Tears of the Fallen Ch. 10

"Feed, Pietro."

"No!" Hard fingers dug into her shoulders, trying to push her away, but she was stronger than him and could hold her ground.

"You won't harm me; I'm part vampire too, remember. I'm immune to both your toxin and the poison you ingested. You need to eat now, Pietro! Please take what I offer freely."

"Cassia, I can't...not from you." The words were ground out, longing and disgust evident in his voice. The urgency in his body and hands were reaching fever pitch; he was alternating between attempting to push her away and trying to pull her closer.

"There is no one else here you trust enough, Pietro, no one that could withstand your toxin. Let me do this for you. Let me help sustain you until you're healed enough to take care of yourself." Never in her entire life had Cassia wanted anything the way she wanted to feel his fangs break her skin. She wanted, no, needed to know that it was her life essence which nourished this wounded warrior—who, even now—was so proud that he was trying to remain her protector, to fulfil the role he'd been assigned.

Her wolf wanted it too, clawing at her insides until it created a physical ache. It howled and snapped, snarling as it tried to assert dominance and force the male to do as he was told. "Please, Pietro."

Cassia cried out as his fangs sliced through the fragile skin of her neck, sinking deep inside her. Pietro pulled deeply as if he was ravenous, his strong suckling sending a frisson of molten lava flooding straight through her body to pool between her thighs. Her breasts swelled painfully, her nipples hardening and aching for his touch. Her arousal was instant—and unmistakable, eliciting a deep rumble from the vampire as he swallowed down her blood, his large hand moving to cup one of her breasts.

"Pietro!" Cassia moaned out his name as she pressed against his hand, trying to mould her body to his intense heat and strength. He pushed his hand up under her shirt and as his fingers enveloped her bare breast, he squeezed it firmly. "Dear God..."

Long fingers tugged at her hard peak, deftly rolling and pinching the nipple as he growled and drank more of her essence, his touch becoming bolder the deeper he drank. A kaleidoscope of colours danced in front of Cassia's eyes as she rubbed against his thigh, frantic to feel some relief from the deep hunger that was assaulting her body. Pietro accommodated her, thrusting his thigh roughly against her apex, pressing his hand tightly against her lower back to help her ride out her passion.

She was mindless, nothing but a bundle of sensations. She wasn't even aware that Pietro had stopped feeding, that his lips were moving downwards as he bent his head to her breast and sucked her taut peak into his mouth. Cassia exploded instantly, crying out her release as she climaxed harder than she could ever remember before. Her body danced with pleasure, each nerve ending alive as her vampire continued to suckle at her breast, continued to use his jean clad thigh to bring her release.

It was over much too soon, her body trembling from the intensity of her climax. Pietro's strong arms were only thing keeping her on her feet as she came down slowly from her high. Slowly, reason began to exert itself, and the enormity of what had just happened started to seep in. Cassia couldn't look at him. She was too embarrassed by her wanton reaction to his bite and didn't want to see the expression on his face. He refused to be deterred, though, placing a finger beneath her chin to tilt her face up.

"First time with a vampire?" There was no condemnation in his eyes; in fact, they sparkled with what looked like pained amusement.

She nodded because her mouth refused to cooperate and form the words she wanted to say.

"That's why I was so reluctant, Cassia. Not because I didn't appreciate your generous offer, but because I didn't think you were aware of the consequences. A vampire bite brings such euphoria that the female often comes just from the bite itself. If my hunger hadn't descended so rapidly, I would have warned you in advance. I'm sorry, Niña. You shouldn't feel embarrassed. I should ask your forgiveness for placing you in this awkward position."

His words offered a small level of comfort. It was nice to know that she hadn't reverted back into a sex-starved teenager, unable to control her baser instincts. There was also a tenderness to his expression that astounded her, because it was the first glimpse of his softer side. The woman was drawn to that part of his personality, as was the wolf, which was ready to roll over and have its tummy tickled. What had he just called her? Niña? She would have to look that up because she had no idea of its significance.

"I'll discuss feeding options with Andrei when I get back to the compound. I won't impose on you again."

Everything within her rebelled at the idea and she couldn't have cleared her expression if she'd tried. "My offer is still open to you, Pietro. I haven't retracted it." He was frowning before she'd even finished talking.

"Are you trying to get me killed? Have you any concept of what Alexei would do to me if he knew I'd laid hands on his daughter? This isn't a game, Cassia. Your father is one of my oldest friends. You are his little girl and always will be, no matter how grown up you are."

Cassia smiled at his choice of words, a surge of happiness bubbling up inside. He hadn't said an outright 'no' to her and didn't appear to realise that. Oh, he was concerned about how her father would react if he found out, but there was no scent of fear as he'd spoken. There was a hint of defiance in his eyes that belied what he'd said, and she took courage from that, stepping back into his embrace.

"Leave my father to me, Pietro. If Andrei can let go of Lily so she can be with Mac, then my father can adapt to whomever I choose to be with. I'm no novice in matters of the heart. He is well aware of that fact, and so far he's managed not to kill off any of my previous lovers. I enjoyed what happened today. I want to experience it again."

Her vampire drew in a deep breath, and she could see the fire in his eyes as he leaned down until their foreheads touched. "This is not a wise move, Niña. There may only be heartache to come from this. I can offer you this moment, but that is all it would be: a moment. I have nothing else to give."

It was more than Cassia could have hoped for so early into her seduction of her vampire. "All I'm offering is to replenish your strength when you need it, Pietro. In return, I will know a pleasure I have never experienced before and I will have access to you to aid me in finding the antidote to the poison. This benefits us both, doesn't it?"

His intent gaze bored into her for a long moment and then his hand cupped the nape of her neck as he sealed their bargain with a kiss so gentle that she barely felt him graze her lips. "I hope we both know what we're getting ourselves into."

*****

"Where are we going?" Caleb shot a quizzical glance at his mate as she veered away from their mansion and continued to the rear of the property. His blood was heated and his thoughts consumed by matters of a more carnal nature than continuing their discussions from the pond. They'd been apart far too long. He wanted to be with her, to reconnect with her on the sweet intimate level they so readily shared.

"I told you I had things I needed to do before I could come home. As it turned out they were closer to home than I imagined." Stopping, she grinned at him before turning to stare at some trees.

Caleb's jaw dropped as he watched the trees vanished after a series of whispered words and Rhianna stepped up to the rock face and incanted once more. The doorway retracted before he'd managed to close his mouth and suddenly they were walking into a room, or portion of one, that he had seen so recently in his dreams. "How?"

Rhianna laughed, tossing her curls over her shoulder with a flick of her wrist. "That's what I said when Gard revealed it. This is what he worked on when he first arrived and we were away so much. He transported Anakatrine's books here so that we'd have easy access when we were ready to go through them."

"It looks just like the images from my dream." Caleb's voice was hushed as he walked over to the closest bookcase and ran his fingertips over the books. He had no idea he was unconsciously echoing the other male's gesture and that was the reason for the fond smile on his mate's face as she watched him.

"Have you looked through them?"

Rhianna shook her head. "Gard showed it to me, but I didn't want to tackle them without you. I know the Queen selected each one for a reason. I was afraid I would miss something important if I reviewed them on my own."

Caleb saw a flash of uncertainty on her face and stifled down a curse. Before the incident up at the Praetorian compound, his Annie had been full of confidence. She had never doubted herself; it was clear that she now did. He should have let Demetri kick the shit out of him. His beautiful mate's uncertain expression weighed heavily on his heart. Had he irrevocably harmed her self-belief?

"You wouldn't miss a thing, love. Don't ever second guess yourself, especially not because I was an ass. You've guided us this far. After what happened up at the Praetorian compound...well that just proves how much faith everyone has in you. I may have been blind for a little while, but my eyes are fully open now and I have that same faith in you. It will never waver again."

The doubt cleared a little and she smiled at him, that beautiful smile that always managed to make his heart flutter. He would find some way to make this up to her, if it was the last thing he ever did.

"I don't know where to start," she admitted, turning away to run her gaze over the books. "There are so many of them. How do we know which ones to choose, which ones are the most important?"

"How about starting at the beginning?"

Her quizzical glance made him grin as he crossed to her side and took her in his arms. Staying away from her now that she was home was quite impossible. He couldn't stop touching her, breathing in her fragrant scent. He wanted her with an ache that was so fierce it was a physical pain, but he wanted her to come to him, to feel comfortable about allowing him back into her arms.

"Callain pointed out something that I hadn't considered. I've been repressing him for so long he's never had the opportunity to be with his mate."

Rhianna's eyes widened and her expression turned sad. "Oh, Caleb, that must be so awful for him. It didn't cross my mind either; Anakatrine never once mentioned anything about it. Being apart from you these past few days has been an unbearable. What must it be like for them, both knowing the other half of their soul is so close, and yet never being able to speak to each other?"

He hugged her tightly, running a hand down her back as he brushed his cheek against her curls. "I've been busy trying to amend all of my mistakes and short comings. I want to fix this one too, Annie... I need to fix this. I made Callain a promise and who better to know which book to look at first than the people who were there at the time?"

His mate smiled at him, a smile so beatific that he had to kiss her; he had to taste the sweetness of lips too long denied him. It was hard to maintain control, to just sip from her mouth when he wanted to plunder it and ravish her until she was breathless from her cries of pleasure. When he raised his head, lavender eyes glowed with a love so bright he knew he would never lose sight of what was truly important in his life ever again.

"Let's not keep them apart any longer, Caleb. They've crossed millennia to be together yet spent the last quarter century apart. They deserve this time."

Although the idea had been his, he would have agreed to anything to see that expression on his Annie's face again; the one so full of love and compassion it was the open reflection of just who she was. Moving to one of the chairs, he sat down, gathering her onto his lap and cradling her close. "See you soon, love."

There was a hint of trepidation in his voice, but he fought it down. He'd seen Annie cede control to Anakatrine before. She did it effortlessly and always came back to him. "I'm keeping my word, Callain. You can have your time with Ana. Just help me give my Annie what she needs. Help us find the way forward."

"Thank you, Caleb. You have nothing to fear from me."

Caleb remained silent as he closed his eyes and strove not to fight the other presence as it rose up within, gaining in strength with each passing second. He felt the exact moment their auras were equal and then the feelings ebbed, as if he were falling asleep, sinking down into that moment of sweet oblivion.

"Ana...?"

"Callain."

Opening his eyes, Callain stared down at the face that belonged to another woman. His heart was beating a tattoo in his chest as golden brown eyes connected with lavender. The soul glancing back at him was one he instantly recognised, and he had to swallow hard to fight down the tears that threatened to come.

"Ana." He whispered her name again, a trembling hand coming to her cheek to frame it in the softest of caresses. "My Ana."

For a long moment they sat perfectly still, the beat of their hearts in perfect rhythm. The crackle of flames from the fire pit was the only other sound in the cave as they drank each other in, luxuriating in their first moment of reconnection after so many years. Then his Queen moved slowly, sitting up straight, her eyes never leaving his as she echoed his gesture. His heart thudded wildly as Anakatrine stroked the side of his face in a caress he knew so well but hadn't experience for millennia.

"So many long years have slipped by, my beloved; I didn't know if I would ever see this moment. I must confess a bit of doubt had crept into my mind that the magic I was counting on that day would even work. The spells were ancient, even in comparison to us. I had to believe it would work, though a small part of me feared it wouldn't."

"You've learned a little humility since we last talked?" His tone was full of teasing; his smile so wide he thought his cheeks would crack from the strain.

His teasing softened her expression as he watched her lips tilt into a mischievous grin. "Very droll," she laughed, as she leaned forward to rest her forehead against his, savouring the moment. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, Callain. I wanted to but..."

Strong hands tightened on her upper arms, halting her words. "Don't you ever apologise for doing what had to be done, Anakatrine. Not now. Not ever." His hands softened and he framed her face once more, staring deeply into her eyes. "Events played out as they were destined. I know it and so does Gard. Our time together is far too precious to waste on useless recriminations, my love. This solitary moment to be with you again, to hear your sweet voice, to look in to those beautiful lavender eyes is worth every single sacrifice we've had to endure."

He wanted to kiss her, to love her as they'd loved so passionately in the past...but they were ethereal now, spirits within other vessels. It felt wrong to desecrate Caleb's trust, even as every part of his soul yearned to spend one more physical moment with his mate. "I've missed you, Ana, so very much."

"As have I you, my beautiful warrior." Anakatrine smiled, a shadow of sadness clouded her sparkling eyes. "You have been so very patient, Callain. Thank you for allowing Caleb enough time to find some balance to overcome his trust issues. I know it hasn't been easy. He is rather fierce in his thinking, isn't he?"

Her mate snorted and rolled his eyes. "He's frustrating and pig-headed...but his love for our people is unparalleled." He reached to pull her close and growled when she slipped agilely from his lap, turning in a circle as she surveyed the echo of her library.

"Sounds like someone else I know. He needed time, my love, and you gave him that. It would have been disastrous if you'd become impatient and pushed too early." Her eyes were darting from book cover to book cover as she spoke, her expression changing as her thoughts drifted.

Callain's smile was fond as he watched his mate. She had always been such an enigma. She could focus intently on one task for hours, then the next moment she would flit from subject to subject like a butterfly. All those memories began to surge up within and he found himself unable to bear being separated from her. It didn't matter that the bodies they lived in weren't the same as the past. The essence within was the same, and he had to hold his mate. Rising, he moved behind her, pulling his Ana back against his chest and wrapping strong arms around her slender frame.

There had been one question he'd waited twenty-five years to ask her, an answer to which he had to have before he would be content to relinquish control back to Caleb. "How many times, Ana?" In low, hushed tones, the query passed his lips; he knew there was no need to elaborate.

Her response was as quiet, her body stiffening as he commanded her full attention. "Too many, my heart," she whispered back, sorrow clouding her tone. "The first time I saw you die was in the moment that we met. Do you remember that moment, when you marched into my audience chamber, so filthy and bedraggled? You looked as if you'd trekked through a thousand mud baths to reach me."

His hold tightened, a hand brushing soothingly against her hip to ease her sorrow. "I do, my love. I had just encountered a dozen or more younglings that had been toying with some wolf cubs for pleasure. I was angered by their inhumanity and put them all down for their detestable actions. That didn't sit well with some of the others in the royal guard; they thought it prudent to stop me from reporting to my Queen. I would not be disabused." He felt a loosening of her tension and rested a cheek against the top of her head.

"I saw this beautiful creature kneeling before me with a spirit shining so brightly that my eyes were nearly blinded," Ana whispered, her voice full of love. "I knew instantly you were mine, the other half of my soul. In that very moment that I acknowledged you, I saw your death for the first time as it would take place in that tunnel beneath the home we would build together."

Callain's heart ached for her, ached with the knowledge that she had spent their entire existence reliving his death. It made him feel helpless as he held her. "Why didn't you spare yourself, Ana? You didn't have to claim me."

She turned in his arms, her gaze full of love and sadness, with not one hint of regret. "I knew loving you would both set me free and shatter my heart into a million pieces; however, there was never an alternative. You were mine, Callain. I couldn't give you up, not even knowing that I would watch you die a thousand times over, or knowing I would cry a river of tears each time."

Embracing him tightly, she leaned into him, resting her head against his wide chest. "I knew many things that day, my heart, but I also knew we would have centuries together, and that I would never be complete without you. Our people would have been doomed if we hadn't walked the path that was meant for us. I have no regrets, Callain, not a single tear I shed nor any of the choices I felt compelled to make. So many others made sacrifices; some, like us, made the ultimate one and paid with their lives. It was only right that I should weep with them and for them."

Tears welled up in his eyes and Callain let them fall. He wasn't ashamed to weep for his exquisite mate. If he could have held her any tighter, he would have. "We didn't deserve you, my Ana. We were given the most beautiful gift; it was placed right in front of our faces and yet we chose to abuse it. You were our heart, ripped from the chests of our people by our selfish actions and ignorance. We were all so blind in our arrogance. Sometimes, when I am weak, I wish you'd let us fall, my love. Any race that could be so cruel never deserved a second chance."