Slayers: The Aurora Part 4

Raising his head, he looked at the ripe berry color that now graced the pink nipples with satisfaction before sucking her other nipple into his mouth. He felt her hands clutching at him, and normally he did not like when his lovers clung to him, but with Liza he almost needed it. He should not be touching her this way, but he could not stop himself.

Sucking and licking the nipple, his hand slid lower, finding her slick wetness. Groaning at the feel of that sweetness caressing his fingers, he pushed against her opening. His fingers slid inside and the feel of her clenching him was almost his undoing. He sucked harder, his fingers beginning a hard rhythm. She arched off the bed again, and he lifted his mouth from her breast watching her as her body began to come around his fingers. He growled, yes that was what he wanted. The only thing better would have been her body clenching like that around his throbbing member.

Lucian needed to taste her, needed to feel her o.r.g.a.s.m for himself. He leaned forward sinking his teeth into her breast. Feeling the euphoric feeling of her o.r.g.a.s.m wash over him he fed from her breast. His hand cupping her other breast greedily. After her o.r.g.a.s.m subsided he pulled his teeth from her breast, reluctantly. He continued kissing and sucking on her nipples until she cried out his name.

The feeling of possessiveness that filled him at that cry made him almost mindless, he wanted to hear her scream that while he pounded into her, he thought wildly. He growled and began kissing down her body, if he couldn't feel her wrapped around him, then he needed to taste her sweetness. From the first touch of his lips on her wet tunnel he lost his head. Then he was devouring her with licks and sucks, his hands holding her body still as he worked her to a near mindless frenzy.

Liza was mewling in pleasure, unable to stop. Her hands were buried in Lucian's hair and she could barely catch her breath. He'd fed and feeling his wild possessiveness from the exchange had made her first o.r.g.a.s.m hit her hard, making her almost boneless. Lucian had begun growling then, it had made her body tighten in unexpected antic.i.p.ation. Then he'd slid down her body, taking her wet heat with his mouth, and after her third o.r.g.a.s.m he didn't stop, he just kept working her into a frenzy and then he sank his teeth into her femoral artery as she came.

She was so limp from their shared pleasure that she felt lightheaded. He'd taken her vein every time she'd had an o.r.g.a.s.m, and the pleasure had burst through her in a twofold o.r.g.a.s.m each time. She was almost in a constant o.r.g.a.s.mic state from the bond created by his taking her blood. If she hadn't been so mindless with pleasure, she might have wondered about the strength of that bond. It had increased after the second exchange, and grew stronger with each o.r.g.a.s.m.

She wasn't going to make it through another one without pa.s.sing out she realized. "Lucian..." She cried out, trying to tell him she needed a break, he only continued to lick and suck at her swollen entrance aggressively, his tongue thrusting inside her in a rhythm that drove her mad. She arched into his mouth crying out again to tell him that she needed him to slow down, but as her body began to quiver all over, her thighs shaking, and her heart pounding in her ears she exploded into the hardest o.r.g.a.s.m yet.

Lucian was almost crazed with the pleasure he felt every time he sank his teeth into her right after each o.r.g.a.s.m. He wanted to rip his silk pajama pants off and thrust into her, but he held on to just enough of his sanity to stop himself from taking this that far. He knew he was pus.h.i.+ng her hard, but feeling her burst into o.r.g.a.s.m over and over was almost as good as thrusting inside her would be. Although, he knew that sinking into her while he fed would be better, he almost couldn't imagine it getting any better, he thought, feeling her burst into o.r.g.a.s.m again. He roared, sinking his teeth into her thigh feeling the strength of her o.r.g.a.s.m wash over him, he couldn't stop his own o.r.g.a.s.m from over taking him. It took several moments of bliss for him to lift his head filled with satisfaction, and he slid up her body, resting beside her. She whimpered, when he touched her breast, cupping it.

"Shh-hh" He soothed, watching her eyes close, and her body went limp. He realized as he let his hand lightly squeeze her that she'd pa.s.sed out. Smiling, he was shocked at the joy he felt realizing that he'd worn her out with the gratification he had given her. Holding her for almost an hour while she slept. He watched her thinking he did not want to give her up, and tonight, he thought frowning, was only the beginning of what he wanted to do to her.

Getting up from the bed, he looked down at her, feeling a little overwhelmed with the feelings he had for her. He was not normally so obsessive with a woman. He had been with more than his fair share in the thousand years of his life, and still Liza made him feel that way. He was disturbed by the thoughts of her he was entertaining. Of taking her on the bed, in his study, against the door, really just taking her over and over again while feeding.

It frightened him. He was not sure why he felt this craving for her when he had never felt it for another woman. He needed to stay away from her before he did something stupid like take her. She was a slave to him right now, and looking at the marks he left on her throat and her thigh he was slightly disgusted with his own behavior. He pulled the covers over her naked body to hide the temptation her voluptuous form presented him with. And as he left the room he realized ruefully that he had not removed his marks from her creamy skin.

Chapter 9.

Lucian stared out the window looking over the snow covered landscape with a heavy heart. He had been unable to stop thinking of Liza coming apart in his arms over and over. He could still feel the pleasure as if raced through his blood and hers. He knew that what he had done this evening had been wrong. Taking pleasure from her was not right. He should never have agreed to this ridiculous charade. Only his instinct had told him that if Liza left this time, she would never return. He always trusted that feeling that tightened his stomach and made his head ache, it was always best to follow where it led. The one time he had ignored it had almost ended in his death. He would not make that mistake again.

Blood slaves were given all the acknowledgement that cattle was given by humans, and he could not stand thinking of Liza being treated in such a manor. She was so much more than that, and it infuriated him that his relations.h.i.+p with her was expected to change now that she was his blood slave. He knew that before she had been viewed hardly any better by his culture. Most vampires saw her as a pampered pet he would tire of, and now they would think he had. They would expect him to allow them near her. To taste her.

His eyes reddened, his fist balled and his teeth clenched. If they dared to suggest it they would die before they finished speaking. Liza was not for any other man, only him. Vampires were not jealous of their blood slaves, he was not the exception. Liza was the only woman he had felt crazed over. It was odd, his fixation with her. He did not understand why he felt so overly obsessive with her when he had never felt that way with any other woman. He had even thought of turning her.

He knew that he could not afford with the last three attempts on his life to allow his hand to show by turning her now. It would make her a target, which made him feel near insane. Somehow, he would have to stop feeding from her. Just the thought made him want to pound his fist into the wall.

If turning her could protect her better than pretending not to care about her would, he would have done it the instant she had arrived, and to h.e.l.l with her anger. Only turning her would make her more vulnerable to an attack, new vampires were weak until after the first six to eight months pa.s.sed. They were easier to kill than humans because they were typically only able to stay awake for a few hours at a time. He needed to stay away from her, and take blood from another slave to prove that he was not addicted to her. Just the thought turned his stomach, and made his fists clench again. He did not want to betray her in such a way even for her own protection, but he would have to find a way. Her life may depend on it.

Hearing the door open, he turned looking at Dominick as he walked into the room shutting the door. He walked to the desk sitting down in a chair in front it. He knew that look, Lucian thought with a grimace. He sat down in his chair, looking at his friend.

"You might as well tell me what troubles you? I will find out eventually, Dominick." Lucian said after several moments of silence.

Dominick let out a grunt, then looked at him. "Fine, Vladimir is working with Morvan. I just do not know why. The man has never wanted your throne Lucian and suddenly he is working with the man who seems to be behind the a.s.sa.s.sination attempts. It just does not make sense." He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

Lucian leaned back in his chair watching his friend. It was strange that Vladimir, who from what Lucian knew was a good man, was working with Morvan, who was evil.

"I do not understand it either. We're sure that the information is sound." He asked though he already knew if Dominick was this upset over the news then it was from a creditable source.

"Yes, I am sure. I think that we should cancel the ball." Dominick muttered.

"No," Lucian would not allow anyone to think that he was weak. That was asking for someone to try to kill him to take his throne. "The ball will go on as planned."

"d.a.m.n it, Lucian. Why are you being stubborn about this?" Dominick demanded, his eyes turning red in his anger.

"You know that if I cancel the ball it will be perceived as weakness, and we can ill afford for other a.s.sa.s.sins to come out of the wood works. Although, I am sure that I can protect myself if there are enough of them out to get me, one of them might get lucky and catch me off guard." Lucian told him calmly.

"I know, but I do not like it." Dominick growled.

"We go ahead with the ball. We increase the security and wait for the guilty party to reveal their hand." Lucian said his fingers drumming on the edge of his desk.

"And if the a.s.sa.s.sin is already here?" Dominick asked, though he didn't mention Liza whom he suspected might be working with the enemy. It was just too perfect that she had shown up when she did. She had been gone for two years and from what the investigator, who followed her every move and brought that information to the king, knew. She was happy with her new life. Why would she have suddenly returned to face possible rejection?

"I know that you are suspicious of her, Dominick. I just do not understand why. She was practically raised by you. Why are you so sure her core is not as loyal as you raised her to be?" Lucian watched the other man wince. He knew that this question would make the other man uncomfortable, but he needed to know the answer. It was not like his friend to doubt the motives of someone so close to him. The man viewing her as a daughter, he should have absolute faith in her loyalty. He needed to understand, it made no sense to him.

"I do not know," Dominick looked frustrated as he revealed the truth. "I have always felt that she is not as she seems. Lucian, you were not around much when she was young. She has always been different, even as a young girl. Perhaps it was her father, the man was not quite right. He always seemed suspicious of us and our motives when it came to Liza, even though we gave him no reason to be. There is just a small piece of the puzzle that is Liza that just does not fit. I just cannot seem to put my finger on what though." He raised his hand running it down his face, his frustration with the conversation evident.

Lucian glared at him, but he was not deterred, he knew he was right. Lucian was too wrapped up in her to see it clearly. Dominick knew that even if he suspected something was off he would not act on it. Lucian was already starting to bond with her, and it worried him.

"I think that is just your own paranoia talking. She is not here to destroy me, she just wanted to be with me." Lucian's hands gripped the edge of his desk, the wood cracking.

"As your slave." Dominick goaded him, wanting to see his reaction.

"She. Is. Not. My. Slave." Lucian emphasized each word with another loud creaking from the desk as he dug groves into the wood.

"But that is what worries me, Lucian." Dominick had noticed Lucian's obsession with Liza. He would not expect her betrayal, which made the possibility that this was her goal more concerning. He knew that asking Lucian to stay away from her would be useless. The man was already so besotted that no one would be able to pull him back from her without losing a limb, and Dominick was fond of his limbs.

"She is not involved in this Dominick." Lucian said from between clenched teeth, confirming Dominick's suspicions that he was already wrapped in her web. He just hoped he did not have to kill her, neither he nor Lucian would ever forgive him for doing it. But he would. If it became necessary he would kill her to save the man who he had called friend for more than nine centuries.

"I really hope you are right, my friend. I truly do." Dominick said before launching into the other business he had come to the office to discuss.

Lucian stood outside Liza's door, his fists clenched. He wanted to enter that room and make love to her so badly that he was nearly out of his mind with the need that seemed to throb inside him with every pump of his heart. He could not go in there though. He was not going in there, he told himself sternly, as his hand hovered over the door k.n.o.b. He needed to stay away. To allow his scent to be erased from her skin. Just the thought made his anger roar through his system with a blow torch of fire that lit him up inside. He wanted her to be covered in him. His scent, his marks, his d.i.c.k, just covered in him so that no one touched her. Ever. The only thing stopping him was the knowledge that he was protecting her by not having her. He felt like he was going mad from the need for contact with her. Just a touch, a brush of his fingers over her skin. It had been three days, and he was almost maddened from the need.

His scent was fading from her now, and he knew it was for the best. But that did not make it any easier to prevent himself from giving in to the almost visceral need that held his body here outside the door that connected their rooms night after night. He had spent time with her yesterday. Sitting across from her at the table set up in his study for them to eat at and not touching her had been torture. Seeing the disappointment in her eyes when he did not try had only made it worse. The scent of her arousal had filled his head and he had wanted to rip her clothes off and take her against his desk.

Her safety was the only thing stopping him from giving in to his need for her. But after tonight he was not sure he would be able to hold on much longer. Tonight, he had stood at the door, smelling her sweet desire drifting into his room making his body harden into a steel rod. Then he had heard her s.h.i.+fting and then moaning. He had felt that scent sharpen, and he had known that she was pleasuring herself. She was just a few feet away from him writhing in pleasure beyond the door that separated them, and he wanted to taste it, feel it. He had gripped the door frame so tightly he had managed to break pieces off.

Standing here hours later he knew that if he heard her pleasuring herself again that there would be no one or nothing able to stop him from going in that room and taking her. This knowledge filled his mind and it almost relieved him. The burden seemed to lift from him, as he acknowledged the flaw in his design to protect her. He would just have to keep her close in order to see to her safety. He shook his head, no he needed to stay away. He would not use her that way, he thought, moving away from the door. He needed to stay away, he just did not know how he was going to manage it.

Chapter 10.

Liza knew that Lucian was avoiding her. They had lunch in his study a week ago and since then, she had only seen him twice. She had watched him yesterday in the practice yard with Dominick for over an hour. They had been sparing, and the beauty of those two men spinning and whirling in a deadly dance had caught her heart making it beat faster. She'd hoped that perhaps he would talk to her afterwards, maybe even offer to spar with her. But instead he'd looked right through her. She had felt her heart breaking into a million pieces as he and Dominick had walked by her without a word.

That was when she had realized he had already become bored with her. She had gone to her room and cried herself to sleep. Tonight there was a party. If it had been a few years ago, she would have been preparing right now to attend that party with Lucian and the vampires he entertained. Only she was not going tonight. Blood slaves were not invited to dinner, and over the past week she had learned that she was nothing more to him now than just another slave. Even knowing that she had chosen this life so that she could feel him touch her, finally. She had not realized what actually living it might be like.

She walked into the kitchen, finding Maria at the stove.

"Ah, mi Nina. You wish to help me prepaid dinner?" Maria asked, looking at her with a smile.

"Please, I'm a little bored lately. You know I have never really liked a life of leisure." Liza told her, her heart still aching for the one thing it couldn't have.

"Ha, of that I am sure. Come on then, come and help me roll out the croissants." Maria chuckled shoeing another helper away from the dough. Smiling, Liza walked to the counter and began the task. Her mind wandering to a time when this was normal and her days were happy.

Lucian stood near the fireplace in the lounge waiting. He spoke to Franklin a business acquaintance. He was here with his mate. There were five others at the party, but his skin was itching and he wondered what the h.e.l.l was taking Liza so long to show. He had been waiting for over forty minutes and was frankly becoming a bit angry that she was so late. He checked the clock again. Dinner was to have started ten minutes ago. Seeing Dominick standing near the door with another of their business partners he excused himself and walked towards his friend.

He approached exchanging polite chatter that made him even angrier from the delay. He needed Dominick to find out what was taking her so d.a.m.ned long. He asked Dominick if he could have a word in the hall.

"I need you to see what is keeping, Liza. If she does not show in the next few moments I will have to take everyone into dinner without her." Lucian said as soon as they were out of ear shot.

"Lucian, Liza is not coming..." Dominick began, surprised that Lucian had expected her tonight. She had settled into her place over the last week. Dominick had been glad when Lucian seemed to be allowing the act that would protect the woman they both loved, though in different ways, to be played out.

"What do you mean she is not coming?" He demanded, a dark scowl on his face. "Liza always attends dinner parties when she is in residence." Lucian was beyond angry now, and knew that his eyes were likely glowing a fiery red.

She dared to insult him in such a manner. He was going half insane trying to stay away from her, and these parties always made him uncomfortable. Having her with him at these dinner gathering had always soothed him. The need to see her, and feel her calming presence had been part of the reason he had decided to have this stupid gathering. Now, it seemed she was refusing to come. He would not allow it. He turned heading to his wing of the house. He would not stand for this, she would come down to dinner. Now. Dominick's hand landed on his arm, stopping him.

"Where are you going?"

"To get her." He growled flatly. Then began walking again, only to be stopped when Dominick did not release him.

"Lucian, you must realize that she cannot come to this party. There are five vampires in that room."

"Your point?" He demanded.

"My point is that blood slaves do not attend dinner parties. Not unless they are offerings." Dominick felt the blast of cold air that slammed him back into the wall before it lifted him up. He had not been expecting Lucian to lose control to that extent. d.a.m.n, this was bad. Really bad.

"You did not just say that to me." Lucian gritted each word out through his tightly clenched teeth. Lucian was in his face his hand around his neck.

"I am sorry, but it would be expected if she attended, and you know it would." Dominick managed to choke out.

Lucian dropped him to the floor, his hands slamming into the wall. d.a.m.n, he needed to get himself under control before the whole d.a.m.ned party came out to gawk at their king losing his mind, Dominick thought. He had been afraid of this when Lucian had approached him with his plan to spend very little time with Liza. He knew that it was wearing on his king. He had expected this before now, he had just hoped that it would blow up in a less public setting.

Lucian was not okay, he had to see her, and this party was not going to be easy without her. He was always uncomfortable at these things, and now his skin felt stretched tight and his mind was in chaos. He did not notice Dominick whispering to Toby, nor did he fight him as he pulled him into his study. He paced, running his hands up and down his arms in agitation. He felt like a junky needing a fix.

He needed Liza. He moved towards the door, intending to go to her. When Dominick stopped him.

"Wait, I sent for her." He told Lucian, and it was as if the world settled. Liza was coming. He felt relief slip through him, he sighed. The door opened and Liza was there. He was across the room before her words were even spoken.

"Toby said that you needed me...eek." Liza had been surprised when Toby had come to her room insisting that she come downstairs immediately to speak with Lucian. Finding herself crushed against Lucian the minute she walked into the study, shocked her.

"What is going on?" She asked Dominick, confused.

"I do not know. He just began to have a meltdown." Dominick told her then he stood, "I will leave you alone, but he needs to go in to dinner. I will make an excuse for a short absence, but he needs to be able to go in there." With that he left them alone.

Lucian did not know what the h.e.l.l was wrong with him. He was not able to release her. His lips were sliding over her skin, finding the hollow where her neck met her shoulder. He felt the need to mark her, he wanted to strip her bare and kiss her from head to toe. He had been crawling out of his own skin for the last four days. Ignoring Liza had made him insane, he decided. He was losing his mind.

He was addicted to her taste, her smell and not being able have her had driven him over the edge of reason into a weird sort of panic. His hands clutched at her hips, his mouth finding hers. He devoured her lips his hand sliding into her robe, which she wore slightly open revealing her almost sheer nightgown. He groaned, his hand ripped at the gown, needing her bared flesh in his hands.

"Lucian, wh-what are you doing?" She asked a little unsure what he was doing. Not that she minded much, this week had been h.e.l.l not being with him. Only she was not sure what was happening here. He seemed beyond control as he pressed her back against the wall, his mouth falling to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. He took one into his mouth sucking, she moaned. Her hand clasped his head to her, and she allowed him to take her over.

"I need this, Liza. My Liza." He groaned against her skin. Then his teeth were sinking into her breast and his hand was slipping into her wet heat. She hadn't even felt his hand slid under her nightgown until two fingers thrust inside her. She groaned, leaning back into the door as he began to pleasure her with light rubs on her c.l.i.t and hard thrusts of his fingers inside her. She was so sensitized by his roaring desire, which seemed to pour out of him and into her from the bite.

It didn't take long for her to cry out in completion, and he seemed to become even more aggressive. He pressed her harder against the door, and he seemed to be in no hurry to stop feeding. She could feel his hardness pressing into her stomach as he leaned into her.

"Lucian, Lucian. Stop." It made her a little frightened when he hissed at her. He did stop feeding though. His eyes burned red, and he watched her like a predator watches its prey.

"You are acting crazed. What is going on?" She demanded, a little fearfully.

"Mine." Was the only answer she got before he was taking her breast back into his mouth, and his fingers began that hard rhythm again. Holy h.e.l.l, what was going on with him, she thought, moaning. As she neared her second o.r.g.a.s.m his teeth sank into her again. He brought her to completion two more times before he pulled back, his eyes there normal blue. Then he was slowly releasing her, his hands moving to the wall on either side of her.

"Tonight, Liza. We will finish this tonight." He growled.

Her heart clenched thinking he meant that they were finished only his next words made her realize that was not what he was saying at all, making her breathless.

"When this dinner is done I want you to be waiting for me, in my bed." He kissed her neck, then her cheek.

"Umm...your bed?" She squawked.

"My bed." He confirmed, his voice held a dark promise of pleasure. "I will take you over and over, and there will be nothing that will stop me this time." He growled. She didn't know what had been stopping him before, so she just nodded.

"Sire," Toby said entering the study. Lucian roared, his eyes going red again as he jerked her robe back around her, covering her bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

"You will not enter this room without knocking again." He bellowed at the startled servant. If the situation were not so heated, she would have laughed at the comical expression on Toby's face. He had been Lucian's servant for more than two hundred years and never had his sire demanded that he knock before entering a room, unless it was his bedroom. Liza settled her robe more securely. She started to move towards the door, but Lucian's hand captured her arm.

Looking up at him she whispered, "Your guests are waiting for you Lucian."

"Be in my bed." He hissed, lowly "Do not defy me in this."

"I won't." She told him meeting his eyes for several heated moments. Then he released her and she walked past Toby on her way up to her room, her body thrumming with antic.i.p.ation.

Lucian watched Liza leave with a frown. He did not want to go into that dining hall and chat, he wanted to sink inside Liza. He had known the minute he ripped her gown from her body that he was going to make her his this night. It was no longer an option not to. He was not sure what about tonight had pushed him over the edge into madness, but he knew it did not matter. She was his, and that was it. He straightened his clothing, almost sighing in pleasure at her scent, which clung to him now.

He could not fathom what was wrong with him. He only knew that Liza had given him back a small semblance of his sanity, and he was going to see if taking her to his bed returned the rest.

"They are about to serve the first course, sire. I wanted to let you know." Toby hesitantly said, waiting. He walked to the bathroom across from his study, at the door he turned looking at his servant.

"Serve, I will be there in a moment." Before he entered the bathroom to wash the scent of Liza's releases from him. That was a scent only he would get the pleasure of smelling.