Odyssey (The Vampire Destiny Series Companion Book 1) (17 page)

I rarely showed Lukas any anger or used my influence as his maker to control him.  He was pushing every button and he needed to remember his place.  “ENOUGH!  I am sorry you feel slighted, Lukas.  There were other pressing matters at hand and there was not time for me to call you up only to gossip.”

Lukas turned his nose up and tapped his foot irritably.  “That’s no excuse.  Surely she slept.  You could have called me while she was sleeping.”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I inhaled deeply and counted to ten before I spoke.  “She knows what I am.”

His jaw dropped and his eyes went wide.  His incessant toe tapping stopped and both of his hands dropped to the bed.  “What did you say?”

“She knows what I am…what we are,” I repeated.  Slinging the strap of the duffel bag over my shoulder, I grabbed my laptop and turned to face him.  “I had to quickly diffuse the situation.”

Lukas said nothing, a rarity to witness.  “And she still accepted you?”

Nodding, I shifted my weight from foot to foot.  I was eager to get back to Josephine.  “Yes, she did.”

Lukas stood and crossed the room to stand in front of me.  He was serious, his pale eyes lacking their normal twinkle.  “She’s not a threat to us or you’d be telling me to pack.  We’d be fleeing the country.”  He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.  “This is going to complicate everything.”

Gracing him with a smile, I patted his shoulder as I passed him on my way out.  “You always say life is boring as an immortal.  We will talk soon.”

“If I would have known this is what you’d be like after you got laid, I would have tried harder to find her,” Lukas called after me, offering his final retort.  He always had to have the last word.

My only reply was my resounding laughter that echoed throughout the house.

***

Six days later

The previous days could not be described as anything other than pure paradise.  It was as if the first 1,000 years of my life were simply spent in preparation to be with Josephine.

I am not going to say everything had been smooth sailing.  Far from it.  She was much more headstrong than any other female I had encountered, set in her ways very much like myself.  She was also frightened to express that she loved me, even though it was apparent in the way she kissed me and the way she held me in her arms.  I was a patient being; I had spent nearly two centuries years waiting on her.  I could wait another 200 years to hear her utter those three words if she were only to remain by my side.

My desire for her grew stronger not only because of the blood we exchanged, but also due to the time we spent together.  Logically, I knew we could not lock ourselves away from the world and simply make love.

It did not mean a man could not dream.

This amazing woman had taken the idea of my immortality in stride.  We had not had the discussion about her own change, even though it was always at the forefront of my own thoughts.  The mere idea of her fragile mortality, her delicate human body susceptible to a mortal death was a constant worry.  Her mortal death would likely kill me…and if it did not, I would likely seek out my own end.

Our mutual friends had chosen to leave us to our own devices, and we had taken advantage of every moment.  It was the rainy season in Canguu, and we found ourselves holed up in Josephine’s villa.  It was a comfortable existence and for the first time since my human life, a sense of normalcy settled over me.  I was free to love this beautiful woman that had accepted me at a time I was struggling to accept myself.

It had only been a few days ago when Josephine discovered she could read my thoughts.  I had deduced it was the beginnings of our bond forming and mutual blood sharing, but it was both comforting and frightening to know she had managed to obtain an all-access pass into my mind, to know my every thought.  I discovered I could keep parts of my mind hidden from her if I concentrated.  I slowly built walls around the darker part of myself, the part that I did not want her to see until much later…until we were so intertwined that neither of us could be apart from the other without physical pain.

Yes, it was quite a manipulative move on my behalf.  Vampires are not known to play fair, especially when it comes to their mate.

However, the ability to communicate telepathically could come in handy in certain situations where we could not verbally communicate.  It was also a complete turn on to hear her mental voice in my head when we made love.

Such as the shower only days ago…it was shortly after she had been able to “hear” my thoughts after meditating.  I found it to be quite unnecessary and tedious to empty your mind of thoughts, yet like the lovesick fool Lukas had accused me of being, I yielded to her request.  I found it to be more arousing than relaxing and she had headed off to the shower, advising me to find my “center”.

There was only one center I wanted to find, and it was not in me.  I could think of better things to do instead.

Waiting until I heard the shower running, I stripped out of my boxer briefs and watched her for a moment through the frosted glass of the shower stall.  She was in silhouette, her willowy curves moving under the spray of water.  The thought of soap suds running down her naked body instantly made me hard, and before I could stop myself, I found myself opening the shower door and joining her.  I had made it just in time; she was reaching for the shampoo when I stepped in behind her, ducking underneath the water beside of her.

I had reached for her soap, lathering it in my hands and running my soapy hands down my body, stopping long enough to stroke my cock.  I knew the effect I was having on her.  Her mind was completely open and she was staring at me with hooded eyes.  She said nothing, only continued to watch me wash myself until my eyes met hers and I offered her a mischievous grin.

That had brought her back to reality and she had fumbled with the shampoo bottle.  I had been more than happy to assist her, taking the bottle from her hands and carefully washing her hair.  She relaxed against me…and it was then that I pounced.  I turned her around and reached for the soap again.  This time when I lathered my hands, I was looking at her wet skin critically.

“You are dirty, Josephine.  Let me clean you,” I had crooned in her ear.  I enjoyed every moment that my soapy hands ran over her body, my fingers washing her generous breasts, and down the feminine curves of her flat abdomen.  She was aroused, but it was not until I slipped my hand between her legs and knelt before her that she realized that this was not just a shower to get clean.  And I wasted no time, my fingers teasing her clit and my hand separating her moist folds.

Ready and willing, she braced her arms on the shower wall and I placed her legs over my shoulders, easily lifting her up the shower wall until she was spread wide open for me.  I proceeded to bury my face in her wet center, flicking my tongue lightly over the sweet juices that coated her pussy.

She had remarked how it was almost too much to bear…even as her hips unconsciously bucked against my face for more.

And I had stopped and looked up at her, my lips shining with her juices that coated my lips…and I asked her if she wanted me to stop.

Needless to say, that was the furthest thing from her mind.

Much like before, she came alive at my touch.  When I buried my tongue within her depths, she thrashed against me.  Wanting to see more of that reaction, I began to gently tease her clit with my fingers until she cried out in ecstasy.

Nothing made me happier than to see her in the throes of passion like this… and finally, I curled my fingers deep inside of her until she fluttered rhythmically around them and her hot arousal ran down my hand.

She was boneless and pliant when I grabbed her waist, pulling her against me as we slipped under the shower spray.

Tasting her so intimately made me long for her blood.  Cupping her breast in my hand, I laved her nipple with my tongue.  Once it rose to a peak, I gently sank my fangs into her soft flesh.  Her thick, rich blood filled my mouth and I felt my growl rattle deep within my chest.

Fucking her brought out the primal side of myself, the side that was insistent on claiming her. I had no control over myself as I lifted her and buried myself to the hilt, my hips rocking her against the stone shower wall.

My mental voice had taken over, asking the questions I could not verbalize.
“Do you like it when I fuck you like this, Josephine?”

I refused to let her answer.  When she opened her mouth to speak, my lips covered hers hungrily, effectively silencing her.

“Answer me with your mind, vackra.  I want to know if you like how I fuck your tight little pussy.  Tell me.” 
I continued to slide deep inside of her as I mentally spoke to her. Her hips rolled to meet each thrust and I could tell from her thoughts that she enjoyed my mental dirty talk.

It was then her teeth sank into the skin over my collarbone.  It was my undoing; my cock buried deep inside of her, her hot mouth on my skin, drinking my blood.  Two hundred years of fantasies were granted in a single, paralyzing moment.

My head fell back and my bellowing roar filled the room as I tumbled over the edge. We had been in the shower for so long, the water was barely warm when I carried her from the stall and placed her on the edge of the vanity, softly drying her with a towel.

She was staring at me with such complete devotion that I moved to stand between her legs.  I lowered my head to graze my nose against the satin of her cheek.  I showered adoring kisses over her face until I finally reached her mouth.  My hands cradled each side of her face, reverently kissing her lips.

“Josephine, I am eternally yours.”
The thought slipped out before I could bury it away.  I had expected her to shy away, but instead she wrapped her arms around my neck tightly, pressing her damp skin against me.  I not only felt her hot tears on my shoulders, I could smell the salt.

She was not crying because she was sad.  Her tears came because she was angry that she was unable to express how she felt.

I did not need her words now.  I could read it in her thoughts…and that was enough for me.  “You will say it when you are ready, Josephine.  I love you, vackra.”