Vampire Dreams Revamped (A Sons of Navarus Prequel) (4 page)

***

Brandon knew by midnight all in the house
would be asleep, including Arden. He remained at his desk in his
study, waiting patiently as the minutes ticked away. Anxious, he
tapped his knuckle on the edge of the desktop and jumped when the
grandfather clock in the parlor announced midnight. The time had
come. Resolved to his choice, he left his study and taking each
step with care, he quietly ascended the stairs to her bedroom.

Once inside her room, he stood with his back
pressed to the door watching her. How beautiful she was in sleep!
As beautiful as during waking hours. As the glow of the moon
streamed in and bathed her in its soft light, he was reminded of
the vision of her the night before and told himself she was a
natural child of the night.

She remained asleep, and as he watched,
aroused by her peacefulness, his passions created a storm in him he
struggled to control.

So innocent, yet so desirable.

He’d purposefully avoided her since waking,
sure his need for her would be met by the response of a proper
lady. No, he’d have her this way and wait for her to come to
him.

Almost timidly, as if what he might find may
cause him to lose control of his desire, he peeled back the blanket
and sheet to reveal her body covered only by a thin white
nightgown. Mere fabric was all that stood between his desires and
sweet satisfaction.

He stopped a moment as she unconsciously
recognized the change in her sleep, and when she stilled, he sat
silently on the bed to study her. Her face was like that of a
porcelain doll's. He stared at her skin like creamy silk and lips
so perfect they resembled those of the cherubs he'd seen in
paintings. Her body...whatever innocence her face possessed, her
body betrayed it with the seductive curves of a woman. But she was
so delicate—how would she respond to his touch?

Struggling to restrain himself, he gently
touched the soft collar of her nightgown and tugged on the white
silk ribbon at her neck. Opened, it revealed a tease of what was to
come. One by one, he moved down her body as he untied the ribbons
that held the fabric closed, until he’d revealed her beautiful
breasts and womanly figure.

How he wanted her! That it must be like this
for now he accepted, but he eagerly awaited the time when she’d
choose to come to him. Resigned to having her this way, he gazed
one last time at her sleeping figure, almost regretting what he was
about to do to one so innocent. In a whisper, he spoke the chant
that would awaken her as if in a dream.

When she opened her eyes and gazed up at him
with a knowing look, his heart pounded against his chest in fear
that the enchantment hadn’t worked and she was conscious of him.
But soon he saw her eyes cloud over with passion as she reached out
for him and searched for his mouth with hers.

The moment his lips touched that pouty
mouth, his cock hardened. Her kiss was full and supple, not
innocent at all and not what he'd expected. The feel of her tongue
touching his sent his fangs shooting into position, and the need to
taste her pressed painfully on him. With his fingertip, he traced a
delicate ring around her pearled nipple, squeezing it softly
between his thumb and finger when he'd closed the circle. Arden bit
her bottom lip in desire, sending a shot of need to his stiff cock.
Hypnotized, she watched as he removed his clothes with a mere
thought and returned to her, his body desperate to be next to
hers.

His mouth replaced his finger on her nipple,
and he tenderly sucked as she arched up toward him wanting more.
Her skin tasted fresh, like a warm spring day in the country.
Opening his eyes, he looked up and watched as her expression showed
her delight in his touch. Like this, she was so willing and wanton,
her desire meeting his. Spurred on, he let his fangs graze her skin
before he bit down gently on the base of her nipple, drawing a soft
moan from her throat.

Her hands tugged at his hair, urging him to
continue his sweet assault. The feel of her excited skin against
his lips as he sucked aroused him more, and he yearned to have her
in his mouth.

Trailing kisses over her stomach, he stopped
just above her dark triangle and inhaled the scent he’d enjoyed the
night he’d rescued her.

He knew it. She had wanted him...

His hands slid slowly to her inner thighs
and stroked the tender skin. As her legs fell open, his eyes
feasted on her pink cunt and her swollen nub, moist and waiting for
his mouth. Gently at first, he pressed his lips to her soft skin in
the most erotic lover’s kiss. Rewarded with a keening whimper, he
slid his tongue between his lips and began softly flicking her
excited clitoris.

Her fingers urged him on as they pressed
into the back of his head. His tongue explored every delicious inch
of her pussy, savoring the sweetness of her virginal body as it
came alive under his mouth. Eager to feel her come apart beneath
him, he slid a finger into her tight channel and stroked her tender
flesh over the spot he knew would send her crashing into a million
pieces. Over and over, he slid in and out of her, building her
passion to an apex.

Above him, he heard her excited pleas to
bring her the sweet release she craved. Seconds later, as her
insides began milking his finger, she exploded into his mouth.
Sliding his finger out of her, he licked her juices, savoring the
exquisite taste of her.

Now his cock would enjoy what his mouth had
just pleasured. As he hovered over her, he looked down into her
dreamy face and kissed her lips, letting her taste what he had.
Leaning in, he whispered softly in her ear, “Now I’m going to fuck
that delicious cunt, sweet Arden.”

He positioned his cock at her entrance and
slowly pushed into her, letting her become accustomed to his size
before he began fucking her in earnest.

“Tell me what you want, Arden.”

Obeying his command, she pulled him tightly
to her and whispered in his ear, “Fuck me. Please.”

The sound of such raw words coming from the
mouth of his very ladylike maid nearly undid him, but after a few
moments, he’d calmed himself and began plunging into her.

She met his every thrust with one of her
own, at first shyly but then more passionately. With each thrust,
he ached to sink his fangs into her neck, taking her blood into his
body as she took him into hers. However, he’d wait for that. As he
felt himself get close, he spoke to her.

“Sweet, Arden, you feel so tight around my
cock. I’m going to fill you up. Tell me you want that.”

“Yes!”

That one word sent him over the edge, and he
shot his hot seed into her as she nursed his cock through her own
orgasm. Sated, he rested on top of her and sweetly kissed her lips.
She looked so beautiful as she looked up at him wearing an
expression of pure satisfaction, and he so wished he could fall
asleep with her in his arms. But that would have to wait until she
willingly came to him. Until then, he’d take these secret moments
with her.

“Sweet dreams, Arden,” he whispered before
he repeated the chant to send her back to sleep.

Carefully, he retied her nightgown’s ribbons
and tucked her into the sheet and blanket before he left to begin
his night out. Hours later, after he’d taken care of the man who
had chased her the night before, he drank from one of his usual
women and fantasized about Arden’s sweet blood flooding his throat
as he buried himself deep inside her. Then she’d truly be his.

***

Arden awoke to the sound of the
housekeeper’s knuckles rapping on her bedroom door. Groggily, she
sat up on the edge of the bed, still exhausted after what she
reasoned must have been a restless night’s sleep.

As she worked through her day, she awaited
the time she’d see her employer again. She wanted to ask about what
the cook had said, but more and more as the day wore on, she simply
looked forward to seeing him after almost two days absent.

At eight o’clock her anticipation was
finally eased when he called for her to bring his dinner. As she
entered his dimly lit study, she hoped he would be able to help her
understand just what her duties were, though he seemed entirely
disinterested in her, attending to his paperwork and
correspondence.

She placed the tray down and carefully
removed the plate, utensils, and his cup to a table next to his
desk. All the while he made no movement to acknowledge her. Arden
stood patiently beside his desk and waited. Unaccustomed to being
treated like this, she shifted her weight from one foot to the
other and sighed. After she’d done this several times, almost
without thinking, she saw him look up, his face indifferent.

“Yes?”

“Sir...” she hesitated. “Mr. Ridley, I was
hoping I could ask you about our...arrangement.”

Arden watched his face for any change but
saw none. The charming gentleman who’d saved her just days earlier
seemed to have vanished, replaced by a stranger who preferred to
reply to neighbors’ letters than discuss anything with her.

Moving his focus back to the papers on his
desk, he said with an air of detachment, “Our arrangement?”

“Yes, sir. Mrs. Jandry mentioned that I’d
better get used to your schedule, and as I’m to take care of you,
I’d hoped you could tell me what your schedule is.”

Brandon looked up from his papers and stared
straight ahead. “I wouldn’t get caught up in what my cook thinks
you should do.”

“Sir, how am I to take care of you if I
don’t know what my responsibilities are and when I’m expected to
perform them?”

Looking at her for the first time, he said
flatly, “You take care of me just fine, Miss Stephens." With that,
he returned to the work in front of him.

Arden’s exasperation rose up in her, but she
remembered her place and how fortunate she'd been to be offered her
position. “Will there be anything else, Mr. Ridley?”

“No.”

She left his study confused and irritated
without any further information about what his schedule was or what
was expected of her. As she entered the kitchen, she was glad to
find it empty, and she slumped down into a chair, her mind tortured
by his behavior.

I’ve never met a more infuriating man! He
runs hot and cold, one day saving me and providing me a position in
his home, and the next he can’t even be bothered to speak to
me!

Arden waited until ten o’clock, hoping he
would call her in to speak to him, but when his summons never came,
she went to her room disappointed. Just as she had the night
before, she fell asleep wondering just what her position in Brandon
Ridley’s house entailed.

***

Brandon sat in his study knowing Arden was
just one floor away. It had taken every ounce of self-control he
possessed to not offer her a seat next to him and enjoy a
conversation as they had the night they’d met. But he couldn’t
trust himself yet.

He let his mind drift back to the night
before, and in seconds his cock began to strain against the front
of his pants. She’d been so open, welcoming his touch and eager for
him. The thought of how she’d felt around him made the hours he’d
have to wait to visit her again torture.

Memory told him his reward for waiting would
be sweet, though.

In the meantime, he busied himself with
letters and correspondence from his various businesses, but the
thought of Arden was never far from his mind. For so long, he'd
wished to meet someone who roused in him the feelings she did. He
wanted to protect her, find pleasure in her body, explore her mind
to learn everything about her. Quickly, he was falling for her.

Once again, as the clock struck midnight, he
climbed the stairs to her bedroom. Inside, he wasted little time
before he’d undressed her, making sure to quietly chant his spell
before to ensure she’d be awake and willing.

As he ran his hands over her full breasts,
he yearned to see her beautiful eyes, full of desire, staring up at
him.

“Open your eyes, sweet Arden.”

Her eyes fluttered open, and he saw them
clouded with passion as they’d been the night before.

“Tell me what you want, love.”

As she wrapped her arms around his neck and
pulled him close to her, she whispered, “Give me what I need,
Brandon.”

The sound of his name coming from her lips
as she lay waiting for him to fuck her made his cock stiffen, and
he shed his clothes instantly with just a thought.

“I wish only to please you, my sweet
Arden.”

He covered her mouth with his and slowly
teased her with his tongue, flicking the tip along her lips each
time he entered. She responded by sucking his tongue in a motion he
wished he could feel on his cock.

A quick swipe of his finger along her wet
seam told him her body craved the same as his. Positioning himself
over her, he slid into her, feeling his balls rest against her
body. He heard a small moan and looked to see her with her bottom
lip between her teeth, a look of pain on her face.

“Take all of me, love. Give me all of
you.”

Cradling her face in his hands, he kissed
her sweetly before he began to move in and out of her, enjoying the
feel of his cock sliding against the slickness of her cunt. She
wrapped her legs around him and he slid in even further. As he
pumped in and out of her, he whispered in her ear, “Arden, say
you’ll be mine.”

Eagerly, she panted, “Yes, make me
yours!”

Kissing up her neck, he stopped and rested
his lips over the throbbing vein whose beat matched the rhythm of
his fucking. His fangs descended, and he licked his lips in
anticipation of the taste of her blood on his tongue.

“Mine.”

His mouth clamped down on the column of her
neck and his fangs pierced her skin, instantly delivering the
delicious gift. Her blood, warm and sweet, flooded over his tongue
and ran down the back of his throat, the taste more exquisite than
he ever could have imagined.