The Girl Who Bites (3 page)

The stranger was smiling at her, obviously enjoying either holding her or her confusion. She pushed roughly away from him, almost tripping over Riley’s body.

Amy’s eyes went wide. “What are you?”

“I’m like you, Amy.”

“You’re like…me?” She was slowly recovering her composure. “And what am I?”

“You’re a ‘creature of the night’ a ‘blood-sucking leech’ or how about just…vampire?”

Amy closed her eyes, another wave of dizziness passing through her, then thought better of doing that in front of this guy.

“You’re not like me…” But she watched as he
smiled, his fangs clearly evident, almost sparkling white in the dimness of the bar.
Toothpaste ad.
The inane through popped into her mind.

She sighed. “So you’re a vampire. Look, this is my turf, so you can leave now. There’s not enough blood in this town to go around.”

“But it’s not blood I’m after, Amy. It’s you.”

Amy’s eyes went wide. “Me?
Why me?”

“I knew Antoine.”

If it could have, Amy’s blood would have gone cold. It had been centuries since she’d heard the name.

Antoine had been her lover, her one-and-only, back in the day…back in Scotland of all places.
Ancient history.

“How?
When?”

“I was at Castle
Leod. They called him Lochlainn then; the stranger. You weren’t Amy; you were Lildh…Lily. The two of you managed to remain among an entire clan of Scottish Highlanders and not be discovered. Quite a feat.” He looked around.

“I guess you’re repeating history then, doing the same here in the middle of nowhere. I assume no one knows your dark little secret.”

He looked at her appraisingly. “You’ve lost nothing of your beauty, Amy. You’re just as lovely here in the desert as you were in the Highlands. Just with shorter hair.”

“Don’t flirt with me. But I don’t remember you at all. Where were you? How…” Her thoughts were a mess. She’d managed to push most of the memories of Antoine out of her mind.

“I wasn’t a vampire…then; I was a MacKenzie clansman, traveling through. Antoine turned me…accidentally. He said he intended to let me go, since I was supposed to be on my way, and no one would be the wiser. But he got a little carried away.”

Amy started. Antoine had never told her anything about turning anyone. They’d been so very careful not to be discovered.

“He felt bad, if it’s any consolation. But once I’d turned, I didn’t leave. We became close, as close as I wanted to be with the creature who made me what I am. I think he felt sorry for me, wanted to make it up somehow.” The man shook his head.

“Anyway, he talked about you, a great deal. He was very much in love with you. When you two were discovered and left, I stayed behind for a time, but it was hard. I missed Antoine. So I tried to follow you, but lost the trail. And then…”

“And then Antoine was killed. And I came here…” She looked down, sudden tears pricking her eyelids.
When the hell was the last time I cried…for Antoine or anyone else. Or for myself.

“I followed the trail to France. And found the hunter who had killed him. That hunter is dead now.”

Amy looked up. “Oh. Well, I suppose I should thank you.”

“But you disappeared from the face of the earth.” He looked around. “Really fell off the face of the earth.”

“Yeah…this place suits me though.”

The sound of the hinge squeaking made Amy jump.
Pete…oh, shit.

“You…” She pointed a finger at the man. “What the hell is your name, anyway?”

“Oh…I was Robbie then, Robert now. Never changed it much…didn’t see the need.”

“Okay, Robbie…Robert.
Whatever. We need to move Riley’s body. Help me.”

Robert looked down at Riley’s body briefly,
then picked him up, tossing him over his shoulder, moving toward the storage room.

“Oh, wait…not there.”

“Why on earth not? Who cares if there’s a dead guy in your storage room?”

“Um…well, long story. Take him upstairs, first room on the left. It’s a second bedroom. He’ll be okay there till we…and I say ‘we’ because you’re going to help me…deal with his body later. God, I hate saying that.”

Robert was shaking his head. “Fine. Your bar, your rules.”

She watched him as he disappeared up the stairs, Riley’s head bobbing loosely against his back. Pete was still banging around at the door and she heard his muffled shout.

Amy pulled the door open. Pete was on the other side, his hands full of boxes and hose.

“Sorry, Boss. Too much stuff here. I got parts for the cooler…” He stopped, staring at Amy.

“You okay, Boss? You’re…well, there’s blood.”

Pete was looking at the floor. Amy followed his gaze. There was a small pool of blood on the worn wood floor.

“I…cut my hand.” She held up her finger…the finger she’d run through Riley’s blood, tasted his blood with.

“Oh…well.” Pete moved closer, looking from her finger to the pool on the floor. “Seems like a lot of blood for a scratch.”

“Yeah…I guess.”

“I’ll get the mop and clean this up then.” Pete moved past her, setting his load of paraphernalia on the bar, disappearing into the store room.

Amy heard a noise behind her. Robbie…Robert…whoever…was coming back into the bar. He took a quick look at Amy, grabbed his backpack and headed for the door.

“Later…I’ll be back.”

And he was gone.

Amy was still standing in the middle of the bar when Luke walked in. Never in all her long years had she been so glad to see anyone…

“Hey, Amy. What’s wrong? You look upset.” Luke stopped in front of her, hand on her arm.

Without warning, Amy burst into tears.
When was the last time I cried? For Antoine? For myself…

Luke pulled her to him, holding her against his chest, and murmuring soft words into her hair. Pete came into the bar with the mop and pail and Amy pulled away, wiping her nose on the back of her hand.

“Um…well…I guess I missed you.” There was no way to tell Luke any of what had happened. All she could do was put on a smile and carry on.

“She cut herself.” Pete was mopping the floor, the mop pushing the congealing blood around on the floor. Amy watched, drawn to the swirling red. A wave of hunger passed through her; hunger for blood but also for Luke, for the solid comfort of his body, his smell, everything about him.

“Come on…  Hey, Pete?” She took his hand, pulling him behind her.

“Yeah…I got this.” Pete kept mopping, not bothering to wave.

Luke started toward the storeroom but she turned up the stairs.

“It’s almost time for the bar to open, Amy. And I
gotta get the rig…” His voice was quiet. She stopped on the bottom step, turning toward Luke.

“Yeah.
I know.” She looked into his eyes and for the first time since she’d known Luke, she thought about controlling his mind, making him stay, give up his wife…all the things she wanted. The thought was there in an instant and in that instant, she reached out to his mind.

Luke shook his head. “Okay. Yeah…I’ve got all the time in the world for you, Amy. You know that. I’d move heaven and earth for you.”

The look on his face changed. It wasn’t the Luke she knew, it was a slavishly devoted looking Luke, one who looked like a love-sick puppy. Amy shook her head, instantly letting go of Luke’s mind.

“Uh…Amy?
Did you say something?”

“No, Luke. Come on.” She continued up the stairs.

As soon as the door was closed, Luke pulled her to him, holding her for a moment.

“I missed you, Amy. More than I thought I would.” He held her face in his hands, looking down at her.

All the pent up emotion from Robert’s visit, Riley’s death…it all came rushing out of Amy. She pulled Luke down to the bed, twisting around until he was beneath her. She fought her way out of her jeans and shirt, pressing her naked body against him, his chest beneath her hands, her legs straddling his narrow hips.

His erection was already straining against the tight crotch of his jeans and with a practice hand, she reached between them, popping the snap and working the zipper down. Her hand slid beneath the denim, finding his cock, tugging it free of his pants.

Luke grunted. “Easy there, darling. It is attached to me, you know.” He raised his body, sliding is jeans down his hips.

“Easier access…just what I want.” Amy slid down Luke’s body, her lips finding his neck…resisting the urge to just sink her fangs into his jugular vein.
Not yet…not just yet…

She kissed a line down his chest, pulling one hard brown nipple into her mouth. She felt more than heard Luke moan, his pulse quickening beneath her lips, the blood hot and tempting.

But she quickly moved her lips lower, over his stomach, down to his navel, circling it with the point of her tongue, teeth nipping the tight edge. Luke’s cock was brushing against her breasts, tickling her skin. Without raising her head, she slid his cock between her breasts, pushing them together with her hands, the softness of her breasts surrounding his hard shaft.

Luke’s noises were audible now as she slowly moved up and down, sliding him between her full breasts. She raised her head, meeting his eyes. She saw her passion mirrored there, the heat and arousal she felt clearly visible in Luke’s eyes.

“Oh, fuck…Amy. What you do to me…” His fingers were in her hair, his legs moving restlessly beneath her body.

She rose up, grabbing his cock with eager fingers, diving for him with her mouth, sliding him past her lips and sucking hard. Luke groaned, tugging at her hair now.

“Easy…hey. Jeez…oh, fuck…Amy…”

Amy had no intention of letting up on Luke, sucking him further into her mouth, pulling hard, her teeth…not fangs…grazing his cock. She had his balls in her hand, squeezing and tugging, rougher than she knew he liked, but this wasn’t for Luke. This was something Amy needed.

He was jerking and bucking beneath her within minutes, so close to coming she could feel his balls tensing, sensing that certain angle at which he held his hips, poised on the edge. And that’s where she wanted him.

She pulled him from her mouth, shimmying quickly up his body again, legs spread, keeping him in her hand. There was a split second where their eyes met, as she held herself poised above him.

And then she came down on him hard, taking all of him at once, sliding him into her wet pussy. She cried out as he filled her. From a distance she heard Luke shout, felt him coming inside her, his cock pulsing as he filled her with his seed.

Amy was already off, spiraling up into her own release, her body starting to tremble, her cunt clenching around Luke’s cock. Her hips were canted forward, and she clutched her own breasts, fingers pinching her nipples, crushing the full globes together.

She was just there, just on the edge, but missing something. Panting, she looked down at Luke, his hands now clutching her hips, fingers digging into the soft skin, his cock still hard inside of her as he rode the final waves of his orgasm.

“Touch me, Luke…just once.”

Luke reached for her and she watched his hand slide between her legs. His finger brushed against her clit once, twice…feather soft. That was all it took.

She threw her head back, arms flung wide as a piercing cry broke from her lips. Her legs tensed as she ground herself against Luke’s body, pumping herself up and down rapidly. There was a rush of heat through her body, and a corresponding rush of wetness between her legs.

There was nothing else except the explosion of pleasure in her body…pleasure wasn’t even close to describing what she felt. It took her away from Luke, from the room she was in. Sent her someplace far away, full of nothing but sensation.

Then she came rushing back to reality. Luke was holding her, stroking her hair, calling her name softly.

“Amy? You okay, darling?” There was worry in his voice.

“I am now…” She smiled, reaching up to stroke his cheek. “I think I got a little carried away.”

“That’s an understatement. Is there something going on? You’re even more…assertive than usual, Amy.”

“No…just missed you.”

He laughed, a deep rumbling sound she felt against her cheek. “I should go away more often.”

She shook her head against his chest. “No…don’t do that.” She sat up, looking at Luke.

“There’s something I want to ask you…to tell you, I guess, and then ask.”

Luke took a deep breath. “Well, this must be the day for news. I have something I want to tell and then ask you too.”

“You first then.”

He cleared his throat once…twice…pulling her back to his chest. “This is harder than I thought…

“We don’t talk much about…things…us…other than what we want here…” He waved one hand around the room.

“You know I’m married. And I know you’re…insatiable.” She heard the smile in his voice. “So far, for both of us, it’s been working.”