Chapter 9
Valentina
D arius’s rough palm slid up my bare thigh, marveling at the smooth skin like it was a precious marble sculpture. His hazel eyes looked up at me, his gaze full of lust and desire.
“Don’t stop there,” I teased, biting the left side of my bottom lip. The house was empty tonight, making it easier to fool around without drawing attention. It wasn’t against the rules to be fucking each other, but it would make things … complicated.
While Rachel and Luka were off in the city doing God knows what, Tati and Alessandro were off to hunt and feed. Gio and Ava went to try a new restaurant that had opened near the eastern canals.
I thought about the vampires who lived here. I envied their ability to feed without losing themselves to the beast that lived within our kind. Hunting fueled me for centuries—the thrill of the chase was the most satisfying part of a kill. It made me feel alive and powerful like the apex predator Kylan had made me into. But I hoped for the day when I could hunt again without killing someone.
I was so tired of needless death by my hand.
I need practice—an anchor to hold me so I don’t lose myself in the blood frenzy. It’s been too long.
Darius lowered his head, running his tongue over my wet core before giving it a gentle kiss. My brows furrowed together with the pulse of pleasure that coursed through me. But instead of continuing, he paused. “We need to talk,” he said. I huffed, flopping back onto the mattress. Frustration creeping over me, I stared at the ceiling.
He can’t be serious. Right now?
“I told you that I don’t believe Rachel is ready.” Raising myself on my elbows, I watched Darius shifting positions between my legs. His fingers slowly entered me, renewing the pleasurable sensations. My thighs opened wider, allowing more access to the place that desired his full attention. “She removed the ring today, Darius. She said it was because some dirt got under the band, irritating her skin. But it was still careless. She trains in your gym every morning, yet she’s nowhere close to where I believe she’d be ready to take orders and fight for our cause. Frankly, she’s disappointing me.”
Darius laughed, his fingers stroking me. “That’s a bit harsh. She’s your daughter.”
I shrugged one shoulder nonchalantly. “I’m not trying to be harsh, but the Black Onyx were the ones to train her. They limited her to what they wanted her to know. Not what she was capable of. The last thing they probably wanted was for Rachel to use her magic against them someday. She’ll get there, though, I’m sure. I think Luka’s been training her outside of the gym. They’re together a lot.”
He nodded, his pace increasing slightly and making me gasp. “We’re getting closer,” he said. “The witch spies I’ve sent to infiltrate Black Onyx and Lemurian Quartz have already made contact. Of course, they’ll have to go through initiation rituals; they’ll be subjected to a series of humiliating and dangerous tasks to prove their ‘loyalty.’ They may have to offer blood, but that’s not something to worry about. The witches can handle it.”
“And you trust them?” I asked, my left leg trailing over his broad shoulder.
I had never made allies within covens worldwide. The distrust was swift and immediate. I disrupted the balance of life and death by creating undead creatures who killed without remorse. Why would they trust me?
When I took my life after Kylan fed me his blood and reawakened me as a vampire, he only stayed with me long enough to ensure I completed the transition and gave me Lucifer’s ring, binding me to his control. After that, he disappeared, and I was all alone. My new predatory instincts drove me to slaughter or turn hundreds of humans. It wasn’t until the ring’s power over me weakened and some of my humanity returned that I learned to control my instincts. Still, that night in Fiskardo, where genuine remorse had stirred within my dead heart, unsettled me deeply. Though I didn't want to become this monster, I enjoyed not feeling guilty for my actions. I enjoyed the kill.
Darius gave me a slight shrug, now far more focused on how my insides clenched around his fingers than our conversation. He had his priorities straight; I gave him that. I raised my hips to meet his slow thrusts. The man knew how to hit the right spots.
“Well …” Tipping my head back, I breathed, “Maybe we can discuss this later. We only have about an hour before the others come home. And I’d rather put our time to better use.”
Darius smiled at me but said nothing. He didn’t have to—his hands told me everything I needed to know. Darius wanted to pleasure me, and I couldn’t argue against that. My teeth sunk into my bottom lip as he quickened his pace, the strokes becoming merciless in the way he rammed them inside me. Bliss tingled over my body, growing stronger with every passing second.
“More,” I commanded. “Give me more.”
He obeyed immediately. It only took him a moment to remove his hand that gripped my thigh, so he could reach for his zipper and pull out his cock. His fingers were doing a fantastic job, but I needed to feel his length inside me. My core pulsed at the sight, eager for release. Darius gave himself a few strokes of encouragement before settling between my legs. He then slammed into my tight pussy.
“Oh, fuck!” I cried out, digging my nails into his back. “Harder.”
He pulled out and slammed back in. A ripple of pain spread through me, causing my eyes to roll upward. The roughness of his force was delicious. God, I had forgotten what it felt like to fuck another vampire until I found Darius again.
However, the threads of guilt tugged at me, pulling my thoughts to over two hundred years ago. I tried to ignore it while Darius continued to fuck me, but my mind went to that day, regardless.
Darius and I had been intimate for a few months after that night in the taverna before deciding it was best to end things and focus on saving dhampir children. A year later, he introduced me to Cyrus, who I initially thought of as a weak human in over his head. Cyrus later volunteered to be my blood supplier under Darius’s supervision, and we quickly bonded over our shared interests in exploration, literature, and wine. Before long, I fell in love with him—against all odds, I, the scourge of all that was good, had found my mate. When the Fool’s New Moon approached, Cyrus agreed to perform the ritual with me, thrilled at the thought of being a father, while I eagerly looked forward to raising our child together.
“Valentina,” Darius sighed into my ear, dispelling my thoughts. His chest pressed against mine, our bodies flush. The way Darius took me was perfect, but he would never make me feel alive like Cyrus did. It was just the truth. “Your pussy belongs to me. You feel so fucking good.”
Such vulgar, filthy words made my body shudder.
A slight, shaky breath escaped my lips, and the pleasure rolling through me stole my words. Darius gripped my hip and lifted me into the angle I loved, hitting that sensitive spot deep within me. Somehow, my mind released those old memories, and I wrapped my legs around his hips. Each thrust burned in the most delicious way, filling me up and drowning me in euphoria. As Darius picked up speed, my body tingled all the way up my spine. My head fell back. It was easy to lose yourself in this ecstasy.
It didn’t matter that I didn’t love him like Cyrus; Darius knew how to fuck.
Still pressed against me, he allowed me to dig my nails into his muscular back. I scratched down the cool flesh, piercing deep until he bled. He groaned, and the intensity of his thrusts increased to maddening levels, mixing our pleasure with pain. The room filled with the scent of blood, laced with desperation and something darker—something raw and hungry.
“So … fucking … perfect …” He groaned loudly, tensing above me. He was close—I could feel it. The roughness of his grip aroused me more. I was trembling, my mind swirling, and it only took a few more thrusts for us to reach that peak together. My orgasm seized me in a wave, and I moaned as my fangs slid from my gums. Without a word, I sank my teeth into Darius’s neck, savoring the richness of his blood as I came. I didn’t ask for permission because I knew the answer.
“Oh, God! Valentina!” he cried out, trying to pull away from me as I drank. Our agreement not to share blood no longer mattered. I had to have his. I needed it. It tasted like rich, intoxicating nectar against my tongue. It made me feel so damn alive, and I wouldn’t stop until I had my fill.
When Darius relaxed and allowed the euphoria of the bite, he collapsed against me.
After a few more seconds, I retracted my fangs and licked my lips. Darius slowly lifted his body from mine, using his palms to create space. His hazel eyes stared into mine as the wounds on his neck and back stitched closed. Beneath the haze after coming, there was a feral hunger there.
“Why deny ourselves?” I purred, tilting my head to the side. “Drink from me.”
He shook his head. “We agreed—”
“I don’t fucking care,” I said. My eyes glowed icy blue. “I said, ‘Drink from me.’”
Darius looked down at my pale, exposed neck and nodded slightly. His fangs emerged, and he bit down on the soft spot between my neck and shoulder.
My God.
The bite, albeit sharp and painful, soon vanished as vampiric euphoria took over my mind. Every inch of me came alive as he drank. As I felt Darius’s cum drip between my legs, I squeezed his hips with my knees.
“That’s right,” I whispered. “Drink, my darling.”
When vampires fed from me, their control would slip, so I knew I’d have to pry Darius off … but for now, this was what I wanted. I arched against him, biting my lower lip as he drank.
Though I felt rejuvenated from his blood, something shifted in my energy. He was draining me, causing my head to spin out of control. I tried to move, but my body struggled to respond. “You’re taking too much. Enough.”
Darius shook his head and grabbed my wrists, slamming them back onto the mattress to keep me pinned beneath him. He growled against my skin, lining his cock back against my pussy. He was more animalistic than coherent and had no intention of stopping.
Shit.
“Darius, that’s enough!” I shouted, channeling my compulsion into my throat. Using my Water magic, I coated my wrist in ice, allowing me to slip free. I slammed my fist into his chest, cracking his sternum. The force caused Darius to release his fangs and fly off the bed, hitting the wall across the bedroom.
I jumped to my feet, eyes now burning red and fangs bared.
Darius scrambled to his knees, hands lifted in a pleading gesture. “I’m … I’m sorry. I told you this was a bad idea,” he said, slowly standing. “Your blood does something to me. What we did was too reckless.”
Despite my temper, I smiled as I walked over to him, placing my hand against his cheek. “It gives you some of my vampire power. But it can also unleash the beastly nature of our predatory selves. If we are to win against the witches, you will need this power. However, if you don’t get control of yourself while you drink from me, I can’t promise not to punish you for it. This is your only warning. From now on, you will drink from me when I demand it, and I with you, and you will control yourself.”
Darius, though with fear evident in his eyes, nodded.
“Good boy.”