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Miriam woke up disoriented. She had drifted off, despite her best efforts not to. The strange events of the past day had played out in her dreams and had jolted her awake. She realized that she was suddenly alone.
She swung her feet over the bed and noticed a bit of dull light emitting from under the door. Miriam made her way out to the hall, feeling her feet pulling her forward, as if something within her was being called.
She stopped once she noticed Dominic sitting before the fire. His eyes glazed over as he stared into the wavering flames with a dark intensity.
When she moved forward, he looked up to meet her gaze.
"You should be resting," he noted quietly.
"I can't sleep." She had too many questions, too many thoughts racing through her mind to be able to quiet them long enough to find rest.
He motioned towards the plush chair next to him. "Then I could use the company."
Miriam moved to join him. They sat like that, side by side, in silence for a long time before Miriam found her voice to start delving into the topic ahead of them.
"It was you," she started, "in my dreams, that is."
He nodded slowly. "I'm afraid so."
When he didn't elaborate, Miriam pushed further. "So, you and your family are..."
"Yes, Miriam, we are vampires, although not the kind that you’re thinking of. Our humanity is locked away in an object that we must never lose."
"Oh," Miriam added with surprise. "So, the medallion held your humanity, then?"
"Yes, we call them Animas," he added.
"So," Miriam began in an attempt to make sense of the events surrounding the strange day. "So, when I touched your, um, Anima, I was able to read your soul?"
"In a way," he flashed her a wry smile. "Only a few humans possess your ability to read objects; even fewer ever have the opportunity to read a vampire's soul. Once you do, you become bound together." He leaned in closer, closing the distance between their bodies.
"Oh," Miriam gasped. "So is that why I, um, we—"
Dominic laughed softly, "No, Miriam. That is a whole other beast."
"Oh," Miriam's breath hitched in her throat and her stomach did a tumble. She could feel her heart race with anticipation, while her center began to throb with desire.
"And?" Dominic threw the question out there; it hung in the air between them, thick with potential and heated promise.
Miriam knew that if she chose to go down this road, that there would be no turning back. Their relationship was a complicated one, to say the least. Dominic was anything but the safe choice, although she was long past making safe choices. She didn't know why or how they had found each other, but she was past looking for logic in this situation. She herself was a walking contradiction with her strange ability to find the past in inanimate objects. Dominic himself shouldn't exist, but yet here he was before her. She had a choice.
"Well, who am I to deny the beast?" she teased.
In the next instant, his mouth was upon her. She groaned as their bodies came together in a fervent, wild passion. She felt like her body was on fire with the rapid sensations that coursed through her.
She could sense his desire, feel his thoughts as they were focused on her, and taste the danger on his tongue. It all excited her.
He lifted her body from the chair and brought her to rest on the soft carpet. The fire roared next to them as it casted a warm glow across their bodies and illuminated the dark room.
She enjoyed the pressure of his body stretched over hers and felt his hard desire press up against her thigh. She brought her legs up to wrap around his waist and pull herself closer to his body.
When Dominic reached up under her shirt to squeeze her breasts, she shivered with pleasure. He roughly brushed his palms against her nipples; Miriam gasped as her body began to hum with erotic anticipation.
She moaned when Dominic nipped at her bottom lip. He raised his head up from where he had been lavishing her mouth with his and locked her eyes in an intense gaze.
Miriam sighed as he brought his other hand around to grasp the edge of her T-shirt to slide it up and over her head. He tossed it to the side and quickly unclasped her bra, soon replacing his mouth where his hands had been, lavishing erotic caresses across her breasts.
He brought his lips down to take one of the pert buds into his waiting mouth; Miriam groaned in response. She could feel his sharp fangs graze her full breasts, which only excited her more.
Her desire for him was almost unbearable. She needed him inside of her—now.
"I need you inside of me, Dominic—"
His lips curled around his fangs, his gaze heated, and his voice came out deep and raw. "Say nothing more."
In an instant, Miriam felt him tear away her clothes before he flipped her around so that she could straddle him.
She was fully exposed to his gaze, but it only excited her more. His throbbing, hard member was pressed against her. She moved to reach down and guide him towards her entrance, pushing him inside of her waiting body and began to rhythmically rock her hips against him.
His gaze grew hooded as the carnal pleasure began to take over both of their senses. He brought his hands to rest on her hips, aiding her in the sensual movements.
She began to increase her pace as the urgency of the moment took over. They became consumed by the pleasure and the connection created by their bodies.
Miriam spread her hands out on Dominic's chest; her eyes closed as she became focused on the heat of their bodies, the way his thick manhood felt inside of her, and the carnal movements as she rode him to the end of both of their pleasures.
They came at the same time, their cries the result of intense euphoria.
Miriam collapsed on top of Dominic's broad, strong chest. She felt his arms come around her, holding her tightly as she gasped from the exertion of their lovemaking.
Neither one made a move to stir, instead they enjoyed the way they remained connected.
Dominic was the first to break the silence. "Do you have to work tomorrow?" he teased lightly.
Miriam gasped as it dawned on her how late it actually was. "Oh shit," she exclaimed as she attempted to get up. "I need to get home."
Dominic rolled her under him and trapped her hands above her head. "Not yet," he spoke as he brought his mouth to meet hers.
Miriam became lost in his steamy kiss. "I guess," she breathed against him.
Dominic lifted his head from where he was lavishing kisses upon her full mouth. "I was asking because I have a business proposal for you."
Miriam looked at him quizzically. "How so?"
"Well, I was thinking, with your ability to assess antiques and my ability to breed success in all my ventures," he winked at her, "I thought we could upgrade the shop and maybe start dealing with higher end antiques."
Miriam paused for a moment. "But what about your family?" she asked.
"Miriam," Dominic took her face into his hands. "You don't need to worry about them, they will not touch you again. I guarantee it."
Miriam trusted Dominic despite everything—his mysterious past, unpredictable family, and the dangerous nature that made him a little otherworldly. Theirs wasn't exactly the start of a normal relationship.
But then again, she wasn't exactly normal, either.
She paused for a moment. "I'll agree on one condition."
Dominic stilled as he waited for her terms.
"You kiss me," she shot him a teasing wink.
"That, I can do."
And as they came together again, they both reveled in the knowledge that there would be many more moments like these to come. After all, there was no fun in business if they couldn't mix in a bit of pleasure here and there.
THE END