Feeling that first ounce of something, feeling her origins, she opened her mouth and cried out, “Johnny!” She flicked her bright blues back and forth at the frenzied crowd that now sucked away her dark life force—it was all a mistake. “Johnny!” She couldn’t see him. She called out to him with her thoughts, I don’t want to die, Johnny. I love you. Help me please.
It’s too late, he answered in thought. You stated your will. Oh, Nia, I don’t want you to go.
Then don’t let me go . . . save me, Johnny. Her mind cried.
There will be war if we break the law of Last Bitten.
I don’t care . . . since when have ever done what we were supposed to? Johnny . . .
She heard a laugh ring out around the room—it was Johnny. She felt it all slipping away, her essence slipping away.
***
“Wake up, my love, wake up. I give you life. I give you mine. Open your lips, my Nia. Drink of me now.”
The blood was hot, like a warm, buttery steak on cold night after a long day’s run in the snow. Nia drank and drank, feeling her senses come back. She opened an eye, her head upon some perfect, white pillow. She looked up to see what she knew to be her favorite painting hanging above her—a single black-and-white calla lily spiraling perfect like the cosmos. It represented her and all that she was and wanted to be.
“To new beginnings,” said Johnny, slipping on top of her fully nude and ready.
“Oh, Johnny, what did you do?”
“They are all dead, save a few that escaped—Emelle, Daddy Dearest, a couple others. Bruce is holding the fort.”
“What’s going to happen now?”
Johnny gave her a small, warm-up kiss on the lips. “We don’t need to worry about those things just yet. The City is still ours for the time being. Seattle is our little emerald kitty. She purrs. Can you hear her? This is our wedding night, and I’ve been waiting for it for decades. Anyway, I’m sleeping with a criminal. You’re wanted for that stabbing.”
“Hana?” Nia ran her hands along Johnny’s amazing back.
“Yes, your old college roomie. Your picture has been spread all across the Internet and TV. It’s a setup. We have enemies within the ranks; I’ll figure it out soon enough. They’ve got your prints on that knife you stabbed me with. The same one was used on her.”
“Oh uh . . . sorry about that, you know. I didn’t—”
He kissed her again to shut her up. “I found it amusing.”
“You would, wouldn’t you?” She giggled.
He nodded. “I guess a wedding gift is in order before we get to you know.”
“For me?”
“Yes—you.”
“I want you to save Hana. I want you to bring her with us.”
“We can’t just choose any old human,” said Johnny.
“That is my wish. Okay?”
“Okay, enough chat for now. Later is later.” He spread Nia’s legs wide and entered her full force, like he was taking her for the first time. He couldn’t help it. He thrust slow and steady at first, then quicker and deeper, giving her everything he wanted to give.
“Not so fast, Johnny boy, easy,” Nia said, rolling them so that she was on top now and he below. Her long, black hair covered the things he wanted most. He ran his hands over her soft breasts and circled in with his fingers until he reached her hard nipples, then squeezed lightly. She rode him slow, which tortured him even more, as all he wanted her to do was just give in, give in to lust and love, passion and fire, ride him down till they both washed away in a river of tears and joy. She saw the want in his face and resisted a little more so she could play with her happy little knob and join in on the extravaganza.
The two writhed in hot bliss as she picked up the pace, and he buckled under her drive. They both let out a cry as the spasms flooded their bodies and sent them crashing down into one single pile.
“I love you,” she said. “I’m sorry for everything, for doubting what we have.”
“I love you too,” said Johnny, flipping her over so he could nibble at the back her silky neck and squeeze her hind. He bit in and yanked back on her hair enjoying the taste of her blood. “I’ve missed this,” he said, savoring the drops, feeling himself perk up again for another round. This time he pressed her hard against the bed and pushed into her so he could pound her away.
Nia cried out at the intensity of it all as she hadn’t quite recovered from before. “You’re killing me,” she said as she let him do to her what he wanted, and he did.
Her husband held her hips in place so she couldn’t move and let himself go like the animal that he was. He shuddered at the blast, and this time he fell down beside her—both falling away into a cozy nap.