Hunter Hunted Ch. 10

Nicholas Stavaros woke, a gnawing sensation in his stomach. It was one he wasn't used to, one he hadn't felt since he'd gotten old enough to feed himself. He was hungry. He rolled over on the bed, sitting up on the side to let his feet hang over and touch the floor. His eye narrowed and he felt as if something was wrong, something was different.

He smelt the blood and turned his head, seeing the naked girl who sat shivering on the floor nearest the door of the room. She was chained, a collar around her throat, a substantial leash running from the metal loop there to the heavy metal hook on the floor.

"Who are you?" Nicky asked. "Where am I?"

His memory was a blank and he tipped his head, studying her and the room curiously. It was four walls painted a very uninspiring pale green. Linoleum covered the floor. The only piece of furniture was the bed he'd woken up in. There was a door, a plain wooden portal that had a window on the top and metal bars across the glass.

"Y-you don't remember?" she stuttered, shivering under his interested gaze.

"I don't remember what?"

"They b-brought you in l-last night." She turned her face so that he could see her and he inhaled sharply. She was incredibly lovely, a blonde haired, blue eyed angel. But she was bleeding from marks in her throat, marks he knew he hadn't been responsible for.

"Who are you?"

"M-my n-name is Arielle Clayton. My father is Senator Richard Clayton from Texas."

"How did you get here, Arielle?" Nicky rubbed his hand over his protesting stomach. It was protesting the fact that he hadn't fed from her yet, that he'd managed to ignore his vampiric instincts and kept from ripping her throat out and bathing in her blood. She wasn't very strong, she'd been fed on before and it had left her weak and unable to fight.

"I don't know. I'd been on my way home and then I woke up here. There'd been another man here then."

"Was he the one that fed on you?"

"Yes," she said quickly. Her hand rose to the bite marks on her throat, touching one of them gently. "He hurt me. Are you going to hurt me too?"

Nicky stood, his hands reaching out to steady himself. He took a couple of steps, feeling his own weakness and the almost overpowering urge to feed. He fought it, unwilling to continue her suffering, to force her to bear the agony of his weakness and his need. "I don't want to hurt you, Arielle. But I am almost impossibly hungry and your blood smells so good." He moaned as he said the words, making it sound almost sexual.

She ducked her head, turning her eyes away from him. He was naked, as was she, but she hadn't really noted his bareness until he'd walked toward her. He was muscular and very strong looking and she knew she had no chance of fighting him off if he decided he wanted to finish what the other man had started. That man had been like a ravening dog, tearing into her flesh over and over, his hands holding her to him as he'd gulped at her blood.

"Arielle," Nicky said softly and she looked up, startled to see how close he'd gotten to her while she'd been distracted. "We need to get out of here. I'm going to try to free you."

"Okay," she whispered. He was a gorgeous man, very tall and well built, he had hair the color of the sun and eyes that swirled with the blue of a spring sky. He was pale, but that didn't detract from his looks. It made him seem even more exotic in some strange way. As he spoke to her, she could see the sharpness of his fangs. She could almost sense his hunger and the pain it was causing him.

He grabbed the leash and gave it a good, strong pull. It ripped out easily, freeing her. Holding up her hands as if she wanted to push him a way, she scuttled backward, her back butting up against the door.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Nicky said again. But it was almost impossible to calm her. She'd been hurt badly by the vampire that had fed from her the night before, and she had little trust in Nicky's self-control now. She was curled into a ball in front of the door and she wouldn't listen to a word he tried to say to her.

Finally, he had no choice. If he was going to get the two of them out safely, he had to get by her and calm her down in some way. There was only one way that came to mind and he moved quickly to her, his fist flashing out and catching on her jaw.

She moaned and then her head tipped back, her body falling to lay sprawled on the floor at his feet. Nicky's eyes roamed over her unconscious form, noting the shapeliness of her legs, the curve of her hips. Her belly was flat, her ribs slender. Her breasts would have been delicate handfuls and except for the bite marks on her neck, she was very nearly perfect.

He went back to the bed, ripping the blanket off and taking it over to wrap her in it. When he was done, he stood in front of the heavy door, reaching out for the handle. With one deft twist, he wrested it open and then glanced out into the hallway beyond. It was empty.

Nicky bent, lifting Arielle into his strong arms, fighting the instincts of the demon inside of him that wanted to take her to the bed and part her thighs, digging his teeth into the vein and drinking his full. It would kill her and he'd made himself a promise to never be the cause of another death if he had anyway to stop it. Turning to the door, he forced himself to ignore the scent of her blood and then he headed out of the room, spotting a small green sign up by the ceiling that lit the way to the "Exit."

He didn't see anyone as he traveled down the twisting and turning halls of the place they'd been locked up in, always following that sign. When he'd finally pushed through another heavy door and out into the cool outside air, he could have shouted his victory. He'd made it and he hadn't hurt her or tasted her blood. He sank down into the cool grass, letting Arielle down next to him. He wanted to race and run, to savor the feel of the dewy grass on his feet and legs. He wanted to crow his victory.

And then the hunger settled in, a hunger different than what he was used to. This was blood lust in its worst form and it hit him right in the stomach, letting him think of nothing but the urge to feed. No urge wasn't the right word. This wasn't an urge; this was a need that was almost desperate in its intensity. His eyes went from where he'd been scanning the area to where Arielle laid, defenseless, unconscious, temptingly smelling of blood. She wouldn't know if he drank from her as well.

He went to her, not even realizing he was moving until he knelt at her side. Her neck was bloody but it wasn't his preferred place to feed from, especially not from a woman who looked like she did. Nicky tugged the blanket down, taking it away from the long, slender length of her thighs. Then he slid between them, his hands coming out to tip her hips up so that he could slick his tongue through the tastiness of her juices.

She was hot, sweet, her clit turgid and pulsing against his tongue. He flicked at that tiny bundle of nerve endings, hearing her moan in pleasure in her dreams. He could smell her, the scent of her arousal, the aroma of her blood. It called to him and he felt his cock grow hard, pressing against the blanket that was under her.

The temptation was great, the need for more of her even greater. He wanted nothing more than to lift himself above her, to push his hard flesh between her wet pussy lips and take her. Then, as he gave her the ultimate in pleasure, he wanted to sink his teeth into the unbroken flesh of her neck, to give her the pleasure of his bite and give him the satisfaction of her blood.

Nicky could feel his teeth growing, his fangs becoming more pronounced. He could feel the demon of his soul begging for her blood, demanding it. He wanted to fight it, he wanted to defeat it, but the scent of her was too strong. He rose, pressing his cock into the flesh of her pussy. He barely felt the small piece of flesh that blocked his path, unable to stop until it was split around his cock.

"Oh God," he groaned, staring down at her in shock. She was so incredibly beautiful, it was impossible that he'd felt what he had, that he'd taken her virginity. No girl her age that looked the way she did could be a virgin in this day and age. "Arielle."

She was hot and tight around him, her body moving under his. She began to meet his thrusts, her hands coming up to wrap around his neck, to hold onto him tighter. Moans were coming from her mouth, moans that were a counterpoint to the groans he was unable to control.

Her hands grasped at him, dragging him closer, the scent of her blood calling him like a compulsion. He filled his hands with her breasts, his thumbs rubbing over the hard nipples. He dipped his head, his lips sliding over the torn flesh of her neck, tasting the blood the oozed slowly out. His tongue lapped at the blood and he felt her skin healing. She would be scarred, there was nothing he could do about that. But she wouldn't die from blood loss, at least not from that wound.

His thrust grew shorter, harder, her body jiggling with every jolt. She was moaning, tiny whimpers, small cries, were ripped from her mouth. But they were sounds of pleasure. Her hands were like claws against his back, digging into his skin as the pleasure grew sharper. Her eyes opened and she stared at him, confused.

"Nicholas?" Then her head fell back and he felt the first pulsing of her body as pleasure convulsed over her. "God! Nicky!"

A dark smile crossed his lips and he kissed his way down, over the scars on her throat, finally taking her nipple into his mouth. He played with it, teasing her with frantic suckling before just flicking it with the tip of his tongue, rolling the tender bud. He let her feel the sharpness of his teeth, but he didn't bite her. Not there, not yet.

"Is it good?" he asked, lifting his head to stare down into her pretty blue eyes. "Is it?"

"Yes," she moaned, the sound dragged from her mouth. "It's good."

"More?" He slowed the pace of his thrusts, the heat of her juices squelching out from around his plunging cock. She was excited, she couldn't deny that, not while the proof was so readily visible. "Do you want more, Arielle?"

Her eyes wouldn't meet his, her cheeks flushing a pale pink. "Yes," she whimpered softly even as her hands dragged down his back, cupping over his ass, flexing with the movements of his muscles.

He lifted her soft breast, holding it in his hand, twisting her nipple with his thumb and finger. She moaned and arched her back, giving him more of herself, begging silently for more of him. His tongue ran over his teeth and he felt a quick, sharp pain, the taste of his blood filling his mouth. His fangs were sharp, cutting him, but the taste was different. His blood was different.

A sudden panicked thought had him throwing himself backward, away from Arielle. "The orange liquid," he said softly, his head dropping into his hands. "It's done something to me."

"Nicholas?"

He looked up, seeing the concern in Arielle's eyes. She was sitting up, her hand out, reaching for him. Her body, her naked skin, almost seemed to glow in what little light there was from the moon above. She was beautiful, even more so now that he'd healed her wounds and her pale blue eyes stared up at him.

"H-have I done something wrong?"

His head was shaking before he even thought to open his mouth to speak. "No, Arielle. You're perfect."

"Then why did you stop?"

Nick reached out, holding his arms wide to catch her when she threw herself at him. "It wasn't anything you'd done. I just thought of ...something and it distracted me."

Arielle curled up against him, her hands moving over his chest and stomach. "Should we stay here?"

Nick looked around at the lawn they'd been making love on. They were exposed to anyone looking. "No, we shouldn't. I'm just not sure where we should go."

"I...I have a sister. She lives in the next town over, we could go there."

He thought about it for a moment but nothing else came to mind. "I guess we go to your sister's. I'd like to find some clothes first though."

Arielle nodded and then she shivered. Nick reached down, picking up the blanket from the ground and wrapping it around her. Tucking it warmly under her chin, he pushed her silky blonde hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ears. "How did you stay a virgin for so long?"

She stared up at him, her eyes widening. "I guess you took care of that, didn't you?"

"I didn't mean to insult you, Arielle. You are just so beautiful. I can't believe you could have grown up around any man worth his name."

"Why?" she snapped, though it wasn't as sharp as it could have been. "You don't think I can't say no or save myself for the man I want to gift my body too?" She held the blanket closed at her neck and at her waist. Her eyes were hard as she looked at him, the blue going almost icy.

"I didn't mean that, Arielle. Please, just listen for a moment..."

"Talk," she growled.

"I just meant that I couldn't understand how some good man hadn't snapped you up yet. Are the men around here blind? Or are they just stupid?"

Arielle stared at him for a moment as if considering how she should answer. When he smiled winningly at her, she couldn't hide her own smile.

"Am I forgiven?" he asked softly, stroking the back of his knuckles against the softness of her cheek. "Is that what this smile means?"

"Yes," she said, a catch in her voice. He was being so charming, making her forget what she'd just been through and wish for more of what he'd been doing with her when she'd woken up. "A-aren't you cold?"

"Oh no, it takes a lot more than a bit of nudity to make me cold." He reached over and lifted her in his arms, carrying her easily even though the demon hunger was lifting its evil head once more. He started off, jogging down the pathway as if she weighed less than nothing.

She spoke up only once. "My sister lives the other way."

He rolled his eyes, turning to change directions. Then they hurried off into the night.

* * * *

"The words?" Mira asked, feeling her heart pounding almost too fast in her chest. "Which words?"

"I want more than just a night of sex, Mira. I want to take the feelings I know we have and see where they will take us." Hunter slipped his hand over her hair then cupped her cheek, lifting her face so that he could look into her eyes. "Tell me you don't feel like I do."

"I-I don't," she stuttered and then let her eyes close as Hunter laughed.

"Want to try again?" His head dipped and his lips moved over her face before stopping against her lips. He kissed her with determination, wanting nothing more than to hear her agree with him. She was naked against him, the round softness of her breasts pressing against his chest. His hands framed her face when she acted as if she would move. He wasn't done with her lips, with their softness, the sweetness of her. He wanted to drown in her taste, in the scent of her arousal that was quickly filling the air inside the SUV.

Her moan of pleasure was quiet but he heard it. She sounded sultry, sexy. He could hear the yearning in her tone. It sent a shaft of need through him that he couldn't ignore. "I'm going to take you, Mira. I'm going to take you and make you mine."

His lips slanted over hers once more and he kissed her until the car spun around her head. Her fingers were gripping his arms, roaming over his well defined biceps and then over his shoulders. He could feel her shaking fingers against his neck, moving into his hair, holding his head so that he wouldn't stop kissing her. She had no worries on that front. He didn't know if he'd ever get enough of her taste, of the texture of her mouth, of the way she felt as she kissed him back.

His hands skimmed over her hair, slipping over her shoulders and down her arms. He took her hands, holding them on either side of her face, lifting his head to stare down into the heated need he could see in her blue eyes. Hunter had seen almost every side of Mira, but this one, this softness, this desire, it was almost more than he could handle. A strange sensation seemed to burn in his gut but he pushed it away, not ready to dissect it, not yet.

"You're not going to fight me?"

Mira smiled. "Why should I fight something that I want so much?"

The smile he gave her was almost luminescent. "Good answer, Mirage." He kissed her again, rewarding her and himself because he couldn't get enough. He could tell already that just once wasn't going to be enough, not for him and he could only hope and pray that it wouldn't be enough for her either. "I've dreamed of this."

His head moved, his lips trailing across her jawline and then down her throat. He could feel her straining to free her hands but he didn't know what he'd do if she touched him, if he'd be able to keep what little control he had left. She tasted of salt and of the back lash from her blaster, but under that, she was sweet. Little moans were torn from her, moans that egged him on, moans that made Hunter even more hungry for her.

His tongue slid round the curve of her breast and he felt her hold her breath. He smiled even as he teased her, kissing every inch of her breast but continually missing her nipple. She was growling, her body twisting, trying to force him where she wanted him. "You've only got to ask, Mira."

Her words were more command. "Quit teasing me, Hunter. I need you."

Hunter let go of her hands, cupping her breasts in the warmth of his palms. She arched her back, her fingers spearing through his hair, moaning as she finally felt him draw one taut tip between his lips. The heat of his mouth sent a shiver of pleasure through her. She could feel her toes curling against the seat.

"God yes!" she growled. The flesh between her thighs grew wet and she could feel the pulse throbbing inside of her. Her body seemed to tune into the way his mouth suckled upon her nipples and she could barely breathe. What came next hadn't happened to her in over three thousand years, not in the hands of someone else.

Pleasure roared through Mira and she convulsed under him, her fingers digging into his back. "Oh fuck, Hunter. It's so good." She wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing her twitching pussy against his stomach.

Hunter could feel her juices flowing out of her. He'd yet to touch her anywhere below her waist. The idea that he could give her such pleasure with just his mouth on her breasts fascinated him. "More?" he breathed against her skin.

"God yes, don't stop, don't ever stop." She had tingles of heat flowing over her, gooseflesh that wouldn't stop. When his mouth left her breasts, moving down her stomach and then over the slight points of her hipbones, she'd thought she'd die from the way he was making her feel. It had been so long, so terribly, horribly long. She couldn't even think of how she'd done without this for those thousands of years. But now that she'd had a small taste, she didn't want to let go.

When his hands pushed her thighs further apart, holding her open, she cried out in surprise. Then his finger moved with utmost gentleness against the wet flesh of her pussy, slipping through the damp heat. He found her clit, moving over that turgid piece of flesh to circle her opening.

"You're so wet," he growled, his lips against the inside of her thigh. "So tight.'

"It's been a while," she moaned and then smiled as he laughed.

"I'd say."

Her hands came down, grabbing handfuls of his hair, and she wasn't sure if she was trying to pull him away or push him closer but when his tongue came out, gentle and insistent against her clit, she lost the will to care. "Oh God," she breathed. "Hunter, don't stop." His tongue was softer than his finger had been, but it was also much more dexterous and it was long before her body was arched into a bow, her face a mask of pleasure so intense she couldn't breathe.