Sweet Cravings (20 page)

Darius pulled me into him and cupped a hand on the back of my head. I was shaking at the sight of the skeletons. Patches of skin hung from some, while others still had flesh, but it was a sickly green color and was thinly stretched, showing parts of their white bones. I struggled hard to keep my last meal in my belly and hugged Darius tighter, terrified of the zombies making their way to us.

“Everything will be all right, my dear,” he whispered in my ear; I shuddered from the inherent seductiveness in his voice, even at a time like this.

I wondered what would happen to Nyx’s body. Would someone bury her? Would she be left here to rot? I twisted my torso and surveyed the area where she lay, but all I saw was a pile of ashes. Ashes? Did vampires become a pile of ashes when they died? Would I become a pile of ashes when I finally kicked the bucket?

Darius covered my eyes with a hand. “Do not look,” he breathed. “It will only accelerate your fear.”

I swallowed hard and listened to the growing moans. Then a female voice spoke. “Thanks for the blood, Lily. I can hardly contain myself I’m so excited!”

I could feel Darius’ wrath kindling in his aura and shooting toward the stranger. Then the stranger disappeared completely from my senses, and I knew the woman was gone. But how was she here and a second later gone? How had she gotten away so fast?

The moaning became increasingly louder, and I knew the zombies were close to us. I panicked, and my energy ripped from me and attacked them in a blazing cloud. The zombies didn’t care that they were burning; they still advanced, still went forward and forward.

Darius smelled my hair and smoothed it with a palm. “I can smell your fear, your wild trepidation. Let it out. Release it.”

I took his words to heart, and he removed his hand from my sight. I stared at the zombies, and it was like I was in a horror film. Although the undead were engulfed in flames, they still walked ahead, hungry, so hungry, even though they could last forever without eating.

I concentrated the energy from my mind, to my shoulders, down my arms, and into my fingertips. It crackled and flickered and strengthened exponentially with each passing second. The zombies got so near that one was just two feet from where I stood.

I released the energy and let it surge across the hoard of zombies. They all instantaneously turned into heaps of dry dust that smothered the floor.

What had I done? It was just like with Ty and what Darius did to Vex. Did I rapidly disintegrate their bodies? How? How did I do it? What was it?

Sang clapped his hands and sighed. “Phew! Lily, that was amazing!”

I took a long breath and grinned. “Thanks.”

Haru complained sadly, “I didn’t do anything.”

Darius said to her, “Yes, you did. You provided Lily with fresh blood, and that is how she was able to defeat Nyx and those filthy creatures.”

“Let’s go,” Sang suggested as the beams from the ceiling crashed down and burned from the fire. We all ran up the stairs and out the door as the entire house burst into flames. I couldn’t help but think of Nyx and how suitable this ending was for her. Her parents had died in a fire while she’d barely escaped death.

Now she could finally rest in peace, and maybe, just maybe, be reunited with them.

When I went into my room at Darius’ that night, I was shocked to see Mr. G swimming around in his bowl on top of my dresser. Stuffed pink unicorns were set everywhere: on the bed, on the floor, on the dressers. Lacy was on my pillow, and I immediately hugged her to my face and smelled her familiar scent.

Who had done this? The only person who knew about my obsession with unicorns was Sang.

Just as I was pondering over who’d done it, Sang walked into my room and embraced me into a bear hug. “Do you like it? Huh? I had Lawrence arrange it while we were gone.”

I was so happy to be surrounded by my possessions that I squealed with joy and said, “Yes I’m happy! I’m so happy I can’t explain it in words!”

“Good!” He smiled widely and stroked Lacy’s back.

He was in a pair of black satin pajama pants and a gray T-shirt. I had dressed into my warm cotton pajama pants and matching shirt. Mine was decorated with purple unicorns and cupcakes, and I was kind of embarrassed that he saw me in these. I had promised myself no one would ever see them except me.

“I love your pj’s,” he teased delightedly.

I muttered, “Thanks.”

He ran a hand through my blonde locks and slid it down to touch my cheek tenderly. I ruffled his hair and copied him. We both laughed as I leaned into him and brushed his smooth lips with mine.

I rocked back and yawned. “Oh, I’m so tired. Gonna go to sleep.”

Sang asked, “You want me to stay or go?”

I grinned and gestured for him to sit on the bed. “Stay.”

“Okay.”

I slipped under the covers, and he did too. I rolled over so I was facing him and our heads touched lightly. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him so our bodies touched. He lovingly kissed my neck and my cheeks, and then nuzzled my left ear, which caused me to arch my back at the feel of his cold breath and teeth.

“Sang?”

“Yeah?”

“I feel really bad for Nyx.”

“Same here.”

I began to cry. “I mean, she was so loyal and diligent till the end, and Vex didn’t even care. He just walked over her and didn’t even try to help her or talk to her.”

There was a short pause. “Some people just have no hearts. I’ve met vampires that after a couple of centuries lose their minds and become insane. I think he was one of those.”

I sniffled. “I just feel so bad for her. But I’m glad that she’s at peace now.”

“Me too.”

“And what about that creep that took my blood? Who the hell was she?”

He lowered his voice. “I don’t know, but if I see her again, I’ll have a good punch ready!”

I spread my arm out and draped it over his side. He gazed at me with those alluring crimson eyes and closed them tiredly.

“You’re tired now?” I asked with another yawn.

“Yeah.” And before I could respond he had already sunk into sleep.

I woke up in the middle of the night to find myself tucked inside a cushiony mass of feathery plumes. I groggily reached out and slashed in the air with growing hunger. I wasn’t in my bed with Sang anymore. I was a different bed, and I knew just the person it belonged to.

My thoughts were turning faze—no, hazy. Oh God, what was happening to me? A buttery voice cut through the silence. “Finally awake?” I tried to tell him about the rising hunger, but my ragged breaths forced out noiseless words. I couldn't talk. I was so strangled. So strange.

“Worry not, my lovely. It's your second month since your transition,” he soothed. My vision became blurry.

Darius slid into the bed with me and pulled off the comforter that was covering me. “Didn't I tell Sang to dress you? Well, this will be a good opportunity to get to know you.” Sang to dress me? He was up? Did Darius make him do this?

I was stark naked under the open view of Darius. Shit. Why the hell was I naked? Did Darius undress me while I was sleeping and I didn’t notice or feel it? He slid his arm under my back and made his way toward my ass. He pinched my cheeks and cupped his cold hands around the curves. I helplessly lay there, paralyzed. My thoughts were so fuzzy I couldn't even remember to feel embarrassed. Why did I feel like this? What was wrong with me?

He stood over my weak body, traced his fingers along my cheek and neck, down to my navel, and kissed my belly button. He then inched his lips upward and stopped at the center of my chest. Darius placed a tender kiss on each of my nipples. His tongue swirled over each one, wetting them and causing them to harden. I moaned as he worked on me, his hands caressing my back in an icy massage. He opened his mouth, and his fangs pierced my right breast. What heaven it was. The swirling thoughts were gone; only wanting for more intimacy remained. I could feel the heat rising into my face, and it signaled for Darius to press in harder. Now my vision cleared, and I peered up to see the expression on his face. I expected to see a feeling of ecstasy printed there, but a pained look had replaced the previously expressionless one.

He always hid his feelings from me, and it pissed me off so much. I showed my true feelings to him, so why couldn’t he return the favor?

I arched my back at the immense pleasure he gave me with his bite, so amazing that I would even call it orgasmic. He buried his fangs deeper in my breast, and I moaned again in delight.

“I love you so much, my dear. You mean the world to me,” he uttered in that velvety voice.

“Now drink from me. I know you are starving after the ordeal today.”

He sliced the vein on his wrist with his nail and offered it to me. I didn’t know what to say, but the beast, the monster inside me craving blood, took ahold of me. I bent my head and placed my mouth on his bleeding wrist. I drank and drank the coppery delicacy, relishing the combination of bitterness and sweetness. Darius smirked and withdrew his wrist, knowing that I was satisfied for now.

Suddenly, the door creaked open. Darius took his fangs out of my breast, and I moaned for more. Then I realized
door opening—person coming inside
. I cringed in embarrassment. I didn't want anyone other than Darius to see me like this. I wasn’t Darius’ doll. But still, I had an urge to let him play with me. It felt so good, so wonderful.

The intruder's outline was outlined against the shadow. It was Sang…Embarrassed, I tried to hide under Darius, but Sang spotted me quickly. He stared pointedly at my body, a blush blooming on his cheeks. Then he turned away, looking a little ashamed with his open interest in me. Darius ordered in a loud whisper, facing me, “Please shut the door, Sang. I’ll be there with you in a moment.” Sang took one last look at me, a blush blooming on his cheeks, and closed the door. It was like my privacy was invaded. My privacy meant nothing to them.

Darius smoothly slid off the bed and daintily covered me with a blanket. With renewed fury, I tried to speak out against the injustice, but my lips were glued together. Shut tightly according to this man’s will. Darius sat down next to me and placed his satiny lips atop my own. “I keep forgetting. Every other time I kiss you, I glue your lips together. I forgot to kiss you again.” So the sneak had been kissing me while I was sleeping?

I opened my lips, but Darius silenced me with his finger. “My dear, dress up and be out. Oh, but before that, I want to ask you something. Did Haru say she is a homunculus?” I nodded my head, a little infuriated with how he always got his way. “Something I should look out for. And Lily, dear, how is Sang?”

My face was blazing. “That's none of your business,” I said, annoyed that he had read my thoughts again.

“It is my business. Everything is my business. Now, I’ll let you enjoy life, but remember…You are mine and Sang is too,” he said with a flourish. “You may love Sang, too, as you love me, but in the end, you are still mine.” He took a certain pride in claiming that I was his and it angered yet flattered me. His fingertips ran over my scalp. The feather bed sprung up as he rose off the bed. “You may move the rest of your body again.” The door closed behind Darius.

I twitched my fingers and let myself sink into the warm, soft feather bed and pulled the covers over me. At last, some privacy.

I was surprised to see that I had my pajamas on, and Sang was next to me when I woke up. Then what happened last night? Was that a dream? Or did it really happen? My head spun with different scenarios until Sang stretched his arms and sat up against the bedpost.

“Hey, Lil. Good morning,” he said. His obsidian hair was all messy, and some covered his eyes, which I thought was cute.

“Morning, Sang,” I replied with a yawn.

Sang shot out of bed and ran to the door. “Hey, I’m gonna make some of my delicious pancakes for breakfast, so don’t you come into the kitchen until I’m done.” He winked.

I stood and went over to him. I gave him a gentle peck on the cheek, and he did the same. I watched him as he descended the stairs and made his way into the kitchen.

Now I’d have to take care of my stupid door problem. I was sick of everyone just barging in and out all the time. I called Lawrence and he detached himself from the shadows in the hallway.

“Yes, my lady?” He bowed.

The butler had bags under his eyes, and he seemed tired, like, really tired. But I had to have this done. “Will you please put a lock on my door?”

His gray eyes shut for a moment and he answered, “Of course, my lady.”

I snapped, “Stop calling me my lady.” Boy did that bug me.

“I’m very sorry but I cannot. It is the master’s wish.”

I grumbled irritably to myself, “Is Darius trying to annoy me?”

“I shall arrange for a lock immediately, my lady. I suggest going into the living room and relaxing as you wait for breakfast.”

I nodded, grabbed Lacy, and skipped into the living room. I was peppy today and brimming with energy; I hopped around the living room, did cartwheels, backflips, and finally flopped onto the couch and turned on the enormous TV.

As I switched through the channels I turned on the news and there was coverage on an old house that had burned down.

The female newscaster spoke. “Luckily there were no people hurt or killed in the fire as a neighbor was quick to call nine-one-one, and the local fire company evacuated twenty-three people before the flames reached the first floor. The fire appears to have started in the basement.”

I fished through the channels and settled on the history one. My head started to spin with last night’s events. Someone had died. I was right there when Nyx had died, right beside her as she took her last breath. Tears streamed down my face as I thought of her extreme loyalty to her master, so extreme she ended up giving her life. Oh, if I ever see Vex again I’ll beat the shit out of him for sure!

Right now I overflowed with power, and I had no idea why. Darius entered the living room and sat near me.

“My dear, you’re so energetic because you drank from me last night.” He twirled a finger in my hair and slipped it out repeatedly.