Trust Me When the Sun Goes Down (3 page)

Do you remember what it was like when you were a little kid and you drank so fast you forgot to breathe?  It was almost like we were racing to see who could finish the quickest, only with neither one of us needing to breathe, there was less panting and more gulping involved. I was about to slam my mug down in triumph when my cell phone rang, distracting me from my silly victory. 

Expecting it to be Maggie or maybe even Felix, my heart gave a lurch when it came up as an unknown number.  It couldn’t be more trouble, could it?  We’d barely gotten to share one celebratory kiss! 

“You ain’t got to answer it,” Rob observed mildly, setting both our cups into the sink.

Only I couldn’t let it go without knowing who it was.  Not many people had my private number, it might be important.  “Maybe it’s a wrong number,” I shrugged, hitting the green button.  “Hello?”

“Anja?”

“Gunnar!”  I gave a tiny hop of happiness to hear his voice on the other end of the line.  “Where are you?”

“I am in New York.”

“New York City?”  I repeated unnecessarily, Rob could hear both ends of the conversation easily.  “What are you doing there?  No wait, never mind that, are you alright?”

“Yes, I am fine.  This city which never sleeps is a good place for a vampire.”

He didn’t seem all that bothered about being so far from home, and I tried to take that as a good thing instead of feeling slighted.  “Are you thinking of staying out there then?”

“Oh no, now that Lodinn is no more I will return home as soon as can be arranged.”

“Good, good,” I breathed with relief.  “How did you know Lodinn was dead?”  Was it something he could feel since Lodinn had set up shop in his head?

“I discover it from Jakob.  Once I feel the need to avoid you all slip away, I call him.” 

At first I thought it was weird that Gunnar felt an allegiance to Jakob over me, but then again, that made sense since Jakob’s compulsion to check in with him would still be in effect.  “Do you need any money or anything?”

There was an odd pause before Gunnar replied, “No, money is not any issues.” 

“Good then, thanks for calling and I’m glad to hear you’re safe.  Let me know if you need anything and we’ll see you soon.”

“See you soon, boss.”

“Well, thank God for that.” I sagged against the counter in relief.  “I was afraid we’d have to scour half the nation to find him tied up in a basement somewhere.” 

“I wonder why Lodinn had him holed up in New York?” Rob frowned and I shrugged, as clueless as he was.

“Who knows?  I probably should’ve asked him, but he can fill us in when he gets home.  For the moment, I have more important things to do.”

“Do you now?”  His lips twitched into a speculative grin. 

It was early yet.  There were calls to make, people to talk to.  Felix and the council would need to know a version of what had gone down that night, but for the moment, all I could think of was getting him alone for a private celebration. 

“Yes, there’s nothing more important than this.”  Leaning forward, I tipped my lips up to his.  Instantly, he scooped me up, one arm under my legs, the other cradling me tight to his chest, his mouth taking utter possession of mine as he carried me downstairs to my room.  No, our room.  It was definitely
our
room now. 

I wasn’t thinking about anything more than welcoming him into my bed, but Rob set me down abruptly, the loss of his mouth against mine drawing a mewl of disappointment from my throat.  “What’s the matter?  You’re not worried about Lee or Hanna being in the house, are you?  Nobody cares anymore,” I insisted. 

“Course not,” he scoffed.  “I’m waiting on my prezzie.”  A teasing smile curved his lips as he waited, hand outstretched patiently.  I had half a mind to give him something else instead of the gift I’d picked out for him, but instead I picked up the petite box sitting on the middle of the bed. 

“It’s only something small to commemorate your new birthday, or whatever you want to call it.  I figured it’s a traditional sort of thing for a Sire to do, so… I hope you like it.” I handed it over, watching as he opened the box to reveal a simple, WWII vintage pocket watch I’d found, still in working order.  I’d gotten the idea watching
Captain America
(for the bazillionth time), and had my picture inside like Cap carried Peggy’s picture inside his compass.  Only I wasn’t about to explain that source of inspiration for fear of his teasing me about my crush on the handsome hero.

“Ain’t seen one of these for yonks.” Rob nodded his approval.  Popping open the silver case, he stopped and stared, his fingers tracing over the black and white picture.  “It’s lovely.” 

“Do you really like it?” I beamed.  “I thought about getting you a ring, but I wasn’t sure if you wanted one, or what size you’d wear and I’ve never seen you wear any rings before.”

“I love it,” he promised, laying a hand over his heart.  “I’ll always carry it with me.”

“Oh, good.”  I started to relax.  “If everything went sideways tonight, you were supposed to find this here from me as something to remember me by.”

His brows drew together in a dark scowl.  “Don’t even talk like that.” 

“I know, we both survived the night, that’s all that matters.”  Turning away, I tore up the note I’d set aside with it, slipping it into the garbage so he’d never have to read what I’d spent the better part of an hour crying over.  “Now, how about you let me make it up to you?”  I jerked my head toward the bed, waggling my eyebrows at him suggestively, but instead he caught up my hand and tugged me into the bathroom. 

“Let’s get you cleaned up first, yeah?  I can still smell the soot from the fire in your hair.” 

I hadn’t thought of that.  Taking a shower together sounded like a good a way as any to start the night though.  “I’ll need some help in the shower, with my arm and all,” I said with wide eyed innocence, but I miscalculated as a pinch of worry came to his forehead.

“I thought it wasn’t all that bad?  Do you need more blood?”

“Well… it’s not really,” I had to admit, my cheeks coloring as he caught on to my lame attempt at seduction. 

“Oi, now who’s telling porkies to get special treatment?” He wagged a finger at me. 

“You’re right, it is a little bit of a fib,” I admitted.  “Maybe you should punish me?”  That didn’t sound bad at all. 

Rob caught on to my anticipation and fixed me with a stern look.  “I aim to punish you alright, ain’t no doubt about it.  What you done, leaving me while you went off to die…”

“But I didn’t die,” I interrupted gently, laying a calming hand to his arm.  Rob wouldn’t be soothed though, not over this sore point. 

“You can’t keep doing that.  I’m either in your life or I ain’t.  You either trust me or you don’t,” he insisted.

“I do trust you, I trust you more than anyone else in this world,” I pledged, and I meant it.  He’d always been there for me, even after I’d pushed him away.

“Right then, no more excluding me to keep me safe.”

“The same goes for me then. We can protect each other, how about that?”

The corner of his mouth tugged higher.  “I like the sound of that.  Don’t mean I still won’t punish you though.” There was something in his eyes that sent a shiver of trepidation through me.  His head canted toward the shower.  “You go on and get cleaned up, I’ll be back in a tic.”

“You’re not joining me?”

“Go on with you, I’ve a couple of things to see to.” 

I lingered in the shower, hoping he might join me, but he didn’t show.  There was no sign of him in the bedroom when I emerged either, but there was a short robe on the bed with a simple note. 
Put this on and wait for me.

Rob appeared a few minutes later, still wearing his pants and singlet, smelling of soap, though he hadn’t shaved.  His expression was contained, almost thoughtful as he regarded me sitting on the edge of the bed, and I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking.

“Do you want to put some music on?” I asked, thinking a dance or two might be a nice way to get close to start with, but he clearly had other things in mind.

“No, I want to hear you.”

My mouth went dry.  Swallowing past the flutter of anxiety, I licked my lips and mustered a nervous laugh.  “The things you say.”

“That’s my line,” he said, drawing one of his black silk ties out of his pocket. 

My eyes dropped to the tie, wondering what he had in mind for my
punishment
.  “You’re not going to tie me up, are you?”

“Wasn’t thinking about it, but it sounds like you are,” he smirked and I flushed with embarrassment.

“No, I wasn’t, I only wondered.  What are you, um…?”

Rob stroked my face with the back of his fingers, the silk brushing against my cheek.  “Shh, leave it all to me, luv.”  The next thing I knew he’d drawn the sleek material across my eyes, blindfolding me gently, but securely.  “Take off the robe,” he ordered in a voice I hardly recognized, a voice I didn’t dare disobey.  My hands shook as I fumbled with the knot at my waist, a shiver of anticipation rippling over my skin as the robe slid off to pool at my feet.    

His voice came from behind me next, his breath cool across my neck.  “On your knees.”

I did as I was told, sinking down to the rug, unsure if I should remain upright on my knees or sit back.  In the next moment he guided me to settle back against my heels.  His hand caressed the back of my neck, the fingers capable of bruising strength now soft and gentle, despite the unbending words.  “You belong to me tonight, and you’re to do what I say without complaint.  Is that understood?”

I licked my lips again, a counterpoint instantly springing to them despite his tone of command.  “You belong to me too.”

“That’s as may be, but for tonight there is only one master in this room.  Do you understand?”

“Yes.” 

“There’s a good girl.”  He rewarded me with a caress on my cheek.  I leaned into the touch, expecting… I hardly knew what.  There were things we’d only dreamed of doing together, but this wasn’t a scenario that’d come to my mind before. 

In the next instant, he yanked me forward and I spilled into his lap where he sat on the end of the bed, turning me over his knee.  I struggled instinctively as his hand came down on my backside with a sharp slap, but it was immediately followed by a soothing caress, and I tried to relax.  I’d known the punishment was coming and to be honest, I didn’t think he’d actually hurt me.  Mostly I wanted to see what he’d do next. 

My body tensed for the next sting that didn’t come.  Instead, his fingers dipped lower, exploring, kneading, stroking.  I squirmed on his lap as his other hand held my wrists together behind my back.  I didn’t like not having my hands free to touch him in kind, but I comforted myself with the thought that I could break free at any time if I truly wanted to.  And then I couldn’t think as the rough kiss of his callused fingers reached my most intimate spot.  My body jerked and trembled at his touch, and I whimpered, desperate for more as he pulled me off his lap and set my hands free.   

“I thought you were going to punish me,” I breathed, surprised I’d gotten off with only the one spanking. 

“Too right I am.”

Rob pushed me down against the soft mattress, carefully drawing my damp hair to the side so it wouldn’t be pulled or pinched.  Before I could reach for him, he placed my wrists together up over my head, leaving me feeling awfully exposed.  “Keep your hands here like a good girl or I’ll have to bind them,” he said against the shell of my ear.  “Or is that what you want?” 

Did I want him to?  I’m not gonna lie, the idea intrigued me, but I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy that lack of control and I really wanted to be able to touch him at some point.  At the last second I chickened out.  “No, I’ll be good, I promise.”

“As you wish.”  I heard the rustle of clothes, an ominous zipper, and my thighs parted of their own volition when I felt his weight on the bed beside me. 

At first, nothing happened.  My ears strained to hear his breathing or movements, but for all I knew he’d fallen asleep, he was that still.  And then I felt the lightest caress on the underside of my breast.  Instinctively, my arms moved down to protect my exposed sides, but he captured them and forced them back up over my head.  “Ah, ah, ah… remember what you promised,” he chided lightly. 

“I remember,” I whispered, clutching at the bedspread behind my head. 

“There’s a good girl.”  My reward was a searing kiss, sending a jolt of desire to pool low in my belly.  Next came the lave of his tongue over my hip bone, making me gasp in surprise, but I kept my hands clutched over my head this time. 

Blindfolded, I never knew where the next touch would come from, what part he would worship next.  Every part of me opened to him, accepting his touch and craving more.  My entire body became a writhing bundle of anticipation, the rasp of his jaw drawing my sharp intake of breath as often as his clever fingers.  He kept stopping and starting, bringing me to the brink and then he’d shift and do something else.  I thought at first he didn’t realize it, and I didn’t want to say anything because it would start to build again, faster and faster each time, but then I began to understand that he was doing it on purpose. 

This was his punishment. 

“Rob, please…” I gasped as he led me away from release once more. 

“Please what?”

“I can’t take much more of this.”

“I’ll be the one to decide that.”  And then his mouth was too busy for words again and all I could make was incoherent sounds until he pulled away, the sense of loss growing sharper and sharper.  I squirmed, eager for another touch, just one more, and I was convinced I’d break apart into a thousand quivering pieces. 

And still he teased, fingers dancing everywhere but right where I needed him to be most.  I couldn’t take it anymore, I needed a break before my nerves shattered.   

“How about you let me please you for a while, how would that be?” 

“You do please me,” he chuckled, the sound reverberating through me.  Could he send me over the edge with just a laugh?  I was nearly there.  I could feel his hardness against me and marveled at his self control. 

“Let me touch you or taste you, I want to make you feel good too,” I tried again.

“There will be time enough for that.  Don’t you like what I’m doing to you?”  He punctuated that with a curve of fingers that made my hips buck.

Pure evil.
  “Yes, but…” 

“But what?”

He had to know what he was doing to me, had to.  I opened my mouth to beg for it, I couldn’t keep going on like this.  But then I couldn’t speak as his fangs sank into my inner thigh, the pull against my flesh sending a sharp spike of pleasure humming along my veins as he drank deeply.  Just when I thought that alone might get me there he stopped, his tongue busy with another target.  Again and again, he licked and then drank, pulling me closer and closer, dancing on the edge of my release. I quivered and moaned as he backed off over and over again, driving me insane with need.  I’d never teetered so close to the brink of pleasure and pain before, and I thought I might die if he didn’t give me what I needed soon.

“Rob, please,” I sobbed.  “I’ll do anything.”

“Promise me you’ll never scare me like you done tonight?”

His impassioned plea cut through the haze of pleasure.  “I didn’t mean to scare you, I…”

The tip of his fang pierced me
there
, just the teensiest nip, but when he sucked against the tiny wound, my world exploded into a shower of stars.  “Promise me,” he demanded roughly, fingers pressing against my hips with bruising force.

“Yes!  Yes, I promise you.  I’m sorry, I’m so…frakking sorry… I.”  His mouth closed over my slick folds again, nipping and sucking, only this time he didn’t stop.  I completely lost myself, blind and deaf to everything but pleasure that went on and on, so that I wasn’t entirely sure if I passed out or if time itself came to a stop in the middle of it.  Gradually, I was left with dying spasms and a hollow ache inside me that only one thing could fill. 

There was a creak on the mattress and then Rob surged into me, burying himself to the hilt in my tight embrace.  As good as he’d made me feel bare moments before, it was nothing compared to the feel of him filling me; this was my completion. 

My entire body was still so sensitive and thrumming with pleasure, it only took a few strokes for me to come apart again, every nerve ending throbbing and pulsing as I shuddered around him.  It was too much, I tried to tell him, but he didn’t stop, not until I’d reached a third thunderous peak.  Only then did my fangs clamp onto his shoulder and he came in a rush, his teeth piercing my neck to draw out my pleasure as well.  Ripples of sensation passed between us as we gradually came down, and I could feel the wetness of tears behind the tie that bound my eyes.