ADarkDesire (3 page)

“Nikalye.” Their eyes met. “Stay out of your thoughts. I won’t have you blaming yourself for this.”

Nikalye smiled. “One would think you could read minds.”

Belia blushed. “One thinks one has been through this before. You blamed yourself last time. It’s why you built this safe place for me. I haven’t seen any vampires…or other creatures in over nineteen years. Until now.”

“When I arrived.” Nikalye arched a brow.

Belia straightened up and crossed her arms. “If anyone wouldn’t put a woman in danger, even a human, it is you. You are too kind hearted. You have amnesia and you don’t remember me, but clearly something inside still told you to protect me when the vampires attacked. What does that tell you?”

“It tells me that I’m a fool for letting you invite me into your home. I have driven you out.”

Belia poked him in the chest hard. “The vampires drove me out, not you. Got it?”

Nikalye smiled and nodded. “Do you have anyone who you trust to help us?”

Belia took her phone from her pocket and pressed two buttons.

Nikalye heard it ringing and then a voice on the other end.

“Doxiak, its Belia. You told me I could use this number in an emergency.”

“I’m on my way.” The phone beeped and the connection went.

“Huh, didn’t expect that to happen.”

“Who was that?”

Belia shrugged. “No idea. You gave me his number and he told me ‘in case of emergencies’.” She resumed packing her things.

Nikalye nodded, not questioning it any further. “The vampire who stabbed me, did you get a good look at him?” When Belia stiffened, Nikalye straightened. “Belia?” When she met his eyes, he saw the fear.

“He’s the vampire who attacked me the first time.”

Nikalye heard the fear within her words. He strode up to her and pulled her close, keeping eye contact. “I promise I will protect you from harm. I will protect you with my life.”

“I don’t doubt that. There’s just one problem. He shouldn’t have been able to be here.”

Nikalye frowned, hearing her swallow. “Why?”

Belia exhaled softly. “Because when he attacked me the first time, you killed him.”

Nikalye heard the truth in her words and opened his mouth to speak, when his heightened senses heard the sound of a helicopter outside. “Our ride is fast, it seems.”

Belia smiled, though it was forced and quickly shut her suitcase.

Nikalye grabbed it, lifting it with ease and gestured for her to lead the way.

A vampire stood at the doorway, his gaze sweeping the room. His stood tall, the power he emitted making the hairs on Nikalye’s arms stand on end as the vampire’s bright blue eyes took in the scene before him. His hair was long, pure white, tied in a single ponytail at the back of his head. He glanced up and watched Nikalye and Belia descend the stairs, surprised etched across his features.

“Nikalye?”

“Uh…he doesn’t remember anything,” Belia spoke in flawless English.

Can I speak in different languages?
It seemed possible, but he wouldn’t test it yet. He would be marked as a fool.

“Amnesia?”

“That’s what I thought.”

The vampire’s eyes swept over Nikalye. “Let me introduce myself. I am Doxiak Rivorh, just as you can read ones thoughts, see the past, present and future, and have visions, I am a healer, able to control the body.”

“Visions?”
I can see the past, present and future?
It couldn’t be possible.

“You have had none since you awakened?”

Nikalye shook his head. “I have only been able to read Belia’s thoughts.” Was it possible? Could he truly see the past, present and delve into the future?

“Hmm…may I try something? To see if your memories can be restored?”

Nikalye waited for Belia to nod before agreeing himself. His entire body heated when Doxiak placed his fingers either side of his head, the fire travelling through his bloodstream, making its way across his body.

“It seems Shayla’s darkness is still controlling a part of your mind.”

Shayla? Darkness?
Nikalye had no idea what the healer was talking about.

“H…he remembers Layla.”

The image of her face flashed through his mind.

Doxiak’s eyes widened as he kept watching Nikalye.

He knows Layla?

“What do you remember?”

“I remember who she is, what she looks like, her scent, her power.”

“And that he feels as though she’s in danger,” Belia added.

“I can assure you that Layla is very much safe.”

Relief swept through Nikalye, easing the knot in his stomach. “How do you know Layla?”

“I am her friend and guardian, just as you are.”

Guardian?
Belia’s thoughts sounded confused as she frowned.

“Since she was born, we were guards for her and her Father. It has never changed, though she does not think of us as guards, but family.”

“You…you can read my mind too?”

Doxiak chuckled. “No, I cannot. But I sense your confusion.”

“Oh…does she need you to protect her? Or others around her?”

“Belia.” Nikalye stepped close to her and lifted her face. The anger inside swirled within the depths of her eyes. “Why are you angry?” She tried to turn away, but Nikalye kept his hold on her, preventing her from moving.

“You said she was taken by the humans and then killed a lot of your own kind. Yet you love her as though she is perfect. I just don’t understand—”

“Nikalye does not love her in the way you are thinking, I assure you.” Doxiak stood next to Nikalye, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. “I love Layla as much as Nikalye does and she does love us both back, but as I said, she thinks of us as family. Nothing more.”

Belia exhaled and nodded.

She didn’t hear the lie within the healer’s words as Nikalye did. Catching his eyes, Doxiak shook his head a fraction.

“I will take you to a hotel where you can both recover while I sort out transport for you both to go to where Layla is. If she can indeed restore your memories, then it will be worth trying.” Without waiting for Nikalye or Belia to reply, he left the house, towards the helicopter waiting for them.

Nikalye turned his attention back to Belia. “Everything will soon be back to how it was, and I will remember who attacked us both.”

Belia swallowed hard. “And I will be forgotten, just like last time.”

Nikalye frowned. “Belia, what—”

“Leave it.” Belia left the house, leaving Nikalye standing in confusion.

The sooner his memory was restored, the sooner he’d get the answers he wanted.

Chapter Six

“Belia, tell me about the attack.”

Belia turned away from the window to see Nikalye leant against the hotel room wall, his arms crossed across his chest. “Uh…it’s hard to explain really. I don’t know his name, we never got past exchanging them. I was home, with…Mother and Father when he came. He…” Belia frowned, remembering the night. “He seemed really weak, in pain. My Father is…was a doctor and invited him in so he could check him over.” She laughed, though it was forced. There was nothing funny about the situation. “He laughed, told us we were fools and attacked Father, ripping his throat out.” She shut her eyes tight, fighting the fear that came with remembering what happened to her family. “He took his time with Mother, drinking from her neck until she didn’t scream or struggle. I knew then what he was.” She looked at Nikalye. “And I ran. He chased me and bit me repeatedly, savouring the pain I was in. Then you came and…and you saved me.”

“I killed the vampire?”

Belia nodded. “Yes. With a sword. I blacked out after that and when I woke, I was in a house I’d never seen. You were there to explain everything after that.” Belia pressed her lips together, rubbing her shoulder gently. It throbbed painfully.

“You are injured.”

“It’s nothing, Nikalye. Just a small cut.” She watched him crouch down in front of her and didn’t stop him from unbuttoning her shirt so he could see the wound.

He inhaled deeply, his eyes growing darker as he stared at her shoulder.

“Nikalye?” She touched his cheek.

He jumped up and backed away, banging into the chest of drawers. “I…do not understand.” His words sounded as confused as she felt.

Belia sat up straight, confused. “Why are you confused?”

Nikalye looked at Belia as he spoke. “I am a dhampir. I hunger for the blood of vampires and other creatures that live among us. Not humans.” He locked his gaze with her wound. “The fact that I am responding to your wound is very bad.”

Hurt shot through Belia with his words. “Why?” She couldn’t make her words louder than a whisper.

Once again, their eyes met and Belia could see the seriousness in his eyes.

“It means we are bonded.”

“Why is that bad?”
What’s the bond?

“A bond is something that is formed between two people, an unbreakable bond of lust.” Nikalye moved forward, gently touching her cheek. “We crave each other’s scent.” He ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “Taste and touch.”

Oh wow.
Belia inhaled hard, her heart beating fast.

Nikalye licked his lips, eyeing the wound on her shoulder. “I crave your blood.”

She cringed back slightly. “You…crave my blood?”

“It calls out to me, promising to clench my hunger.” Nikalye pulled Belia towards him until they knelt in front of each other on the bed. “I will not hurt you. I promised you that. We will figure this out.”

“I don’t want you to suffer though.” Her words were a whisper as Nikalye ran his lips across her jaw.

“I don’t wish to scare you,” Nikalye murmured. He kissed her gently, moving his lips slowly against hers. When she moaned, she also felt Nikalye harden against her. Pleasure shot through her as he pushed her back against the bed and, being careful of the wound on her shoulder, took her top off.

He groaned as he squeezed her full breasts gently and licked his lips when her nipples hardened into tight buds. She gasped when he plucked one of her nipples, rolling it between his finger and thumb as he captured her lips once more. She moaned into his mouth, pulled his face closer and slipped her tongue into his mouth.

Nikalye grasped her hips tight as he opened her legs with his legs and ground himself against her. He pulled her nipple into his mouth and groaned.

Belia breathed heavily, trying to control the emotions running through her. She’d never felt anything like this before. When Nikalye ran his tongue over her nipple and rubbed himself against her sweet spot, Belia arched, gripping his shoulders tight as she cried out.

Nikalye pulled at her clothes as he ran his lips down her body and opened her legs wide.

Belia felt herself growing wetter by the second, feeling it slide out of her. When Nikalye pushed her legs up, she nearly came when licked a hot trail over her and slid his tongue inside of her. Her back arched off the bed and she grasped his hair tight and pushed him further into her, wanting more from him. “Oh, Nikalye!” Her grip tightened and she twitched when Nikalye growled and slid his tongue over her clit before sucking it into his mouth.
I’m going to come! Nikalye!

Nikalye moved up her body quickly and slid himself into her as she came. She threw her head back and cried out loudly while he made her explode, sliding slowly out of her and then back in, aided by the wetness that seeped out of her. Belia breathed heavily, her eyes squeezed shut.

Nikalye captured her breast into his mouth and then made her open her eyes. “Will you drink my blood? To heal your wound?”

“Won’t that change me into a vampire?”

Nikalye chuckled and bit into his wrist. “No, it will not.” He slipped his tongue into her mouth, twisting it with her as she moaned. When she sucked on his tongue, he thrust himself into her hard and growled, sliding it out. He put his wrist close to her lips.

Already the wound had healed, his skin covered in his blood. Inhaling deeply to calm the nerves, Belia put her lips around his wrist and licked the blood from him. He groaned and began to move slowly while eyeing the wound on her shoulder. When she finished, she pushed her head into the pillow and licked the excess blood from her lips.

When she lifted her hips up, Nikalye grabbed them tight and pushed himself into her. His movements grew quicker, and with Belia moving in sync, she felt her pleasure, as well as Nikalye’s rise and his cock harden.

Breathing became difficult when her entire body heated as fast as the pleasure was spreading across her body. When Nikalye sucked in a breath, she knew he was close to coming. She gripped the sheets in a white-knuckled grip and opened her mouth in a scream.

Nikalye swore and slammed himself into her, his hot come shooting into her and triggering another orgasm.
Holy crap!
She pulled the sheets closer to her, grabbed anything within reach until Nikalye slumped against her and blew out his breath. He moved off her quickly, drawing her against his body as she swallowed, her chest rising and falling quickly against his.

“Holy crap. Oh wow…that was…”

Nikalye kissed her. “Amazing?”

“I would have used a word that wasn’t such a simple way of describing it, but yes. Amazing. Thank you.”

“You are thanking me for sex?”

Belia blushed. “Well…it’s…I haven’t…I’ve been alone for a long time. A girl has needs.”

Nikalye chuckled and brushed her dishevelled hair away from her face. He kissed her gently and sucked her tongue into his mouth.

Belia’s arousal sparked and ignited in her stomach and she felt Nikalye harden inside of her. Her eyes widened and her lips parted as he began to move slowly again, her heart picked up speed and heat spread across her skin, making her moan.
This bond is amazing!

Nikalye laughed and pulled her on top of him, gazing up at her. “It is amazing. Now, let me show you how amazing it really can be when I don’t hold back.”

Chapter Seven

A knock sounded at the door softly before it opened. Doxiak poked his head around and met Nikalye’s eyes.

He hadn’t slept like Belia had. He’d chosen to stay awake, watching her lay peacefully next to him, relaxed. He wanted her again but didn’t want to wake her. So he’d held in his feelings. Barely.