The Vampire Next Door (36 page)

“I don’t mind at all. I admit I’m curious though. You and Gwyneth have been up to something.”

She chuckled. “Yes, we have. But this gift is also from Merry and Jason. It’s a little weird, but I think you’ll be happy.”

He glanced at her sideways. “Weird, huh?”

“You’ll see.”

She took him by the hand and led him out of his apartment to the basement door. “Do you want to go first or shall I?”

“Why? Am I going to trip over it?”

She chuckled. “No. It might surprise you though.”

“Hmmm…” He bowed and swept his arm in a grand gesture. “Ladies first.”

Morgaine couldn’t wait to see the expression on his face when he saw the enterprise the four of them had set up. Gwyneth had suggested the idea, and then Merry and Jason hired some help to put the whole business together. Morgaine had insisted on paying for the supplies. Her biggest and best surprise she’d save until last.

She flicked on the light switch and descended the stairs with Sly behind her. At the point where he could see the actual layout, he halted.

“What the…”

Morgaine giggled. “Can you tell what it is?”

“I see a big wooden vat, some shelves that look like they’re made for wine bottles, and a few other pieces I’m not familiar with. It looks like a whole wine-making operation.” He reached the bottom of the stairs and wandered through the setup.

“It is. Gwyneth figured Sly Wine would be better if made fresh. We researched the necessary process, ingredients, and environment, and then Merry and Jason helped us with the business plan. I even have a fireproof safe to store a few bottles, just in case. So we’ll always have enough to hold us until we can set up the operation again.”

“You’re brilliant.”

“There’s more. Jason said I don’t have to pay rent anymore.”

“I see… sort of.” His brows knit in confusion.

“I think you’ll like the next part the best.”

He tipped his head and waited without saying anything.

“I’m going to run the whole thing. If you’re the super while I make Sly Wine for you… for us, I’ll have plenty of money from readings and can give up the phone-sex business. Gwyneth’s already said she’ll take over the calls and help me stomp the grapes when it’s not busy.”

Sly’s jaw dropped. “Really? You’d want to do that?” His expression softened. “You know I never asked you to. Is this really what you want?”

She smiled. “More than anything. I can still work from home, be sure our needs are taken care of properly, and show muwumfuoo.”

She couldn’t finish her sentence because Sly had grabbed and kissed her.

When he let her go, he laughed. “What was that last thing you said?”

“By doing this, I can show my love for you.”

“Oh, honey.” He held her tenderly. “This means so much to me.”

She sported a grin he couldn’t see. She just hoped he’d hear it in her voice. “I thought you’d like it.”

“I love it. I love
you.
So much.”

She couldn’t speak around the lump in her throat as tears formed in her eyes.

*   *   *   *

A couple weeks later, the operation was in full swing. The girls were knee deep in the vat stomping grapes. Morgaine glanced up and spotted her beloved on the stairs.

“Hey, Sly,” she called out when she saw him. “Want to join us?”

He chuckled. “No, I was actually hoping you’d join me, Morgaine. We have something important to take care of.”

Gwyneth continued squashing grapes with her feet. “More important than making all your curative wine?”

Sly cleared his throat. “It’s something we ought to do before the handfasting. You’ll have to forgive me for borrowing your cousin, Gwyneth.”

He moved to the side of the vat so fast that he created a blur. Then he lifted Morgaine out of it and carried her toward the stairs. She clasped him around the neck.

“Sorry for deserting you, Gwyneth. We’ll see you later.”

“Aw, don’t pay it no nevermind.” She waved them away. “I can finish this up without y’all.”

“Thanks, Cousin,” Sly said and winked.

That seemed to please Gwyneth immensely. It pleased Morgaine too, and she kissed him on the cheek.

Sly carried her up the stairs into his apartment and gently set her standing up in the bathtub. “Let’s wash off those feet of yours, and then we’ll take care of that little matter I mentioned.”

“Yeah, what is it we need to do that’s so important?” She turned on the water and waited for it to warm up.

“Since it’s going to be a late night, I thought you might prefer to go through the conversion first.”

Her eyes rounded. “You’re going to make me a vampire? Now?”

“Would you rather wait?”

She lowered herself to sit on the edge of the tub. “No. I guess I just thought we’d do it after or around the same time as the handfasting. There’s two weeks to go.”

Sly shrugged. “We can do it either way… or not at all. It’s up to you.”

“I still want to go through with it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely, positively.”

He smiled. “Okay, then. I guess we just need to decide when that should happen.”

“Does it take some getting used to?”

“Oh, yes.”

“Like how?”

“You’ll have to learn to hold things gently. Anything you grip hard you could crush.”

“Oh, dear. Is that why you’ve always been so gentle with me?”

“Exactly. When we’re both vampires and I know I won’t hurt you, we can play as rough as you want.”

Morgaine laughed. “Let’s see how it goes. Maybe we should let the mood decide.”

“Agreed.”

He twirled a lock of her hair around his finger and leaned down to kiss her.

After a long, sweet kiss, Morgaine said, “I think we should do this well before our celebration. I’d hate to give someone an enthusiastic hug and crush them.”

Sly laughed. “That’s what I thought.”

She trailed a finger up his arm sensuously. “Can this conversion involve sex?”

“I was hoping you’d be open to that. I understand it’s pretty hot that way. Your thinking of it makes me even happier.”

She washed her feet quickly and dried them on the towel he handed her. Batting her eyelashes, she said, “Race you to the bedroom!”

Naturally, Sly beat her to it.

*   *   *   *

They seemed as perfect for each other in bed as they were in other areas. Morgaine understood his body and knew exactly how to turn him on. She felt every bit of her womanly power whenever he told her he’d go mad if he didn’t have her. Maybe it was her psychic skills—or maybe she was just paying attention to his moans and groans of pleasure. Whatever it was didn’t matter. He was the love of her soon-to-be immortal life, and she couldn’t believe she’d ever found this much happiness.

“I never thought I’d get so lucky.”

He held her gently, almost reverently, as he gave her a long, deep kiss. She snaked her hand down between them and cupped his balls through his pants. His groan betrayed a deep hunger. She felt it too. It invaded her chest, and she needed him naked now.

As if on cue, he said, “If you don’t take your clothes off this minute, I might tear them off.”

She giggled. “This is one of my few pairs of shorts, so I’d rather you didn’t.”

“Then get naked, woman.”

She grinned as she rolled up to a sitting position and whipped off her periwinkle jersey. Then she shimmied out of her navy blue shorts, which she considered her grape-stomping outfit. With only her black lacy underwear on, she allowed him to appreciate her womanly curves.

“You’re beautiful, Morgaine.”

“You’re not bad either,” she quipped. “But you’d look a lot better naked too.”

He chuckled and bounded off the bed. In a split second, he had geared down to his birthday suit and zoomed back to the place he’d just been lounging.

She sighed. “I can’t wait until I can do that.”

“Me too.” He held out his arms. “Come to me, darling.” Giving her a devilish grin, he said, “I’ve wanted to make love to you ever since you left my bed this morning.”

She lay next to him and threaded her fingers through his silky dark hair. “Take me, Sly.” Her lips grazed the pale column of his neck. “Make love to me as only you can.”

He covered her body with his larger one, pressing her into the mattress. His hands scooped beneath her and roamed over her flesh, exciting myriad sensations.

“I love how you touch me,” she said softly. “You know every inch of me now, yet you hold me like it’s the first time. I hope we never lose that.”

“We won’t. If anything, we’ll add more to our repertoire.” He let out a low growl, hauled himself up in one swift, fluid motion, and flipped her onto her stomach.

She squealed, then laughed at her own surprise. Sly popped open her bra and lowered his body on top of her. His hands slid beneath her to her breasts and fondled them. She moaned, then lifted her bottom and pressed it against his erection. She felt his heat right through her lacy underwear. He’d obviously had his wine recently. Soon, they’d drink together and wind up tangled in the sheets.

His lips were on her neck. He kissed and excited her skin until it tingled in anticipation.

As if he’d heard her, he said, “Not yet.” Perhaps he had. He teased her by drawing his fangs over the spot.

“Don’t make me wait,” she murmured. “I want this.”

“Soon.” He plucked her hard nipples before his hand eased down between her sweltering hot thighs. He slipped his fingers into her panties and rubbed her clit until the exquisite sensation built to a fevered peak. She crashed over the edge, yelling out her release. Except for his name and “Oh, my Goddess,” the words were indecipherable.

Then he divested her of her bikini bottoms. He hooked an arm around her waist and hoisted her to her knees. Her bra straps fell off her shoulders and settled around her elbows. She lifted one arm, then the other, and flung the remaining garment. She braced her forearms on the pillows, and her bare bottom was completely exposed to him. A decadent thrill worked its way through her. She knew they possessed the same passionate nature, and she loved him all the more for it.

As his fingers eased inside her already wet channel, Morgaine felt the overwhelming need to have him inside her, filling her completely. He stroked her sensitive flesh, gently at first, then increased his strokes, inciting a raging inferno.

He pumped his fingers in and out of her, his thumb coming into contact with her clit each time. When she teetered on the edge of coming, he withdrew his fingers and thrust his hard cock inside her.

The moment he touched her clit with his finger, she came, letting out a series of sharp cries that filled the room. Her internal muscled clenched, and he tensed, holding on to his control.

“Oh, yes,” he hissed. “I like it when you express yourself, sweetheart.”

He let his finger slip away from her clit so she could recover. But she didn’t want to recover. She wanted to come again and again, until neither of them could take any more. “Keep going, Sly. Keep it up until we come together.”

He chuckled and didn’t break his stride. As he surged into her, the heat grew again. She knew it would. She loved the feeling of him buried inside her, filling her. The erotic sensations made her body hum with life. It was no wonder she wanted eternal life with him. Only with him.

“Come on, Sly. Fang me, baby!”

He leaned over and just as he touched her clit again, he sank his fangs into her neck. She shot to the edge of oblivion, resulting in an out-of-body experience unlike anything she could have imagined.

Eventually, she stopped bucking and felt her life slipping away. When he’d brought her to the brink of consciousness, she slumped onto the pillows. He turned her head to the side and pressed his skin against her mouth.

“Drink, Morgaine.” A tangy liquid passed her lips and hit her tongue. He must have opened a vein. A metallic smell filled her nostrils. She lapped at his life blood, lazily at first. Suddenly, a tremendous thirst hit her and demanded more. She sucked greedily at his offering until he yanked his wrist away.

“Enough.”

Her head spun and then magically cleared. Something was happening. A profound awakening took over. All her senses were growing tenfold.

“I can hear the rustle of wind through the trees outside… and footsteps on the sidewalk.” The smell of her herbal shampoo overwhelmed her.

“Remember, I’m here for you. I love you.”

She heard his thought, muffled somewhat but audible, as if in a TV dream sequence.

“Oh, my Goddess. Sly, is this what it’s like for you all the time?”

“Don’t worry. You’ll learn to moderate it.”

“I hope so. Can you hear everyone’s thoughts?”

He laughed. “Thank goodness, no.”

May 1st, Beltane

The day of their handfasting had finally arrived. Morgaine, Merry, and Gwyneth had made all the preparations. A quiet ceremony in the penthouse would be followed by a celebration feast. All the building’s residents plus Konrad and Roz were invited.

To blow off some of her nervous tension, Morgaine had decided to join Gwyneth in stomping grapes in the basement. They removed their slippers and climbed into the large wooden vat.