ACCEPTANCE

ACCEPTANCE

A Vampire’s Debt steamy short stories, story two

TERRI STERN

Copyright © 2023 Terri Stern

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

may not be reproduced or used in any manner

whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents

either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any

resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely

coincidental.

Leo smiled at me as he leaned forward, waving the wine bottle around like a diving rod. “You’re ok with white wine?”

“Prefer it, thanks.” I held my glass out. He poured it half full, matching the amount in his own. It was fizzy and well chilled, despite being swung around the room when he came in. I half wondered how the mystery visitor had kept it chilled too, but Leo’s playful smirk brought my eyes back to him.

He wasn’t quite as suited to the opulence as Frankie, didn’t blend in with the gold and glitz in the same way, but there was an undeniable charm in his confidence, how he plonked himself down into the seat once I had approved the drink. 

He held his glass close to his chest, watching me over the lip. “So, you’ve woken up in a house of vampires and decided to stay. Quite the daring damsel.”

I laughed, giving a little shrug. “One of you did get stabbed on my behalf. Seems rude to be ungrateful.”

“He fed from you, though, so fair exchange. More than fair, depending on the circumstances.”

I felt my face colour up, taking a sip of wine to cover the rising heat. “It’s been enlightening to discover vampires are real and the, uh, added benefits of that.”

Leo laughed, swirling the wine in his glass. The bubbles fizzed up in a ring around the edges, chasing each other in the pale amber liquid, before he took a sip. “Frankie has always been very generous with his indulgences. He’s quite the honeypot, you could say. All fine manners and cheekbones.”

“Oh yeah, you’re hurting in thar area, Mr Jawline.” I snorted, sipping more wine. Probably should slow down on the sips. I hadn’t met the man five minutes and he was maddening, alcohol wouldn’t make that better.

He preened under the comment, running a hand over his chin to rub along his neck. “Flattering as it is, there’s a point to my chatter. We’re alone now. Frankie and Daniel are distracted. There’s nothing between you and those doors but me and a glass bottle. Those break awfully easy.”

I frowned at him, tipping my head to one side to peer around at the doors. “I wasn’t the one that stabbed Charles, he was defending me. You know that, right?”

Leo hummed, nodding, “Absolutely do. I’m just saying, I’m sure I could be terrified of you, if you were to smash that bottle and threaten me, I couldn’t possibly stop you. I’d be cowering in my seat.”

His hints crystallised in my mind, and I giggled, shaking my head. “I agreed to stay here voluntarily, Frankie hasn’t… compelled me, or something. I don’t know if you guys can do that. To be honest, this is all new. You can in the movies. Anyway, he hasn’t done anything except be a ridiculous flirt and bite me.” I paused, watching the bubbles in my glass. “I will admit the whole thing is a bit terrifying, but so was getting attacked, and waking up here was the best outcome. Better than I expected after my idiot boyfriend running off.”

“Yes, your gent sounds like a coward, my sympathies.” Leo gave a shrug, his lips alighting in a smile.

“What?”

“Well, if you’re sure you don’t need my presence as an excuse to escape, how about something else to pass the time?”

“Card tricks?”

“I’m going to have to buy a pack of those just to spite you, hm?”

I laughed, louder than it should be, suddenly aware of the fizz of bubbles catching me off guard. “Hm. Wine may have been a bad idea.”

“Now you sound like Frankie.” Leo grinned, shifting in his seat to lean forward.

“You’ve known him a while?”

“We go way back. Generations, you could say.”

“Are you all ancient then?”

Leo snorted into his wine, rocking his head back to laugh as he coughed. “Oh, please, ask Frankie that question, I’d love to see him answer that.”

“Well, I don’t know!” I said, tucking my arms closer. “I have no idea how this works. Frankie said there were different types of vampires and feeding, he didn’t mention ages. I’m sure he would have explained more if we hadn’t been interrupted.”

“He’s right there, though he should have explained better. He forgets how to explain it to mortals.” Leo paused, grinning to himself. “I’ll make you a deal: you come sit on my lap and I’ll tell you all about it.”

I blinked at him, debating throwing my glass at that stupid smile. “Real smooth there, Mr Jawline.”

“I’d like it better if you said my name.”

That caught me a little off guard, no lie in the husky tone to his voice. “Oh?”

“Come on.” He patted his thighs, raising his brows at me.

“You’re being serious?”

“You look fit to fall off the couch, between Frankie’s… attention and that wine. I’m keeping you safe. You can admire my jaw up close.” He tilted his face, stroking his chin to emphasise the stubble.

I rolled my eyes, failing to suppress the smile his cheek was drawing out. “Fine. But only because this is so ridiculous.”

“Good girl.” If that comment made me blush I was entirely going to blame the alcohol. Honestly. This was much too bizarre to do much but roll with the weirdness, given half my world had been tipped upside down between Neil running off and vampires being real, and at least there was more wine. And, maybe, a level of being held close would be nice. People got like that with shock, clingy and needing reassurance, it wasn’t like this was unusual. The afterglow of Frankie might still be settling through me, too, but I wasn’t going to questioning it just now.  

I stood up, taking the glass with me and wandering around the table to face him. He sat back on the overlarge sofa, settled in the middle of two large cushions so if I did sit in his lap I would be comfortable enough. This was so silly.

“How do you want to do this?” I asked. I sipped more wine as I frowned at him, a flutter of anxiety flaring up.

“You can straddle me, or you can just sit on one of my thighs and I’ll hold yours to keep you here.” He smiled at me like this was a totally reasonable thing to say. Maybe they were all weirdos, even if I was accepting vampires. There had to be weird vampires, too.

My lack of answer made him laugh, catching my free hand to tug me closer, so we were knee to knee. “Are you nervous?”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Of course I am. Wouldn’t you be?”

“If I were in your position? Probably.” He gave a warm little chuckle, all cheek, and tugged my hand closer. I nearly tipped forward, catching myself on the back of the sofa so we were almost face to face, me bent at the waist to prevent tipping forward. “But, little lamb, I’ve never been in your position.”

“Too busy being the big, bad wolf?”

He smiled and his fangs came out easy, none of the teasing peek Frankie had shown when introducing me to the idea. “I like to think of myself as more of a beloved wolf, not a bad one. Come on.”

He brushed our noses together, tugging me a little more, and fuck it, why not? I pulled back a little, shifting my hands so I could grip the back of the sofa with my free one and kneel on the cushions to straddle him, my thighs slotting over his. “Beloved, hm?”

“That’s more like it.” He sat back in the cushions, retreating from the sudden heat between us. I shifted forward, so I was anchored against him, closing the gap again. The glass of wine dangled over the back of the sofa, caught in my fingers, and I decided it was probably a good thing that made it harder to drink.

“You just wanted a cuddle, is that it?” I asked.

“Is this confidence all the wine, or are you always so bold?”

I laughed at the spark in his words, all rumble and no bite. There was, begrudgingly, something charming about his easy confidence, about the way his hands slipped along my legs to grip my hips and hold me there, secure enough not to fall off or tip, but made no move to advance further.

“I’d say I’m like this most of the time. They had threatened me with a knife when your friend intervened, it wasn’t the best example of my personality. I work in a job that means you have to think on your feet.”

“Oh?” He tilted his head at me again, fingers massaging little patterns into my hips. It was distracting, but enjoyably so, I didn’t want him to stop.

“I don’t know if I should tell you. Is one meant to give personal details to their abductors, even very nice ones?” The words coming out of my mouth were ridiculous, but his indulgent smile was enough for me to keep towing the line with the question. I should have checked there was nothing in the wine. It was a lot of a set-up just to drug me, but still. It was silly not to think about it.

“We’ve given you details about us, no?”

“Have you? I have names and vampire, it’s hardly enough for identity theft.”

“I promised to tell you more once you settled down.”

“Hrm, I suppose so.” I tilted my head to match his movement, pretending to consider it. “I work as a paramedic. Well, I’m training as one. Nearly done but I still have a couple of months yet. That’s why I was trying to help your friend Charles when he’d been stabbed.”

“You knew what to do with the wound, how sweet.” Leo’s gaze lingered at my face, my lips, and when he looked back up he batted those thick lashes at me. The red of his irises was closer to pomegranate and rubies than blood – I had seen enough blood to know the difference – and I knew, at the back of my mind, that it was me that closed the distance between us to kiss.

His mouth opened a little, tongue flicking out to tease my lower lip, and I skimmed my tongue over his mouth in turn, tracing the tip along the line of his upper teeth, gently exploring the length and point of a fang. They were sharp, sharper than most teeth I’d encountered at least, but there was a tantalising promise of the feelings they brought, the rush of pleasure Frankie had pulled from me earlier. My stomach tightened at the memory, my heart speeding up, and it was an agony to make myself stop.

I pulled back, breaking the kiss, and leaned back to hide the deep breath I needed as a sip of wine.

“That was nice,” Leo said. He didn’t chase the space between us, but one hand slid from my hip to my lower back, fingers wide to push a gentle pressure against me, encourage me closer. “If you did that to Charles, no wonder he bit you.”

I gripped his shoulder so I could lean around and set my glass on the table behind us, turning back to settle myself closer again. “He got stabbed first, unfortunately, so there wasn’t a chance to give him a thank you kiss.”

“I’m sure he’ll give you a chance to make up for it. If you’re going to be staying here, you’ll be quite popular.”

That sounded… fun? Maybe fun. I would see. “How many people are there here?”

“People, or vampires?”

“Both? How many people will I be getting to know, how about that?” I blinked at him, unaware of how best to differentiate.

“There’s Frankie and me, we’re the natural vampires. There’s Daniel, he’s a darling, he’s the only other human here. Then there’s the sired in the house, who are Charles, Jason and Adam. Obviously, you’ve met Charles. He lives here, as do the other two.”

“And they’re a different sort of vampire to you and Frankie, you said. Sired?”

“Yes, meaning made. They started as humans.”

“So that part is like the movies then?”

He laughed, tracing patterns over my outer thighs with his fingertips. I was grateful the skirt of the dress had some sway, it stopped this being as intimate as it could be. I didn’t want him to stop, though, if anything, I was close to leaning in for more. “Not so dramatic, but a vampire can turn a human, yes. We don’t do it too often, but Frankie has an eye for pretty little things, so we have a few of them staying with us now.”

Us? There hadn’t been a mention of us, but Frankie had been interrupted, and I hadn’t had a chance to figure out how all that worked yet. I may as well take the chance, but the words wouldn’t come out easily. “So, you two are…?”

Leo’s eyes lit up with mischief, his brows going up. “Go on?”

“What are you two, to each other? You’re saying ‘we’ like it’s a shared house.”

“It is, we all live here together. Daniel too.” He arched a brow. Fucking….

Of course he wasn’t going to make it easy. Fine. “And are you a shared connection, or like, husbands, or how does this work? Am I playing home-wrecker right now?”

Leo laughed - rocked his head back into the frame of the sofa and laughed like it was the best joke he’d heard in weeks - his hands rushing up my legs to grasp my waist and pull me closer. “Oh, you are a delightful thing. I want to see you ask Frankie that too.”

I batted at his head, pulling away only for him to press up and steal a kiss, pulling me back down with him so we were flush together. It had been such a quick brush of his lips I blinked at him, unsure what else he was going to do, but he simply smiled at me, his tongue teasing over his lower lip.

“It sounds like you’re pushing all the questions to Frankie, rather than telling me,” I said.

“Maybe I decided I’d rather kiss you, especially when you’re accusing me of marriage. I don’t think I’ve been accused of that in my very long life.”

“How long?”

“How old do you think I am?” His eyes fell back onto my lips, the same little smirk back. The urge to bite him was strong, a petulant little voice in the back of my head whispering that it would be worth it to see him lose his cool.

I kissed him instead of answering, leaning my weight into him so his back pressed into the sofa, my chest against his, his grip at my hips tightening just enough to make me take a shuddering breath as we parted. “Twenty-five.”

He chuckled, dipping closer to suck my lower lip and press just the hint of a fang into the soft flesh, a tremor of heat running through me. “You’re a charmer, aren’t you?”

I dragged my lip back, shivering at the swell of pleasure that pushed up as I freed it from his phantom bite. I almost wanted him to bite me properly. Almost. “You could be two hundred and you still look like that. How would I know? Do you have rings like a tree?”

“Hrm, that would mean you’d have to kill me to find out, what a shame.”

“I said I wasn’t the one doing the stabbing,” I muttered, only half as defensive. “And despite your… charms, I’m sure there’s a reason they keep you around other than that jawline.”

“Would you like to find out?”

“That sounds like a trap.” I leaned in so I could nuzzle into his neck and peck kisses to the soft skin there. The heat of him against me was rolling over my skin, prickling up my spine like a flush of alcohol, but I knew that wine wasn’t enough to cause this. Hell, tequila shots didn’t make me this fussy. I didn’t care, though, I just wanted more contact, more of him.

“It’s not a trap, little lamb, though I suppose it is a trick.” He turned his head slightly, so there was more skin for me to kiss, and I huffed warm air against him as I inched closer, pressing up so everywhere that could touch connected.

“What sort of trick?”

“My bite is a little more potent than Frankie, or the other lads. I’m a special case, you could say. And when you were busy playing with my fangs, there’s a very slight chance that you could have got some of that.”

Oh. That’s why I was grinding up against him like this was the dark back of some club. I should, really, have been embarrassed, but the grip on my hips was solid and something else solid was nudging against my thigh and it felt good to be in a situation that had nice, clear parameters rather than my boyfriend abandoning me and discovering vampires were real.

“And when you bit my lip…?”

“Yes, could have been some overlap there. I wanted to see if you enjoyed biting. Honestly, the way you were looking at me made me wonder if you’d take a bite of me, but you contained yourself.”

I laughed, setting my forehead on his shoulder and shaking it just a little. It was so nice to be tucked against him, close and firm and his scent pushing up against me. No wonder he was popular. “I almost did. I bit Frankie, only seems fair I do it to you too.”

“If you’re going to do that, I much prefer my neck or my hips. Or thighs.”

“A vampire that likes hickeys?” I pulled back to look at him, his hands keeping me close. “That’s got to be some sort of cliché.”

“What can I say? I find the evidence of someone’s tangling with me almost as enjoyable as the outcome.”

I hesitated at that, sighing into the silence that held us. The warmth from before had blossomed, no longer just tickling along my skin but simmering lower, twinges between my thighs making me want to grind down on him, encourage him to do more. I wanted something else other than teasing and promises.

“I dread to think what you’re up to, then.” I leaned my head to one side, feeling half drunk and needy, the lack of contact a void that begged to be filled. “Since I’m sitting in your lap like this.”

“I can think of a few things I’d enjoy.” He pecked light kisses to my jaw, trailing down to lave his tongue over my neck. I whined, arching into the heat of him, grasping his shoulders to keep him close, intoxicated at the contact. “If you’d like them too, of course. I’m not in the practice of tricking my partners into play.”

“You bit me before you told me what makes you so special. That’s got to be a trick.” There was no actual heat to the comment, I was already running my fingernails over his scalp, messing up his just-neat-enough hair, but he nodded.

“Not a full bite. You would know about that, my little lamb. Though I didn’t warn you, true. Maybe I am the bad wolf after all.”

“Terrible.” I caught his lips in a kiss, brief and repeating like little pecks. “Whatever am I to do?”

“How about I make it up to you?” He caught the back of my head in one large palm, rubbing little circles with his fingertips, smiling at the way I leaned into the touch. “Since I didn’t tell you beforehand?”

I blinked at him, mind still playing catch up, then nodded. “I’d like that.”

“Good girl. Let me take care of you.” He guided me back to his lips, shifting lower on the sofa so my weight was on him, his free hand guiding mine to hold on to his shoulder, inch even closer.

His kiss was more demanding this time, enticing me on with the slide of his tongue over mine, the grip at my neck steering me just enough into him so that I couldn’t break away if I’d wanted to. It was a struggle to keep up with him, the half-drunk feeling flooding up so I was breathless as we parted, pressing my hips against him. A soft moan escaped me as he came up to kiss my neck, tease his fangs along the soft skin that yearned to yield, just on the edge of pain but promising so much more.

Leo shifted on the sofa, free hand abandoning its spot holding me in place to inch up my inner thighs, strong fingers easily brushing past the material of my skirt to find the seam of my legs. I gasped as he ran a finger along me, a crowing laugh breaking out as he found my lack of underwear.

“Oh, you naughty thing, nothing underneath?” His eyes flashed with amusement, finger still teasing along the line of me, and I was breathy as I shook my head. I should have been ashamed, I should have, but there was practical reason.

“No spares in my abduction kit, and Daniel didn’t leave any out for me after the shower.”

“How terrible. I’ll have to suggest we get some spares in.” He wrinkled his nose in amusement, pressing his fingers deeper so he slid through the wet heat still gathered there after Frankie had bitten me. I sucked a gasping breath, gripping his shoulder harder as he inched slowly up, finger finding my clit with practiced ease. Probably had a lot of practice, if this is what he did to everyone he bit.

I moaned as he started to slowly circle the little bundle of nerves, deliberate pressure that had me panting into his kiss, whining in the back of my throat. It wasn’t enough, wasn’t getting me to that edge, but it was so, so good compared to the heat rushing through me, the need and ache that had crept over every inch.

He sped up, tripping me closer to that bright sparking before he slipped away, chuckling at the whine I gave, frowning down at him. “Patience, lovely, I’ll take care of you.”

His fingers lingered at my entrance, circling there too just to tease me, then one slid in with no resistance, the second following soon after.

“Fuck.” I moaned against his lips, breath stuttering as he spread his fingers inside me, sparks of heat sharp enough to make me shiver running along my hips.

“Soon, I promise. You’re so wet, baby, is this all this from you or has Frankie been playing with you before the rest of us?” He was still smirking, insufferable smile too easy to be anything but bravado, but I couldn’t think of anything but the way his fingers were moving in me.

“He bit me, and we didn’t get to do anything else. We got interrupted.”

“Oh, how wicked of me.” The smile didn’t shift. “I’ll just have to make up for it.” His pace sped up, fingers seeking deeper into me to brush against the spot that made me arch into him, made stars alight behind my eyes.

“Oh fuck, there.” It was useless babble, he clearly knew what he was doing, but the contented growl he gave was matched only be the way he kept bullying that spot, making my hips stutter and chase his movements.

Just as I came close to my peak, tripping close to the dizzying height, he stopped, fingers stilling as he tilted his head to one side and glanced to the door. I moaned in frustration, almost in tears from the sudden drop, and he brought his free hand up to stroke my cheek, thumb rubbing soothing little circles into my cheekbone. “Thought I heard someone, princess. You okay?”

“This is just like in the alley, you know. It might convince me to change that no stabbing policy…”

“Oh no, your run away man didn’t even give you satisfaction?” Leo licked his lips, glancing over the shape of me. “Would you be okay with it if someone was listening? I can’t get up and check and take care of you.”

“I don’t care.” I bent lower to kiss him, hand fisting in his hair to urge him onward. “Please.”

Leo broke the kiss with a pout that was more glee than contrition. “Poor thing, we’re so bad to you. How about I make it extra up to you?”

“How?” I pulled back, half hazy with need and deeply suspicious. “If it’s biting me some more, I want input on this one.”

“Not that, baby girl. I’m not that bad.” He pecked a kiss on my lips, pressing close for a moment. “Follow my lead.”

He picked me up like I weighed nothing, easily setting me to one side as he shifted down the sofa and twisted, so he laid on his back, taking up most of the sofa. I frowned at him, tilting my head like he had done a few minutes ago. “Are you tired?”

Leo had the grace to cover a snorted laugh with the back of his hand, beckoning me closer again. “Straddle me, up here.” He patted his shoulders, and I caught his meaning, a flush of heat creeping up my throat and low in my cheeks.

“Are you sure?”

“Come here.” He beckoned me closer, eyebrows rising in challenge, and despite the little curl of worry in my stomach, I knelt on the cushions, letting his hands guide me higher so I was at his shoulders. Gripping the back of the sofa and the arm for balance, I looked down at him, almost shy despite the heat aching in my core. He spread my skirt out, so it was still covering me, but I could feel my bare skin pressing against his shirt, the heat of his chest below, and shifted a little higher so nothing else pressed into the material. I’d been so close, still slick across my thighs, and he looked delicious underneath me even with my worries.

“I’m not light,” I said. It was a silly comment, but it nagged at the back of my mind, the embarrassment that I might be more than he expected. He was so handsome, and I was so desperate, and it would somehow be the worst thing I could think of if he simply didn’t want to carry on because I’d hurt his neck or something so embarrassing.

“I just lifted you up, you’re light as a feather. Set your weight on me.” He urged me closer, hands enthusiastically cupping my rear to pull me forward and down. I gasped as he planted kisses on the inside of my thighs, grazed his teeth over the soft skin at the apex of them before he lapped and sucked there too, his stubble just a rough brush that heightened everything else.

It was like I would melt just from his touching me, before anything else, the thrum and sting and swell of each little part all coalescing around me and it was only his iron grip on my thighs that kept me coherent.

“Doing so well princess, you’re so delicious.” His voice was muffled, hidden between my thighs and the skirt, but I could feel the words against my skin, hear his delight in my coming undone as he teased and nipped the soft skin at the top of my thighs.

“You feel good,” I said, gasping as he finally licked into the heat of my core, teasing a slow dip into my entrance before he pressed higher.

His tongue was devilishly good, strong and broad, and when he brought it to my clit, I shivered against the urge to lean into the touch, hips stuttering. When he shifted, tilting his face so he could wrap his lips around it and suck, I cried out, moans spilling out as my hand slipped from the armrest to tangle in his hair.

“God, Leo.”

He laughed at my comment, the vibrations only adding to the sharp, demanding pleasure as he lapped at me, sucked, brought jolts and shivers of heat through my trembling hips. My mind fuzzed at the edges when one hand at my thigh slipped free, joining him under my skirt, and he began to tease me again, fingertip circling the slick of my entrance. I nearly crumpled over him as he slid his fingers in, slowly finding that sweet spot again as he continued to pamper my clit, bring my world down to just the feel and sound of him underneath me.

The tension in my lower stomach tightened into a burning need, and if he hadn’t still been pinning me to him with one hand, I’d have bucked and rocked into his touch. Instead he chuckled again, sucking my clit and teasing it gently with his lips, and I was lost to the feeling of him plundering me so thoroughly: his fingers seeking the sweet point within, his tongue dancing over me, the hunger he so clearly had focused on me.

It was delightfully too much, overwhelming as the heat low in my hips flushed up, tightening into a knot of shaking want, then suddenly unspooled. I was stuttering and moaning against him as he continued to lick and tease me, his fingers crooking within to push me through the waves of pleasure and into the tingling warmth of the afterglow.

I slumped sideways, weight supported on the back of the sofa, and with no fuss he slipped from my skirts, leaning up to move me and lay me down against his chest, rubbing soothing circles into my back.

“You did so well, coming apart for me.” He brought his fingers up to lick them clean, my core twitching at the sight. “You’re delicious, too. No wonder Frankie wants you to stay.”

I hummed in agreement, curling into his touch. The warmth from him was enticing, so easy to give into, and despite knowing there was something entirely strange about all of this, I wanted more. His enthusiasm was pressing in at my hip, impressively straining against his trousers, and I crept a hand lower to stroke him through the material.

“You’re hard.” It was needless to say, given the heat and pressure rocking into my touch, but I wanted to show a willingness. While I wasn’t panting and grinding against him anymore, I still wanted him – wanted to feel his cock inside me, to feel him twitch and come underneath me. 

“I am. I want to have all of you.” He huffed a sigh, glancing up at the door. “Do you trust me?”

I blinked at him, shrugging. “Enough to do this with, sure?”

“That’ll do. Hold on.” He twisted on the sofa, sitting up with me still pressed to him and with one easy scoop he had me in his arms. I yelped, wrapping my arms around his neck so I could stay close to him.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting us some privacy. I want to fuck you without someone listening at the door.” He sifted me higher, taking us towards the glass doors. He opened one with a fluid ease, slipping us free from the bright room and out into the sunshine.

We were in a good sized internal garden, like a smaller plaza square, with other doors leading into it from rooms I didn’t recognise. The grass was lush, well-tended by someone, and a tall tree stood at the open side of the garden, leaves a rich umbrella of shadow that stretched towards us. It was mild, warmer than I’d expect in my dress and with bare arms, but Leo’s chest was strong beneath me and I couldn’t find it in myself to be too concerned about it.  

“Didn’t Frankie say to stay there?”

“Frankie is busy, and whoever is peeking at the door has had enough of a free show. Unless you want to give them more?” He stopped, glancing back the way we came. “You could enjoy that. I should have asked that before grabbing you, I suppose.”

I flushed with heat at the comment, the idea of an audience somehow seeming more erotic than it should given the low simmer still singing through my blood. “Not right now.” I shook my head, nuzzling into his neck again. “I’d like it to be just us.”

“Music to my ears, princess.” He pecked a kiss to my cheek, hefting me closer. “Just hold on. I’ll take you somewhere nice.”

 I couldn’t have objected anyway – I had no idea where we were – but something within me was content to trust Leo, and while it could have just been the afterglow, or the… whatever the bite counted as, venom? I didn’t know. Even if it was that, I wanted to stay with him for now, and to share more, so I clung to him as he crossed the grass in confident strides, ducking us into another door.

The corridors here weren’t familiar, but they looked much like the others Daniel had taken me through previously. We didn’t encounter anyone as Leo walked me past rows of doors to find wherever he was looking for, stopping when we reached a short corridor that he ducked into, heading towards a lighter wood door. Ashy grey wood shone with polish, a Herculean effort from someone, and I could see the blurry shape of us approaching the surface; my red dress a stark streak over the pale expanse.

 “Not everyone gets to see in here, but I’ll make a special exception for you.” Leo didn’t set me down, simply palming the handle and slipping us in. Sunlight poured through a tall window on one wall, showing off a room big enough to be a suite in most instances.

There were bookshelves against every wall, piles of books eating into each section of floor space and spreading out in a tide of open pages and gold threaded spines. It was messy, but I wasn’t going to shame someone for being a reader. Or maybe more: a long table sat against the same wall as the window, covered in sheets of lined paper with scribblings in spider scrawl handwriting.

A dresser sat, almost neglected compared to the bed and books, at the back of the room, beside a door I presumed led to a bathroom. If it was anything like the room I awoke in, at least. It was as good as a hotel. It seemed off that his dresser should be ignored, but with a pretty face like he had, there was hardly a vast need to primp.

If the room was plush, so was the bed he set me on; the mattress broad and soft, covers a rich cream cotton. Everything was beautiful, but there was a plainness to it in contrast to the sparkling gold and fanfare of the room I’d met Frankie in – a deliberate lack of peacocking.

“I’m glad to be special,” I said, looking at him again. He was smirking at me, pretty as he’d been on the sofa, and despite the low boil in my blood I was struck at how careful he was being – not crowding me in, close but making sure I could see both the door and the large window. “You’re a long way off.”

“Just checking this was still okay.” He shrugged, leaning in to nuzzle at my jaw. “You might have changed your mind. It would be fine if you had.”

“Do you negotiate everything so carefully, Leo?”

“I do with strange ladies who I’ve seduced unintentionally.”

“Earlier on seemed very intentional, if you ask me.” It was a blatant line, much too bold, but he had the decency to laugh. “I don’t find many men between my thighs by accident, certainly not that enthusiastically.”

“I believe in doing a thorough job. I heard no complaints.”

“Exactly. So why are you looking at me like I’m the one who will bite?”

“I guess I’m just cautious, princess. You’re… curious, and I don’t want to take things too far because you’re overwhelmed and don’t feel you can say no.”

“And you thought eating me out was a good way to clear my head?” I crossed one leg over the other, letting it rest against his thigh, leaning back so I could rest my weight on my palms and look him over. “I’ve heard of doing certain things before making a decision, but yours are much more indulgent than having a cookie. Plus, I thought you wanted to continue our activities?”

He sighed, leaning down to catch my cheek in his palm, tip my face towards his. “I do, you frustrating thing. I simply want to know this is freely given.”

Oh, fuck this. I grabbed his collar, bringing him down to meet me in the middle, our lips almost touching. “Freely given, and deeply wanted. My head feels clear of the wine and full of you in the best possible way. I want this. Now if you don’t get on this bed and follow through with your promised attention, I might just feel the need to take care of myself.”

He swallowed and the bob of his throat was enough to make me moan, squeezing my thighs together. Maybe it hadn’t worn off as much as I’d thought, the sharp spark of heat rippling through my hips entirely distracting.

Leo chuckled, his breath warm against my lips, and his eyes swam with something deep and hungry as he leant in. Bringing our lips together, he tilted my head to meet his, a satisfied rumble escaping his throat as we connected. He was a dominating presence as soon as I kissed him back, his tongue pushing insistently into my mouth, his grip on my cheek slipping round so he could sink his fingers into my hair and cup the back of my head.

“Such a beauty,” he whispered as we broke apart, gazing over my face like he was drunk from the kiss. Heat rose in my cheeks, the thundering beat of my heart an echo to the pulse hammering through my veins. I understood how a vampire could find a willing victim if they were like this, how you could give your neck over to them. Even though I knew I shouldn’t, understood somewhere in the back of my mind that they were predators, I couldn’t help but want more.

“Thank you.” My voice was breathy, tight, as I struggled not to reach out for him.

“What is it?” He seemed to pick up on my hesitation, moving back slightly.

“Can I touch you?”

He laughed, a soft sound in the space between breaths, catching my hand with his free one. “Of course. Where’s all that boldness from before?”

“I guess I just felt better in your lap.”

“Let’s fix that then.”

He nudged me back, encouraging my legs apart before he slipped his hands under my thighs, tilting me fully onto the bed. He was over me in an instant, holding the weight of his body just off mine: his lips were so close I could feel the scatter of his breath, count the flecks in his crimson eyes.

“Has anyone told you your eyes are beautiful?” The question was out before I could stop myself, slipping over my tongue. It was a stupid thing to say: of course he’d be showered with compliments. Quite separate to whatever his bites did, he was gorgeous, and though I doubted they were bringing women home every night, there was a no chance he was hurting for company.

He smirked, dropping lower to pepper kisses to my lips, my jaw, nudging my head so he could get at the soft skin of my neck. “No.”

“They should have.” My breath caught as he teased his tongue over the join of my shoulder, grazing the promise of teeth over the lingering heat. I struggled to still my hips, avoid pressing up to him.

“You seem to like this spot.” He purred it into my skin, the warmth of his words making sparks tingle along my spine.

“I might have a few weak points on my neck, not a shock in a house like this, surely?” I gasped as he bit down on the same spot. My whole body shivered, hips grinding against his as they shifted on the bed. His hardness pushed into me with the motion, his interest once more straining against the dark material.

I gasped through the sudden pain, then the irresistible rush of heat that flowed deeper and demanded to be answered. I clung to him, my core shivering for his attention, clenching needfully, and he rocked into my trembling with his own need.

“Where else are you so sensitive, I wonder?” he asked, fingers tracing down my sides, creeping aimless patterns over the material, ghosting over my ribs. He continued to kiss my neck, hands coveting me as they tracked everywhere he could, like he was memorising my shape. I pushed into him, slipping a hand behind my back to unzip my dress. I shucked the top down, letting it ruck down to my waist.

Leo’s hands were back on me as soon as it left my skin, splaying over the expanse of my stomach, the arch of my sternum, his fingers tracing the curve of my breasts. I whined, chasing his touch as he lingered there.

I reached lower, beginning to shove the dress off my hips, but he caught my wrist. Giving a small shake of his head, he brought them back up, pinning them above my head like Frankie had before. I bit my lip, heat and embarrassment warring through as he looked me over.

“Leo, please. Touch me.”

“I will. You look beautiful, too wonderful to rush.” He leaned down, tongue dipping out to test the skin, breathing deep into the column of my throat. I chased the heat of his mouth as he sank lower, tasted the skin at my collarbone. His teeth threatened but never sank in, and despite the shivering moans that spilled from my mouth, he only continued lower, his laughter lost into the soft skin of my clavicle.

The contrast of the mild air and his hot tongue was almost too much, my mind swimming with sensations as I squirmed under him. He watched me with a rapt attention that would make a portrait blush, like someone waiting for a prize, and I was more than eager to give it to him. The bite was running through my blood, heat pooling between my hips, and I yearned to touch him, to break the ridiculous composure he seemed to have despite reducing me to a begging, needy mess below him.

“Please, fuck me,” I murmured. A basic wish, a demand, damn near a plea - all these things tumbling together with the aching in my hips.

“I will, princess, patience.” He marked my neck with a deep suck, my hips squirming at the tight heat pulling into my lower stomach, thighs pressing together. He laughed, then gave a faux tut, bringing a knee up between my legs. “I thought you wanted me to do that?”

I sighed, the bolt of warmth making me weak as he pressed lightly against me. The only answer was a hungry growl low in his chest and I ground into him, chasing the friction he offered, lost to the feeling of him all around me. I wanted to be overtaken by him, give over everything I could and while the thought flooded me with embarrassment, it was tantalising, so easy to fall into.

His lips came back to mine as he pushed harder against me, his weight on me now and his hips pressing hard into mine. The wetness between my thighs was a constant reminder of how deeply I wanted him, how weak I was for this despite barely him barely touching me. Embarrassment be damned, I could have wet when he tugged my bra free, kissing down my lips to find the already peaking nipples.

His tongue was a revelation, a flood of feeling that I was helpless to do anything but chase, pinned underneath him like a butterfly under glass. His free hand found the neglected nipple, peaking and tweaking the nub until I was mewling and squirming, my hips uselessly pressing against his knee as I was wound into a near frenzy, tears in my eyes.

“You’re so responsive, beautiful, just lovely for me.” His voice was husky, thick with his own desire, and though he tightened his grip on my wrists I was almost scratching at his hands, desperate for him just to sink into me. I was almost at the point of begging, wanting to mark him like he was marking me. A slow breath shook out of me as he slipped his hand lower, finally tugging up my skirt so my thighs were bare - exposed to the scratch and press of his trousers against them.

“Please, Leo, please, I need you.” I was panting for him, despite the fact he was still separated from me by both distance and trousers.

“I know, I promise it will be worth it.” He came back up, pecking a kiss to my lips before he leaned away, tearing his shirt over his shoulders with an easy, one handed grip. It slid free and he discarded it. Sitting on his heels, he grabbed for his belt, opening it with a crisp promise of metal against metal, then he was shedding those too, his underwear gone at the same time.

Naked he was more like a jewel than a statue, that jawline not the only thing chiselled. He was broad and well-toned in the chest, a tight vee marking his hips as well, and when his cock sprang free, it was beautiful: girthier than I’d expected rubbing him through his pants. It had an eager curve to it that bobbed towards him, the flushed head a deeper red than the warm white skin of the shaft.

The sight of him, bare and hard and his cock leaking pre-come for me, was enough to make me moan and lean up for him, arms out to pull him close again.

He came back over me, face buried in my neck and his hips aligned with mine, skirt pushed out of the way to let his thighs press mine wider, reveal the slick heat between my legs. A shiver of pleasure ran through me as his hand slid between us, aligned himself with my opening.

“You’re so wet.” He moaned, rubbing the tip of his cock over me, teasing the fluid that was already there to coat himself with it. “Can’t wait to feel you.”

“Yes, please, god I want you so much.” I’d never begged Neil like this, had never been so wound up I could beg and melt and tear scores out of his back if he didn’t give me everything of him right now, my hips rocking in frustrated little circles to encourage him deeper.  

“Such a good girl for me, yes.” He was kissing me again as he finally, finally pressed the head of himself into me, his cock sinking easily in until he was flush, chest to chest as he caught my cheek again, brought our foreheads together.

“Are you okay if I move?”  

I nodded eagerly, pecking a kiss to his lips in reassurance, and he smothered that sweetness with a hungry kiss, his tongue plunging in as his hips bucked into movement. I clenched my internal muscles to encourage him on, gain more frictions, anything to chase the need singing deep inside me.

The noises he made were obscene, delightful, and satisfying darkness coming to his eyes and he dashed into me, kicked up the tempo of his hips so we were rocking together, his thrusts pounding me into the mattress. He caught the backs of my thighs and tilted me higher, so he sank in even deeper, his weight pressing my thighs back into my chest so I was spread open underneath him, pinned for him to take everything he could. I was a crying, babbling mess as he plunged into me.

The tightness that sang between my hips flashed, tightened until it was nearly painful, and as his hips snapped forward I was pushed higher, closer, the white-bright edge of it rushing towards me with every thrill and jolt he brought out of me.

His mouth found my neck and his thumb found my clit, tight circles being drawn around it in time with his thrusts and I was falling apart around him, near screaming with how hard I came, how full and tight and good I felt with his cock still hammering into me.

My hands were free to cling onto him and I anchored them on his back, scratching and clawing through the afterglow as he chased his own end. His hips stuttered with the closeness of his peak, pressing deeper with each hungry thrust, and I tightened involuntarily as he hit my g-spot, grinding hard against it until he was gasping and bucking, the twitching deep within me confirming he’d reached his own orgasm.

“Fuck, you feel so good, fuck.” We were a tangle of skin and material, kisses and gasps, and I kept tightening against him like I could milk his own pleasure from him, draw every bit from him like he’d pulled them from me. I was trembling below him, twitching limbs unless as I sagged beneath his weight, but the satisfaction of him slumping over me - exhausted and breathing heavily - was a delicious secondary satisfaction to the still tingling buzz of pleasure between us.

He peppered kisses over me, his skin never seeming to leave mine, and while I couldn’t make out the words he was whispering, I was content to let them flow over me, reassuring and warm as the sunlight still pouring into the room.

I slumped back into the bed as he slowly pulled out, rubbing my limbs gently as he laid me down.

“You were amazing, princess. Stay here, I’ll get us something to clean up.” He kissed me again, a slight brush over my forehead, and then he was off the bed and towards the spare door. Must have been an en suite.

I curled up on the bed, pleasantly aching from our joining despite the chill his absence left. Tucking one arm under my head, I waited for him, dozing slightly as I heard water start to run.

Other stories from Terri Stern:

The Monster Collection

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Terri Stern is a writer and student based in London. Outside of writing she enjoys walking and cocktails, as well as belly dancing. Her favorite tea is Royal Milk Tea from South Korea and she dreams of being able to travel again so she can visit there to try it fresh.

Find her on Twitter: @TerriSternWrite

Website: terristernwrites.com