Unbound (28 page)

“Please, just love me,” she begged him. Charlie turned and laid her gently beneath him, tasting her from her lips, all the way to her navel. He crawled fa
r
ther down the bed to nibble and lick the inside of her thigh from her knee, all the way up to her slippery heat. She shivered and whimpered under the exploration of his tongue and fingers. She allowed his mouth to roam over the core of her need and she arched her back and moaned, lifting to meet him. He suckled her the way she had lapped at his neck. When he brought her to a shattering climax, he held her hips tight, giving her no reprieve from his teasing until she boiled over into another release. “Oh my God Charlie, I need you. I need to have all of you.”

He didn’t make her ask again. He wasn’t gentle this time. He wanted her to feel the depth and breadth of his feelings for her. His arousal ruthlessly plundered her depths. She dug her nails into his back and pleaded. He wasn’t sure what she was begging for, but he gave her all he had in long, hard strokes. He took her to the edge and let her teeter there, writhing, whimpering while he teased her until the luscious agony gripped him by the throat and demanded its release. He let it take him and dragged her under into the violent climax his body demanded of them both. The sweetest thing he’d ever heard was his name on her lips before she collapsed.

* * *

Dani wanted to stay there with Charlie forever. He was the peace and comfort she so desperately needed. He wrapped his arms around her and she relaxed into a dreamless sleep. She might have slept until the next day if Steve hadn’t walked in and started banging around. Charlie was blocking her from view so Steve didn’t realize she was there until he walked over and smacked the still-sleeping Charlie on the back of his head, “Get up, lazy ass. I thought you were going out with Dani.”

Charlie woke up in defense mode and flipped over, jumping off the bed as if ready for a fight just as Steve noticed the long dark hair pouring over the bed. Steve turned and backed up immediately.

“Sorry guys. I didn’t see you over there, Dani. I’ll be back in a little while.” He seemed more embarrassed than Dani was. Charlie was still half-awake and confused. He shielded Dani’s body with his own.

“It’s okay, he’s gone.” She wrapped her arms around him from behind.

“Shit!” He flopped back on the bed. “I was dreaming that someone was trying to take you away and I couldn’t catch up with you. Then that ass scared the hell out of me. Are you okay? I’m sorry about that. You know what it’s like with a roommate.”

Dani got dressed and he watched her with sad eyes.

“I’m fine, babe. I guess
its
good he came. I would have slept forever in your arms like that. I’ve got to get going. I’m sure they’re looking for me by now. I was supposed to call a couple of hours ago.”

“What will happen now? Are you leaving campus?” Charlie followed her into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub while she pulled her hair up into a knot.

“I have to call my godfather to let him know I’m back. Then I have to call Cayden, you remember him, the guy that came for me the other day. I’m sure my father is going to want to see me. Of course, he doesn’t really know who I am, but he doesn’t want my “power” falling into the wrong hands. So I’m not sure what they plan to do, but my mother is aware of the situation now, so I have to go along with it or go home for a while. Home is the last place I want to be. I’ll call you later and let you know whatever details I have.” Looking at her face in the mirror, she realized how much better she looked after feeding. Dani turned to Charlie, “Thank you so much for taking care of me. I feel so much better. What would I do without you?"

Charlie scooped her up in his arms and carried her back to the bed, “If I have any say in the matter, you’ll never need to find out. I think you should stay here with me and Steve can go stay with Olivia.” He was nuzzling her and she giggled and squirmed.

“You know I can’t do that, but I love you for wanting me to.” She was trying to leave the bed. Charlie’s face became very solemn and he gripped her hand.

“How do you really feel about me, Danielle? Is this love?” He searched her eyes for the truth. Dani hesitated and tears gathered on her lashes.

“I have love for you, Charlie, but I don’t want you to love me. At least I don’t want you to be ‘in’ love with me. I’m no good for you. I don’t want you sitting around worrying and wondering where I am and if I’m safe. I refuse to bring my trouble to your doorstep. If any harm comes to you because of me...” She choked on the words and tried to stop the tears. “You are my one love and true friend, Charlie. I don’t want to lose you, but I can’t have you waiting for me to give you something I can’t give you. I’m not normal and never will be.” Now the words shook with the pain in her chest. “I won’t make a good girlfriend while I’m running around biting people, and I would
never be a good mate for you.” It was s
trange how the word mate came to her so easily now. “You deserve to finish school and go on to a happy life with a normal human wife that will give you normal human children, not a creature like me without a chance for a normal future.”

Charlie was dumfounded by this line of thought. He had only thought about the present and how much he wanted her right now. He hadn’t considered a long-term future with children. The fact that she had considered a future with him made him happy and frightened him at the same time. She was holding back in order to protect his future happiness, and he needed to think about what that meant. Could he handle dealing with her problems on a long-term basis? Could he handle it when she had no choice but to feed in his absence? How often could she feed from him without making him sick? He was overwhelmed by the onslaught of difficult possibilities and unknown consequences running through his mind.

* * *

Dani saw the brutal reality of her situation sinking in for Charlie, and the sting of his possible rejection washed over her heart. She put on her shoes and grabbed her phone from the floor, where it had fallen in their rush to disrobe. Charlie was still frozen when she kissed him softly.

“No matter what happens between us, I will love you. I don’t blame you for cutting me loose if that’s what you need to do. It’s only what I already expected.” She left quickly without giving him a chance to stop her or say goodbye. Dani couldn’t deal with those words.

She had ten missed calls and six voicemails, four of which were from her mom. The others were from Cayden and Mason. On the way across the courtyard, she called Mason. He answered on the first ring.

“I’m sorry. I was indisposed for a while and didn’t hear my phone. I am on campus and heading to my room,” she said before he could even say hello.

“You better call Tessa. She’s freaking out and about to come searching for you herself. Then get in touch with Griffin and see what he wants you to do. I imagine he will send someone to pick you up so you can’t escape like the last time.” Mason’s words were clipped.

“I said I’m sorry so drop the attitude, godfather dearest. I am not a prisoner, or one of Griffin’s subjects, so I have nothing to escape from. He can kiss my ass. He hasn’t missed me in the last nineteen years. He can deal with it now,” she clipped back.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about child. He is going to be devastated when he realizes who you really are. He suffered terribly when he lost you and your mother. I will likely lose his friendship when he finds out I helped hide you all these years, but that is a discussion for another day. Right now I need to get you under our protection or your mother is going to lose her mind,” he scolded her.

She was walking down the hall to her room when her senses were assaulted by something unpleasant. She reached her bedroom door, which was open, a crack. “Hold on Mason. Something’s wrong. My door is open and something smells nasty.”

“Don’t go in! Leave now. I’ll be right over. I’m already moving.” He was livid.

“I have to go in. I have a roo
mmate, Mason. She could be sick,
” Dani whispered and pushing the door open.

“You don’t know who is in there, just listen to me.” He was running.

She tiptoed into the dark room. Olivia’s bed was made and she wasn’t there, but someone was in Dani’s bed. She flipped on the bathroom light. The bathroom was empty. “Someone is in my bed.” She crept forward and pulled back the blanket. “Oh God, Mason! It’s a girl! She’s dead in my bed!” She backed up to the door and slid down the wall, hyperventilating.

“Get out of there, now! Are you sure, she’s dead? Can we get help for her?” he was shouting.

“No.” Dani sniffed, “She looks like she’s been gone for a while. I can’t leave. She’s one of us. She has fangs. I can’t let anyone else find her like this.” Her voice trembled so badly she could hardly understand herself.

“Damn it! It’s our missing girl! I’m calling Griffin! If anyone comes in, you put them down until we get there. Do you understand? If they try to hurt you, kill them!” Mason said sternly.

“I understand. I’ll do what I have to.” She hung up and sat in the corner, fighting the urge to vomit.

* * *

Cayden tried to call Dani twice and she hadn’t returned his message. She should have been back on campus by now, so he decided to go hunt her down. He found her car on the parking lot. The hood was cool so she had been there for a while. In route to her dorm, he picked up her distinctive vanilla aroma entering another dorm. He followed it up the stairs to the room she had entered and knocked on the door. Nobody answered at first. He knocked harder, getting annoyed at the intensity of her scent coming from the room. The guy she described as a regular donor open the door, reeking of her.

Cayden knew she wasn’t there anymore but he was curious about her pet so he asked, “Is Danielle here?”

“No, she left a while ago, but she’ll be back. Would you like me to give her a message for you?” said the cocky human.

“That’s ok. She’ll be leaving with me, as soon as I find her.” Cayden began to back away from the door and the strong aroma that reminded him of Chase’s room after she had been there all night.

“She left something behind. Could you return it to her for me? I’m sure she’s missing them by now.” The human disappeared into the room, came back to hand him a tiny scrap of black lace, and shut the door in Cayden’s face.

On examination of the tiny scrap of fabric, Cayden had to stop himself from breaking down the damn door and killing the filthy male. This was definitely Dani’s underwear. That’s why his room was heavy with her perfume. She had been naked with him just today. This charming fellow had no problem with kissing and telling. That must be why she hadn’t been answering her phone. Cayden was fuming mad and wasn’t sure he should see Dani just then. He was sure his being in her personal business and hunting her down at another male’s room wouldn’t be good for his chances with her. He had to remind himself that she was not raised in his society, and that put her on a much more level playing field with him. She was out making her own way just as any male would be. She wasn’t sheltered and hidden away, waiting for her parents to find her the right mate like most girls of his kind would be. If he were to be honest, he couldn’t count the number of times a feeding had turned into sex for him. She was going to give him a run for his money, and if he won her hand in the end, he was beginning to realize, it would be a hard-fought battle. This beauty had many admirers, and no one to stop her from choosing for herself. He would need to accept all of this and find a way to keep his jealousy under control. That factor alone could eliminate a lot of his competition. He hated jealous girls. So, he would need to remember that and keep himself in check.

All the inner babble kept his mind busy until he entered her dorm where he was sure he’d find her. At her door, he knocked but she didn’t answer. She was in there but wouldn’t open the door, and he could smell death. The sickeningly sweet smell of decay the humans couldn’t yet detect with their weak senses hung in the air. If she were harmed, he’d never forgive himself. He was wasting time with that filthy human while she was being attacked. The door was locked so he calmed himself enough to use his mild telekine
tic skills to unlock it
.  It wa
s dark, and as soon as he stuck
his head in the door he found himself plastered to the wall with a tight strangle hold on his throat, only nobody was touching him. He struggled to no avail against the nothingness that pinned him there. Finally, the light came on and he saw Dani, huddled in the corner with her hands out. She was holding him back in fear. As soon as she registered who she was choking, she released him and ran into his arms.

“I’m sorry Cay, I’m sorry. It’s just so awful and I was afraid someone was coming for me.” She was crying and shaking and, yes, she smelled strongly of the human male but Cayden didn’t care. She was letting him hold her.

“Shit, Dani. You scared the hell out of me. What’s that smell?” he asked, holding her securely to his chest.

“She was here when I got back.” S
he pointed across the room.

Cayden reeled back a few steps at the sight of a dead vampire in Dani’s bed. “I have to call someone right now, honey. Just relax and I will take care of it.” He squeezed her and stroked her back. Then he noticed a girl asleep in the other bed. “Is she okay?” he asked.

Dani nodded, “My roommate showed up so I had to put he
r down until this is cleaned up.” She
shut off the light
telekinetically
. “I don’t want to see her,” she told him. Then, the door flew open and Dani shoved Cayden into the corner to protect him. She threw her hands out in a defensive movement. They heard two thuds hit the floor and could only see forms in the light from the hallway. Cayden leaped around her and dragged the two bodies farther into the room while Dani shut the door.