I Accidentally Hooked Up with a Vampire (Accidents Happen #2)

26. The L Word

26

The L Word

“ Y ou’re not burning up.” I clung to the curtain, ready to swing it close if he suddenly went up in flames. “I mean, I don’t really know if vampires burn up, but you’re fine.”

“We do burn, and no, I’m not.” He held his hand up to the light and smiled as the warmth from the setting sun spread across his flesh. “I have not felt the sun on my skin in over a century.”

“How is this possible?” I watched him closely. “I mean, are you still a vampire?”

Domino smiled, and his fangs appeared. “Yes. I’m still a vampire. I think it's your blood, Whitney. You did this by giving me your blood.”

“Well, I’ll be damned.” I let go of the curtain to step closer to him. When I poked him in the arm, he frowned at me. “They were right about my blood being some magical cure for your kind?”

“It looks that way.” Domino smiled, but as his joy grew, my relief that I hadn’t barbecued his ass turned into a deep concern.

They were right. Inside my veins was the stuff every vampire wanted. By drinking my blood, they could be free to walk around at all times of the day, blending in with normal people. When would humans be safe if that happened? And what other rules did my blood bend for them? Would they be able to enter homes without an invitation?

“Whitney, what’s wrong?” Domino asked. “I can tell by your expression your mind is racing. Talk to me.”

“Huh?” The running list of questions drowned out everything else.

“You look worried.” He put his hand on my shoulder. “I’m okay, I promise.”

“Of course.” I tried to shake off my fears, but instead, they just slipped right out of my big mouth. “Okay, so you’re good now. And you can walk in the sun. There’s nothing to worry about except other vampires finding out about this and wanting my blood. They’re already after me with no confirmation, but as soon as they find out about you, it’s going to give them even more cause to attack. And what about Jai? What will they do to her?”

“I understand your concern.” He pulled me into his arms. “But you don’t need to panic. We’re going to keep you safe.”

“Just like we kept my sister safe? No, I’m not. I, uh, we should go. Yes. I’ll call Jackie and let her know you’re good and we’ll head over there.” I pulled away from him to return to the bed and grabbed his phone then paused and handed it to him. “Actually, you do that. You call Jackie. I’m going to take a shower. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Domino looked at me like he had just broken my heart. And maybe, in some way, that was how I felt—but it wasn’t because of him. At least, I didn’t think it was.

“No, Domino. I’m not, which is strange for me. I don’t know what happens next. But what I do know is I need to scrub my skin clean of all the blood and dirt. And after that, no matter what, I need to save my sister. That is all I can think about right now. The rest can wait.”

“You’re right.” Domino took a step back. “I’m going to take a run while you do that.”

“You’re leaving?” The last thing I expected was for him to leave.

“Yes, is that okay?” he asked and held his hand out to me like he wanted to pull me back to him but didn’t.

“I, uh…” I thought about what it meant to be home alone and realized I was letting fear control me. I refused to do that. “Yes. Of course. I won’t go out, and I have Maverick here. I’ll be okay.”

“We really need to talk about him,” Domino referred to my cat. “I mean, he turned into a damn dragon.”

“Yes, we do.” I shrugged. “But somehow, a cat dragon isn’t the most outrageous thing in my life right now.”

That should have broken the tension, but it didn’t. The pause between us was so heavy, I felt like it could crush the entire building. That would be a great way to avoid talking to building management about what happened in the hallway. Eventually, Domino nodded and left and I went to shower.

In the bathroom, I realized the blood and dirt were also in my hair. The style was supposed to last a lot longer, but there was no way they would ever feel clean enough to stay in. The strands were matted with what I was pretty sure was flesh, and the sickening, pungent smell told me it was starting to rot.

After a long, painstaking hour of untangling my hair, which was made even more difficult by cutting the extensions a full six inches below my actual hair, I finally stepped into the shower. I mean, I couldn’t be sure how much my hair had grown in the week since I put them in. Once I’d washed and deep conditioned my head, I scrubbed my body clean. Then, I carefully put in ten flat twists using my best conditioning twist custard and slapped on my bonnet. Maybe I should have dried it, but I was tired and ready to sleep.

When I came out of the bathroom with freshly brushed teeth, feeling like a new woman, I smiled. Domino had changed the bedding, and on the nightstand was a tray with a cup of tea and a note.

I hope this isn’t cold by the time you get out.

I lifted the cup to my lips to sip. It was cold as ice, but it didn’t matter. It was the thought that counted.

Exhausted, I climbed into bed, sinking into the soft sheets. The calming scent of tea filled my senses as I took a few more sips before eventually succumbing to sleep.

When I woke up, Domino was sitting in the bed next to me.

“You’re awake,” he spoke softly.

“How long did I sleep?” I rubbed my eyes and checked to make sure my bonnet hadn’t run away in my sleep.

“Just a few hours.” He nodded. “I just got back. Decided to clean up while I was gone.”

“Oh.” I noticed then the fresh clothes he wore. Simple. All black button-up and slacks. And he smelled amazing, that woodsy scent that usually filled the room when he slept. “You look nice.”

“Whitney…” Domino held my gaze.

“Yes?” I inhaled; I could sense he was about to drop something heavy in my lap.

“I have to ask you this now, because if I don’t, it will be a distraction,” he began. “I need a clear head moving forward. I need to know where we stand.”

“Okay…” I couldn’t believe it. Was Domino giving me the ‘what are we’ speech?

“Do you regret giving me your blood?” he asked, and no. That was not what I expected.

“What? Why would you think that?” I sat up in the bed.

“You looked pretty regretful before,” he explained. “I understand you did, what you had to do to save me. You weren’t in your right mind, restless and upset about everything that happened. You may have acted rashly.”

“No, Domino, I don’t regret it. You were dying. I don’t care what you say. The only thing I cared about was making sure that didn’t happen.” I paused for the confidence to continue. “I just never considered what it would do to you besides potentially killing you. Somehow, I forgot about the other side of it. And when I saw you standing in the sun, it terrified me that there could be others who be changed by my blood. What would that mean for the world if vampires could be free to roam, even during the day?”

“Oh.” Domino’s shoulders relaxed. “We won’t let that happen.”

“Just like we said we wouldn’t let them get Jai. But they have her now.” I inhaled slowly to stop myself from getting too upset. “Domino, seeing you in the sun, while amazing, made me realize that this is a level of responsibility I’m struggling to cope with. I didn’t want this. It’s no one's fault that it’s in my blood, but I want someone to blame. A week ago, all my dreams were coming true, and now, I don’t even know what I see for my future.”

“Is there anything I can do?” He pulled my hand into his. “Whatever it is, just say the word. Whitney, I would do anything for you. If you want me to find that asshole who fired you and rip his throat out, I’ll do it. I never liked him anyway.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of my former boss running from the vampire and falling on his uncoordinated ass.

“While that sounds appealing, murder isn’t the solution for my unemployment.” I patted the bed beside me and repeated his earlier request. “Lay here with me.”

Domino slid onto the bed beside me, and I put my head on his chest while he spoke.

“I talked to Jackie, and we’re going to meet at her place tomorrow. I haven’t told her about me yet. Figured it would be good to see the look on her face when she finds out.” He chuckled. “I have eyes on your sister and, right now, she is safe. Lena’s magic protects her from harm. Jackie and I agree we should let them think they have gotten away and then strike, give them a false sense of comfort while we recover. A few of her hunters were badly hurt, and one woman didn’t make it. We also both agree that you need to rest. I told her you are okay. You’ll sleep, eat, and then, we’ll be on our way.”

I sighed. “So I have another caretaker now.”

“What?” He looked down at me.

“First Lena and Jackie, now you.” I looked up at him. “I’m a lucky woman to have so many people who love me.”

“Love?” he repeated the word.

“Oh, I-I didn’t mean...” I stammered.

“You didn’t mean what?” He narrowed his eyes.

“To imply you love me.” I sat up, moving my head away from his chest.

“I see.” He touched the spot on his chest where my head was.

“Yeah, I mean, I don’t know how you feel about me, and it's only been a week. I just meant that you care for me, or at least you take care of me.”

“Stop rambling.” He smiled and grabbed my face. “Whitney, I do love you.”

“You what?”

“I love you,” he repeated and put his thumb over my mouth. “This is not the moment for you to ramble again. You don’t have to tell me you love me. You’re human, and love takes more time for you. I get that. But I’ve been around for over a century, and I’m a vampire. Love is different for us. It’s instant, a product of the cursed magic that created us. When we find love, we know it from the first moment. I’ve loved you since I first laid eyes on you. I don’t expect you to return that love just because that’s how it works for me. I will earn your love because it is worth the effort, with or without the connection our blood has created between us.”

My heart raced, and I tried not to hyperventilate beneath his thumb.

“I’m going to remove my hand. When I do, you will say nothing. And then, I’m going to kiss you, because I have craved your lips since I tasted your blood. I can’t go without them a moment longer.” He smiled. “Nod if you understand.”

I nodded.

Domino slowly removed his hand, and then he kissed me. It was a gentle kiss, one that echoed the sentiments of his words. I felt it, his love, through his lips and his hand, which caressed my back as he pulled me closer. Our kiss lingered, and he waited for me to decide what happened next.

Despite all the things I had to worry about, despite the fear that my life could be at risk, I wanted one thing: I wanted Domino to make love to me. But I wouldn’t dare say those words out loud. Instead, I fed more urgency into our kiss and tugged at the covers beneath him. Thankfully, he understood my intention without me having to give voice to them.

Moments later, he was undressed and under the covers with me. He slipped my nightgown off and tossed it to the floor before continuing our kiss.

I pulled him on top of me, our lips moving together until I was out of breath. And when I pulled away, gasping for air, Domino’s kisses moved from my lips to my chin, then to my neck. He lingered there, one long kiss pressing against my pulse. I froze, expecting him to bite me—and in some ways wishing he would—but he didn’t. In this moment, he wanted permission. He wanted me to say it, but I still couldn’t bring the words to my lips.

When I didn’t speak, his kisses continued down to my breast. He suckled on my nipple and slipped his fingers inside my pussy, hitting that sweet spot time and time again until he coaxed that first orgasm from me.

Then, he brought his fingers to his mouth and licked the taste of me from them before replacing his fingers with his dick. His lips returned to mine as he slipped inside me, inch by agonizing inch, until he could go no further.

I was never a fan of missionary sex, but with Domino, the weight of his body on me, the pressure of his hips, the scent of his neck, the taste of his flesh, it felt overwhelmingly wonderful. I lifted my hips to meet each thrust and moaned when he hit my limits. He moved with slow and powerful strokes, over and over, until once again, the vampire brought me to the edge.

“Domino!” I cried out his name as I came again.

With my release, Domino increased his pace. He slid his hands beneath me, gripping my ass and thrusting harder into me.

“Oh, shit.” He buried his face in my neck. “Whitney, yes.”

He pressed his lips against my throat, and then, without warning, he came. For five seconds, my head was in the clouds. I was floating, riding the wave of ecstasy, planning my next trip. That was, until I realized he hadn’t used a condom.

“Fuck! Oh no.” I pushed him off me and hopped out of bed. That was right—I just needed gravity to do its thing.

“What is it?” Domino breathed heavily as he watched me. “Did I hurt you?”

“We didn’t use protection!” I pointed at his bare dick still dripping with cum.

“So?” He frowned like I was out of my mind.

“So? Don’t look at me like that!” I put my hand on my hip. “Domino, I can’t get pregnant right now! And diseases! There are so many damn diseases.”

Domino grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to the bed, laughing.

“Calm down, woman.” He kissed my forehead. “Vampires don’t make babies. It has been tested. It doesn’t work. And we’ve swapped blood. If there are any diseases here, we already share them.”

“I—”

He stopped me. “There are no diseases. Fortunately for us, vampire blood filters out and eradicates any diseases a human may carry.”

“Seriously?” I looked at him. “Wait, are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. Vampires have existed for thousands of years. All your worries have been tested. You’re not even the first of your bloodline to end up with a vampire, and no babies came from that. And from what I hear, they were real freaky!”

“Okay, I didn’t need to hear that!” I slapped my hands over my ears. I don’t know why, but suddenly, I was imagining my grandmother getting down and nasty with a vampire. That image would take years and a shit ton of whiskey to erase.

“Sorry.” He chuckled.

“So you’re like a walking cure for all diseases? They should package that.”

“They tried,” he admitted. “It would have been great for us, considering all the times mass diseases wiped out the human population. But there is no way to do it without turning the patient into a vampire, and no one wants that to happen.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

“Are you done panicking? Can we rest now?”

“After we shower.” I jumped back up from the bed. “Let’s go.”

“If I join you, we won’t come out very clean.”

I swayed my hips as I walked to the bathroom door, leaned against the doorframe, teasing my nipple between my fingers.

“Remember, I warned you.” He stood from the bed to follow me.

Two hours and several orgasms later, we were finally clean and in bed, where we slept until the sun came up.

In the morning, I woke up to breakfast in bed. While he hadn’t cooked, he did go out to buy food for me, and the man looked too damn pleased with himself.

“Did you have fun?” I popped a piece of the waffle into my mouth while Domino pulled the curtains back to let in more sunlight.

“Yes,” he hummed. “You spend a hundred years without the sun and tell me how you feel when you finally get to enjoy it again.”

“Is there anything else different about you?” I watched him closely as he peered out the window. “I mean, outside of the sunlight, what about food? Do you need regular food now too?”

“No.” He frowned. “I tried, but I puked it right back up. Alcohol, I can drink, but food destroys something inside me.”

“Interesting.” I sighed. “Too bad, because these waffles are delicious!”

“It is.” He returned to the bed. “Now, finish eating. I promised Jackie I’d make sure you did.”

“Yes, sir!” I teased and promptly finished my meal.

My stomach full and satisfied, I dressed and walked out of the room, only to find Domino staring at me from the couch, his face pale with shock. I looked down, and there was Maverick, a fluffy ball of black, nestled on Domino's lap, his deep purrs rumbling like a tiny engine.

“What the hell?”

“I guess we’ve found something else different now that I’ve had your blood.” He frowned. “Please get your cat.”

“My cat?” I turned and walked away, shouting over my shoulder, “It looks like that’s your cat now, buddy!”

“Whitney, please!” Domino begged.

I grabbed my things and headed for the door, where I waited for Domino. He came walking down the hall, cat in hand, a scowl on his face.

“Aren’t you two just adorable together?” I poked him in the side as we left.

When we made it to Jackie’s place, after making a few stops so Domino could shop in the daylight, I walked in first. Domino wanted to make a grand entrance, and to be honest, I wanted to see the look on Jackie’s face as well. Inside, I found her sitting in the kitchen with Lena and Miguel, who I thought hadn’t made it out of the battle, but he looked fine.

“You’re alive!” Lena ran over to me, hugging me tightly before handing me my phone. “This thing has been blowing up, by the way.”

“Oh, thanks.” I slipped it into my pocket; whatever it was, it could wait.

“You look good.” Jackie nodded. “I guess the vampire is good for something after all. He fed you, right?”

“Yes,” I laughed. “I thought Lena was the mom of the group?”

“So did I!” Lena laughed.

“Yeah, well, when creatures of the night are involved, I take over that role!” Jackie crossed her arms. “And I’ll kick his ass if he doesn’t do right by you.”

“About that…” I paused. “Creatures of the night, I mean.”

“Yeah, what about it?” She frowned. “Did he die? Oh, Whit. I’m so sorry.”

“Anyone want coffee?” Domino entered behind me, holding the coffees and pastries we’d picked up on the way.

“Son of a bitch!” Jackie stumbled back into the chair behind her.