Dark of Night (Thorne Hill 2)

“I…I want your blood,” I moan, wrapping my legs around him. With a growl, he flips us over and pulls me into his lap, I hook my arms around his neck and widen my legs, resituating myself now that I’m on top. Lucas kisses me hard, and then brings his wrist up. He bites down hard, tearing open his skin. Two fresh beads of dark red blood pool against his pale skin.

My heart skips a beat as he offers his wrist to me. Parting my lips, I wrap one hand around his arm and bring his wrist to my mouth. I lick the blood off, surprised by how bad it doesn’t taste.

The bites are healing already, and Lucas brings his wrist back. He did say I don’t need to actually drink it, just get some of his blood in me. If I think about it too much, it’ll ruin the intimacy of the moment. He brings his wrist back and pushes me down on the mattress, unable to restrain himself any longer. He drives his cock in and out of me, rocking me into oblivion.

I’m so overcome with pleasure, body humming as I come for the second time, that I don’t realize his fangs are against my neck until he bites down and sucks a mouthful of blood from my body.

Crying out, I rake my fingers through his hair and turn my head offering my neck to him. He drinks from me again and then speeds up his movements, coming as he’s licking blood off my neck.

The sight of blood never bothered me, but I never thought it would be this…this…involved in my life, let alone my love life.

Then again, I never thought I’d love a vampire.

And have one as old and powerful as Lucas love me back.

My heart is racing, which isn’t helping the little wounds clot. Usually, Lucas puts his fingers over them, applying pressure to help get the healing process started. This time, he pulls out, and rolls over, bringing me onto his chest and covering us both with the sheet.

My eyes fall shut as my body comes down from the insane high he just gave me. He gently runs his fingertip up and down my back. I kind of have to pee, and I want to clean myself up, but I lack the willpower to get up and move. Because moving away from Lucas right now isn’t an option.

“Your blood was different than I expected.”

“What did you expect?” he asks,

“I thought it would taste like a mouthful of pennies.”

“When have you ever had a mouthful of pennies?”

“Thankfully I’ve never had one penny in my mouth, but it’s an assumption since blood has a metallic smell.”

“Vampire blood is different than human blood.”

“Makes sense. I guess I never really thought about it.”

Lucas slides his hand down and rests it on my butt. “I suppose you wouldn’t have a reason to.”

I let my eyes fall shut, totally at peace being here with Lucas. And then I remember Scott is a cat and is in my bathroom. And my bathroom is right next to my bedroom. I’m sure he heard everything. Gross.

Slowly disentangling myself from Lucas, I throw on a robe so I can go into the bathroom and move Scott into the small guest bedroom so I can use the toilet and shower. I end up moving the litter box and bowl of water into the spare bedroom as well, not wanting to have to get up in the middle of the night and deal with my brother-cat.

Man, this is weird when I really think about it.

After showering, Lucas comes into the kitchen with me while I get something to eat. It’s not that late, but I’m wiped out and want to crash on the couch or better—in bed. I end up just sticking a frozen pizza in the oven for myself, and quickly cook up some venison for my familiars. I even cut up a few small pieces for Scott. He’s a terrible person, and I don’t feel bad for turning him into a cat. Not at all. But at the end of the day, I want to say I treated him with a kindness he didn’t deserve because I’ll never be as heartless and cruel as him.

Though if he was in his human form, mouthing off and being an asshole, I probably wouldn’t feel the same way. Seeing him as a cat is really messing with my mind.

Taking a few pieces of pizza into the living room, Lucas and I settle on the couch and find something to watch.

“So, this Pinterest thing,” Lucas starts, putting his arm around me. “What is it?”

“I’ll show you.” My eyes light up and I hope he realizes he just opened a can of worms. Designing and decorating our dream house together—I can do that all day.

“I think we’ll at least agree on colors. You seem to be a fan of neutrals, and I’d like to go with a white-and-gray color scheme for most of the house.”

Lucas nods. “I do find those colors pleasing.”

“And I think we should try and keep as much as we can original.”

“Me too. I’ve come to appreciate well-kept old houses over my years, and I find the change in trends and style interesting. Craftsmanship overall has gone down.”

“It has. They don’t make houses like they used to. I mean, this house isn’t anything fancy, but the details on the woodwork in here would be insanely expensive to have someone do.”

“I like your house.” Lucas looks around. “It’s very you.”

“It is.” I smile. “I might be a little sad to sell it.”

“Don’t sell it then.”

“Two houses…that’s a little, uh, excessive for me.”

“Rent it out. You’ll still get to keep it, and you’ll generate income.”

“That is a good idea,” I say and set my phone down, trading it for a piece of pizza. I’m feeling pretty sleepy by the time our show ends, and Lucas carries me upstairs. We get ready for bed and then climb under the covers together. Lucas clicks on the heated blanket and takes me in his arms.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I reply sleepily. We snuggle up, and despite the shitstorm that is currently my life, I fall asleep fast.

But the feeling of peace doesn’t last long. I’m dreaming, and I know it. I’ve had lucid dreams before, but this one is different. It’s not like I’m making things up as they go, watching my unconscious unfold and be able to control what’s going to happen.

This time, I’m walking through the woods behind my house. I don’t want to be out here. I want to be back in bed with Lucas, feeling his cool skin against mine under the warmth of the heated blanket. Stopping, I squeeze my eyes closed and try to get the dream to shift. It’s my dream after all. I should be able to control it.

Opening my eyes and realizing I’m still in the woods, I turn and start back toward the house. I can see the faint glow of my back-porch light.

“Binx?” I call but can’t even feel my familiar. “Freya? Pandora?”

“They can’t hear you,” someone says from behind me.

I whirl around and come face to face with the blue-eyed man.

Chapter 16

My breath leaves me, and suddenly I realize the forest is quiet. No leaves are gently swaying in the breeze. No crickets are chirping. There is nothing.

“Who are you?” I ask, holding up my hand. Blue energy swirls around my fingers, but it’s so bright it blinds me. I bring my hand down, blinking as if someone just took a flash photo right in front of my face.

The blue-eyed man is gone, but an orange-and-red glow comes from deep within the forest. Suddenly, the breeze is back, and it brings with it the scent of a bonfire. Only, no one is out in the woods sitting around a fire for fun.

The faint smell of brimstone doesn't hit me right away, but I can feel it deep in my bones. What I’m smelling is hellfire, and for some reason, I know I’m the one about to get burned. I close my eyes again.

“Wake up, Callie,” I say to myself.

I’m still in the forest.

“Wake up!”

Dammit, I’m still here.

“Now. Get up before you burn!”

The wind picks up and embers blow into the air. “Not again,” I whisper to myself and take off, running into the woods. Things are exactly like they would be in real life, with the exception of the pale golden glow that lights up the forest floor enough for me to see. I jump over a fallen tree, an

d when I land, I’m right outside the circle of fire that’s surrounding me.

The demon that rose from hell stands within, watching and waiting for me to burn. I suck in a breath, and maybe it’s only because this is a dream, but I cough from the smoke. I don’t even feel the heat of the fire.

“Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.”

I pinch the skin on my arm, hoping the pain will be enough to jolt me awake, or at least enough to make me flinch in my sleep and get Lucas to wake me up. It doesn’t work.

I hear myself talking, voice hardly a whisper behind the crackling of the hellfire. But I know what’s coming next. This is the point where I almost gave up, where I didn’t see a way out and thought my death was inevitable.