Darlings of Darkness: A Vampire Anthology Part 125

He snorted. "Listen, if Ethan shows up, I'll knock his lights out."

Duncan would have been a formidable adversary for anyone, but not for whatever kind of creature Ethan was. There was no question in my mind about that.

"Duncan, he's not normal. Remember how he grabbed me and ran through the woods? Even you can't compete with that."

He sighed. "Fine. Just one more kiss and we'll head back."

I slid my arms around his neck and we began kissing, again. Just when my legs began to feel like jelly, he released me.

"Hey," I pouted as I opened my eyes.

"Well, well, well," chuckled Ethan. "You're a naughty little vixen, aren't you?"

Duncan lay on the ground, obviously unconscious. I rushed to his side and looked up at Ethan. "What did you do to him?!" I yelled.

He sighed. "Don't worry he's just taking a little nap. I should have killed him for even touching you."

"Ethan, you have to stop this. I'm not Miranda."

He grabbed my hand and lifted me up. "You are Miranda. I can see it in your eyes, the way you smell, how you taste..." he murmured, looking into my eyes.

My heart began to race as he bent his head and began kissing me. A wave of hot pleasure shot through my body and I released a strangled moan.

Just then, Duncan came back to his senses. "Leave her alone, you a.s.shole!" he raged, trying to get Ethan away from me.

Ethan's eyes burned with fury and I watched in awe as he let out an unearthly roar. Before I could do anything, he held Duncan in the air by his throat.

"Please, stop!" I sobbed, rus.h.i.+ng towards them. I started hitting Ethan in the back, but it was like hitting a plate of steel. He used his other hand and pushed me to the ground.

Duncan's eyes were bugging out of his head and his face was turning purple. I knew he would die if I didn't do something.

"Ethan!" I screamed, getting back up. I hit him repeatedly with my fists, but he continued to ignore me. It was only when a group of men began racing towards us that he swore and released Duncan.

"Let's go, now," ordered Ethan.

I backed away from him and then turned to run. Before I could take five steps, I was in his arms and we were racing across the beach like a flash of lightning.

"No..." I sobbed as the lights from the carnival became a blur.

Chapter Twenty-Three.

I woke up in a cool, dark bedroom. Candles lit up the room and rock music played softly in the background.

I sat up. "Duncan?" I mumbled, "Nathan?"

Someone sighed and I found Ethan watching me from the shadows. He sat in a leather club chair that had been pushed into the corner of the room.

"So, you're finally awake," he murmured.

I swallowed. "Where am I?"

"Welcome to my humble abode," he chuckled. He was naked from the waist up and my mind turned traitor once again as I imagined running my fingers over his impressive pecs.

What in the h.e.l.l was wrong with me?!

I forced my l.u.s.tful thoughts aside and tried to concentrate on Duncan and whether or not he was safe.

"Take me home," I demanded, scooting to the edge of the bed. "Please."

His eyes studied me intently, but he didn't respond.

I stood up and smoothed down my dress. "Seriously, take me home," I said, lifting my chin.

Ethan stood up and walked towards me. His eyes lowered to my dress and I suddenly felt naked. I wondered if vampires had x-ray vision.

I put a hand to my chest and looked up at him. "Ethan?"

"You are home," he replied, his voice husky. I backed away and he grinned. "Are we playing hard to get, now?"

I ignored the question. "Look, this is insane. You can't just keep me here like a prisoner."

His eyes hardened. "Prisoner? If you want to leave, you're certainly free to go." He then stood sideways so that I could move around him to the doorway.

Holding my breath, I decided to go for it. Before I could take two steps, however, he grabbed both of my hands and had them behind my back before I had a chance to exhale.

"You know you want to be with me," he said, smiling darkly. "In every way."

I stared up into eyes that hinted of things I'd only fantasized about, and shamefully, my resistance fell apart.

Yes, I wanted Ethan...

In fact, from the tingling sensation growing between my legs, I wanted him every way and everywhere.

One of his large hands slid into my hair, cupping the back of my head. "Let me," he whispered seductively, his breath hinting of b.u.t.terscotch once again, "please you."

Oh, my G.o.d...

My eyes lowered to his mouth and I licked my lips, remembering how good they'd felt on my skin. The next thing I knew, he had me on the bed, pressing against me, and I surrendered all control, gasping in guilty pleasure. Within seconds I was returning his kisses as pa.s.sionately as he was giving them.

"Yes," he growled, against my mouth as my hands traveled along his back to his hair. I tightened my fingers around the strands and pulled him closer, kissing him deeper as hot waves of desire shot through my veins, urging me on.

More... I wanted more...

I wrapped my legs around his waist, this time holding him captive as our pelvises moved together in a rhythm that soon had me whimpering in pleasure.

Suddenly, he stopped and his body tensed up.

"What?" I asked, staring up at him.

He closed his eyes and his jaw tightened.

"What did I do?" I whispered, touching his cheek.

He opened his eyes and they seemed to burn right into my soul. I stared in awe as a fire ignited around his irises and grew into flames.

My eyes widened. "Are you okay?"

He touched my cheek with his finger, drawing circles. "I'm fine... and you've done nothing but... make me want you more than ever," he whispered. "I just needed a second to regain my control."

"Oh."

"Now, where were we?" he asked as his fingers moved down my neck and across my chest. Before I could respond, the front of my dress was ripped open and his mouth was on my skin.

"Oh," I moaned as his tongue trailed wet kisses to my nipples, teasing and driving me insane with desire.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered, cupping my b.r.e.a.s.t.s as his mouth moved upwards. When I realized where he stopped, I tensed up, wondering what would happen next.

Was he actually going to bite me? And worse, would I care?

His tongue stroked the skin near my collarbone and then moved up towards my ear, nibbling and licking. As I began to relax, his right hand released my breast and his fingers moved down my ribcage, across my bellyb.u.t.ton to my panties, stopping right at the edge of the cotton.

"Invite me in," he whispered against my neck.

"Yes..." I whispered, my legs trembling.

He ran one of his fingers over the top of the material and I gasped. "Say it..." he demanded.

"Come in, Ethan..."

Just as his fingers began to slide under the fabric, the door burst open and he shot up. His face was a mask of monstrous rage and my heart stopped as I saw his fangs for the first time. "What is the meaning of this?!" he growled.

Sheriff Caleb stood facing us while I pulled the blankets over my exposed body. His face was burning red, as were his homicidal eyes. "Why in the f.u.c.k did you bring her here?!"

Chapter Twenty-Four.

They'd locked me in the bedroom but I could still hear their angry shouts from somewhere in the house. Caleb said he had to bring me back, but Ethan raged that I belonged with him. I wanted to go home desperately and prayed that Ethan would give in and release me.

There was a soft knock at the door and then it opened. An attractive red-haired girl entered the room, who I only a.s.sumed was Celeste, Caleb's daughter. This time she wasn't wearing gla.s.ses and her startling green eyes stared at me with interest.

"Here," she said, throwing me a pair of shorts and T-s.h.i.+rt. "I heard you needed this."

I stared at her, wondering if she was a vampire, too.

"Yes," she said with a sardonic grin. "I am whatever it is you think I am."

"What, you can read minds?" I asked.

She laughed. "No, I could tell what you were thinking by the expression on your face."

"What are they going to do with me?" I asked.

"If Ethan had his way, you'd never leave his side. Caleb doesn't really trust you, but he has the hots for your mom and isn't willing to hurt her."

I scowled. "How f.u.c.king sensitive of him."

She laughed. "So, what do you want to do?" she asked. "Do you care for Ethan?"

"I don't know," I said, pulling the T-s.h.i.+rt over my head, "he stares into my eyes and I want nothing more than to be with him. But that's not real, is it? Isn't that some kind of power he has to control people?"

She nodded. "True."

"But, even now..." I said. "He has this effect on me and he's not even in the room. I guess I really might feel something for him. It's all so confusing."

"It's only natural to feel l.u.s.t towards him, if that's all it is. He's very s.e.xy."

"That is no lie."

"Caleb said he caught you with some guy named Duncan," she said.

"Yeah," I answered. "I've kind of been seeing Duncan."

"Are you in love with this, Duncan?"

"I think I'm confused. I don't know. Maybe I'm a little in love with both of them."

She smiled. "Being in love with one of us is dangerous. If you decide to stay with Ethan, you can't live a normal life."

I swallowed. "So, are you vampires?"

She grimaced. "I never did like that word."

I swallowed. "So... do you suck people's blood?"