Part 24 (1/2)

She made out the blurry vision of the man in the alleyway that saved her from being struck by the carriage, only he looked younger, much younger. His vivid eyes shone out tortured from a youthful face. They were red. He'd been crying. His lips moved to speak, but Tatiana couldn't hear what he said. Her lips broke apart as she forced them open and began to bleed. A voice that wasn't her own whispered past her throat, in the same language she couldn't know, not even in her vision.

Whatever she said upset the young man with blue eyes, for he screamed at her. Then, taking his knife from his belt, he yelled at her angry and raw. He waved the blade before her face, screaming at her over and over again. She yelled back. This only upset him more. Suddenly, he lunged for her. His hand found her face in a strangely soft caress as the blade found her heart.

Tatiana gasped, feeling the piercing heat of the blade inside her chest. Her mouth opened wide and the young man kissed her bloodied lips. He stepped back, leaving the blade embedded in her. He turned his back on her and she watched him walk away as she died. He did not look back.

Tatiana's eyes shot open in surprise. The rounded orbs searched wildly, glimmering with the strangeness of an inner light.

They focused on the first thing she saw, Marcello's handsome face, contrasted by firelight. His lips moved, but she couldn't hear what he said.

”Bella ... corvo ... il....”

Tatiana gasped, finally able to breathe. Marcello smiled widely at the sound. He almost seemed relieved to see her awake.

She was so glad to be back, back where she felt safe--next to him. She forgot all that was between them, about the woman at the music hall. Her arms lifted up and eagerly wound around his neck. She forcefully pulled him down to her, needing him close.

Marcello's body stiffened in surprise and he moved as if he would pull away. Tatiana's body was cold and she needed his warmth. The thought left her breathless--holding a vampire for warmth. At any other moment she would've laughed at herself.

As he pressed against her once more, she felt that they were already naked. Her hair was wet and she instinctively knew he had bathed her again. He seemed to like bathing her and Tatiana found she liked him doing it for her.

Feeling came back to her limbs and it was the feel of him pressed tightly to her. The texture of his strong body pushed into her softer flesh, making her conform to him. Her hands began to roam, addicted to the glide of his muscles and she couldn't feel enough of him. Her body rubbed along his, intertwining his legs, pressing her stomach into the scalding hardness between his thighs.

Lifting up, she roughly captured his lips. Tatiana couldn't think. He was so warm. His arms were so protective. She wanted to feel him on her, in her. She wanted to feel anything that wasn't the ice cold of the stream or the white heat of a blade to her heart.

Suddenly, she began to laugh. It was a wild sound. Marcello pulled back from where he devoured her neck with biting kisses to look at her. Tatiana s.h.i.+vered to see his eyes flaked with purple and silver flecks. She chuckled again, unable to help it as she thought of the irony. For her to feel alive she had to embrace death--she had to embrace Marcello.

”Too gentle,” she ground out at his confused look. Her lovemaking turned rough. She knew instinctively what he would want, what he would like for her to do to him. He wanted her to quicken him--with pain, with pleasure. It was all relatively the same, so close in nature were the two emotions, so raw and full.

Tatiana pushed him and he let her, rolling on his back. His hand reached for her and she stopped him, grabbing his wrists and forcing them over his head. She smiled a wicked smile, looking over the pale, smooth line of his chest. He was perfect, sculpted. His lips parted and she saw the tips of his fangs peeking out at her. Holding him down, she leaned over and licked at his teeth.

His mouth lightly bit the air as she pulled back. She could feel his pleasure flowing toward her. His heavy erection sat along the back of her b.u.t.tocks, pus.h.i.+ng at her. Her body was wet for him, sliding along his stomach as her hips naturally moved in small circles.

Marcello's penetrating gaze raked over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and neck. Her black hair spilled over them wet and clinging, a cool shock against their heating skin. As she watched him lick his lips, her body jerked along his firm stomach, nearly climaxing at the heated intent in his expression.

Tatiana wanted to devour him, pleasure him, torment him. She raked her nails over his wrists, scratching him hard as she moved over his arms. He didn't move to stop her, throwing his head back instead and moaning in pleasure. Red trails were left in her wake as she scratched his arms, moving down to his shoulders, over his arching chest.

She stopped close to his small erect nipples. Leaning over, she let her body rub intimately along his arousal as she bit her flat teeth against his collarbone. Again, he moaned loudly as she left a mark on him. His hands didn't move, staying where she put them.

When she bit his nipple, his body jerked violently. She licked it hard only to bite him again. She let her nails have at his sides, scratching hard over his stomach.

”Do you like that?” she whispered along his lips. Her tongue reached out to trace the line of his mouth, flicking against his sharpened teeth.

Marcello quickly sucked her tongue into the hot depths of his mouth. Only his lips moved as he penetrated her with his tongue, exploring the depths of her mouth, claiming every inch of it as his. When he pulled back, he demanded harshly, his eyes glowing with hot fire, ”More.”

”I want to taste you as you taste me,” she whispered, moving to his strong neck. She bit him hard, but couldn't break his tough skin with her teeth. Pulling back, her eyes begging him, she whispered, ”Let me taste you Marcello.”

Tatiana leaned over to him again, sprinkling her light kisses over his jaw and cheek, refusing his mouth when it searched for her. Her hands again found his wrists, needlessly holding them down, liking the feeling of control. Marcello's knees rose behind her. His hips lifted, pressing himself more fully against her, digging his erection into the soft cleft of her backside.

Tatiana moaned in delight, flexing her hips back so that he was forced to rub against her body. Her kiss again turned to little bites as she moved along his flesh.

”Let me cut you,” she whispered nipping his earlobe. ”Just a small cut.”