Part 2 (1/2)
Michael stepped closer, his smile feral. ”You were always feisty, Erin. Maybe I should have taken you first instead of your sister. But she was a good f.u.c.k, screaming for me to ram into her. Too bad it ended like it did.”
Enraged, Erin swung out, but Leo pulled her back. She struggled, fighting his iron-like grip to the sound of Michael's laughter. ”I'll get you, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d! You'll pay for killing my family!” She managed to raise her machete.
Michael's laughter subsided, and he backed away. Even Eva seemed less amused.
”Not now, mia amore,” Leo whispered against her temple. ”This isn't the time. He'll kill you in a moment. Wait.”
Erin heard the words, but they didn't completely sink in. The b.a.s.t.a.r.d not only mocked her with each breath he took, but she wanted desperately to exact revenge for the memories that haunted her. Images of her mother with her throat shredded. Her father lying in a pool of blood, his face drained of color, skin white as paste. Then Karen--poor Karen. The devil had screwed her before her parents' eyes as life drained from them. And Erin, conscious and aware of the entire night, yet immobilized by some sort of vampiric magic. Michael had been cruel in saving her for last. She remembered his words as he rose from Karen's limp, lifeless body, his lips dripping red. ”Sweet little girl, virginal blood is a delicacy to be savored.
And as I drink from you, I'm going to send you into ecstasy and you'll give that precious hymen to me.” His laughter echoed in her mind even now.
But Leo's gentle hold rea.s.sured her. Perhaps he was right. Any attempt on her part right now would end her hunt in her own death.
”I'll bide my time,” she said in a low voice, venom tracing each syllable.
When Michael laughed again, she fought from las.h.i.+ng out. Within Leo's arms, she felt protected, but at the same time, he gave her that feeling of equality. He stood with her toe-to-toe against her foe, silently promising to fight by her side.
At that moment, she realized this man--this vampire--was meant to be in her life. He had mentioned she was his life-mate. It must be true.
And she liked the idea.
Could a slayer and a vampire truly overcome their differences to love?
At that moment, she hoped so.
Leo glared at Michael and Eva as they faded into the night. The confrontation wasn't over; they would soon meet again. If Leo knew his brother, Michael wouldn't rest until Erin was dead.
What exactly was the reason for her hatred of vampires in connection to Michael? No doubt it was horrific. Perhaps Erin would open up to him her reasons.
”Would you like to go inside?” she asked, bringing his gaze back to her as they finished dressing. Lord, she was beautiful, and her auburn hair was wild and unruly, just like her spirit. He loved that untamable quality about her.
He knew she liked to take control, but in her deepest self, longed to relinquish that control to be loved. How fortunate Leo was to find his life-mate to long for the exact type of s.e.xual play he preferred. Just the remembrance of her toying with her c.l.i.t on his command made his body harden once again.
”Do you wish for me to go in?” He wanted to test her desires. As they proceeded in this relations.h.i.+p, her ultimate sacrifice would be required.
”Yes,” she whispered, stepping closer. The s.e.xual heat poured off her body and called to his. She placed her hand on his chest. ”I want you to make love to me.”
His eyebrows shot up. Before she wanted to ”be f.u.c.ked.” Now she wanted to ”make love.” Had her feelings for him changed in a few pa.s.sing moments?
”Mia amore, you are my life-mate. I wish to love you for all eternity. Can you understand the commitment and price for me to love you?”
She stood in silence, then rested her head against his chest. ”I understand.”
He tilted her chin so he could look into her eyes. Within the blue depths, he saw a new light. Perhaps it was possible for a slayer to love a vampire.
”Which floor do you live on?” he asked, scooping her into his arms and walking to the edge of the roof. ”Third floor, fourth window from the left.”
He transformed into a mist, but still held her within his arms. Vampires could s.h.i.+ft into any form at will, including that without physical barriers. She nestled and he flew through the air to her window. With a brush of his cloudy hand, it opened, and they drifted inside.
In her apartment, he transformed back into his natural form. She seemed unaffected by his transformations. ”No surprising you, is there?”
Lying down upon the white comforter of her bed, she moaned, ”I've seen more than you can know.”
While working on stripping away her clothes again, he let his hands ease over her skin, ma.s.saging her muscles in small circles, relaxing her into his touch. ”What did Michael do to make you want revenge so much?”
The muscles in her legs tensed, every inch beneath his fingers bunched. He had been reluctant to ask the question, but he needed to know the answer. It might help them in the coming battle with Michael. He caressed her body, starting from the arch of her feet and slowly working his way up.
”He killed my family right in front of me. The memories of that horrible night will live with me forever.” She continued to tell him of the way Michael romanced her sister to get inside the home, only to make a feast upon all of them. She also told him of the man who saved her and later trained her to become a slayer.
Leo knew Casey all too well--a menace to the vampire community wherever he chose to hunt. He was ignorant in picking his prey, killing vampires that didn't deserve to meet such cruel deaths. In doing so, he had marked himself, and was hunted down and killed. Leo remembered that night on the bayou, the leader of a band of vampires who had hunted the hunter. That Erin admitted to having feelings for Casey was indeed an unfortunate development.
”Erin, mia dolce, I hate to tell you this, but about Casey--”
”I know he's dead. I heard about it through the hunting community.”
”He was killing innocents.”
She sat up after sliding away from him. ”No, he wasn't.” She c.o.c.ked her head. ”But how would you know?”
He sighed and sat on the bed, his back to her, another trial for them to confront. Opposite worlds shouldn't fall in love. ”Because I led the search for him. One of my duties is to protect the vampire community from slayers.”
She gasped, then whispered, ”Like me.”
He turned and nodded.
”So what will you do to me?”
”For killing Ti, I'm supposed to destroy you.” He paused. ”Instead, I propose you come with us, join us, help us protect others from those who endanger our existence.” He looked into her eyes, reading her confusion. ”You know there are demons among us. As I told you, there are the good and the bad. You can help us hunt down the demons that threaten everything and everyone that crosses their paths.”
Silence enveloped the room as she considered his suggestion. He knew it wouldn't be easy for her to digest after spending much of her life hunting all vampires.
She sighed, then lifted a hand toward him. ”I can't explain the connection between us, Leo. I've never felt such emotions before, but I don't want it to end. If you think I can help by hunting the evil of your kind while also giving us the chance to love forever, then it is all right by me.”
He took her hand. ”I promise, eternal love is what I'll give you. There's no other for me.”
She tugged on his arm, urging him to cover her body. Lying upon her felt as intoxicating as any wine. Clad only in panties and a bra, she had on way too many clothes, but he had no time to pull away. She opened her legs and clamped her thighs about his hips, inviting his c.o.c.k to seek the warm moisture of her core. His chest rubbed against her silk-covered b.r.e.a.s.t.s, but nothing could hide the hard points. They seared into him like hot tips of desire, pulsating heat with each touch.
Her body fit perfectly to his, her softness meshed with his hard muscles, yet he could feel strength in her toned body. She was fit for her job, and just staying alive all these years in hunting vampires, she had the talent and the power to defeat any obstacle that would cross her path. He couldn't love her any more than he did right now. She was the woman who could fight by his side, and he would have no worries about her abilities. Running his hands over her outer curves, from her hips up to her waist and to her chest, he wanted more than anything to wors.h.i.+p her. He brushed a stray strand of auburn hair from her face and looked deep into her eyes, bright with newfound love. No, she may not have actually uttered that word, but he saw it in her eyes.
He covered her lips in a gentle kiss, wanting to show her his deepest devotion. Tenderness was called for. Earlier they had rutted to ease their carnal desires, but now, he needed to show her he could be a considerate lover, gentle and caring.
Her soft and inviting lips opened to him to receive his mouth. He deepened the kiss, plunging his tongue into her sweet mouth, tasting her unique flavor and relis.h.i.+ng it. She had a taste that could drug any man, but this was only for him. No other would ever know the intimacies of this woman.
Erin was his.
He broke the kiss and gazed down into her flushed face. Pa.s.sion suited her; she never looked more beautiful than with the pink blush of desire.
”Erin, are you sure I'm not forcing you into...becoming a vampire?”