Forever (The Forever series Book One) (5 page)

My Blackberry buzzes next to me. Wincing at it, I lean over
and grab it, as I see the sunrise. Checking the Caller ID it flashes CK.

Again?

I groan inwardly, Devon’s doing, no doubt, I realize with a
flash of irritation. “Hello, my love,” I say sweetly.

“Don’t try to distract me with endearments,” he snaps in
Italian. “I am very pissed at you.”

“Oh, why is that then?” I ask innocently.

“You know why,” he says shortly.

“You spoke to Devon?” I ask.

“What the fuck are you thinking?” he growls.

“That I think I love him and he needs to know,” I growl
back.

“We are not going to argue about this over the phone.” He
hangs up.

My mouth drops open in shock as I realize what he’s going to
do. Seconds later he pops up in front of me, in all his glorious anger.

“You teleported here to argue with me in person?” I ask in
disbelief.

Some very old Vampires develop this ability. CK is as old as
they come and has had this annoying--yet admittedly very cool--ability for over
four hundred years.

His furious gaze scans over my naked body; head to toe and
back again lingering in all the right places until his dark eyes pin my green
ones like two spikes.

I will not flinch, I will not flinch.

I handle CK very well by all accounts. He indulges me a lot
I think. I know he loves me and he knows I love him. But I often forget how
ferocious he can be. He can scare the crap out of me… and I don’t scare easily.

“Liv,” he growls, “you have five seconds to put some clothes
on, or we do this with you standing naked before me.”

Holy crap. I choose clothes and bolt for my robe, which I
left draped over a chair in the sitting room. Pulling it on, I step back out
onto the balcony, having the presence of mind to close the door so as not to
disturb Cole. CK doesn’t yell, ever, but I might. My anger rising up, I square
my shoulders and turn around with fire in my eyes.  Meeting his gaze and
holding it. Seconds, minutes, who knows how much time passes? Glaring at me, he
cocks his eyebrow in acknowledgment of my strength. CK makes mincemeat out of
the weak and fearful.

“Sit,” he demands.

I don’t move.

“Sit,” he says menacingly, “or I will make you.”

Regaining some of my composure I smirk, “I’d like to see you
try.”

His eyes flash at my defiance but I see the spark of pride
there as well.

“Don’t test my patience, my sweet. It’s bad enough that I
have had to come to this place, this cultural wasteland.” He sweeps his arm
around in disgust.

Knowing that he is talking about Los Angeles and not my
home, I still feel a bit affronted and cross my arms defensively.

“Well?” I say rudely, “make it quick. I have things to do.”

“Your boy tells me you are thinking of revealing our secret
to your human friend.”

Devon! I knew it. He is so dead.

“And?” I ask cockily.

Menacing CK is back as he growls, “Don’t forget to whom you
are talking.”

“No, CK don’t forget who you are talking to,” I retort,
growing tired of this posturing. I know this man. I have seen every side of
him, all the good, all the bad. “I am not some underling you can scare into
submission.”

His face softens as he smiles, “No, my love, that you are
not. Your submission is always willing. It’s one of the things I love most
about you.”

Surprise registers on my face, before I realize his game, a
change of tactic to disarm me. Narrowing my eyes at him, he smiles that heavenly,
innocent smile he has perfected when he is being anything but innocent.

“I know what you are doing and it’s not going to work,” I
tell him.

He sighs. “It never does on you. You are the most
frustrating creature on the planet.”

“I had a good master,” I say with a slight smile and drop my
arms.

He laughs, a glorious sound coming from him. He opens his
arms and I step into them. Oh how I love being held by him. I feel safe,
cherished and loved. It’s the sire bond. Devon says that’s how he feels when we
embrace. “Oh, my sweet. It is good to see you. It has been too long since I saw
you in New York.” New York was deemed an acceptable American city, but L.A, not
so much. A spark flares through me at his tone.

“Pity it takes something like this to get you to come and
visit,” I say wryly.

He chuckles, “Indeed.” He pulls away from me and I feel the
loss of his comfort. “If we must discuss this, can we please go down to my
office? Cole is sleeping.”

CK looks surprised. “He’s here? Sleeping?” He knows of my
insistence of sleeping alone. Unless I’m with him or Devon, of course.

I nod and I see the change in his face, “I see.” He looks
almost pained. I stare at him, dumbfounded. I have seen the many faces of my
sire. The usual three are arrogance, indifference and menace but this is one of
the rarest sights. The look of loss, sorrow, regret, love?

I inhale sharply and he adjusts his features to their usual
smug arrogance.

“We will discuss this in your office then. Come.” He holds
out his hand. I hesitantly take it and his strong fingers grasp mine tightly
and he teleports downstairs to my office. I really dislike the feeling. It’s
exactly how it sounds, popping out of and into existence. It’s also incredibly
lazy and tell him so.

He snorts derisively at my comment but chooses not to say
anything. He lets go of my hand and looks around. I know he admires this room.
All dark wood, resembling a gentlemen’s club. Every wall is floor to ceiling
books, most first editions. The window is floor to ceiling stained glass. My
huge desk sits square to the door, complete with ink blotter and green bankers
lamp. Two chairs sit in front of the desk. Expecting him to take one of those
he catches me by surprise when he walks round and sits in my chair behind the
desk. I glare at him, oh the nerve of this man, making me feel like a naughty
schoolgirl here to see the headmaster, in my own office no less! He is
infuriating. Knowing he has pissed me off he sits back and smirks as he lifts
his feet to place his immaculate Armani shoes on the desk, legs crossed at the
ankles. They would be immaculate, I think, as he never seems to walk anywhere.
Appraising him, I slowly let my gaze slide up from his feet, taking in his
beautifully cut navy blue suit, also Armani I note. My eyes move over his strong
hands folded casually in his lap, up his chest, focusing on his silk tie for a
moment, which I recognize as a gift from me. I teasingly send him random gifts
on Father’s Day. He pulls his face but I know he secretly loves it. Up my eyes
go to his broad shoulders, his long neck, over his strong jaw, lingering on his
perfectly sculpted mouth and eventually up to his dark eyes with flecks of
amber, that are now staring back at me with desire. “Like what you see?” he
asks.

“You know I do,” I breathe and his eyes darken as I drop my
gaze to his mouth and then back up to his eyes. He catches a breath. Thrilled
by his response to my appraisal I step forward, moving around the desk to stand
in front of him. I untie the belt of my robe and the soft silk falls away to
reveal my nakedness. Oh I want him right here, right now. I lose all reason
around him and he knows it. The feeling of guilt creeps over me and I’m taken
aback. Guilt is not an emotion I am used to dealing with, not for centuries. My
Vampire sneers at the emotion and then ignores it. She wants her sire and
nothing else matters. The sire in question lowers his feet off the desk and he
is not able to take his eyes off me.

“Oh Aefre,” he calls me by my real name drawing it out in a
Latinized version of
Ai-vuh
, “I have missed you.” The desire in his
voice is like honey and my nipples harden in response, as I narrow my eyes.
Inhaling sharply, he sits up and reaches out. His fingers clamp down on my
nipples and he tugs me forward by them until I am sitting astride him. He rolls
his fingers around and I inadvertently moan. I feel his erection pushing
against me and I become even more aroused. He slowly lowers his mouth to start
sucking gently. Sliding his tongue over the peak, deliberately teasing me. I
push my hands into his soft, dark hair pulling him closer to me. He knows what
I want and I wonder vaguely if he will give it to me. He pulls back and drops
his fangs and I squirm in anticipation. Clamping down again on my nipple he
bites sharply and suckles as I come instantly. It’s the most erotic, intimate
gesture and only ever reserved for him. Not even Devon has done this to me and
he has pretty much done everything to me. He grunts in appreciation as he
releases his bite. “Eager, aren’t you?” he whispers and without waiting for an
answer plunges his tongue into my mouth, causing me to taste my own blood.
Biting down on his bottom lip, I draw blood and lap it up, mingling both our
tastes in a heavenly elixir. All my frustrations of holding back with Cole come
to the surface and spill over onto my sire. Pulling back I clamp down on his
neck biting hard and he hisses in pleasure. Taking my fill, I feel the power of
his ancient blood coursing through me and I feel invincible. “Feisty one today.
Feeling frustrated with your human?” He voices my thoughts with his usual
precision. I ignore the barb and turn my attention to getting his suit jacket
off and I loosen his tie, I pull it undone. Watching me like a hawk, he leaves
me to my ministrations. Next I pull his crisp white shirt out of his pants and
slowly undo all the buttons, my eyes never leaving his. Running my hands down
his smooth, muscular chest all the way down to the top of his pants. I climb
off him and kneel before him, fingers working to free him. Finally freed, I
lower my mouth to him licking the tip slowly. Before I can take him in my mouth
he stands pulling me up with him. Shedding my robe completely he picks me up
and sits me on the edge of the desk. “No more waiting,” he whispers and thrusts
into me swiftly. I wrap my legs around him and he pulls me closer. Devouring my
mouth with his. Pushing himself even deeper into me. I moan into his mouth and
he pulls out and pushes in, in an intoxicating rhythm. I feel the pressure
starting to build deep inside, uncoiling itself slowly. “Oh yes,” he groans in
my ear, “I love being inside you, so wet, always so ready for me.” His words
spur me on and as he pounds into me I come hard around him, pulsing on and on
as he continues to stoke the fire of my pleasure. “Yes, Aefre, that’s it,” and
I feel him tense as he lets go, pouring into me, and I am in heaven, with my
sire inside me, loving me, pleasing me and I him. All the pent-up worry and
despair over Cole disappears as Constantine whispers, “Aefre, my sweet,” before
he kisses me deeply.

I crash back down into reality as I hear the door open and
my head turns sharply, fear rising up. Seeing Devon, I relax visibly and his
eyebrows shoot skyward as he sees me naked on my desk, my legs wrapped around
my rather disheveled sire. CK smirks, clearly pleased to be found in this
indecent pose with me.

“May we help you?” he asks slyly, switching to English, even
though he knows Devon speaks Italian perfectly.

Devon narrows his eyes. “Constantine. How nice to see you,”
he sneers. “Liv, I suggest you finish up in here,” he adds icily and slams the
door shut.

Fuck me, that was awkward. Granted, not as awkward as it
could have been if Cole had walked in on us. That unwanted thought leaps into
my head via pole vault.

CK steps back, withdrawing from me and again I feel the pang
of loss. “You really love him, don’t you?” he asks softly as I bend to retrieve
my discarded robe and he sorts out his own sartorial neglect. I frown at him
and he puts a hand up to stroke my face. “The fear on your face told me,” he
answers my unasked question. He sighs. “I still don’t think you should tell
him, but no relationship can survive a secret this big.”

“Constantine, I…” I don’t know what to say to that. I want
to tell him I love him and have him say it back to me in the way I want him to,
but he won’t. I say it anyway, “I love you.” Every ounce of my feelings for him
goes into it.

“And I, you my sweet. I must go. I will see you in Monaco,”
he says lightly.

My heart breaks as I knew it would. He has made my decision
for me. I will move forward with Cole. I will tell him who I am. He loves me
and I love him and he will accept me.

I nod briskly to hide the pain. He takes it as guilt over
what we have just done and softens, “No regrets, my sweet. I taught you that
centuries ago. We will always be bonded, connected. It’s just the way it is.”
And with a swift, chaste kiss to my lips he blinks out of existence.

I head towards the patio to face the music that is my
creation, pulling my robe tighter around me. Heaving a sigh, I stand there
while he glares at me. My darling boy is furious with me and I love him so much
in that moment.

“Liv, seriously. Do I have to knock some sense into you?” He
tries but fails to intimidate me. “What the fuck was that?” he continues,
gesturing in the direction of the house.

I roll my eyes at him and he grimaces before saying, “I know
what
it was. How did it come about? Why was he here?” I sense a bit more
than overprotection behind his demands. Jealousy, perhaps?

“Why the fuck do you think, you arsehole?” I suddenly snap.

“Arsehole?” he queries with a raised eyebrow. “That’s a bit
harsh,” he says as he hides his smile behind his coffee.

“Humph!” I say rudely flopping into a chair. It’s been a
most trying morning and it’s only 6 AM. “You ambushed me,” I sulk.

“I needed him to tell you what a bad idea it was. You listen
to him,” he says softly.

“Yes, I do listen to him, and guess what? He told me to tell
him, so I will!” I say, even then knowing that wasn’t exactly what he said.

Devon’s face falls. “He said what?” he asks.