Page 40 of Into The Light

Scalding heat flashed through my neck as he slid them deep inside of me. My eyes rolled back, and my breath hitched in my chest. My body pulsed, a rush sliding over every inch of me as he held me tight. I dissolved into him, the intimacy of it leaving me completely exposed. The peak of pleasure heightened in my body, hovering there and washing over me in wave after wave of exquisite delight. Raw desire and passion flowed through me and into him. I could feel him, all of him, as he drank me in.

The moan escaped my lips as his fangs slid out.

“Are you all right?”

His voice pulled me back into my body. Every feeding was intense but this one contained an extra level of intimacy that deepened the pleasures and heightened the ecstasy.

It took me a moment to regain my senses enough to speak. “Yes, I’m fine.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, his eyes searching mine.

“You don’t hurt me, I promise.” Hurt was the opposite of what he did to me.

“Good. Feeding on you reminds me of...” His voice trailed off, but I could anticipate his words. Feeding on me reminded him of Isobel. An honor I wasn’t sure that I deserved. “We should get back. Is that all right?”

I smiled and nodded my head. “I’m ready for a soak in the hot tub. My muscles aren’t used to riding and they are all screaming at me already.”

“Then let’s get you back.”

With a cluck our mounts picked up a trot and headed back toward the stable. I touched my neck and found the absence of fang marks. Despite no external proof of his feeding, the internal proof still raged on. The buzzing in my body continued all the way back to the barn and I started counting the hours until he would feed on me again.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Aiden

Emilia gave Belmira one last scratch before she stepped out of the barn. As I had hoped, the ride had invigorated her. She glowed pink, a mixture of windburned cheeks and flush from the exercise.

We walked in silence while we headed back to the house. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to talk with her more, but the words she’d said on our ride continued to bounce around inside my head and resonated in the pit of my stomach.

Is she right? Would Isobel be ashamed of this shell of a life I live?

It startled me that the thought hadn’t occurred to me before. I came from a time where loyalty and honor still meant something. My love for Isobel had been a promise I never intended to break. It was absolute. Unwavering. Honoring her meant never allowing the memory of her fade. Never allowing my heart to heal and move forward.

As much as moving on pained me, Emilia had struck a chord. Isobel had been full of life and laughter. It had dripped from every pore, radiated throughout her entire being. It had been intoxicating and contagious. When we were together, she’d made me feel alive as well. Thinking of Emilia’s accusations conjured a vision of Isobel in my mind.

Quit wallowing, my love. Go. Live. Suck every last drop of joy from this world. Fall in love again. That is how you will honor our time together.

Even though she’d never said them, I knew in my heart if she’d had a chance, those are the words she would have said. Whether I could bring myself to listen presented another problem entirely.

When we arrived at the front door of the house, Emilia’s voice shook me from my thoughts. “Thank you for the ride.”

“You’re welcome. I hope you enjoyed it.”

“I did. A lot. But I’m not tired yet, so I’m going for a swim. Join me.”

It wasn’t so much a question as a statement.

“I don’t swi—”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. You don’t swim unless it’s a necessity. Try it. Try having some fun. What the hell is the point of your immortality if all you’re going to do is stomp around and brood? Hmmm?”

Her blue eyes coaxed mine as I struggled for a defense.

“I don’t have a suit.”

“Borrow one of Mark’s.”

“Borrow a suit? From Mark? You must be joking.”