The Maestro's Apprentice (2 page)

Maria always made a unit of herself and Autumn, while Autumn preferred to think of herself as part of the whole, or as one unit with many others who interacted randomly.

Randomness turned her on. That was a good thing, because Adam’s cock was pretty hefty. He raised his hips off Autumn and took it in his hand, rubbing the slick head over her opening. It slid easily. “Somebody is ready for it,” he teased. “I don’t think I’ve seen you like this before.”

She grinned at him, enjoying his large form on top of her, the heat from his body, and his earthy smell. They had been on a bus all day and hadn’t showered since sometime yesterday, so Adam had worked up a strong, pleasant musk.

10

He began to press at her just a little bit. Her lips opened and her lids became heavy with desire. Maria reached over and put her hand between Autumn’s legs, teasing her clit while Adam tested her pussy. Autumn gave a little moan, willing all thoughts to leave her head, focusing on nothing but sensation and her feelings for the two people with her.

It was always a shock when Adam entered her, no matter how wet she was. It always felt as though the huge head of his erection had stretched her as far as she could be stretched. But the shaft was even thicker, and stretched her far beyond that, opening her up and fitting into her body as if it were a sleeve designed especially for him. It hurt.

And it felt so incredibly good.

She opened her mouth and let out air like a dying animal while he slid halfway in, to where his cock thickened, and then pulled back slowly. He would have to push it the rest of the way, slowly, coaxing her body to take it, but he liked to tease her first. She liked it too.

Between Adam’s giant cock impaling her slowly and Maria’s fingers teasing her clit, Autumn was in danger of climaxing too soon, before need had built enough to make the orgasm strong, so she looked up at Adam’s face, lips open and fangs erect, tense but at peace. The sight of his fangs made her tingle. What if she stopped taking the bite after just this one time? She could work up to telling him the bad news, instead of springing it on him all at once and ruining such a beautiful moment. Autumn reached up and took a rope of hair in her hand and played with it, distracting herself from her thoughts and from the intense sensations the others were creating in her body.

Maria followed suit and touched his hair. He turned to her and smiled, then reached over and put his hand on her breast. “Mm…this is so nice. I’m loving this,” he said.

11

After fucking Autumn with only half of his cock for a while, he planted his elbows on either side of her and lowered his head, covering her with his hair. “Ready for the rest, baby girl?” he asked.

She nodded. He slid it in until it stopped and began pushing it, giving tiny thrusts of his hips to tease his way in. Autumn gave an open-mouthed gasp as he stretched her further. The pain intensified the pleasure. “Oh my God, Adam,” she whispered.

“You’re gonna take it,” he said, giving a harder thrust, forcing his way in more. “I’m gonna fuck you good.” His voice was a low, husky growl. His body shook. Autumn knew it was because of the control he was exerting over his own excitement, that he really just wanted to pound her until he came. That would happen later. For now, he had to concentrate on filling her up completely.

His dreads tented around her as he lowered his head to kiss her on the lips, then moved to her jaw and down to her neck. A jolt of adrenaline surged through her. Maria’s fingers left Autumn’s pussy and squeezed her thigh in short, quick bursts. Autumn knew Maria was trying to signal her to tell Adam not to bite her, but Autumn ignored her. She was now desperate for the bite, and exposed her throat for him.

“Adam…” Maria said urgently, but he didn’t respond. He kissed the spot over Autumn’s jugular. “Adam,” she said louder. “Don’t bite us…okay?”

Autumn wanted to scream, but she didn’t dare. She had agreed to leave with Maria.

They had talked about it for so long. But her body felt as though it would explode if Adam didn’t penetrate her in every way possible this minute.

He paused, dragged himself away from the kiss and whispered, “What?”

12

Autumn looked up. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell Maria to stop interfering.

But she didn’t do that. She accepted what Maria wanted, like she always did.

“Please,” Maria said. “I’ll explain later.”

Looking as though he was about to throw up, Adam nodded and pressed his cheek against Autumn’s before pushing into her with the thick base of his cock. Disappointment about the bite dampened her enthusiasm, but she raised her hips to meet him. He pulled out a couple of inches and pushed it back in. She could feel him deep inside of her.

Maria relaxed her hold on Autumn’s thigh, then began kneading the sensitive flesh as the pair rutted against each other. Autumn had forgotten Maria was even touching her, and wished she would stop. She held Adam tighter and turned her thoughts to him as he fucked her hard. His need brought back her excitement. She began to breathe heavily and felt lightheaded. Her legs shook and her calf threatened to cramp because of the way she tensed when she was close. She ignored it and climaxed with a surprised cry. That was all it took to take Adam over the edge. Autumn groaned as she felt his cock throbbing against her sensitive walls and his hot juices filling her.

She still wanted him to bite her, but at least she felt much more relaxed now. Autumn sighed, wondering what it said about her that she felt so annoyed with Maria right now.

She felt guilty.

Adam dropped his head, tickling her face with his hair. Maria moved around so she could curl her body around their heads and pet Autumn’s face. Autumn closed her eyes and felt her anger dissipate as she concentrated on the sensations—Maria’s feathery fingers, Adam’s weight and breathing, the strange feeling of him shrinking inside her.

13

After a while, Adam raised up on his elbows and looked at her. “I don’t know what you’re on, but you need to keep taking it. That was…mm!” He shook his head and got up to clean himself.

Autumn looked at Maria to find the other girl staring at her significantly. She tried to recall the feelings she had had for her six months ago when everything had seemed so exciting, and decided they were still there, buried somewhere. They had to be. She couldn’t just abandon Maria.

“Sorry, Maria,” Adam said, making his way toward the bathroom. “The next one’s yours. I promise. I just wasn’t…girl, what has gotten into you?” he asked Autumn.

“Adam, we have to talk to you,” Maria said.

“I’m listening,” he said, returning with a towel. He stood in the middle of the room milking excess come from his cock. “And what’s up with not wanting to be bitten? I’m starting to get hungry.”

This time, he saw the two of them share a look. “Uh-oh. You two are cooking something up. What is it?”

Maria took Autumn’s hand in hers. Autumn let her, curious to see how it made her feel. She felt detached.

“We want to strike out on our own,” Maria said. “Get out of the whole vampire thing.”

The jovial look on Adam’s face disappeared. “Oh. I see,” he said. “Well, then. How long…when?”

“Not right away, Adam,” Autumn said quickly, pulling her hand away from Maria’s and sitting up. “I mean, if you can’t find food, of course we’ll feed you…”

14

“You’ll find food,” Maria said. “We’ll help you. And we’ll stay with you a few weeks, or until you have somebody permanent.”

“And we can keep doing this,” Autumn added.

Adam nodded and tossed the towel on the bed. “Yeah.”

“Are you okay?” Autumn asked, getting up to go to him.

He backed away a step and put his hand up reflexively, then moved it to the back of his neck. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m going to go take a shower. Y’all figure out where you want to go.”

Autumn stopped, stung by his withdrawal. “Want company?” she asked hopefully.

“No, baby girl. I’ve got it. You and Maria talk about what you want to do tonight.”

Autumn thought he sounded hurt. She watched him go, wishing such a wonderful time hadn’t ended like this, feeling guilty and trying to convince herself she still felt the same about Maria. Her heart beat too quickly. The bathroom door shut. Autumn told herself this would all work out.

“Hey,” Maria said from the bed. “Why don’t we take Adam to a strip club tonight?”

15

Watched by patient, unseen eyes, they wound up at a two-level club on Bourbon Street where a beautiful brunette dancer in red inched her way to the top of the pole, which extended from the floor on the first level to the ceiling on the second, where Autumn and the others had gone. The upper level was essentially a three hundred and sixty-degree loft from which people could watch the goings-on below. Autumn watched as the girl wrapped her slender legs around it, undulating as though she were making love to it. Autumn imagined the cold metal pressed against her own crotch while dozens of men looked at the girl, wanting her.

She hardly noticed how sulky Adam had become since their conversation.

“Why don’t I just get a drink and go out on the balcony?” he suggested, unaware it was being watched by a man in the shadows across the street. Adam was wearing a purple Bob Marley T-shirt, jeans and loafers for the occasion, and had his top dreads pulled back.

Autumn watched the pole.

“I think she wants to see the show, Adam,” Maria teased.

“She can do what she wants. I want to go outside.”

Autumn whirled around. The multicolored lights, thumping music and scantily clad bodies made her feel giddy. “Oh, come on!” she said, circling her arms around one of his, squeezing his large, round bicep because she liked the vein running along the side. “Have some fun with us! Just this one night, can we please just pretend we don’t have to worry so much? Please?”

16

Adam wrinkled the side of his mouth and sighed, giving her a look. “All right, all right. If you really want me to let some girl shake her coochie in my face…”

Before he could finish, however, a girl with a silvery-blonde pixie cut and glitter on her temples approached them with a smile. “My name’s Tina,” she said to Maria, before smiling warmly at Autumn. “Is this your first time here?”

“Yes,” Autumn said excitedly. “Are you one of the dancers?”

“I am,” Tina said. “Can I interest you girls or your friend here in a lap dance?”

“Oooh, that would be so much fun,” Maria said, putting one hand on Adam’s shoulder and one on his arm. “This is Adam, and he really needs to have a good time.”

“No, he doesn’t,” Adam said emphatically. “It was y’all’s crazy notion to come in here. I just want a drink.”

Autumn and Maria both looked at him, slightly alarmed. He looked from one to the other. “Of
Jack
. As in Jack and Coke.”

“If Adam gets one, can we watch?” Autumn asked.

“No,” Adam said. “Because I am not getting one.”

“Of course,” Tina said. “It’ll cost ten dollars more, but you’ll be fucking like bunnies later, I guarantee it.”

Adam shifted his weight to another foot and looked away with a sigh. “I do not believe this,” he mumbled. “Can’t take you two anywhere.”

“Oh, come on,” Autumn said, popping him lightly on the butt. “We just want you to have fun.”

“Out of guilt. I know what you’re doing. This is not going to help matters any, I’ll tell you that.”

17

His words made Autumn’s smile wilt a little. Tears stung her eyes, but no one saw.

She was glad.

“Follow me,” Tina said, and walked toward a corridor parallel to the stairwell.

“Get him,” Maria told Autumn, then took his left hand in hers and followed Tina.

Autumn ignored the hurt and guilt she felt about Maria telling Adam they were leaving him, and made herself grab his other hand to help pull him along. Adam shook his head and allowed himself to be led to a tiny room with a bench on one end that looked like a shelf, and a mirror on the other that covered all but about six inches of the wall.

Maria pulled Autumn out of the way as the pixie-haired stripper motioned to Adam to sit on the bench and stood in the middle of the room. “You guys must be really close,”

she said over her shoulder to the girls, just as Maria pulled Autumn to her and nuzzled her hair. Then Tina grinned. “Really,
really
close.”

“Yeah,” Maria said, gazing at Autumn affectionately. Autumn smiled, and ignored the discomfort it caused, and the fact that she really didn’t want Maria to touch her right now.

I wonder if I really don’t want to be with her,
she wondered, before pushing the thought from her mind. But not before she felt the flutter of butterflies at the prospect of being free of the attachment, free of the anchor of Maria, floating wherever the wind decided to take her.

Autumn had always been subject to the whims of other people, and had never really done much of anything. Except for being bounced around from one foster home to another during her teen years, she had led an extremely sheltered life before meeting Claudio five years before, at the age of twenty. At first, life at the vampire’s estate had 18

seemed exciting, with parties, constant sex with vampires and the persistent, looming threat of punishment.

But before long, Autumn realized a certain sameness had set in. Though she’d had some interesting experiences at Claudio’s place, she hadn’t had the freedom to experiment—not that she’d wanted to then. Claudio was a very sexy Frenchman, and she had come to love him. But he would punish his feeders with a belt or a riding crop in a heartbeat, plus he enjoyed frightening, kinky games. She’d thought she would get used to him eventually, but he scared her as much now as he had when she’d first met him.

Maria’s plan to run had been a way to escape the fear and experience a new way of living.

Out here, she wasn’t scared anymore. The excitement of the open road and all of Maria’s talk about doing what they wanted had gotten Autumn thinking about what she wanted to do. The answer that came back to her was one simple word.

Everything.