Eternal War Rising to the South: The Beynok Vampire Series (8 page)

When I turned, Sorin and the giant vampire were nowhere in sight. I looked around the room at my teammates. They were finishing off a couple of remaining Vendennares and one werewolf. Where was Sorin? Oh my God, where was he?

Vladimir was at my side. “What’s wrong, Anya? We’ve won. Why do you look panicked?” He was shaking my shoulders. “Anya, we’ve won. Are you hurt? Are you saddened by the loss of El? She’ll rise again. It’ll be okay.”

I could only manage to say, “Sorin.” I needed to lay eyes on him. I felt desperate.

“I’m here Anya.” I pulled my shoulders out of Vladimir’s grip, turned, and saw Sorin at the entrance to the back porch. A breath of relief pasted through my lips and my heart beat again at the sight of him. Corbin and Serenity were standing behind him. The room fell silent and a clarification needed to be made, and fast, between the three remaining vampires and my team.

“Vladimir, say something.” I had to stand between the three vampires and my team.

“Fine, I will.” He looked at the others and said, “They were here tonight to help us. Our fight isn’t with them. They’re not the enemy, at least not today.”

I faced Sorin again. I couldn’t go to him as I wanted. It wouldn’t be right to do something like that in front of my team or to do something like that ever. Vampires and every other species except humans are our enemy. In their eyes, that would be a betrayal.
I could never allow my team to feel that way about me. Could I?

10 – Choices

Vladimir allowed Sorin and his friends to stay down in the basement for the day. By the time the battle ended, dawn was too close to turn them out. The truce would end at dusk, and Vladimir had no qualms about saying so.

Sorin, Corbin, and Serenity had chased away the vampire that wanted me dead so badly. They said the giant vampire’s name was Gallagher, and he was a high-ranking vampire in their society. It was hard to believe they even had a society. I thought they were all savages. I never thought having the inside scoop on vampire life would be possible, but Corbin and Serenity were eager to share, and I wondered why.

I helped clean up and made sure the bodies left were dead for good, meaning I severed their heads from their bodies. It was ten in the morning, and by this time, most of our injuries had healed, except for some deep slashes on my back. I figured those might take until the end of the day or so.

It’s been a few hours since Sorin and his friends had retreated to the basement, I wondered if anyone would notice if I went down there for a minute. I needed to see Sorin and make sure he was okay. Of course, I knew the answer to the question. Since I had almost healed, he was more than likely healed of any injuries before he even went down to the basement. I had to think of something to tell myself so it would be okay if I went down to see him. I surely couldn’t go down there without a good reason. And that reason couldn’t be because I wanted to be near him.

I chanced it, hoping no one would notice. As I traveled down the steps to the basement I could feel my heart thumping harder and my body becoming anxious. The lights were off in the sparring room, but I was able to make out two silhouettes lying on a mat together. Jealousy hit me. Was Sorin spooning Serenity? What the hell? What did she have that I didn’t have? I hadn’t even heard her speak a damn word since she arrived, so I figured her personality must suck. Before I could go any further with my Serenity bashing, I heard Corbin say, “He’s in the shower stalls, Anya. Serenity and I were trying to get some rest in before nightfall.”
Well, I guess Corbin and Serenity are not brother and sister as I originally thought. They just look so much alike.

I only had a few minutes before the others noticed I wasn’t upstairs with them, so I would have to ask questions about those two later. I needed to see Sorin. When I walked into the shower room, I saw his hooded leather jacket hanging over the bench along with his clothes. He had rinsed the blood off his clothes, and now they were hanging over the bench to dry.

Shit … shit.
This meant he was naked. I had to get out of there. I heard the shower shut off and footsteps coming in my direction. I was headed toward the door when I heard my name.

“Anya. What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to thank you for what you did for us before we become enemies again at dusk.” There was no way I was going to give him a face-to-face thank you since I knew he was naked.

“No you didn’t. That’s not why you’re here.” I could hear his heavy breathing, and he sounded a little angry with me. I wanted to open up to him, but I knew where that would get me. “Anya, turn around and look at me.”

“No, thank you. That’s quite all right.” I started to leave.

“Turn and look at me, Anya. You will not leave until I’m done with you.” The commanding anger was exploding through his voice.

Without a thought, I turned to argue with him. He was naked, and his body was gorgeous. The heat from the shower was radiating off every hard muscle he carried. His erection was large, and he made no effort to hide it. With every stride he took toward me, I could see the muscles flex under his skin.

Before I could turn and run…yes run, we were standing face to face. I could almost handle this. I only had a view of his face instead of his whole body. An intimidating half smirk crossed his mouth showing his dimple, and he leaned in just a touch further, and I felt his erection touch me. I was not going to look down. No way.

I said as stern as I could, “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but this is not going to happen. Only over my dead body am I allowing you to come any closer to me.”

His smirk was now a full sly smile. “Oh yes, you are.” I could feel his cool breath on my face, and the scent of lavender filled my nose. “Anya, I know you want this. I can smell you. Your body wants me in every way, and your mind can’t change that.”

I backed away, and he followed until I hit a wall. He was right. My heart and descending core of my body wanted him in every way possible, but my brain couldn’t comprehend the idea of lying with a vampire.

“Say it. Say you want me. I can’t hold back for much longer.” His lips softly ran over mine as his words pounded into my body and his breath finished me off with vibration.

I closed my eyes and conceded to the fight, “I want you,” the three little words left my mouth with ease. I couldn’t believe I was allowing myself to do this. Truth was, I wanted nothing more than to be with Sorin right then. I gave in, knowing we would go back to being enemies at dusk. At that moment I knew he would be an enemy I would have to kill or an enemy I would love forever.

His lips tore into mine. His overbearing body smashed me further into the wall. His kiss was powerful and knowing as if he had kissed me like this for years. His hands moved heavy over my body’s curves, and I loved every bit of it. He explored as much of me as he could through my clothes.

“I’m sorry. I haven’t been with,” he paused and looked at me deeply, “anyone in a very long time. The hunger I have for you is overwhelming.”

“Hunger?” I pulled away. “I don’t think so.”

“Trust me, it’s a good hunger.” He pushed my shirt up as he ran his tongue over every inch of my stomach. The bra was the next to go, except he tore it off and sucked and bit my nipples and I craved his touch each time he would leave one spot of my body to move to another. His body pushed into mine as he slowly ran his tongue under one breast, he grabbed both my wrists and pulled them high above my head. He held them there in place as his other hand moved down to undo my pants.

“I…I want you, Sorin. I want to feel all of you. I don’t want you to hold back.” I closed my eyes to take in his touch, his tender breath over my body, the contentment his nearness brought me.

“Please be patient...I am doing my best not to tear into you.” His eyes were black and his voice trembled. I kissed his cheeks and eye lids as he closed them. He continued undoing my pants and pulled them down just enough for his hand to slip between my legs. He still held my wrists securely above my head with his other hand. His mouth was slowly moving from my breast up. He stopped when he reached the artery at my neck. I squirmed at first to resist, but he only sucked and pulled at it. I could feel his fangs but they never punctured my skin. He put his hand between my legs and caressed me in places I had never been touched. Then I felt a finger push inside of me.

“You are so wet,” he whispered. I heard a rough growl come from his chest. He moved his mouth from my artery up the front of my neck to my lips. He pushed his body even harder into mine, and the squeeze on my wrists became stronger. He slammed his tongue into my mouth, and at the same time, I felt another finger push inside of me.

Oh, my God, he felt so good. My breathing increased, and he moved faster. I was grunting and moaning, and I didn’t care if anyone heard me. Just when I was about to go over the edge, he stopped and said, “Not yet. You’re going to have to wait. I want your first time with me to make you forget the idea of ever being with another male.”

I felt the tip of his erection slip between my legs. He released my hands and yanked my pants down enough that I could open my legs just a touch more. His hand covered one of my ass cheeks, and he moaned as he massaged it. I felt his saturated tip slip even further between my legs. He pulled away from me, and I cried out, “No!” God, he was masculine, handsome, and fearless in every possible way.

“Calm down. I’m not going anywhere, Anya, at least nowhere without you.”

He knelt down and quickly unlaced my boots and pulled them off along with my pants and underwear. I was completely naked. He picked me up so I could wrap myself around his waist.

“Say you want me. Say you want me always.” His husky voice was pleading with me. His eyes were deep, dark amethyst, almost black, but there were no fangs in sight.

“I want you. I want you always.” The way I was feeling then I might have said anything to him to get him to finish me. But what I said was true, and I knew it deep down inside. I wanted to be with him always.

He slowly and carefully slid deep inside of me. Moans escaped us both. I wrapped both of my arms around his neck securely. We stayed still tangled in each other’s bodies for what felt like eternity as our mouths barely touched. His body started to barely move and the sensation his erection caused had me craving more. Sorin started to move fast and hard inside of me as his lips roughly took control over mine, and I clawed at his back, pulling him closer to me. I couldn’t get enough. I wanted more. I wanted everything. Then I exploded with a feeling so incredible and overwhelming. My insides pulsed, and I wanted him to feel the same ecstasy I felt.

“Please,” I said. My voice trembled as I spoke.

That’s all I needed to say for him to release inside of me, and when he did, I felt another orgasm erupt from within me. It was almost too much. My body jerked and quivered. He held me tightly in place as he shuddered with his own orgasm. I had never felt such pleasure in my life. We watched each other waiting for a reaction, our eyes fixed on one another intensely. I was shuffling and filing the compounded emotions that came at me fast from both myself and him.
What have we done?

“Are you going to regret this?” he asked after a few minutes.

“No. Are you going to give me a reason to regret it?”

“Are you going to leave with me tonight?” He stroked my hair from my face and kissed me on the lips. When he looked at me, his face appeared full of apprehension.

Leave with him tonight? Remember, Anya, Beynok versus vampire … good versus evil. You can’t lie with your enemies during the day and fight them at night. What the hell was I going to do?
I guess my lack of response gave him the answer he didn’t want to hear.

“So, regret sets in,” he said.

He slid himself out from between my legs, released me from his hold and my heart was saying,
No wait
, but I was not going to release those words through my lips. I was a stubborn girl.

“I don’t know what to say, Sorin. You want me to leave the life I know to run off with my enemy. No rational person would do that.” I couldn’t believe I was standing there naked, arguing with a vampire.

“I … am … not … your … enemy. If you don’t leave here tonight with me, then I’ve failed you. I can’t stay here with you while a war rages.” He shook his head. “I thought if we were together you would…” He stopped mid-sentence with disbelief in his eyes.

“What? You thought I would what?”

“Choose, Anya … Choose to be with me. I can’t force it.” A black-eyed Sorin stood in front of me with his hand on my face. I was no longer scared of him in any way. Even with the black eyes and fangs. I opened myself up to him and defeat rushed in. I closed my eyes to hold back tears and heard him say, “I’ll make sure we are gone at dusk.”

I felt his hand slip from my face. When I opened my eyes, I saw his backside vanish around the corner. The shower turned back on, and I heard one last growl escape him. I put my clothes back on and went upstairs in shock and confused by my feelings for Sorin.

Yuri was on the sofa waiting for me, déjà vu. I didn’t even get a chance to close the door to the basement, and he was already looking at me.

“You know, he’s not what he says he is,” Yuri said. He looked pissed and still dirty from the fight, but, then again, so did I.

“What do you mean? He’s a damn vampire.” I sure didn’t need anyone else blasting me.

“He’s not all vampire. Of course, he looks vampire, but my nose tells me otherwise. He’s part something else, Anya. There’s no other explanation for the way he smells.” I stopped short of my stride to the stairs. “That’s right. I’m still trying to figure out his smell. It’s not every day you smell a crossbreed. Matter of fact, I didn’t even think it was possible. I’ve never smelled anything like him.” He had sarcasm and hatred bleeding out of his voice. I was sure he could smell what I had just finished doing with Sorin, which couldn’t in any way help the tension between us.

I shook my head and said, “It’s impossible.”
If it’s true, what does it mean?
I scowled at him and said, “I am going to take a shower.”

“You smell like you need a shower, and it’s not just from the battle.”

That’s all I needed to snap. I threw my fist into the side of his face, and he fell to the floor. “You will not talk to me that way!” I screamed at him. Our eyes met, and he knew not to get up until I was up the stairs out of his view.

Once in my room, it took a few hours of pacing and thinking to calm down. I am not supposed to be this curious, this interested in another life. I am a Beynok and nothing else. I am to do what I am told, that’s our way. I am so confused, do I follow what is written for me or follow my heart? I showered and put a new set of armor on. On my way downstairs, I slid my swords in place down my back. I was never going to be without them again. I had slipped twice in the past few days.