Carrie was doing everything she could to block Helga’s connection to her mind. She didn’t want the old woman to know she was meeting Radu at the cathedral. It was bad enough she was in the same city. She didn’t need Helga knowing every detail.

She didn’t have an easy time going through the darkness without being seen, especially after defending herself against the old witch. She was shocked it hadn’t drawn the attention of every human, vampire, and witch in the city. Once Helga was down, she’d taken off, running in the opposite direction of the cathedral just in case Helga sensed which way she went. She backtracked a different way and came up behind the cathedral in the same place Radu would be coming a bit behind her.

She crouched down near some tall bushes and scanned the area around her. Behind the cathedral, a cemetery stretched on for miles. Tombstones and buildings with urns in them dotted the land. It didn’t look like there was really any more room to bury the dead in that cemetery. It was full. She was curious to know which grave had been placed first.

Turning her eyes away from the cemetery, she noticed a flashlight moving about on the other side of the building. At first she only saw the light moving on the ground. Eventually, the person holding the flashlight came around the corner and walked in her direction. She ducked quickly behind the bushes, her heart slamming against her chest. She might have been seen. She hoped she wasn’t.

The security guard continued walking in her direction but gave no indication he’d seen anything strange. Before he reached the bushes where she was hiding, he made another turn and went up the steps to the deck that surrounded the front and sides of the building. There were tables and chairs scattered everywhere from the recent gatherings the church held for its parishioners.

He turned to walk away from her, running his light over the furnishings. She peeked through the bushes to watch him, hoping he wasn’t taking a break. He didn’t sit down, though. He just continued walking. She could hear him humming but didn’t recognize the tune.

She slipped away from the bushes on silent feet, moving quickly to the side of the cathedral and crouching down to walk along the side of it. She ran her hand over the side of the building until she found the crack that would let her get inside. She pushed her small fingers into the crack and pulled but it was stuck. She looked around for something to use as a lever. There was nothing on the ground but a nearby tree had low-hanging limbs. She looked around for the security guard or anyone else who might be watching. Seeing no one, she went to the tree and quickly snapped off a limb she thought would be small enough to get in the crack but strong enough to nudge it open.

Back at the hidden entrance, Carrie pushed the branch into the crack. It fit but she wasn’t sure it wouldn’t break if she used it as a lever. Instead, she began to dig away the built-up mud and earth around the small door. Once she reached the bottom, she dropped the branch and pushed her fingers under it, pulling with all her might.

The small door gave way enough for her to put her hands all the way in and jerk it open. It made hardly any sound but she looked around anyway, just in case. Her eyes fell on the flashlight of the security guard. He was making his way around to where she was. Quickly, she moved through the doorway into the darkness inside, turned around immediately and felt for the rope that would allow her to close the door.

She found it and jerked the door closed just as the light turned toward it. She stood for a moment, her heart thumping inside her chest, waiting to see if the guard came to the area and tried to get in. She regretted leaving the branch sitting there. She’d probably left tracks, too, from her feet, or from opening the door.

She waited for what felt like an eternity before letting go of her grip on the rope handle. She turned and looked behind her. The room was completely dark. Her eyes had no light to adjust to, so she felt the wall for a light switch.

When she flipped it up, light flooded the room, making her squint and block her eyes for a moment. Then she took in where she was. She was impressed with Radu’s taste. He’d built this cathedral long ago, he’d said, but this room was updated with modern luxuries. She was relieved to see a small bar. She went to it and poured herself a drink. Then she sat on a long black leather couch to wait for him.

She was anxious for him to get there. She knew he needed replenishment and she was determined to give it to him. She’d give him anything he wanted. She couldn’t help hoping he wanted more than just her blood. She wanted to feel his body against hers again. She wanted to watch him grow ten years younger each time he fed.

While she waited, she held the book in her lap, looking down at it as if it might disappear if she let it go. It felt like she should open it. It seemed to be calling to her to open it. But she wanted to wait for Radu. They had to make plans. Now was not the time to be learning new spells.

When the secret door finally opened and Radu came in, Carrie was flooded with a tremendous sense of relief. She set the book to the side and went to him, her arms held out. She could see he was in pain.

“We didn’t get you in the ground fast enough, did we?” she asked with a mournful tone.

He shook his head but took her in his arms anyway, holding her to his burning skin.

“You need to feed. You need to right now.”

Radu nodded and watched as she tilted her head to the side, moving her hair out of the way. “Do it, Radu. Before you are too weak to move.”

Radu was overwhelmed with emotion when he looked down at the pulsing vein in her neck. He was already stiff, desiring her body almost more than the blood she was offering him. He bent down and sunk his teeth into her neck, sucking in the nourishment he needed. He felt the warmth and energy flow through him.

He didn’t take more than he needed. He couldn’t do that to her. But instead of letting her go, he began to kiss her neck, making a circle around her collarbone to the other side. He looked into her eyes and she gazed back, her breath shallow.

Carrie was surprised by the excitement running through her. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. She pushed her hand into his shirt and felt his muscles under the roughened skin. She began unbuttoning his shirt while he pushed the straps of her dress down over her shoulders.

As they removed their clothing, they met in a deep kiss, a kiss that sent chills down Carrie’s body from her shoulders to her toes. His tongue flicked over hers, making her moan with pleasure.

His hands moved all over her body, sending her into an eruption of chills every few seconds. She reached for his erect manhood and gripped the shaft in her hands, stroking up and down a few times. He moaned, reaching down between her legs and cupping her mound. Gently, he slid first one finger inside her, then another, delighting in her wetness.

“You feel so good,” she moaned, pulling on his penis, longing to have it inside her. They moved together to the couch and he lowered her down onto it, spreading her legs and gazing down at her sweet, wet vagina. He couldn’t resist it. He got down on his knees and pressed his mouth against it, swirling his tongue around her clit as she cried out with pleasure. Her hips moved as the sensations swept through her. She gripped the top of his head and pushed herself against him. “Oh yes, oh yes,” she cried out, trying to keep herself from shaking and convulsing as he focused his tongue movements. When she thought about how huge his penis was and that it was soon to be inside her, she climaxed, rocking back and forth, gripping her breasts with both hands. “Oh, oh, oh…” She turned her head to the side, every muscle in her body tense.

Before she could say anything, he was on top of her, pushing into her, moaning at the tightness that surrounded him as he entered. She lifted her hips, pumping herself on his dick as hard as she could. They were completely in sync as they rocked together and she reached up to cup her hand around his neck. He leaned down and took one of her nipples in his mouth, sucking gently on it, nibbling and biting. She writhed underneath him, pleasure shooting through her body with every stroke of his cock.

She could feel it when he grew even larger and knew he was about to climax. His breath became rough and he slowed down. She remembered the last time when he’d told her to slow down. Again, she didn’t want him to. She wanted him to keep fucking her harder and harder. She could come multiple times with a man this good.

He cried out, lifting his head and pushing as far into her as he could. She felt him buried deep inside and felt the warm seed flow through her. Sweat from his chest dripped onto her breasts and she used two fingers to spread it over her nipple. He lowered himself so that he was covering her but didn’t put all his weight on her.

“Are you satisfied?” When he spoke against her neck, she closed her eyes, relishing the feel of his warm breath on her skin. She wanted him again. She wanted him to sink his fangs into her neck and his manhood deep inside her. At the same time. There was nothing more pleasurable than that.

“That’s a silly question to ask, Radu,” Carrie said, barely able to breathe as pleasant sensations continued to flow through her. He had pulled out and his throbbing penis was resting against her trimmed bush, still pumping out small amounts of semen. She wrapped her legs around him, holding him in place. He chuckled, snuggling into her neck. She was just what he’d needed.

He’d forgotten about his feet, which were already healing from the blood he’d taken from her. He wanted to feed again but he was going to give her time to rest. And the next time he fed from her, he would enter her again and show her the ultimate pleasure.

“When are we going to get the sword, Radu?”

He looked at her strangely. “I’ve just made love to you and you’re wondering when we’re getting the sword?”

She grinned. “I was hoping there was enough time for another round before we go searching. We do have a lot of fighting to do and I… I want you… again. Before we have to do all that stuff that might get me killed.”

Radu chuckled, pushing himself up from her. He gazed down at her naked body. She enjoyed the hungry look on his face when he looked at her. She felt exposed, her breasts firm and round, her stomach flat, her hips round and curved. She could tell he liked what he saw. A lot.

She was impressed by the quick return of his strength and virility when he had a chance to feed. If it meant draining all her blood, she would make sure he was sustained, full, happy, and young. The hibernation had taken such a big toll on his body. He was still in recovery and his rough skin had been further damaged when the sun hit him that morning. He was safe now. He would have time to recover before going in for the fight against Solomon and Helga.

“We have time, Carrie,” he said, moving so that his naked body was behind her on the couch. He wrapped his arms around her, cupping one breast with his hand. She could tell by his steady breathing that he was napping. She lay awake for a moment, overwhelmed by the feeling of his body against hers. Her blood pulsed warm through her as she felt herself falling deeper and deeper for the centuries-old vampire.