Authors: Annalynne Russo
Blood and Bondage (14 page)
With a beleaguered sigh, Oliver finally
relented. “I know. It’s just tough to accept so much change happening at once.
First, you marry the leader of the
York City
The corners of the huntress’ mouth turned up
again and her eyes twinkled brightly. He could almost see the wheels spinning
in her head. “What’s going on between the two of you? It seems to have gone
farther than your run of the mill vampire investigation. You like her, don’t
you?”
A bundle of nervous energy, Oliver rubbed at his
stubbly jaw. I thought I was the one with psychic abilities?
Eva had been able to read him so well, a result
of working together side by side for so many years. When it came to her, he
couldn’t keep anything a secret.
“Okay, I’ll admit it. The blasted woman found a way
to crawl underneath my skin,” Oliver said, scrubbing a hand through his hair. “Truth
is, I can’t stop thinking about her.”
“You slept with her. I knew it!” Eva shouted,
jumping up and down on the bed. The movement caused the agony in his arm to
flare.
“Yes,” Oliver confessed as he averted his gaze.
“But it’s more than sex. I think I’ve developed feelings for her.”
Taking both of his hands between hers, she
forced Oliver to stare into her eyes. The depth of her sincerity apparent with
each gentle stroke of her fingers over the palm of his hand. “If that’s the
case, you must go to her. Tell her how you feel.”
“What do you mean? Where is she?” Oliver asked
as if perplexed.
“She’s gone. She left for
after Adam took Gaucher into custody.” This time, the pity reflected in her
dark brown eyes made Oliver want to shrink away and hide.
“Speaking of Gaucher, where is the bastard?”
Oliver said, seamlessly changing the subject.
“Currently still alive. The coven’s board of trustees
is convening early next week to decide his fate. I’m pretty sure he’s gonna
fry.”
“Thanks for the update.” Oliver squeezed her
hand, then pulled away. “Now if you’ll excuse me, my dear. My bladder’s full
and I need to change the dressing on my wound.”
With a simple nod of the head, Eva pivoted on
her heels and left him in peace. While he’d missed his best friend like crazy,
he preferred to be alone. He needed to think. There were a host of details he
had to work out in his head.
First and foremost, he had to come to grips with
the fact that not all vampires were ruthless pricks. Over the last few months,
he’d seen countless examples of selfless sacrifice on their part. Andreas had
been the instigator of the bunch. But following in his illustrious footsteps,
Bobby and Anaïs had made him stand up and take notice. There were bloodsuckers
roaming the streets of
came to shove.
Then there was Anaïs. She’d turned out to be
something rare and special. He enjoyed her witty sense of humor and that sassy
swagger she possessed. Yet deep down, Oliver knew it was all a cover. A way for
her to keep people from getting too close. In that regard, they were a lot
alike. The only difference, the method with which they’d employed.
While Oliver delved into his work as a strategic
planner, ordering his troops to carry out missions that helped to abolish
vampires and similar creatures from the streets, Anaïs had embraced the dark,
seedier side of life. However, both had done so in an effort to escape from a
far worse fate. She’d relished the idea of joining the ranks of the undead so
she could run away from her father’s earth-shattering betrayal. Later, she
sought revenge by murdering similar men who no doubt deserved their death
sentence.
Oliver, on the other hand, substituted fear and
insecurity, with vengeance and hate. His misguided view of the supernatural had
been born from his family’s horrific experience at the hands of Adolf Hitler, a
madman not much different from the one the vampire coven had recently locked
up. If nothing else, the last few weeks had taught him to understand that the
world was filled with both bad and good. Not all things were necessarily black
and white. There were creatures like Anaïs who blurred the lines of right and
wrong and appeared in miraculous shades of grey.
Oliver had no way to tell which side of good and
evil the bloodsuckers he’d already sent to the afterlife had stood. The only
solace he regarded was the fact that from that day forward, he’d think twice
before staking a vampire in the chest. By killing them without just cause, he’d
be as guilty as any ruthless murderer.
The truth of his existence weighed heavy on
Oliver’s heart. The one path he knew to begin the long, arduous process of
repenting for his sins would be to fly to
her forgiveness.
Chapter Sixteen
From
With Love
Anaïs sat beside to the second story window of her
Parisian flat, overlooking the picturesque River Seine. The sun was still
descending and it cast a sublime shadow over the water’s edge. She watched as a
boat or two drifted by, then closed her eyes and inhaled the aromatic floral scent
that washed over her senses. Once her lashes fluttered back up, tears swam in
the depths of her clouded stare. She rubbed the indentation at the side of her
buttocks, which suddenly itched. It was the spot where her purple and gold
tattoo wound down the crevice toward the entrance to her womb. That same
fragrant wildflower grew in the six-by-two inch box perched on the rail of her
balcony.
Memories of Oliver and the short time they’d
spent together came to her in flashbacks like an impossible fantasy that had
somehow been fulfilled. Her heartbeat quickened at the thought of the bitter
sweet recollection. Oh how her fingers itched with the need to reach out and
touch him. But the man was thousands of miles away. Unfortunately, Anaïs left,
deserting him as she had all the rest.
Two weeks had passed and now it was pointless to
take a step back. Even if she did, there’d be no guarantee he’d welcome her
with open arms. After all, Anaïs lived as a vampire and he, her sworn enemy. A
relationship between the two of them would never withstand the test of time.
Too bad. It seemed love came too little, too
late.
Yes, Anaïs spoke the truth. Somewhere along the
way, she’d let her emotions get the best of her and fallen for Oliver. His
gruff, protective exterior had broken down her barriers, inexplicably lodging
the human in her heart. But she knew it would never last. She didn’t want to
make the effort. While Anaïs admired Andreas and Eva and their unborn child for
fighting against the odds, there wasn’t a chance in hell she’d survive the same
kind of struggle. It’d be like banging her head on a wall over and over again.
Instead, Anaïs locked herself in her one room
flat, sequestered away from the rest of the world. The only time she left the
comfort of the black velvet couch in which she sat was to find sustenance or
provide instruction for the three future prima ballerinas she’d brought under
her master tutelage.
However, Anaïs did have one pastime. She was a
people watcher. While she rarely ventured outdoors, she enjoyed observing the
unique eccentricities of those who walked below her window. On a bridge by the
river’s edge, a mime stood on a platform posing for photographs and soliciting
tips by virtue of his wide brimmed hat. A few feet away, a homeless woman with a
tattered black trench coat pushed a shopping cart that stored her entire life’s
worth.
Behind them both, a handsome fellow with partly-shaved
salt and pepper hair strolled by, scanning the sides of the buildings as if in
search of a specific address. He reminded her of George Clooney, the good looking
American actor she’d coveted for years from afar. The man turned suddenly, then
ascended the stairwell that led to a nearby apartment. An awning below
prohibited her from following the exact route the man had taken.
Then a knock sounded at her door. Anaïs’s eyes
shot open and her pulse began to race. Could it possibly be? Had Oliver
traveled halfway across the globe to capture her heart? She stood abruptly, her
knees almost buckling underneath her. She held onto the furniture on the way to
the door, propping her body up to keep from toppling over. Anaïs held her
breath as she pulled on the knob, afraid to jinx herself. When she saw Oliver
on the other side of the threshold, her voice momentarily caught in her throat
and she was unable to speak.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” Oliver asked
with a heart stopping grin.
“Of course,” Anaïs managed to say as she took a
step back to allow him to enter her flat. “But what are you doing in
Without warning, Oliver grabbed her around the
waist and yanked her into the ridge of his hip. His partial erection wedged
right below her navel. The proximity to her pussy made her body shutter and
quake. “I’m here to claim what’s rightfully mine. It’d be easier if you surrendered
willingly, but if not, it’ll have to be by force.”
Before Anaïs could respond, his lips descended
upon hers, demanding total submission. The salty, sweet flavor of his tongue
swirled around in her mouth as he arched her backward, then led her down to lie
on the settee. Oliver snatched up both her wrists, and held them suspended
above her head. The rough grip he had on her would no doubt cause bruises to
form.
For a
brief moment, Anaïs managed to pull away. “Do you mind if we try this the more
traditional way for once? No whips or chains. I’ve had enough excitement these
last few weeks to last a lifetime.”
“On the contrary, my love. Things are just
starting to heat up. But I promise, I’ll go easy on you.” Oliver untied the red
silk robe she wore and let it fall to the floor. Underneath, she was completely
bare. He ran the palms of his hands over the tender flesh of her breasts.
Taking Anaïs’s nipple in one hand, he rolled the plumpness between his thumb
and index finger until it sprang to life. At the same time, he worshiped the
other nipple by biting the tip with his teeth.
Anaïs groaned at the suction from his mouth. It
made her clitoris throb and her insides clench. Then, Oliver let his hands
wander, skimming the sensitive skin of her belly until he reached the neatly-trimmed
bundle of curls at the apex of her sex. His thumb caressed her engorged nub
continuing further down in order to part her moist folds.
Anaïs took hold of her lover, fisting her hands
in his shirt. She fumbled with its buttons for several minutes, then wretched
the material from his broad shoulders. Finally, she felt the smoothness of his
naked flesh against her fingertips, tracing the angular ridges of his muscular
frame.
“Remove your pants, Oliver. Please.” Anaïs said,
pure lust reflected in her beautiful amber gaze. “I’m dying to taste you again.”
Slow and deliberate, Oliver started to undo his
belt. But Anaïs proved impatient. She jerked on the cinch, then pulled the
trousers to his ankles. The vampire sank to her knees, taking the head of his
cock into her mouth. She lowered her lips over the length of his shaft, and
waited for it to graze the base of her throat. Anaïs cupped his ass as she
moved up and down over his thick ridges.
Suddenly, Oliver reared back, retreating from
the shelter of her warm heat. “Stop. I don’t want to come. Not yet.” He picked
Anaïs up and draped her over the luxurious settee. He pushed open her wobbly thighs,
then settled between her legs. His cock hovered at the entrance to her womb,
sending minute twinges of desire shooting through her from head to foot.
“Go ahead, Oliver. Fuck me.
Oliver chuckled, but pivoted his hips as he did.
The tip of his shaft dipped inside, coating the pulsing organ with her
free-flowing nectar. At the moment of penetration, Anaïs screamed in pleasure. It
felt so damn good, she nearly melted in his arms. The vampire grabbed hold of
his shoulders, dug her razor sharp nails into his malleable flesh, and then
held on for the ride.
Right when she thought she would come, Oliver bucked
up off the couch and flipped over onto his back. With Anaïs straddling his waist,
he took hold of hips and forced her to move at the pace that he set. Yet the
vampire wouldn’t be one upped. She shifted her weight, grinding her clit
against his throbbing erection. The fast tempo they kept made Oliver’s balls slap
hard against skin. No doubt the feminine juices that drizzled down the slope of
his rear helped lessen the inevitable sting.
“Oh God! Here it comes.” Her human lover growled
like a beast between his clenched teeth.
Hot and potently powerful, Oliver’s semen spewed
inside her spasming flesh. A split second later, Anaïs shattered into a million
little pieces. Her pussy tightened around the base of his cock. She screamed
something fierce, then crumpled over onto his chest. Breath escaped from her
lungs in short, distorted gasps.
