"My scent is what… fiery?" he murmured, eyes glinting with dark amusement as he traced his fingers slowly along her sides, feeling her arch against him at the touch.
"Uh… your scent, it…" Her words caught in her throat, trailing off, her mind hazy with his nearness.
"Entices you?" he supplied, his tone almost mocking as he slid one firm thigh between hers, pressing into her with deliberate force.
She moaned softly, unable to resist the surge of pleasure that flared up from her core. Sensing her reaction, Alaric widened her stance, his solid thigh applying pressure that left her gasping, her hands clutching onto him instinctively. "Does it draw… those unladylike sounds from the back of your throat?" he teased, his voice a tantalizing whisper as his lips brushed the rim of her ear.
"A-Alaric…" she moaned, her voice betraying the pleasure overtaking her senses, making her weak with want.
He smirked, though a fierce, unquenchable need simmered beneath his surface. "Does it make you call out for me?" he murmured, his breath warm against her skin as his tongue traced the shell of her ear, sending shivers through her.
Without thinking, she gripped his neck, pulling him close, her face buried in the curve of his shoulder. The small, intimate gesture nearly snapped his control. He groaned, tightening his hold as he pressed his thigh harder against her most intimate part, his muscles flexing with each deliberate movement igniting pleasure in the most sensitive part of her.
But then she seemed to remember how horrible her after had been and she tried to push him but he was a strong vampire.
"You left me," she moaned, her head falling back, the words a plea more than an accusation.
"You wanted to be alone," he replied helplessly, though her arousal was beginning to consume his senses. He inhaled, feeling the warmth of her body against him. "I was afraid… afraid I'd hurt you," he added, though she was merely grinding against his thigh, and yet, the sensation was maddening.
"With what?" she whispered, breathless. She needed to know—what did he think could hurt her?
"My words… my glare… my actions," Alaric's voice was dark, filled with a raw vulnerability.
"You can't always leave me," she countered, her voice soft but firm, as his thigh continued its slow, deliberate friction between hers, igniting pleasure that made her shiver.
"You couldn't stand me," he murmured, his tone shadowed, as he leaned in, nibbling at her neck, his touch sending jolts through her.
A tremor ran through her, "I was… I was taken aback, by how easily you spoke of killing the hounds," she confessed, her body instinctively trying to escape the overwhelming sensation his thigh was bringing to her, pressing against her most sensitive spot through the thin fabric. It was new, unexpected, and electrifying.
"I am not a man, Salviana. I'm a vampire, or… at least, that's what I hope I am," he whispered, his voice low, almost mournful, as the candles lining the hallway suddenly extinguished, plunging them into darkness.
Her eyes were closed, lost in the sensation. Salviana's breath caught as he gripped her waist, guiding her movements, his thigh pressing and retreating in a steady rhythm against her. The friction made her mind blank, every stroke pushing her closer to the edge, while his presence engulfed her entirely. He held her firmly, savoring each tremor, each gasp, as she responded to his touch.
"Why do you say that?" she managed, her voice faint. "Do you feel… different?"
"I don't know what other vampires feel, but I don't think they should walk under the sun," Alaric said, a dark amusement tinged with curiosity. His palm rose to cradle her head, his fingers tangled in her hair, as if anchoring her to him. His fangs pressed against his lip, barely contained, his control slipping as her scent overwhelmed him.
"And yet, you do," she murmured, her eyes fluttering open, only to realize the room was pitch black.
"Yes. And I might taint you, Salviana," he murmured, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper.
Her heartbeat quickened, her pulse racing. "With what?"
"With my darkness," he growled, his words hanging heavy in the air. She shuddered, his warning freezing her momentarily, yet the relentless pleasure thrumming through her veins clouded her mind, making her forget any fear.
"A-Alaric…" she gasped, her voice soft, vulnerable.
"Trust me," he whispered, his mouth grazing her neck, the sharp tips of his fangs brushing her skin, sending a shiver of anticipation through her.
He didn't know if he should be asking for her trust but he didn't think he'd survive this night without drinking from her, Lucius was right after all.
She trembled in his arms, caught between fear and desire, the line between them blurring as he held her, his dark gaze filled with need and restraint—a battle raging within him that she could feel in every touch, every whispered word.
Her mind raced, a chaotic whirl of fear, anticipation, and curiosity, all blending together into an overwhelming storm.
'Is this really happening?' she wondered, feeling his cold fingers steadying her head, his hand gentle despite the tension rippling through his body. 'He's about to… feed on me,' the thought struck her like lightning, sending a shiver of terror mixed with something undeniably thrilling down her spine. She clutched onto him, her fingers digging into his shoulders, as if she could hold onto her own resolve by clinging to him.
'What will it feel like? Will it hurt? Will it change me?' Questions flooded her mind as she braced herself, feeling his breath against her neck. She felt every inch of him—the strength in his hold, the unyielding press of his thigh against her, the intensity in his gaze as he looked down at her with dark, gleaming eyes.
And then she felt it—the sting of his fang barely piercing her skin, testing, tasting, before sinking in. Her breath hitched, and her pulse raced beneath his mouth. The sensation was sharp, like a needle breaking the surface, uncomfortable yet electrifying.
She felt a deep urge to pull back, her instincts screaming to flee, but his hand pressed her closer, and his thigh ground harder against her, intensifying the ache and pulling a gasp from her lips.