Love Bites

Chapter 6

Idon’t have the mental capacity to answer him verbally, so I simply nod my head, my eyes wide. I’m so fixated on the pulse point in his neck that my entire focus narrows down to that delicate patch of skin and the blood pulsing beneath.

“There are several places on the body where you can feed,” Zane begins, his voice deep and sultry. “The jugular is the most popular place to feed.” He takes my hand and raises it to his neck, pressing my fingers against his pulse.

Just the very thought of my fangs piercing his skin makes my knees weak. Releasing my hand, he brushes it down my arm, stopping as he reaches my wrist. Raising it between us, he sweeps his tongue over the area, his eyes locked on mine the entire time. “The wrist is another popular spot. However, my favourite is somewhere else…” He trails off, and I’m about to ask him to divulge when I feel his other hand on my waist, skating down over my curves and dipping between my legs.

My mouth drops open on a gasp, arousal washing through me like a tidal wave. I can feel myself getting wet for him, and he’s only lightly brushed against me. What would it be like to fuck him?

“There is a spot just between the legs that is particularly good to feed from.” His fangs slowly extend, his eyes darkening with desire. I should be afraid, but I’m not. If anything, it only turns me on more. A wicked grin takes over his lips, exposing his fangs even more. “Feeding from here has its benefits, as it means that I can eat your pussy at the same time.”

He traces circles against my inner thigh, his hand brushing against me with each rotation. My reaction to him is insane, as he’s not even touching my pussy, simply brushing past it, and the light touch drives me fucking crazy. I want his hand on me, in me, bringing me the pleasure I so desperately need right now.

“Orgasms achieved while being fed from are something special, a type of pleasure that you won’t find anywhere else.” His whispered words make me whimper at the very thought. From the amusement in his eyes, I can tell he knows exactly what he’s doing to me by talking this way, and it goes way beyond the typical mentor-mentee relationship.

“So how do I do it?” I ask on a gasp as his hand gently moves back and forth on the inside of my thigh, slowly working his way higher until his touch is firmer against my most intimate parts and filled with intent. “Do I just sink my teeth in and suck?” I don’t even recognise my own voice, the sound breathy and broken, but at this point, I really don’t care.

He chuckles, the sound deepened with desire. Stepping forward, he pushes against me, and before I know it, I’m up against the wall, my back hitting it with a soft thump. The hard press of his erection against my leg makes my core clench tightly. He’s enjoying this just as much as I am.

“It’s as simple as that. Find their pulse, bite, and start sucking.” He pulls his hand away, and I almost whimper at the loss of his touch, but before I can, he places his palms against the wall on either side of me, caging me in with his body.

“Vampires don’t usually feed off each other because it is such an intimate act. It also creates a connection between those two beings, so many of us refuse.”

“What about you? Have you ever fed off another vampire?” My voice is barely a whisper now, my hand sliding down his flat stomach until I reach his bulging cock. I press against his length and rub my palm up and down, knowing the denim will create a glorious friction against him.

He pauses at my question. Have I made some sort of faux pas by asking? If it is considered so intimate, then perhaps I was out of line by poking my nose into his business. I can’t deny that I’m curious though.

“Only once,” he finally answers, his expression becoming even more intense.

I am not sure what breaks the tension between us, but in unison, we surge forward and kiss like there’s no tomorrow. He tastes so good, his tongue pushing into my mouth and flicking against my own. Gripping his shoulders, I dig my nails in, trying to stay grounded. A bit of kissing is all well and good, but I can’t let things go any further. He’s my mentor, and I can’t just fuck him and bleed him, no matter how much I want to.

Any thoughts I had of being good and ending the kiss between us disappear as the taste of blood fills my mouth. I know it’s not mine, and I realise that I must have cut Zane’s lip with my fangs. He doesn’t stop me though, so taking that as an invitation, I flick my tongue out and lick along the tiny wound.

Groaning at the sensation, Zane presses against me, crushing me between the wall and his body. He deepens our kisses, encouraging me to continue what I’m doing. Sucking his lower lip into my mouth, I encourage the tiny cut to bleed, humming with pleasure as I’m filled with warmth. He’s addictive. I would die happy if I could feed on him for the rest of my life. His blood is like liquid sunshine in my veins. More. I need more. I’ve had a taste of what it can be like, and now I want the real thing.

A loud knock scares the crap out of me, and I jerk away, banging my head against the wall. Wincing, I press a hand to the small lump now forming on the back of my head, although it’s not the pain that’s distressing me, but the slow realisation of what I just did. Colin only died two days ago, and I’m already kissing another guy. We were seconds away from fucking, and I didn’t give my dead ex-boyfriend a second thought.

The blood, that’s what it is. I only did it because I am struggling to control my new vampire hunger. No one needs to know that I kissed him before I tasted his blood. Nope, not important.

“What?” Zane barks, his voice harsh and cutting. I would not want to be on the other side of that door right now.

“Miss Emmy has a visitor,” a weary voice calls out, obviously used to being spoken to this way.

“She will be right out.” His gaze stays locked on me the entire time he speaks, his voice cold, but the fire in his eyes is bright enough to burn me where I stand.

The footsteps of the interrupter retreat, and the tension suddenly snaps, causing me to deflate like a balloon. Sagging against the wall, I press my hand against my forehead and release a long breath. “It’s a good thing she came when she did, because I was about to bite you.” Shaking my head, I laugh hysterically. “Or even worse, fuck you!”

With a gentle but firm touch, he lifts my chin until our gazes lock. He appears disgruntled at the interruption, his clothes dishevelled and hair a mess, but a smile pulls at his lips. It’s the sort of smile that invites trouble, that hints at more to come.

“Those both sound like wonderful things, Emmy.” Shifting his grip on my chin so he’s cupping my cheek, he stares at me for a moment. He looks like he’s going to say something but seems to change his mind at the last minute. “Your presence is required at the front desk.”

My heart sinks a little at his formal words, and I watch as he closes himself down. The smile becomes a smirk, and his posture shifts until he’s standing as though he owns everything in the room, including me.

Frowning, I tilt my head to one side. “I thought I wasn’t allowed visitors.”

It may look as though I’m confused, and if that’s what he wants to believe, then fine. Really, I’m perturbed by the changes in him. I don’t know what just happened to make him clam up and become so cold towards me.

“Perhaps it’s someone official. They are always bending the rules.” Shrugging, he steps back and looks around to check if he’s left anything behind, yet it feels as though he’s doing it to avoid looking at me.

Sensing that this is over, I turn around to leave, my cheeks pink with disappointment. A pointed cough stops me in my tracks. Glancing over my shoulder, I see him watching me with a dark intensity. “This isn’t over.”

Not knowing how to respond, I jerk my head in acknowledgement and pull the door open before stepping into the cool corridor. Zane slips past me, his hand brushing against mine as he takes the lead, silently directing me back to reception.

This isn’t over.

His final words replay in my mind. I’m overthinking it, yet I can’t seem to stop myself. What did he mean? I don’t want to get my hopes up at the implication of his words, that we could finish what we started. He could literally be saying our lessons aren’t over. After all, we didn’t manage to finish our lesson, and there are so many things I still need to learn.

However, if he did happen to mean feeding and fucking, then… I can’t even finish the thought, my fangs jumping out once more. I didn’t realise that vampires could flush, but it seems they can if my red, splotchy face is anything to go by. I’m caught between not wanting to cross any lines and not giving a fuck and getting involved with a vampire. Now that we’re not touching and my head has cleared, it’s easier for me to make rational decisions.

Zane walks up to reception as though he doesn’t have a care in the world, and I follow behind him, attempting to replicate his attitude. I don’t want to appear weak or afraid of the other creatures here, so perhaps if I fake confidence, it will make things easier for me. As I approach the desk, I’m suddenly reminded of my arrival yesterday when I was gingerly following behind Zane. This time, though, I’m on the other side of the desk, and I just made out with a vampire.

Leaning against the desk as though he owns it, he smirks down at the receptionist. “Apparently Emmy has a visitor, and I have finished my session with her for today.”

The receptionist doesn’t give a flying fuck and barely looks at us, only rolling her eyes as she takes in Zane’s cocky stance. Returning to her computer, she makes a few clicks on her mouse, and I see a new document pop up on the screen before printing from the machine just to her left.

She slams the paper and a pen on the desk, then she glares at Zane. “Fill this in.”

“You’re leaving?” Panic rises within me at the thought of him going. I barely know him, we only met yesterday, but he’s a known factor in an unfamiliar situation and makes me feel safe. Without him here, I’m just alone once more.

Hearing the slight wobble in my voice, he looks up from the paperwork he’s filling in. His eyes seem to soften for a moment, but he just gives me a tight smile. “Our time was almost over anyway.”

“What about my assessment?” My voice is tight. He promised me that we would go over everything I need to know for it so I am prepared.

“We’ll go over it tomorrow, I swear.” This time, he doesn’t even bother to look up.

I know a dismissal when I see one.

“Okay, bye.” I give a half-hearted wave, my mood suddenly falling. Needing to distract myself, I turn to the receptionist, smiling awkwardly.

“Your visitor is through there,” the receptionist barks, gesturing with an impossibly long nail towards a door I’ve not noticed before.

Moving over hesitantly, I pass Zane without a word, only to pause by the door. I was told emphatically that Tina wouldn’t be able to visit me while I was here, her being human and all, so who could it possibly be? Making friends has never been easy for me. Sure, I have lots of acquaintances and people that I wave at in the streets, but the only people who really know me are Colin and Tina.

Glancing over my shoulder, I see that Zane is watching me with a crease between his brows. His expression quickly changes and he smiles slightly, nodding his head in encouragement. The movement is so miniscule that most wouldn’t notice it. I do. I don’t know why I needed to look over at my mentor before walking into a room I’ve not been in before. Perhaps it was for comfort. He would warn me if there was something dangerous waiting for me behind the door, right?

I take a deep breath and push the door open, ready to handle whatever and whoever awaits me. Why am I so anxious? As I step into the room, my expression shifts into a grin as I see the large male sitting in a tiny chair.

“Well, well, well. Officer Jack Hart,” I call in greeting, walking over to meet him. “What are you doing here? I didn’t think I would get to see you again, you know, with me being an upstanding citizen and all.”

I’m not sure why I’m so happy to see him, and for once, I’m not going to overthink it. He’s a kind, warm male, the complete opposite of Zane, and basking in his presence is more comforting than I expected.

He chuckles and stands up from his chair to greet me. “Oh, of course.” He automatically reaches out to shake my hand, but then he seems to think better of it and pulls it back, rubbing it over his short, almost buzzed hair.

I don’t blame him for the confusion. After all, how do you greet someone you arrested two days prior? A handshake seems too formal, whereas a hug is way too personal—not that I would mind a hug from him, since his large, muscled frame looks perfect for embracing. With the way I’ve been feeling recently, I would cling to him like a baby monkey and never let go.

He gestures to the chairs set up in clusters around the room, silently indicating for me to sit. “I’m not here for official reasons, I came straight from work.”

That explains the uniform. If I’m being honest, I hadn’t even thought that his presence here could be because of something police related. I was just so happy to see him. None of this really makes sense. Why am I drawn to these males when I only just met them? Maybe it’s a vampire thing. Even so, Jack puts me at ease, and I feel like I’ve known him my whole life.

My brow rises at his comment. “Well, Officer Hart, what did bring you here then if it’s not for SNPD business?” My tone is teasing, but I’m pretty invested in his answer.

“I wanted to check on you.” His gaze follows me as I take a seat opposite him. Once I’m settled, he sits back down and continues. “I was thinking about you all night and wondering how you were faring in here.”

Despite myself, I can’t help but smile, my cheeks flushing. “You were thinking about me?”

Should I be flirting after just making out with another male when my boyfriend died only a few days ago? Probably not, but once again, I can’t stop myself.

He smiles slowly in return. “You left an impression on me.”

Unfortunately, this is something I hear a lot, and usually not in a positive way. I’ve never fit into the social norms, and I always thought that was because of how I had grown up. Normal was never a word that applied to me. Now I’m discovering that the reason for that is because I wasn’t normal, I was a vampire. My emotions and excitement can sometimes get the better of me, meaning I might occasionally get a little… enthusiastic. Of course, that is always what people remember, never the more socially acceptable behaviour that I exhibit every day.

In this case, though, when he says I made an impression on him, I think he might mean it for the right reasons.

Jack glances around the room, looking grim. “This sort of place isn’t meant for someone like you.” Before I can ask what he means by that, he returns his gaze to me. “You were failed by the system when you were allowed to slip through the cracks and end up in a human orphanage.”

He almost made it sound like there was somewhere else I could have gone after my parents died…

“There are orphanages for supernaturals?” I blurt out before I can consider how stupid my question sounds. Of course there aren’t orphanages for—

“Yes. They should have taken care of you, and placed you with a family who could explain who and what you are.” Jack leans forward, his passion coming through as he gestures around us. “This place is for criminals.”

Wincing at the reminder, I almost stay silent, as I love the image he seems to have created of me in his mind. However, it’s wrong, and I can’t pretend like it didn’t happen.

“Well, I did kill my boyfriend…” Grimacing, I wait for him to remember that I’m a monster. He did arrest me, after all.

The shock and reprimands I’m expecting don’t come.

“The people in here committed crimes and knew full well what they were doing at the time.” He leans forward and rests his forearms on his thighs, and for a moment, I think he’s going to reach out to touch me. The moment passes, though, and he continues. “You were going through your transformation and had no idea what was happening. It was an accident. It’s remarkable that you were able to stop with him and not kill your housemate too.”

That’s a horrific thought. I had no idea that Tina was in such danger that night. He has obviously put some thought to this though. I’m not sure why he’s here. Is this just a passing visit because he couldn’t stop thinking of me, or is there another reason?

“Why are you trying to help me?” I hate how vulnerable I sound as I ask the question. It was supposed to sound strong and commanding. I’ve gotten through life with very little help, and I can continue that way. That’s what I keep telling myself anyway.

Sighing, he finally reaches out and takes my hand in his. “Look, I want to be your sponsor.”

Frowning, I cock my head to one side in confusion, trying my best to ignore the tingles that burst from where he’s touching me. “Like AA?”

He laughs, his thumb rubbing circles into the back of my hand. “Sort of. As your sponsor, I will be able to vouch for you and try to get you out of here ASAP. Because of my role with the SNPD, I should be approved.” He scans my face, seeming to look for something in particular. “Have they arranged for a donor to come here and feed you yet?”

I shake my head, and he frowns but doesn’t look surprised.

“Then that is the first thing I’ll do. Hang tight, Emmy.”

Squeezing my hand, he smiles once more, determination brightening his face as he stands and leaves the room.

It looks like I have myself a sponsor.