A Taste for Blood (3 page)

After placing my hands on her hips, I guided her down to me. It took a few tries, but eventually our bodies cooperated and I slipped inside. We sat there and both of us held our breath, her body adjusting to mine while I waited for my head to stop spinning.

In front of me was the most amazing woman I’d ever met—a human, and the best lover I’d ever known. Always attentive to my needs, though she didn’t have to be. She had her safe words. She could’ve stopped this play or any in the future whenever she wanted, but I had yet to hear her use them.

There had been times when I’d stopped a scene because I could sense her heightened anxiety, but either I no longer let it get to the point of her needing safe words, or she was a lot stronger now than she’d been in the beginning. I decided it was the latter. She’d come a long way since we’d first met, and I couldn’t see myself spending the rest of eternity with anyone but her.

Kassy shifted her weight, bringing me back to the present. Using a very light touch, I guided her up and down my length. I knew she wanted to go fast, but I made sure every stroke was accented by one of her enticing moans. And when her stamina waned, I took over, holding her up as I thrust inside, our hips gently kissing one another whenever we moved.

Assured she wouldn’t change our rhythm, I freed up one of my hands, rubbing my thumb over her clit. She jumped, a gasp escaping her lips. She faltered, doubling over when I applied a little more pressure. I pushed up at her, reminding her of the dance we had yet to finish.

Following my direction, she quickly adjusted her position to make sure I was hitting her G-spot with every stroke. Her back arched as her legs began to shake. I looked off to the side at her curling toes and couldn’t ignore the bite of her nails on my skin.

Hang in there, baby. Wait just a little longer.

“F-faster,” she breathed, her nails raking at my back.

I hugged her to my chest, keeping the same pace as before. “Your neck,” I panted, brushing a hand against her cheek. “Show me your neck.”

She swallowed and glanced up at the ceiling, her eyes closed off from the rest of the world. I bucked into her and with every moan, her neck called to me. Holding her hips, I easily transitioned us so her body pulled me deeper. I gasped. She didn’t breathe. Didn’t speak. Her heart kept beating—calling to me…

A faint light sparked just outside my peripheral vision. I was so close. So. Fucking. Close.

Come on, baby.

Just when thought she was about to push her orgasm back, I spoke. “Come, Kassy. Come, now.”

Her body shook. Tightened. And as the seconds slipped by, she released. Her face twisted with frustration, then bliss. As the endorphins took her as high as she could go, I bit down, breaking the skin. She whimpered, rocking her hips as I reached the peak of my orgasm. And as I took my very first sip of blood for the evening, I came.

Chapter Three

Once my vision finally cleared, Kassy was still there, leaning in to my vampire’s kiss. I inhaled, monitoring her scent as it went from sweet to heady to spicy, then to the more offensive iron I was used to smelling after drinking my fill.

She murmured as I came up for air, and it took every ounce of strength I had not to kiss her again. She was still conscious…barely. If I drained her any further, she’d be out until morning, and my plans for the evening would be thrown to the side. Not that I’d mind, but I wasn’t entirely sure I had the balls to ask for permission to turn her a second or third time.

Lifting her away from me, I sat her down on the couch before getting rid of the condom. After I returned, I wrapped the robe around her shoulders and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.

“Kassy, baby? Are you still here?”

I’d been exceptionally careful tonight to keep her out of subspace, but even my bite could’ve sent her there. In order for this to work, I needed her permission—her invitation—to take my kiss a little further. If she wasn’t aware of her surroundings, I wouldn’t be able to ask. Some vampires were known to have turned humans without asking, but I wanted this to be her choice.

She’ll say yes. She has to. Please, baby, please say yes.

“Yes.” The word came out in a thin whisper, and at first I’d forgotten what I’d asked. As if she’d caught on, she clarified, “I’m awake.”

I breathed around my relief and leaned over her, caressing her face. Her cheeks were coloured. Still alive.
Still human.
I winced at the reminder. Her skin was already pale enough, I had to wonder how pale she would become if she accepted my offer.

Any paler than this and she’ll be like snow.

Licking my lips, I knelt down in front of her, and as I caressed the new bite on her neck, she gave me her full attention. She furrowed her brow, likely confused as to why I—her Dom—was kneeling in front of her as though submitting to her. And in some way, I probably was.

A submissive gives herself to a Dom out of trust and a desire to obey and love. In that respect, we were the same. I was loyal to her—wanted to be with her, to protect her…always.

I’ll always be here for you.

She sat up, placing her hand on mine. “What’s wrong?”

I looked around the room, inspecting everything. Anything that had nothing to do with her. I was sure of it now. Our roles
had
reversed. I avoided her gaze, even though, deep down, she was the only one I could see.

“Alex?” She choked my name, begging me to answer. “Master?”

She squeezed my hand, and I could sense the tension building up in her neck as she fought back the tears. I’d been quiet with her before, but not like this. The silent treatment had been used as a tool to some of the games we played.

This isn’t a game.

The words still refused to come.

I could feel her fidgeting, her cuffs jingling the slightest bit when she moved. Her entire body was a ball of tension, and if I didn’t do something soon, I’d have a lot more to worry about than her just saying no to my turning her.

I lifted my gaze, and if I wasn’t a vampire I probably would’ve blushed. Her eyes glossed over and she offered a weak, hopeful smile. Uncertain.
Scared.

“No, no,” I murmured, surprised when my voice didn’t crack. “Don’t cry, baby. Please don’t cry.”

She cocked her head to one side and brushed my face with her fingertips. “What about you?”

I bowed my head. Closed my eyes. Regained some form of control.

“Please tell me what’s wrong. You’re scaring me.”

“I…” I touched a fang with my tongue and willed it back to a reasonable length so my speech wouldn’t slur. “N-nothing’s wrong. It’s quite the opposite, actually.”
Breathe. Remember to breathe
. “There’s something I want to ask you—something I’ve been meaning to ask you for a long time.”

Her smile returned with a little more enthusiasm than before. “I didn’t think vampires had it in them to propose.”

I laughed, which released some of the tightness in my chest. “Not exactly, no. But…this thing we have—it’s special, right?”

“If it would please—”

I shook my head before she could finish. “We’re on even ground right now. Answer with how you feel, and not with what you think I’d like to hear.”

It was asking a lot. Being a submissive wasn’t a learned trait for her like with some of the others. It was who she was. Being told to speak freely was the same as me asking her to breathe water without drowning. In her eyes, it just wasn’t possible.

A vampire’s kiss will change that.

If she were to accept, she’d not only be giving up her submissive side, she’d be submitting to instinct alone. And teaching her to control that? I honestly wasn’t sure she could.

Not without your help.

I’d always be her Dom, but the meaning—her entire world was about to change.

If she says yes.

“You mean like us?” Kassy made a gesture at the air between us. “This life we share?”

I gave her question some thought, and while it wasn’t what I had meant, it would do for now. “Yes. Is it special?”

She chewed on her bottom lip. “Maybe not to anyone else, but it is to me. This isn’t just any life. It’s ours.”

I bobbed my head. “I know we’ve talked about this before, but it’s worth repeating. The time we share together, I’d hate to ever give it up—”

“But you’re a vampire, and I’m—”

“Let me finish.” I took her hands in mine. “Kassy, I can’t give this up. What we have. Us. I’m addicted to you, and not how you’d think. Every time I wake, you’re in my system, tugging at the back of my mind. I can give in to my instincts for a short while, but in the end, my thoughts always come back to you. And if this should ever end…” I shook my head.

“What are you saying?”

Better say it now.
I had an opening. A chance to tell her the truth, a chance to tell her what I’d been hoping for since the beginning.
A new life.
One filled with a person to share it with. A life where I’d never have to say goodbye.

If she says no, you might have to.

“This isn’t easy for me, Kassy. I want you to know that.”

She pulled her hands away from mine. “You’re giving up on us.”

My stomach clenched as I grasped at the empty space her hands left behind. “God, no… Not unless that’s what you want.”

“Alex, this is the first time I’ve ever heard you stumble over your words. Tell me what it is you’re trying to say.”

“I… I want to turn you.” My voice shook. I glanced up at her, noting her rapid heartbeat and the breath she had yet to release. “Kassy?” No answer. “I know it’s selfish of me, and I know I’m asking a lot, but…if you won’t have me for all eternity, then—”

“It isn’t that.” Her cheeks coloured, and she averted her gaze.

“Then what is it?”

“I never expected it”—she gestured to me kneeling in front of her—“like this.”

“But you expected it—for me to turn you? How?”

“You told me.” She met my gaze and smiled when I didn’t reply. “One of the first times you bit me, you were so happy—”

“Drunk,” I corrected.

She nodded. “You told me you planned to turn me. But”—she shook her head—”you haven’t mentioned it since.”

I drew in a shaky breath and went to sit beside her, wincing when my knees cracked. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because you were drunk, and I was afraid of what you’d say once you were sober.”

“So, all this time, you’ve been waiting for me to ask? Why?”

“This life—the life I should have when I’m not with you—doesn’t exist. I don’t have a family, Alex. No friends. Well, not human friends, anyway.”

“You know that, if I turn you, you’ll still have the same past. It isn’t something you can bury under your vampire skin.”

She bowed her head and put her hands in mine. “I know, and I’d never use you like that.” I lifted her chin, and she continued. “I’ve given you my loyalty, love and obedience. I want to give this to you—this shell of a life. I know I’ll still be the same person, but I really want this.”

“Are you sure? If you want to back out, just say the word.”

She was shaking her head as I finished. “I’m sure.” She held my gaze and took a deep breath. “Please, Master, let me do this for you.”

I swallowed. My hands shook. I’d turned humans in the past, but it had never been this personal. Never like this. Steadying my hands, I trailed my fingertips along the side of her neck. Just one swift bite. It wouldn’t take much, but it wasn’t her submission I was worried about.

I paused, lost somewhere between taking it just far enough and when there would be no turning back. And as my skin burned, my veins turned to ice.

If you don’t do this now, Corvis will.

I bit back a growl. Corvis had got wind of Kassy and wanted her for himself. For the blood den. And I wasn’t about to let him use her as a donor. Not if I could save her from Corvis’ persuasion.

When I finally spoke, Kassy eyed my lips, as if she were already a vampire compelling me to speak. “We’ll do this for both of us.”

Shifting my weight, I directed her to lie down on the couch, which she did without hesitation. After a bit of effort on her part, she removed her robe from around her neck and her breasts—anywhere I’d bitten her in the past. But what I wanted were her lips.

I lay on top of her, skin to skin, her body heat melting my own. Looking at her now, I knew this would be her last breath. The last memory from an old life. I lowered my lips to her neck and breathed in her scent.

She stirred and tangled her fingers in my hair. I kissed her neck. Behind her ear. Her cheek. Until, finally, my lips landed on her own. And, as I stole her final breath, I bit down, taking the last few drops of blood I needed to send her to the edge of death.

“Kassy, you’re going to feel like you’re drowning, but I need you to lie as still as you can. Close your eyes. Take deep breaths. And when I bite my lip, I need you to kiss me back. Don’t let go. Do you understand?”

Her eyes were wide, her heart rate so slow that it took me a moment to see if she was still breathing…still alive. Taking a deep breath, as if doing so would remind her of what was about to happen, I bit my bottom lip until it bled.

Again, I studied her eyes. Her heartbeat. The way she held her body. She might not have been able to speak, but if there was any doubt in my mind that this wasn’t what she wanted, I would’ve pulled back and let her revive. Fear? Yes. Anxiety? Certainly. But neither one was directed at me. Her eyes always stayed on mine. She wasn’t looking for an escape.

She doesn’t need one.

I leant forward, and lifting her head away from the couch, I closed the distance between us. Her lips touched mine in one of the lightest kisses ever known to man, but it was enough. She gasped for breath. I inhaled a lungful of air. Held it. She did the same, her face twisting in pain.

Soon, baby. Just hang in there.

Her hands flew up behind my neck, and I deepened our kiss when her nails dug into my skin. Slowly, painfully, she began to calm. Her breaths came easier. And as the colour I was so used to seeing on her drained from her face, Kassy let her hands fall to her sides.