The Red Collection (52 page)

A sudden last urge to free her welled up.

‘What if I don’t love you?’ he demanded, trying without success to shake her off him. But she was already far stronger than she’d been before, and she laughed softly, pressing her face, and her body, against him.

‘You might be a vampire, Zack, but you’re a poor liar.’ She pulled open his shirt, kissing his skin. ‘And I’ve already got … well … powers.’

She kissed him again, her tongue stroking against his collar bone.

‘It’s no use telling me you don’t love me because I know you
do
!’

Oh, but you feel so good!

Teresa smiled against Zack’s cool skin as she waited for him to admit what she knew was true. He didn’t speak, but his arms closed around her. The sense of being enclosed, and of being cherished made her feel like swooning. It was an old-fashioned word, one she’d never have used before she met him, but it was the only one that fitted.

‘I do love you.’ His voice was low and clear, but she could tell that the confession cost him. ‘I love you … and I want to be with you forever.’ His arms tightened, and he tilted his head back, as if looking to heaven for knowledge.

‘So what’s the problem, Zack?’ She rubbed her face against his cold-as-marble skin, loving its smooth silky texture, loving the fact that it would never go slack, or sag, or grow sallow with age. Loving the simple joy of the contact.

His hand settled over her hair, gently stroking.

‘But forever means just that, my love. Forever. And ever.’ A deep shudder passed through him. ‘And if you choose it, you’ll never walk in the sunshine again. And in a few years, your friends, your family … well, even if they wonder why they never see you much in the daytime again, they’ll certainly start to notice that you’re not ageing.’

He put her from him, looking into her eyes. Teresa saw that his eyes were reddened, and with her already-sharpened senses, she could taste his desire. Despite the stress of the moment, he couldn’t stop himself wanting her.

‘
You
are my friend, Zack. I love you and I want you, but you’re my buddy too. You
always
will be.’ She reached out, took his face in hers, made him look at her. ‘My parents are dead … my sister and I aren’t close. And I’ll deal with everything else when the time comes.’

‘Are you sure?’ His eyes were crimson now, burning – happy.

‘Completely! Now come on, finish the job. I want to be like you, not just half and half.’

‘With pleasure … with pleasure, my love,’ murmured Zack, his voice gruff with emotion as his arm swept around her again and with his free hand he cradled her face.

Tenderly, he kissed her, his soft lips sweeping over her mouth, then her jaw and on down her neck to the tenderest, most vulnerable spot. She felt his tongue caressing her skin, over the vein, as if soothing the place in readiness.

And then – ah, the pain of the bite! Sharp, blade-like fangs plunged in and immediately the blood began to flow and with it the pleasure. He was supporting her in his arms, his hold on her almost chaste, but it felt to her as if he were caressing and stimulating every nerve-end in her body, most of all her sex.

The sensation was sweet, mind-bending and exquisite, like tumbling and soaring at the same time. She felt both weak and strong, and the very quick of her body was shimmering and rippling with an intense sublime glow. As he drew on her powerfully, she spiralled to a peak, crying out and coming.

As she floated, still in that impossible state of ecstasy, he lifted his mouth from her neck and kissed her on the lips. She tasted her own blood like a sacrament – and hunger surged in her to drink from a different source.

Still supporting her, Zack leaned back, ripped open his shirt and, in the classic romantic vampire’s gesture, he drew a nail across his chest, over his heart.

Dark-red blood oozed from the little wound, the ultimate temptation.

And the final step.

After this there would be no going back, no further chance to retain her humanity.

But as she looked up into her lover’s red eyes, she embraced her choice.

Inclining forwards, she began to drink – and to change as Zack cried out in his own ecstasy.

Afterwards, they made long, slow, simple human love. Sliding and rocking against each other they kissed gently and stroked each other in leisurely exploration. There was no biting or exchange of blood, just pure sensual pleasure, sublimely heightened by supernatural senses.

Eventually, Zack lifted himself free of her, lay back against the pillows, and pulled her to him again. Teresa smiled. He no longer felt cold to her. Their body temperatures had equalized.

‘So we don’t bite each other any more then?’ she observed, touching her fingertip to his chest where the little cut that she’d fed on was already as good as healed. ‘Presumably I can’t feed on you and you can’t feed on me.’

‘Oh we can, but only for mutual pleasure.’ Zack’s fingers slid down her back teasingly, and to her delight, Teresa felt lust begin to stir again. Before tonight, she would have been too exhausted to go again so soon after such a prolonged dance of love. But now she had strength and energy to spare and she could feel that Zack was ready again just as soon as she was.

‘Ooh, I like the sound of that.’ Her sex rippled spontaneously at the thought of Zack at her neck again.

‘But for nutrition purposes, I’m afraid we’re confined to animal blood from now on. Not quite as tasty, but still perfectly acceptable.’

‘Don’t worry, I’ve tried it. It’s not bad.’ She kissed his chest.

‘I’m glad of that,’ observed Zack wryly, his voice teasing, then immediately, she sensed him become more serious. She no longer had to look at his face to perceive his emotions, she simply
knew
them. ‘It’s a huge transition, my love. Your life has changed utterly now. Everything’s different.’ He paused, his strong arms tightening around her. ‘But I’m here – I’ll always be here. And I’ll do everything I can to make things easier for you.’

And he would. She knew that. She had no doubts.

There was an adventure ahead, a different life and an unimaginably long one.

But as they began to make love again, her still heart glowed with perfect happiness.

Zack was her best friend as well as her lover – and everything was possible with him at her side.

Forever.

Also by Portia Da Costa:

In Too Deep

I just want a taste of you. Or a touch. My fantasies about you plague my every waking hour. My only comfort is imagining that similar fantasies might obsess you too
.

When young librarian Gwendolynne Price finds increasingly erotic love notes to her in the suggestion box at work, she finds them both shocking and liberating.

But who is her mystery admirer and how long will he be content to just admire her from afar …?

Praise for Portia Da Costa

‘Imaginative, playful and a lot of fun’

For Women

‘[Portia] hurls dead sexy scenes and language at the reader which touches on deepest fantasy, but kicks it up so it’s even better than what we could come up with on our own’
RomanceBuyTheBook.com

‘All the shameless shenanigans one would expect in a Portia Da Costa story’ Erotica Readers and Writers Association

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First published in 2013 by Black Lace, an imprint of Ebury Publishing
A Random House Group Company

Copyright © Portia Da Costa

Screen Dream © 2000; The Best of Hands © 2004; This Very Boutique © 2006; Duet for Three © 2006; Public Domain © 2007; Are We There Yet? © 2006; Fireworks Inside © 2009; Sometimes They Come Back © 2008; Watching the Detective © 2007; The Distraction © 2009; A Lavish Affair © 2009; It’s Got to Be Perfect © 2009; A Stroll Down Adultery Alley © 2009; Red Haze © 2013; Strawberry Shortcake © 2013; A Study in Scarlet © 2013; Ill Met By Moonlight © 2008; Buddies Don’t Bite © 2007

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