Blood and Flesh Ch. 01

Lia's body ached, every sinewy muscle protesting how long it had been since she'd found sustenance. It drove her to take risks she normally wouldn't take, get careless. That fear is what haunted her thoughts as she strolled through the club. Lights flashed and the bass thumped in her ears, but she ignored it all. It was the rush of warm blood in these veins that drew her. She stayed away from the dance floor, not trusting herself to get much closer to so many sweaty bodies with their heart rates pushing that warm flow of life through their veins. She moaned inwardly, feeling the prick of her fangs inside her lips. Stop it, she warned herself, moving towards the bar, instead. Perhaps something cool to drink would...

She never finished that thought and it was all his fault. He watched her with a predatory gleam in his eye that made her throat swallow reflexively. He was leaning on the bar, his foot on the runner and his elbow rested on the bar. A glass rested next to his arm and she dismissed it easily after learning what it told her. There was ice in it, so he wasn't a vamp. He would have what she needed.

His eyes danced with humor, not bothering to hide his interest. She felt the slow beat of his heart, even from this distance. He wasn't nervous, he wasn't excited, he was just... interested. Did he know what she was? Could he tell from this distance? As if her need sensed it's slacking, she found herself moving towards him. Worse still, she felt her hips sway a bit more with each step, the leather of her boots creaking softly. Was it just her hunger or did his pulse speed up a bit?

She smiled, needing him to see her teeth, to be fully aware of what he was asking for. It was risking rejection, but she knew he wouldn't back away from her. Her smile deepened as his eyebrow arched. Other than that sleek eyebrow, nothing else moved. His pulse leaped again, thudding harder in his chest and his blood called to her. She could feel the heat as she drew within a few feet of the bar, the sweet smell of his skin seducing her with its heady scent.

She hesitated, but only a moment. No human could look her in the eye this way and not flinch. Even those who were hooked on what a vamp could do flinched. She tilted her head to the side, but continued towards him. She was sure she could handle him, but the thrill of not being sure of that began to sing in her. Her smile deepened and her eyes began to dilate.

She finally stopped in front of him, felt his eyes like a caress moving over her shoulder and down her arm. She curled her lip over her teeth and gently bit it. His lips twitched into a smile. There were no words, but there didn't need to be. She recognized his need and he recognized hers. He jerked his head towards the door and she nodded slowly. He lifted his hand, waiting politely for her to walk ahead of him. Her lips stretched as she turned, giving him a full view of the leather skirt falling just over her backside and the teasing glimpse of garter straps that appeared as the skirt stretched with each step.

She detoured to the dance floor, moving to the middle of the floor before turning back to him. He'd stopped at the edge of the floor, watching her move. She smiled then began swaying with the music, not moving her feet, but shifting her hips in a smooth wave that arched her back. The lights dimmed and she smiled. When the smile came back to her in his eyes, it signaled that he knew she'd done it. He took a slow step towards her and the movement drew her gaze down the line of his body. She ran her tongue over her teeth, her fangs extending to sharp points and her eyes fully dilated as hunger raced through her. His eyes darkened and it seemed like the rest of the crowd disappeared.

Not my trick, she thought, intrigued by the easy grace of his movements. He met her, finally, and his hands brushed over the bare skin just over her hips. She shivered and tilted her head a bit further. His smile, those luscious lips called her and she raised hers to meet them, stepping closer and pressing against him. Her hands ran up his chest and over his shoulder, finally looping around the back of his neck. Her fingertips brushed the pulse in his throat and she moaned. The blood rushed hotly in the thick vein under her fingers and the heat of his skin gave off the scent of him, radiated his essence and filled her head with thoughts of heat. The scent tingled in her thoughts, the knowledge that he was more than human, just as she was more than vamp, tickling with the possibilities.

He moved back, pulling her with him. He leaned forward, emphasizing his size. He was much bigger than she was; taller, more broad and...

She shivered, his hand trailing up her back stealing her thoughts. Her eyes met his, an open challenge that seemed to say, I'll give you what you want if you do the same for me. She found herself nodding slowly and he moved backwards again. He didn't have to pull this time, she went willingly, unsure who was the master of who as they left the building.

They walked down the street, steps matching as their steps danced through the street lights. Her back itched, but she refused to release her last secret. She slid him a glance and bit her lip gently. At least, not yet. He paused in front of a pair of glass doors, arching his eyebrow in silent question. She raised her eyes to the sign and smiled, nodding and running her tongue over her teeth. No hotel in the world lets rooms to a vampire, not this late at night. He nodded, pointing to a thick-stuffed chair in the lobby. She nodded and released his arm. She settled into the chair, propping her feet on a nearby table and crossing her arms. Her legs were stretched out in front of her and she smiled at a couple sitting on the couch across the table from her. They smelled like sex and paid little attention to her. She laughed softly and shook her head. Dangerous, puppies, she thought. They didn't seem to notice how close to food they were. She ran her tongue over her teeth again, flashing her fangs in a juvenile gesture meant as a warning to the pair. They didn't notice even that and she sighed, her back itching again.

He appeared, drawing her attention away from them. She touched her lip, realizing that her focus on the couple across from her had diminished her hunger. The sight of him, however, fired it again. The physical ache was back, worse than before. Only years of restraining herself kept her in the chair, kept her from leaping across the table at devouring the couple across from her. She turned her attention to him again, gaining her feet in a smooth movement to stand in front of him. He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her close, looking over her shoulder at the couple and arching his eyebrow again. She laughed, the sound deep and intoxicating. She watched his reaction to it, watched the boy behind her raise his head and notice her for the first time. Now that, she murmured to herself, was my trick.

She threaded her fingers through his and let him lead her to the elevator, pausing only a second to flash her teeth at the boy on the cough again. He jumped this time, gasping and pulling his girl out of the hotel lobby and out into the street. There's my good deed for the day, she thought. He wouldn't lose himself in public that way again, at least.

She was pressed against the back wall of the elevator before the doors had closed completely. She moaned, closing her eyes and letting herself go. He knew what he was in for and curiosity about what she was in for weighed in her loins. She clutched at his shoulders, her lengthening nails scoring his back through his shirt.

He gasped, but redoubled the force he attacked her with. He curled his hands around her wrists and slammed them against the wall of the elevator. She moaned, letting him have the upper hand. The elevator bell sounded and the doors slid open. He pulled her out into the hallway and down the hall. He seemed to know where he was going, not paying attention to room numbers as he pulled her to a stop outside a door and slid the key through the slot. The door swung open and he swung her into the room, pressing her against the wall and kissing her senseless again. He didn't avoid her teeth, but welcomed the nicks and cuts, seemingly craving the taste of blood in his mouth. She moaned at the faint trace of it on her tongue and swallowed reflexively.

He pulled her away and she let him pull her until they were near the bed. Her hunger took over from there and she turned him, pushing him onto the bed easily. Her hands ran up the inside of his thighs and she ran her tongue over her lips. Her fingertips found the artery in his upper thigh and she inhaled, temptation nearly overwhelming her curiosity of him. She reigned it in and moved up further, nipping and biting at his skin as she bared it, passing scars and curious twists in his flesh until she had his skin dancing in the candlelight that seemed to appear from out of thin air. She raised her eyebrow and ran her tongue over his throat, wondering why he let her have this much control. She sensed the ability to control her under the surface, felt the muscles in his body tense and ready to pounce. She moaned against his skin, straddling his hips.

"You should know I want more than sex, stranger," she whispered, arching her back and shifting her hips against him.

"You should know I'm willing to give you what you want in return for sex, lover," he answered, his voice as low and velvety as his deep eyes had promised it would be. His shifted his hips, too, sending a jolt of pleasure stabbing through her. She gasped and bit her lip, holding on to her control by a thread. She wasn't ready for him to upset her position, rolling her under him and pinning her to the bed. She growled low in her throat, fighting to pull her hands free. He laughed and leaned forward, nibbling on her lip until she settled down. Her anger flamed in her eyes, but his lips were gentle. "Neither of us will ever truly dominate the other, I think you sense that."

Lia had to admit he was right, and she was totally out of her element for it. He released her hand and ran his slowly up the skin bared over her garters. "All I want is this," he murmured. "A meeting of bodies and a touching of souls. You don't have to use those vampire charms on me, for I have no need of them." His hand eased her skirt up her thighs and she felt herself growing heavier with the need he exuded.

His hands brushed her flank and she moaned, her eyes focusing on him. "You're an..." her sentence was lost to his lips as they crushed hers again. Her mind screamed to fight him off, her back ached with revulsion, even while her body craved his touch. The heady scent of him invaded her thoughts and her screaming outrage halted mid-complaint. It took no longer than that and her hands were free. The urge to push him away grew in her head, only to be cast aside as pleasure assaulted her limbs. He moved away from their kiss, brushing his lips over her skin as he parted her shirt and bared her breasts. Hands that wanted to push him away, held him close, instead and she let herself drown in the heady mixture of pleasure and danger that rolled through her mind.

The pleasure festered, teasing but not feeding her need for blood. She felt the rising tide of release creeping upon her and shivered as he bared himself to her gaze. He knew how good he was, too, for he trusted her enough that he knew she wouldn't attack when he was the most vulnerable. Oh, but she wanted to and the want pushed her upright. She rolled him, this time, straddling his hips again and moaning as he pushed inside her. At this angle, she took all of him at once and it stole her breath. She'd heard that demons pushed sex to another level, but she'd never dreamed...

She moaned, rocking her hips and bracing her hands on his chest. She let instinct take over, reading the urges of his hands as she moved over him, listening to the sharp intakes of breath and the low moans that rumbled under her until she felt his pulse throbbing just shy of climax. She rolled her head back, letting the last wall between come crashing down. As her body tensed around him, she pulled him into that final wave that pulled his pleasure from him almost roughly. He groaned with the pleasure of it, his hands clenching painfully on her hips.

She gasped, her climax pushing through her thoughts until she had no control over her body, over her secrets. At last her back erupted into two bright white wings that fanned behind her, shining with the light of Heaven into an otherwise dark room. She heard the gasp under her and shifted her gaze down to him, groaning as she dropped onto his chest. Hunger slashed through her, racking her body with need and she sank her teeth into his neck, easily finding the artery that pulsed hot life's blood as if taunting her. It sprang to her call, hot and sweet as it flowed into her throat.

"Yes," he said softly, his hands moving up her back to hold her close. "Take it, take all of it, Liariel. You'll not harm me and you need it so desperately."

Disbelief at what she was hearing reared its ugly head and she moved to pull away. How did he know her name? His hand held her steady, though and her hunger would not let her pull away until she was done with him. When at last her hunger was sated, she pushed harder against him, gaining her freedom and moving away, fear at last getting its place in her attention.

She slid off the bed and curled into the chair by the window, her wings curving around her as a sort of shield to ward him off. If only that would work, she whispered inwardly, staring at the man still laying in the bed. "What are you?" She whispered softly. "How do you know me?"

"I cannot tell you my name, Liariel. It would give you far too much power over me." He sat up slowly and she could see the obvious toll losing so much blood had taken on him. If she needed to kill him, this would be the time. She waited for God to give her the order, but it never came. She kept her eyes pinned to him, not trusting him enough to get closer, even in his weakened condition. "I know you because it's my job to know the Fallen among us. You, my love, were never fully anything, though your birth caused a falling." He smiled slowly. "It is God's cruelty that your mother remains in Heaven, not his mercy."

"You know nothing of God's mercy, demon!" she shouted, unfolding her legs before she could halt the urge to kill him. "What are you?" she demanded again.

"You are right, my pet, I am an incubus. What you crave in blood, I crave in..." he smiled and she shivered in understanding. "...pleasure." The word rolled off his tongue so seductively that she had to fight the urge to return to the bed. "I felt a vampire would be the perfect fit for my hungers. I could offer blood, something they cannot get on their own. I can offer a never ending supply of it, no less. All I need in return is pleasure. It seems an easy relationship to build, does it not?"

She had to admit that it made a great deal of sense. At least, for a normal vampire, it would've. "How do I fit into your little plan?"

"Alas, I was not counting on finding you, Liariel. I think this," he waved his hands at her wings. "...is a bonus. Perhaps I've been a good boy, after all."

She closed her eyes and refrained from launching herself at him and dispatching him back to Hell. It was a close thing, though. "Bonus?"

"Oh, aye, Liariel. You are a prize to a demon. If the one who brings about the fall of one of the great angels of heaven is out of reach, then the spawn of that union is close enough to warrant a trophy." He smiled and she knew he meant it as a compliment. She just had no intention of being his trophy.