VAMPIRE VIGNETTES #5 – FOR ADULTS ONLY!!!

NOTICE

THE FOLLOWING STORY CONTAINS BOTH GRAPHIC SEX AND PROFANITY. PLEASE DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU WILL BE OFFENDED BY SUCH CONTENT.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

THE FOLLOWING IS THE COPYRIGHTED, EXCLUSIVE AND SOLE PROPERTY OF THE AUTHOR. THE REPRINTING, FORWARDING OR COPYING IN ANY FORMAT, BY ANY MEANS OR IN ANY MANNER IS NOT PERMITTED, NOR IS SUCH PERMISSION GRANTED EITHER EXPLICITLY OR IMPLICITLY BY THIS POSTING.
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SPOILER ALERT!

READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE FOLLOWING STORY ASSUMES THE READER IS ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH BOOKS ONE, TWO and THREE OF VAMPIRES IN AMERICA, AND THAT IT DOES, IN FACT, “SPOIL” THE ENDING OF THOSE BOOKS.

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THE QUESTION

Rajmund strolled through the lobby, his security team flowing around him in a well orchestrated dance of lethal grace. He’d gotten used to all the security by now. It was just a part of who he was, Vampire Lord of the Northeastern Territory, with thousands of vampires under his rule. That those same vampires looked to him for protection, that they quite literally depended on him for each beat of their hearts … that was the price of power.

Four of his guards piled onto the elevator with him, and he had a fleeting thought that it was a good thing the elevator was big. Because none of them—not him and not his bodyguards—were dainty. Well, except maybe for his lieutenant Emelie. Although he’d never dare say such a thing to her face.

He grinned at the thought and gave her a sideways glance where she stood next to him. She caught the look and scowled. She knew him well enough to guess his grin was at her expense. Except that most women wouldn’t have minded being thought of as dainty.

“You’ve got that political fundraiser this weekend,” she reminded him, no doubt intentionally trying to douse his good mood.

And on any other night, it would have worked—he hated the necessity of playing nice to the human politicians. But not tonight. Tonight he was home at last, back in Manhattan after nearly a week away. He was putting aside business and spending the entire night with the woman he loved. Sarah was already his mate in the way of vampires, but very soon she would be his wife according to human law as well. He hated to be away from her, and usually took her with him when he traveled. But this trip had been a dangerous one—confronting a rebellious vampire, a holdover from Krystof’s destructive years of rule. Raj had known going in that he’d probably have to execute the rebel, and he hadn’t wanted Sarah anywhere near that.

But now he was home and Sarah was waiting upstairs, so he nodded cheerfully at Emelie’s reminder of the fundraiser and said, “It’s on my calendar. I told Sarah to buy a new dress.”

Emelie rolled her eyes in disgust and Raj laughed.

The elevator doors opened. His guards exited first, two of them blocking him inside until the others verified the security of the penthouse floor. There wasn’t much chance that anyone could infiltrate this far into the building. It was well and redundantly guarded. And he would have sensed any intruder. But with vampire enemies, one could never be too careful.

Finally, his men moved aside and Raj stepped out into the hallway, while Em stayed with the elevator. She’d ride it down one floor to her own spacious quarters and eventually lock it down for the daylight hours. He’d lived in this building for decades, long before he became lord of the territory. But he’d recently had his people looking for something else, something more easily controlled than a Manhattan high rise.

But as with everything else, that was for later. Tonight was for Sarah.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, boss,” Em said, raising two fingers to her forehead in a casual salute.

Raj nodded absently, his mind already listening for Sarah’s presence behind the big double doors at the end of the hall. He let himself into the suite, leaving everyone else outside. It was the one aspect of his security he’d insisted upon. Emelie would have preferred to have a pair of guards stationed inside the penthouse with him. But he’d refused. It was bad enough that he couldn’t move two steps without a phalanx of bodyguards shadowing him everywhere else. He needed someplace where he could be just Raj, not Lord Rajmund.

He heard Sarah’s voice as he closed the doors behind him. She was in her office, talking to someone on the phone and pacing restlessly. He could hear the click, click of her heels as she walked back and forth on the hardwood floor.

“I guess,” she was saying. “I mean, yeah, you’re right. I just wish—”

Raj paused and listened, waiting to hear Sarah’s wish.

She drew a long, wobbly breath and he frowned. “I wish I could be sure he really wants this.”

She paced some more, clearly listening to whoever it was on the other end.

“I know. I know, Cyn. But it’s different with you and Raphael. You don’t want to get married, so it doesn’t matter to you. But it matters to me!”

Raj tilted his head curiously. Sarah was talking to her best friend, Cynthia Leighton, who was mated to Raphael, the Western Vampire Lord and Raj’s current ally. He slipped quietly down the hall, eavesdropping unashamedly. If Sarah was unhappy, he wanted to know about it.

“He never asked me, you know. I told him I wanted a real wedding and he just went along. I don’t even have a ring.” Her heels clicked back and forth. “Well, of course, there’ll be a wedding ring, and I’m sure it will be gorgeous. Raj has excellent taste. But, Cyn, what if he’s only doing this because I insisted? What if he doesn’t want to get married at all?” Her voice dropped to a miserable whisper. “What if he doesn’t love me that way?”

Raj rocked back on his heels, thankful for the thick carpeting that masked his movement. How could she not know how much he loved her?

“I know,” Sarah was continuing. “It’s probably just the stress of planning the wedding and everything. Geez,” she laughed somewhat desperately, “can you imagine if this was one of those full blown weddings? I’d probably be back in the nuthouse by now.”

Raj scowled at the casual reference to her teenage years, when her parents had locked her away rather than deal with the reality of her psychic ability.

“Bad joke. You’re right.” She drew a stronger breath and blew it out. “Okay. I’m good. A momentary bridal breakdown.” She resumed her pacing, heels clicking. “You’re coming a couple days before the wedding, right?” Click, click “So, leave him behind then. The hell with vampire politics, this is my wedding, dammit!” She laughed. “I can’t believe I said that.”

Click, click. “Right. I know th— Wait. Raj is here. No, not here here. But close.” Her footsteps hurried across the room to the window overlooking the street. “Yes! I can see his limo! I gotta go, Cyn. I’ll call you next week.”

Sarah disconnected and threw the phone down, while Raj used his vampire speed to dash back to the front door. Once there, he called out her name.

“Sarah?”

She stuck her head into the hallway, her expression vaguely worried until she saw him all the way across the room near the doors. She smiled then, a beautiful, welcoming grin that warmed his cynical, vampire heart.

He drew off his suit coat, tossing it aside just in time to catch her as she threw herself into his arms.

“I missed you!” She curled her arms around his neck, her body warm and soft and full of curves as she kissed him enthusiastically.

“Me too,” he rumbled against her lips before sinking into her mouth, exploring the delicious taste of her, his tongue twining around hers as his hands cupped the sweet, round curve of her ass. Sarah made a hungry noise and her arms tightened around his neck, pressing her full breasts against his chest until he could feel the hard pearls of her nipples despite the layers of fabric between them.

She broke away at last, breathing hard. “How much time do we have?”

“All night,” he murmured, carrying her down the hall as his hands worked their way under her skirt and up her bare thighs.

“No one cares?” She wrapped her legs more tightly around his waist, her shoes dropping to the floor behind him with a muffled thud.

“Sweetheart,” he growled. “I’m the vampire lord. I don’t give a damn if anyone cares.”

“Oh, right,” she teased, her breath coming out in a whoosh of air as he tossed her onto the bed. “I forgot.”

He toed off his shoes and dropped down onto the mattress with one knee, slowly taking in the delicious morsel of woman at his mercy. She squirmed under his scrutiny until he met her gaze and she saw his hunger for her reflected in the icy, blue glow of his eyes.

She blushed prettily and he grinned like a shark, reaching down to run one big hand up her thigh beneath her short skirt, until he found the satin band of her panties. He gave a tug, feeling it rip beneath his fingers even as she gasped in mingled frustration and excitement.

“I won’t have any underwear left if you keep this up,” she complained halfheartedly.

“Fine with me,” he murmured, watching the now useless bit of lace as he slid it down her leg and over her foot. “I like it better this way.” He tossed the panties aside and shoved her skirt up to her waist, smiling as he feathered his fingers through the narrow strip of curls on her mound. He dipped his fingers gently between the plump lips of her sex and hissed with satisfaction.

“Hmm, very nice, sweetheart,” he said silkily. “You’re all wet and ready for me.” He held her gaze as he slid a single finger inside her slick, hot heat, watching her hazel eyes spark gold with desire. She fell back onto the pillow, her eyes closing as her entire body shivered with reaction. Her arms lifted, reaching for him, but he avoided her hands, taking pleasure from the sight of her writhing beneath his touch, from the satin feel of her as he added a second finger and began pumping harder.

“Raj!” she gasped. “I want you with me.” But, despite her protests, her hips began to thrust against his hand, her body knowing what it wanted.

“Take off your blouse, Sarah,” he whispered. “I want to see you.”

She groaned, but began unbuttoning her prim, white silk blouse. So virginal, he thought. So deceptive. Her fingers shook slightly as she struggled with the buttons.

“Shall I help you?” he asked innocently.

Her eyes flew up to meet his. “No!” she said quickly, her thighs snapping closed to trap his fingers inside her.

Her cheeks flushed dark with embarrassment as she realized what she’d done and Raj laughed low and wickedly. If he helped her with the blouse, he’d have to stop playing with her pretty pussy, and his Sarah didn’t want that.

“I’ve got it,” she said as she yanked the blouse open, the last of the buttons flying off to disappear over the side of the bed. The two sides of her blouse fall away, her fingers making quick work of the front clasp of her bra, although the sheer fabric did little to conceal her from him.

Raj stared, swallowing hard. He loved everything about Sarah, but, good God, she had the most beautiful breasts. Full and firm, large for the petite woman she was, with perfect pink areolas and nipples that flushed to the color of juicy cherries when she was aroused. As she was now.

He growled softly and slid down onto the bed beside her, his fingers still working between her thighs, her wetness covering his hand, making his thumb slick as he began stroking it against her swollen clit. And then he lowered his head and took the hard pearl of one nipple into his mouth.

“Raj, Raj,” she whispered like a prayer, her fingers threading through his short hair, nails scraping against his scalp.

He sucked hard on her nipple, letting his fangs scrape against the tender flesh to either side of it, feeling the warm trickle as he pierced her skin. He twirled his tongue around the nipple, lapping up the sweet nectar of her blood with a hum of pleasure.

“Did you miss me, Sarah?” he crooned as he moved to the other nipple and bit down hard enough that he could feel the blood rush to the surface of her skin without breaking it.

She groaned, her hands tearing at the back his shirt, her hips still lifting eagerly to the touch of his stroking fingers. He licked his way up the curve of her breast, over the delicate arch of her clavicle and to the soft skin of her neck. Running his tongue over the swell of her jugular vein, he felt it plump beneath the pressure, felt his Sarah shudder as her heartbeat soared.

He blew against the now damp skin of her neck, pressing his fangs against it, letting her feel the sharp edge, but not hard enough to cut, teasing her as his thumb continued to stroke her begging clit. She cried out, pushing into his hand, her breath sawing in and out as she struggled to breathe.

“Raj,” she said on a gasp. “I can’t— Oh gods!”

She came hard, the slick walls of her vagina tightening around his fingers as her back arched and her nails dug into him through the thick cloth of his shirt, her body spasming over and over as he continue to rub the rough pad of his thumb over her deeply sensitized flesh.

“Raj!” she cried, nearly screaming, begging for release from overwhelming stimulation. Raj growled hungrily, reveling in the scent of her arousal, the desperation in her cries, the racing of her heart against his chest . . . the taste of her as he pierced her vein at last, as her blood created a warm flow of life down his parched throat.

She did scream then, a second orgasm, stronger than the first, rolling over her body, her abdomen clenching tightly as her hips thrust upward seeking more of him, begging him to fill her with something other than his fingers.

Gods, he’d missed this, Sarah bucking beneath him, coming hard as her blood filled his throat, her cries vibrating against his fangs, echoing deep inside his gut, his heart, his soul. He retracted his fangs, licking the small wounds as he reached down and unzipped, freeing his cock from the confines of his clothes.

He lifted himself above her. “Sarah. Sarah, look at me.”

She opened her eyes obediently, their hazel depths foggy with desire through the veil of her thick lashes. She licked her lips slowly. “Raj,” she said, smiling as she curled her arms around his neck.

Raj slid deep inside her in a single, long glide, burying himself to the hilt in the welcoming heat of her body. He began pumping slowly at first, taking pleasure in the silky wetness of her tight passage around his cock, feeling her inner muscles give way to his penetration, caressing him as he plunged forward, releasing him reluctantly as he withdrew until only the tip of his cock was inside her. And then plunging forward once more.

Sarah moaned softly. He felt her breath against his skin, her soft wet tongue curling along his neck, his shoulder. He began to thrust harder, faster, slamming his shaft inside her. He cupped her ass beneath him, tilting her hips upward so he could go even deeper, until the tip of his cock was touching her cervix with every thrust.

Sarah’s breath sped up again, hot against the damp skin of his shoulder. Her legs tightened around his waist, holding him close as her hips arched up to meet him with every downward plunge. And then she bit him. Gently at first, nibbling bites at his neck, the corded tendons, the thick skin of his shoulder.

He growled her name. “Sarah.”

She cried out and bit down hard, her blunt human teeth cutting through skin and into muscle. Raj felt his blood begin to flow, felt Sarah’s hot mouth close over the wound and begin to suck. She shuddered beneath him, around him, the muscles of her tight sheath rippling along his length as she came, lifting her mouth from his shoulder to scream as she thrashed desperately beneath him.

Raj threw his head back, every muscle in his body tensing as the orgasm built deep inside, as his sac tightened and his cock grew impossibly hard, until ecstasy swept over him and he roared his completion.

Raj collapsed over Sarah, twisting at the last moment to shift his weight to the side, rolling so she was on top of him. He wrapped his arms around her limp body, holding her close, his cock still twitching inside her.

“Jesus, sweetheart,” he said breathlessly. “Maybe I should go away more often.”

She protested wordlessly and burrowed in his chest, kissing him over his heart. “Don’t you dare,” she murmured.

Raj laughed, feeling a purely masculine satisfaction. He kissed the top of her head, taking in the clean scent of her silky hair. They lay quietly for a moment, as their hearts gradually resumed a normal rhythm and their breathing slowed.

“How’d your dress fitting go today,” he asked finally, his fingers tracing lazy circles over the velvet skin of her back.

Sarah lifted her head. “You know about that?”

Raj scoffed. “Of course, I know. I’m not allowed to actually see this dress for some reason, but—”

“It’s bad luck,” she insisted.

He shrugged. “I’m not sure that applies to vampires, but okay. You’ll be beautiful, anyway. No matter what the dress looks like. I know that much.”

“Awwww.”

He laughed and slapped her butt. “Come on, I’ve got something for you.”

“A present?” she demanded, sitting up.

He eyed the sway of her breasts beneath the ruin of her silk blouse, then looked up and met her eyes with a crooked grin. She sighed.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” he teased, reaching out to touch one rosy nipple. “I’ll buy you a new blouse.”

“I ought to wear nothing but paper around you, or maybe Velcro.”

He lifted her off of him, leaning over to give her a hard kiss on the mouth, rubbing the back of his knuckles along the side of her breast and tweaking her nipple gently. “I like the silk.”

He stood, pausing long enough to point at her and say, “Clothes. Off.”

She made a face. “You’re such a sweet talker.”

“You want sweet? I’ll talk sweet. You just take off your clothes.”

He dodged the pillow she threw at him, smirking as he headed for the huge walk-in closet they shared.

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Sarah watched as Raj disappeared into the closet, admiring the stretch of his shirt over the strong lines of his back, his tight ass evident beneath the smooth wool of his suit slacks which hung only half-zipped over his narrow hips. She frowned. He’d barely undressed at all. Then she looked down at herself. Well, okay. So, she hadn’t either. They’d been in a hurry.

She had a sudden thought.

“You take your clothes off, too!” she called, and heard him laugh.

She stood, shimmying out of the tight skirt, wondering where her heels had gotten to. She had a vague memory of kicking them off at some point. She shrugged and tossed her skirt after the ruined blouse, dropping her bra on top of it before crawling back onto the big bed.

Raj emerged from their walk-in, completely naked, walking toward her with that unconscious grace of his. He was a big, beautiful beast of a man, all smooth, hard muscle, and coiled violence, with those broad shoulders and rippled abs, those long, lean legs. Her chest tightened at the sight of him. She wanted to whistle and applaud. God knew he deserved it. But she satisfied herself with looking quietly and knowing he was hers.

And he was. For all her nervous venting with Cyn, she knew Raj loved her, knew he would be loyal until death. She took his blood and he took hers. They were linked in a way no ordinary human could appreciate or understand. She knew his heart.

Raj joined her on the bed and she saw that he had brought a bottle of champagne from the small closet refrigerator. He offered a pair of crystal flutes and she held onto them while he popped the cork with a soft hiss.

“Are we celebrating?”

“Maybe,” he said, looking up and giving her a wink.

Sarah clucked her tongue at his teasing and rolled her eyes in mock irritation.

“What are we celebrating?”

“You’ll see.”

“Raj!”

“Such impatience. Hold those out.”

Sarah took a flute in each hand, holding them steady while he poured. He leaned over to set the bottle on the side table, then stretched his legs in front of him and leaned back against the headboard. Taking a glass, he patted the bed next to him.

“Sit with me, sweetheart,” he said.

Sarah cocked her head, then grinned and walked across the bed on her knees, climbing onto his lap and straddling him, her legs around his hips. He quirked his eyebrows lasciviously and put one big hand over her butt, shifting her until his hardening cock was directly between her legs.

Sarah exhaled a long, slow breath. He was temptation itself as he began to rock his hips slowly.

“Are we going to toast first?” she asked, her eyes closing and back arching as he began to slide his cock back and forth against her wetness.

“Yes, we are.” Raj stopped the teasing motion of his hips and clicked his glass against hers.

Sarah’s eyes opened.

“To my Sarah,” he said solemnly, meeting her wide gaze. “You fill an emptiness in my soul that I didn’t know was there until I met you. You are my heart, my mate and . . .” He reached behind his back and handed her a small black jeweler’s box.

She stared at the box blankly for a moment, before shifting her eyes up to meet his in shock.

“My wife?” he said, completing his toast with the question. “Will you marry me, Sarah?”

Her eyes filled with tears and she would have dropped her champagne if he hadn’t taken it from her. She lifted the box slowly, fingers trembling as she opened it.

“Raj,” she breathed softly as she saw the ring he’d chosen for her. It was stunning. She’d told Cyn that Raj had excellent taste, but this, this was beyond anything she could have dreamt. A beautiful, big cushion cut center diamond with bead-set diamonds all around and graduated side stones in a spectacular setting of diamond and platinum.

“If you don’t like it—” he began.

“Like it? I love it! It’s beyond beautiful, it’s . . .” She didn’t have the words to describe it.

“Does that mean you’ll marry me?”

Sarah looked up, his handsome face blurred by the tears in her eyes. “Yes. God, yes. Of course, I’ll marry you.”

“Here . . .” He leaned sideways, setting his glass next to hers on the bedside table and taking the ring out of the box. “Put it on.”

“You do it,” she whispered, holding out a shaking hand.

“Relax, sweetheart,” he murmured, taking her hand in his and steadying it while he slipped the ring on her finger.

“It fits,” she said, amazed.

“Of course, it fits. I’m a vampire lord. I have ways of finding things out.”

Sarah laughed for joy, flinging her arms around his neck, kissing him soundly and crushing him back against the headboard. “I love it. I love you!”

Raj grinned, resting one hand on her hip as she sat back on his thighs. He reached for his champagne and took a sip, watching her.

“Did you ever think, Raj,” she said, dreamily admiring her new ring. “What would have happened if Emelie hadn’t called me? If I hadn’t come back when I did?”

Raj snorted dismissively. “No,” he said bluntly. “I know what would have happened. I’d have come after you.”

Sarah looked up at him with a frown. “But Emelie said she had to ask Simon where I was, that she was the one who—”

“Simon reports to Emelie, sweetheart, but he works for me. I knew where you were the whole time you were gone. I wanted you, Sarah, but this is a difficult life, even a dangerous one. I wanted it to be your choice.” He sighed. “Although if you hadn’t come home when you did, I’d probably have caved and gone after you, no matter what. I was miserable without you. That’s probably why Em finally broke down and called you herself. I was driving her and everyone else crazy with my moods.”

Sarah hugged him, partly because his hard chest just felt so good against her breasts. But also so he wouldn’t see the tears of relief that filled her eyes. She’d always wondered about that, wondered if she hadn’t come back, if he’d have forgotten about her. But now . . .

She gasped as Raj grasped her hips with both hands, lifting her easily and settling her over his cock, its firm length sliding deep inside her. Holding her tightly with one hand, he leaned over and grabbed both champagne glasses again. She took hers and he held his up, offering a toast.

“To you, Sarah, the love of my long life.”

She wiggled her hips, watching the heat rise in his icy blue eyes and laughing in sheer happiness. “I do love you, Raj. With all my heart, so—” She clicked her glass against his.

”To us. And a long, long life together.”

THE END