There's a Fine Line Ch. 04

Short note: some aspects of this chapter, as well as the story in general, may not appeal to all audiences. Please take a moment to check the story tags if there are subjects you'd rather avoid.

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Warm rays of sunlight filtered through the heavy drapes, throwing streaks of light here and there around the room. As the sun rose higher into the sky, one beam stretched across the large, four-poster bed and into the eyes of the petite female that lay upon it. Alicia grumbled sleepily and shifted, burying her face into the warmth of a hard, bare male chest to get the light out of her eyes. The warmth and scent that filled her senses had her sighing softly in contentment. That contentment lasted about ten full seconds before her brain latched onto one very important fact: namely, that she was pressed against a hard, bare male chest. Suddenly wide awake, her light brown eyes sprang open as she fought down her initial surge of panic. A soft kiss was placed upon the top of her head as warm hands soothingly caressed her skin. Her bare skin. Trembling, and with her memory of the night before still fuzzy, she furiously wracked her brain as to just how she ended up in this situation and how quickly she could extract herself from it.

"Good morning, beautiful." The sleepy murmur of Blake's deep voice rumbled through his chest and she was mesmerized by the sensual play of skin over muscle as he stretched. That slight delay prevented her from scrambling from the bed, however, and his arms returned to her waist and pulled her close once more.

Her mind was working at ninety miles an hour trying to remember what had happened and what hadn't. Though mostly naked, her vampire mate still wore some sort of underwear as she could feel the scrape of cloth against her skin. She blushed furiously as she realized, and then remembered, that her own lacy panties had been shredded and discarded towards the end of the night. And what a night! Alicia wasn't certain which was worse: the things she'd told him or the things she'd let him do. Let him? God, she'd have been begging him for more if he'd tried to stop.

Searching her brain for something, anything, to say to break the silence that was stretching towards discomfort, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "You're still here."

"Of course I am, beautiful." He caressed her cheek softly and, laying her on her back, rolled onto his side and propped up on an elbow to gaze tenderly down at her. "I made a vow, Alicia. I don't make them often but, when I do, I will move heaven and earth to keep them." His free hand rested lightly on her stomach as his thumb rubbed the smooth skin soothingly.

"Thank you." Her words were soft, barely a whisper, but her soft brown eyes glowed with gratitude – and growing affection. He smiled and dipped his head to kiss her leisurely.

"That look in your eyes is all the thanks I need, Alicia."

Squirming slightly under his intense gaze, she hissed as the soft sheets rubbed against her sore and bruised skin. The brief stab of pain was followed by remembered pleasure and she couldn't stop herself from deliberately moving again. When Blake's fingers gently caressed her cheek, she trembled and let her eyes drift closed as she sank back into that cloud of peace she'd felt immediately after his final spanking. Something about the mixture of pain and pleasure and his steady, gentle touch soothed her like nothing she'd ever known before.

Alicia drifted along on pure sensation. Each time she started to descend from the peaceful feelings, all she had to do was wriggle just enough to scrape her bruised rear on the sheets to send those awfully wonderful darts of pleasure-pain shooting through her once more. She was aware of her vampire holding her, touching her, whispering words of tender care into her ear as she flew, weightless and carefree, above a world filled with pain and hurt and confusion.

She'd lost track of time when she heard her mate's deep, seductive voice calling for her. At first, she resisted. She'd found a place where she felt safe, loved, even cherished and she didn't want to lose that. As Alicia slowly returned to herself, Blake's firm hands continued to pet her and stroke her while he promised her that, no matter where she was, she was cherished more than all of his most prized possessions combined. Even the pain could no longer hold her there for he'd cradled her close to his chest and her bruised and striped bottom no longer pressed stingingly against the mattress.

"It's time to come back to me, Beautiful One." When her eyes fluttered open, the hazel-brown orbs dreamy and soft, he smiled and rubbed his lips across hers in the softest of butterfly kisses. Her answering smile was slow in coming but it made his heart sing with joy.

"What happened?" Shyly, Alicia brought a hand up to caress Blake's face – one of the few times she'd initiated any kind of contact between them. He leaned his cheek into her touch, his eyes drifting closed in pleasure. "It felt like I was flying and nothing could ever hurt me again."

"Nothing ever will if I can prevent it." He brushed her hair from her eyes tenderly and wondered just what the fates saw in this young girl to make her so dear to him. "And what you felt is something called subspace. If you look it up online, and I encourage you to do so, you'll find that nearly everyone's description about it will vary as each person experiences it differently. You'll find that what sends one person into subspace does nothing for the next; you may even learn for yourself that what sent you there last night and this morning will not at a later date. You may learn, with time, that even how you experience it varies."

"If it's so hard to define, then how do you know that's what happened?" She spoke softly as she explored the lines and planes of her mate's face. She dared not risk shattering this moment with anything above a whisper.

"Because you described it perfectly." Chuckling softly at her confused frown, Blake captured one errant finger with his lips and licked the sensitive pad. Alicia shivered in delight and blushed at his smile. "It is often described as a feeling of flying or floating, but that doesn't mean it will always be that way for you. Like I said, look it up. Read many different accounts and you'll understand more what I mean. No matter what you find, however, know this: I will never leave you during this time. You would be vulnerable in ways you cannot even imagine."

"Like you didn't leave me last night."

"Just like that, Beautiful One."

After another gentle kiss, she watched her vampire slide off the mattress and stretch leisurely. The muscles rippled along his back and down to his tapered waist to where a pair of black cotton briefs hugged his toned rear. Her fingers itched to trace a path from his shoulders to that aggravating bit of material that hid his body from her greedy eyes. With a knowing smirk, he turned to catch her avid stare and watched as her desire grew. There was a faint dusting of ebony curls along his toned chest that tapered to a solid line disappearing beneath his briefs. Briefs which, at that moment, were straining to hold what looked to be a rather impressive erection. Licking her lips, she wondered how he'd feel in her mouth, how he'd taste. Fuck, he was gorgeous! Even if he only wore a burlap sack, she had a feeling that he could turn a nun into a whore. Her eyes swirled with shadows until their light brown shade shifted darkly and gleamed like polished jet. Under their lustful gaze, more than just his smug smile grew.

"Like what you see, beautiful?" His words jerked her from her perusal and her blush rose once more. His chuckle brushed along her skin lightly and she shivered. "I'll order up breakfast. Feel free to use the shower; you'll find everything you need in a basket below the sink. There are clothes in the closet to your left." Without even bothering with a robe or lounge pants, Blake strolled from the room whistling jauntily.

Alicia rolled from the bed, wincing as she sat on the edge. Her tender rear reminded her of her time in his playroom and caused her to blush again. Walking to the closet, she was expecting to grab a robe or one of his t-shirts but, instead, found it full of brand new women's clothing. Checking the tags, she realized they were all in her size and in styles she liked. She frowned as she sorted through the garments. How the hell did he know? Along one side of the large, walk-in closet were shelves that held the more intimate items like bras, panties, stockings, and socks. She could tell that, though they were no longer in their original packaging, they, too, had never been worn. Choosing a pair of blue jeans, casual blouse, and a matching set of baby blue under things, Alicia walked into the bathroom deep in thought.

Unless he was some kind of creepy stalker, Elizabeth must have told him what she'd picked out when she'd been told to replace her old clothing. Since most of her items had come from an online site, it would have been easy enough to go through the computer's history to discover what she liked. She'd have to talk to her hostess when she returned to the Pierce Estate. As she pulled soap, shampoo, and conditioner from the basket, she remembered his insistence upon her not hiding things from him. Perhaps she'd have the courage to ask him about the clothing over breakfast.

Removing the bra she'd been surprised to find herself still wearing that morning, she turned to try to see the evidence of their night in that unusually furnished room of his. Her eyes widened at the scattering of red marks across her back that brightly contrasted with her pale skin. Turning to the side, she could see the darker spots where the knotted flogger had teased the sides of her breasts. Touching one, she winced and was thankful she'd chosen a bra without underwires. Those might have pinched awfully when struck. Continuing further down her body, she was amazed she'd been able to sit at all. Both of her ass cheeks were mottled with red and purple bruising, some of which were already fading to that ugly yellowish-green color that heralded healing. Reaching behind her, she gently touched a particularly vivid mark and flushed bright red. She remembered teasing him, daring him to take things just a bit further, and boy did he ever! With a mixture of shame and embarrassment, she admitted that she'd enjoyed every strike of that paddle even though she'd wept when he complied.

Stepping into the shower, she let the water flow over her as her mind swirled with conflicting thoughts. It was bad enough she was turning into some kind of freaky unknown monster, but did she also have to have freaky wants and needs as well? These discoveries about her sexual nature were as unwelcome as they were disturbing. Was it because of Markus? Did she need pain now because he'd always hurt her when he touched her before? Rinsing the soap from her hair, she frowned. That didn't feel right but what did she know, really? At the age she might have become sexually active and fumbled through her first boyfriend's groping, she was giving blowjobs to her stepfather while her mother fucked his best friends. Hell, for all she knew, lots of women liked getting smacked around by their lovers.

"Breakfast is here, beautiful. Hurry up or I might be tempted to join you." Though his voice was filled with amusement, Alicia heard the unspoken promise. Blake wasn't one to wait for anyone – even his mate.

Hurrying through the rest of her shower, she quickly toweled dry and began to dress. After a quick search of the ladies' toiletries in the basket he'd told her about, she found all the necessities still in the shrink wrap. At the sight of her preferred brand of tampons, Alicia decided she needed to have a small talk with her overly chatty hostess. Some things were just not to be discussed with a man!

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While his mate had been in the shower, Blake had stepped into the guest room for a quick wash and change before ordering their breakfast. He figured she'd need a bit of time once she saw the lovely marks he'd placed on her delicate skin. At some point during the night, she'd rolled onto her stomach and he'd taken the opportunity to reassure himself that he'd caused her no true harm. Flicking on a lamp, he'd grown so hard it felt as though he was about to split his briefs. Her lovely pale skin was striped in red while the firm globes of her rear were marbled with bruises. He'd been thankful to note that he'd maintained enough control to keep from breaking the skin except for the bite on her inner thigh. The desire to rip off his restraining underwear and bury his aching length into her wet, silken core had been so strong he'd had to launch himself from the bed or risk taking her in her sleep. He'd paced the room for nearly half an hour before he'd gotten his beast under control enough to shut off the lamp and slide back into bed beside his mate.

This morning when she'd snuggled so close to him had once more sent his libido into overdrive. When her fear spiked, his beast had retreated in favor of the man. After tasting her lust-filled blood last night, the thought of it being tainted by her fear no longer appealed. His control was rewarded by her shy thanks for staying with her during the night. He might have had the most painfully hard and frustrating night of his long life, but it'd been worth it. He'd do it all again and more besides just to see that expression in her eyes. Of course, he conceded with a grin, the lust in her eyes when he'd paraded his body before her had been most welcome as well. She would make him a glorious mate; he just had to have a bit more patience. Soon, she would beg him to take her.

He was lounging against the granite-topped counter in a crisp white dress shirt and charcoal grey slacks when she walked hesitantly into the room. In jeans and a fitted cotton top, barefoot, and her hair still damp and mussed from her shower, she was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. Perhaps she'd never make the cover of a fashion magazine by humans' ridiculous beauty standards, but her beauty was about more than just her creamy, soft skin or full pink lips. Though his fingers itched to learn every curve of her body from her delicate toes, over her slim hips, around her delightful pink-tipped breasts, and up to the top of her stubborn head, her beauty was so much more than just an outwardly lovely shell. It was also her strength, her vulnerability, her passion, her shyness. It was her cries when she came all over his fingers and her blushes when he said something naughty. It was the ambrosia of her blood as it flowed over his tongue and the salt of her tears when she finally allowed herself to cry. It was everything that made up the woman he called his mate. His crimson eyes glowed with hungry desire as he straightened from his post and moved gracefully across the room to stand before her.

"Did you find everything you needed, beautiful?"

"Y...yes." Alicia's eyes were huge in her face as she watched her vampire stalk her from across the small room.

"How do you feel this morning, Alicia?" Blake gently brushed an errant strand of sandy blonde hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear before trailing his fingers along her jaw.

"I'm okay." Her eyes fluttered shut at his tender touch.

"Truly?" The gentle fingers gripped her chin with firm insistence, ensuring she couldn't turn from him. Alicia's color rose slightly in her cheeks but her eyes met his, albeit shyly.

"Truly, Blake. I'm a bit...tender, but," she bit her lip, her color rising even more, "but I kinda like it."

His smile was dazzling in the seconds before his lips captured hers. Unlike the gentle kisses when she'd awakened, he seemed determined to pull her very soul to him. His tongue insistently forged a path between her yielding lips and laid claim to every inch of her mouth. When she shyly caressed the conquering muscle with her own, he growled low in his chest, pulled her firmly against him, and pressed his still-aching manhood against her. His lips only parted from hers to trail along her cheek to her delicate neck and she eagerly tilted her head to the side. She whimpered slightly at the sharp pain as his fangs slid into her vein and then the pleasure flooded her body as he took a single, leisurely drink. His moist tongue lapping up the trickling blood and healing the tiny wounds made her shiver with longing. Blake slowly kissed and licked his way back to her waiting lips for another drugging assault upon her senses.

"You are trying to kill me, beautiful." He murmured softly against her kiss-swollen lips. "If you don't want me taking you on the kitchen table, I'd advise you to sit your delectable ass down and have your breakfast." Alicia stared up at him uncomprehendingly, lust clouding her jet black orbs. "Now, mate!" A sharp smack from the flat of his hand to her tender, bruised rear snapped her out of her desire-filled haze. Yelping, she blushed and gingerly sat on the hard, wooden chair.

The table contained a single setting of the most delicious looking breakfast she'd ever seen. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, juice, coffee, toast, jam...anything one could ever want in their morning meal. Opposite her chair was a single wine glass full of something she truly doubted was juice. Looking at all of the food, she was amazed at the quantity and prayed he didn't think she could eat this all by herself.

"Where's your plate?"

Grinning, Blake ran his fingers lightly over her tender throat. "I've already eaten, beautiful."

"Surely you don't think I can eat all this?" Her voice was little more than a squeak as she resisted the urge to beg him to bite her again.

"Eat what you want, Alicia. I wasn't certain what you liked so I got a bit of everything." He moved to sit across from her with a shrug, sipping a mixture of apple juice and bottled blood from the local blood bank. When his mate finally started eating, he leaned back in his chair and experienced the simple joy of sharing a morning with her.

It became quickly apparent that the simple joy would become a lesson in self-control. He watched as she took a bite, sliding the fork between her plump lips, and nearly groaned aloud. If she didn't look so involved with her meal, he would swear she was doing this to him on purpose. Shifting his aching erection in the suddenly tight slacks, he could easily imagine those same plump lips stretched around his cock as he thrust slowly into her throat. She'd gag at first, he was certain, but she'd learn how to take him in time and oh how he'd enjoy teaching her. Blake's throat swallowed convulsively as his eyes drifted closed with his erotic thoughts. He'd strap her to the same bench as the night before, striping her delightful ass with a leather crop as he forced her to swallow his length. Each blow would make her cry out around him, sending the vibrations straight to his aching balls. When he came, he'd be certain to pull from her greedy mouth and coat her face and back, laying his claim upon her in every way possible. He growled low as he imagined her, marked and covered in his seed, begging him to let her cum.

"Blake?"

His eyes snapped open and pinned her to the spot. Though every instinct, and even her new darker nature, demanded that she run from the predatory look in his eyes, some thread of common sense held her in place. The creature before her was more beast than man and she knew he'd relish the success of catching her even more than the thrill of the chase. Her wide brown eyes and the slight scent of fear finally drew the man to regain some semblance of control from the vampire. Blinking slowly, Blake couldn't help the slow smile that formed on his lips. Soon, he promised his inner beast.