Sundown & Serena (22 page)

I was skeptical, but he’d been so careful to
tell me he didn’t want me getting sick, I believed him. “Okay.”

Devlin pushed hard, and slowly he got himself
most of the way inside me. Before he was all the way in, I felt his
penis hit something deep inside me. There wasn’t room enough inside
me for all of him. I held very still, not knowing if there was
something I should be doing.
Can I make more room
inside me somehow?

“I am probably the largest man you’ll ever
have,” he said, prideful. “Most men will not be able to reach your
cervix, which is at the end of your womanly opening. If the man is
long, as I am, you may feel them touch it, when they are as deep
inside you as they can be. Know it won’t hurt you, if they hit
against it as they have sex with you. Some women find it
pleasurable. I very rarely don’t touch a woman’s cervix, when I
make love to her. I like the feeling, and I believe other men do as
well.”

Then he began to move, and I forgot
everything but how he felt. He touched all of me at once, sliding
over all of me, inside me, caressing me with his organ. I cried out
over and over, shaking in his arms.

“I feel good, don’t I?” he whispered.

“You do,” I moaned, my head lolling with each
thrust as fresh waves of pleasure rocked me. “God, yes, you
do.”

He moved a little faster in me, as my excited
body lubricated me, my climax cresting close again. Devlin began to
thrust harder into me, the orgasm rising up beneath me like a tidal
wave. He was panting now as he worked himself in and out of me, our
bodies covered with sweat. The cresting wave of ecstasy broke over
me with a crash, and I came screaming loudly, as he drove himself
into me hard. A few seconds later, he gave a harsh cry and I felt
him spurt as he came, his movements slowing.

We lay there for a moment, him still atop me,
and then he moved back from me, looked down at me below him, and
gave me a smile. “I think you like regular sex better, Serena. But
the choice of what you ask your lovers for is up to you.” Devlin
kissed me again, and began moving in me leisurely again, stroking
me over and over.

I loved the feeling of him inside me. Nick
and Vince hadn’t felt like he did, and I knew it had to be because
he was so much bigger than they were. No wonder that woman he’d
seduced that day had enjoyed it. I’d thought her a little wanton,
for being married and enjoying another man’s touch. But how could
any woman not love the feel of this man inside them?

Devlin brought me several more times
screaming, and each time, he came as well. I didn’t understand why
he didn’t need to rest, as Nick and Vince had. Maybe it was because
he was vampire?

Finally, he withdrew from me, and lay by my
side. I was exhausted, and I wanted to sleep, but I didn’t know if
I should. Were my lessons done?

I looked over at him. He was looking at the
ceiling, his arms folded behind his head, a scowl on his face.

I wondered if he was thinking of that woman
Nick had talked about, the one he supposedly loved. Deciding he had
to be, I felt bad for him, that he loved her, and she wasn’t here
with him. He probably would much rather have spent the night in her
arms than in mine. “I’m sorry she’s not here with you, instead of
me,” I said without thinking, and then I flushed crimson.
How could I have said that! Good going,
Serena!

Devlin started and gave me a sharp glance.
“What did you say?” he growled.

“I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “I
shouldn’t.”

“Repeat what you said!” he growled.
“Immediately, Serena!”

Hesitantly, I repeated it.

“How do you know of her?” he said quietly.
“Did Vince say something?”

“He said there was a woman who belonged to
another man,” I whispered. “And that you had been with her, loved
her. That he thought she...mattered to you.”

“Vince should learn to keep his mouth shut,”
Devlin growled. “I’ll have Lash remind him of that tomorrow.”

I said nothing, just tried to be as quiet as
possible and not move. I didn’t want Lash giving me any
reminders.

“Your words are kind,” he said finally. “I
wish she were here with me, too. I miss her very much.”

“Does she know how you feel?” I murmured.

“She knows,” he said darkly. “But she doesn’t
love me. She loves her husband, the dolt!” He paused, and then
swore. “I gave her the best sex of her life! Me! And she chooses to
live with that Neanderthal!”

“I’m sorry,” I said again, not knowing what
else to say.

“So am I,” Devlin sighed. “I don’t want to
feel this way anymore. I want to be free of her. But I think about
her all the time, no matter how many other women I’m with. No
matter how good the sex is. I think about the things she said to
me, the way she looked at me...” He trailed off, and let out a deep
sigh. “I think about going back to her, stealing her away in the
night, and making her come be with me. But I’d just be killed. And
she’d hate me anyway.”

“Did you ask her to come to you?” I
whispered.

“Yes,” he sighed. “She hasn’t replied. She
hasn’t written to me, or e-mailed me, or called me. My brother gave
her some presents from me, and told me she liked them, though she
burned a book I sent her.”

Who was this woman? What was her hold on him?
She must be a living goddess, to possess him so, him being so
handsome, and charming.

“But I sent her a token of mine,” he
continued. “I know she must have gotten it, yet she doesn’t contact
me! I don’t know if she’s thinking about me, like I’m thinking of
her, or if she’s burned it like the book. I keep hoping she’ll
call, but it’s been a month now.” He paused again. “I’m losing
hope.”

“Send her a card, or flowers, or an e-mail,”
I suggested. “Ask her if she’s thinking of you. What can it
hurt?”

Devlin looked over at me, and nodded once.
“You’re right,” he sighed. “It can’t hurt. I’ll send her a card
tomorrow.”

“You really must love her,” I murmured.

“I do,” he said, his honey-colored eyes
tormented, “though it would be better for everyone if I forgot her,
as she seems to have forgotten me.”

“I doubt she’s forgotten you,” I whispered.
My human impulse was to take his hand or rub his arm as a comfort.
Yet my animal half warned that this apparent weak moment was not
one where he would welcome casual touching by any female other than
his love. “I’m never going to forget our time together, and it was
just sex. She’s probably thinking of you just as much as you are
thinking of her. But she’s got a husband to consider. She may be
thinking of how to break it to him that she’s leaving him. Or she
may think you’ve moved on, because she hasn’t heard from you.”

“Why are you being so kind to me about her?”
Devlin said, looking over at me searchingly. “What does it matter
to you how I feel?”

“You’ve changed my life,” I said quietly,
still trying to be submissive, understanding instinctively that it
was what he wanted from me. “I was living in a tiny apartment,
scraping by and working every day with no affection or sex. Now I’m
going to live in a mansion, and spend a good part of every day in
bed, enjoying myself. I’m shocked how fast my fortunes have
changed.”

“I understand your gratefulness,” Devlin said
with apparent satisfaction. “Your life will be much more to your
liking, I’m sure. I hope you’ll be happy living here.”

Devlin rolled over towards me, and took me in
his arms. “I’m going to bite you now,” he said, lust in his golden
eyes. “Roll over on your stomach, Serena.”

I rolled over obediently, bracing myself with
my upper arms. Devlin moved atop me, and slid into me with a hard
thrust of his hips, going deep enough I felt the press of his
scrotum against my moist inner thighs. I groaned at the deeply
satisfying sensation of his organ stroking my already wet channel,
as he began to move in quick hard strokes. Together we strained for
release, our pants like gasps of sheer need. He brought me
screaming once more, my cries nearly howls as I felt some of my
control over my human form lessen, fur sprouting on my forearms as
my teeth sharpened and lengthened. At once, Devlin bit down hard on
the side of my neck. He took deep long pulls in time to his
thrusts, his swallowing interspersed with muffled groans.

There wasn’t any pain at his bite, just a
rush of pleasure that intensified the orgasm to the point I thought
I was going to die. I shook all over, jerking under him, my screams
turning to animal howling, then back again. As my orgasm ebbed,
Devlin came again, his arms squeezing me hard as he bore deep one
last time.

Devlin took one long last pull, then held his
mouth over the bite, kissing it gently. He moved off me to my side,
licking his lips thoughtfully. “You taste interesting. What mix are
you?”

“Coyote and fox,” I replied, flushing. “I’m a
half-breed.” Hesitantly, I felt the side of my neck he’d bitten.
There was only smooth unbroken skin, and no pain. Somehow, he’d
healed me.

“Ah!” Devlin said, sounding surprised and
pleased. “I’ll be wanting your blood again, then. I haven’t tasted
that particular mix before.”

“Of course.”
What other
response can I give?
Asking if I’d be paid for that too made
me feel churlish.
If he starts asking for it
every week, then I’ll address it.

“You should go to your room now, little
dove,” Devlin said dismissively, kissing my hand. “You need to
sleep. And I’m sliding into a malcontent mood, something I’m afraid
is quite common lately. It’s better if you go.”

You don’t need to tell me
what I can already scent.
I got up, and wrapped my robe
around me. “Thank you for the lessons.”
And the
easy exit.

“You’re welcome,” he said seriously, sadness
in his honey-colored eyes.
He’s thinking of that
woman he loved, missing her.

I shut his bedroom door behind me, thinking
if that was what love was like, I was better off not ever feeling
it.

Chapter
Four

The next day, Nick came to my door at ten in
the morning, and asked me if there was anything I wanted from my
apartment. “I have the day off,” he explained, grinning. “And I’m
very happy you took Devlin’s offer. So I’ll help you bring your
stuff here, if you want.”

Belatedly, I realized today I’d have to
officially quit my job at the diner. Already that seemed like a
life so far removed from me that it was hard to imagine I’d ever
lived it.
And thank God for that.
“Sure,”
I said brightly. “Let me get dressed.”

Slipping my clothes from the previous night
back on, I followed Nick outside to a waiting Jeep-like vehicle
with no license plates and a few flattened boxes in the back. Vince
was already there behind the wheel waiting, and he gave me a grin
when he saw us. “I have the day off, too,” he said. “I’ll drive.
Where to, Serena?”

I gave them directions, and soon, we were at
my apartment. I was embarrassed as I let them in. Next to the
estate they called home, this was a practically a closet, all of
the furniture hand-me downs from neighbors that I’d picked off the
curb on garbage day, and almost all the other décor items that I’d
bought cheaply at flea markets. “Here it is.”

“What should we start bringing?” Nick said,
looking around a little curiously. “Do you want the furniture
first? We may have to make multiple trips.”

“None of the furniture is mine,” I stammered,
casting my eyes around at all the junk, which looked so cut-rate
next to the furnishings of my new home.
None of
this fits in my new life.
“I don’t have much. Just the
books, and the few plants there on the kitchen windowsill.”

“I’ll get those, then,” Nick said, nodding.
Vince and he began to load the books into their boxes, while I
packed the plants in one large box, wrapping them in my threadbare
towels to protect their clay pots. Then I did a quick sweep of the
apartment, choosing just a few clothes and other personal items. It
only took an hour to pack up everything I owned, and load it in
their vehicle.

My landlord came to see what was going on,
and I explained to him that I was moving out. He said he was sorry
to see me go, and gave me back my deposit, after inspecting my
apartment to make sure I hadn’t taken any of his furnishings.
Like I’d want them where I was going.

As I walked down the stairs, it sank in
finally that I wouldn’t be coming back here again. Small as it had
been, that apartment had been home for years now for me.
Since Rosa had left, and Father had
died...

“You okay?” Vince said, slipping his arm
around my shoulders.

“I’m okay,” I assured. “It’s just been a lot
to take in.” I forced a smile. “Canids prefer routines. We’re wired
that way.”

“That’s normal for us weres,” Vince said
easily. “Your life is changing. It was a shock to us when we moved
here, too. But we got used to it. You’ll be fine in a couple
days.”

“You’ll like living on the beach,” Nick
added, as he opened the Jeep door for me. “There’s no one around at
night. We like to become bear, and lay on the warm sand, and play
in the water.”

“You can join us if you want tonight, if you
want to change, too,” Vince chimed in, turning in his seat to look
at me. “We never asked, but what canid are you? You smell kind of
like a fox. I admit, I’m dying to see you in your fur.”

I bit my lip, and looked at him.

Both of them saw my unease, and waited,
watching me.

“
I can’t take my animal form,” I said
finally.

They gaped at me. “Why not?” Nick asked
gently.

“I’m a half breed,” I whispered. “My mother
died having me. My father gave up trying to help me change when I
was a few years old. He said there was something wrong with
me.”