“Should we start dropping hints?” Kristy laughs. “I can slip your ring size into a conversation.”
“Right, because that wouldn’t be obvious or anything.”
“Can you image the rock he’d get her?” Nicole leans forward. “It’d weigh your hand down.”
“He wouldn’t go that overboard,” I protest.
Kristy cocks an eyebrow. “He bought you a freaking house, Callie. And is having it restored for you.”
“He…he just likes to see me be happy.”
“Exactly,” she giggles. “And in his mind, getting you the biggest, flashiest ring would make you happy.”
“Then I do need you to start dropping hints. Don’t get me wrong, I’d never say no to a big diamond, but let’s cap the center stone at five carats.”
“That’s still huge.”
“That’s what she said,” Nicole says, and we all laugh. I turn onto a busy road and smile once more. I really do have the best friends in the whole damn world.
Ice clinks against the side of my glass, and I wave my hand in front of my face, shooing away gnats. Kristy, Naomi, and Nicole left about an hour ago, and Lucas is still sleeping. He left to get the footage for me once I was asleep, and didn’t return to the house until right before sunrise. After losing blood and then not taking any more in, he’s going to sleep probably twice as long as usual, and once he’s up he really should feed. There’s no telling if I’ll need him to come save my ass again.
I’m outside on the rooftop patio, playing catch-up on my tan, and take a big drink of ice water. My familiars have been up here with me, lounging in the sun like regular house cats. Setting my water down, I roll over onto my stomach so I can tan my back. Remembering what Lucas said about tanning topless, I lift my head and look at the houses next to me. I’m up a little higher, but there’s still a good chance the neighbors could look out and see me, which I kinda don’t care if they do.
It’s just boobs.
I met one of the neighbors for the first time yesterday morning. I was heading out for a run the same time Mrs. Clemmot was. She’s probably in her late forties and as uppity as you’d expect for someone living on this street. The only reason she stopped and introduced herself to me was because she’d only seen Lucas a handful of times and was curious about him.
Like I told Abby’s friends when they asked, I said he worked in finance and was at his office a lot, which is why she only saw him coming and going at night. She seemed to buy my answer with no hesitation, though it surprises me with how nosey she was that she hadn’t noticed the light-tight blinds that are always drawn during the day. Though whoever Lucas hired to put them in did a good job making them not obvious in the least.
There are trees and decorative shrubs in the front, obscuring the windows from view, and the glass on the upstairs windows is rather reflective, which makes it hard to look through to see the blinds. And I suppose it’s not unusual to keep your curtains drawn when you live on a busy street like this.
Reaching behind me, I untie the strings of my top and put my head back down, soaking up every bit of sunlight. It feels so good to be outside in the heat even though I started sweating not even five minutes after stepping foot outside.
“The pool will be so nice,” I mumble to my familiars. “I’ll get you guys little cat rafts. You know, if you actually went in them and I got pictures it would probably go viral.” Pandora scoffs, and if I looked up, I’m sure I’d see Freya rolling her eyes.
“Suit yourself. But on a hot day like this the pool will feel amazing. I wonder how hard those saltwater pools are to keep. If it’s anything like a saltwater fish tank, it’ll be a bitch. Though nothing would be living in it, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Lucas hired someone to take care of the pool for us.” I laugh at my own thoughts, imagining Kristy and I sipping sparkling rosé while watching a tall and tanned pool boy scoop leaves out of the water.
I stay outside for nearly another hour. My skin is a bit red when I go inside, and the cool air gives me an instant chill. I walk down the hall, remembering the first time I was in this house and almost got lost trying to find the door to the rooftop.
The master bedroom is on the second floor, and I pass by Eliza’s room on my way there.
“You stink.” She’s sitting on the bed, legs stretched out in front of her, and is watching Lifetime movies. That’s not what I expected from her.
“I do,” I agree. “I was sweating like a hog out there in the sun.”
“Humans are disgusting.” She turns her eyes away from the TV and looks me up and down. “It’s strange how you want to be tan now. I used to cover up every inch of my skin.”
“Oh, right. Being tan back then meant you worked outside.”
“And being rail thin meant you didn’t have enough money for food. My sister was what you’d call pleasantly plump and I couldn’t gain weight no matter how hard I tried.”
“I didn’t know you had a sister.”
“There’s a lot about me you don’t know.”
“Maybe I can get to know you,” I say apprehensively. “You’re rather interesting.”
“Yes, I am.” She looks back at the TV and I take it as my cue to keep walking. “Tonight,” she starts, and I stop. “If you can pull yourself off my maker for an hour or so, we can hang out and…talk,” she spits out her words like she can’t believe what she’s saying.
“Really? I’d love that! And statistically speaking, the chances of getting attacked by another demon are pretty low. I’ll bring vanquishing potions just in case.”
She doesn’t take her eyes off the TV, but I can tell she’s trying not to smile. “Given what I saw last night, I don’t think you need any potions.” A commercial for adult diapers comes on and she flicks her eyes to me. “As much as I hate to admit it, you were pretty fucking badass last night.”
“Thank you.” I smile. “Maybe me, you, Lucas, and Dom—”
“No.”
“You don’t know what I was going to ask.”
She crosses her arms. “No double date.”
“It could be fun.”
“Would you go on a date with your father?”
I make a face. “No, but my father is an arrogant asshole.”
Eliza purses her lips. “You’ve met Lucas. He can be an arrogant asshole as well as the best of them.”
“He is a tad protective.”
“A tad?”
I can’t help but laugh. “I see your point. It’s still a little confusing to me when I think about your relationship with him. When we first met, I thought you two were a couple.”
“I can see how you’d think that. But we never have been.”
“I know. Lucas told me.”
She just nods and goes back to watching TV. Peeling a strand of sweaty hair from my neck, I continue down the hall and quietly open the master bedroom door. Lucas is still in bed, and his naked body is gloriously sprawled out on the mattress. I close the door behind me, and the room goes dark again.
I tiptoe into the bathroom and take a quick shower. Wrapped only in a towel, I leave the bathroom and climb into bed. Lucas stirs, reaching for me in the dark.
“I can still smell the sunshine on your skin,” he whis
pers and pulls me to him.
“Is that a nice way of saying I still smell like sweat?”
“No.” With vampire speed, he moves on top of me, parting my bare thighs and pressing himself in between. I bend my legs up and run my nails over his back. “You smell delicious.”
“You need to eat.”
“I do.”
The room is pitch black and I can’t see a thing in front of me. The sensory deprivation would be freaky if I were with anyone but Lucas. Arching my back, I press my core against his. He puts his lips to my neck. His fangs are already drawn and scrape against my skin. Kissing his way down, he puts one leg over his shoulder and dives back in between my legs, tongue lashing out against my clit.
Moaning, I reach down and tangle my fingers through his hair. He slides his hands under my butt, lifting me off the mattress. My other leg goes over his shoulders and I can feel an orgasm coming on already. He’s not teasing me, not drawing it out like usual. He wants to feed but won’t until he makes me come. Vampires are all about doing what feels good, and while Lucas definitely does what feels good for him, he always prioritizes my pleasure.
My body shudders, getting closer and closer. Lucas sets me back on the mattress and pushes his fingers inside me, going right to that sweet spot that makes me come almost instantly. I cry out with pleasure, writhing against him. He keeps his mouth on me, licking and sucking, until I come for the second time. My pussy spasms wildly and my ears ring as stars dot my vision. Lucas moves on top of me, pushing his large cock inside and fucking me hard and fast.
Wrapping one arm around me, he brings his head down and sinks his fangs into my neck, lapping up the blood that pours out. He groans as he drinks my blood, and I curl my legs around him, rocking my hips along with his.
He clamps his mouth around the bite and sucks hard. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the sensation of blood being pulled out of my vein like this. Most of the time, I’m overcome with pleasure which more or less blocks out the pain. Though every once in a while, a little voice in the back of my mind wants to scream that something is wrong. That I’m losing blood at a scary fast rate and if Lucas doesn’t stop, I won’t have enough left.