Chapter 31
Evening approaches. My feet lightly scrape across the wooden porch as I rock myself back and forth on the porch swing. The noise quickly becomes lost to the chilling wind. Everything around me is engulfed by darkness.
I huddle the blanket around my shoulders and pull out the folded picture from my pocket. I've tried to study it half a dozen times today as something to do while waiting for Kelly and Fiona's return. Every time Bogdan interrupted me, though, unaware of my hidden discovery.
The moonlight casts slivers of light against the fragile picture. I study the contours of the man staring back at me. My fingers trace around his still face, his warm eyes, his square jaw, and his calm expression. He's beautiful.
I flip the photo over, squinting at its pale back until I notice a small bit of worn cursive scrawled across the bottom. The year is missing, but the date says November 28th. A name and a message are scribbled beside it, and my heart pumps with angst as I try to get a better look.
Arch_r R_bbins – Rec_iving fi_st pl_ce medal, hig_ jump
The missing letters are too smudged to read. Either that or the moonlight is playing tricks with my mind. I try to fill in the lost information, piecing together the note as best as possible. Only a minute passes before the front door swing opens. If it wasn't for the slightly squeaky door hinge, I wouldn't notice it at all.
I quickly fold the picture and stuff it back into my pocket as Bogdan noiselessly steps through its threshold. His red eyes scour over stretch of land surrounding us. Only when assesses the coast is clear does he take a seat beside me. He plants his feet firmly on the ground and begins rocking us back and forth.
The swing bends to his movement, the speed much greater than I managed to produce only minutes ago. I lift my feet and balance them on the swing, nonchalantly moving closer to my vampire. Our shoulders touch. He stiffens at the contact but doesn't move away from me.
"They're still not back," I whisper.
"I see that."
"Weren't they supposed to be back?" I press.
Bogdan's red eyes continue to survey our surroundings. Then he grunts out a simple, "yes."
"Are you worried?"
"Worry is not an emotion I feel, human."
I let out an exasperated sigh. As much as my emotions get the better of me sometimes, I can't imagine not being able to feel any at all. It must be so hollow – going through the motions of daily life without feeling the emotions that go along with them.
It's far too dark to see the weeping willow, but I swear I can hear her long, wispy branches aching in the wind. The sound reminds me of sitting on the lawn at one of the Fall festivals I attended last year around this time. It was one of the ones where Kelly played, if I remember correctly. Fiona and I cleared our schedules for the night, watching him play while eating to our stomach's delight.
The memory stirs up a bittersweet feeling of nostalgia. Music was such a big part of Kelly. It was as if the notes themselves wove into his soul, creating the threads of his being. The man had a gift in the arts. I remember watching the eyes of listeners every time he took the stage. The songs practically radiated from his fingertips every time he played.
"Bogdan?" I whisper, staring at the dancing branches. "What are we doing here?"
He frowns. "What do you mean, human?"
I shrug my blankets off my shoulders enough to gesture to the vast land before us.
"I mean here. In the north. What are doing here?"
"Keeping you safe."
I sigh. "I know. And I know you need my blood, but what happens when the war is over? Are you going to try to keep running? Hiding?"
Bogdan shifts beside me. "If that's what it takes."
I swallow hard. Even if it's only because of my blood, the fact that he is willing and wanting to keep me by his side makes my heart ache. Both of us have turned our backs on our species. Sure, the reasons might be different, but the outcome is still the same. We are both on our own. Together, but alone.
I reach out, grabbing ahold of Bogdan's chin and turning his gaze to meet mine.
"You can't hide me forever," I whisper. "There are always humans who are going to want to find me and vampires who are always going to want to drink from me."
His red eyes swirl with a sinister black. Speaking of hunger...
It's only been days and his thirst has returned. This time though, there's a spark in the depths of Bogdan's gaze that's ignited by a different kind of hunger. Lust. I suck my bottom lip into my mouth. His gaze follows the action, and his teeth begin to elongate.
With a trembling stomach, I somehow find my voice.
"Do you want to go inside to feed?" I whisper.
He stares at me, unblinking.
Then he nods. The two of us stand, and the porch swing sways slightly at our absence. Bogdan guides me in the darkness. He opens the door and maneuvers us through the house with skilled grace. His cool, slender fingers lace with mine as we climb the rickety stairs.
By the time we reach the landing, my erection is painfully pressing against the inside of my thigh. His touch is toxic. My rising pulse flutters against my wrist and my neck. I know he can sense my change in emotion, but can he tell just how badly I want him?
The moonlight spills through the broken blinds, casting just enough light for me to find my way to the bed. The comforter is thin and soft, the mattress spacious enough to fit the two of us with room to spare. I crawl across its surface and roll onto my back. Bogdan remains standing, staring down at me. The red and black in his eyes swirl together, the two colors sparring in a fight for dominance for their own satiety of hunger.
Normally now would be the time I'd tilt my head to the side, permitting Bogdan to settle in to his next meal. This time, however, I find myself wanting something different. Something more. I clear my throat and try to muster every ounce of courage within me.
"Bogdan," I say with a hoarse voice. "Before you feed...please kiss me."
It's a simple request, far tamer than my true desires. I don't want to push it, though. I know my vampire is hungry. At least with a kiss I'll get a small taste of his sexuality. He squints down at me, and the redness swirls brighter. His massive body lowers onto the bed. Ever so slowly, he crawls on top of me. His legs move around my waist, and his lips hover dangerously close to mine.
His scent washes over my face in a wave of cool mint. I shudder at the familiar and enticing smell. His soft lips brush against mine a single time and I tense.
"Please," I whisper. "Oh please, more."
I think I see him smirk in the dim light of the moon, but before I can get a second look, his lips are on mine once again. His kiss is so different than that of a human's. It's soft and sensual, but its' flawless. Normally I'm used to kisses with a bit too much saliva, heads not knowing which way to turn, and a kiss rhythm that has to take a few seconds to find.
With Bogdan, none of this exists. It's like his tongue is programmed to move against mine with a seduction heady enough to put my wildest fantasies to shame. He leans his weight into me and I reflexively buck my hips to meet his. Our erections press against each other, and I moan into the nape of his neck.
Bogdan tears away from our heated kiss, pinning me to the bed with nothing more than a heated gaze.
"I haven't done this," he admits quietly. "Not with humans anyway. Only with other vampires."
Bitter jealousy swells within me. I know he doesn't mean to say it in such a way that the human species isn't good enough for him, but my brain latches on to the self-deprecating thought all the same. I suck my bottom lip into my mouth feeling self-conscious.
"You don't want to have sex with me?" I whisper, hating how pathetic I sound.
Bogdan stares down at me, his expressionless face sinking my spirits.
"I don't know how," he spits out. "It's not like this with other vampires."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Bogdan reaches up, grabbing my chin between his index finger and thumb. He presses another heavy kiss against my lips. When he pulls away, he nods towards my lips.
"There's none of this," he responds with a breathy sigh he doesn't need to take. "There's no kissing. No seduction. No lust. No emotion. There's just fucking, acting on a primal instinct for release and nothing more."
"Is that what this is?"
"For the most part, yes," my vampire admits.
The words sting. I know I need to get used to this sort of interaction between us. It's difficult, though. With Leo and the small number of men who came before him, I could always tell they wanted me. They made it clear. Whether it was before, during, or after sex, their desire was made obvious through touches, words of affirmation or even a look of lust.
I knew from the beginning it wouldn't be the same with Bogdan. What I wasn't prepared for? This feeling of longing, wishing for just a moment he could feel the same way I do. I swallow hard and try to steady my breathing.
"Can we just try it my way?" I ask.
My pulse picks up speed, and there's a hint of black that swirls within Bogdan's expression.
"And if you don't like it...we can do it your way," I add quickly.
Bogdan's piercing gaze remains fixed on my features. I squirm beneath his gaze. Despite my moments of sadness, my dick is straining with a desire to be touched. He nods a single time, slowly.
"We'll do it your way, human," he murmurs. "Just this once."
I lick my lips and start reaching for my belt. My fingers tremble as I attempt to take off my pants. Bogdan lifts his body away from me enough to allow me to undress myself. His eyes never leave me. When I tentatively reach for his belt buckle, he stiffens and jerks away.
"I watched you," he whispers. "Now you can watch me."
The words of promise send a shiver down my spine. He backs away from the bed and comes to stand beside it once again. His fingers tug at his shirt, lifting it away from his torso with practiced ease. The moonlight gobbles up his body – a pure work of art beneath Nature's spotlight. He's lean and chiseled to perfection.
My breathing comes out in spurts when his fingers slide down the planes of his stomach and come to rest at the buttons of his pants. He undoes the first slowly. Without breaking eye contact, he unzips his pants, tugging them a single time before they fall in a pool of expensive cloth around his ankles.
His erection strains against his black boxers. He hooks his thumbs into the waistband and slowly pulls them down. It's only when they drop to the floor that he kicks all his clothing aside, leaving him just a foot away from me – completely naked.
I drink in the sight without shame. The man is gorgeous, a body most men could only dream of having. My gaze leisurely makes its way down his torso. His dick is thick and hardened with want. Instinctively I spread my legs apart and my asshole pulses with desire. I want to feel him inside me. Now.
I bring my first two fingers into my mouth, generously wetting them before bringing them down to my puckered hole. Bogdan watches me as I touch myself, preparing my body for him to take what's his. With my spare hand, I stroke myself with trembling fingers. Bogdan's red eyes follow the action. Still his fiery gaze never leaves me.
When I feel myself twitching for release, my stomach clenches and I nod towards him.
"Please," I whisper. "I'm ready."
Bogdan lowers himself on the bed once again, closing the distance between us. He kisses me, his lips demanding and forceful. His knees move between my leg. His hands are there a moment later, gingerly spreading apart my ass cheeks. The head of his dick presses against my readied hole, but I'm surprised at how lubricated it already is.
"Did you put lube on?" I ask, confused.
Bogdan smirks, and this time not even my lust can veil the beautiful sight.
"I told you," my vampire teases, sliding the head of his dick back and forth across my puckered hole. "We're designed to seduce humans."
He pushes the tip of his dick inside me, and it slides in without protest. It's a tight fit but plenty lubricated. My eyes widen in surprise, and I hiss out a breath of pleasure. I want more. My hips tremble, attempting to coerce Bogdan to push himself in further, but he remains still.
"My scent is meant to calm you," he continues. "My body is meant to seduce you. It's all DNA's fancy tricks to rouse you into giving me your blood. It's just the way vampires are made, human."
Keeping his lower half very still, Bogdan leans down and presses a soft kiss above the burning holes on the side of my neck. My asshole clenches around him, and I moan at his seductive, teasing tactics.
"So by the time I fuck you," he whispers against my ear, "My dick is already prepared to make you mine."
I squirm beneath him, bringing my hands around his shoulders and attempting to make him move.
"Please," I whisper frantically.
Bogdan's smirk widens. "What's that, human? Please what?"
A blush rises to my cheeks, but I am far too horny to placate my pride. I lick my lips and buck my hips again.
"Please," I beg again, this time louder. "Please fuck me."
Bogdan lowers his lips to my neck, flicking his tongue against the sensitive skin. He grabs ahold of my hips, and there's only a beat of stillness before the rest of his thick length pushes inside me. My head rolls back in painful pleasure. The feel of him is unreal. Pure ecstasy.
I become lost in his touch, quivering with a need for release as his pace quickens. I start touching myself again, this time stroking my hardened shaft at the same pace Bogdan is fucking me. It's only when I realize his teeth are hovering above my neck that our intimate moment heightens beyond the mortal realm.
His fangs pierce my skin. For the first time, the pain of the feeding is barely noticeable compared to all the other sensations tingling within me. And when those small twinges of pain begin to morph into hot, sweltering pleasure, I feel myself nearing the edge of climax.... closer and closer until the rest the world fades away for my release.
As my warm seed spills into my warm, trembling palm, all I can feel is Bogdan's muscular body braced against me. He thrusts against me, inside me, simultaneously sucking my blood into his eager mouth. His touch is unforgettable, each one branding me as his. All I can see is him. All I want is him.
Always.