Chapter 25
Florence | Edinburgh, present day
Damian is hyperventilating, which is concerning as I thought we were making progress. I levitate over his body so I’m not touching him, but that seems to make it worse. His eyes practically bug out of his head.
‘Sorry, I know this is a bit weird—’
‘A bit weird?’ he chokes out. ‘It’s fucking insane.’
I grin. ‘You haven’t seen me climb the walls and hang out on the ceiling yet ...’
His breathing intensifies. Not to mention his heart rate is going double time and pumping all that juicy blood around his body. It’s making me feel hungry, and my fangs start aching. No, Floss, do not even think about it!
Staring into Damian’s dilated pupils, something breaks inside me. This is not the face of a man who is considering having a relationship with me. He’s currently focused on staying alive.
I need to give him more reassurance.
‘Damian ...’ I swallow nervously since this is the first time I’ve admitted my feelings for a man in over a century. ‘I like you. A lot. I ... I want you.’ My voice tremors, and suddenly, I can’t look at him—I feel too vulnerable.
‘To ... eat?’ he asks warily. My eyes flick back to his and note that he’s pressing harder into his pillow to create more distance between us.
I huff out a laugh. ‘No. Well, not unless you want me to.’
A flash of desire or possibly unbridled terror passes across his face.
I touch his chest briefly, and he flinches. ‘I’m joking, Damian. You have my word I won’t take blood from you without your permission. Now or ever.’
I mentally cross my fingers, hoping he doesn’t ask if I’ve taken any from him previously. I didn’t mean to. It was just a little taste.
Damian’s eyes search my face, and I feel like I’m standing on a knife-edge.
‘Please believe me. I really do like you. I can’t stop thinking about you.
You’re haunting my dreams.’ I stroke his cheek, and his facial muscles lose their tautness, and he begins to breathe more evenly.
I smooth his hair back from his forehead, and his eyes hood slightly at the touch of my fingertips.
‘You really like me?’ he asks at last. ‘And you won’t hurt me?’
‘I really, really like you, and I definitely won’t hurt you.’
He breathes slowly and evenly as I gently trace his eyebrows and twine my fingers in his hair. At least he’s allowing me to touch him rather than screaming. That’s a good sign.
‘OK, I know I shouldn’t probably believe you, but I do,’ he says at last and rolls his eyes heavenward. ‘God help me.’
I almost tell him that God won’t help him, just as he never helped me. But I don’t want to ruin our fragile equilibrium.
Lowering down onto his chest, I kiss him softly, tentatively.
Then when he doesn’t pull away, I kiss him harder.
Our tongues meet, and we explore each other curiously.
It’s an affirmation that tells me his mind as well as his body are opening up to me, and there’s a glimmer of trust there.
And it’s kind of hot. I suck gently on his tongue to deepen the trust (or perhaps slake my lust), and Damian moans softly against my mouth, his arms slipping around me.
One of his hands lowers to the small of my back, and I can’t help grinding experimentally against his hard length to let him know I’m not against the idea of—
He breaks our kiss with a gasp.
‘Can I ... can I just ask you something?’
‘Uh, sure.’ I drag my focus reluctantly away from his cock. ‘Yes, ask away.’
‘How exactly do you ... feed?’
I slide off him into the space next to the wall and prop my head on my elbow, resting my cold bare feet against his warm ones.
‘We have a trusted source,’ I explain. ‘Sadie’s ... friend ... Elliott. He runs a blood donation centre from his flat. It’s mainly uni students looking for some extra cash. He drops blood bags off at our flat on a regular basis.’
Damian frowns. ‘So he gives you untested blood? Blood that could have all sorts of diseases? I’m not sure I approve of that.’
I shake my head, feeling a twinge of pleasure that he cares about me—to a small extent anyway. ‘We’re impervious to disease. Besides, Sadie is very strict about him only using students with a clean bill of health from their doctors ...’ I trail off, not wanting to go into too much detail.
But Damian, being interested in the physiological aspect, is now pressing a thumb into my wrist, trying fruitlessly to locate a pulse. His hand lifts to my neck, and he pauses. ‘Can I?’
I nod.
He presses three fingers into my throat, then moves them again, then again. ‘Oh my god,’ he murmurs incredulously after a few seconds. ‘This is seriously fucking with my head. I have so many questions.’
‘And I don’t want to keep anything from you.’ I’ll tell you what I think you can handle. ‘I’m putting it all on the line here.’
‘Are you?’
‘Yes! I’ve never told anyone I’m a vampire.’
Damian nods seriously. ‘I can see why, Florence,’ he says, slipping into his sexy professional dentist voice, which makes me want to laugh.
‘Please call me Floss,’ I beg. ‘It makes me feel like I’m back in the nineteenth century when you call me Florence.’
‘Floss,’ says Damian slowly, like he’s trying it on for size. He doesn’t say anything, then lets out a chortle.
‘What?’
‘A dentist with a girlfriend called Floss. I mean ... That’s hilarious.’
I frown and stare at him. Girlfriend? I intone in his mind.
‘I mean ... I thought ... only if you want ...’ he says, blushing and back-pedalling madly.
Pure happiness floods the mausoleum of my soul. Definitely, I purr with a smile. I thought you’d never ask.
***
I can hardly believe it. Damian is fine with me being a vampire, and I’m now his girlfriend!
And I didn’t even encourage him to ask me.
This is going a lot better than I expected.
I still have to tell him about the choice he has to make: either be turned into a vampire or have a complete memory wipe.
But I’m hopeful if he likes me enough to date me, he’ll choose being turned. Fingers crossed.
‘I’m going to get a drink of water. Do you want anything?’ Damian looks at me enquiringly, and I shake my head. ‘Actually, do you drink tea or coffee or anything? I’ve never seen you.’
‘No. I can, but it doesn’t taste so great.’
‘But you had a Bloody Mary at the bar?’
I pull a face. ‘I prefer the real thing.’
He nods. ‘Ah, right. Not sure Uber Eats actually delivers blood bags, but I can check.’
I laugh at that, and he throws me a grin.
Once he’s gone to the kitchen, I shift underneath the duvet and wiggle contentedly in the warm indentation he’s left, covering myself in his scent.
Mmm, I’m definitely feeling in the mood for some action now.
I remove the clothing he lent me and pull up the duvet to mostly cover my breasts.
I’m assuming a lot here—that Damian will let me stay over and that he wants to have sex with me.
But since he’s now my boyfriend, I’m hoping he’s up for it—on both counts.
Damian stands stock-still in the doorway when he returns. His eyes rake over my bare shoulders.
‘You look comfortable in there,’ he says.
I twirl an end of my hair provocatively around my finger. ‘I am. Would you like to join me?’
He sucks in a breath and walks over to the bedside light and abruptly switches it off. I’ll take that as a yes. He quickly lifts off his T-shirt and slides down his boxers.
Does he think I can’t see him because it’s dark?
‘You know I have night vision, right?’
‘Oh shit.’ He claps both hands over his privates, and I snigger to myself. It’s a bit late for that!
He takes a step forward, and there’s a dull thud.
Damian gasps in pain, holding one hand over his cock while the other clutches at his foot.
‘Oh no, poor you! Come here.’ He hops over to the bed and practically collapses on top of me. Luckily, I can bear his weight easily. Diving down to the end of the bed, I gingerly check each toe in turn while he groans.
‘Which one actually hurts?’ I ask.
‘The big one, on the left. I don’t think it’s broken. But fuck, it hurts.’
‘I’ll give it a rub.’
There’s silence while I rub his toe and give it a little kiss for good luck. Damian’s breathing quickens.
Either he likes his toe being kissed, or he’s worried I’m going to bite it off.
My hand travels from his foot, trails up his shin, and reaches his solid, shapely thigh.
‘Anything else need rubbing?’ I run my hand lightly over his cock, and hear him swallow.
‘That definitely does.’
‘I don’t want to take advantage of you when you’re drunk.’
‘Funnily enough, I feel completely sober now. Which is probably a good thing if you’re about to have sex with a vampire,’ he quips.
I keep stroking his slowly stiffening cock, ‘Oh, so we’re having sex, are we?’
Damian groans. ‘Not if you keep doing that, we won’t be. It’ll be all over rover.’
I reluctantly remove my hand. ‘So no more foreplay then?’
‘Well, maybe not for me. But you, on the other hand ...’
Damian snakes an arm around my waist and hauls me down next to him. He covers my breasts in kisses, sucking at my nipples; electricity zings straight to my pussy. Ooh, I like feisty Damian.
‘God, you’re perfect,’ he murmurs, brushing a hand down my body. ‘How did I get so lucky?’
I huff a laugh. ‘Most men wouldn’t consider a naked vampire in their bed “lucky”.’
‘Apparently, I’m not most men.’
He draws small circles on my stomach, and I tense in anticipation. But he’s taking his time, trailing a hand over my thighs, and exploring me in his thorough doctorly way. Finally, a finger slides between my legs and I let out a small moan as it glides over a highly sensitive spot.
‘You’re so wet,’ he whispers, sounding surprised. ‘I thought it would be dry down there.’
‘It’s venom,’ I reply, my eyes closing in pleasure as he plays with my clit and rubs around my entrance. ‘Vampires don’t have normal bodily fluids like humans.’
‘Venom. Intriguing. So if I licked you, would I get affected by it?’
My thighs quiver as he teases my clit some more.
‘This is probably not the best time to have a physiological discussion,’ I say, jaw clenching as I squirm under his touch. ‘But yes, you’d get a buzz of energy.’
‘But not turn into a vampire?’
‘No, I’d have to bite you for that.’
‘Oh. Where?’
My eyes lock onto Damian’s neck, where a vein visibly pulses beneath his skin, and his blood—warm and honey sweet—is just out of reach. I trace the spot lovingly with my tongue, fangs aching in anticipation in case he’s going to let me feed a little.
Damian squeezes my clit, and I jerk back from his throat, letting out a gasp of pleasure.
‘So you’d like that, would you? To feed off me while we have sex?’
Oops, I may have accidentally projected that thought into his mind.
I nod vigorously, mouth watering. ‘Oh, yes please.’
He chuckles, brushing his lips against mine. ‘You can have the sex, but not the biting.’ His tongue touches the tip of a fang as if testing it for sharpness. Then draws away.
I pout. ‘Tease.’
‘Or just self-protective. I’m not sure I’m ready to be sucked on mid-orgasm. But never say never.’
‘We can work up to it,’ I say huskily. ‘Soooo just sex for now ...’
‘Yes, for now ...’
He glides his cock along my slick folds, slowly and deliberately and I shiver, arching my back, wanting all of him. ‘I’m assuming I don’t need a condom?’
Oh god, this is really happening. ‘No, no condom required.’ I reach down and guide him to my entrance, catching his heated gaze as I do.
‘Let me know if I hurt you,’ he whispers. ‘I’m not small.’
I smirk. ‘You’d need an elephant cock to hurt me. Just saying.’
He huffs a laugh. ‘Good to know.’
In one smooth, deep motion he thrusts inside and I gasp feeling the stretch but he fills me perfectly. Damian grunts against my neck. ‘Fuck Floss, you feel so good taking my cock,’ he says in a throaty voice.
My eyes widen, and I almost combust from that alone. ‘Are you talking dirty to me, Dr Rhodes?’ I growl.
He laughs. ‘Yeah, do you like it?’ But then gasps as I scrape my nails down his back.
‘God yes, it’s as sexy as hell. But don’t ever use that voice on your female patients. They’ll come in your chair.’
He chuckles and lightly traces his tongue over my lips, then kisses me. ‘It’s all for you, pretty girl.’
I shudder as desire sparks along my spine and I wrap my legs around his waist, rolling my hips eagerly to match every stroke.
Damian’s terror must’ve taken a back seat to his lust as he’s thrusting and kissing me with abandon, and whispering filthy things in my ear, not caring about my extended fangs that nip dangerously close to his neck. Right, if he likes it risky—
I flip him over as if he were a Ken doll and lift us into the air. His surprised ‘whoa’ turns into a groan as I slide down onto him, but he lets me take control. His complete trust, despite the fact he’s being ridden by moi in mid-air, is impressive and also comforting.
My body hums with pleasure and power as I ride him, grinding down again and again.
Damian’s hands clutch at my hips as he moans incoherently. ‘Oh god. Don’t stop, too good. I’m gonna come—’
‘Me too,’ I gasp, and my back arches as I climax; a sharp crescendo that sends my senses spinning. Then another waves crashes, dragging us fast and furious into the undertow. We groan simultaneously in pleasure.
When I eventually look down, Damian’s gazing at me in post-orgasmic bliss, chest still heaving, starry-eyed.
‘That was … frigging magical.’
‘Pretty amazing,’ I agree. I lean in for a kiss, my body sated with him, my thoughts heavy with bloodlust—but I forget we’re still in mid-air.
We collapse onto the bed in an ungainly heap. The frame gives an ominous crack, then tilts sideways and dumps us against the wall.
‘I think I need to order a new bed,’ Damian says after a shocked pause.
I huff a laugh, brushing hair out of my eyes. ‘Yeah, one that can withstand vampire bonking.’