Losing It: A Collection of VCards (12 page)

Keegan turned to face him. Her face was flushed, her eyes glittering. His breath caught in his throat. She was wearing a white shift with lace lining the bodice. It clung seductively to her body. 

“You’re incredible.” His voice sounded rougher than usual. He pulled her closer, his lips capturing hers. The moment their lips touched, he forgot any insecurities he had about their first time. A surge of powerful emotions tore through him. This was the beginning of their forever. Their bond would last till the end of time and probably even after that, if he had anything to say about it.

Keegan’s hands shook as she tried to unbutton his shirt. The warmth of her hands through the layers of clothing branded his skin.  Trembling, she ran her hands up his chest and sighed. He could hear her heart pounding.

Pulling the tails of his dress shirt out of his pants, he tossed the shirt aside. He was still wearing a t-shirt and couldn’t wait to get skin to skin.

Rourk led her to the bed. He removed the remainder of his clothes, except for his boxers, and sank to his knees in front of her. His hand drifted up her shift and gathered up the sheer fabric. She leaned forward so he could pull it over her head.

His heart stilled as he stared down at her naked breasts. This was really happening. He thought he’d died and gone to heaven when he reached down and cupped her breast in his hand. Her body felt like it was on fire. Keegan gasped when his thumb brushed across her nipple. Gods he wanted to worship every inch of her. Heat coursed through him, and his whole body felt like a live wire. 

“Are you scared?”

She shook her head no.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said thickly.

“It’s okay.” She reached up and ran her hands down his bare chest, sending a thrill through him. “I heard it only hurts for a minute. There’s no way we’re not going through with it.” Her hand wandered down his abs, causing him to still. “I’ve been thinking of nothing else since … well, since I knew we were to be bound together. I need you, Rourk. I want this more than anything I’ve ever wanted.”

His need for her burned like a wildfire. Nothing mattered but this moment. Leaning down, his muscular frame covered hers, and he captured her lips with his. Her response was immediate and consuming.

Rourk’s lips trailed hot kisses down her neck to one breast as he began to explore her. His heart hammered in his chest, driven by desire as well as fear of hurting her. He captured her nipple in his mouth. A strangled groan escaped her mouth, and she arched beneath him. Her small hands grasped his hair as she cried out his name.

He continued down her perfect form and focused on memorizing every inch of her creamy, pale skin. His hands roamed all over her delicate body. It was becoming harder to control the urge to claim her completely. Of course, he knew he needed to be gentle, but she brought out something savage in him. All he wanted to do was lose himself in her. One thing he was sure of: he was never going to get enough of her.

Her stomach quivered as his hand traced the sensitive skin. She moaned when his fingers hooked on the side of her lacy white underwear. He slid them off. His breathing was ragged as her knees dropped apart before him. Closing his eyes, he silently thanked the gods for the beautiful gift that was his Keegan.

A part of him was afraid he was going to make a mistake, but a bigger part of him couldn’t wait until their bodies were joined. Gently he probed his fingers until they sank inside of her. He was fascinated by how warm and slick she was, ready for him. Her nails dug into his shoulders, and she begged him to come back up to her. Reluctantly he withdrew his hand and moved over her, settling between her thighs.

“I think you’re forgetting something,” Keegan said, her chest rising up and down with her uneven breathing.

It took Rourk a moment to realize he still had on the boxers. Heat rose to his face as he leaned back to his knees and pushed down the shorts, kicking them off the bed.

They both laughed, a welcome break from the tension.

He meant to go slow, he really did. But as soon as he started to enter her, she tensed and something told him it was best to just get though the initial moment as quickly as possible. He plunged into her and stopped a little fearfully, torn between not wanting to cause her pain and the burning need for more after experiencing her tightness. 

Keegan’s mouth clamped down on his shoulder, biting him.

He went rigid. “Keegan, I’m sorry. Are you okay?”

Instead of answering him, she started to move her hips. He began to move with her slowly, deeply and hoping it wouldn’t be over as soon as it began. He thought he was going to lose it and paused briefly to regain his control.

“Don’t stop!” Keegan cried out. Her hands roamed all over his body, her fingernails digging into his skin. Her touch drove him to desperation. Gods!

Unable to stop the hunger pounding in his blood, he ceased fighting the urge to claim her. A few more quick thrusts, and a pleasure unlike anything he’d ever experienced tore through him.

He was pretty sure Keegan had not experienced the same kind of pleasure he had. He was going to have to figure out how to rectify that. He’d read a couple of books on the subject but he figured this was a skill best learnt with practice.

Resting beside her, he went over what he wanted to try next. Within minutes, he felt the renewal of desire. His fingers traced the curves of her body. “Can we try that again? I promise I’ll try to make it last longer and I’ll try to make it more enjoyable for you.”

Keegan wrapped her arm around his neck and gazed up at him. “Are you kidding me? That was amazing.”

Taken aback, Rourk stared down at her face and was shocked to see the sincerity in her words. “Really?”

“I mean, I’m sure we’ll get better with practice, but you wouldn’t believe the horror stories I heard about the first time. I’d say ours was pretty freaking incredible. Didn’t it feel good to you?”

Rourk couldn’t help but laugh. “Keegan, I have no words to describe how incredible it felt for me.” His hand roamed down her shoulder and back, stopping at her bare waist.

He gasped out when he felt her hand wrap around his arousal. She grinned. “I’d say you really are ready.”

Rourk’s hands tangled in her hair as he took possession of her mouth. Keegan responded in kind.

When they broke the kiss, Rourk grazed his thumb against the bottom of her full lip. He ached for her again.  He rolled on top of her once more. Soon they were entwined once again in each other’s arms, their bodies joined, moving slowly at first and then picking up the tempo. Shivers of pleasure ran up and down his spine.

A low, throaty moan escaped her lips. Every small sound she made nearly brought him to the edge.

As he increased the speed of his thrusts, she cried out, clinging to him, their bodies moved frantically together.

He had to remind himself to slow down and changed positions in the hopes of bringing her the same pleasure he experienced.

They spent the rest of the evening learning each other’s bodies. Rourk was completely enthralled by how much pleasure the human body could deliver and experience.

The next morning, Rourk woke up before the sun like he always did. Keegan was still fast asleep. He looked down at her. Her lips were slightly parted and her breathing deep and steady. Would he ever find the words to let her know how much she meant to him? Probably not. Some things were just impossible to explain.

Keegan woke up hours later and wiped sleep from her eyes. She looked even more beautiful, if it was possible, with her hair a tangled mess and her face bare of any make up. The familiar aching need was instantaneous. Gods, they were never going to leave the room at this rate.

“How’d you sleep?”

“You call that sleeping?” she asked, her voice still groggy with sleep.

In the kitchenette, Rourk poured her a cup of coffee and then added sugar and milk. He crossed the room and slid into the bed beside her.

Tucking her hair behind her pointed ears, Keegan sat and reached for the cup.

“Do you want to do anything today? Go sightseeing or something?” Rourk asked, hoping desperately she’d say no. His eyes were fixed on her as she lifted the mug and took a sip of the coffee.

“I don’t think so,” she replied, her mouth curving into a smile. “I think we have enough to keep us busy in here.”

Silently agreeing, Rourk let out a breath he wasn’t aware he’d been holding.

***

About the Author

Julia Crane dreamt of elves and teen androids long before she captured them and put them on paper. She's written and released over fifteen young adult and new adult titles over the past two and a half years. From science fiction adventures to succubus, Julia's fresh voice is easy to read and imaginative. She is widely known for her Keegan's Chronicles series and IFICS series, and she has hit numerous bestselling list on Amazon.

Novels available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks

Coexist: Keegan’s Chronicles #1

Conflicted: Keegan’s Chronicles #2

Consumed: Keegan’s Chronicles #3

Rourk: Keegan’s Chronicles #4

Anna: Keegan’s Chronicles Spin Off

Lauren: Keegan’s Chronicles Spin Off

Freak of Nature IFICS#1

Fractured Innocence IFICS #2

Fatal Abduction #4

Fragile Mind #5 (coming soon)

Starwalkers Serial with Lizzy Ford

Dark Promise with Talia Jager

Broken Promise with Talia Jager

Eternal Youth with Heather Marie Adkins

Find her on:

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SUFFERING – GRACE’S STORY

by K. A. Last

In
Fall For Me
things didn’t end too well between Grace and Josh. A few weeks later, she decides to go to the city to make sure he’s okay. In an attempt to figure out what she really wants, Grace makes a decision that will change their relationship forever.

***

Suffering – Grace’s Story
is a bonus scene which occurs as an interquel to
Fall For Me
(The Tate Chronicles, #1)
and
Fight For Me
(The Tate Chronicles, #2)
.

***

Maybe I shouldn’t have come, but the pain wouldn’t stop.

I needed to make it stop.

The slip of paper with Josh’s address on it crinkled in my hand. I stood on the footpath beneath a glowing street light, and looked along the row of terrace houses. The one in front of me had a turquoise door—such an odd colour. Flecks of paint littered the entryway, and the cast-iron balcony rail was twisted in a rusty mess. The number six on the door hung at a skewed angle.

The place looked like a dump.

What was I doing?

Josh would slam the door in my face, and I wouldn’t blame him if he did.

He’d made it clear he couldn’t be near me until I’d sorted out my crap.
Crap
meaning Seth. But I didn’t know where to start.

Angelica had taken Seth, and I had no way of finding her if she didn’t want to be found. The fallen had no privileges when it came to Heaven. I could search the world for years and come up with nothing. It would be a waste of time trying, because he wouldn’t be on Earth. She’d have taken him somewhere I couldn’t go.

As a result, the past few weeks had been miserable. I was lost without both of them.

Maybe I was being selfish in coming to see Josh, especially since I wasn’t sure about my feelings for him. But maybe he’d be happy to see me, and I’d fall into his arms like I had when we’d first gotten together.

It seemed like so long ago that I’d defied The Council and given up everything for him. I liked him better when he wasn’t angry with me. But Josh had the right to be angry. I’d deserted him when he’d needed me the most. If only I could explain to him that it was out of necessity, not want. I didn’t
want
everything to happen the way it did. I might be an angel, but some things were out of my control.

I needed to apologize properly. Closure. That’s what I needed.

What I really
wanted
was to bring him home.

I clutched the piece of paper, trying to decide what to do. The thought of leaving crossed my mind, but I couldn’t. I had to know where we stood, if there was any chance for us at all. I’d given up so much for Josh, but somehow he’d come out with the raw end of the deal. I may have become fallen, but technically, he was dead.

My hand shook as I reached up to knock on the door.
Get yourself together, Grace.
I’d faced far worse things in my existence than a vampire with a bad temper. The wood scraped my knuckles as I knocked three times.

For a moment, I hoped he wasn’t home. But then I also hoped he was. Why was love so complicated? Did I even love him? I was about to knock again when the hinges creaked. I braced myself for Josh’s reaction.

He frowned and tried to close the door in my face. I stuck my foot in the gap and grimaced from the pain; it was a reminder of how strong he was since he’d become a vampire. It surprised me the door didn’t disintegrate under his touch.

It got to the point where I couldn’t take it and I pulled my foot out. Paint flecks rained onto the step when the door slammed.

If Josh thought I was going away that easily, he was mistaken.

I knocked again.

The door opened a crack. “What are you doing here? He doesn’t want to see you,” Charlotte said.

I could’ve asked her the same question.

Charlotte was the other reason we were in this mess. She’d lied to me, and she wasn’t who I’d thought she was. I’d become a fallen angel for her, to protect her, only she’d betrayed my trust by concealing the truth.

An angel in a vampire’s body—who’d have thought?

Jealousy bubbled inside me and I shoved it aside. There was nothing between Josh and Charlotte. She’d created him. She was watching out for him, but I hadn’t considered that they might be living together. I didn’t want them to be living together.

“I need to talk to Josh,” I said. “You can either open the door or I can make you.”

Charlotte pursed her lips and hesitated before opening the door all the way.

We had unfinished business, but I wasn’t here for that. Charlotte and I could sort out our differences at a later date, when we had lots of open space and no one around to get hurt.

I stepped over the threshold and into the terrace.

“He’s upstairs.” Charlotte gestured to the staircase in front of me and I set my foot on the bottom step. She didn’t move, standing in that statuesque pose I’d come to know so well.

“Why did you let her in?” Josh asked from the landing.

“She’s right.” Charlotte looked from Josh to me, and back again. “You two need to talk.”

Josh stared at us, his dark gaze resting on me. “You can go, Charlotte. I don’t need you.”

She sighed and narrowed her eyes. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

I fixed my stare on Josh, the door clicking closed behind me. He walked away, hands shoved into his pockets.

The stairs groaned as I ascended. I went left and peered into the room at the end of the hall. Josh sat outside on the roof, leaning against the terrace wall. His shoulder covered the left side of the open window. He rested his forearms on his knees and stared at the blackened sky. His dark hair flopped over the side of his face and I wanted to go to him and run my fingers through it.

“What do you want?” he said, as I walked into the room.

How could I answer that? I didn’t know what I wanted. “To talk?”

“I said everything I had to say when I left.”

“Well, I didn’t,” I said.

Josh ducked his head inside the window. His gaze bore holes in me, and it hurt.

“I told you, Grace. I’m not ready to be near you until you sort out your issue with Seth.”

“My issue?”

“You can’t have us both.”

“I don’t have either of you! And I don’t know where Seth is. Angelica took him, in case you’ve forgotten. Where do I start looking?”

“You think I should know?” he said.

The volume of his voice made me flinch. There was a time when Josh would never have shouted at me, but that had changed when Charlotte turned him. I couldn’t blame him for being so angry. I’d be angry with me, too.

“I don’t want to fight, Josh.”

“Then why are you here?”

I hesitated, and then took a step forward. “I want to see if you’re okay.”

“Really? You came all this way to check up on me?” He climbed through the window with a grace he hadn’t possessed as a human, and stood in the centre of the room.

“You might not think it, but I care about you.”

“I told you I loved you.” Josh scowled and clenched his fists. “And you didn’t say it back.”

I fiddled with the ring on my right hand. Josh’s stare broke away from mine and focused on my fingers. I wore another ring, the one he’d given me, on my left middle finger. The sapphire was as blue as my eyes used to be before I fell.

“You put it on,” he said.

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Why would you if you don’t love me?”

“You’re putting words in my mouth. I never said I don’t love you.”

“But you never said you did.”

“I …”

“Do you love me?”

I hesitated again. “It’s not as simple as that.”

“Give me a break.” Josh pushed past me and flew down the stairs.

With a deep breath, I followed. How was I going to fix this? It seemed as if everything was too broken to be put back together.

I went into the kitchen where Josh stood, leaning on the bench. His arms were stretched out in front of him and his head hung between them. I wanted to go to him, to wrap my arms around his waist and never let go.

“You’re still here,” he said.

“I don’t want to leave.”

“What about what I want? Doesn’t that count for anything?” Josh lifted his head and we stared at each other.

“I’m not leaving,” I said.

He went to the fridge and took out a plastic water bottle, but it wasn’t filled with water, and it wasn’t red cordial.

I raised my eyebrows. “The city has a store where you can buy blood?”

Josh laughed and took a swig. “Not exactly, but do you see any wild animals around here? Last time I checked they were all behind bars at the zoo. We’re not in the country, Grace. I can’t hunt, and I can’t eat the next person who happens to walk past.”

“You can’t do that in the country either.”

“You know what I mean.” He took another drink.

“At least you’re talking to me.” I attempted a smile, but it fell short.

“Who says I’m talking to you?”

“You’re talking to the blood then?”

“What do you want?” he asked.

I looked him straight in the eyes, but after a few seconds Josh dropped his gaze. He sighed and clenched his fists.

“I don’t know what I want,” I said.

“So you thought you’d come here and rub my face in it?”

I shook my head. “Rub your face in what?”

“I told you I loved you, Grace …”

I laughed, but it sounded hollow in my chest. “We had this conversation a moment ago upstairs. You can’t be angry because I never said it. You left. Do you know what that did to me?”

“You deserted me,” Josh said. “You pushed me away when I needed you. Do you think it’s easy being what I am? I never asked for this.” Josh grimaced. His lips pulled back from his teeth and he hissed as his fangs extended. “You decided this for me.”

“I thought I was saving you,” I whispered.

“I would have been better off dead.”

“Don’t say that.” I shook my head.

“I’m not Charlotte. I’m not pure like she is. The only reason I’m not out there, mauling every person I see, is because she’s here. Most of the time, I can’t control it. And pig’s blood is a sucky substitute.” Josh hurled the drink bottle across the room. It hit the wall, splattering it with the crimson liquid, before falling to the floor.