Dying Forever (Waking Forever Book 3) (33 page)

“You should call Bryce to come get you now
, Ali.” Ash gently placed her hand on the blonde’s back. “You’re done here.”

The relief that washed over Alison was palatable and a long exhale of breath ensued. “Okay. Great.” She reached for her phone and text
ed Bryce Tom’s address. Bryce responded within a minute that she would be there shortly and would text Alison to meet her in the parking lot.

Alison
leaned against the wall, her entire body tense. She struggled against her instinct to numb the pain, knowing that would only make it worse later. She liked Tom; the heinousness of his murder was unbearable. Knowing
why
he died pushed Alison to the brink of hysterics and she felt the tightness of it closing around her throat.

“Should I walk you down?” Ash asked as Alison received Bryce’s text that she had arrived.

“No. I’m fine.” Alison couldn’t make eye contact with her friend.

“That’s bullshit
, Ali, but I’ll let you off easy, considering...” Ash nodded toward the apartment.

“It’s obvious?” Alison felt the slow spinning in her head begin to pickup spe
ed.

“It’s appropriate.” Ash smiled. “Get going. I’ll call y’all tonight.”

Grateful for how well Ash understood her, Alison simply nodded and walked toward the parking lot. The need to flee the scene of Tom’s death pushed her into a rapid walk as she rounded the corner and saw Bryce’s white Corolla parked near the entrance to the apartment complex.

It occurred to Alison as she crossed the parking
lot that Annabel could still be there, watching and waiting. The fear took Alison by surprise and she hated that she had succumbed to it.

Bryce emerged from t
he car, clad in a pair of jeans and a long sleeve black t-shirt, with her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. She quickly walked toward Alison and pulled her to her. The two women embraced and without speaking, made their way back to Bryce’s car.

The silence seemed to thicken the air in the car as they drove toward Alison’s house
, causing Bryce to clear her throat before speaking. “Do you want to talk about what happened?” Alison couldn’t help the quick smile that flashed across her face at the cliché question.

“What?” Bryce frowned, confused by Alison’s reaction.

Shaking her head, Alison ran her fingers through her hair and sank lower into the car seat, the weight of the day pushing into her. “Nothing, I just wouldn’t know where to start.”

The remainder of the drive went quickly as Bryce maneuvered the car through the city and into Alison’s neighborhood. Walking into the house,
surrounded by the familiarity of her home, Alison felt some semblance of herself return.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Bryce tucked her car keys into her jean pocket as she looked expectantly at Alison. “Or, would you prefer I wait outside? Give you some time.”

Alison had just sat down on the couch when Bryce caught her by surprise with the question. Looking up, she could see the uncertainty in the woman. Her shoulders were tense and her eyes moved nervously around the room, unwilling to settle on Alison.

The pushing and pulling that waged inside her was keeping Alison off center and feeling unbalanced. She had never had a taste for drama or tragedy
. In spite of her feelings for the woman standing in front of her, she was overwhelmed with dread and worry.

“I need
a few minutes on my own.” Alison got up and though her body ached to be near Bryce, she stepped toward the hall leading to her bedroom. “I’m going to lie down, please - just - just wait here.” Her eyes brimmed with tears, her voice verging on pleading.

Bryce’s expression was blank and she simply nodded as the blonde woman left the room. Shutting the door to her bedroom, Alison
lay across her bed and took several deep breaths. Tears began to flow as her thoughts spun off into the countless outcomes that might await her.

She knew there was a very real chance she could meet the same fate as Tom, or worse
- the people she cared about could. The situation was an extreme opportunity for her to move beyond the boundaries she had militantly enforced over the years, and the risk to reward ratio was what she was struggling with.

You don’t owe me anything.
Bryce’s words came back to Alison and she rolled onto her side, wiping at her tear stained cheeks, her head beginning to ache from crying. She felt rotten and sick to her stomach for even considering walking away from Bryce. She was falling in love with the woman against her better judgment, in spite of her tendency toward the safe and known.

Part of her was resentful for the confusion and suffering her relationship with the vampire was causing
. But then, somewhere, either in her heart or her head - Alison couldn’t be sure - she knew she wasn’t being diminished by what was happening around her; rather, she was being changed. There was no ideal world, life, or relationship. There was only how she chose to move through the spaces around her that mattered.

A faint knock o
n her bedroom door brought Alison out of her musing and she sat up in bed. “Yes?”

Bryce opened the door slowly, peering into the dimly lit bedroom. “I’m going to call Ash and see if she can come over
. Or Emma maybe. I need to leave.” The woman’s voice wavered slightly as she spoke.

Alison sat on the edge of the bed. “Why?”

“I have some things to take care of and I don’t want to leave you alone.” Bryce looked down at the floor as she spoke.

Alison stood up, but didn’t feel certain enough about her own feelings to close
the literal or figurative space between her and Bryce. “That’s not what I meant. Why do you
want
to leave?”

Bryce looked up, her green eyes glowing in the low light of the room. Alison took a deep breath to steady herself, wanting nothing more than to touch the beautiful woman. “I don’t want to leave, but I think you’re right
. You could use some time on your own. This isn’t easy for you.”

Alison’s feet managed to move and a second later she was standing a few feet from Bryce. “I don’t know what I want, but you telling me you’re leaving makes me unhappy; so for now, I’ll take that to mean I don’t want you to leave.”

Bryce’s face remained stoic as she managed to finally make eye contact with Alison. “I’m not very good at talking about how I feel. I wasn’t when I was human and that hasn’t gotten any better.”

Smiling, Alison walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “We’re being forced to fast forward ou
r relationship - a sprint, when I think we both prefer a leisurely run.” She looked intently at Bryce, trying to gage her reaction. The redhead remained perfectly still.

Clearing her throat, Alison went on. “
I really need you to say something.”

It was several seconds before Bryce spoke and when she did
, Alison had to strain to hear her. “I want you.” Swallowing, the woman shook her head. “I mean I want you in my life. I don’t even know how to make you happy, but -” Looking down, Bryce struggled. “But I want to try.” Her eyes met Alison’s. “I
need
to make you happy. It - it makes me happy.”

The visceral response of elation and relief Alison had to Bryce’s admission told her more about her feelings than any number of hours contemplating them could.
Reaching her hand toward the redhead, Alison gestured for the woman to join her. Cautiously, Bryce sat down on the bed next to Alison.

Taking Bryce’s cool hand in hers, she entwined their fingers.
Bringing the tip of Bryce’s finger to her lips, Alison gently kissed it, then turned her attention to the smoothness of the vampire’s palm.

Bryce looked at Alison and lifted her hand to gently stroke the woman’s hair. The two women embraced and Bryce clung to Alison, her arms wrapped firmly
around her shoulders. Alison shifted and found Bryce’s lips.

A
quiet sigh escaped Bryce. Alison gently laid her back on the bed and ran her warm hand up under the vampire’s shirt, her smooth, cool skin sending a shock of heat up Alison’s arm. Bending over, Alison lifted the hem of Bryce’s shirt, reveling in the flat planes of her stomach.

The fullness and warmth of the blonde’s lips
as she placed a series of light kisses across her stomach caused a shutter to ripple through Bryce as her fingers entwined in Alison’s short locks.

Sliding onto the floor, Alison kneeled between Bryce’s legs. Releasing the button on the redhead’s jeans, Alison pulled the fabric aside
. She placed a series of kisses on each inch of newly exposed skin and delicately bit the woman’s jutting hip bones. Leaning back, Alison pulled Bryce’s jeans down and off, discarding them in a pile on the floor next to her.

The scent of orange and vanilla wafted over Alison as she ran her tongue up the inside of Bryce’s thigh. The tips of the vampire’s fingers dug into the flesh of Alison’s shoulders as a moan escaped the redhead.
Bryce’s back arched as Alison began to suck and lick her hardened clit, her hips instinctively rocking back and forth.

Alison entered Bryce slowly
. Marveling at how tight the woman under her was, Alison was unable to stifle the accompanying moan that escaped her own lips, the taste and feel of the beautiful woman stirring a well of longing and desire in the pit of the blonde’s stomach.

With increased urgency, Alison thrust
her fingers deeper into Bryce, her tongue maintaining constant pressure on the vampire’s clit as she strained against Alison’s onslaught. A stifled cry filled the room as Bryce climaxed, her body tensing around Alison. Moments later, Bryce clutched at Alison, pulling her up from the floor so she lay next to her.

“Wait. There’s time. I just want to hold you right now.” Hearing the words leave her mouth, Alison blushed and covered her face with her hand. “God, that sounded so cheesy out loud.”

Bryce pulled the woman’s hand down, a smile on her perfect lips. “Why?”

“Come on. I sound like a stereotype from one of those awful lesbian romance novels.” She turned her face into the pillow.

Bryce kissed her cheek and neck, the heat of Alison’s embarrassment making her ears especially warm to the touch. “I don’t read those, but I liked what you said.”

Cautiously opening one eye, and then the other, Alison looked at Bryce
. Not hearing or seeing any hint of irony, she pulled the woman to her, burying her face in the side of the vampire’s neck. “Well,
now
I don’t want to wait.”

“It’s a vampire cabal and I’m feeling like the odd human out… or lunch.” Alison gripped Bryce’s hand tightly as they stood on Coleen’s doorstep.

Laughing, Bryce leaned over and kissed the nervous woman on the cheek. “You were great the first time; so I have no doubt you’ll hold your own again. Kind of like last night.” The woman smirked.

A flush reddened Alison’s face as she recalled their lovemaking the night before. “You’re funny. And classy.” She playfully poked at the woman’s arm. She had noticed that after Bryce’s secrets and feelings were revealed, the woman seemed to be more comfortable in her own skin. And Alison was enjoying the more open Bryce. “Now, back to my panic attack. Aren’t there two more vampires this time?”

Alison was
talking about the text Ash had sent Bryce a few hours prior. The detective had asked the two women to come back to Coleen’s. Evidently Rachel Collins and Sara Glass had just returned from a trip to Italy and needed to be brought up to speed on the situation. Alison had no idea how friendly - if at all - the two would be toward her as the lone human in the group.  Granted, no one had tried to eat her last time, but she couldn’t assume all vampires would be as restrained as those she’d met so far.

“
I’m sure Ash wouldn’t have asked you to come along if there were any issues.” Bryce assured Alison as she hooked her arm through Bryce’s.

Nodding
, Alison took a fortifying breath as the front door opened. A clearly annoyed Rayven greeted them with a pronounced eye roll as she left the door open and walked back into the house.

“I don’t think she likes me.” Alison stated matter-of-factly.

“Count your blessings. You’ve managed to shut her up at least.” Bryce and Alison walked into the house hand-in-hand and were greeted by Lewis.

“Ladies, I was just making myself a drink
. Can I get you anything?” Even dressed in a casual pair of jeans and a cinnamon red t-shirt, Alison thought he was the most beautiful man she had ever met. It helped that he was gracious and clearly harbored no ill will toward her or Bryce.

“I think I should keep my wits about me
, Lewis, but thank you.” Alison smiled broadly at the man.

“I’m good
, too. Thank you.” Bryce scanned the entryway of the house. “Where is everyone?”

“Coleen is on a call
; Rachel and Sara are in the study. I can show you there if you would like.” He flashed a genuine smile at the two women.

“I know where it is. Go get that drink.” Bryce steered Alison down a long hall, past a series of closed doors and into a large library.