Asmodeus(91)

"I don't think anytime is a good time to drink someone else's blood."



He smiled at the look on her face. Who would have thought? His little vampire didn't like drinking blood. "I hear when done right, the process can be very stimulating."



She sat up against the pillows, her interest obviously overshadowing her disgust on the subject. "What do you mean?"



"Sexually stimulating."



He watched as the hunger surfaced on her face. Whether it was bloodlust, or sexual in nature, he couldn't decide. She was likely hungry for both. So he hoped.



"I…I don't know."



In all his long life he hadn't thought he would try to convince a vampire to take from him. He'd heard of them in the fifties, when he had a brief stint in this realm, but until recently he had never seen one up close. Not until he met Valencia. She seemed decent enough.



He gently pulled her off the pillows, then settled himself on top of her. Perhaps in the throes of passion…



It didn't take long. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gently sank her fangs into his flesh. Bringing her leg over his hip, she ground against him.



This bonding was…sensual. Just the knowledge that he was sustaining her, providing for her, touched something deep inside of him. He had a purpose. Brianna and his child. He finally belonged somewhere and knew he was needed.



Before long she retracted her fangs. It was obvious she was still getting used to this way of surviving.



"Thank you."



"Do not ever thank me for this."

"Not for this. With Michael. When you—"



"I would do anything for you, Brianna." He vanished the clothes he had put on her earlier. He needed to feel her, skin to skin.



"I should have told you about the angels."



Damn she was beautiful. Her cheeks were flushed after her feeding. She looked like a vision. "What angels?"



She rolled her eyes. "The angels who gave me my mission. I meant to tell you, but I was afraid the second I told you they would come and take us both away. So I thought it best to keep it to myself. I just wanted more time with you."



"Everything worked out." Couldn't they talk about this later? He didn't want to talk. He wanted to taste. He lowered his head to do just that…



"Asmodeus."



Sighing, he brought his head up and looked down at her.



"I love you."



Her whispered declaration took his breath. He lightly kissed her on the lips. "I love you, Brianna."



"Okay. Get back to what you were doing," she said with a mischievous grin and a wiggle of her hips.





Chapter Twenty-Four





She waited as his gaze settled on her gift. Her heart beat painfully and her hands fidgeted on the seam of her shirt. He was either going to love this or hate her for bringing up the pain of his past.



She could hear the others by the bonfire, singing and laughing. The light from the moon and the stars shone down on them, and she could feel the power and energy they provided her. She missed the sun something fierce, and she was unable to run her bookstore, but she was content. Happy. Tracy had taken the management position before she had even finished pitching the idea to her. All was well.



Except for the pounding of her heart as she waited for Asmodeus's reaction to her present.



When he finally turned to her, he had tears in his eyes. Oh great. Oh shit. She had only meant to honor his sons…



Without saying a word he took her in his arms and buried his face in her neck. "You will never know what this gesture means to me."



She let her gaze wander to the gravestones. Both stones were made of marble, and each of Asmodeus's sons' names had been etched into the smooth surfaces. She hadn't been aware of the dates of their life and death, so she had simply put, "Beloved son of Asmodeus. Cherished and loved."



She leaned into his strength and nestled into his arms. "I just thought that they deserved a resting place. Even if…even if they aren't really…"



"I understand." He pulled away and put his palms on her face. "I can come here when I think of them and remember my time spent with them."



She nodded, grateful that he had understood her meaning.



His strength and powers still astounded her. She was just now getting used to her own. Though she could only be out at night, being a vampire definitely had its advantages. Coupled with her own powers, of which she was no longer denied, and Asmodeus's blood, she could feel the power as it surged through her.



"Come on, guys. The steaks are almost done. Brianna, we made yours super rare, because us creatures of the night like it like that."