Note: The sequel, Blood Ties, is up and running!

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Well, here we are. The last installment of my humble little story. A warning to everyone - this chapter has a sex scene. If you don’t want to read it you can skip down to the break.

A huge thank you to my reviewers: KMD3271, jammi, nicash228822, utter Madness, and Elle!

Your words are gold.

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8. A Beginning

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Sometime during the night I felt him shift beside me.

Immediately, I panicked and fumbled around for his arm. He was going to slip out in the dead of night, I knew it. He was going to leave me to wake up cold and alone in my own bed. In my half-awake state, I got his shoulder instead.

“Don’t go,” I pleaded in a sleep strained voice. “I don’t want you to go.”

I would die if he left. Not literally, maybe, but the idea made my chest ache in a distinctly painful way. I grasped him tighter.

“Calm down,” he told me, though not sternly. “I wasn’t leaving.”

Relief filled me in waves, and as I slowly shook off all vestiges of sleep I realized how utterly crazy I must have looked to Greyson. Crazy and clingy. Though I found it terrifying how much the thought of him disappearing upset me. I had deceived myself into thinking he was leaving several times over the past few days and each time I became more desperate for him to stay.

Nonetheless, I released him quickly and shuffled over a bit over in the bed to give him more room.

He reached for me this time, one large hand sliding around my back and pulling me back towards him. He nestled me into his chest, which after the initial shock I realized was quite bare. His cool skin was oddly comforting with the warmth of my covers.

His other arm slipped under my neck to cradle my head, and I couldn’t help but repay his tender gesture with one of my own. Unable to stop myself, my lips found the smooth skin of his chest and lingered there, my tongue flicking out once to taste him. I felt him stiffen slightly, inhaling sharply as my tongue touched his cool skin. I don’t know what came over me, but I was encouraged by his reaction and boldly laved hot, open-mouthed kiss further up his chest.

In a split second he had flipped us, his chest pressed firmly against mine as my back sank into the bed. His forearms pressed into the bed on either side of my head and I realized (with mild heart palpitations), that he’d managed to slip in between my legs and his hips were now pressed snugly against mine.

The coolness of his skin had warmed and I could feel his hardening erection through both layers of our clothes. It caused an ache to start in between my legs – an ache that hadn’t been satisfied the night before and had returned with a vengeance.

I jumped as his lips touched the soft skin of my neck, just under my ear. I was somewhat surprised to find that his lips were as warm as the rest of him. His chest and arms were surrounding me like a furnace. I choked down a gasp as his tongue, hot and smooth, ran up the length of my pulse. Fighting the fear down, I grabbed handfuls of my sheets to stop myself from pushing him away. I tried to remember his words from last night.

Then his voice rumbled in my ear, low and husky. “Don’t start something you’re not going to finish.” He punctuated his statement with several small kisses down my throat.

My heart was racing. I felt the words I wanted to say stuck in the back of my throat. My breath sped up as he continued to lavish kisses upon my neck, then up to my jaw and on my cheek.

“I—” I exhaled sharply as his lips found my ear. He sucked gently on the lobe. “T-tomorrow’s my day off.”

He gave one last tug to my ear before pulling away slightly to regard my face in the darkness. I wondered how good his vision was at night, but tucked the question away for another time. He seemed to find what he was looking for, because his mouth crashed down on mine and one word echoed in my ears.

Good.

Thoughts flew out of my head as his lips possessed me. They were soft and warm and rubbed against mine in a way that made my blood sing. He nipped on my bottom lip, laved his tongue against the hurt. He kissed me until I was breathless and had to break away to gasp in air.

His mouth latched onto my neck again as his hands slid under the hem of my long sleeved shirt. His warm fingers tickled my skin as they sought out the clasp of my bra. I moaned with elation as his hands caressed my breasts. When he rubbed his thumbs over my nipples my pelvis lifted of its own accord, grinding into the hard bulge of his erection. It caused a delicious friction that had us both panting.

Greyson made a gruff sound in his throat. He pulled away from me quickly, moving so he was kneeling, but brought me with him with his hands still under my shirt. It was a manoeuvre that I didn’t quite have time to see. Even then, I was distracted as he yanked my shirt off my body (my arms complying of their own will), and discarded my bra on the floor.

We were both naked from the chest up now and though I couldn’t see much, Greyson was devouring the sight of my chest with what I imagined was the serious look of a wine connoisseur. But being as I wasn’t fond of wine or being openly inspected, I hurried to cross my arms.

I didn’t get the chance to. Greyson had already pushed me back onto the bed and pinned my arms above my head. Stunned, I started to protest – then his hot mouth closed over my nipple and sucked.

I made a startled sound and arched against him. He’d moved between my legs again and I wound them desperately around his hips in an attempt to push myself closer to him. My hands itched to touch his skin and I gave a feeble struggled that ended as his hot tongue began swirling across my nipple until it ached with hardness.

“Greyson!” I ground out desperately.

I heard him chuckle (he actually chuckled!) and he obliged my unstated plea by releasing my hands.

I immediately latched my arms around his neck, intending to direct him back to my lips. He released my breast with one final tug and went willingly, his lips pressing softly to mine. I sighed against him but stiffened a moment later when I felt his fingers on the front button of my jeans. It undid without protest under his hand – the same with the zipper, all the while his lips and tongue doing clever things to mine.

But then he stopped, perhaps feeling my uncertainty.

When he pulled away to look me in the eye, it struck me very suddenly what was happening. I was prepared to have sex with Greyson. And he was a vampire.

The last time I’d had sex was when I had turned nineteen and taken a trip to the next town over with Lemon to celebrate. We’d gone bar hopping and somewhere along the way I’d picked up a wizard around my age and had woken up in his bed the next morning with a serious hangover and not much recollection of what had occurred between us. The nakedness said it all, though. I had snuck out before he’d woken up and hadn’t seen him since.

My first time I didn’t remember and my second time with a vampire. A sardonic voice in the back of my head was laughing at me, but as my gaze met Greyson’s in the near blackness I found I didn’t care.

Not one bit.

Somewhat shakily, I moved my hands from his shoulders to the tops of my jeans. I began to push them down, hooking my thumb in my underwear as well. Might as well kill two birds with one stone.

Together, we managed to wrangle my jeans off my body and discarded them with clothes already on the floor.

Greyson sat back. I could only see his outline and I once again got the feeling that he could see much more than I could.

Slowly, he reached out and let his fingers rest on my stomach. He trailed caressed the skin there for a moment, causing me to wriggle again because I really was quite ticklish. His touchs were reverent. I wished I could see his face. I wanted to know what he was thinking.

He moved to my hips, then down my thighs. When his fingers caressed inside of my thighs I shuddered. He lingered there, but never moved quite close enough to the ache between my legs. Moving his body as well his hands went around to the backs of my knees – I couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter as I twitched violently.

He laughed. It was like honey. It was music to my ears.

I was infinitely grateful I’d taken the time to shave my legs when he ghosted his hands down my calves. His fingers barely touched my feet and I had to bite my lip and grip the sheets to stop from moving away.

Then he was gone – standing at the foot of my bed. I heard the distinct flow of fabric as it hit the floor. I only caught a moment’s glimpse at his silhouette before he was back over top me, his face hovering above mine. The swiftness of his movements left me a bit dizzy.

“I like that you’re ticklish,” he admitted softly, and I could hear the smile in his voice.

My mind raced for a response to his blatant admission, but I couldn’t find one. And it didn’t matter the next moment, because he lowered himself on top of me and our naked flesh met completely for the first time.

The ache between my legs flared up as I felt him for the first time, pressed firmly against my inner thigh, hot and throbbing. Or maybe it was me that was throbbing.

I let out a shaky moan.

“Greyson,” I gasped quietly. I felt the need to inform him what he was getting into before it was too late. “I’ve only done this – oh!” He had ground his hips into mine, his erection hitting me in just the right spot.

His lips hovered over the pulse in my neck. I could feel his hot breath.

“I could never hurt you,” he murmured into my skin.

His words went straight between my legs. I felt myself melt on the inside. I felt so good it almost hurt.

“I – oh! – that wasn’t what I meant – oh fey!” He ground himself into me again, hitting my sweet spot. My body jolted. I was grasping his around the neck with my fingers buried in his hair.

He pressed his tongue briefly to my pulse. “Then what’s the problem?” His voice sounded a bit gruffer than before.

I swallowed. “I – uhn!” Suddenly I couldn’t manage speech.

Greyson had slid one hand between my legs and ran his fingers up through my wet folds and further to stroke that sweet spot that set me on fire. His finger moved in small circles and I grasped his shoulders to keep me grounded, digging my blunt nails deep into his skin.

He lapped at my pulse while he rubbed, working me into a frenzy of gasps and moans. Already, I could feel sweet strains of pleasure building, occasionally spiking into a small wave that jolted me and left me crying aloud. The ache between my legs continued to increase until it was unbearable. I was empty and I needed him inside me – I needed him deep and hard and fast.

“Please,” I managed to gasp out. My hands moved restlessly across his back and I wrapped my legs tighter around his hips. I pressed my chest against his, begging him wordlessly with my body.

He ignored me, almost teasingly, and nipped at my neck.

“Please! Greyson!” I grasped his face with my hands and pressed my lips desperately against his. He caught my bottom lip between his teeth and the scrape of his teeth distracted me slightly.

He gave me one last flick before settling against my wet opening. I moaned happily at the contact, the tip of him just barely dipping into me. I could almost tell the moment he gave in. His tongue pressed furiously against mine as he pushed smoothly inside me.

For a sort moment I was distinctly uncomfortable and willed him to stop, but Greyson swallowed my protests as he thrust deeper, filling me completely. I felt stretched but it was a good feeling that satisfied the empty ache inside me.

He freed my lips as he pulled back out almost completely before thrusting his hips sharply and impaling me again. I gasped into the darkness as I was stretched anew, the head of his erection hitting deep inside me and causing sparks of pleasure to zing up my nerves. I grabbed him around the shoulders and held on as he braced himself above me and began a short, sharp rhythm that stoked the fire inside me. He was large and hard and hit me in just the right spots.

It was embarrassing to picture myself as a screamer, but I was crying out within minutes, sweating and arching against his body, meeting his thrusts with small, desperate ones of my own.

“Greyson!” I moaned into his ear, clutching his back which was slick with a sheen of perspiration. He drove himself into me just a bit quicker, and I could only encourage him. “Harder, please!” I begged.

Shifting his weight slightly, he pulled my legs higher up on his torso and thrust into me with more force than before.

I howled with pleasure as he struck me inside, jolts of pleasure radiating through my pelvis. We rocked against each other, the small adjustment making all the difference as I recognized a familiar pressure building quickly deep in my core. It ached and pulsed and with each thrust, increasing, threatening to consume me until finally it exploded. I howled out my release, squeezing my eyes shut against the bright spots in my vision. I felt my muscles spasm around Greyson’s formidable erection as he continued to pound into my climaxing body. I shuddered in pure rapture.

My wail trailed off into a long moan and Greyson stiffed above me, his breath hitching for a moment. His lips pressed tightly against my neck and I heard a rumbling in his throat as he followed me over the edge. His hot seed erupted deep within me, causing me to shudder anew. He thrust gently a few more times, spilling himself completely before stilling and resting against me.

Our chests pressed together as we lay for a long moment, out of breath.

Eventually, Greyson shifted as if to move off of me but I gripped him feebly, boneless and exhausted. He would move if he wanted to, but I didn’t want him to. I liked the heavy feeling of his weight atop me and the pleasurable tingle deep within me as his erection softened.

Giving into my whims, he settled back against me, pressing a small kiss to my lips before resting his head in the crook of my neck.

I sighed deeply with satisfaction. My eyes threatened to close with a wave of drowsiness. Yet I turned my head to the side to press my lips against Greyson’s ear, half hidden by his damp, curly hair.

He shifted, turning his face until out noses nearly touched and we could stare into each other’s eyes.

Maybe my vision was becoming accustomed to the dark because I could see the grey of his irises and the soft set to his usually sharp features.

I think we both knew that what he had just done was not just sex. I didn’t think it could ever be just sex between us. We had given too much to each other to become so unattached. And I wasn’t surprised to realize that I didn’t mind the least.

The words slipped out of my mouth.

“Will you stay tomorrow? And the day after that? And the next?”

A lazy smile stretched across his lips. “And the next,” he said.

I matched his smile. “Good,” I murmured, and closed my eyes.

I was halfway to sleep when I finally felt him slip from inside me. He moved to the side slightly, wrapping his arms around me and disturbing my position to pull me over so I lay against his chest. I couldn’t find the words to protest.

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I woke up the next morning in an inexplicably good mood.

Then I realized that I was half splayed over a vampire’s naked chest and remembered just why I was in such a good mood. The sex last night had been amazing, of course. The mere memory of it was enough to bring a hot blush to my cheeks. Not that I had much to compare it to considering my lack of proper former bed-mates. However, the odd romance novel or two that Dottie passed my way had nothing on last night. At least not in my opinion.

Greyson’s chest was cool under my cheek, and his chest rose steadily in slumber. I wondered briefly what he had been thinking about the past three days. It had become apparent that he wasn’t much for sharing his thoughts, though he had become increasingly more open with me as we spent more time together. And although last night hadn’t been much of a story-swapping kind of experience, I nonetheless felt that we had become even closer.

I wondered if it had something to do with our supposed bond.

Unwilling to wake up Greyson (I had no idea if he’d spent the night awake as he usually would have or had slept according to my schedule), I carefully lifted myself off his body. The arm that had been curled over me flopped onto the bed and when he didn’t wake I felt it was safe enough for me to move again.

With as much stealth as I could manage, I extracted a fresh nightgown from one of my drawers and padded silently towards the door. I lingered in the threshold a moment, watching Greyson in the dim light as he slept. I had probably kicked off the covers sometime during the night, as he was only partially covered by a corner of a sheet. It only covered it legs, to be more precise, leaving the rest of him open to my viewing pleasure.

He was striking, I realized. I didn’t know how I hadn’t seen it before – possibly because I had thought of him as nothing more than a vampire. Vampires weren’t human. They weren’t handsome.

This on was, though. He was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. Emphasis on all three of course. He was all lean muscle and pale skin. Even his eyelashes, the same shade of dark as his hair, were long and curled. I noticed that he had taken up the majority of my double bed quite easily and his feet were hanging off the very end.

I smiled to myself before heading to the washroom. My body still ached from last night, but in different places than before.

Indeed, when I stripped before the bathroom mirror there were purple marks marring the pale flesh of my breasts and neck. The injuries I had sustained from Malachi were all but gone and although I had a few sore spots on my hips and wrists, they were nothing. I ran into the corners of tables and got worse.

I let the hot water of the shower beat any lingering stiffness out of my muscles. I scrubbed the dirt and grime off my body – realizing that last night I hadn’t noticed and Greyson didn’t seem to care. He was probably about as dirty as I was.

When I stepped out of the bathroom I felt warm and clean. Still taking care to keep quiet, I padded past by bedroom again – pausing once to admire Greyson’s nakedness (he hadn’t moved and inch).

The stairs creaked a morning greeting as I went downstairs.

I perused my dim living room once before heading to the kitchen to prepare myself some tea and breakfast. No matter if I missed dinner or had a three course meal, I always woke up ravenous.

My thoughts turned to the vampire upstairs as I waiting on my kettle to boil.

Now that I had made it clear to him that I wanted – no, needed – him to stay, I had to think of how I could possibly explain him to Dottie and Gabe. Hell, how was I going to explain him to the world? Humans didn’t just shack up with vampires, just like they didn’t shack up with werethings or goblins. Not even if their blood ran pure magic. It just wasn’t done. It was a repulsive thought to most people.

According to the OTWJD, any supernatural beings currently under the law of seclusion were not allowed within town limits of any community limits, be they sorcering or not. Vampires were number one under this law because they liked tasty human treats. They were also the most likely to break the law. They didn’t often care about sorcering laws, I recalled. They barely cared for their own laws, if they had any. My experiences with vampires thus far led me to believe that they were organized entirely by domination.

A little barbaric, perhaps.

So I suppose I had a few choices to consider. I could (and this was the one my brain was a bit iffy about) simply come out and tell Dottie. She knew me best and she trusted my judgement – to a certain extent. She could probably warm Gabe up to the idea, but only if she could warm up to the idea first. I wasn’t sure I could tell anyone else but her, and the thought of her not understanding was a painful one.

Then, there was always the option of keeping it hush-hush. That didn’t appeal to me very much because I was never so great at keeping secrets. They ate at me like termites. I would probably break down eventually, thus leading me back to number one.

There was always the last option, of course. It appealed to me the least, but deep inside I admitted that it was a reasonable plan.

Ultimately, it involved me up and quitting my job, selling my house, taking out all my money from the bank and then disappearing in a cloud of dust with Greyson. I would fall off the face of the planet and Greyson and I would be free to go anywhere we wished – to do anything we wished. Be anyone we wished.

It frightened me to realize that I would be willing to do just that if Greyson asked me. I was pretty sure this was not normal behaviour. We’d only known each other for four days and he knew little about me and I knew even less about him.

Granted we’d drunk each other’s blood, did a trade up on our magic and brought down a vicious vampire Lord within those four days. Not to mention the sex. The sex was great.

That had to count for something, right?

A keening whistle interrupted my thoughts and I hurriedly unplugged my kettle and poured the water into my teapot. I dropped a chamomile tea bag in and scoured out an overly ripe pear from my fruit bowl. It bit into it hungrily.

My thoughts went back to Greyson. He had a say in this situation, too, I remembered. How could I forget?

I didn’t know if he had a life somewhere else. I didn’t know if he had a job (I’d heard s rumours that vampires were sometimes employed as private detectives or the like. In secret of course, and only by the bravest of the brave. And never did they receive public recognition). I didn’t know if he had a home. Suppose he wanted me to come with him? Wasn’t that the same thing as me expecting him to stick it around here?

I was glad when my tea had steeped because by then I had worried myself into a bundle of nerves. I gulped down the hot liquid, counting on it to pacify me somewhat.

Just then I heard the water turn on up above. Greyson was up, then. I was glad that he didn’t find it necessary to ask before using the shower. I liked the way he seemed to adopt my house as his own. It showed me that he felt comfortable being in my home, being around me. It showed me that he didn’t feel like a guest.

I wanted him to be a permanent resident. My whole being ached for him to stay. I’d gained his assurances last night, sure, but how long would that last? A week? A month? I knew that something inside me would wither and die if he left. I was dependant on him and it scared me.

I prepared myself some toast to get my mind moving onto other things. Just as I was spreading the jam evenly onto both slices, two hands came softly down on my shoulders.

I jumped, having been in my own world and oblivious to the fact that Greyson had entered the room. The knife fell from my hand and clattered onto the counter but I ignored it and turned around to face him.

He was very close, and towered over me as he usually did. There was a small smile quirking his lips and it made my insides melt. His hair was still somewhat damp and he wore pants only. I was struck momentarily speechless.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked me as I fought to find my tongue. His smile widened just a little bit, and his grey eyes held a spark of laughter in them.

I blushed to the roots of my hair. “Y-yes. What about you?” I managed to splutter out, moving so the small of my back rested against the counter.

“Very well,” he replied glibly. “But I had a beautiful woman sleeping next to me and I couldn’t help but watch her most the night.” He moved forward and placed both hands on the counter on either side of me. Leaning down, he pressed his nose into my still drying hair and inhaled.

“You – ah – you shouldn’t have. I m-mean, after last night you should have gotten some rest,” I said, but it came out garbled and I realized too late how it could have taken on a different meaning.

He chuckled into my hair. “No matter, Daphne. I’ve never needed much sleep,” he told me and the sound of my name on his lips was enough to bring me to my knees. Luckily, I had the counter and a vampire to keep me upright.

When I couldn’t respond (either due to lack of speech or extreme embarrassment or both), Greyson nuzzled his way down to my neck and began laving his tongue over my pulse. I wondered briefly if he had some sort of oral fixation – he always seemed to want his mouth on my neck.

I swallowed as his teeth grazed my skin. Fighting the urge to just close my eyes and enjoy the sensation, I moved my hands until they were on his shoulders and gently attempted to pry him away from me so I could talk to him.

“Greyson,” I murmured his name with an edge in my voice.

He caught on and slowly moved away from my neck, straightening to his full height. His translucent grey eyes regarded me with such intensity that I actually thought of stowing my concerns away for another hour or two and letting him have his way. Who was I to refuse one of the very few men who had ever shown interest in me?

I knew if I did that it would only get worse for me, though, so I took a deep breath and braced my hands on his shoulders.

“I need to know what’s going to happen with us, now, Greyson.” There, I’d said it. The words that no man ever wanted to hear from his girlfriend (could I even call myself that?).

I’d heard direct confrontation such as this was a kiss of death in a new relationship. Men always went running for the hills when faced with serious commitment.

Greyson didn’t run, however. He didn’t even move. He just continued to stare at me with that same intense look and I began to wonder if he’d even heard me. And when it became too much I actually opened my mouth to repeat myself (it was easier to do the second time), but then his hands were on me and he was lifting me, pushing my toast aside to sit me atop the counter.

I gaped at him. He rested his hands on my knees, urging me to part my legs. I did so, somewhat confused at this turn of events. He pressed himself close to me and looked me in the eye. I leaned back just a bit, uncomfortable and highly aware that my nightgown had bunched up around my thighs.

“Don’t you understand yet?” he asked me seriously.

I shook my head in confusion. “What? Understand what?” Panic welled up inside me as it occurred that this was his big speech before he took to the hills. I braced myself.

“I cannot leave you,” he told me with earnest.

Relief hit me like a wave. I was flattered, but at the same time more confused than ever. It wasn’t exactly a declaration of love – not even one of like. It could mean anything, really – like he couldn’t leave me because he was worried I’d be targeted by vengeful vampires.

Greyson heaved a sigh, a look of impatience crossing his face. It disappeared quickly as he schooled his features and tried again. “I mean, I cannot leave you because I am bound to you, just as you are to me.”

I narrowed my eyes slightly. The first time he’d mentioned this bond it hadn’t irked me as much. Now I felt that I hadn’t been told the whole story. “Define ‘bound’ to me, please.”

He shifted, pressing closer to me so our chests touched and I had to crane my neck to look up at him. “You are bound to me as in a blood bond. As a mate. We are tied together and I will not leave you.”

Although is last words softened the surprise, I still frowned at him. “What is this, the Palaeolithic period?” I demanded, leaning back slightly in order to get a better angle to glare up at him with.

He ignored my comment. “My blood magic had united with your blood magic, and as a result, we are bound. You weren’t complaining last night.”

I inhaled sharply. “Don’t throw that in my face, you – you vampire!” My voice raised slightly. “Why didn’t you explain this little bondage thing to me in the first place, huh?” I demanded.

His nostrils flared slightly. “I thought you understood,” he ground out. “You were amiable towards me – you didn’t seem to mind my company.”

“I was acting that way because I like you!” I blurted out angrily and then caught myself with horror and turned my face away.

Had I really just said that? We’d not mentioned our feelings yet and with the revelation of our ‘bond’ I couldn’t help but worry and wonder if he was only hanging around because he was forced to. We hadn’t declared anything to each other and there I’d gone, hopping into bed with him. Maybe he’d just done it because he could? Because I wanted to? The thought curdled in my stomach and a small tendril of panic gripped me.

Greyson’s fingers caught my chin and he struggled with me for a moment before managing to get me to face him. My face burned under his gaze.

He leaned in close, his fingers releasing my chin to wrap around the back of my neck.

“Good, because I like you too,” he murmured just before his lips covered mine.

I felt numb for a moment. Then I caught on and the happiness spread through my body and I kissed him back with as much gusto as I could manage. He pressed forward and I met him, our hips grinding together and my hands winding around his shoulders. His skin was hot to the touch.

Something like electricity sparked between us. Greyson groaned and grasped me by the backside, pulling me closer and into his front. I could feel his erection hardening.

He broke the kiss for a brief moment to shuck off his pants. Before he embraced me again I realized what the spark had been.

I was shining. Like a light bulb.

Greyson grinned at me faintly before covering my mouth with his. His hands slipped under my nightgown and he pulled us together. I went willingly, and when we were joined a wave of contentment I had never truly known swept over me.

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