Mistake of a Lifetime

"I hope not." She dropped to her knees and pressed a kiss to the tip, wrapping both hands around the firm base. She kissed her way down both sides of the shaft, giving her fangs time to retract, and he sighed deeply. He was equally calm when she trailed her tongue up from the bottom to the base and she knew he was forcing control. Controlled lovers had never been her thing so she engulfed the thick tip in her mouth and sucked hard, and finally he reacted.

He curled around her with a guttural moan, his hips arching into her mouth and she backed off slightly. She let him relax against the couch before doing it again, and this time he arched while one hand buried itself in her hair. She stiffened slightly to see if he'd push down, but he never did. He was content to simply grip a large handful of her hair and watch her work. Why that pleased her so much, she didn't want to know, but she began to hum as she sucked. Her rhythmic motions and wiggling tongue soon had him panting and begging and both of his hands were wrapped up at her head. It was enjoyable to pleasure him, if mildly messy from the gobs of tasty precum he was leaking, but finally she neared her own tipping point and stood up.

Locking eyes with his, she unfastened her pants and slid them down her thighs. She loved how his eyes traced her every movement hungrily, as if it was something he hadn't seen often enough. His hands came up to grip the flimsy strings of her ridiculously tiny thong and he looked up at her as he dipped his head low. He pressed kisses over her stomach, slowly moving lower and edging the scrap of cloth down with every touch. His roughened fingers were magical on her sensitive skin and she realized she'd missed this, missed the simple pleasures of casual sex. Of being wanted. She shook aside the thoughts when his mouth dipped between her legs and she had to grab his shoulders again to keep from falling.

His tongue darted out and around her clit and her knees almost buckled. She swallowed a growl, feeling her savagery rising up and she knew her control limits were being rapidly reached. Quickly she pushed him back against the couch, crawling into his lap as he moved, and she had to arch her back very high to clear him. She managed to twitch her hips ever so slowly and the tip of his cock rested against her clit. He gasped, his arms coming up and wrapping around her waist and she teased him for only a moment. Another gentle, minute wiggle had the head positioned firmly at her opening, and she looked down at his face as she began the slow descent.

She loved how the shock of disbelief warred with his passion. His eyes were beautifully dark and a sheen of sweat highlighted his cheekbones. Her insides stretched to accommodate him and the sensations were incredible. She slowed down to almost no movement at all and he thought she had bottomed out, so he gripped her hips and expected an upward stroke. She laughed softly and gave herself a moment, then carefully, deliberately, sank lower, until he was completely inside.

She was deliciously full, her insides wrapped tightly around his hardness and she loved every second of it. She shivered with pleasure and leaned close to kiss him gently. He was throbbing inside her and she needed a second to recover, to let her body adjust. His mouth opened to hers eagerly and one of his hands slipped from her hips. She cried out against his lips when that hand found itself between them and his thumb pressed hard against her clit. She managed to not bite him, though she desperately wanted to, and instead leaned back to allow him better access. Compulsively her hips wiggled slightly and she felt her orgasm rushing to break free.

Something of the surprise must have shown on her face, because she heard him chuckle softly before he began to move his hips against her. The slow, shallow movements were all she needed and she arched hungrily against him as her climax overcame her. Her inner walls flexed and spasmed and she knew she was soaking his lap with her juices. He didn't seem to mind, keeping his thumb pressed against her and holding her through it. He was shaking by the time she came back to earth and she groaned.

"That's hardly fair, Kimber. I've had two now, and you haven't had any." She looked down at him with a throaty whisper and he grinned as she pushed him against the back of the couch and braced herself against his strong shoulders. She tucked her fingers into her palms so she wouldn't scratch him again and leaned forward, arching her hips high before slamming them down. His mouth closed around one of her nipples and his hands gripped her thighs. She repeated her movements, slowly at first, then more rapidly as her own passion grew. She was shocked at how aroused she was again, how ready she was to join him in orgasm, and she struggled against it.

She didn't have to struggle for long. The teasing and buildup and the day's stress had taken a toll on Kimber, and it took only a few swift strokes from her before his control dissolved and he bucked into her. His sudden reaction threw her off balance and he steadied her before pounding into her with a growl. The sound of flesh slapping and his throaty rumble satisfied something within her and she braced herself on his shoulders before moving with him. Together they moved rapidly toward release, and his mouth found hers as they crested together. She swallowed his guttural groans, whimpering hungrily until they both collapsed against the couch.

Rachel felt as if her hips were broken and it was fantastic. The afterglow made everything better, and weakly she tried to sit up straighter to look at him. She saw the look of wonder on his face and it made her smile.

"You're looking at me as if I'm some sort of magical being."

He grinned. "You are. That was amazing. Is it always like that?"

She felt warmth spread across her cheeks and realized she was blushing. "No, it's not. You're very skilled."

"Aw, shucks ma'am. I just did the best I could with what I had available." He leaned forward and kissed her bare shoulder, an unexpectedly intimate gesture and she melted a little inside. Suddenly, she didn't want him to go anywhere after they rescued his sister and the intensity of her feelings shocked her. Instantly she decided that, regardless of what happened later, she would enjoy this night.

Kimber watched a scattering of emotions flicker across her face with interest. She was so very human and he had to remind himself that she wasn't. Not that it was particularly hard, because all he had to do was remember the pain of the scratches she'd left. Scratches that had now healed after she'd licked them. He had been unexpectedly aroused by that, and it was confusing. Rachel was essentially a complete stranger, but he felt something for her that both excited and baffled him. He'd never felt this close to someone so quickly before, especially not a mark. Yeah you're normally killing fat old white dudes though. I don't think that's comparable. He shot a glance at the ample breasts pressed against him. No, definitely not comparable.

Rachel saw him glance surreptitiously at her chest and it amused her. She made a move to slide off of him. "Come on, I'll show you were you can clean up."

His firm hands on her waist stopped her. "You're light, I'll carry you. I assume it's somewhere upstairs?"

She stared at him hard, his eyes looking curiously into hers, before shrugging. "Yep."

True to his word, he stood up easily, her limbs wrapping around him, and he carried her upstairs. She made a split decision and directed him to her bedroom. "There."

Kimber was pretty sure they were heading for the master bedroom, and the room they entered did not disappoint. It was huge, taking up almost one entire side of the house, a suite into itself. He moved through the bedroom, past the enormous closet, and into the richly appointed bathroom. It was all marble and gold fixtures, with a wide double sink facing a tub easily big enough for four people. A shower bigger than most hotel bathrooms dominated a far corner, glass enclosed with several showerheads scattered over the wall and ceiling. He headed for the sink and placed her there, still looking around.

"I think this bathroom might be larger than some of the apartments I've rented." No, he knew it was bigger, but it felt better to make it a joke than an observation. Her throaty laugh soothed him and he turned back to her to watch her wrap her hair up into a bun with a scrunchie.

"Yeah, well, when you spend a few hundred years in abject, crushing poverty, under the thumb of abusive assholes, you tend to reward yourself when you can." She edged him aside with a gentle knee before slipping to the floor gracefully and padding to the shower. He leaned against the sink, admiring the soft jiggle of her butt as she walked.

"How did you get out of it?"

She adjusted a couple fixtures and water began to pour from a few of the showerheads. She waited to step out before answering. "Get out of what?" She disappeared into a nearby closet.

"Get out of abject, crushing poverty. You said you were a slave, what happened that you were able to break free?"

She emerged with a couple large, fluffy towels and she carefully laid them over a towel warmer. She pondered his words and her potential response, suddenly unsure. "I just realized no one has ever asked me that, so I'm not sure how to answer." She held out a hand for him and he stepped forward, engulfing her small hand in his huge mitt, and she led them into the shower.

As they washed, she regaled him with a mildly edited version of her origin story. "Obviously the biggest advantage I had was being turned into a vampire." She skipped over those more gory details. "But after a while, I determined I was strong enough to escape, so I did. And I started kind of wandering the world. Then I discovered I could steal from humans very easily, and I stopped wandering and instead started chasing a goal. I ended up on a pirate ship after a while, eventually took it over, and then every so often I'd disappear with my riches. I figured out soon that I had to put the literal gold into something, so I started with real estate. Over the years, it all just kind of accumulated, and then I started selling chunks off, and kept working that until the early 19^th century. By that point, America had become a force to be reckoned with, and I came over here and started investing. The railroads made me disgustingly wealthy. Oil, too."

Kimber listened intently, struggling between his interest in her words and his enjoyment of the shower. It had been years since he'd had a shower with this flow strength and this warmth, and after the evening's events he was only too happy to stand under the spray and soak.

He started when her words stopped and one fingertip traced over his spine. She was gentle but the caress was incredible and he shivered violently.

"Well, you have my story. What about yours? How did you get into this?"

He turned, her green eyes luminous and soft and he'd have given her just about anything in that moment. He gave in to a ridiculous impulse and picked her up. Her legs wrapped around him in a familiar gesture and he settled them against the wall. Her hair was out of the spray, though it sluiced over their chests and he braced himself on his elbows. He resisted the urge to kiss her, knowing it'd lead down a separate path, and tried to focus.

"My story is not as interesting as yours."

She smiled, her hands coming around to bury themselves in his wet hair. "Sure it is. It's something I don't know, and new knowledge is always interesting."

There was a sparkle of legitimate interest in her eyes and he relented. "I was the son of a pair of good, old fashioned rednecks, complete with meth addictions. I was fourteen when Katie was born, and fifteen when my parents overdosed. I didn't want to go into foster care, and I knew they'd split me and Kate up, so I hit the streets for the biggest dealer locally. He gave us a room, I made enough to keep her fed and in diapers, and then when I was 18 I headed here. The mafia needed an enforcer, and I was what they were looking for, despite being a skinny redneck punk with a baby."

She hated the hurt that echoed in his voice and she touched his cheek. "You've been taking care of your sister since you were fifteen?"

He smiled at the awe in her voice and gave a halfhearted shrug. "Yeah. I loved her, molestations run rampant in foster homes, and no one really wanted a teenager with anger issues and a fighting background. No one except the mob, at least, so what else was I to do?"

She nodded slowly, her thumb stroking his jaw. "It makes sense. I'm just amazed. That's really impressive, Kimber."

He warmed to her appreciation. "Well, thank you. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, if it meant keeping her out of the Mississippi DFACS. And then, just gradually, I made a name, and started earning enough to start traveling once Katie was about ten. I had been in the gym when I wasn't working, picked up a few underground fights but they never paid the fighters what we earned. Besides, it's kind of hard to look tough when you're already bruised and battered." He smiled dryly and she nodded.

"A couple years ago, Mauricio sent me out on my first hit. I pulled it off really well, apparently, and that's how I got into this mess. I wanted out and he's not the type of asshole who lets people out. Unfortunately, he's also the highest ranking Bertoli family member, so what he says, goes." He trailed off, his eyes growing hard and Rachel kissed his forehead gently.

"Kimber, we're going to get her out of there."

He flicked haunted eyes to hers and nodded shortly. "I know, you promised." He dropped his gaze again and withdrew from her slightly and she studied him curiously for a moment.

"But you're feeling guilty that you're here, in a nice house, eating a good meal, in enjoyable company while your sister is not."

He squirmed and stepped back, letting her body slide down his. "Is that some vampire mind-reading trick?"

She smiled gently and stretched up to kiss him lightly. "No. That comes from years of dealing with people. Come on." She spun the faucets and the flood of water stopped. "Let's dry off and go to bed."

She slipped past him and wrapped herself in one of the warm towels before tossing him the other one. He watched her as he quickly dried, and she pulled a spare toothbrush from under the sink before pulling her own out and beginning to brush her own teeth.

"Do vampires get cavities?" He leaned against the sink in amusement and she shook her head before spitting out a mouthful of goo.

"No, but we do have morning breath and this cuts down on it."

He was reminded of their earlier excess and he paused before he reached for the spare toothbrush. "What about STDs?"

She grinned impishly at him over the toothbrush and before she lowered her head to rinse her mouth he swore he saw a glitter of mischief. "No, we're immune to most human afflictions. Condomless sex is a safe deed with us. No pregnancies, either." She finished and padded off to the bedroom, and he brushed his teeth in relieved silence. Obviously he should have thought about that earlier, but he'd been otherwise distracted. No excuse, Kimber. An angry voice inside nagged him and he gritted his teeth around the toothbrush. I'm not slipping up. There's nothing we can do until tomorrow, I'm just making the best of a once in a lifetime experience.

He left the bathroom to see Rachel already in bed, and his heart leaped when her eyes lit up at the sight of him. She flicked back the comforter and patted the bed beside her. "You're welcome to spend the night in here, if you want. It's a big enough bed for the both of us."

She wasn't kidding, really. It was a king sized bed, but the ornately carved canopy bedframe made it appear much larger. He padded over and paused beside the empty space. "Is it safe?" He quipped nervously, the excitement gripping him.

She looked at him questioningly and he nodded at her. "Sleeping beside a vampire. I'm not going to accidentally touch you and wake up to a severed hand, right?"

She grinned. "I'm making no promises. But yes, you'll be fine. I probably won't sleep, to be honest. We don't need a lot of it in the first place and feeding tonight has energized me. There are several guest rooms if you're more comfortable in one of them, though."

He shook his head and climbed into bed beside her, relaxing against the thick pillows. "So if you're not going to sleep, what are you going to do?"

She scooted down and stretched out next to him, close enough to feel her warmth but not close enough to touch. His skin prickled in response and he had to struggle to pay attention to her answer.

"I might catch up on my reading. Maybe a light, short doze, definitely some meditation." She paused and looked at him with a bland expression. "Maybe I'll just stare at you as you sleep."

Kimber couldn't help the laugh that erupted and he dipped his head. "Yeah, have fun with that."

She grinned at his mirth. "I will. Why is that funny?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, it's just really entertaining to imagine you, a vampire, a mystical being, watching a human sleep."

"Why?" She was genuinely curious and he shrugged. A yawn split his face and he covered his mouth before snuggling farther under the blankets.

"Because I'd think you had better things to do than watch some busted up, immoral killer sleep."

Rachel studied his face with an inscrutable look. His eyes had closed and he looked as though he were already dozing off, and she was reluctant to keep the debate going. Instead she nodded slightly. "I see."

He didn't speak again and she finally settled herself silently beside him. Her mind was racing with confusion and her heart was uncertain. She felt excited and satisfied and a warmth had built in her chest that was both familiar and strange. She lay there, comfortably, watching him sleep until dawn.

Kimber awoke with a start, and a quick glance at the bedside clock told him it was much later than he normally rose. 11am? What? He sat upright in the empty bed and his eyes landed on his bag in a chair in a corner of the room. Rachel must have been thoughtful and brought it up for him, and he squirmed with conflicting feelings. And a full bladder. Oof.

He came out of the bathroom, absently thankful there was a toilet at all in the house of a vampire, and dressed in a pair of sweats with a tank. He heard noises downstairs and he followed them to the massive kitchen-den they'd spent so much time in the night prior. Rachel was sitting on the couch, studying the TV intently, her legs tucked under her.

"You know that stuff will rot your brain." She didn't turn to look at him, only cocked her head at the news channel.

"I don't understand what humans see in it. They're obviously overreacting to nothing, and it matters so little to 'the people.' Where's the real information?"

Kimber grinned at her confusion and sat down, resisting the absurd urge to press a kiss to her cheek. "I don't understand, either. The real information doesn't bring in big ratings, and so everything is overdone. And you're watching Fox News, and that makes it worse."

She smiled and flicked the channel to ESPN. "They're all pretty bad, to be completely honest. I'm really just mostly amazed that it hasn't changed in a few hundred years. The media as we know it is trying to manipulate the masses, and the masses are too often not smart enough to know better. Sleep well?"

He nodded. "Like a rock. Kind of hard not to, your bed is exceptionally comfortable."

She grinned. "Yeah, once I could afford it, I swore I'd never again sleep on a cot on the floor. There's bacon and eggs, if you're hungry."