds like a wolf.

Ana squirms on the arm of the sofa, and she looks expectantly into Blade's eyes, as Flame's hands slide all over her skin. She's clearly shocked by Blade's tone too, but also turned on, anticipating whatever it is he has in mind.

I just hope he's not planning any knife play, because I can't watch that without stopping him.

"Just remember what we agreed," Ana says. "No emotion."

Blade silences her with a soft kiss, and she moans.

"I agreed to no such thing." He kisses her again, holding her head in his hands and stroking her cheeks with his long thumbs. Her entire head nearly disappears within the confines of Blade's hands.

Moving involuntarily, I step to the side to improve my viewing angle, then realize that Flame's fingers are sliding through Ana's sex as he reaches around her, his body supporting her from behind. Flame's half-kneeling on the sofa, with one foot planted on the floor.

Blade breaks the kiss, and Ana pants as he slowly removes his shirt then his jeans, revealing hard muscles, covered in flawless brown skin. He moves like he's on stage and performing a striptease for her. Perhaps the show's for Flame too. He's certainly watching, as his hands continue to explore Ana's body as she leans back against him.

Blade lifts and spreads Ana's legs, putting her body in a V-shape—her ass on the sofa's arm, her upper body leaning back against Flame and her legs resting on Blade, who slides his hands slowly up and down them.

As Flame strokes the rest of her, Blade kisses one calf, then the other, and then proceeds to kiss and lick his way up the insides of both of her legs, moving slowly, alternating his attention between them and leaving her skin damp with saliva, her entire body pink with excitement.

Blade kneels as he continues to ravish her legs. Inch by inch, his mouth gets closer and closer to her sex. Her body's pulsing with anticipation, and her need's so strong I taste it in the air. My throat has gone dry even as I suck my cheeks to gather saliva along with the final residue from my feeding.

In one quick motion, Flame removes her dress and tosses it across the room. And then, as he continues to support her, his hands move with more urgency, touching and squeezing, stroking, gently pinching, as if he's a sculptor and she's clay.

Now kneeling in front of her, Blade bends his head toward her blood-swollen sex.

Moaning, she leans back against Flame as Blade hooks her legs over his shoulders to better make a meal of her. I can't really see all he's doing, but my cock pounds as I imagine her sweet taste on his tongue as he drinks her nectar.

Flame shifts one of his hands to her throat, and then to her chin as he guides her mouth toward his. They kiss as she leans back against him, the act more tender and gentler than I ever imagined Flame could manage. They nibble and lick, both clearly engrossed in the act as Blade mirrors the kiss between her legs.

Draped over Blade's shoulders, Ana's legs flex. Her body twists, and her hips press her sex more fully against his mouth. He holds onto her thighs, as if he fears she'll fly up to the ceiling. His mouth unlatches, and he kisses her inner thighs, licking and kissing the skin I know is so soft there.

"Don't stop," she cries out to Blade. Flame's kiss silences her for a second, but she breaks free again. "Please, Blade. I'm so close."

Blade stands, his hands stroking her legs and lifting them. "Put her somewhere higher," he commands.

Flame slides his hands under Ana's legs, then he lifts and turns her to sit on the back of the sofa, as he continues to support her, one leg on the floor, the other kneeling on the sofa cushions.

Blade positions himself between Ana's spread legs, and the pair tip her until she's in a v-sit between them, her legs resting on Blade's chest, her back against Flame, her ass barely perched on the back of the sofa.

"I'm going to fuck you now," Blade says, his voice deeper than normal. "And I'm going to slice my cock into you slowly. In fact, it might take me days to get fully inside you."

Her eyes widen, and her mouth opens, almost as if she's about to object, but then she nods, looking into Blade's eyes with so much affection it stabs into my heart. My cock screams for attention, and I realize I've been stroking myself through my jeans.

Shame fills me. I was already physically aroused from the feeding, and that's grown by a factor of ten thousand since I've been watching this.

But I don't deserve to feel pleasure right now. I don't deserve a release. I don't deserve any relief, no matter how badly I need it, no matter how hard my balls and heart ache.