Reese Ch. 04

"Her name is Alex," Reese began. "Whether she is my mate or not is none of your concern. I have come to believe that you were right about something. You once told me that I needed to widen my base of support..."

Marco's mouth dropped open. Reese had never admitted that he-Marco had been right about anything.

"Damn- are you alright?"

"Close your mouth and listen up," Reese said with a trace of amusement. "I have someone to watch her at night when I can't be with her. What I need is someone to watch her during the day. I know that you have a vast network of contacts and I want you to choose someone-preferably female to keep an eye on her. I also want to meet this person beforehand."

"Can you at least tell me a little about Alex? That way I can make a good match." Marco said.

"She's a captain in the army and will be here for a few weeks. She doesn't drink or smoke- is that enough information?"

"That's plenty," Marco replied. "Reese- I'm happy for you man. I was worried about what was going to happen to you after all of this was over."

"Let me know when you've found someone," Reese said and vanished to his room.

The next day, Marco presented Reese with three names. Of the three, Reese met with two. Of the two he chose Emma Hardy because she hadn't hesitated when he told her that he wanted to take her blood.

"I understand the terms of my employment," she said. "I have nothing else going and Marco says that I'll be set up for eternity when this is over- is that true?"

"Do you understand that this woman is to be protected at all cost?" Reese asked his eyes glittering.

"I understand, now where can I find her?" she asked holding out her wrist.

****

A week passed and still no word about the gala. It was something that frustrated Reese to no end. He wanted it to be over with. When he wasn't making plans, he was either playing chess or spending the evenings with Alex. They still hadn't done more than kiss and hold hands, but he was more than content with that. By the end of the week, he was ready for more and was sure that she was too. The problem was that she still didn't know the truth about him and he couldn't release inside of her until she did. She was his mate- he could say it now and if they made love and their fluids mixed... she would be immortal. He wouldn't and couldn't do that to her without her knowing everything.

For the first time in his long life he had to think about contraceptives. He left the villa and went to a pharmacy. He turned down all and any offers of help especially from the women who kept gazing down at his crotch. A couple of the male clerks weren't any better. Finally he made his selection choosing the 'Crown Skinless Skin' which according to the package was the thinnest and strongest condoms made. He also purchased a top of the line lubricant for Alex's comfort although he didn't think they'd need it. He smelled the scent of her arousal when he kissed her goodnight the last time he saw her.

When he left, he had an erection that was almost painful. For a brief moment, he felt guilty. Before Alex, it was always thoughts of Angelica that would make him so hard. But he knew-he knew that she would understand and give him her blessing. As soon as he made it to his room, he stripped, lay on the bed took his pulsing cock into his hands and murmured Alex's name. He came hard and fast with his seed arcing into the air and landing on his stomach and the bed. He was still hard but ignored it. The immediate need for release had been met.

After he showered, he made reservations at a nice restaurant. The feeling that this could be the last time that he had sex was gone. This was the first time since his wife that he would be making love and it wouldn't be the last time. He had no worries that Alex would reject him when he finally told her everything- he knew that she would accept it just as he knew that he would never ask himself if he wanted to live again.

The day passed slowly for him and he wondered if it was going as slowly for Alex. He had already spoken to her once to tell her where they were going for dinner.

"I've heard about that place, but Reese we don't have to go there. I'm content to go to the park with a picnic basket."

He wasn't surprised by her response. Like him, she had come from humble beginnings.

"Then allow me to bring the picnic basket," he replied. The idea of finding a secluded spot and making love to her under the stars appealed to him.

"Deal," Alex replied. "I have a few things to finish up so I'll see you soon."

Alex was waiting for him when he arrived. He greeted her with a kiss and pressed against her so that she could feel his erection. He helped her into the car and drove to a spot that he knew would be secluded, but to be safe; he warded it and lit some candles. They chatted about inconsequential things as they ate and then some big things afterwards.

"Why aren't you married?" Reese asked. "You are beautiful, intelligent and would make any man proud."

"I was married," she replied softly. "He died a few years ago in the Middle East."

"I'm sorry- was he also military?"

"No... he was part of a civilian humanitarian group. He helped in any way that he could. The night that we met was the anniversary of the day that I found out that he was killed."

"But your friends- they left you alone," Reese commented.

"They don't know," Alex replied. "I didn't want a pity party- I gave myself plenty of those and I don't want one now. Rob died doing what he loved to do- helping people. Not many people get to die doing what they love. What about you? Have you even been married?"

"I was and I had three children," Reese replied. "They all died of a disease for which there had been no cure."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Alex said taking his hand.

"Thank you," Reese said giver her hand a squeeze, "but like you, the time for self-pity is past. I still miss them as I'm sure that you miss your husband, but I have come to the conclusion that my family would want me to be happy again. That night that we met, I was looking for someone to take to bed and instead I met you."

"Are you saying that you don't want to take me to bed?" Alex teased.

"Oh no! I'm not saying that at all," Reese replied his tone serious. "In fact, it's all that I've been thinking about. I was glad when you mentioned a picnic- Alex will you make love with me?"

"Here?" Alex asked looking around. "What if someone walks by for a moonlight stroll?"

"They won't," Reese assured her. "I have it on good authority that this part of the park isn't used."

"I don't know..."

"About which?" Reese asked. "Making love with me or making love with me here?"

"Both," she replied although she was wiggling around and trying to ignore the spurt of wetness between her legs.

"Tell me your concerns," Reese urged as he stroked her arm.

"Aside from the fact that we've known each other for a week?" she asked laughing. "Let's not forget that we're in a public place and I'm an officer of the United States Army and I'm not on birth control."

"Alex- do you feel safe with me?" Reese asked.

"Yes or else I wouldn't be here," she replied now playing with his fingers wondering what they would feel like dancing across her skin.

"This place is deserted," Reese continued pleased with her answer and the fact that she was touching him. "No one will see or hear us- I promise and as far as the birth is concerned, I came prepared."

Alex wavered; it had been so long since anyone had touched her in more than a platonic way. That, she supposed was her fault. Many had expressed interest in her but she couldn't make herself go out with someone so that she wouldn't feel so alone. Instead she had thrown herself into her work now here she was with a man that she had only known for a week dying for him to touch her.

"Alex- make love with me," Reese repeated.

Slowly, Alex nodded her head yes.

"Thank you," Reese said as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the inside of her wrist. He was going to strip them, but remembered at the last second that she didn't know about him. He unbuttoned her top revealing her black bra as he kissed her lips gently tugging at her lower lip with his teeth. Alex was already breathing fast telling him that it had been a very long time for her.

He took a sharp intake of breath when her hands went under his shirt and massaged his bare skin and then his nipples. She slipped her tongue into his mouth and moaned when he sucked on it. Getting to her knees, Alex pressed into him as the kiss deepened. Suddenly she was filled with an urgency to be completely nude so that she could feel him on and in her. The intensity of the feelings startled her. She attributed it to her self-imposed celibacy.

She yelped when Reese nipped on her tongue and began to suck on it even harder as he palmed her 'B' cup breast and began to knead them. He ran his tongue over her teeth savoring the taste of her blood. His jeans felt as if they were two sizes too small as his cock grew in length and girth. He broke the kiss and pulled the cups of her bra down so that he could look at her breast. His mouth watered as he looked at the erect, deep brown nipples. Without warning, he took a nipple into his mouth and sucked on it moaning along with Alex. He released the nipple and took the other one into his mouth sucking on it as greedily as he had her tongue and the other nipple. He pulled her onto his lap so that her legs straddled his hips and began to frantically grind against her as he kissed and then sucked on her neck. They were both panting and crying out as they ground against each other.

Reese stopped. He didn't want to come like some horny teen having sex for the first time. This first time was supposed to be about her. He gently moved her from his lap and laid her on the blanket. She had already unzipped her jeans and was trying to take them off by the time she was on her back. Reese helped her undress and then undressed himself.

He knelt before her letting her get a good look at what now belonged to her.

"I belong only to you," he said after a few seconds. He opened her legs and inhaled. He had to taste her. There was no help for it. He was grateful that he could drink her fluids and that the small amount of saliva that would mix with them wasn't enough to make her immortal.

"Reese... oh my god!" Alex screamed when his tongue and then his lips wrapped around her clit and gave it a quick kiss and lick. Reese took his time in lapping up her juices massaging her clit to make more. Alex was clawing at the blanket and thrashing beneath him as the inevitable orgasm drew close. He reached up and took a nipple in each hand pinching and rolling them between his fingers as he went from licking to sucking on her nub.

Suddenly, Alex's whole body stiffened. Her hips were raised off the ground and her back was arched. Her mouth was open in a silent scream as Reese sucked her clit and slid a finger as deep inside of her as it would go. Then she was erratically moving against him riding out the rest of the most intense orgasm she had ever experienced.

Reese held her tight against him and talked her down as he rubbed her arms and back. He let her doze until she woke up on her own.

"That was... incredible," she said when she woke up. "Where are those condoms?"

Reese retrieved them from the picnic basket and lay on his back while Alex explored his body with her hands and mouth. By the time she reached his cock, he knew what she was going to do and stopped her.

"Not yet," he said gently wishing that he could let her put her mouth on him.

"Why not?" She asked. "Turnabout is fair play."

"I'll explain later, but as much as I want to feel those beautiful lips wrapped around me; it has to wait."

"So this isn't a one night deal?" Alex asked.

"This isn't a one-time deal- I swear it," Reese replied.

Alex believed him and felt her anxiety ebb. If it had been a one-time deal, she would have dealt with it and moved on. She nodded at him, took his cock between her hands and began to stroke it until it pointed at the sky. She opened a condom and slid it over his cock. Reese's moans fueled her arousal. She couldn't believe that she was ready again-she had always been a one shot sally. One orgasm and she was done. Again she attributed it to her long dry spell and didn't argue.

"Ride me," Reese murmured.

Alex straddled him so that his cock was in front of her pussy. She then moved forward so that it rested between her lips and held it in place as she rubbed her clit against it. Reese moaned at the contact, but it felt far away. He decided that he had to tell her the truth as soon as possible so that he could get rid of the condoms.

He helped Alex position herself over his waiting cock and then slowly easing her down on it. The contact was amazing if not a little dulled. He was now glad for the condom. He knew that without it, he would have come as soon as he was inside of her. Still he didn't like the fact that a thin piece of material separated them. He held her in place relishing her tightness around his cock. He pulled her down to him for a kiss tangling his hands in her hair. The only thing that stopped him was the tight bun that she had it in. He tried to undo the bun but quickly tired of trying to do it the human way. With a thought he loosed her hair and ran his fingers through it. It barely reached her shoulders, but to his hands it felt like the finest of silk.

He nipped her lower lip just enough to draw blood anxious to taste her again. When a small bead of it appeared, he licked it off. If Alex noticed the bite, she didn't give any indication of it. Instead she kissed him even harder. He tweaked her nipples making her shudder with pleasure. Breaking the kiss, he took a nipple into his mouth and gave it a long, hard pull. His orgasm began as soon as her vaginal muscles began clench around him. He screamed the word "mine!" as he emptied into the condom.

Afterwards, he rolled on his side still holding Alex in his arms. They lay still for several minutes trying to catch their breath. He knew that the questions would begin and prepared himself. He kissed her head and waited.

"Why did you say mine?"

Reese hesitated debating on how much to tell her. After thinking about it, he decided to tell her everything.

"Alex- I need to tell you something..."

"What are you into?" Alex interrupted as she sat up.

"I promise to tell you, but first I want to tell you who you are," Reese replied pulling her back into his arms.

After Reese gave her the condensed unsweetened version of whom and what he was and their relationship, Alex didn't know whether to laugh, cry or run. In the end, she did none of it. Instead she began to interrogate him. When she was through, she believed him although she didn't quite understand why.

"You believe me because you know that I can't lie to you and you can't lie to me," Reese explained answering her unspoken question.

"So you're going to tell me the truth?" Alex asked.

"Yes," Reese replied. "By the way- what do you do for the army?"

"Intelligence, now start talking."

That explained it Reese thought as he thought about the questions she asked. But he had a question of his own.

"Aren't you concerned about the fact that I'm a vampire?"

"Should I be?" She countered. "I've seen and heard a lot of strange things in my life and vampires are the least of them. Did you know that several countries- us included are researching the paranormal as a possible weapon of war? Our tax dollars at work."

"I could be lying," Reese said watching her reaction.

"You could be, but you aren't. I'm also aware that I can't say anything to anyone about you. If I did, you'd be penned up in no time. I also want to thank you for using the condom. I kind of get the feeling that you didn't really want to. One question before you tell me what you're up to- do I have to drink blood?"

"If you want to be as I am, then yes," Reese replied amazed at the ease at which she seemed to be accepting things. "But I don't want to turn you- if that's what you want until my business is concluded. I want and need to be with you when it happens- it is far from pleasant. I also want to remind you that turning isn't a requirement. I want you to take as much time as you need to make your decision."

"Reese- do you care if I keep calling you that? You're going to do something dangerous aren't you?"

"Yes you may call me Reese and I wish that I could say no to your last question."

Reese explained what his mission was and why he was doing it. "I have only four left on my list and then it is finished."

"Why can't you just walk away?" Alex asked. "This sounds like a suicide mission-is that what this is supposed to be? Is it your plan to die?"

Reese didn't answer for a long time. He had never considered walking away- he had made a promise. Was it a suicide mission? He hadn't thought so, but maybe it was. He had to admit that there was a small part of him that hoped that he didn't survive.

"I can't walk away," he finally replied. "I made a vow and I must honor it. As to the suicide part of it, I confess that there was a small part of me that hoped to die. Every morning I asked myself the same question- Do I want to live? The answer was always yes, but it was only because of my vow that I said yes. I now have another reason for saying yes- you. I am going to survive this and we will begin to plan out future together."

"I understand, or think that I understand why you can't walk away, but Reese these people that you swore to avenge- they won't know..."

"But I will," Reese said gently. "I can't begin a life with you unless I finish this."

"Then let me he..."

"No!" Reese said more sharply than he had intended. "Alex- I'm sorry for my sharp tone, but I have lost so many because of these people and I don't want to lose you too. I need for you to be safe and not to try to help me."

"Is that why you put a tail on me?" Alex asked. "I spotted her the other day- she's good, but not that good."

"Yes," Reese replied, "and I have someone watching you at night when I can't be with you."

"Let me make sure that I understand," Alex said her tone irate. "I'm supposed to sit at home like a good little woman while you go off and try not to kill yourself killed. In case you've forgotten, I am an officer of the United States Army and am quite capable of taking care of myself and helping you."

"Alex listen to me," Reese said hugging her. "Before you I had no 'Achilles Heel. If you help me and it goes wrong, you could be used against me and they would either turn you or kill you. I know that you can defend yourself but these aren't humans. I want your word that you will do as I ask."

Against her better judgment, she agreed.

"In retrospect, I should have waited until this was over before I approached you, but once I saw you... Alex, I need for you to be safe. Give me your word that you'll stay out of this."

"I already agreed!" She snapped and then immediately apologized. "I guess that I'm just nervous."

"Alex..."

"Just don't do anything stupid so that I'll have to break my word," she replied. "When is this supposed to be happening?"

"Soon I hope," Reese replied pulling her tight against him.

It couldn't be soon enough

****

Marco was waiting for Reese when he got home.

"I was going to call, but didn't want to interrupt anything- the gala- the guest list is up and guess who's on it?"

"Marco..."

"Alright- I'll tell you- Emilio and Paolo! Do you know what this means?" He asked excitedly. "It means that the gala is going to happen soon! The fact that Paolo's name is on the list tells me that they don't know that he's dead! That also means that they haven't put the pieces together. Reese thought about assuming Paolo's identity and then decided against it. All it would take is for one person to mention the fact that Paolo was dead and it would be all over.