CHAPTER 27

JULIANUS

The first time

I PAID THE check and guided Myra out of the restaurant. I didn't know what I intended to do with her since every instinct was screaming at me to stay away, but she was just so damned…delectable. The way her body responded to mine, the way her lips begged to be kissed, and then there was that sweet pussy that soaked my hand with the slightest touch. It was addictive. It had been so long since I'd had a willing partner, especially one who stirred my desires like she did.

I led us around the corner to a quiet alley and backed her up against the brick wall.

"What are we doing here?' she whispered, her eyes scanning the darkness.

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "You make me crazy. "

I bent closer to her, our lips barely touching as I felt her pulse stutter, her breath coming in short gasps. It was heady to have this much power over another person, and I knew if I wasn't careful I could lose total control. "I want you, but I leave it in your hands."

She seemed to consider that. "I…I've never…"

"I know."

"I'm not…that is, I have no birth control."

I hesitated, a smile curling my lips. "No problem. I'm infertile. I'm also clean."

Due to my vampiric nature, I was immune to human ailments, including sexually transmitted diseases. "Anything else?"

She offered a shy smile, her cheeks flushing. "No. I guess not."

"I would never force you, Myra, but…" I pressed my lips to hers, my tongue pushing its way inside. She tasted of spices and mint, and that flavor that was uniquely hers, and I had all I could do not to devour her on the spot. But I pulled back and searched her eyes, reaching up to run my thumb over her lower lip. "So kissable."

"Why?" she asked.

Why what, I wondered. Why did I want her, why was she always on my mind? Why did I feel this need to protect her, to possess her?

On the surface, the answer was obvious. Had been from the first time I'd met her eyes in that bar. They were so much alike, and yet, she was completely different. There was a strength in her I had never seen in Rosetta, with the soft heart of a poet and a sense of tragedy in her gaze. I could imagine myself wanting to spend my years with her, but what did that even mean? To make her like me and steal away the life she could have lived?

I couldn't deny the appeal of it, if I was being selfish, but that wasn't fair to her. As much as I wanted to be the only man in her life, a small part of me knew that wasn't possible. At least, not long term. But for now?

"I can't explain why you're my first waking thought," I replied. "Or why seeing you with another man drives me to rage. I only know that I want you."

Something I said must have satisfied her, because her eyes softened and she raised up on her toes to press her lips to mine. I don't know if that was her giving me permission, but I took it as such and deepened the kiss, our tongues tangling while my hands moved up her hips to cup her breasts. I was still letting her set the pace, taking my time until I felt her pulse quicken as she leaned closer, preening from my touch. I ran one hand under the hem of her sweater to slip inside her bra, rolling her pebbled nipple between my fingers. She ground her hips against me, and my cock hardened at the contact. While I continued to massage her breast, my other hand slipped down to duck under her skirt and slide between her legs.

"Drenched," I murmured. "Just for me."

I wanted to take my time, to savor the experience, but the surroundings and my hunger for her demanded otherwise. I yanked her panties aside and dug two fingers into her pussy, massaging her clit while I continued to roll and pinch her nipple. She moaned again and lifted one leg to give me better access to her steaming cunt, and I felt like my cock would explode. When I withdrew my hand, she whimpered.

"Don't worry, cuore mio, I'm not going far."

I reached down to open my pants, freeing my cock before guiding the head to her opening. I rubbed it against her swollen lips to get it wet, though it was already leaking pre-cum. She tensed up until I traced my tongue up to her ear, nibbling on the sensitive flesh while whispering words of encouragement.

"I promise I'll go slow. I don't want to hurt you."

She nodded then, her eyes wide, and I eased into her, continuing my dialogue. "So tight. Such a good girl." I ran my hands over her hips to circle her ass, pulling her into me while I slowly breached her pussy. There was some resistance when I hit her hymen, then I pushed past until I was completely seated inside her.

"Fuck, you feel good," I murmured, kissing her ear. "My cock loves your sweet pussy."

I trailed kisses down her cheek to close my mouth over hers, sucking in her tongue while I began to withdraw my cock. She clung to me as though she was afraid I would leave her, but when I slowly pushed back in and began a leisurely rocking motion, she began to relax.

The irony of the situation wasn't lost on me. The last time I had held Rosetta was against a wall with my cock buried inside her just like this, though it had hardly been pleasant for either of us. She was my unwilling victim while I was lost in the throes of a bloodlust I had no power to control. I pushed the thought away and concentrated on making sure this time turned out differently, which meant keeping a lid on my cursed appetite.

After a few minutes, Myra began to push back, meeting my thrusts and moaning into my mouth. I quickened the pace, driving into her, each stroke eliciting a whispered grunt as she picked up my rhythm. When she threw back her head to get her breath, I had all I could do not to bury my teeth in her exposed flesh, knowing that a simple love bite could become something far more dangerous. But damn, the temptation …

"How does that feel?" I asked to distract myself.

"Harder," she panted. "I'm so close."

The only sound in the alley was our labored breathing and the soft slap of flesh on flesh as I pounded into her. I swallowed my growing thirst, fighting against the nature that would have me consume her life, and concentrated on giving her what she needed. Her hardened nipples scraped against my chest, making me wish I could remove all our clothes so I could experience her body without barriers. I couldn't remember the last time I had wanted anything so badly. Every cell in my body was crying out in recognition.

"You're mine," I growled against her mouth. "You've always been mine." The need to possess her, to devour her, was almost unbearable.

She whimpered as I nuzzled the warm flesh of her throat, my tongue tracing up her neck to her mouth as her pussy clenched around me, so close to release.

"Come for me. Drown my cock in your sweet juices."

I gave one final, brutal thrust, and her breath hitched, a ragged scream erupting from her throat as she shattered. When I felt her spasms milking my cock, I let go, adding my own release to hers while I closed my arms tightly around her. My mouth hovered over that pulse point on her neck, my jaw aching to sink into her heated skin, the hunger inside screaming to taste her. It took all my willpower not to surrender to it, but I knew better than to tempt fate. I'd managed to control my thirst for now, but I couldn't guarantee how long that would last, especially where she was concerned. There was too much history there.

When I felt her breathing return to normal, I pulled away and brushed her hair back from her face, planting a soft kiss on her lips. "Feel better? "

She flashed a shy smile. "Yes."

"I'm sorry your first time wasn't somewhere nicer–"

"It was perfect," she assured me, hugging me closer.

I reached down to pull up her panties and straighten her bra before righting my own clothes. "I should probably get you home."

I tried to ignore the disappointment in her eyes. I knew she was hoping for more from me, it being her first time, but this was as much as I could give her. The fact was, she wasn't safe with me right now, though I knew I was a far better option than what lurked in the darkness.

I closed my hand around hers and started walking out of the alley, steering us down the narrow street toward the bar district. She was quiet at first, though I could feel her watching me. "Do you live around here?" she finally asked.

"Not exactly here. I have a house up on the hill. Why?"

She shrugged. "It's just, every time I see you, you're in this area."

"I like to be out among people," I replied.

We turned down the street that led to the school. "What do you do?"

I looked down at her. "Do?"

"Yeah, you know, like a job?"

"I don't have one of those."

Her eyes widened. "You don't work? How do you live?"

I grinned at her. "I've invested wisely during my life."

"But you don't look much older than me."

"Looks can be deceiving, cuore mio ."

I couldn't exactly tell her I lived off of the spoils of my hunts. There had been lovers over the years, people of wealth and power who provided me with everything I needed to survive in the world. I learned the art of manipulation early on in this new life. It was almost too easy to turn the human mind to my favor. And I hadn't exactly lied to her; I did make the most of my investments. Enough that I lived a comfortable existence.

When we got to the campus, she squeezed my hand tighter, like she didn't want to let go. I walked her to the door of her dorm, turning her around to face me. "I enjoyed this evening."

"Me, too," she said. "Will I…will I see you tomorrow?"

As much as I wanted that to happen–had actually manipulated events in that direction–I knew we were playing with fire spending time together. Was I strong enough to control my impulses around her? I know I wanted to try. She was all I thought about.

But if I told her no, would she do something reckless like going into town to look for me? I couldn't take that chance.

"I'll meet you here tomorrow evening around the same time. Stay right here where you can be seen."

"I will," she promised.

I pulled her close and pressed my lips to hers, the kiss triggering the hunger I had thus far managed to keep at bay. I pulled away reluctantly and smiled at her.

"Go inside now. I'm sure your roommate has been worried about you."

She frowned at that and turned to walk up the steps. I watched until she had entered the building and the door had clicked shut behind her, knowing that for me, the night had just begun.

When I'd left the house tonight, it was to find a new feeding source. I hadn't planned on running into Myra, though I wasn't disappointed in how the evening had played out. Unfortunately, our desperate coupling in the alley had only sharpened my appetite.

I headed back toward the bar district with the intent of answering that need. There was no limit of possibilities on the streets tonight, and I determined to take my time and find one strong enough to provide me with sustenance for several days.

I was approaching the bar where I first saw Myra when I caught the nerve-searing scent of blood on the evening breeze. I followed the enticing lure, venturing down the alley running behind the bars, ignoring the pungent odor of moldering food in the dumpsters to hone in on the one I sought. I found what I was looking for near a back door where a dim bulb illuminated the path for the kitchen staff to dump the trash.

She was young; Myra's age. No doubt a student. The scent of cum told me she had been raped, her throat ravaged, her blood smeared across the pale skin. I crouched next to the body and leaned closer, sampling the air for a clue to her attacker. A single red rose lay on her chest, and I knew with fatal certainty that it had been left there for my benefit.

I stood up and looked around to ensure my presence had not been noticed before leaving the alley and heading back in the direction of my home. Hunting would have to wait until later.

On the way there I fought against the rage churning inside me, the food I had consumed earlier sitting like a lead weight in my stomach. We don't need to eat; our bodies don't process the food for any functional purpose. I don't know how many vampires actually bother with it at all, but I like the taste of food every now and then, though I reserve my feedings for items worthy of the discomfort they cause .

Right now, however, I was wishing I had abstained, and it took all my willpower not to stop and regurgitate the remains. I needed to feed soon, but more than that, I needed to find the one responsible for these bodies. Someone had invaded my territory, and the presence of their calling card meant the list of suspects was short.