Battle for Blood Ch. 06

Morning had come above them and Cole pulled off his jacket and shoes. He cursed himself continuously as he settled onto the bed next to her. Even through the pull of sleep he could feel his anger rising up inside himself. She should not have been left here. And he should not be here again, lying next to her bruised and beaten body. His inability to help her, yet again, gnawed at him.

He pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her and tucking her head under his chin, her back pressed against his chest. He wouldn't let her go again. He couldn't keep her safe if he kept leaving her behind. The physical contact was too much for him though, as he nuzzled her hair he felt another wave of fatigue overcome him and he slept.

Night had long since fallen when Cole finally woke up. They hadn't moved, their two bodies still resting against each other. He shook his head to clear the cobwebs and reached out to her with his power. She was back; her mind was filled with her consciousness once more and he could feel her breaking through the last bits of sleep herself. He shifted onto his elbow, shifting his support away from her body, until her back lay against the mattress. He slid his hand into her hair at the base of her head, his thumb caressing her cheek softly.

"Shane?" he said softly. He desperately wanted her to open her eyes. "Shane, can you hear me?" He felt her move beneath him, the outer sign of life made his breath catch.

Cole was so intent on her face he didn't see her hands move until he felt them against his chest. Her hands came up to his cheeks, pulling him towards her. He kissed her softly, still trying to get her eyes to open. She pulled him closer, deepening their kiss. Her hands slid into his hair, her fingers tangling in his black waves. She kissed him slowly, as if in a dream. Her tongue slid against his in light, soft caresses. Her mouth was sweet to him, welcoming and warm. He felt this wholeness again; the uneasiness that had plagued him righted itself as she pulled him into her. She ended the kiss, sighing, her eyes still closed.

"Shane?" he left a trail of light kisses across her forehead, down to her ear, finally her neck, delighting in the soft noises coming from her throat. "Shane, it's time to wake up."

She whimpered a bit "But then you'll be gone," she sighed. Hearing her voice again made his heart leap. He hadn't fully realized how concerned he was until relief washed over him. He kissed her neck again, rubbing the tip of his nose against the soft skin behind her ear.

"Have you been dreaming of me, love?" He kissed her again; she responded more urgently, her fingers twining in his hair.

"Every moment," she said, trying to pull his body back to hers.

"I won't leave again, Shane," he said, meaning it with every fragment of his being. "I promise." He continued to stroke his thumb across her cheek, noticing for the first time that the thick scratches he had seen before falling asleep had faded to barely visible strips of slightly shiny skin. Her ear was also completely intact; he ran his fingers along the hard shell, feeling for scars and finding none. Slowly, almost hesitantly, Shane opened her eyes. They locked on his face and a smile stretched across her lips.

"You came back," she breathed, sounding almost surprised.

"Of course I came back—" he didn't get to finish the sentence. She pulled him back to her, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her kisses were hungry and desperate. Cole began to feel his own desire rise as her hands traveled down his back, pulling his shirt up to reveal his bare skin. He became acutely aware that she was wearing only a large t-shirt as her legs wrapped around him, allowing the garment to slide up. He shifted above her, pulling her body against his more firmly, kissing her more deeply. He let her hands roam over his body. She still seemed still a bit incredulous that he was a tangible presence above her. He slipped his own hand across one of her thighs, wandering slowly towards her naked bottom. She moaned as he cupped her ass, pulling her hips closer to his. His hands continued drifting upwards along her back, reveling in the movements of her muscles as she arched towards his hand. His fingers brushed a warm, raised welt on her side. Shane flinched, drawing in a painful gasp. Her body pulled away from his hand.

Cole felt guilt squirm in his chest again. He lifted her shirt to reveal a large gash that was still raw and healing. The bruises along her ribs and legs were healing fast but he could still see the evidence of a vicious fight. He leaned away from her, sitting up.

"What happened?" he asked, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. Rage welled up in him again. He wanted to kill those that had done this.

Shane wound her leg around him, trying to pull him towards her. "Wolves came looking for you. I'm fine. I took care of it." She smiled at him, trying to get him to come back, to finish what they had started. The feeling of her smooth leg against his bare skin almost distracted him.

"How many?"

"Five." Her hands reached under the lower edge of his shirt, running across his stomach and chest.

"You took on five wolves, unarmed?" he wasn't mad at her but her nonchalant tone bothered him. This was serious. She could have been killed.

"I had a pipe." She said, trying to capture him in a kiss again. Cole pulled away, moving off the bed. He stood, feeling his anger rise again as he saw new injuries he hadn't noticed. He took a few steps back and crossed his arms.

"You took on five wolves, unarmed except for a pipe." He repeated, slowly, fighting to keep his tone controlled. Shane propped herself up on her elbows.

"I'm okay. Really." She said, still in a light tone that made Cole want to rip his hair out.

"You weren't okay when I got here yesterday. I thought you were, at best, comatose. You were completely unresponsive. You look like you'd been beaten with a club." He said, a bit louder than he had intended, gesturing at her body.

Shane turned her eyes back to her body. She sat up, pulling the t-shirt down over her hips again. She then brought her hands to her face, feeling her cheek and ear as Cole had just done moments before. A smile crept across her lips. She seemed as surprised as he had been that her injuries were fading. She closed her eyes, he felt her gaze turn internally as she checked herself for lingering damage. As he watched, bruises faded from her skin, scratches closed without so much as a mark. Her knuckles, which moments before were still red with new skin and scabs, were completely intact after only a moment.

She opened her eyes and gave him a dazzling smile. "All better," she said with a laugh that ran through him. "Really, I checked, I'm fine. I healed while I was sleeping, I swear." The lightness in her voice still bothered him but her smile melted his frustration just a bit.

"Shane, you were not fine."

"But I'm fine now."

"That's not the point."

"What is the point?" She said, teasing him. Didn't she get that he had been frantic? That he had thought she was lost to him, again? Didn't she know how serious her situation had been? He wanted to shake her, to get her to understand that she had to take this seriously.

"Shane, this is serious. You shouldn't have taken them on. You could have been killed."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Firstly, I didn't have a choice to take them on. They were between the safe house and me. I couldn't very well run with nowhere to go, not to mention they are faster. And, finally, I managed to take them all out, so don't patronize me." Her voice was clipped. He could feel her hurt pride. He could not, would not accept her as a viable fighter. Couldn't she see how vulnerable she was? How mortal she was?

Cole shook his head, more at himself than at her. It was his fault for leaving her. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm just impressed with how often you seem to get hurt."

Shane gave him a sly smile. "If I remember, your personal brand of pain relief was very effective." She climbed off the bed, moving towards him with easy graceful movements that sent a thrill of excitement through him. She was such a mix of dichotomies—so sweet and soft but strong and dangerous all the same. Shane wound her arms around his waist, pulling him against her. She raised herself up, standing on the balls of her feet so she could kiss him again. "I could really use another dose." She whispered against his neck as she nuzzled the underside of his jaw. He felt his anger melt away. All that mattered was the feeling of her hands pulling his shirt from his body, her lips against the skin of his neck, the feeling of her warm body so close to his again. Cole bent down, capturing her lips again and kissing her hungrily.

Shane smiled in the kiss, letting his tongue slip into her mouth. She paused just long enough to pull his shirt over his head and throw it on the ground before returning to his lips. She had missed them so much; they had always been just out of reach in her dreams. Here he was, finally back with her. She couldn't take the time to talk now. She wanted to tell him everything that had happened while he was gone, but that all seemed less important than feeling him against her. Their tongues danced against each other. She thrilled at the taste of him again. She pulled herself against his chest, but it seemed to her like no contact would suffice. His hands slid tentatively at first and then more assuredly over her skin, sending chills down her spine. The pain of the fight had long since left her. All she wanted was to feel his touch. He broke the kiss, bending her ever so slightly backwards so he could capture her neck, leaving a trail of hot kisses along her skin, over her collar bone to the opposite ear. She moaned softly, running her fingers against the back of his neck and reveling in the feeling if his arms holding her up.

"Did you miss me too?" she asked as he nipped her ear. His hand cupped the back of her neck, pulling her back to his mouth in a desperate kiss that was all the answer she needed.

She felt dizzy suddenly, realizing that she was lying on the bed. He had moved them with his speed to the bed, so fast she hadn't even felt her feet leave the floor. His hands continued to roam over her body, finding the bottom edge of the t-shirt she wore and pushing it over her hips again. Shane reached between them to undo his belt. His hands seem to dwarf her ribcage as he slid his hands up her side, his thumb just brushing the underside of her breast. She undid his pants, reaching in to free his aching cock. He moaned into her mouth as her hand wrapped around him, stroking the soft skin from tip to base. His thumb slid softly against her breast, a maddeningly light touch across her nipple. She arched her back, pushing her breast into his hand harder, as she quickened her pace. He continued his lazy meanderings across her tight nipple, twisting around the erect bud with his finger. She whimpered, desperate for more. The pressure she remembered from the last time had started to build in her chest.

Cole continued his feather light touch across her breast, enjoying the feeling of her skin puckering beneath his fingers. He was still wary under his passion, aware that she had been in a fight not long ago. He desperately wanted to take his time with her but her insistence was trying his control. She was still too clothed. Cole pulled the t-shirt off her body, removing her hands from his cock in the process. He took a moment to admire her form stretched out on the bed before him. Her chest rose and fell with her breath, tiny droplets of perspiration lingered on her skin, and her eyes glowed in the low light of the room. She slid her hands up his stomach and across his chest, smoothing over his shoulders and pulling him back to her. She was impatient and hungry. Cole chuckled into her kiss.

"Did you want something?" He said as he reached between her legs, sliding his finger gently against her wet folds. Her gasp made his heart jump. He felt her hands clutch his shoulders a bit harder. He continued to stroke her softly, barely touching her most sensitive place. She writhed beneath him, her skin flushed, her eyes clouded with desire.

"Please," she gasped, grabbing his wrist.

"Please what?" he said, placing just the tiniest amount of pressure on her clit, enjoying how her body arched towards his hand, how her eyes gazed up at him. He lowered his head to her breast again, taking her nipple in his mouth and mirroring the soft touch of his hand with his tongue. She whimpered again.

"Please Cole," she breathed, her voice husky. "I need more."

"More what?" Cole asked, continuing his gentle torture. Maybe he was enjoying teasing her a bit too much. He began kissing her stomach, her sides, down her hips to where her thighs met. Her breath was coming faster now; he felt her hands slip into his hair, holding his head, trying to get some semblance of control. None of that, he thought. With his other hand he grabbed her wrists, pinning them above her head, his face smiling down at hers now. His hand stayed, ever present, between her legs, stroking her glistening flesh. He nipped at her ear again. "What do you need, love?"

"You," she gasped again, her body hummed with energy. "Please Cole, please. I need you."

"And so you shall have me," he grinned wickedly at her, "as soon as I'm done with you." He moved again between her legs, lowering his mouth to her sex. She smelled amazing. She tasted better. He began in earnest, giving up the gentle caresses and giving her the friction and contact she wanted.

Shane thought she was going to go crazy if he kept taking his time with her. She had missed him. She wanted to feel him completely again, to be tangled up in one quivering mess together. But he kept this barrier up, constantly in control. She registered this feeling in the back of her mind. Her present was too focused on whatever he was doing between her legs. Electricity ran up her spine, making her arch again, thrusting her hips towards him. He grabbed her bottom for leverage and continued licking her folds, massaging her clit with his tongue. She felt the tension coil inside her. A small part of her wanted to clamp down on the feeling, to regain some of the upper hand, but he was too good. He sensed how close she was, upping his pace and pressure just enough to keep her focused on him and only him. He slipped two fingers inside her. She called out, unable to hold back, the pressure inside her reached a peak and came pouring through her veins.

To him she was an open book, wanton and hungry. He pushed her now, watching as the waves of pleasure came crashing through her body. The muscles in her walls clamped down on his fingers, her legs tensed around him. The sweet taste of her climax was on his tongue. She was his again.

Cole moved up her body again, kissing her soft stomach and her breasts, reveling in the sounds of her heartbeat and her breath. She brought her hands to his face, pulling him towards her for another breathless kiss. Her hands found their way down his body, pushing his pants off his hips. He moved out of them, finally as naked as she was. He lay down on top of her, pressing their bodies together. He kissed her again, this time solidly, no longer teasing. He eased his cock against her wet opening, feeling the heat of her desire as she wrapped her legs around him. He moved slowly, not to tease, but to savor. His eyes remained locked on hers as he entered her. She held his gaze, her face open to him—she held nothing back. He slid into her till their hips pressed against each other and he could move no deeper.

"I won't leave you again, Shane." He said, rocking against her. She lifted her head of the bed, coming to meet him for a kiss instead of pulling him towards her. The softness of her lips, the genuine affection behind her kiss stoked his desire. He began to move faster, feeling her walls clench around him. She made small, tempting sounds in her throat, calling him to continue. Her arms wrapped around him. He could feel her satisfaction radiating into his thoughts. He could feel his own sense of belonging to her mirrored back from her mind. She was his, as much as he was hers.

The connection of their minds and bodies pushed him further. He began moving inside her in earnest, his passion rising. She moaned; her fingers dug into his back, her legs pulling him in as her hips moved to meet his. The fullness she felt when he was inside her echoed the wholeness she felt when he wrapped his arms around her. It was all too much, she felt a current of ecstasy move through her again, heat pooling where their bodies met. He pushed her further, faster and she gasped, trying to hold onto the power building up inside her. Cole felt the edge of his own climax as she neared hers. He thrust into her harder, pulling her body towards his so he was buried inside of her each time he pushed forward. She clutched his shoulders, pulling away from their kiss with a gasp. Her orgasm shuddered through her body, his following hard on its heels.

They lay there, breathless and tangled up in each other. Cole settled above her, smoothing her matted hair away from her face. He kissed her eyelids, the tip of her nose, her chin until she giggled at his assault. He'd never tire of that sound. He buried his nose in the crook of her neck. The smell of her hair, her skin filled his mind. The beating of her heart, the pulsing of blood in her neck made his mouth water and his fangs descend. He pulled back on his hunger, caging the beast before he could ruin the moment. Cole pulled out of Shane, moving to her side and bringing her with him so they lay facing each other.

"I missed you." She said, burying her nose in his chest hair and drawing a chuckle from him. She had wanted to say something else, something more, but she held back. She didn't know why.

"I missed you too." He wrapped his arms around her, feeling whole again with her in his arms.

They lay there, intertwined and euphoric, their breathing finding a common rhythm. Shane wanted to stay that way forever, to forget all the bruises and politics of the outside world, the wolves who would surely return, and the vampires that had thrown her into this fight. If she could stay there with Cole, just the two of them, it felt like things would be all right, nothing to come and tear them apart. The events of the day before drifted back to her, reminding her of all that had changed since he had gone.

"I felt the sun yesterday."

**

I can only hope it was worth the wait. I'll keep writing if you keep reading..