Damek's Redemption

Chapter Three

Sonia stared up into the eyes of the most compelling man she’d ever seen in her life. His black hair fell to his shoulders like a silken curtain and she itched to run her fingers through it to see if it was as soft as it looked. It was so unlike her hair. The curly mass had been the bane of her existence since she was a child. She’d always wanted hair like his.

His eyes were hypnotic and she struggled not to simply lose herself in them. His brows were dark and straight and his lips were thin, yet sensual. She could look at them all night, but what she really wanted to do was kiss them.

“Let me have you.” His low voice mesmerized her and she knew in that moment that she would deny him nothing.

She licked her lips and he ran his thumb over the bottom one. Her tongue darted out to touch it, to taste him. He was salty and warm and she wondered what the rest of his skin would taste like.

“Sonia?” he prompted.

She slowly nodded. “Yes.”

He smiled at her, a smile filled with an immense amount of male satisfaction. It softened the hard lines of his face, but didn’t dim the intensity of his gaze. If anything, he devoured her with his eyes, letting them flow down her body like a physical caress.

She stretched, elongating her neck, arching her back so her breasts were pushed upward. She, who normally hid her sexuality, wanted to revel in it. There was something about this man that made her want to explore every fantasy she’d ever had and even some she hadn’t.

He ran his fingers through her hair, letting it fall back against the pillows. There was something wrong, something she should remember. She frowned, trying to think. It wasn’t easy with his thumb tracing her lips and the curve of her jaw.

His name. She didn’t know his name. It jolted her to find herself in bed with a man she didn’t know, but she couldn’t say she was afraid, just perplexed. “Who are you?”

“I am your dream lover.” He leaned down and pressed his lips against her forehead, her nose and finally her cheekbones. “I am every dark fantasy you’ve ever had,” he whispered against her lips before he claimed them.

Oh, he tasted good. Like fine wine and chocolate. She moaned and parted her lips to allow him better access. His tongue delved inward, exploring the inside of her mouth, touching her tongue and teeth. She clutched at his head, tangling her fingers in his hair.

This had to be a dream. She’d never had a kiss like this in her life. It went on and on, until she was breathless and feared she might pass out. He released her at the last second and smiled at her. She caught a brief glimpse of white teeth and then he was kissing his way down her jawline and neck. He nipped at her collarbone, sending shivers racing down her spine.

Her breasts ached for his touch and he didn’t disappoint her. He plumped one in his palm and rubbed his thumb over the puckered nipple. “You are truly extraordinary.”

His praise warmed her. She’d been a nerdy, bookish child and an early bloomer. Her breasts had developed in her early teens, prompting a lot of unwanted and nasty attention in school. She’d learned to downplay them and dressed to hide them until it had become habit. Now, she was glad she was well endowed.

He lowered his head and his hair fell across her skin, adding another layer to the sensual snare surrounding her. His tongue gently laved her nipple. The light caress sent a bolt of sexual arousal shooting from the peak to between her thighs. She moved her legs against the mattress, seeking to be closer to him.

Sonia realized she was just lying there, letting him do whatever he wanted. She had this prime male in front of her and she hadn’t touched him at all except for his hair. That was about to change.

She reached up and touched his broad shoulders. Muscle rippled beneath her hands as she ran them down his thick biceps to his wide wrists. She could sense the power flowing through them and it heightened her arousal to the boiling point. It wouldn’t take much to push her over the edge.

He opened his mouth and drew her straining nipple in, sucking softly. Sonia cried out, helpless beneath his touch. He growled low in the back of his throat and she felt the sharp rake of his teeth over her breast. Her spine arched and flames seemed to shoot through her.

He swore under his breath and kissed his way down her ribcage. She wanted to drag him back to her breasts, but she liked what he was doing to her too much to make him stop. His teeth grazed her hipbones, making her shiver. He nuzzled her pubic hair and she automatically parted her legs to make room for him between them.

Damek had made love to more women than he could ever remember. In the early years after his conversion, he’d wandered the world, taking his pleasures wherever he found them. There’d never been a shortage of women willing to sleep with him. He was a generous lover, in bed and out. But that pursuit had lost its luster after several centuries of watching others fall in love and have families. He’d gotten tired of being only a temporary lover and had started keeping to himself more and more. His last lover had been more than two decades ago.

No matter. If he still possessed a soul, and he wasn’t certain he did, there was no denying that he’d never been with a woman who made him feel as Sonia did. And this was just a dream, albeit a very realistic one.

She was warm and alive. She heated his chilled flesh and made him feel as though he belonged. His cock throbbed as blood pulsed through it, keeping it hard and ready.

He shook his head to clear away the sensual web. The reality of the situation hadn’t changed. She was human and he was a dream, a temporary lover at best.

He wanted more, so much more. His fangs had lengthened as he kissed and suckled her breasts. He’d wanted to sink them into her silken flesh and let her blood flow over his tongue and into his veins.

But that would be crossing the line.

Not that he hadn’t already crossed it by invading her dreams, but he would not take that extra step. His control was precarious enough as it was. The quick thump of her heart beat through his brain like a drumbeat, calling him, enticing him to taste her blood. He shook his head to help clear it and inhaled her unique fragrance.

Her skin was soft and smell faintly of vanilla. Such a homey scent and one he knew he would forever identify with Sonia even if he never set eyes on her again after tonight. His chest ached at the thought of never seeing her again, but he was realistic. It would be better for them both if he made it impossible for her to find him.

But he was here now, and he intended to enjoy every moment he could with her. He buried his face in the notch between her thighs, breathing in the musky perfume of her arousal. When she parted her legs for him, he wanted to yell like a conqueror of old. She wanted him. Or at least she wanted him in her dreams. For now, it was enough.

He settled between her sleek thighs, letting his fingers play up and down her warm skin. A low moan fell from her lips and he gazed upward. She was sprawled across the bed, her lips moist from his kisses and parted on a sigh. Her nipples were hard nubs, inviting him to pluck them with his fingers. But the clock was ticking. He was conscious he was on borrowed time and wasn’t about to miss the feast spread before him.

Damek lowered his head and dragged his tongue over her slick folds. She was hot and wet and the taste of her arousal flooded through him. Honey and cream paired with a hint of musk. He lapped at her pussy, up one side and down the other.

Her knees came up and closed around his head, holding him to her. Satisfaction shot through him. His balls were about to explode they were so swollen and tight, but he ignored them, ignored the ache in his cock. Nothing was more important than making Sonia come.

He found the little nub at the apex of her sex and pressed his tongue against it. She rewarded him with a deep moan of pleasure. Her hips rocked upward, seeking his touch. Damek gave her what she wanted and more.

He captured her clit between his lips and sucked, tonguing the nub. He found the tender opening of her channel and pressed one thick finger into her wet warmth. She sucked him deep into her moist depths and he thought he might lose his mind. It was all too easy to imagine his cock sinking into her welcoming heat.

She caught his hair in her hands and pulled him closer. He loved that she wasn’t afraid to let him know what she wanted. He wanted her to demand everything from him so he could give it to her. He wanted to conquer the world and lay it at her feet.

She was dangerous to him, but totally irresistible.

She moaned and bucked her hips, urging him to hurry. He wanted to eat her pussy for hours, building her orgasm until she was mindless with pleasure. But there wasn’t enough time. She could wake at any time, ending this moment between them.

He growled as fury engulfed him. He wouldn’t have it. He would taste her passion before she woke.

Damek inserted a second finger into her silken channel, stretching her, making her accept him. Her inner muscles rippled around him, accommodating him. He pulled them to the edge of her opening and then thrust them inward.

Sonia cried out and lifted her hips to accept the invasion. Damek dragged one of his fangs over her swollen clit, careful not to pierce the skin. Her entire body snapped taut like a bowstring and she gave a broken cry. Her pussy clamped down on his fingers as she came. Her hips bucked against his hand and he gave her what she needed, let the orgasm play out as long as he could. He released her clit and buried his face against her thigh, his breathing ragged, his control almost shattered.

He could hear the whoosh of her blood rushing through her veins, smell the sweetness of her cream and taste it on his tongue. Her skin was flushed and damp. He wanted to stay like this forever.

Damek allowed himself one more taste of her before he moved away. He didn’t look at her for fear even in a dream his eyes would be tinged red, burning with his unquenched lust for her. The need for blood was riding him hard. If he wasn’t as old as he was, he might not be able to withstand the lure of her blood. It was close enough as it was.

She gave a contented murmur and he risked a quick glance. Her naked body gleamed in the dim light and he memorized every sensual dip, every lush contour. Her breathing was still ragged and his wasn’t much better. He ached in a way he hadn’t for decades, maybe centuries. He wanted so much more from her.

But those kinds of thoughts would only lead to madness.

She reached for him and he stared at her open palm. He wanted to reach out for her, to let her touch him.

He caught the disturbance in the hallway, gave a sharp hiss and withdrew from her dream. Damek surged from the chair, his entire body one large exposed nerve ending. He sank behind the curtain, letting the shadows surround him as the knock came on the door. He masked his presence and watched.

Sonia bolted up in bed, a cry of disappointment on her lips. Her lover had disappeared suddenly, leaving her bereft and alone. She looked down at herself, shocked to see she was totally dressed. Her T-shirt and pajama bottoms were still in place.

The knock came again and she surged off the bed, stumbling slightly. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep after her shower, had decided to rest for a few minutes while she was waiting for her room service. Obviously, she’d fallen asleep.

“What a dream.” She grabbed the robe she’d left at the end of the bed and dragged it on, hissing when her hands accidentally grazed her breasts. They were swollen and sensitive.

The knock came again and she called out. “I’m coming.” She checked the peephole before she unlocked the door. The hotel employee wheeled the meal into the room, unloading it on the table beside the window. Sonia waited by the door and signed for the meal when the waiter was on his way out, adding a generous tip to the bill.

Alone again, she locked the door and padded to the table. It wasn’t only her breasts that were tender, her entire body felt sensitive. She was damp between her thighs, her sex pulsing as though she’d had an orgasm.

“You did have one,” she muttered. “Even if it was only a dream.” But what a vivid dream. Sonia had never experienced anything like it in her life. Maybe it was being in a strange hotel in an unfamiliar city. Maybe it was because she was hungry. Or maybe it was because of why she was here, searching for a man who may or may not be a vampire.

“Stop it.” There was no point in speculating why she’d had the dream. She’d had it. End of story. “There’s nothing wrong with an erotic dream,” she assured herself.

Sonia took the lid off the tray and studied her dinner. The BLT looked delicious and the brownie was large and thick and very chocolaty. On impulse, she picked up the brownie and took a bite. She chewed the gooey treat, letting it roll over her taste buds before swallowing. “Ohmygod,” she moaned. “This is amazing.”

There was something to be said for eating dessert first, although, her orgasm could technically be classified as a dessert. Sonia giggled, suddenly ravenous. Her stomach growled and she sat at the table, pulling the tray closer. She set the rest of the brownie aside, not wanting to eat it all at once.

In the shadows, Damek watched her taste the sweet treat, all the while cursing whatever impulse had sent him after her. This was the worst torture he’d ever endured. Watching Sonia nibbled the chocolate brownie, to see her lick a crumb from her lip, to hear her moan—a moan very much like the one she’d given when she was having an orgasm—was almost unbearable.

Yet, it made him feel alive. He’d experienced more emotions in the past few hours than he had in the past few years. That wasn’t good for a vampire of his age. He survived by keeping his emotions level and having a daily routine. It was all too easy to give into ennui, and that was when a vampire slid down the slippery slope of debauchery and bloodlust. That only ended badly for whatever humans were around the vampire and ultimately for the vampire itself.

He licked his lips when she did, his tongue flicking over one of his sharp, lethal fangs. His fingernails had grown into claws and were in danger of shredding the curtains he was hiding behind.

He, Damek the immortal vampire, was hiding behind a pair of curtains like some stalker, because he simply couldn’t make himself leave. He wanted to watch her eat, to know she was fed and safe. It calmed some of the rage burning within him.

The minutes ticked by and Sonia finished her meal, her enjoyment evident in every bite. She set the tray outside her bedroom door, used the bathroom and settled back in bed. Within minutes, her breathing deepened and he knew she was asleep.

The urge to remain until she began to dream again was great, but he ignored it. Dawn was only hours away and he had a business empire to run. He flowed from the shadows and stopped by the side of the bed to stare down at her. He reached out to touch her but pulled his hand back. Better to leave while he still could.

Damek silently left the room and shut the door, careful not to make any noise. He used the power of his mind to move the lock back into position so she would be safe. The hallway was empty and so was the elevator. He kept to the shadows until he was outside.

The night was crisp, the city still very much alive. He pulled out his cell phone and checked to make certain there were no messages. Not that he expected any. Byron could and would handle anything that came up.

Damek headed home rather than return to the club. He had much to think about, not the least of which was the fact that there were vampire hunters in his city. Oh, he’d seen them before. They came and went without bothering him, occasionally killing a young vampire who went on a killing spree, but Damek stayed out of their business and they continued to be oblivious to his existence.

But this was different. They had their sights set of Sonia, and he didn’t trust them not to hurt her in order to ascertain if she had information they might need. They were a ruthless bunch, killing almost as many humans as they did vampires in their zealous search to wipe out an entire paranormal race.

He walked back to the Fulton River District and around to the back of a building that had been converted to condos a decade ago. The building was his and one of many he owned in the city. He unlocked a door that only he used and stepped inside. It shut with a metallic clang, like a prison door shutting.

Damek shook off his sense of unease and strode to the elevator that went only to his penthouse. He stepped inside and rode to the top, sighing with relief when it opened and he stepped out into the foyer of his home. Another lock, this one an electronic keypad, and he was inside.

He ignored the opulent surroundings that usually soothed him and headed straight to the refrigerator behind the bar. Bags of blood were chilling, ready for him to consume. He dragged out two and drained them into a crystal goblet. Usually, he warmed the blood in the microwave, but not tonight. He needed sustenance and he needed it now.

He tipped up the glass and let the thick blood flow down his throat. There was no pleasure to be found. He felt cheated, still hungry even though his physical needs were being met. He wanted warm blood, Sonia’s blood.

Damek flung the glass against the far wall and it shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. Glass and flecks of blood littered the floor. “Fuck.” He dragged his hands through his hair and pulled. He had to gain control. He took a deep breath and then another and another until he felt as though he wasn’t going to fly into a million pieces like the crystal.

His bed waited down the hallway, the windows fitted with special metal shutters that came down at sunrise and went up at sunset, but he knew he wouldn’t rest. Not tonight. Young vampires couldn’t resist the weight of the sun and fell into a deep trance-like sleep as soon as the sun rose, but he’d passed beyond that many years ago. Now, he was aware of everything around him when at rest and was able to be up and around when the sun was up. Not that he’d run around outside in the sunshine, but he could be inside easily. He could even go outside on a dull or rainy day, which was something he’d come to relish.

There would be no rest tonight. Now that he’d taken the edge off his ravenous hunger and it was safe for him to be around people once again, it would be better for him to head back to Inhibitions. The club would be closing soon, but there was always work to be done. He could take the time to deal with other business matters as well. If he needed to sleep, he could lock his office door and use his chair. He’d waken if anyone dared to disturb him.

Damek inhaled and caught Sonia’s scent. He cursed even as he drew in another deep breath. She was a danger to him and all he’d built. He knew the sensible thing would be to walk away from her. As he headed to the door, he knew he would let fate decide. If she came back to the club again, he would see her. If she stayed away, he would leave her alone.

Fate would decide.

Luther Kostas frowned as John gave his report. “She went to dinner and back to her hotel. Nothing out of the ordinary.” It wasn’t so much what John said but how he said it, as though it was a recitation rather than an actual memory.

“Did she talk to anyone?”

John hesitated for a moment. “No.”

“Not even the waiter or waitress at the restaurant?” Luther prompted.

“Shit, I don’t know. I’ve got some kind of stomach virus and have a splitting headache too.”

Luther pushed up from his chair and strode to the window, looking out over the New York skyline, the reports on his desk forgotten. “None of this sounds right. I think you ran into a vampire.”

“No, that’s impossible,” John protested. “I’m too strong for one of those bloodsuckers to get into my mind.”

“Maybe not.” The possibilities were exciting. “What if we’re dealing with a very old vampire? Maybe the sire of the last one we executed didn’t go back to Europe. Maybe he’s still in Chicago. And maybe our Ms. Agostino knows more than we thought.”

“What do you want me to do?”

Luther turned away from the city lights and began pacing back and forth in his office. “I want her kept her under surveillance and I want you wearing a wire. I want to know what’s being said and where you are at all times. We can’t afford to take any chances.”

“I’ll take care of it.” Luther could hear the caution and the excitement in John’s voice. An older vampire was a challenge and the hunt was on.

“I’m going to call in Aaron from North Carolina and have him meet you. I’ll join you as soon as I can get away. In the meantime, stay sharp.”

“Always.”

Luther ended the call and stared at the clock. It was too late to do anything tonight. Tomorrow he’d tie up some business here in the city and then head to Chicago. He strode over to the wall covered in swords and pulled down a short, sharp one that came from the Roman era. It was well made and strong, but he put it back. He was in the mood for something more modern. He plucked a crossbow from the wall and added a machete and Bowie knife for good measure. He’d take his Glock as well. Good thing he was driving as he’d never make it past airport security.

The thrill of the hunt was upon him. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe it was nothing more than John being slightly ill, but Luther didn’t think so. Years of hunting the creatures of the night had honed his intuition and it was screaming that there was a vampire living in Chicago, and somehow Sonia Agostino was connected to him.

He drew the blade of the machete over his thumb and watched a bead of blood swell from the shallow cut. He brought his thumb to his mouth, sucked the warm blood and smiled.