Cursed: Brides of the Kindred 13 (36 page)

Stav frowned. “This isn’t going to work. We cannot act out what you dreamed if you’re on the edge of freezing to death.”

“Well I doubt we can get hold of Nar’sa and Ta’no now to complain,” she remarked, rubbing her arms with her hands to try and keep warm. “They’re probably someplace ‘meditating’ like everyone else in this place.”

“We don’t need them to warm up,” Stavros said decisively. “Come here.”

He held out a hand to her but she dodged away. “What…what are you going to do? I can’t bite you again. Especially not when
you’re
about to bite
me
. I think we both know how that would turn out.”

Stavros closed his eyes briefly. Indeed, he could well imagine the scene that would follow if Charlotte bit him and then he bit her. The connection between them would be too strong—the instinct to breed her and bond her to him would be insurmountable. No, as much as he loved the feel of her little white teeth piercing his throat, he had to find another way to give her blood.

“You don’t have to bite me. Here,” he said. Lifting his wrist to his mouth, he sliced through the bracelet of blue veins that crossed the underside neatly with his fangs. Then he held it to Charlotte’s mouth. “Drink.”

She looked at him uncertainly.

“You’re sure? You don’t mind?”

“Do I mind giving you blood?” He could scarcely believe she would ask it.

“Well…yes. Do you?” She still seemed hesitant.

“Charlotte,” he said softly. “I find you
devastatingly
attractive. And as you know, sharing blood for my people is very erotic. You might as well ask if I would mind kissing you or caressing your naked body.”

“Which you’re going to be doing shortly,” she reminded him, frowning. “Try to keep it professional, okay?”

Stav shrugged. “You asked. I was simply trying to reassure you that I do not mind you drinking of me. But if you do not hurry, the wound will close. Blood Kindred are fast healers.”

“Yes, you are.” She was eyeing the bite mark she’d made on his neck which was already mostly healed. “All right.” Gripping his arm in both hands, she brought the wounded wrist to her mouth and latched on, sucking hard—as hard as she had the night before.

A deep, painful pleasure ran through Stavros and it felt as if every muscle in his body clenched. He hissed in a breath and had to look away. Because Gods, if he watched her drinking from him, taking blood as only his rightful mate should, he would want to
make
her his rightful mate. Would want to bond her to him and he had to avoid that at all costs.

At last Charlotte withdrew with a final swipe of her tongue and he dared to look at her again.

“Why does it taste so good?” she asked softly, looking up at him. “It doesn’t taste anything like blood at all. It’s…amazing. Delicious.”

“I don’t know. Maybe because our bodies are compatible.” He shrugged. “Are you warmer now?”

“Toasty.” She took a deep breath of the chilly air but she had stopped shivering. “That really is amazing, you know?”

“It serves its purpose.” Stavros took her by the hand. “Come, let’s go into the sleeping chamber. The soonest begun, the soonest ended.”

He didn’t want to linger over this experience, didn’t want to draw it out because honestly, he didn’t trust himself enough to do that. As much as he wished he could savor this one and only time he would be able to touch Charlotte intimately, he knew it would be unwise. It would be too easy to get lost and want to bond her to him forever. Better to stay detached, impersonal…professional as he had assured her he would. It would be too hard to let go otherwise.

But Charlotte was holding back, a look of uncertainty and almost fear in her eyes.

“Stav, I don’t know…”

The fear in those deep brown eyes touched something inside him. He turned towards her and cupped her cheek gently.

“Charlotte? Are you well?”

“Yes. Yes, of course.” She cleared her throat and looked away. “Just…nervous. I mean, I know we said it would be professional but that doesn’t mean it has to be I don’t know—
completely
impersonal.” She shook her head. “Look, just ignore me. I’m not making any sense.”

“Yes, you are. You’re feeling rushed and uncertain—that’s my fault. Forgive me.” He stroked a strand of hair out of her eyes. “We can do this as fast or as slow as you want and still maintain our professionalism.”

“Of course.” Charlotte seemed relieved. “Of course we can. I mean, we’re both adults, right?”

“We are.” Stavros nodded gravely. “And as consenting adults, we are well able to make our own decisions and do what we like.”

“Good.” She lifted her chin. “Then…I’d like to do this here—on the couch. It feels…somehow it feels less risky that way. Is that okay?”

“It is perfectly fine with me,” Stav assured her. “So how do you wish to begin?”

“Well…” She sat on the couch and looked at him uncertainly. “If we really are acting out my dream, I guess we both need to be topless. And since you’re already wearing your Pharaoh outfit…”

“My what?” He shook his head. “Never mind. You mean that since I am already bare chested, it is time for me to make you so as well.”

“Yes. I…I guess so.”

“That is easily done.” Stav sat beside her and reached for the front of her robe. “May I?” he asked, raising his eyebrows at her.

Silently, she nodded.

“All right.” Pulling apart the magnetic tabs he opened the top of her robe and helped her shrug it off her shoulders.

Though he had seen her naked the night before and the novice robes left little to the imagination, seeing her bare breasts in the soft golden glows of the overhead lighting still took his breath away. They were so full, tipped with innocent pink buds that seemed to beg to be plucked and caressed, nipped and sucked. And tonight for the first and last time he would be able to do all that. All that and more…

“Beautiful,” he murmured softly. “I know it’s not professional to say so but Gods, Charlotte, you’re so lovely it makes me ache to look at you.”

“Oh…” She bit her lip uncertainly. “I…thank you, I guess,” she whispered. “But you’re right about one thing—it’s not professional. We need to try and keep our minds detached, right?”

“Exactly.” Taking a deep breath, Stavros made an effort to master himself. “Very well then, what’s next? I believe you said something about oils?”

“Right. Give me just a minute—I think I saw some in the bathroom.” She got up quickly and went through the sleeping chamber into the fresher. She was gone for some moments and when she came back, she was holding a small bottle of pinkish oil. “Here we go—this should do. It says ‘meditation oil’ on the side and I think we know what
that
means.”

Stav tried not to smile. “Exactly. So am I to rub you with it?”

“Actually, in the dream, I used the oil on you first. All right?”

“If you like.” He sat still while she rubbed some oil on her hands and began stroking his chest and abs with it. The feel of her little hands on his bare skin was incredibly stimulating. So much so that he had to close his eyes and not watch while she did it.

Then she warmed more oil behind her hands and came around to get behind him. Though he tried not to, Stavros stiffened instinctively when she touched his shoulders, coming in contact with his mark.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Her voice was low and soothing. “I’m sorry, would you rather I didn’t touch you here?”

Stav shook his head, barely able to answer. “If…If you like, I would be pleased to allow your touch. I am just…not used to being touched there as you know.”

“Because the women of your home planet are superstitious idiots, apparently,” Charlotte grumbled. “Here, scoot up some so I can get to you.”

She was sitting on the arm of the couch behind him now and Stav moved up obligingly so she had room to put her feet down on the cushions and could reach him more easily.

“It’s actually really beautiful, you know,” she murmured, tracing patterns on his back. “The way it shimmers and seems to change colors…I’ve never seen a tattoo like it.”

“That is because it isn’t a tattoo. It’s a parasite. One that will kill me soon enough.” He knew his voice was coming out harsh and cold but he couldn’t help it. The mark of the Cursed had changed and limited his life in ways too painful to think about and he did not consider it in any way beautiful.

Charlotte’s hands stilled on his back.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I…had no idea. What do you mean it’s going to kill you?”

“Never mind. I was being…overly dramatic.” He sighed.

“But I thought it was an actual curse—like something supernatural.”

“It’s an air born organism from Tranq Prime that invades when a child is young and their immune system is not yet fully developed.” Stavros tried to keep his voice dry as though he were giving a lecture instead of talking about the thing that would one day kill him. “It only takes male hosts—Blood Kindred—and those with hair my color are the most genetically susceptible. It replicates in the nervous system, making the host sensitive to the pain of others. It’s not catching and cannot be transmitted to any other person in any way. Nor can it be gotten rid of. As the host grows, the mark grows with it. Mine spreads a little every day.”

“It does?” She sounded like she was frowning. “It looks the same to me.”

“It’s very slow growing. Someday it will cover my entire body.” If he lasted that long, which he doubted.

“I’m sorry if I was insensitive about it,” Charlotte said quietly. “Do you want me to stop massaging your back? Actually in the dream I didn’t. I just did your front.”

“Oh?” Stavros half turned to face her. “Then why did you want to rub oil into my back now?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged, a crooked little smile on her face. “Maybe to put off the inevitable. Or maybe just because I like your back. You have such amazing shoulders…” She spanned them lightly with her fingertips, sending a shiver down his spine. “I’ve always had a thing for guys with broad shoulders. Sorry…” She gave a little laugh. “Again, not very professional.”

“No, but I don’t mind.” In fact, he was touched that she wanted to massage him in a place no other female would go near. It was still a revelation to him that she didn’t fear his mark, especially after years of shunning and avoidance by his own people. “You can continue if you like,” he said. “If it…calms your nerves. Unless you would rather I took over now.”

Charlotte sighed and straightened up. “I’m tempted to go on but if I do I might lose my nerve. I could massage your back all night and it wouldn’t get us any closer to doing what…what has to be done.”

“True.” He held out a hand for the massage oil and she gave it to him, reluctantly, he thought. Then he waited but she didn’t move. “Aren’t I supposed to be the one behind you for this next part of the dream?” he asked at last, gently.

“Yes…” Charlotte bit her lip but still didn’t move. Then she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Oh, what the hell. Let’s just do this.”

* * * * *

It took every bit of courage she had but Charlie made herself come down from the arm of the couch. Stavros scooted back and she perched on the edge of the cushion between his wide-spread knees.

She waited as he poured some of the oil into his hands and tried not to fidget. The situation felt strange and awkward, as though she was waiting for some weird and scary medical procedure to begin.

It’s okay,
she told herself over and over again.
We’re going to be professional. This doesn’t mean anything—we’re just going to do what we have to do to move on to the Circle of Oneness and get the damn Heart. We’re just going to—

And then she felt his big warm hands on her body—not cupping her breasts as she had expected but rubbing slow and long over the tense muscles of her neck and shoulders.

“Ahhh,” she moaned softly as he dug his thumbs expertly into her spine, “That’s…that’s not in the dream but it’s good—
really
good.”

“I thought it might be better to try and ease some of your tension before we began,” he murmured.

“You thought right,” Charlie assured him. As he rubbed, the knots in her neck and shoulders were beginning to loosen and she could feel herself melting like butter under the firm, warm pressure of his big hands. “God, where did you learn to give a massage like that? It feels
amazing.”

“I’m just rubbing you in the same way you rubbed me.” Stavros sounded amused. “I am glad you like it.”

“Mmm…” was all Charlotte could say. His expert massaging felt so good and she was so warm inside from taking his blood she almost felt that she could slip off to sleep any minute.

Then she felt his big hands sliding down her sides and back up to caress the bottoms of her breasts.

“Ummm…” She had been almost fully relaxed but now she sat up in a hurry, her tension returning.

“It’s all right, Charlotte.” He made no move to touch any further, seeming content to just cup the undercurves of her breasts.