Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Beth held her hand out to Mick and he could do nothing less than follow her up the stairs. He loved this woman with every bit of his heart and soul; yes, he did believe he had a soul now and he realized that were it not for Beth he might not understand that.

Could he be as accepting of his existence as she was? He had chosen this path himself to save her, but what if that hadn’t been necessary? Would he have ultimately been happy to return? That was a question he would never know the answer to. He was what he was and he did at least appreciate some aspects of his vampirism; the strength, the stamina that made him able to take care of her. Now that she was a vampire too would she need him? For awhile at least.

Her bare feet made little patter on the sleek wooden stair steps leading to their room; he watched the way she moved, lithe and fluid almost as if she floated up the steps. He had always loved and appreciated the way she moved, the gentle sway of her hips but she had a vampires grace now that he couldn’t deny.

She paused at the top of the stairs, watching him ascend with an angelic smile on her face belied by just the hint of fangs peeking through. She worried that she wasn’t as attractive to him now as a vamp but in reality that was very far from the truth – how it could be possible that he desired her even more than before was beyond him but it was the truth.

If he were honest with himself, completely honest he knew that part of it was because he no longer feared letting the vampire within gain control. He had kept that part of himself tucked away, under constant restraint for so long that to let go and be totally uninhibited with her was amazing. He would never have hurt her before, but to not even have to think about it, maintain that stiff control that sometimes held them both back was a gift for him, for both of them.

His mind desired her, his heart yearned for her and his body flamed with brilliance beyond control, a craving he couldn’t and wouldn’t ever be able to let go. Yes, she was his woman, his mate the vamp within cried and so he practically leapt the final steps to stand in front of her, his eyes raking her hungrily before he pulled her tightly to him so that she could understand exactly how much he wanted her, needed her.

His lips claimed hers while a low growl emanated from his throat, quickly picked up and echoed by her own answering growl. Tongues sought and found their mates and stroked and plundered until both of them were breathless. Beth pulled herself up and wrapped her legs around his waist and the musky scent of her desire tormented his senses as he walked to the bedroom without breaking the kiss.

He laid her down on the edge of the bed, her legs spread and draped over the edge. Warm hazel eyes raked over her body, from the golden curtain of hair spread over the bedspread to the tips of her pink toes that were curled with anticipation. He hastily shed his clothes and knelt before her, humbled by her allure and beauty.

Gentle hands caressed her legs, tracing with trembling strokes the graceful curves of her calves before his lips followed in their paths, nibbling and swirling along the silken trail. He lifted one agile leg slightly to delve his tongue into the sensitive skin at the bend of her knee and she hummed with the pleasure of his touch. Not neglecting the other leg, he shared his kisses and caresses with it until she was panting with need.

Mick’s hungry mouth searched upwards as he kissed and nipped at her soft skin until he found the fount of her desire; they both sighed with anticipation. He inhaled the sweet scent of her and licked his lips with eagerness before parting the blonde curls with gentle fingers, exposing the lush pink flesh that was wet with anticipation.

He murmured against her flesh as he planted a lingering kiss on her, “Beth, my Beth.”

His tongue found the honey of her irresistible and he delved into the aching folds, dipping and swirling and tasting her pleasure until they were both heady with passion and need. Mick traced tiny circles around the swollen nub that resided there, sending shivers of delight coursing through her body and suddenly she was over the edge, a soft throaty purr escaping her, a primitive cry of satisfaction.

Mick stood up and gently moved her up the bed before joining her, their bodies fitting together as if they were made for one another by the very gods themselves. Mick’s mouth sought hers, joining them in a burning kiss that set them both aflame with renewed passion.

He couldn’t get enough of her, she inflamed his senses, consumed him until all there was in the world were the two of them. He slipped between her legs and buried himself in the heated depths of her body and was rewarded with a sharp gasp as she wrapped her legs around him, meeting him stroke for stroke as he plunged into her eager body.

His muscles strained to push them both to the limits of their passion, thrusting into her slick folds over and over. He was on fire, liquid rivers of molten passion flowed through him and spread into his love, his Beth. On and on it went as they climbed the plateau together until finally they both sought the other’s neck for the moment of sweet release.

They held one another tight for long moments afterwards, both gasping for breath as they bestowed sweet kisses upon any and every inch of flesh they could reach. He felt Beth shiver from the last vestiges of her release and he smiled as he scooped her up and carried her into their freezer, shutting out the world and dispelling any dark thoughts. She was his; his Beth.



OOOOOOOOOOOO



They awoke a few hours later in a jumble of tangled limbs and sated satisfaction. Beth stretched, the sinewy planes of her body rippling with the movement. Mick stared in rapt fascination, admiring every delicious inch of her. Her body hadn’t technically changed since she had been turned, but it somehow seemed more supple and lush

She leaned up and kissed him, her baby fangs poking out between her shell – pink lips. She murmured, “Mr. St. John, you wore me out earlier.”

Mick grinned, one eyebrow raised in surprise. “Surely not Mrs. St. John. Remember, vampires don’t have an off switch? Your very words I might add.”

“Well, this vampire is worn out and hungry too,” she said, raking nimble fingers through the dark curls covering his chest. She scratched lightly at one deep pink nipple on his chest and was rewarded with a purr of happiness from her virile and sexy husband.

“I thought you were hungry? That isn’t going to get you any food, only another sexy tumble,” he laughed, trying to untangle himself from her. He was hungry too he realized, trying to remember when he’d fed last. Hours ago, he decided, many hours ago.

He pushed the button to open the lid and it raised with a soft breathy ‘whoosh’ and he slid out, his feet meeting the wood of the floor with a solid thud. “C’mon, let’s go baby,” he said, holding his hand out to her.

After another toothy grin she reached for it, swinging her slim legs over the side and coming lightly to her feet beside him. Mick slid into a pair of scarlet silk pajama bottoms and handed her a silky robe to wrap around her body. She frowned at him, giving him a small moue of disappointment. Her bottom lip stuck out in the slightest of pouts, making her mouth look totally, completely kissable and he couldn’t resist dipping his head for a long lingering kiss. He broke away with a slight groan; the two of them would be lucky if they didn’t starve to death in the future because neither one had any resistance to the other.

“Race you down the stairs?” she dared and before she could get a single step he had already wrapped an arm around her, holding her back beside him.

“No way Beth; just one step at a time.” He watched her disappointed expression with a quirk of an eyebrow and sighed. It was time to start training her and the idea both excited and scared him.

Beth poured them both tall glasses of AB-, a ‘flavor’ she hadn’t tried yet. Josef was providing them with a good variety, probably for her education. She had been amazed at how different the blood could taste because as a human it had all smelled the same. She wasn’t having the best of luck identifying each one yet, other than Mick’s blood which was like the sweetest of nectar’s to her; she couldn’t get enough of it and frankly, drinking from him was a strange mix of eroticism and comfort. It made her feel safe and loved and protected on one hand the other drove her wild with desire for him. Inwardly she shook her head, confused by it all.

As they sipped their dinner Beth was aware of the muted sounds from outside of the house; she could hear all sorts of things like frogs croaking and the wind caressing the boughs of the towering pine trees that stood guardian on the property. Every now and again she could even catch the faint sounds of Puget Sound as the gentle swells met the shore. She stared at the glass in her hand pensively, wondering when he was going to let her explore more of the world outside the house. She guessed if she had to be housebound she couldn’t ask for a better companion. She gave him a lusty stare as sexy thoughts and images crossed her mind and she saw him stifle a giggle before he couldn’t hold back and laughed.

His eyes crinkled at the corners as he took a final drink from his glass and rose to rinse it out. He watched as she finished hers as well and he reached for it, his fingers brushing hers as he did so. Electricity shot through both of them making their fingers tingle in response. Both of them acknowledged the effect they had on the other with smile.

“We need to focus on something other than sex for awhile Beth,” he told her, sitting back down at the table and focusing on her. “As wonderful as it is, there are things I need to teach you that do not involve the bedroom.” He watched as her eyes lit up in surprise and she almost squealed with delight, her body almost trembling with excitement about learning new things.

“Oh Mick, I’m so excited to hear that. When can we go outside? I’m going stir crazy in here.”

“Tired of me already huh?” he teased. “I’m sorry that I haven’t started your training before, but I have to say that I’ve enjoyed the distraction.” He reached across the table and stroked her hand with his thumb, reluctant to not have that constant contact with her that they both needed.

“No, I am NOT! But I feel great and I want to learn new things Mick. This body is amazing! I want to run and jump and…” she trailed off, imagining running free.

“Hold on Beth, you have a lot to learn before that. We don’t know for sure yet what abilites you have; since you have my bloodline you’ll most likely have what I have and you’ll need to learn to control them, use them for your benefit. There also could be others that I don’t have, so we’ll need to explore them.”

She was quiet for a moment, pensively chewing her lower lip as she thought about what he had said. It hadn’t occurred to her that she might be able to do things he couldn’t, but likewise, it hadn’t occurred to her that she might not have the same abilities that he did. “I guess the only way to find out is to try, huh?”

He nodded, watching her face as she mulled it all over. He waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts so that they could work together. He didn’t have long to wait.

“Is the fact that I can’t stand the cold of the freezer one of the things?” She still couldn’t handle the freezing cold and in some ways it made her feel like the outsider on the playground, the last one to be picked for the game.

“No, I think that’s probably just a preference baby. Josef told me that many of the older ones don’t use them because they didn’t have them for so long. He also said that sometimes new turns just take a while to adapt, so don’t worry about it.”

“If the really old ones don’t use freezers they must smell horrible! Mick, you always said that vamps smell like decay, but I can’t smell that on you or myself for that matter. I mean, you just smell like Mick to me. The scent is pleasing and makes me feel safe I guess is the best way to describe it.”

He smiled at her and said, “I’m your sire, that’s sort of how it works. And your sense of smell will increase with practice as well. The first time you scent other vamps, like Tim or Mary you will understand.”

“I thought when you said that vamps smell like decay that it would be overpowering, pungent. If that is so, then I wouldn’t think you could scent anything else around them.”

“Well, every vamp, every person has their own scent Beth; you’ll learn to separate it all out, I promise. It’s the same thing with sounds; everything around you will be loud at first and I’ll teach you how to filter out the ‘chatter’ and just focus on what you need to.”

“Will I be able to scent the past like you do?”

“Hopefully and you might be even better at it than I am. Josef, he really isn’t able to do that much, but he has an uncommonly sharp ability to grasp or maybe even to predict where the markets will go. I can’t do that. We are each different – some vamps are faster than others, some can jump higher, some have a more refined sense of smell or hearing or vision. We’re going to discover what your gifts are.”

“Um, like being able to taste coffee?” she teased, standing up to make a pot of.

“Beth, you can’t possibly really taste it baby. I think it’s like a memory taste for you or something. It doesn’t hurt you and seems to make you feel better so go ahead and do it. But I’m sorry; I don’t believe that you can really taste it.”

Her eyes narrowed at him for a moment, ready to take umbrage at his words but then she just shrugged it off. She wasn’t ready to admit that he was right because she knew that she could taste it, but it also wasn’t worth a fight. She went about filling the coffee pot with water and scooping the grounds into the filter before flipping the switch to start the brew. Within a few minutes the delectable odor was permeating the kitchen and she sighed with pleasure. Maybe he couldn’t taste it but she sure could.



OOOOOOOOOOOO



Two days later…

They had worked on her senses for the past couple of days, discovering what she could scent by Mick hiding small things and letting her seek them. She had nailed that lesson, proving to be an apt pupil. Nothing wrong with her nose, that was for sure.

She was beside herself with excitement this evening because they were going outside at dusk to give her the opportunity to explore the world around the house. She shrugged into a pair of jeans and didn’t even mind the scratchy feel of the denim as she pulled them up the slid the zipper closed. She pulled a tee shirt over her head and decided to pull her hair up into a pony tail so that it didn’t cover her ears. She had discovered that the swishing sound of it over her ears distracted her. She stared at herself in the mirror and decided that she would do and headed down the stairs, two at a time but squashing the temptation of jumping because Mick was watching her.

As she caught the roll of his eyes over her pushing the rules she giggled and ran to him, kissing him before he could say anything to her. As he pulled her tight they both realized that she was trembling, the excitement overcoming her.

“Ready?” he grinned. At her nod they headed towards the door and he opened it and stepped out on the porch closely followed by Beth.

As soon as she was outside she felt alive, and breathed in deeply. She was bombarded with sounds and scents and it rolled through her, making goose bumps rise on her skin. It was loud! The wind in the trees sounded like tympani and she heard all sorts of animals, walking, running, chattering to one another as if to remark on the beauty of the evening. It was heaven and she twitched, aching to move about and explore.

“Okay, stay with me Beth. We’re just going to walk a bit, okay? You will begin to pick up animal scents, including blood and you have to stay focused on just walking with me.”

She nodded and they took a step forward, moving into the burgeoning twilight with graceful steps. The crackle of their footsteps on the gravel walk sounded louder than she could have imagined, grating almost and she had to concentrate hard on just staying with Mick and trying to tune out the sound and before long it suddenly became a part of the background noise, not nearly as irritating.

Behind all of it was the scent of Puget Sound, deliciously salty with the tang of decay to it. She had never smelled that before, that underlying odor. It tugged at her; she had to be there with it. She started moving towards the path that would take them there and Mick followed along, letting her guide him.

The scent was compelling her, pulling her towards the water and suddenly she let go of Mick’s hand and began running for the water, shedding her clothes as she made her way there.

Mick stared in astonishment at how quickly she had moved and stood dumbfounded for a moment before taking off at vamp speed to follow her. She was fast, incredibly fast he realized and when he got to the water’s edge she was standing waist deep in the sound, rivulets of water streaming down her body as she raised her arms skyward. It was the pose of an ancient pagan goddess, drawing down the moon to herself to use for her own delightful ritual.

Beth scooped the water up and let it cascade down her body as she stood under the light of a half moon. It seemed as bright as daylight to her and she marveled at the individual drops of water on her skin. She remembered the night that she had taken the BC and walked to Mick’s apartment. She could literally feel the air that night and it was like that now, only much more intense. An powerful feeling of sexuality washed over her and she focused on Mick, standing on the shore staring at her.

“Mick, come to me,” she commanded, holding her hand out to him. She was quicksilver; glimmering in the moonlight.

He could only obey. It seemed it was his destiny.



To be continued…