Devin

Pain unlike anything I’ve felt in a very long time grips my balls, runs down my legs, and coils in my stomach in the form of nausea. I let out a grunt because it’s about all I can muster as I collapse to the floor. I attempt to get to my feet and follow the little spitfire who holds my heart in her hands, but any movement sends waves of misery through me. Taking short breaths, I work to push the pain away. My recovery period is blessedly short due to my nature, but I’m still weak, still suffering the aftereffects of drinking poisoned blood.

Hobbling through the bar, I glance at the table where Willow had been letting that douche paw her. Empty. Fear lances through me, eclipsing the dull ache in my crotch. She’s mine. I’ve told her as much. There is no way that man is getting inside her, and the fact that she’d consider him leaves my heart hollow and cracked.

As the cold outside air hits my skin, I’m revitalized, and my focus sharpens. She’s near. I can smell her in the air. My cock threatens to rise, and a momentary flash of panic hits me. I’m recovered, but not ready for that. A soft giggle floats on the air, turning my head and drawing me in. Picking up my pace, I run toward her. My chest tightens when I see them. His hand cups her pert ass, fingers delving into the back pocket of her jeans, but she’s uncomfortable. I can see the hesitation in her posture. Her friend is loving the attention, tossing her blond locks and flirting shamelessly with the other guy, but my Willow is leaning away, trying for space.

I stand in the shadows, watching and waiting. Willow is pissed at me, but I don’t know why. I’m sure Sariel did something when he took control of me. Hoping I can explain and get her to trust me again, I tell myself she’ll come around.

“So, what happened with Devin?” Willow’s friend, I think her name is Alanna, asks the question in a singsong voice.

Alec tenses and removes his hand from Willow’s pocket, thank Christ. “That guy is unhinged. He’s not your husband or something, is he?”

Shaking her head, Willow crosses both arms in front of her and sighs. “I don’t want to talk about him. He was just a mistake I made a few times. It didn’t mean anything.”

Red colors my vision. Didn’t mean anything my ass. It meant fucking everything, and she knows it. I want to storm over to her, scoop her up, and bury myself inside her against the building just to prove how much it meant. Fuck. This woman is going to be the death of me.

“He seemed pretty upset,” Alanna says.

Yeah. Pretty fucking upset. I like this Alanna chick. I think she’s on my side.

“I don’t want to talk about it, okay?”

Alanna shrugs. “Fine. Let’s go dancing.”

Her date pulls her closer and nuzzles her neck, while Alec tries to do the same to Willow. But my girl deflects, stepping away and not letting him get his hands on her.

“Come on, baby. Don’t be like that. I thought we were going to have a good time tonight.”

He kisses her before she can react, and my hands ball into tight fists. I want to fly over there and rip his still-beating heart from his chest. But I can’t. Willow is independent, and clearly, she knows how to defend herself. A loud crack fills the air as she slaps his cheek. Yeah, she’s fine. She’s fucking amazing.

“You bitch!”

She pulls herself into a fighting stance as he fumes and raises a hand to lash out. Oh, no way is that happening. In the space between heartbeats, I’m there, gripping his arm and twisting until I hear the bone creak with strain. A scream rips from his throat as I hold steady.

“Move one fucking muscle, and your bones are going to be poking through that pretty tattoo on your arm.” My words come out on a raspy growl. Glancing at Willow, I ease off just a bit. “You okay, Angel?”

She nods, placing a hand over mine. “Devin, let him go.”

It takes me a few seconds, but eventually I do as she asks. No use wasting any more of my energy on this guy.

Alanna’s eyes are wide, and I can tell she’s trying to figure me out. “You guys had better get out of here,” she says to the two men. “Sorry, Drake. Your friend is a little too rapey for me to be comfortable with.”

They don’t argue, instead choosing to run like the scared little shits they are. Their platoon would be ashamed.

A cold ache takes up residence in my gut as we stand together, Willow’s hand still on me, Alanna standing beside us.

“Devin, are you all right? You look sick.” Willow’s voice holds a warm, affectionate concern. I know she feels for me. She was lying when she said I didn’t matter. She had to be. Her palm cups my cheek, and I can’t help but lean into her touch. “You’re burning up.”

I sway in my spot and cough, spitting out blood.

“Jesus, Devin!”

I try to walk, but crumple to the ground. I need to feed.

“Shit. Alanna, help me get him into a cab.”

The world around me is filled with black spots and gray edges as consciousness threatens to disappear. I’m held up on either side by these two angels, and all I want to do is hold Willow tight as the darkness closes in.

When I wake, I’m on her bed, in a dark, empty room. Soft murmurs flow in from the living room, making me tense. If Alanna is still here I won’t be able to talk to Willow. Shuffling through the doorway, I see that the noise is coming from the television. Willow is curled up on one corner of the couch, a blanket around her legs and a bowl of popcorn in her lap. She’s watching some show about ghost hunters with rapt attention, but when she hears me, her head snaps toward me and those luscious lips turn up in a weak smile.

“Hey. You’re up. I’ve been checking on you every thirty minutes since we got here.”

“Thank you.” My voice is a hoarse scrape over gravel.

“What’s wrong with you? Vampires don’t get sick.”

My whole body aches with the desire to sit. Gesturing to the free spot on the couch, I raise my eyebrows in question. When she nods, I gladly sit. “Someone poisoned me. Made me drink blood from the dead.”

“Who? When did this happen?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. The last thing I remember is holding you while you slept. Then nothing until I woke, chained and out in the open as the sun rose.”

“What?” Her shock and concern make a tendril of hope bloom in my chest. Maybe she hasn’t tossed me aside completely. “Who would do something like that? How did you survive?”

“You said you’ve met Sariel. How much did he tell you?”

“That you want to save your soul. You agreed to take him so you could save your friend. That he’s searching for his soul mate.”

“There is so much more to this situation, Willow. I think I need you to know, because I have a feeling you’re a part of this whether you want to be or not.”

Her hand finds mine, and that tiny bit of hope grows. “Then tell me.”

“I will. But first, I have a favor to ask.”

“What?” Her tone is dubious.

“I need to feed. The reason I haven’t recovered yet is that I haven’t fed.”

“Why didn’t you feed? You had your pick in the bar.”

“I can’t. Not anymore. I tried at the bar, but … my body only reacts to you. I need you to tell me it’s okay to take your vein.”

“You’re kidding, right?” She backs away, snatching her hand from mine.

“I’m not.”

“I can’t let you bite me. What if you kill me?”

Reaching up, I run my fingers across her cheek. “Angel, I would never hurt you. I’d rather die.”

“Do you promise you won’t take too much? I don’t want to die, and I don’t want to become a vampire.”

The thought of damning her soul makes my blood turn to ice. “I promise.”

“Fine. But if it hurts, I’m stopping you.”

A small smile begins to spread across my face. “It’s not going to hurt. Tell me where you want it.”

Pulling her hair to the side, she bares her neck. “If we’re going to do this, I suppose straight Bela Lugosi is the classic option.”

Chuckling, I lean in. My fangs descend and pierce her flesh.

* * *

Willow

“Oh, holy fuck.” Pleasure runs from my neck straight to my clit as he sinks his teeth into my skin. The pull of his mouth as he sucks me sends wave after wave of orgasm through my body, and I’m just a quivering mass of euphoria. I’m sure my panties are drenched and my nipples are pulled so tight, they hurt. I understand now why vampires have been immortalized in literature as sexual beings. This is fucking amazing. I could die right now and never see it coming.

As my head begins to swim from the overwhelming sensations, he breaks his hold on me and sits back. Through the haze of arousal, I see him bring his thumb to his mouth before he sweeps the pad of it over my neck. A faint sting covers the place he’d fed from.

“Are you okay, Angel?” His voice sends shivers down my spine.

I nod drunkenly. “I’m so good. How about you?”

He looks better. In fact, he looks good enough to fuck. With clumsy hands, I shove my pajama pants down my hips and kick them free.

“What are you doing?”

I let out a giggle and yank my shirt over my head. “I’m too hot.”

His eyes blaze with a need I’m all too familiar with. He wants me. Standing now, I’m naked in front of this beautiful man while he just watches me.

“Touch yourself, Willow.” The heat in his words makes goose bumps flow over my body.

Running my fingers over my breasts and down my belly, I rest them over my aching pussy. Eyeing him. Wanting more direction.

“Slow and steady circles over that lovely little clit of yours.”

I do as he says, tingles of pleasure race through my body as soon as I brush the oversensitive bundle of nerves.

“Does it feel good?”

I don’t so much answer as I moan a soft “Yes.”

“Keep going. Tell me how good it is. Tell me you want me.”

“Oh, Devin. I want you … so much.”

He’s standing before I can process his movement, pulling off his shirt and wrapping his arm around my waist. One hand fists my hair and pulls to force my face up. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it a little rough. But the frantic look on his face has me concerned. Moving my hand away from my pussy, I focus on him. The burning desire behind his blue irises is clouded with apprehension.

“Look me in the eye. Look at me and tell me I don’t mean anything. Tell me I’m a fucking mistake.”

The hurt in his eyes knocks the wind out of me, sobering and honest. A tear falls down my cheek, and his expression changes immediately. He loosens his hold on my hair and cradles me against him, pressing soft kisses to my head.

“You’re not a mistake,” I whisper. “You mean everything, and it scares the shit out of me. But the things you said after our last time together … they were harsh and they hurt.”

“That wasn’t me, Angel. Like I said, the last thing I remember, I was stroking your hair as you slept and I drifted off myself. I’m sure Sariel took control. The rest of the night, I was locked away.” Tipping my chin up, he claims my mouth in a heated kiss. “I’ll never leave you.”

My chest feels like it might burst. Fumbling with his pants, I free his erection. It’s hard as steel, and I can’t wait to sink down on him. With a gentle shove, I push him to the couch, straddle his hips, and lower myself over his length. A loud groan falls from him as I work myself down, taking him all the way inside until he’s pressing up against my womb. “You’re so deep.” I have to breathe in short gasps because every movement runs his blunt head over me as we balance between pain and pleasure.

He stills my hips and locks eyes with me, one hand sliding from my sternum up to grasp my throat. I should be scared. He’s so strong, he could crush my windpipe with just a twitch of his hand, but the adoration on his face makes me tremble for a completely different reason.

“It’s my favorite feeling in the world, my cock inside you.” His voice is a needful rasp as his hand slides from my throat down to press over my heart.

I moan long and breathy as he shifts and thrusts up just enough to help me remember we are supposed to be moving. “Oh God, do that again.”

He does. Again, and again, until I come around him, thrusting my breasts into his face as I curl my arms around his head and hold him to me. He takes one nipple into his mouth and for a moment, I think he might feed again. I couldn’t care less. I just want him to continue making me feel this way.

Shuddering, I pull myself together, riding his cock and relishing the sounds he’s making. I can feel him swelling even more inside me, his already impossible size stretching me wider.

“Fuck. Willow, oh Jesus. I’ve got to pull out.” His voice is strained with panic, but I move away from him, unsheathing his rock-hard length from my pussy, and I drop between his spread thighs. He’s pulsing, just a breath away from orgasm as I run my tongue around his sensitive head. Hips kicking forward, he hisses when I take him as far as I can. His hands grip my shoulders as he comes with a hoarse cry, and when I pull away, staring up at him, his eyes flash with molten mercury.

Sariel has come to play.