《VAMPIRE TEMPTATION》


 One

    Day One     **     Ruby Collins pov     I check my hair one more time in the mirror. It looks just the same as it did two minutes ago ¨C as frizzy and unmanageable as usual. Giving up on it, I get out and hurry toward the huge office building.     I don¡¯t want to bete on my first day.     The elevator takes me right up to the top. Vamp Investments owns a building in one of the nicest parts of town. us Ethan, their CE0, is a legend in the business world.     I still can¡¯t quite believe that Inded a job as his personal assistant.     I step into the office, staring around nervously. I go to the reception desk. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Ruby Collins. It¡¯s my first day here.¡±     The receptionist gives me a sparkling smile.


    Hey, Ruby! I¡¯m Amelia. I¡¯ve been expecting you. Your desk is this way.¡±     I follow her, looking around. I haven¡¯t been here before. I haven¡¯t even met Mr. Ethan yet. My interview was conducted over skype by one of us¡¯s top employees, Katherine Nichs.     It seemed odd at the time, but as I look around, I¡¯m starting to realize that my interview isn¡¯t the only unusual thing about thispany.     There are tall ss windows, but all of them are covered by thick curtains. The inside of the office is lit by a chandelier hanging in the middle of the ceiling     The people, too, aren¡¯t what I expected. A lot of them are normal-looking, like Amelia and me. Some of the others, though¡­ I can only describe them as supermodels.     They¡¯re tall and pale and move with a grace that¡¯s usually reserved for cats. Their eyes seem to see everything. They look at everyone else as though they know exactly what they¡¯re thinking.     Get a grip, Ruby. They¡¯re just people. You¡¯re nervous, that¡¯s all.     You¡¯ll be sitting here. For now, you can start sorting Mr. Ethan¡¯s emails. Take out the advertisements and prioritize the rest in order of urgency.     I can do that. I did something simr at my old job.     ¡°Thanks, Amelia. When do I meet Mr. Ethan? I assume he has instructions for me?     Ameliaughs lightly. ¡°You don¡¯t go to Mr. Ethan ¨C he calls you in. He knows you¡¯re arriving today. He¡¯ll call for you when he needs you.¡±     I was hoping to meet him right off, but I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll see him soon enough. Thanks. I¡¯ll get started.¡±     I spend an hour sorting through emails. It¡¯s mostly the usual rubbish. I quickly organize them into different folders for Mr. Ethan¡¯s attention.     I have questions for him about how he wants certain things handled, but I don¡¯t want to make a bad impression by barging into his office when I¡¯m not called.     Ruby?¡± Katherinees over, her arms full of papers. ¡°Mr. Ethan will see you now.     I try now to show my nerves as I walk to the clearlybeled office.     I knock, and a voice calls for me to enter.     When I do, my feet stumble to a halt. I can¡¯t help staring at Mr. Ethan.     He¡¯s definitely in the supermodel¡¯ category of this office.     I feel like fanning myself, sure my face has gone bright red.     He¡¯s younger than I expected. Gosh, I was never into brtes, but the way that dark hair contrasts to his pale skin¡­     His voice pulls me out of my thoughts. Ruby. Coffee, please, ck, no sugar. The stand down the street.¡±     I wasn¡¯t expecting him to be so brisk, but I take it in my stride. ¡°Yes, Mr. Ethan. I just want to say that it¡¯s such an honor to be working-     Yes, yes. Just make sure the coffee is hot.¡±     He dismisses me with a flick of his hand. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s even looked at me. Anger boils up in my stomach.     I may just be his assistant, but he can at least be polite!     Yes, sir.¡± I manage to keep my carefully cheerful tone and leave, closing the door quietly behind me.     Why does someone so hot have to be so mean? I suppose it¡¯s too much to ask for both personalities and looks.     I hurry down to the coffee stand I saw on my way in. I double-check the order, making sure to get it right. Mr. Ethan doesn¡¯t seem like a person to tolerates mistakes well.     On the way back, I stand impatiently behind five people at the lift, which doesn¡¯t seem to be moving     ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I ask a woman next to me.     ¡°Lift is stuck. Mr. Ethan is going to go berserk, he had them reced two months ago.     My heart sinks. ¡°Do we have an ETA on the repairs yet?¡±     I¡¯m not sure, but if it¡¯s not within twenty minutes, someone is getting fired.¡±     The coffee in my hand is hot, but it won¡¯t stay that long for twenty minutes ¨C if the lifts can be fixed that quickly. I bite back a groan as I walk quickly to the stairs.     I had thought I was rtively fit. Apparently, I am not fit at all. By the time I drag myself up to the fifteenth story, I feel like I¡¯m dying. ?¡¯m sure my face is bright red, and it feels like I have daggers lodged in my lungs.     The coffee in my hand is still warm, though. Not piping hot, but warm enough. Smiling in triumph, I wipe the sweat off my face and pause for a moment,posing myself.     When I knock on Mr. Ethan¡¯s door, he Snaps ¡®enter¡¯ almost immediately.     ¡°Your coffee, Mr. Ethan.¡±     ¡°What took you so long?¡±     ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was-     Never mind, just give it to me.¡±     I bite back an annoyedment and hand it to him. He takes one sip and spits it out.     I told you to make it hot!¡± He res at me. What, exactly, about fetching hot coffee is too difficult for you?¡±     It was the elevator, Mr. Ethan, it -¡±     I don¡¯t want to hear excuses! Get out of my sight.¡±     I bite back angry tears and have to exert a lot of self-control to prevent myself from mming the door.     What a dick. He didn¡¯t even give me a moment to exin. Well, next time I will just bloody well wait for the elevator to be fixed and serve him his coffee stone cold. If he¡¯s going to shout at me for dashing up fifteen


    stories for him, I won¡¯t bother in the future.     I sit down at my desk, quietly fuming.     Does he think I¡¯m ipetent? Fine, then I¡¯m going to prove him wrong. He¡¯ll be eating his words before long¡­     Mr. Ethan doesn¡¯t call me in for the rest of the day, which is just fine by me. I sort his emails, book appointments into his calendar, respond to queries from potential investors, and forward others to Katherine, or Mr. Ethan himself for the most important clients.     He doesn¡¯te to shout at me again, which probably means he can¡¯t find anything wrong with my work. Here¡¯s to small victories.     On the way out, I meet Amelia at the elevator, which is now working. ¡°How was your first day?¡±     ¡°Um¡­¡±I don¡¯t want to make a bad impression byining, but any honest answer is going to sound like aint.     She grins at me. ¡°It¡¯s ok, I get it. He can be a harsh man, and I¡¯m only the secretary. Being his assistant must be much worse.¡±     I¡¯m relieved to hear I¡¯m not the only one he seems to dislike. ¡°He¡¯s like that with everyone?¡±     ¡°Unfortunately. OOn my first day here, I spent at least an hour crying in the bathroom.     Bastard. If this is how he treats everyone,  I¡¯m not sure how much longer I¡¯ll be working here, regardless of how good it is for my career.     What a dick.¡±     ¡°Shh, don¡¯t say that.¡± Amelia nces around as we step into the elevator. ¡°I swear he has the hearing of a bat. Half of the office does.¡±     I don¡¯t have time to question this, because Katherine steps into the elevator with us just before it closes.     Ruby. I trust you had a good first day?¡±     I¡¯m certain that the whole office heard Mr. Ethan shouting at me. I wonder if she¡¯s testing me?     It was great, thank you.¡±     She smirks at me, and at that moment, I¡¯m sure Amelia is right. She heard me insulting my boss, and now I¡¯m going to be out on my first day.     Shit, this is going to look horrible on my CV. This is the best job I¡¯ve ever gotten, and I¡¯ve gone and blown it on the first day.     Amelia looks nervous, just reinforcing my opinion ¨C that I¡¯ve messed up big time. I cross my fingers behind my back, hoping that she¡¯ll go easy on me. By her slightlyProperty ? N?velDrama.Org.


    predatory smile, I somehow doubt Katherine has ever gone easy on everyone.     I¡¯m fucked. I never even got to show them that I¡¯m actually good at my job.     T. B. C     Dawn writes

 Two

    The Ritual     ***     Ruby pov.     ¡°I¡¯m d to hear it.¡±     I bite back a sigh of relief. Maybe Amelia is wrong and Katherine didn¡¯t hear me. The moment the elevator opens, I dash out, determined to escape before anything else goes wrong.     Kelly is waiting for me when I get home.¡± Hey! How was day one?¡±     ¡°Awful,¡± I groan. I step into his arms,  breathing in his familiar scent, letting it calm me. ¡°My boss is awful. Or maybe he just hates me.     Sorry to hear that. I¡¯m sure he¡¯lle around, though. I can¡¯t see anyone who knows you noted loving you.¡±     ¡°Well, I think you may be biased.¡±     Instead of answering, Kelly pulls me in for a kiss.     I luxuriate in it for a few seconds before pulling away. ¡°I¡¯m beaten. Is dinner ready? I think I¡¯ll just eat and go to bed.¡±     Of course. I made your favorite.¡±     I already feel guilty for the way I practically drooled over Mr. Ethan ¨C at least, until he revealed the stark contrast between his personality and his looks.     Kelly l doesn¡¯t need to know that.     We don¡¯t talk much as we eat, but the silence isn¡¯t awkward. I know Will understands that I¡¯m just tired.     When we climb into bed, I fall asleep with the hope that tomorrow will be better.     The next day certainly starts well. Kelly wakes me with a te of bacon and eggs in bed.     What¡¯s all this for?¡±     Call it a good luck charm. Here¡¯s to today being better.¡±     Thanks.¡± I wolf down the bacon and eggs, while Kelly watches with amusement.     When I¡¯m done, I nce at the clock only to see that Kelly has woken me slightly earlier than usual. I grin at the prospect of not having to rush to get ready for work. Thanks to having gone to bed earlyst night, I¡¯m not tired.     Come here.¡±Kelly recognizes the glint in my eyes and crawls back into bed, pulling the covers over both of us.     He sleeps naked, which leaves no barrier between my hands and his skin. He kisses me, slowly at first, then with more urgency. His short blond hair tickles my cheeks.     Under the nkets, our body heat builds quickly. I can feel his cock rising, and my own body isn¡¯t far behind. Kelly wriggles down, moving his kisses to my breasts. IN?velDrama.Org content rights.


    wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him close so that our bodies are flush against each other. His tan-darkened skin is soft against mine.     My pussy feels empty and throbs in demand. I thrust my hips against him, letting his cock bump against my clit. Kelly chuckles as I grab his ass, squeezing with my fingers. He¡¯s always had an amazing ass.     It makes me wonder what Mr. Ethan¡¯s ass looks like. I haven¡¯t yet seen him from behind. I banish the guilty thought, focusing once more on Kelly.     I reach a hand down to start fingering my clit as hevishes attention on my breasts.     My nipples ache, and his tongue soothes them as nothing else can. I ride the waves of pleasure, breathing in the scent of our sweat, loving the heat under the covers as


    well as the heat within my body.     I¡¯m ready,¡± I whisper, my voice shaking slightly with desire.     Kelly l nods and spreads my legs. I grab his shoulder with one hand as he pushes slowly into me.     His cock fills me up, drawing a moan from my lips. My other hand is still on my clit, and I move it faster, already eager for release.     I thrust my hips to meet his. Kelly l captures my lips in a kiss, swallowing my gasps as he makes slow, gentle love to me.     Sometimes I wish he¡¯d be a little less gentle. What I¡¯d give to be shoved against a wall and fucked hard.     But I love Kelly. How can I object to him worshipping my body and showing me exactly how much he loves me in return?     He finally picks up the pace a bit, his on need getting the better of him. My wrist aches from making quick circles over my clit, but I don¡¯t stop. Kelly¡¯s pupils are blown wide, and I can tell that he¡¯s close.     If I want toe, I need to do it fast, or he¡¯s going to finish before I do. I press his head down onto my shoulder. ¡°Bite me,¡± I whisper.     He barely grazes me with his teeth, but it¡¯s enough.     I cry out as my pussy clenches around his cock, contracting wildly with my orgasm. The extra pressure on his cock sets Kelly off, and he thrusts several more times before stilling.     My orgasm probably could have gone on longer if he¡¯d kept going, but I dide, so I don¡¯t get toin. I sigh happily as his weight settles on me ¨C not his full weight, but enough to keep me pressed to the bed.     We stay there for a few minutes, catching our breath. Kelly finally rolls aside, and I rest my head on his chest.     This is ways the best part ¨C these few minutes afterward when we are both sated and rxed. I feel like I could lie with him like this forever.     Except I have to get to work. Damn.     ¡°I should go.¡±     ¡°I know.¡± Kelly sighs as he tosses the covers off, and I wince at the gust of cooler air. I¡¯ve got an early client.¡±     Is this the one who refuses to wear the wet suit?     Yep. I swear he¡¯s going to get hypothermia. Only maniacs surf without wet suits in winter.¡±     As far as I¡¯m concerned, only maniacs surf without wet suits in summer, but Kelly has always felt the cold less than me. I don¡¯t suppose he could be a surfing instructor if he didn¡¯t.     I arrive at work fifteen minutes early, just in case the elevator is broken again. No way am I making Mr. Ethan dislike me even more by arrivingte for my second day.     Fortunately, the elevators are still working,  and I arrive early.     The first thing I see when the doors open is Mr. Ethan. He¡¯s leaning against a desk, talking to Katherine. It gives me a perfect view of his ass.     Damn, that¡¯s a nice ass.     He suddenly turns to look at me, and I feel myself blushing, even though I know that there¡¯s no way he could know what I¡¯m thinking.     ¡°Ruby. Get me coffee, and make sure it¡¯s hot this time.¡±Of course, Mr. Ethan.     I¡¯m quite d to have a reason to turn right around and go back down to ground level. It gives me time topose myself.     I can¡¯t be having these kinds of thoughts about my boss. It will interfere with my work.     Thankfully, I manage to get his coffee to him in time, but he still finds something to criticize.     Re-organize my emails. I want the important ones sent to me, not Katherine.¡±     Yes, Mr. Ethan. Do you have a list of which clients qualify as important?¡±     Work it out!¡± he roars. ¡°Do I have to do every little thing for you?¡±     No, sir.¡± I stomp back to my desk. I had thought I¡¯d worked out which clients were the most important, but clearly, I got that wrong.     I don¡¯t want to look ipetent, but Mr. Ethan obviously doesn¡¯t want to talk to me. I reluctantly go to Katherine.     Excuse me, Katherine, but do you have a list of important clients whose emails I should send directly to Mr. Ethan?¡±     She gives me the same superior smirk as yesterday. ¡°I guess you wouldn¡¯t know. I suppose I could help you out.     Yeah, acting like giving me the information needed to do my job is a favor.     Thank you,¡± I tell her stiffly.     Once I have the list, it bes apparent that I¡¯ve gotten almost everything right. The only two emails I didn¡¯t forward him yesterday that are on the list are from much smaller clients.     Why would he even want to deal with such small clients in person? Maybe he¡¯s just making up stuff to criticize. I don¡¯t think he likes me very much.     The rest of the day goes without mishap, apart from Katherine picking on me, but I quickly learn to ignore that.     It¡¯s at the end of the day that something strange happens.     Katherine starts going around the room, speaking quietly to a few of the lower-level employees, including Amelia. I can¡¯t hear most of it, but the words ¡®the ritual¡¯ are repeated a few times.     Everyone Katherine talks to beams. As everyone is leaving, those people she spoke to head to a room near the back of the officebeled ¡®off limits¡¯.     I try to catch Amelia¡¯s eye, wanting to ask what¡¯s going on, but Katherine steps between us, giving me a dangerous re. ¡°Do you need something, Ruby?¡±     ¡°No ma¡¯am. I¡¯m just leaving.     I look over my shoulder as I go, just in time to see Mr. Ethan and a couple of the more senior employees go into the off-limits room.     I don¡¯t know why, but something about it sends shivers down my spine.     Why is that room off-limits? What is the ritual? What are they doing in there that they don¡¯t want anyone else to know about?     T. B. C     Dawn writes

 Three

    Sweet Temptation     ***     us pov.     I m my fist down on the desk, which cracks. Fortunately, Ruby is already gone and doesn¡¯t notice.     Fuck.     The ritualst night was strangely unsatisfying. It sated my hunger, but not my lust. The sweet temptation of walking around my office makes that impossible.     The worst is, I can tell that Ruby is attracted to me too. Others view being a vampire as a curse, but I¡¯ve never seen it that way. Apart from being immortal, I get to read human minds, which is extremely useful, especially in the business world.     No one¡¯s blood has ever smelled as good to me as Ruby¡¯s. Nor has anyone¡¯s body made my dick ache as hers does.     Katherine breezes in without knocking. us, are you done with the reports?¡±     ¡°Nearly.¡± It¡¯s a lie, but vampires can¡¯t read each other¡¯s minds.     Good. We have a new potential investor.¡±     What do you think about bringing Ruby in on the secret?     Katherine scowls at me. ¡°It¡¯s too soon. You know that. We have the rules for a reason.¡±     I do know that, but that doesn¡¯t make it any easier to resist her. ¡°I guess so.¡± If it was anyone else, I¡¯d do what I want regardless, but I need to be careful of Katherine.     We have two covens in this office mine andN?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Katherine¡¯s. We¡¯ve agreed to mate, though I¡¯ve been avoiding setting an exact date. I won¡¯t be able to get out of it forever, though. I need this alliance.     Vampire covens are always at war. I need too


    keep the alliance with Katherine¡¯s coven to try to protect my own.     Katherine leaves, and toote I forgot to ask her to arrange the reports in priority order for me. It¡¯s not really her job anyway. That¡¯s why I got an assistant in the first ce.     I press the bell I got installed, which calls Ruby to me. She hurries in a momentter, smelling sinfully delicious.     Arrange these reports in order of which I need to see to first.¡± I hand them to her, and her skin brushes mine. I clench my hands under the desk as the urge to fuck her and drink her blood bes almost overwhelming.     Control yourself, us.     Yes, Mr. Ethan.¡±     Why does he have to be so hot? Damn, I could eat him up.     I almost choke as her thought ps me in the face, but of course, she doesn¡¯t know I can¡¯t read her thoughts.     She leaves, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I find myself thinking about calling her back in, about fucking her hard against the desk.     No, Ethan. You have the rules for a reason. If you ask, you could entice her without meaning to. That¡¯s why you have all the humans sign forms when they¡¯re at home, away from your influence, before you fuck them     But she¡¯s attracted to me too. That much is clear in her thoughts.     I kick the leg of my desk, which makes an ominous cracking noise.     The problem isn¡¯t Ruby. I know from her thoughts that she¡¯d wee advances from me.     The problem is Katherine. She already hates it when I take other humans at the ritual, but that¡¯s necessary for our survival.     If I take Ruby like this, out of the ritual setting, Katherine will be mad, and getting on her bad side isn¡¯t pleasant.     She needs the alliance too, but not as badly as I do. My coven has more enemies than her. My father fucked up quite badly before he was killed and I took over.     I nce guiltily at my desk. I need to figure out another way to ease my frustration.     Deciding I need some fresh air, I get up and head out. Everyone tenses when I appear, which makes me smile inwardly. I want to keep them on their toes.     I¡¯m intending to walk out without speaking to anyone, but something caught my attention.     And if I see another mistake, you¡¯re fired!¡±     I understand, Katherine. If you could just tell me how you would like them organized -¡±     Don¡¯t you dare question me!¡±     My blood boils. I storm over, exerting all of my willpower to prevent myself from shoving Katherine away from Ruby¡¯s desk.     Ruby is my assistant, Katherine! You don¡¯t have the power to fire her. You will provide her with the information she needs to do her job, and I don¡¯t want to see you picking on her again.¡±     I don¡¯t wait for Katherine¡¯s angry response. She¡¯s in the wrong and she knows it. She¡¯s just jealous that I have such a strong reaction to Ruby and not her.     Putting a stop to Katherine¡¯s bullying soothes my conscience a bit, considering I¡¯ve barely been treating Ruby any better.     I hate that I¡¯m being so brisk with her, but having her in my presence for more than a few seconds already strains my limits. It¡¯s safest to keep her at arm¡¯s length.     For some reason, I don¡¯t find the idea of Ruby having the same general fear of me as all the humans in the office appealing. I believe that being a good CEO means


    making sure my employees don¡¯t get toofortable, but Ruby is different.     No, she¡¯s not different. Get your head straight, us. You need to control yourself if you want to keep your alliance.     I take the lift all the way down to the underground level, where the gym is. I can¡¯t go for a walk with the sun out, not unless I want to get a killer burn, so the gym is the best way to blow off some steam.     The treadmill is a specially modified one. Normal human treadmills don¡¯t go nearly fast enough to provide a vampire with any kind of exercise.     Sometimes, I envy humans, being able to go out during the day. I can go out, of course,  but I¡¯ll get in minutes the kind of sunburn it takes a human seven solid hours in the sun to get. It¡¯s generally not worth it, even with


    powerful sunblock.     When I¡¯m slightly calmer, I return to the office and drop Ruby an email, telling her to get someone in to repair my desk. Communicating with her this way is much easier.     I find myself concentrating less on work as the day goes on, and more on picking up Ruby¡¯s thoughts.     Nothing I hear suggests she wouldn¡¯t be open to a tryst with me ¨C no hints of a boyfriend, religious reasons for not having sex, past trauma, any of the usual stuff.     I know I shouldn¡¯t do this, but I can¡¯t help myself. Reading thoughts isn¡¯t something vampires have control over, but I try not to do it deliberately. Still, I can¡¯t help wondering if I might be able to have her.     Exactly how pissed will Katherine be?     Exactly how long can I control myself, regardless of Katherine. It would be one thing if Ruby didn¡¯t want me, but it¡¯s quite the opposite.     I stiffen as she has another thought about me.     Oh fuck, she¡¯s fantasizing about me fucking her over the desk, the exact thought that has been in my mind almost constantly since I saw her.     A minuteter, she forces her mind back to her work.     It¡¯s a bit odd. I¡¯m used to hearing the thoughts of the other humans in the office.     Even the hard-working ones have errant thoughts every now and then about their lives outside of work.     Ruby is focused almost entirely on her job, the only stray thoughts being ones about me.     Maybe she¡¯s just really dedicated. Or perhaps she fears for her job. I wouldn¡¯t me her, given how I¡¯ve treated her so far.     Guilt fills my stomach again. I¡¯ve always prided myself on my self-control, but Ruby¡¯s wrecking all of that. I know that some humans are just more tempting to certain vampires.     I¡¯ve seen it before, and I¡¯ve had to fire a couple of new hires so that members of my coven can focus.     I know it¡¯s not fair to the humans, but I can¡¯t have senior employees enticing the humans without first ensuring they would be willing,     which is exactly what happens in these cases. I always make sure that those unfortunate cases get good jobs with other contacts of mine.     I won¡¯t do it, though. I¡¯m stronger than that. I don¡¯t want to fire Ruby.     I¡¯m so engrossed in my own thoughts that I don¡¯t notice the knock on the door. Ruby poked her head in and her scent hits me like a speeding car.     Fuck. I could grab her right now and take her. She wouldn¡¯t object.     No. At the very least, I need to browse her thoughts some more to ensure she won¡¯t be opposed to it.     I grip my desk again, causing the wood to crack further. I¡¯m not sure I can resist her. I struggle to focus on her words     You have to, us. Don¡¯t think about how she smells.     Don¡¯t you dare!     T. B. C     Dawn writes.

 Four

    What Have I Done     **     Ruby Collins pov     I go to my desk, ncing up as I do, hoping for a glimpse of us, but his office door is closed, as usual.     You¡¯d think as his personal assistant, I¡¯d see him more.     I¡¯m starting to think he genuinely doesn¡¯t like me. It seems whenever I¡¯m near him, he can¡¯t wait to get away from me.     Ameliaes over and perches on the edge of my desk. ¡°How are you?¡±     Good.¡± Her cheery demeanor always works wonders for me, and I smile at her. ¡°What about you? How¡¯s your daughter doing?¡±     ¡°She¡¯s better, the doctor thinks it was just an ordinary infection.¡±     Amelia doesn¡¯t ask for details of my personal life anymore; she knows me better by now. In the weeks since I¡¯ve been working at Vamp Investments, she¡¯se to expect my silence about my home life.     I try to keep work and home separate. Thest time I mixed the two, it ended up in a very nasty situation between myself and several co-workers. I banish the thought.     This is work. I don¡¯t get to think about my stuff now. Just work. I want my time here to be as easy and drama-free as possible.     Of course, drama-free is a tall order when you¡¯re working for us Ethan.     Ruby!     The little bell on my desk rings at the same time as Mr. Ethan yells for me. Amelia rolls her eyes as I go. Something about me seems to set his temper off.     ¡°Close the door behind you.¡±     I do as Mr. Ethan orders, curious. He usually tries to get me out of his office as quickly as possible. Not this time. He walks around me and locks the door. It should make me nervous, but somehow, it doesn¡¯t.     Mr. Ethan faces me, his arms folded.


    ¡°Take off your clothes.¡±     ¡°What? I splutter.     ¡°You heard me. Take off your clothes.¡±     ¡°Fuck you!¡± He can¡¯t possibly know that my body is screaming for me to do as he says.     ¡°You don¡¯t want this?¡± He gestures down to his perfect body. ¡°Fine, you¡¯re free to leave.     ¡°Get back to work.¡±     I don¡¯t move. I know I should, but my feet are rooted to the spot. I¡¯m being given a chance to live out all of the sex fantasies I¡¯ve had ever since working here. I know there¡¯s a reason I should turn him down, but right now, it escapes me.     ¡°Well? If you¡¯re staying, take off your clothes.¡±     Fuck it.     I start stripping. His satisfied smirk is both arousing and infuriating. I stand naked before him, blushing as he looks me up and down.     ¡°Your turn.¡±     His smirk widens. ¡°Not a chance.¡±     He moves so fast that I barely see it. One moment, he¡¯s standing in front of me, and the next, he¡¯s behind me.     I don¡¯t want you calling me Mr. Ethan anymore. Seems a bit impersonal, hm?     ¡°us will be fine.¡±     I nod, unable to get words out. us grabbed both of my arms from behind and walks me to the desk. He¡¯s cleared it of all paper and stationery. I gasp as he bends me over it.     My breasts are mashed up against the wood, and my ass is sticking up.     Spread your legs.     I do as he says, practically panting with need. It¡¯s like he can read my mind. This is exactly what I¡¯ve been fantasizing about since I came to work here.     ¡°Are you wet for me, Ruby?¡±     If I wasn¡¯t before, I certainly would be now.     No one has the right to have a voice that sexy.     us spreads my legs further, as far as they will go. I wriggle a bit, trying to get a look at him, but he ps my ass lightly.     ¡°No moving.¡±     The wetness from my pussy starts seeping down my thighs. I should be embarrassed, but I¡¯m too desperate for him to care. ¡°Fuck me, us.     ¡°Oh, I intend to.¡±     I expect his cock in me at any moment, but he surprises me. us pushes what feels like two fingers into my pussy. I grunt and shove back against him. It¡¯s so good, but still not enough.     I wish I could see him.     I try to look again, half hoping to see him and half hoping I¡¯ll get another p on my ass.     us rewards me with thetter. I grab the edges of the desk, gasping as he pumps in and out with his fingers.     He grabs my hips and positions me slightly higher on the desk so that my clit is pressed right up against the edge.     Ooh,¡± I sigh. us chuckles, and I don¡¯t even have it in me to be annoyed.     Apparently, he¡¯s satisfied that I¡¯m suitably wet because he steps close, and I feel his cock against the backs of my thighs. He guides it into my pussy.     God, he¡¯s huge. No wonder he wanted to make sure I was wet enough.     us starts thrusting into me, hard, rough and fast. I can¡¯t get enough of it. Each thrust pushes my clit up against the desk, and I¡¯ve never felt anything so wonderful.     I grab the edges of the desk, bracing myself.     us¡¯s hips snap backward and forward with inhuman speed.     How does he move that fast? It¡¯s like.. aah, God, that¡¯s so good.     His cock is like a bar of iron within me, sheathed in velvety soft flesh. I don¡¯t have to worry about making sure Ie before he finishes, because my orgasm rushes up on me faster than it ever has before.     I press a hand over my mouth, muffling my scream. us keeps pounding into me, and the orgasm goes on and on, wringing everyst ounce of pleasure out of me.     us finallyes too with a small grunt. I lie sprawled face down on the desk, trying to gather my senses.     How does he move that fast? It¡¯s like.. aah, God, that¡¯s so good.     His cock is like a bar of iron within me, sheathed in velvety soft flesh. I don¡¯t have to worry about making sure Ie before he finishes, because my orgasm rushes up on me faster than it ever has before.     I press a hand over my mouth, muffling my scream. us keeps pounding into me, and the orgasm goes on and on, wringing everyst ounce of pleasure out of me.     us finallyes too with a small grunt. I lie sprawled face down on the desk, trying to gather my senses.     us grabs my arm, pulling me upright. My legs are wobbly, but they manage to support my weight. ¡°Get dressed. Back to Work.¡±     His usual arrogant attitude doesn¡¯t bother me. Nothing much could bother me right now, not when I¡¯m so loopy with pleasure. I see that he didn¡¯t even undress, just unzipped his pants. He already has his cock tucked back away.     Damn. I really wanted to see it. Maybe he¡¯ll call me in again, and I can insist on seeing him if he wants me.     But being fucked over the desk was¡­ it was incredible. Maybe I¡¯ll ask him if we can do that again.     Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself, Ruby. He probably won¡¯t want you again. No point in getting your hopes up.     I get dressed as quickly as I can. us is already back at his desk,pletelyposed, looking through some


    documents.     I stumble back to my desk.     Only as I sit down do the full implications of what happened hit me.     I Just had sex with us.     I cheated on Kelly.     I p my hands to my mouth to stop a gasp of realization. What have I done?     I try to console myself. He¡¯s my boss, I could hardly say no. But that¡¯s not true. us made it clear I could say no. I have no one but myself to me.     Ruby? Are you alright?¡±     I stare at Amelia. How do I even answer that?N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    I¡¯ve just had the best sex of my life¡­ and ruined my life in the process.     I know if I stay here a moment longer, I¡¯m going to start crying. I snatch my bag and bolt for the elevator. Horror and revulsion war within me.     How could I do that? Kelly loves me. What kind of awful person cheats on their boyfriend, especially a boyfriend as


    wonderful as Kelly?     It¡¯s only when I get to my car that I realize I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do. Go home? Maybe it¡¯s better to confess my sins to Kelly sooner rather thanter. I can¡¯t keep this from him. I¡¯ve already hurt him enough.     The drive home usually seems long. Today, it feels like someone has warped space-time especially to get me home in an impossibly short time.     Maybe Kelly won¡¯t be home. He was supposed to have the day off, but maybe a client called him up and asked for an extra session.     Kelly¡¯s car is in the driveway. Shit.     I park and turn off the car. I can¡¯t get out. My hands won¡¯t go to the door handle. Terror holds me in ce.     Kelly¡¯s face appears at the window. He brightens and waves, though there¡¯s a hint of worry to his features.     He¡¯s probably worried I got fired. He¡¯d never worry that I would cheat on him. Kelly trusts me.. and he shouldn¡¯t. How the fuck am I going to tell him?     I have to get out of the car now. My hands shake as I slowly open the door. I take as long as I possibly can walking up the driveway. I suddenly realize that my hair is probably a mess. I never took the time to fix it after us and I¡­     Kelly, he knows, just by looking at me?     T. B. C

 Five

    Time to Think     **     Ruby Collins pov     Kelly opens the door. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re home early.¡± He gets a look at my expression     ¡°Ruby, what¡¯s wrong?¡±     I force the words out through trembling lips. I need to talk to you.     Of course.¡± He puts an arm around me, drawing me inside. I let Will lead me to the couch, trying to figure out how I¡¯m going to tell him. Clearly, he can¡¯t tell just by looking at me. That¡¯s just my own paranoia.     What happened?     I find that I can¡¯t look at him. I stare at my knees as I give my confession in a soft voice. I had sex with us.¡±     When Kelly doesn¡¯t immediately respond, I force myself to look up. As I expected, shock and hurt are clear on his face.     What?     The words suddenlye tumbling out of my mouth. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Kelly! I don¡¯t know what happened. One moment, everything was fine, and the next¡­ I don¡¯t know what I was thinking! I love you, not us. Please,Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    you have to believe me.¡±     ¡°Did you¡­ did he threaten your job if you said no?¡±     How easy it would be to tell him yes. Kelly would forgive me if that was the case. But I owe him better than that.     No,¡± I whisper. It wasn¡¯t about my job.¡±     ¡°Then what was it about, Ruby!¡±     I squeeze my eyes shut, not wanting to see his anger, no matter how richly deserved. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±     Kelly gets up. I follow him as he strides to the bedroom. ¡°Kelly, please¡­¡±     ¡°Please what, Rubina? What, exactly, did you think I¡¯d do? Say ¡®oh that¡¯s fine, I don¡¯t care if you cheated on me?¡±     I don¡¯t know what to say. He¡¯s right, of course. Tears are streaming down my face as I stand with my hands hanging uselessly at my sides while Kelly shoves some clothes into a bag     ¡°I need some time to think.¡±     With that, he leaves. I don¡¯t follow him; my legs won¡¯t support me.     I copse on the floor, sobbing hysterically.     What have I done?     ***     Ruby     I put on a heavyyer of makeup before leaving for work the next day, which mostly manages to hide my puffy eyes from a night of crying     Who knows if I  even have a job left? I left yesterday morning without so much as telling anyone why.     Despite my dread of facing us again, I force myself to go. Maybe I won¡¯t be fired.     Maybe I haven¡¯t wrecked my entire life in one stroke. I could still have my job.     It¡¯s coldfort. This job is huge for me but right now, I would throw it away in an instant if I could only have Kelly back.     As I leave, I send him another text.     ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I love you. Please call me.¡±     He ignores it as thoroughly as he¡¯s ignored my other texts and calls.     When I get to work, us calls me almost immediately.     I sigh, ready to face the worst. Nothing he can say to me can possibly make me feel worse than I already do.     Once again, he closes the door. ¡°Ruby, nice of you to grace me with your presence. You¡¯ve been a bad girl.     ¡°Take off your clothes,¡±     If it wasn¡¯t for my heartache over Kelly, I¡¯d be thrilled that he still wants me, and more than turned on by the idea of him having me again. As it is, I¡¯m barely affected. I¡¯m not even relieved that he seems to have decided not to fire me.     ¡°No.¡±     us looks up in surprise. ¡°What?¡±     No. Does that mean I¡¯m fired?¡±     Surprise morphs into annoyance. ¡°Of course not.¡± us looks more than offended; he looks truly pissed. ¡°You were hired for your skills as a personal assistant. That is the job I want you for. I thought you enjoyed yesterday too and would be open to more, but if you¡¯re not, I¡¯m not going to fire you for it     My opinion of us rises slightly. So the sex really was just a bonus. He still wants me regardless. His next words erase any feelings of warmth toward him.     ¡°Well? Are you going to bother exining yourself? Or do you think disappearing in the middle of a workday without leave is eptable behavior?¡±     That¡¯s thest straw for me.     Do you want an exnation? Here¡¯s your exnation ¨C you ruined my life, you bastard!¡± I realize I¡¯m shouting, but I can¡¯t help myself. ¡°My boyfriend left me because I cheated on him, and you have the nerve to act like it was nothing! How dare you!¡±     I know it¡¯s not us¡¯s fault. I did have a choice, after all, but right now, rage is pounding through my veins and it takes every ounce of self-control I have not to hit him.     us is already pale, but at my words, he bes positively ashen. He grabs the edge of his desk as if it¡¯s the only thing holding him up. I don¡¯t know what reaction I expected, but it wasn¡¯t this.     You¡­ have a boyfriend?¡±     ¡°HAD a boyfriend, thanks to you!¡±     ¡°But ¨C but ¨C you never said¡­¡±     YOU NEVER ASKED.¡±     I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m so sorry. If I knew, I never would have¡­     My anger falters. I¡¯m sorry¡¯ is not a phrase I ever expected to hear from us, least of all directed at me. He looks more than genuinely remorseful. He looks utterly


    horrified.     I mp my mouth shut. If I wasn¡¯t fired before, I certainly am now.     What do you want to do?¡±     I¡¯m taken aback by the question. ¡°What do you mean?¡±     Do you still want to work here? You¡¯re a good assistant, and ?¡¯d not like to lose you, but if you want to leave, I can¡¯t me you.     ¡°I make sure you get a good referral.¡±     ¡°I still have my job?¡±     ¡°If you want it.¡±     I want to jump at the offer, but I hesitate. ¡°I¡¯m not going to file sexual harassment charges if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about. I wanted it just as much as you did. It was a mutual decision. I¡¯m not going to ckmail you into keeping me.¡±     That¡¯s kind of you, but I genuinely would like you to stay. As I said, you¡¯re good at what you do.¡±     Two days ago, I would have given anything to hear us say that to me. Now, I just wish I never got this job.     There¡¯s no point in wishing I can undo the past. Kelly is gone, and I have no idea if he ¡®l ever be back. I can still salvage my job, though.     ¡°I¡¯d like to stay.¡±     ¡°Then please get me some coffee.¡±     It¡¯s the first time us has ever said please to me.     It doesn¡¯tst long. By the time I¡¯m back with his coffee, he¡¯s back to his usual brisk, arrogant treatment of me. When he looks at me, I think I still see a shadow of regret in his eyes, but perhaps that¡¯s just wishful thinking     Things with us may be straightened out, but things with Katherine have gotten exponentially worse. I¡¯m sure us didn¡¯t tell her what we did, but maybe she heard.     Half the staff does indeed seem to have the hearing of bats, as Amelia told me on my first day.     ¡°Ruby! What¡¯s the hold up with those reports?¡±     You just gave them to me five minutes ago, bitch.     Sorry, Katherine, I¡¯ll get right on it.¡±     She flicks her hand dismissively and stalks off. Ameliaes over, sitting on her usual spot on the end of my desk. ¡°What did you do to piss of Katherine?¡±     Leaving early yesterday, I guess,¡± I lie.     ¡°Yeah, what happened?¡±     I didn¡¯t feel well.¡±I don¡¯t like lying to Amelia, but I really don¡¯t feel up to a full ount of why I left. Besides, I don¡¯t want to get into another situation as I did at my oldpany.     Today, I¡¯m not as focused as I should be, but I don¡¯t think us can really me me.     During my lunch break, I get out my phone.     No messages from Kelly. Bitter disappointment fills me, though I¡¯m not exactly surprised.     ¡°us, please. I love you. Let¡¯s talk about this.¡±     No response. I bite back the urge to swear as I put my phone back in my bag.     us¡¯s office door opens and I tense, but he merely calls Katherine in.     Fine by me. As long as she¡¯s talking to him, she¡¯s not being vindictive toward me.     Or maybe he¡¯s telling her off again for picking on me. I was impressed when he did that the other day; I wouldn¡¯t have thought he¡¯d care.     A few minutester, Katherinees back out and starts going around to some of the employees, speaking quietly to them. I don¡¯t hear what they say, but I¡¯m sure I know what it¡¯s about.     I turn to Amelia. ¡°What¡¯s the ritual?¡±     She goes white. ¡°Shh,¡± she whispers, staring at Katherine. I¡¯m caught up by the fear on her face. Apparently, Katherine hears, because she changes course andes toward us.     Amelia¡¯s hand is white on the desk.     T. B. C

 Six

    Wee Home     **     Ruby pov.     Amelia, can I have a word?¡± Of course, Katherine.¡± Her voice is barely above a whisper.     I stare at Katherine leads her away. Surely, Katherine wouldn¡¯t hurt Amelia?     Remembering the fear in Amelia¡¯s face, I¡¯m suddenly not so sure.     It seems my worries were for nothing, because a few minutester, Amelia returns, relief evident on her face.     What happened?     ¡°Nothing. Just normal work stuff.¡±     No way am I letting it go. I want to know what¡¯s going on in this office.     So, what we were discussing before¡­?¡± I don¡¯t dare mention the ritual again, but I¡¯m not going to stop until I have an answer.     Amelia lowers her voice so much that I have to lean close to hear her. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. You¡¯ll only get brought in on it once you¡¯ve been working here for a certain amount of time.¡±     That makes sense. Confidential business information isn¡¯t given out to new employees.     Then why do I still get the feeling that there¡¯s something way more than standard business practice going on here?     Look, don¡¯t ask questions, ok? You¡¯ll know soon enough.¡±     I don¡¯t want to get Amelia in trouble, so I nod. ¡°Alright.¡±     I try my best to focus on work and not check my phone every two seconds.     **     Ruby pov     The next few days pass with surprising smoothness. Katherine¡¯s vindictiveness goes back to her normal level. us doesn¡¯t talk to me except to exchange work instructions. Amelia still perches on the end of my desk and chats whenever we both have a minute.     Kelly remains absent.     The worst is that while I miss him, I find myself missing us too. It doesn¡¯t make any sense-I barely know us. But he¡¯s going out of his way to avoid me, giving me instructions mostly by email.     I know he¡¯s a dick, but he¡¯s growing on me. I find myself craving one-on-one time with him, even if it¡¯s not the sexy variation.     Two weeks after I slept with us, Ie home from work to find Kelly sitting in the living room.     KELLY!¡± I throw myself at him, joy and relief overwhelming all other thoughts. I kiss him, holding tightly to his jacket, worried he¡¯ll disappear at any moment. ¡°Wee home.¡±     Hey.¡± He smiles fondly at me. ¡°I was wondering if you missed me, but I guess this answers that question.¡±     Of course, I missed you! I¡¯ve been miserable since you left.¡±     No need to mention that part of that misery is due to us¡¯s avoidance of me as well as Kelly¡¯s.     I push the guilty thought aside. Will is back, and my joy ispletely genuine. That¡¯s all he needs to know.     I know we should talk, but talking seems unimportant right now. I kiss him, delighted when he responds just like he always does.     Maybe things between us aren¡¯t broken beyond repair.     Kelly removes his shirt, giving me ess to his chest, which I eagerly take advantage of. I kiss every inch of skin I can reach, letting my hands roam over him, loving the feeling of his muscles flexing under my fingers.     I shuffle down to his pants, untying them to reveal his hardening cock. Kelly tilts his head back with a throaty moan as I take him into my mouth.     I¡¯ve never been a big fan of giving blowjobs, but right now, I¡¯m so delighted to have him back that I¡¯d happily give him a thousand blowjobs.     I swirl my tongue around the head of his cock, tasting the salty pree. Kelly is fully hard now, panting. urgently, his hands twining in my hair.     I let him guide my movements, swallowing his cock as deeply as I can. His hips thrust up to meet me. Saliva escapes my mouth, thering his cock further. My jaw is aching. but all I care about right now is making Kelly


    feel good.     He shouts my name as hees into my mouth with hot pulses. I manage to swallow most of it, smiling in triumph.     My own body is urgently demanding release. I pull Kelly in for a kiss. He responds sloppily, still dazed with pleasure.     I deepen the kiss, grinding myself against his leg. There are too many clothes, and I work to rectify that. My topes off, then my skirt. Finally, I tug Kelly¡¯s pants the rest of the way down his legs.     He starts thumbing my nipples, making them even harder than they already are. I can feel his cock rising against my leg.     God, I am so ready.     The bed is too far away and the couch is too small, so I get onto my hands and knees on the floor.     Take me hard,¡± I whisper.     Kelly gets down on the floor behind me. He pushes into me, slowly and oh so gently.     I grit my teeth in frustration. I want him to fuck me hard as us did.     Shit, I did not just think of us right now. Stop thinking about him, now!     I push myself back onto Kelly¡¯s cock, focusing on the feeling of him filling me up.     He¡¯s not as bit as us is.     Shut up, Ruby!     Kelly starts pumping into me, with increasing speed, but still tenderly when what I really want is to be taken so hard that I¡¯m seeing stars.     This is all I¡¯m going to get, though, so I¡¯d better get used to it. I bring my hand to my clit, rubbing quickly and shoving myself back onto Kelly¡¯s cock as hard as I can.     It¡¯s a good thing I gave Kelly a blowjob first because it takes me longer than usual toe. I manage to keep my traitorous thoughts mostly in check, my hand flying over my clit.     Kelly holds onto my hips, controlling my movement somewhat. I want to cry in desperation. I¡¯m so close, I just need a little bit more¡­     He brings his hands to my breasts, rubbing over the smooth skin. His hands are warm and firm, and just what I need.     I m myself back so hard that the p of our flesh is louder than ourbored breathing. I close my eyes, letting the orgasm wash over me. My body clenches, squeezing Kelly¡¯s cock as Ie.     I fall onto my forearms, gasping for breath. Kelly keeps thrusting, chasing his second release. A minute or soter, hees too.     He lies down next to me, leaving us connected by his softening cock.     The floor is hard and ufortable, but being in Kelly¡¯s arms again more than makes up for it. I twist around, letting his cock slip out of me so that I can kiss him.     Kelly sighs, resting his head on top of mine. I¡¯ve missed you.¡±     ¡°Me too,¡± I breathe back.     We stay that way for a while, but eventually, the desire to clean up overwhelms me. I bring a washcloth back for Kelly, and we get dressed.     I sit down on the couch next to him, suddenly nervous. The makeup sex was amazing. Now, we need to talk.     ¡°So.. you¡¯re back for good?¡±     ¡°Maybe.¡±     Maybe? What does that mean?     Please, Kelly, stay. I love you. We can get past this,¡±     I want to stay, I do¡­ but there¡¯s something I want from you too. I want you to quit your Job,     The breath seems to leave my body. ¡°What?¡±     I¡¯m actually surprised you went back, given what happened. I¡¯m notfortable with you working for the man you cheated on me with.¡±     But ¨C but ¨C it¡¯s my job. You know how huge this job is for me, Kelly.¡±     ¡°I know how important your job is to you, but I want to see how important this rtionship is to you.¡±     The breath seems to leave my body. ¡°What?¡±     I¡¯m actually surprised you went back, given what happened. I¡¯m notfortable with you working for the man you cheated on me with.¡±     ¡°That¡¯s not fair. You know what you mean to me. I¡¯m not going to sleep with us again, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t work for him.¡±     Kelly folds his arms, ring at me. ¡°I want you to choose me over him.¡±     It¡¯s not a choice! You¡¯re my boyfriend, he¡¯s my boss. I choose you to love and him to work for.¡±     ¡°I see. Is this your final word?     He¡¯s probably right. I should be only too happy to do whatever he wants to save our rtionship.     I want us to work, Kelly, I do, just¡­ not that. Please, ask me to do anything else, but not that. I find that I can¡¯t look at him.     I¡¯ve just gotten him back, and I may be about to lose him again. I¡¯m not sure if my heart can take that.     T. B. CN?velDrama.Org content rights.

 Seven

    don¡¯t trust her     **     us     my pen snaps. i must have been gripping it too hard in my frustration ¨C not that my frustration isn¡¯t warranted.     this is the third mistake ruby has made in her annotations of client ounts. this isn¡¯t like her at all. for a week after the¡­ incident¡­ her work continued to be ster.     i don¡¯t understand what has happened over the past few days.     i¡¯ve been trying to avoid her, but my patience finally snaps. ¡°ruby!¡± i pummel the button, and she hurries in while it¡¯s still ringing.     ¡°yes, us?¡±     what the hell is this?¡± i toss the pile of reports at her.     she drops them ¨C i keep forgetting that/human don¡¯t have vampire reflexes.     i wait for her to gather them up. ¡°i was under the impression you were here to assist me, not to make my life harder. i¡¯ve had enough of mistakes!¡±     i¡¯m sorry, us. i¡¯ll take another look and have these back to you within the hour.¡±     ¡°no, that¡¯s not good enough. i want to know what has gotten into you.¡±     ¡°it¡¯s a personal problem. i¡¯m sorry for allowing it to get into my work.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    i am not in an indulgent mood. in fact, i¡¯ve been in a foul mood ever since ruby revealed she had a boyfriend.     i¡¯ve never fucked up so badly before, and i don¡¯t know how to fix it. i¡¯ve been trying to keep my distance from her, to make sure i don¡¯t identally entice her again.     i asked you a question, ruby! tell me what your problem is or you¡¯re fired.¡±     that does it ¨C breaks through her careful, polite mask, showing me the fiery woman underneath. ¡°you know what¡¯s wrong! you¡¯ve ruined my rtionship, that¡¯s what!¡±     ¡°not good enough. that much was truest week. i want to know what¡¯s going on now.¡±     how much of this is really me demanding answers for work mistakes and how much is me wanting to know what¡¯s going on in her life, to know she¡¯s ok?     ruby folds her arms, ring at me. ¡°kelly came back. my boyfriend.¡± that¡¯s not what i was expecting.     so¡­ you¡¯re distracted because you¡¯re thinking of him?¡±     i¡¯m distracted because i¡¯m thinking of you!     he wants me to quit my job here after what happened. i told him i won¡¯t, and now things are all wrong between us. he¡¯s still there, but he¡¯s cold and distant, and i don¡¯t know how to fix it.¡±     just like that, my anger melts. i want nothing more than to take her into my arms, but i dare not. ¡°i¡¯m¡­ i¡¯m sorry, ruby. i swear, if i could take back what happened, i would.¡±     she looks curiously at me. ¡°it¡¯s not on you, you know. i was the one who decided to cheat.¡±     how can i tell her that it¡¯s not the case, that it¡¯s all my fault?     i can¡¯t, so i do the next best thing.     you¡¯re dismissed for the day. spend it with your boyfriend. patch things up as best you can. tomorrow, i expect to see your usual brilliance back in your work.¡±     she practically glows, despite my return to my usual brisk manner. ¡°thank you, us!¡±     as she leaves, i pick up the reports she dropped back on my desk, but i can¡¯t focus on them. instead, i go through the emails, looking for people¡¯s ritual forms.     most of the humans have submitted their names for the ritual. it¡¯s not surprising. humans get pleasure from it too, after all.     i scroll through the pictures, deciding who i want for tonight. what i want is ruby, but i can¡¯t have her.     eventually, i settle on amelia. i know she¡¯s friends with ruby. that¡¯s as close to having ruby as i¡¯m ever going to get again.     the day drags, and i find myself thinking of ruby. katherine is halfway through her summary of ourtest investments before i realize i haven¡¯t heard a word of it.     ¡°i think we should start bringing ruby into the fold.¡±     her re is predictable. ¡°she¡¯s too new. just because you thought it was a good idea to screw her before any of the protocols go through doesn¡¯t mean i¡¯m going to sign off on it. besides, i don¡¯t think she¡¯s a good


    candidate. don¡¯t trust her ¨C she will ruin you.     ¡°you don¡¯t need to sign off on it! i¡¯m the ceo of thispany, not you.¡±     katherine folds her arms, unimpressed. ¡°you will wait the proper period. that¡¯s final.¡±     i growl under my breath, but she¡¯s not in my coven, so i can¡¯t discipline her. as much as i hate it, i¡¯ll have to wait.     if katherine even suspects that i¡¯m starting to feel for ruby, all hell will break loose. i can¡¯t risk my coven like that, no matter what i may wish for myself.     i leave work early to help prepare for the ritual.     i carefully unwrap the ritual candles. witches are much rarer than vampires and getting candles enchanted costs an arm and a leg. we¡¯re very careful with the ones we have.     i set them around the ritual circle and light them. not long after, humans start filing in.     my eyes are on amelia from the start. once her clothes are off, i beckon her to me. katherine and i go first, as the ranking coven members.     amelia knows the drill by now, and lies down in the circle, spreading her legs. she¡¯s trembling in anticipation. i carefully listen to her thoughts, making sure there is no trace of fear.     i take off my own clothes and kneel over her. i bend down to kiss her. amelia responds enthusiastically. she¡¯s sweet and cute, and i¡¯ll be perfectly satisfied with her.     instead, my mind is filled with ruby.     amelia has been to the ritual a number of times and knows exactly what to do. she lies still as i kiss her, feeling my cock start to rise. the back of my throat tickles, wanting blood, but it¡¯s not time yet.     vampires can do forey however they want during the ritual, but over the years, a specific system has been developed for people who struggle with the ritual.     i¡¯ve always enjoyed it, but some find it difficult to be aroused on demand. the rituals are set and nned ¨C not exactly sexy or romantic.     tonight, i use the system, trying to get my mind off ruby and focus on amelia. i kiss her for a few minutes before moving down to kiss her breasts. i move my hips slightly, rubbing my cock against her thigh.     the friction is delicious and helps me start to forget about ruby. amelia¡¯s skin is soft, and her little moans as i touch her have my cock hardening even more.     i resist the urge to bite, knowing it isn¡¯t time yet. my teeth graze against amelia¡¯s breast and i check myself. i need to keep control. humans are fragile, and i don¡¯t want to hurt her.     amelia tilts her head back, breathing hard through her mouth. i sick on one of her nipples, squeezing the other between forefinger and thumb.     by the time i move down to her clit, amelia is squirming beneath me. i lick her slowly, enjoying her taste. her pussy tastes almost as good as her blood, and i give it a long swipe with my tongue before returning to her clit.     i can tell by her thoughts that she¡¯s getting close, so i pull away. i¡¯m fully ready and give my cock a few strokes before slowly pushing into her.     amelia wraps her legs around my waist in a practiced motion. i lean down to kiss her as i start fucking her hard.     we both have to break away to breathe, but i keep thrusting, pushing her body a little bit backward with each stroke.     my thirst is almost unbearable by now. i bring a hand to her clit, helping speed up her release.     her body clenches around my cock as she cries out, tilting her head back. i lean down, letting my teeth sink into the soft flesh of her neck.     her sweet blood explodes into my mouth. i drink deeply, barely aware of her cries.     the chemicals our bite releases make a human¡¯s orgasm much more intense ¨C one of the reasons they are so eager to participate in the ritual.     i clutch her tightly as ie too, still drinking her blood. it¡¯s a high unlike any other for both of us.     ¡°fuck, ruby,¡± i gasp, drawing away once i¡¯ve had my fill.     amelia¡¯s eyes are far away. i know she¡¯ll be dazed for a while before the high of the bite wears off.     i pull out, managing to keep steady. i¡¯ve had a lot of practice after all.     it¡¯s only as i look around at the pale faces around me that i realize what i said.     ruby.     shit.     i look to katherine. did she hear, or is she too engrossed in her own feeding?     she already suspects there is something between ruby and me. she won¡¯t tolerate her future mate developing feelings for someone else.     if she heard, our alliance is as good as dead.     t. b. c     Don¡¯t Trust Her     **     us     My pen snaps. I must have been gripping it too hard in my frustration ¨C not that my frustration isn¡¯t warranted.     This is the third mistake Ruby has made in her annotations of client ounts. This isn¡¯t like her at all. For a week after the¡­ incident¡­ her work continued to be ster.     I don¡¯t understand what has happened over the past few days.     I¡¯ve been trying to avoid her, but my patience finally snaps. ¡°Ruby!¡± I pummel the button, and she hurries in while it¡¯s still ringing.     ¡°Yes, us?¡±     What the hell is this?¡± I toss the pile of reports at her.     She drops them ¨C I keep forgetting that/human don¡¯t have vampire reflexes.     I wait for her to gather them up. ¡°I was under the impression you were here to assist me, not to make my life harder. I¡¯ve had enough of mistakes!¡±     I¡¯m sorry, us. I¡¯ll take another look and have these back to you within the hour.¡±     ¡°No, that¡¯s not good enough. I want to know what has gotten into you.¡±     ¡°It¡¯s a personal problem. I¡¯m sorry for allowing it to get into my work.¡±


    I am not in an indulgent mood. In fact, I¡¯ve been in a foul mood ever since Ruby revealed she had a boyfriend.     I¡¯ve never fucked up so badly before, and I don¡¯t know how to fix it. I¡¯ve been trying to keep my distance from her, to make sure I don¡¯t identally entice her again.     I asked you a question, Ruby! Tell me what your problem is or you¡¯re fired.¡±     That does it ¨C breaks through her careful, polite mask, showing me the fiery woman underneath. ¡°You know what¡¯s wrong! You¡¯ve ruined my rtionship, that¡¯s what!¡±     ¡°Not good enough. That much was truest week. I want to know what¡¯s going on now.¡±     How much of this is really me demanding answers for work mistakes and how much is me wanting to know what¡¯s going on in her life, to know she¡¯s ok?     Ruby folds her arms, ring at me. ¡°Kelly came back. My boyfriend.¡± That¡¯s not what I was expecting.     So¡­ you¡¯re distracted because you¡¯re thinking of him?¡±     I¡¯m distracted because I¡¯m thinking of you!     He wants me to quit my job here after what happened. I told him I won¡¯t, and now things are all wrong between us. He¡¯s still there, but he¡¯s cold and distant, and I don¡¯t know how to fix it.¡±     Just like that, my anger melts. I want nothing more than to take her into my arms, but I dare not. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Ruby. I swear, if I could take back what happened, I Would.¡±     She looks curiously at me. ¡°It¡¯s not on you, you know. I was the one who decided to cheat.¡±     How can I tell her that it¡¯s not the case, that it¡¯s all my fault?     I can¡¯t, so I do the next best thing.     You¡¯re dismissed for the day. Spend it with your boyfriend. Patch things up as best you can. Tomorrow, I expect to see your usual brilliance back in your work.¡±     She practically glows, despite my return to my usual brisk manner. ¡°Thank you, us!¡±     As she leaves, I pick up the reports she dropped back on my desk, but I can¡¯t focus on them. Instead, I go through the emails, looking for people¡¯s ritual forms.     Most of the humans have submitted their names for the ritual. It¡¯s not surprising. Humans get pleasure from it too, after all.     I scroll through the pictures, deciding who I want for tonight. What I want is Ruby, but I can¡¯t have her.     Eventually, I settle on Amelia. I know she¡¯s friends with Ruby. That¡¯s as close to having Ruby as I¡¯m ever going to get again.     The day drags, and I find myself thinking of Ruby. Katherine is halfway through her summary of ourtest investments before I realize I haven¡¯t heard a word of it.     ¡°I think we should start bringing Ruby into the fold.¡±     Her re is predictable. ¡°She¡¯s too new. Just because you thought it was a good idea to screw her before any of the protocols go through doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to sign off on it. Besides, I don¡¯t think she¡¯s a good


    candidate. Don¡¯t trust her ¨C she will ruin you.     ¡°You don¡¯t need to sign off on it! I¡¯m the CEO of thispany, not you.¡±     Katherine folds her arms, unimpressed. ¡°You will wait the proper period. That¡¯s final.¡±     I growl under my breath, but she¡¯s not in my coven, so I can¡¯t discipline her. As much as I hate it, I¡¯ll have to wait.     If Katherine even suspects that I¡¯m starting to feel for Ruby, all hell will break loose. I can¡¯t risk my coven like that, no matter what I may wish for myself.     I leave work early to help prepare for the ritual.     I carefully unwrap the ritual candles. Witches are much rarer than vampires and getting candles enchanted costs an arm and a leg. We¡¯re very careful with the ones we have.     I set them around the ritual circle and light them. Not long after, humans start filing in.     My eyes are on Amelia from the start. Once her clothes are off, I beckon her to me. Katherine and I go first, as the ranking coven members.     Amelia knows the drill by now, and lies down in the circle, spreading her legs. She¡¯s trembling in anticipation. I carefully listen to her thoughts, making sure there is no trace of fear.     I take off my own clothes and kneel over her. I bend down to kiss her. Amelia responds enthusiastically. She¡¯s sweet and cute, and I¡¯ll be perfectly satisfied with her.     Instead, my mind is filled with Ruby.     Amelia has been to the ritual a number of times and knows exactly what to do. She lies still as I kiss her, feeling my cock start to rise. The back of my throat tickles, wanting blood, but it¡¯s not time yet.     Vampires can do forey however they want during the ritual, but over the years, a specific system has been developed for people who struggle with the ritual.     I¡¯ve always enjoyed it, but some find it difficult to be aroused on demand. The rituals are set and nned ¨C not exactly sexy or romantic.     Tonight, I use the system, trying to get my mind off Ruby and focus on Amelia. I kiss her for a few minutes before moving down to kiss her breasts. I move my hips slightly, rubbing my cock against her thigh.     The friction is delicious and helps me start to forget about Ruby. Amelia¡¯s skin is soft, and her little moans as I touch her have my cock hardening even more.     I resist the urge to bite, knowing it isn¡¯t time yet. My teeth graze against Amelia¡¯s breast and I check myself. I need to keep control. Humans are fragile, and I don¡¯t want to hurt her.     Amelia tilts her head back, breathing hard through her mouth. I sick on one of her nipples, squeezing the other between forefinger and thumb.     By the time I move down to her clit, Amelia is squirming beneath me. I lick her slowly, enjoying her taste. Her pussy tastes almost as good as her blood, and I give it a long swipe with my tongue before returning to her clit.     I can tell by her thoughts that she¡¯s getting close, so I pull away. I¡¯m fully ready and give my cock a few strokes before slowly pushing into her.     Amelia wraps her legs around my waist in a practiced motion. I lean down to kiss her as I start fucking her hard.     We both have to break away to breathe, but I keep thrusting, pushing her body a little bit backward with each stroke.     My thirst is almost unbearable by now. I bring a hand to her clit, helping speed up her release.     Her body clenches around my cock as she cries out, tilting her head back. I lean down, letting my teeth sink into the soft flesh of her neck.     Her sweet blood explodes into my mouth. I drink deeply, barely aware of her cries.     The chemicals our bite releases make a human¡¯s orgasm much more intense ¨C one of the reasons they are so eager to participate in the ritual.     I clutch her tightly as Ie too, still drinking her blood. It¡¯s a high unlike any other for both of us.     ¡°Fuck, Ruby,¡± I gasp, drawing away once I¡¯ve had my fill.     Amelia¡¯s eyes are far away. I know she¡¯ll be dazed for a while before the high of the bite wears off.     I pull out, managing to keep steady. I¡¯ve had a lot of practice after all.     It¡¯s only as I look around at the pale faces around me that I realize what I said.     Ruby.     Shit.     I look to Katherine. Did she hear, or is she too engrossed in her own feeding?     She already suspects there is something between Ruby and me. She won¡¯t tolerate her future mate developing feelings for someone else.     If she heard, our alliance is as good as dead.     T. B. C

 Eight

    Take Me


    **


    Ruby


    I close the front door behind me and nce hopefully into the lounge.


    Maybe today, things will be different.


    ¡°Hey, Kelly,¡±


    ¡°Hello, Ruby.¡±


    My heart sinks. His voice is cold, and he turns away, not looking at me. It¡¯s been two weeks since he got back, and things between us are still horrible.


    He looks at me like I¡¯m betraying him every time I leave for work.


    ¡°I try again. ¡°How was your day?¡±


    ¡°Fine, thank you.¡±


    I wince. We could cut the tension in the air with a knife. ¡°I was thinking of making steak for supper.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten, thank you.¡±


    Steak is Kelly¡¯s favorite. If he¡¯s turning it down, he must be even angrier than I realized.


    I go to sleep alone in the master bedroom that night. Kelly has been sleeping in the guest room. Loneliness threatens to ovee me.


    Is there any point in staying with him when things are like this? I love him, but I don¡¯t think he loves me anymore. Are we both just torturing ourselves here?


    Amelia is in a particrly good mood at work the next day. It¡¯s the day after the mysterious ritual, which always seems to leave half the office grinning.


    I keep my head down, just trying to get through the day, doing my best to keep my mind off Kelly.


    Just after lunch, us calls me into his office.


    ¡°Ruby, please make an appointment with Mr. Joe for next week. Monday, if you can manage it.


    ¡°Yes,¡±


    I know I should go, but my feet seem to be glued to the ground. us grows in my vision until he¡¯s all I can see.


    I miss being touched. Kelly hasn¡¯t touched me since our fight.


    I remember thest time with us, the wild pleasure that blocked out all else.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Before I can think better of it, I start taking my clothes off. us stands up and takes a step back, apparently rmed.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Take me, us.¡±


    ¡°Put your clothes back on.¡±


    I might be discouraged if I didn¡¯t see the desire in his eyes.


    I go over to his desk and position myself the same way I did thest time, with my torso t against it and my ass sticking up in the air, ready for the taking.


    ¡°You have a boyfriend.¡±


    I shake my head sadly. ¡°I don¡¯t think I do.¡±


    Kelly and I are still living together, but are we together? I don¡¯t think things between us can be fixed.


    Ruby, you¡¯re not yourself. You-¡°I wriggle myself forward into a more enticing position. As I do, I wedge my stomach on top of something sharp.


    I yelp and reach underneath myself, pulling out a pair of scissors. I¡¯m bleeding a little,  but it doesn¡¯t seem too bad. I dismiss the minor wound.


    us is still behind the desk, facing me. As I toss the scissors aside, his eyes follow them for a moment beforeing back to me. His nostrils re, almost as if he can smell the blood. That¡¯s not possible, of course, not for such a tiny amount of blood.


    A wild lookes into us¡¯s eyes. I can see it when he loses all self-control.


    He strides around the desk, grabbing my ass. His fingers are so tight they¡¯re almost painful, but it¡¯s perfect.


    us thrusts one finger into me, testing and stretching my pussy. Instead of taking me from behind like he didst time, he spins me around.


    I don¡¯t manage to get my feet under me in time, but it doesn¡¯t matter. us steadies me as I get my bnce.


    I don¡¯t keep it for long. He kisses me, deep and hot and fast. Our tongues sh together as need overtakes us.


    I can feel the bulge of his cock against my leg. His arms around my waist are taking a lot of my weight, leaving me feeling like I¡¯m floating. I reach down, rubbing the bulge.


    us moans into the kiss, changing the angle to make it even deeper. I can barely snatch a breath between kisses, but I don¡¯t carAt At this moment, I feel like I need us more than I need air.


    I reach under his shirt, letting my fingers roam over his skin. He does the same, touching my stomach and then my breasts.


    My thighs are damp as the wetness from my pussy leaks down. I need us to fill the aching emptiness inside me. I manage to undo his pants, letting his cock spring free.


    ¡°Down on the ground.¡±


    I yield to the pressure on his shoulders, kneeling in front of him. I know what he wants, and I¡¯m right behind him.


    I take his cock into my mouth. The taste of his pre is different from anything I¡¯ve tasted before. I can¡¯t quite put my finger on it.


    I suck eagerly, encouraged by the soft noises us is making. He¡¯s clearly trying hard to be quiet, but every now and then a gasp or a moan makes it through his control. I love that I¡¯m making him lose control.


    His hips start stuttering as he gets close. I suck harder, taking him as deep as I can. I can¡¯t wait to have hime down my throat.


    us grabs my head and pulls me off. I barely have time to experience confusion before he pulls me to my feet and spins me around again.


    He presses me against the wall. I turn my head to the side so that I can breathe.


    Fuck, this is even hotter than the desk.


    I spread my legs as us puts a finger once more in my pussy. I stick my ass out as much as I can, but us doesn¡¯t seem to have any trouble finding the right angle.


    He bends his legs slightly and gets his cock under me, sliding effortlessly into my pussy. He keeps one hand to my back, keeping me pressed close up against the wall.


    His hips snap back and forth. His cock moving in and out of my pussy is the best thing I¡¯ve ever felt in my life.


    I only realize I¡¯m grunting with each thrust when us puts a hand over my mouth, stopping much sound froming out.


    I can¡¯t reach my clit as us pounds me into the wall, but it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ve nevere before without some kind of pressure on my clit, but my body is in a headlong rush determined to prove me wrong.


    I scream into us¡¯s hand as Ie. He seems to have been waiting for me, as hees to at almost the same time.


    My legs are weak with pleasure, and if it wasn¡¯t for the wall, I¡¯d probably fall over us pulls out and makes sure I¡¯m not going to fall before going to his clothes.


    ¡°Wait. Come¡­e and lie with me.¡±


    The floor isn¡¯t the best ce to cuddle, but I¡¯m willing to make do.


    ¡°He smirks at me. ¡°You should get back to work.¡±


    I¡¯m disappointed, but I can hardlyin ofck of cuddles when the sex was that good. I get dressed and make sure my clothes and hair are in order before leaving.


    Half of the office seems to know what I just did, judging by their looks. I keep my head high.


    They can¡¯t possibly know. The walls are thick, and  us made sure we weren¡¯t that noisy.


    Ameliaes to perch on my desk. I re at her knowing smile. ¡°Has Mr. Joe called yet?¡± I make it clear from my tone that I want to discuss work and nothing else.


    ¡°Not yet, but I can give him another call if you want?¡±


    Yes, please.¡±


    I know I need to get my head back to work, but it¡¯s hard when I¡¯m bombarded by thoughts of us. Despite how arrogant and annoying he is, I think I might actually be developing feelings for the guy.


    Shit.


    It¡¯s probably just the after-sex hormones. It¡¯s not actual feelings.


    I cling to that thought, not wanting to face my own mental scolding for the idea of falling for someone like us.


    He¡¯s not even nice, for fuck¡¯s sake!


    Amelia brushes her hair behind her ears, and I see something on her neck. ¡°Em, what¡¯s that?¡±


    Oh! It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    She pulls her hair over the mark, but not before I get a good look at the two puncture wounds. It looks like a bite mark.


    ¡°Did someone hurt you?¡± I lower my voice. Was it someone here?¡±


    No one hurt me, Ruby. Everything is fine.¡±


    If everything is fine, why does she sound so nervous?


    She clearly doesn¡¯t want me to make a fuss, so I let her go without further questioning but I find myself looking carefully around the office.


    I don¡¯t know why I suspect someone here did that to Amelia, but I do.


    Exactly how much can I trust the people I¡¯m working with?

 Nine

    CHP 9     It¡¯s Over     ***     Ruby pov     For once, I¡¯m d to leave the office. I¡¯m nervous for the rest of the day after seeing Amelia¡¯s neck.     Perhaps it¡¯s stupid to think someone in the office bit her, but I can¡¯t quite get the suspicion out of my mind.     One thing is for sure, Vamp Investments isn¡¯t your typical investmentpany.     Kelly isn¡¯t home yet when I arrive. He¡¯s probably workingte with a client. I don¡¯t me him. I¡¯ve been workingte too recently, not wanting to face the awkward silences at home.     I try to distract myself with cooking.     Should I tell him I slept with us again?     Are Kelly and I even really together anymore?     In the end, I can¡¯t stand the idea of another confession. My decision to keep quiet for now doesn¡¯t stop the guilt, though. I told Will I wouldn¡¯t sleep with us again, and I broke my promise.     Maybe things are broken beyond repair between us, but I still shouldn¡¯t have done it.     I should have ended things with Kelly before sleeping with us again.     The thought brings me up short. Should I leave Kelly?     I¡¯ve been with him for five years, and I¡¯ve been happy for most of that time. I¡¯m not happy now. It¡¯s my fault, of course ¨C I was the one who cheated ¨C but does that mean I have to suffer indefinitely in a ruined rtionship because of one mistake?     I barely notice when Kelly gets home and ignores me, too lost in my own thoughts.     It¡¯s really not fair to stay with him, not when I¡¯m developing feelings for us, and especially when I can¡¯t seem to keep my hands off us.     I decide to sleep on it, not wanting to make any hasty decisions. The next morning, I get up early and make pancakes.     What is the proper way to break up with someone you¡¯ve been with for five years?     Kellyes down, barely ncing at me.     ¡°Kelly, sit down, please. We need to talk.¡±     I half expect him to ignore me, but I¡¯m relieved when he does as I say and sits opposite me. Neither of us touches the pancakes.     Perhaps Kelly also feels like he¡¯s about to be sick.     Kelly¡­ I don¡¯t feel like this is working. Us, I mean. I know it¡¯s my fault, but I can¡¯t ¨CI don¡¯t think I can do this anymore.     He doesn¡¯t say anything, just looks at me.     I force the words out. ¡°It¡¯s over between us.¡±     Kelly doesn¡¯t say anything. He just gets up and walks out of the front door. He doesn¡¯t even pack anything.     I stare at the door, wondering if I¡¯ll ever see him again. I know I¡¯ve hurt him, but I was hoping for at least a goodbye before he left.     I only realize I¡¯ve been staring into space for almost ten minutes when my usual morning rm goes off. Despite having plenty of time to get ready, I only just make it in time to work.     Amelia can tell something is wrong, and she tries tofort me, but it¡¯s difficult when I won¡¯t tell her what happened. I can¡¯t seem to get the words out.     Besides, she¡¯s not the one I want tofort me. Of course, it¡¯s not going to happen. us is hardly the sensitive type.     Still, I find myself shuffling into his office without even a pretend excuse for why I¡¯m there.     I must be insane. He¡¯s going to fire me.     Maybe I deserve it.     us looks up as Ie in. ¡°Ruby?¡± His voice isn¡¯t quite as sharp as usual.     I just stand there stupidly, staring at the floor.     I broke up with Kelly, and I don¡¯t think my heart will ever recover.     I need you to hold me, but I can¡¯t ask that.     What have I done to my life?     us gets up, his face a picture of concern.     He leads me to afortable couch in the corner of the room that looks like it¡¯s never been used. I sit down next to him, cradling my hands in myp.     I broke up with Kelly.¡±     ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Ruby.¡±     To my utter disbelief, he puts an arm around me, drawing my head to his shoulder.     I sigh and rx into him. It¡¯s taking all my effort not to cry, but just being here like this is enough.     ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should get back to work.¡±     ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. Stay awhile.¡±     So I do. us doesn¡¯t seem to know what to do ¨C it¡¯s clear he¡¯s not experienced inforting people ¨C but he stays with me, giving me time to sort out my thoughts.     This is a whole different side to him. Before today, I never would have expected that he was capable of showing any sign of tenderness.     I like this side to him. I like it a lot.     us¡­ tell me what everyone here is hiding?¡±     What do you mean?¡±     ¡°You know what I mean. The ritual. The¡­ there¡¯s something odd about this office, that much is clear. I know that most of your employees know about it, even the ones who aren¡¯t directly involved.¡±     He hesitates. ¡°I will tell you, Ruby¡­ but not yet. You have to understand, we have protocols for a reason. Once you¡¯ve been working here long enough, I will tell you.¡±     I guess that¡¯s the best I¡¯m going to get for now.     I nod and lean more of my weight into us¡¯s side. He shifts his arm slightly so that he¡¯s almost embracing me.     It¡¯s lunchtime before either of us moves.     us lookspletely prepared to spend the entire day here on this couch with me, but that wouldn¡¯t be fair.     I stand up. ¡°Thank you, us.¡±     He grins at me. ¡°We can afford the lost time, thanks to you. My files and emails are in perfect order.¡±     Huh. I guess even when I¡¯m distracted I¡¯m stillpetent. Good to know.     ¡°I¡¯d best see to it that they stay that way.¡±     I go back into the office, feeling rejuvenated. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever get to see that side of us again, but I hope so.     Amelia drops by not long after to pick up some reports I proofread. ¡°How are things going?¡± she asks hesitantly.     You never really talk about yourself, about your life outside of work, but I can see that something is wrong.¡±     I sigh, considering. ¡°I have a reason not to. At my old work, I confided in my colleagues. I thought they were my friends. They sold me out to my boss, telling him things that I said to them in confidence. It was mostly just venting frustrations. I didn¡¯t mind him, really, but you know how you talk when you¡¯re annoyed with someone.¡±     Anyway, he fired me. Since then, I¡¯ve made it a policy not to mix work and home life.¡±     Amelia nods sympathetically. ¡°I¡¯d never do that to you¡­ but I understand. If you ever want to talk, I¡¯m here.¡±     The funny thing is that I¡¯d probably rather talk to us than her.     us is intimidating and brisk, nothing like Amelia¡¯s bubbly friendliness, but I can¡¯t help trusting us. Something about him draws me toward him.     Anyway, he fired me. Since then, I¡¯ve made it a policy not to mix work and home life.¡±     Amelia nods sympathetically. ¡°I¡¯d never do that to you¡­ but I understand. If you ever want to talk, I¡¯m here.¡±     The funny thing is that I¡¯d probably rather talk to us than her.     us is intimidating and brisk, nothing like Amelia¡¯s bubbly friendliness, but I can¡¯t help trusting us. Something about him draws me toward him.     I know us will keep his word about telling me the secret of the ritual, but I¡¯m so curious, I don¡¯t know if I want to wait. I nce around, making sure Katherine is


    nowhere in sight.     Amelia¡­ don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time I know about the ritual?¡±     She also checks to see the area is clear before lowering her voice, speaking with her lips close to my ear. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that. But I can tell you that it¡¯s nothing bad. It may seem that way at first, but I promise it¡¯s by not,     Her words hardly do anything to reassure me. In fact, they just leave me even more worried. She sounds like she¡¯s describing a cult. Is that what I¡¯ve walked into. Amelia.¡±I lower my voice even further, leaning as close as I can. ¡°If you need to get out, I can help you.     There are safe ces you can go. Sheughs, the sound jarring considering my own worry. ¡°I swear, Ruby, it¡¯s nothing like that. It can be quite wonderful, actually.¡±     This is sounding more and more Like a cult.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Ten

    First Date     ***     us pov.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ???     us, we have a problem.¡±     I do my best to smile politely. ¡°How can I help you, Katherine.¡±     I told you that you can¡¯t trust that girl! She¡¯s been doing research on cults. If she reports us to the police¡­     Even though I know how serious such an usation would be, I have to fightughter.     You can¡¯t me Ruby for being curious. She¡¯s hardly the first one to wonder what we¡¯re up to before we bring them in.¡±     This could be dangerous! You¡¯re not taking it seriously enough.¡±     Genius strikes me.     You¡¯re right, Katherine. We can¡¯t have her reporting us to the police as a potential cult. We need to bring her into the secret, at once. it¡¯s too risky to wait.¡±     Katherine looks like she just swallowed a lemon.¡±Do you think that trusting her with a secret as dangerous as ours is the right thing to do? Are you insane, us?¡±     I shrug, trying not to look too smug. *¡±We can¡¯t fire her. If we do, we¡¯ll certainly go to the police with the cult story. Bringing her in is our only option.¡±     I have Katherine trapped, and she knows it. Our covens don¡¯t kill human-like some others do, but I¡¯m sure that if I could read her mind, I¡¯d see her reconsidering changing coven policy.     Very well, us. If anything goes wrong, it will be on your head.¡±     It always is,¡± I murmur as she leaves. When you¡¯re the coven leader, everything is on you. Katherine leads her own coven, but we¡¯ve agreed that in our alliance, mine will be the dominant coven.     I find myself wondering about Ruby. I¡¯ve made way too many mistakes where she is concerned. I had almost managed to refuse her the other day, but the smell of her blood drove mepletely over the edge.     Other vampires wouldn¡¯t have managed even what restraint you did. They wouldn¡¯t have just slept with her- they would have ripped her throat out.     That¡¯s no excuse. You enticed her again, and she has a boyfriend. It doesn¡¯t matter that you couldn¡¯t control it. You should be better     She doesn¡¯t have a boyfriend anymore, though. They broke up. And you¡¯ve been listening to her thoughts. She would love nothing more than to have sex with you


    again. This time, you would have nothing to feel guilty about.     I go back and forth in my head, arguing with myself first one way, then another. It¡¯s no surprise to me that I eventually give in, calling Ruby into the office.     ¡°Strip.¡±     ¡°No.¡±     I look at her in frank surprise. I thought she wanted this?     Very well. You may leave.¡±     ¡°No. I want to strip for you and let you take. me¡­ but you¡¯ll have to take me on a date first.¡±     I snort. A date. What a ridiculous idea. ¡°Not a chance.¡±     I hadn¡¯t expected the effect my words have on her. Her face falls, and her thoughts spiral inward, wondering if she¡¯s not good enough for me.     I want to tell her that¡¯s not the case, but I can¡¯t admit that I can read her thoughts. She turns to leave.     Ruby, wait.¡±     Her smile could light up the entire world.     ¡°Perfect!¡±     We just can¡¯t let anyone here find out. It won¡¯t look good, you know, the boss sleeping with his assistant. I can pick you up from your ce?¡±     Of course. That¡¯ll give me time to change.     She gives me her address and leaves. I¡¯m well aware that I¡¯m grinning like an idiot. It¡¯s been decades since I went on a date.     The day seems to drag on after that. After what seems like a year, I finally arrive at Ruby¡¯s house.     She¡¯s wearing a long red dress that reminds me of how sweet her blood smells. ¡°Good evening, Ruby.¡±     I take her hand, leading her to the car and opening the door. I¡¯ve made reservations in the best restaurant in town. Ruby looks radiant as the waiter takes us to our seats.     I only realize as I sit down that I have no idea what to say. I can¡¯t retreat into my persona of the ill-tempered CEO.     This is a date, and my usual defense mechanisms won¡¯t work here.     ¡°Tell me about yourself.¡±     To my relief, she doesn¡¯tugh at my inept attempt at making conversation. Instead, she does exactly what I ask. I listen raptly, finding that I love learning about her life.     After two sses of wine, I find it easier to talk naturally with her. It¡¯s difficult, and not only because I¡¯m not practiced at dates.     That dress is low cut, and I have to keep reminding myself that if I start fondling her breasts here, we¡¯ll be kicked out.     ¡°What about you, us? I hardly know anything about you.¡±     I¡¯m so used to lying, but I find I don¡¯t want to do that with Ruby he.     Well, most of my family is dead. I still have a sister, but we don¡¯t really talk. I¡¯ve got good allies, though. Vamp Investments is doing well, and I feel like I¡¯ve carved out a good niche for myself and my people in this World.¡±     She looks sad, and I wonder if I should have lied after all. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear about your family. It sounds like the business has be your family.¡±     ¡°Pretty much. A lot of the people I work with are dear to me.¡± It¡¯s my responsibility to protect my coven, but I can¡¯t tell her that, at least not yet.     I listen intently as she tells me about her hesitation in getting close to people at work. It exins a lot ¨C like why I couldn¡¯t originally pick up that she had a boyfriend from her thoughts. She tries not to think


    about home stuff at work.     The night flies by. Too soon, the restaurant is closing. I could probably pay them to stay open longer, but we both have work tomorrow.     I¡¯ll take you home.     ¡°I¡¯m not quite ready to go home yet. How about you show me your apartment?¡±     The suggestive wink she gives me forces me to remind myself once again that I can¡¯t pounce on her here. ¡°Of course.¡±     I probably drive faster than I should, getting home in record time.     I don¡¯t make much of an effort to show Ruby around. I¡¯m mostly interested in showing her the bedroom.     She doesn¡¯t seem interested in the bedroom at all. Her eyes are fixed on me as she starts. stripping. I do the same, and in moments, we are both naked and breathing slightly harder than usual.     I finally give in to desire and pounce on her. I throw her onto the soft bed, leaping after her, covering her body with mine.     I kiss her so hard that I almost draw blood. I pause, wondering if I¡¯m being too rough, but Ruby¡¯s thoughts are triumphant. This is exactly what she wants.     She tries to flip us to get on top, but I growl and hold her hands down. She shivers slightly and I can smell it as her pussy starts to leak.     I¡¯ve never been so grateful for my heightened vampire senses.     Ruby smells utterly divine.     I rub myself against her, giving my cock some much-needed friction. Ruby is tilting her hips backward and forward, an unconscious motion, I think, one born of


    need.     I break away from our kiss. I¡¯m more than happy to give her what she needs. She spreads her legs, probably expecting my finger.     We have time and space here, something we never had in the office. I intend to use it.     I start licking her clit, slowly and lightly at first, teasing her with gentle touches.     I can tell from her thoughts that her body is way ahead of me, already teetering at the end of the release. I intend to taste her release many times tonight.     Small whimperse out of her mouth as sucks hard on her clit.     ¡°us ¨C us, I -¡±     Her back arches beautifully as shees.     I keep sucking her clit until she is wrung out and syed across the bed. I slowly lick her pussy, enjoying the taste.     My cock is still urgently hard, but I have plenty of time.     I start trailing wet kisses across her breasts, giving her time to recover while slowly rekindling her desire.     Loud knocking interrupts us. I freeze at the voice I hear.     ¡°us! Open up.¡±     Shit.     Fuck, fuck, fuck! I¡¯dpletely forgotten that I told  Katherine she coulde over to discuss the business n for the next six months.     If she finds Ruby here¡­ I doubt she¡¯ll let her live for more than a few minutes.     First Date     ***     us pov.


    ???     us, we have a problem.¡±     I do my best to smile politely. ¡°How can I help you, Katherine.¡±     I told you that you can¡¯t trust that girl! She¡¯s been doing research on cults. If she reports us to the police¡­     Even though I know how serious such an usation would be, I have to fightughter.     You can¡¯t me Ruby for being curious. She¡¯s hardly the first one to wonder what we¡¯re up to before we bring them in.¡±     This could be dangerous! You¡¯re not taking it seriously enough.¡±     Genius strikes me.     You¡¯re right, Katherine. We can¡¯t have her reporting us to the police as a potential cult. We need to bring her into the secret, at once. it¡¯s too risky to wait.¡±     Katherine looks like she just swallowed a lemon.¡±Do you think that trusting her with a secret as dangerous as ours is the right thing to do? Are you insane, us?¡±     I shrug, trying not to look too smug. *¡±We can¡¯t fire her. If we do, we¡¯ll certainly go to the police with the cult story. Bringing her in is our only option.¡±     I have Katherine trapped, and she knows it. Our covens don¡¯t kill human-like some others do, but I¡¯m sure that if I could read her mind, I¡¯d see her reconsidering changing coven policy.     Very well, us. If anything goes wrong, it will be on your head.¡±     It always is,¡± I murmur as she leaves. When you¡¯re the coven leader, everything is on you. Katherine leads her own coven, but we¡¯ve agreed that in our alliance, mine will be the dominant coven.     I find myself wondering about Ruby. I¡¯ve made way too many mistakes where she is concerned. I had almost managed to refuse her the other day, but the smell of her blood drove mepletely over the edge.     Other vampires wouldn¡¯t have managed even what restraint you did. They wouldn¡¯t have just slept with her- they would have ripped her throat out.     That¡¯s no excuse. You enticed her again, and she has a boyfriend. It doesn¡¯t matter that you couldn¡¯t control it. You should be better     She doesn¡¯t have a boyfriend anymore, though. They broke up. And you¡¯ve been listening to her thoughts. She would love nothing more than to have sex with you


    again. This time, you would have nothing to feel guilty about.     I go back and forth in my head, arguing with myself first one way, then another. It¡¯s no surprise to me that I eventually give in, calling Ruby into the office.     ¡°Strip.¡±     ¡°No.¡±     I look at her in frank surprise. I thought she wanted this?     Very well. You may leave.¡±     ¡°No. I want to strip for you and let you take. me¡­ but you¡¯ll have to take me on a date first.¡±     I snort. A date. What a ridiculous idea. ¡°Not a chance.¡±     I hadn¡¯t expected the effect my words have on her. Her face falls, and her thoughts spiral inward, wondering if she¡¯s not good enough for me.     I want to tell her that¡¯s not the case, but I can¡¯t admit that I can read her thoughts. She turns to leave.     Ruby, wait.¡±     Her smile could light up the entire world.     ¡°Perfect!¡±     We just can¡¯t let anyone here find out. It won¡¯t look good, you know, the boss sleeping with his assistant. I can pick you up from your ce?¡±     Of course. That¡¯ll give me time to change.     She gives me her address and leaves. I¡¯m well aware that I¡¯m grinning like an idiot. It¡¯s been decades since I went on a date.     The day seems to drag on after that. After what seems like a year, I finally arrive at Ruby¡¯s house.     She¡¯s wearing a long red dress that reminds me of how sweet her blood smells. ¡°Good evening, Ruby.¡±     I take her hand, leading her to the car and opening the door. I¡¯ve made reservations in the best restaurant in town. Ruby looks radiant as the waiter takes us to our seats.     I only realize as I sit down that I have no idea what to say. I can¡¯t retreat into my persona of the ill-tempered CEO.     This is a date, and my usual defense mechanisms won¡¯t work here.     ¡°Tell me about yourself.¡±     To my relief, she doesn¡¯tugh at my inept attempt at making conversation. Instead, she does exactly what I ask. I listen raptly, finding that I love learning about her life.     After two sses of wine, I find it easier to talk naturally with her. It¡¯s difficult, and not only because I¡¯m not practiced at dates.     That dress is low cut, and I have to keep reminding myself that if I start fondling her breasts here, we¡¯ll be kicked out.     ¡°What about you, us? I hardly know anything about you.¡±     I¡¯m so used to lying, but I find I don¡¯t want to do that with Ruby he.     Well, most of my family is dead. I still have a sister, but we don¡¯t really talk. I¡¯ve got good allies, though. Vamp Investments is doing well, and I feel like I¡¯ve carved out a good niche for myself and my people in this World.¡±     She looks sad, and I wonder if I should have lied after all. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear about your family. It sounds like the business has be your family.¡±     ¡°Pretty much. A lot of the people I work with are dear to me.¡± It¡¯s my responsibility to protect my coven, but I can¡¯t tell her that, at least not yet.     I listen intently as she tells me about her hesitation in getting close to people at work. It exins a lot ¨C like why I couldn¡¯t originally pick up that she had a boyfriend from her thoughts. She tries not to think


    about home stuff at work.     The night flies by. Too soon, the restaurant is closing. I could probably pay them to stay open longer, but we both have work tomorrow.     I¡¯ll take you home.     ¡°I¡¯m not quite ready to go home yet. How about you show me your apartment?¡±     The suggestive wink she gives me forces me to remind myself once again that I can¡¯t pounce on her here. ¡°Of course.¡±     I probably drive faster than I should, getting home in record time.     I don¡¯t make much of an effort to show Ruby around. I¡¯m mostly interested in showing her the bedroom.     She doesn¡¯t seem interested in the bedroom at all. Her eyes are fixed on me as she starts. stripping. I do the same, and in moments, we are both naked and breathing slightly harder than usual.     I finally give in to desire and pounce on her. I throw her onto the soft bed, leaping after her, covering her body with mine.     I kiss her so hard that I almost draw blood. I pause, wondering if I¡¯m being too rough, but Ruby¡¯s thoughts are triumphant. This is exactly what she wants.     She tries to flip us to get on top, but I growl and hold her hands down. She shivers slightly and I can smell it as her pussy starts to leak.     I¡¯ve never been so grateful for my heightened vampire senses.     Ruby smells utterly divine.     I rub myself against her, giving my cock some much-needed friction. Ruby is tilting her hips backward and forward, an unconscious motion, I think, one born of


    need.     I break away from our kiss. I¡¯m more than happy to give her what she needs. She spreads her legs, probably expecting my finger.     We have time and space here, something we never had in the office. I intend to use it.     I start licking her clit, slowly and lightly at first, teasing her with gentle touches.     I can tell from her thoughts that her body is way ahead of me, already teetering at the end of the release. I intend to taste her release many times tonight.     Small whimperse out of her mouth as sucks hard on her clit.     ¡°us ¨C us, I -¡±     Her back arches beautifully as shees.     I keep sucking her clit until she is wrung out and syed across the bed. I slowly lick her pussy, enjoying the taste.     My cock is still urgently hard, but I have plenty of time.     I start trailing wet kisses across her breasts, giving her time to recover while slowly rekindling her desire.     Loud knocking interrupts us. I freeze at the voice I hear.     ¡°us! Open up.¡±     Shit.     Fuck, fuck, fuck! I¡¯dpletely forgotten that I told  Katherine she coulde over to discuss the business n for the next six months.     If she finds Ruby here¡­ I doubt she¡¯ll let her live for more than a few minutes.

 Eleven

    Lie Detectors


    ***


    Ruby


    I don¡¯t me us for looking terrified. Katherine terrifies me too.


    He doesn¡¯t usually seem intimidated by her, though. What¡¯s different this time?


    us presses a finger to his lips, his eyes so intense that they take my breath away. I nod, keepingpletely still. us pulls a nket over my head.


    Really? We¡¯re both adults. He doesn¡¯t need to be this scared of Katherine.


    Something about his manner stops me from protesting, though. I know that not a lot of things scare us. If he¡¯s really worried about this, then he must have a good reason.


    I try hard not to choke as the scent of cologne fills the air. It¡¯s not that it smells bad, but us must have poured the entire bottle over himself.


    I peek out from under the nkets to see him rubbing it all over his body like soap.


    What the hell?


    I hear him walk through the apartment and open the door. He closes it behind him, so I don¡¯t catch whatever he says to Katherine.


    Several minutester, he returns in a robe.


    He carefully lifts the nket but keeps his finger pressed to his lips.


    I nod, trying not to wince at the overwhelmingly strong cologne. We stay like this for several minutes before us¡¯s tense posture finally rxes. ¡°She¡¯s out of range.


    ¡°Out of range?


    Gone. I¡¯m sorry about the interruption.¡± He looks at me with rekindling lust.


    Oh no, you don¡¯t. You¡¯d just get your butt in the shower if you want to touch me again. What on earth possessed you to use all of that cologne?¡±


    ¡°What better way to get rid of her quickly than to make being in my presence ufortable for her nose?¡±


    I don¡¯t believe you.


    I suppose it kind of makes sense, but I just get the overwhelming impression that us is lying, covering the real reason.


    Pushing him isn¡¯t going to get him to tell me. I l just have to hope he trusts me at some point.


    ¡°Shower. Now, before my nose shrivels up.¡±


    usughs out loud and walks to the bathroom, dropping the robe as he goes. I get the feeling that he¡¯s not used to being told what to do very often. wonder how many women can order him around and get away with it?


    Maybe I¡¯m the only one. The thought is a good one.


    I open the windows to air the room out while us showers, already anticipating what he¡¯s going to do to me when he gets out.


    ***


    Ruby


    ¡°Ruby, please follow me.¡±


    Even though I¡¯m us¡¯s assistant, Katherine has no problem giving me orders. She is my superior, so I reluctantly follow her, my mind still on Katherine¡¯s emails and how I want to handle a particrly difficult client.


    ¡°Sit down.¡±


    I look around the room. It¡¯s one of the off-limits rooms. I don¡¯t know what I expected, but this isn¡¯t it.


    Why do they have a room full of lie detectors?


    I perched nervously on the edge of my seat, watching Katherine as she starts getting the equipment ready. She looks like she¡¯s done this many times before.


    ¡°Um¡­ what¡¯s this all about, Katherine?¡±


    It¡¯s time for you to move up in thepany and be given certain information. Before that can happen, you need to pass a lie detector test, to ensure that we can trust you.¡±


    Excitement rushes through my veins.


    I¡¯m surely about to find out about the ritual, and everything else us has been keeping from me. I¡¯ll happily submit to a lie detector test for that.


    When we tell you everything, we will expect yourplete silence. You are not to tell


    anyone, ever, even if you leave thispany. Is that understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Katherine.¡±


    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s begin.¡±


    Once she has all of the relevant parts attached to me, she sits opposite me, behind the machine.


    Answer all questions with yes or no only.


    I¡¯m going to start by asking you questions I already know the answer to, to get your baseline.¡±Alright.


    ¡°Is your name Ruby Collins?¡±


    Yes.


    Do you work at Vamp Investments?¡±


    Yes.¡±


    Are you twenty-five years old?¡±


    Yes.¡±


    Is your birthday in June?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Are you Ethan us¡¯s personal assistant?¡±


    *Yes.¡±


    Were you born in Europe?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°That should do for a baseline. Now, to the questions, we care about.¡±


    I know I shouldn¡¯t have anything to worry about, after all, I don¡¯t intend to lie ¨C but something about Katherine¡¯s smirk makes me nervous.


    Do you intend to reveal any of the ssified information you are given?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Would your answer change if you knew people were being hurt or even killed?¡±


    I hesitate. I tell the truth, she might not let me in on the secret, but she¡¯ll know if lie. I suppose the truth is the only option.


    Yes.¡±


    Katherine nodded and marked the answer down. She didn¡¯t seem surprised. ¡°Would that answer change if someone offered you arge sum of money?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Or if you ever left thepany?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    If you left it on bad terms?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to be let in on the responsibility of keeping thispany¡¯s most important secrets?


    I think of her question about people being hurt or killed. I don¡¯t want to get myself involved in something criminal¡­ but I can¡¯t stand the idea of having a chance to understand us better and turning it down.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I¡¯m sure this will be the end of the interview.


    Katherine puts away her notebook, but as I get up to leave, she shakes her head.


    ¡°We¡¯re not quite done yet. What are your feelings for us?¡±


    What? Is this part of checking if I¡¯m trustworthy enough to keep his secret? Or is us going off script?Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I try to stall for time, wondering what I should do.


    I¡¯m sure that Katherine is going to be pissed if she realizes I see us as anything other than my boss.


    ¡°Uh¡­ I thought was supposed to give yes or no answers only?¡±


    ¡°Do you have feelings for us?¡±


    Crap. I can¡¯t admit to it, but I can¡¯t lie either?


    What kind of feelings? I mean, I admire him as my boss. I think he¡¯s a great CEO.¡±


    Help, someone, help me! Please let someone walk-in¡­


    Katherine snorts impatiently. ¡°Do you have romantic feelings for us?¡±


    The door bursts open. us is there, and he looks mad. ¡°Katherine, what the hell are you doing?¡±


    Conducting Rubina¡¯s interview, Just as you asked me to,¡± she says sweetly, though her eyes are cold.


    Funny, I don¡¯t remember an employee¡¯s romantic feelings about anyone being part of our standard questioning.¡±


    ¡°I was just-¡±


    ¡°Enough, Katherine! That will be all. You may leave.¡±


    I let out a shakyugh as she ms the door behind her. ¡°That was close.


    I¡¯m sorry you had to put up with that Katherine is¡­ well, you¡¯ll understand more after I bring you in.¡±


    ¡°When does that happen? I mean, assuming I passed the test.¡±


    us briefly scans my answers.


    ¡°Yes, you passed. Not that I thought you wouldn¡¯t. It¡¯s just a formality. Come to my office first thing tomorrow, and I will tell you everything.¡±


    I want to know now, but I suppose I can wait for tomorrow.


    Amelia is waiting at my desk when I return. ¡°How did it go?¡±


    ¡°Mostly ok. I passed, but Katherine tried to sneak in some unauthorized questions.


    Fortunately, us put a stop to it.¡±Look, Ruby, when he tells you tomorrow¡­ don¡¯t freak out.¡±


    ¡°I think I can handle a few corporate secrets. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m joining the CIA.¡±


    Amelia doesn¡¯tugh at my joke. She doesn¡¯t even smile. ¡°This isn¡¯t like anything you¡¯d expect. I know you¡¯ll probably be scared when you find out ¨C we all were ¨C but I promise you, it¡¯s not as bad as it seems at


    first.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re worrying me. What is going on here that everyone is so on edge about?


    I can¡¯t tell you, but if you passed the test, you¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±


    That¡¯s all I can get out of her for the rest of the day.


    I hardly sleep that night, wondering about what earth-shattering secret I¡¯ll be given the next day.


    I arrive half an hour early to work, having woken up early and not been able to get to sleep.


    us is early too, and he gestures me into his office. I¡¯m d I don¡¯t have to wait. Whatever bombshell he has to drop, I¡¯d rather get it over and done with.


    Ruby, please sit down. Let me just remind you that whatever you hear, whatever you feel, you cannot reveal this secret to anyone. Even if you want to quit your job after this, you have to keep quiet.¡±


    I won¡¯t say anything, us. You can trust me.¡±


    He nods, his hands clenched together on the desk. Apparently almost as nervous as I am.


    Vamp Investments is not what it seems.¡±

 Twelve

    Return to Normal


    **


    Ruby pov


    ¡°Most of the top-level employees in thepany aren¡¯t human. We¡¯re vampires.¡±


    I¡¯m too nervous tough, but I appreciate us¡¯s attempt to help me rx with a bit of humor. ¡°Right, sure us. Now really, what¡¯s the secret?¡±


    I just told you. We¡¯re vampires.¡±


    I snort. *¡±Vampires don¡¯t exist. Stop making fun of me and spit it out.¡±


    uses over to me. ¡°Look at this.¡±


    He pulls his lip up so that I can see his perfectly white teeth. As I watch, another tooth extends behind his canines. It¡¯s longer and sharper.


    It¡¯s not a tooth. It¡¯s a fang.


    What the hell!¡± I stumble back. ¡°Why would you have a surgeon do that to you?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a surgeon. This is one of the marks of a vampire. Another of our abilities is to read your thoughts. Go ahead, try thinking of something I¡¯d nevere up with on my own.


    I know it¡¯s stupid, that there¡¯s no possible way he could be a vampire, but I want to prove this ridiculousness wrong once and for all.


    us looks calmly at me. ¡°Purple elephants. Cats dancing in skirts. The Twilight novels. Crashing nes. Namibia.¡±


    No.


    This can¡¯t be true. Vampires aren¡¯t real.


    ¡°We are real, Ruby. I know it¡¯s difficult to ept, but it¡¯s nothing you need to worry about.¡±


    Nothing I need to worry about? What the hell, us! You¡¯re a vampire?¡±


    Yes. I assume you have questions.¡±


    I fall back into my chair.


    It has to be true. How else would he read my thoughts? ¡°I¡­ what is real about vampires? I mean, I know the stories. I¡¯ve read Twilight and watched The Vampire Diaries. What is true?¡±


    Well, we do drink blood, but my and Katherine¡¯s covens only do it with the consent of the human involved. It has to be done while our partner is having an orgasm if it¡¯s to sustain us. That¡¯s what the ritual is for.¡±


    And other humans agree to this? Why?¡±


    Because it gives them a high like no other.


    Some covens aren¡¯t careful, though. Vampires are irresistible to humans. We entice them without meaning to, just by our presence. It¡¯s like drugging them.¡±


    Some covens think it¡¯s ok to rape humans and take their blood, just because the humans are saying yes, even though they¡¯re only saying it because of the enticement.¡±


    So how do you make sure you have real consent?¡±


    Anyone who wants to participate in the ritual must send an email saying so from home when they¡¯re away from us and therefore can¡¯t be enticed.¡±


    Realization suddenly hits me. ¡°You enticed me! That¡¯s why I slept with you ¨C that¡¯s why I cheated on Kelly


    us¡¯s gaze turns down to the desk.


    Yes. I spent hours listening to your thoughts before I called you into my office, trying to determine if you wanted to be with me and if you had any reasons not to. Everything I heard told me that it was ok to sleep with you¡­ but I was wrong. I messed up badly, Ruby, and I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    I want to be mad at him, but it¡¯s hard when he looks so torn up about it. I remember how horrified he was when he realized I had a boyfriend. I never thought about Kelly at work, of course, trying to keep my work and personal lives separate, so he never knew.


    Tell me more.


    Well, most vampires belong to a coven and have to obey their leader. We burn in the sun more quickly than humans, but we don¡¯t burst into me. We don¡¯t need permission to enter dwellings. We have heightened senses, especially smell. We can move a lot faster than humans too.¡±


    It all makes sense.


    As much as I don¡¯t want it to, the chips start falling into ce.


    How us lost control when he smelled my blood after I poked myself with the scissors.


    How he manages to move his hips at an inhuman speed during sex.


    Why he covered himself in cologne to talk to Katherine ¨C to hide my scent on him.


    ¡°There¡¯s more. One of the reasons I¡¯ve struggled with you is that your blood smells particrly sweet to me. It happens sometimes, though I have no idea why. I¡¯m


    also bound to mate Katherine.¡±


    Vampire covens fight a lot, and we need alliances to survive. Our mating will solidify our alliance. That¡¯s why she doesn¡¯t like you she suspects I have feelings for you.¡±


    She suspects wrong.


    I can¡¯t believe I was such a fool. us doesn¡¯t care about me ¨C he¡¯s just drawn to my blood. He doesn¡¯t see a future with me. He can¡¯t; he¡¯s bound to Katherine. I¡¯m just entertainment.


    Ruby, no, that¡¯s not -¡±


    I don¡¯t wait for him to finish. I run, dashing past the first arriving employees and bolting into the elevator.


    I hammer the down button, praying us won¡¯te after me.


    The drive home is a blur. I park and spend about an hour pacing around the house. I don¡¯t know what to do. Everything seems to be turned upside down.


    I just want to return to normal. I want to turn back time and never find out that vampires are real. It¡¯s too much.


    It¡¯s ridiculous that I¡¯m more upset about us not caring about me than him being a vampire.


    I grab my phone and type out an email with shaky fingers, sending us my official resignation. I tell him that I¡¯ll still keep his secret, but I don¡¯t want to hear from him again. As soon as that¡¯s done, I dial Kelly¡¯s number.


    To my relief, he answers. *Ruby.¡±


    ¡°Kelly, I made a horrible mistake! I should never have let you go.¡±


    Are you crying? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Pleasee back to me. I just want you back.¡± I just want my life back to normal, but I don¡¯t say that. Kelly is safe and known.


    Are you at home?¡±


    Yes.


    I¡¯ming over.


    Relief rushes through me, even though I know this isn¡¯t a yes to reviving our rtionship ¨C at least, not yet.


    Kelly must have been close because he arrives just five minutester. I fling myself into his arms.


    Hey.¡± He pulls me close. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I found out something¡­ about Vamp Investments. I can¡¯t tell you ¨C I signed an NDA ¨C but thepany isn¡¯t what I thought. I can¡¯t believe it¡­ I quit my job.¡±


    To his credit, Kelly doesn¡¯t look happy or smug. He just seems sad for me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,


    Ruby. Come on, let¡¯s sit down.¡±


    My tears are already drying up now that Kelly is here.


    Taking that job at Vamp investments was a horrible mistake. At least now I can start getting my life back on track.


    ¡°Do you¡­ are you able to forgive me? To start again?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I¡¯ve ever wanted,¡± Kelly breathes.


    I¡¯ve been miserable without you. I couldn¡¯t be with you as long as you were still seeing him, but now that you¡¯ve left, everything is perfect.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    What did I ever do to deserve him?


    There aren¡¯t words big enough to express how I feel at this moment, so instead of trying, I kiss him.


    Kelly kisses me back for a minute before taking my hand and pulling me through to the bedroom. I follow more than eagerly.


    He¡¯s undressing me before we¡¯re even into the door. I wonder if he¡¯s had sex while we¡¯ve been apart. I almost cringe as I remember my date with us.


    It was wonderful, both the talking and the sex. Do I need to tell Kelly about it?


    Before I cane to a decision, his delicious lips are distracting me. He¡¯s kissing my ear, his hot breath making me shiver.


    I realize Kelly still has all his clothes on, but makes no move to undress him. I¡¯m already feeling guilty for my fantasy, but not enough to stop me from trying to live it out.


    I walk over to my desk. It¡¯s smallpared to us¡¯s. I don¡¯t use it much anymore, since I don¡¯t work from home at present. It¡¯s big enough for my purpose, though. I lean over the desk, spreading my legs for


    Kelly.


    ¡°Take me.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t do it immediately. He starts by rubbing his cock against the backs of my thighs, teasing the crack of my ass.


    Kelly¡¯s breath is bing ragged, the only sound in the otherwise quiet room.


    I wriggle closer to the desk, trying to get my clit positioned the way us did when he took me this way. I can¡¯t quite manage it, but my desire is peaking and I¡¯m not interested in taking the time to try.


    us disappears for a moment, but I don¡¯t turn around. Judging by how hard his cock was against my ass a moment ago, he won¡¯t stay away for long.


    Sure enough, hees back with a dildo. It¡¯s a big one, even bigger than us¡¯s cock.


    Before Kelly can push it into me, my phone starts ringing.


    I grimace, wanting to ignore it, but I can¡¯t. What if it¡¯s us?


    Kelly gets there first. ¡°us,¡± he spits,


    Confirming my suspicions.


    ¡°Give it here.¡±


    Kelly stares at me in anger and disbelief. You can¡¯t be serious, Ruby.¡±

 Thirteen

    Silence


    **


    Ruby pov


    I can¡¯t talk to us.


    I¡­ I want to speak to him. I¡¯m freaked out about this, too freaked out to go back or reach out to mysell, which means this may be my only chance to get some closure.


    But Kelly won¡¯t ever forgive me if I answer this phone. Everything will be over between us.


    I just wanted to say ¡®screw you¡¯ onest time,¡± I say lightly, praying that Kelly believes the lie. Thank god he can¡¯t read my mind as us can. ¡°But let it ring. Better to leave him hanging.


    ¡°Much better,¡± Kelly agrees, tossing the phone onto the bed.


    I gasp as he presses the dildo into me. I¡¯d almost forgotten what I was doing bent over the desk, but ites back to me in full force now.


    I thrust my ass back, relishing in the feeling of my pussy stretching. Kelly thrusts slowly in and out, his fingers trailing over my ass as he does so.


    Faster.¡± Kelly obliges, using the dildo to bring me right to the point of release.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He knows when I¡¯m getting close, and pulls it out. The wet sucking noise it makes as ites out is both filthy and delicious at the same time.


    Kelly doesn¡¯t leave me empty for long. He thrusts his cock into me and starts moving. As always, he goes softer than I¡¯d prefer, but memories of thest time I was bent over a desk like thise quickly.


    In my mind, I¡¯m not here anymore. I¡¯m at Vamp Investments, and us is pounding me into the desk so hard that it leaves marks on my hips for hours afterward.


    I love every second of it.


    Kelly flips me around to kiss me, holding me at an awkward angle, but I¡¯m too turned on to care. Our lips meet and we thrash against each other, both desperate for release.


    Kellyes first, breaking away from our kiss and pressing his lips into my neck as he cries out. He pulls out a momentter.


    I¡¯m so desperate toe, I¡¯m whimpering in frustration. Iy my front back down on the desk.


    ¡°Kelly¡­ the dildo.¡±


    Oh- oh yeah, right.¡±


    The divine dildo returns. The angle Will holds it at is just brushing my G-spot and it¡¯s perfect.


    A minuteter, Ie hard, biting my tongue to stop myself from crying out us¡¯s name.


    Kelly thrusts a few more times before pulling the dildo out, leaving me near senseless, sprawled across the desk.


    Hees back shortly afterward with a damp cloth. I take it gratefully, smiling as I clean up. We wordlessly go to the bed. Kelly knows exactly what I¡¯m thinking.


    We lie together, and Kelly pulls the nkets over both of us. ¡°I love you.


    I love you,¡± I reply. I¡¯ll worry about my guiltter.


    I still have feelings for us, not to mention that I just fantasized about him while sleeping with Kelly


    It¡¯s a problem for another day. At least my life is back on track now.


    Ethan us pov.


    I clench my fist around the iron ball. I got it from a cksmith after Katherineined about the number of times the carpenter wasing in to repair splintered parts of my desk.


    The metal doesn¡¯t yield to my vampire strength, but squeezing it does little to soothe my temper.


    Amelia pokes her head timidly through the door. ¡°Mr. Ethan? Katherine sent me in here to check if you¡¯re ok.¡±


    Ha, as if. More likely, Katherine sent her in here to tell me to get my head out of the clouds and back to work, but she couldn¡¯t send that message with Amelia.


    I open my mouth to say I¡¯m fine, but that¡¯s not whates out. ¡°Two weeks!¡±I burst out. ¡°Two weeks, and nothing but silence from her!¡±


    Though she looks like she might bolt at any second, to her credit, Ameliaes inside and closes the door.


    Two weeks isn¡¯t unusual for someone who¡¯s just been let in on the secret. I disappeared for five weeks before I calmed down enough toe back. Hardly anyone does less than one.


    Except those who don¡¯te back at all.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Ruby will be one of those,  sir. She¡¯s devoted to.. to Vamp Investments.¡±


    She¡¯s devoted to you.


    I smile at that. Amelia knows I can read her thoughts, of course, and she blushes. ¡°Don¡¯t tell her I said that.¡±


    ¡°You knowpany policy. A vampire may not reveal anything that they learned from a human¡¯s thoughts without permission.¡±


    Amelia nods, relieved to get the reminder. I understand her hesitance. Some other vampire ns think that humans are beneath them and treat them as little more than animals.


    Humans always have to worry about vampire leaders changing their minds and deciding to abuse them. It¡¯s not like a human has any way to fight back against one of us.


    You may go, Amelia.¡±


    Yes, Mr. Ethan.¡±


    As she leaves, I check my phone again.


    You¡¯re acting like a lovestruck, adolescent, us. It¡¯s pathetic.


    That thought isn¡¯t enough to stop me. Still nothing from Ruby.


    The rest of the day passes as all others have for the past two weeks ¨C slowly.


    The office seems so empty without her. I should have treated her better. I pushed her away and acted like a dick toward her as I do with everyone else. My past is no excuse. It¡¯s my fault she¡¯s gone.


    The ringing of my phone shakes me out of my dismal thoughts. I answer dully without looking at the screen.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    us?¡±


    I almost drop the phone in surprise, which is not something that happens to a vampire. often. ¡°Ruby!¡±


    Um¡­ hi.¡±


    Now that I¡¯m talking to her, I suddenly realize I don¡¯t know what to say. Judging by the awkward silence, Ruby feels the same.


    It¡¯s not easy for me to apologize, but for Ruby, I will make the effort. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry ¨C for everything. I wish¡­ I wish things were different.¡±


    So¡­ there¡¯s no hope for us?¡±


    What? No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying at all!¡±


    She still has hope for us? That¡¯s more than I imagined in even my most optimistic Scenarios.


    ¡°Look, I know I just kind of disappeared on you, but if you¡¯re still willing to have me, I¡¯d like toe back to work.¡±


    Of course! Can you start tomorrow?¡±


    Well, that was easy.¡±


    I¡¯ve been hoping you¡¯d call,¡± I admit. Your disappearance is understandable.¡±


    Thanks, us. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, then.¡±


    By the time the next morning rolls around, I¡¯ve managed topose myself. I only arrive at work ten minutes early, to find Ruby sitting at her usual desk. I tilt my head toward my office, and she follows me


    inside.


    Ruby fiddles with her nails. ¡°I¡¯m sorry left.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry. I¡¯m just d you¡¯re back.¡±


    She¡¯s clearly ufortable.


    I¡¯ve done this enough times that I know what to say to make her feel better.


    I know what I told you is a lot to take in. If you¡¯re going to continue working here, I want you to feelfortable. If you have any more questions, you are wee toe and ask me at any time.¡±


    My voice sounds too formal as I rattle out the well-rehearsed line.


    Thanks. I was wondering more about the ritual.¡±


    I try not to get too excited. She may not want to participate. ¡°We¡¯re having one tomorrow night. How about youe and watch?


    ¡°I can do that?¡±


    Of course. If you¡¯d like to watch, you¡¯ll need to email me the observer form when you get home. Once you¡¯ve watched one, you¡¯re allowed to participate, and you need to email the participant form from home. I¡¯ll


    send you the temtes.¡±


    Ruby nods. I can tell that she wants to ask something, but she¡¯s hesitant.


    What is it?¡±


    I hear the thought in her mind, but don¡¯t answer it, letting her speak it herself.


    Humans tend to find it unnerving when we answer their thoughts directly.


    Almost all the fiction on vampires says that they¡¯re immortal, but I¡¯m not sure how much fiction I can believe.¡±


    That part is true. We are immortal.¡± I wait for her to finish the thought.


    Is that something you ever¡­ gift other humans with? Immortality?


    ¡°Some View vampirism more like a curse than a gift, but yes, it is something we do asionally if the humans want it. It¡¯s something I consider very carefully before doing, though, as it can¡¯t be undone.¡±


    Her thoughts are positively tantalizing images of the two of us living together, side by side. She¡¯s not willing to share those yet, though, so I try not to dwell on it.


    The elevator opens, and I recognize Katherine by the sound of her footsteps. Shit.


    ¡°Think of something else,¡± I hiss at Ruby. If Katherine hears you -¡±


    Ruby goes white, but her thoughts only get stronger. She doesn¡¯t know how to control them.


    Katherine¡¯s footstepsing toward us.

 Fourteen

    I Won¡¯t Let You Go


    ***


    Ruby pov


    I frantically try to control my thoughts, but the more I try not to think about a life with us, the more vivid the images be.


    High school geometry. Go!¡±


    I grab us¡¯s words like a lifeline. I don¡¯t remember much about high school geometry, but I force images of triangles, circles, and lines making angles with them into my mind.


    Katherine opens the door. ¡°Hello, us.¡±


    She peers curiously at me, probably wondering if I¡¯m trying to remember the form for determining the longest side of a triangle. ¡°Can I have a word?¡±


    Of course. Ruby if you could give us a moment?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to work.From N?velDrama.Org.


    I hurry out, wondering how far vampire mind-reading ranges.


    I do my best to get back to work. As usual. I¡¯m not thinking of life at home; not that I want to right now when Katherine exits us¡¯s office, she only gives me her usual re before sweeping off to bother someone else.


    us seems to be making sure to give me space, not calling me into his office as much as he usually does.


    I¡¯m fine with that. I want to be here, but there¡¯s still a lot to sort out in my head.


    When I say goodbye to him as I leave, he winks at me. ¡°See you tomorrow, Rubina.¡±


    Fortunately, Kelly isn¡¯t home when I get back. I hurry to myputer and open the forms us sent me.


    I fill in the observer form, and just in case, fill in the participant form.


    I know us won¡¯t let me change my mind during the ritual because of the possibility of enticement, so I want to be prepared, just in case.


    It¡¯s a good thing I wasted no time sending the forms because the email has just gone off when uses through the front door. He doesn¡¯t say hello.


    I sigh. Things have been horrible between us ever since I decided to go back to work. He¡¯s still here, which is something, but he¡¯s not happy, to say the least.


    I go downstairs, checking on the chicken pie I have cooking. ¡°How was your day?¡±


    Kelly ignores the question. ¡°We need to talk, Ruby.


    Shit, he¡¯s breaking up with me.


    Do you still want to be with me?¡±


    I open my mouth to say yes, but the words won¡¯te. Over the past two weeks, I¡¯ve remembered all the reasons I wanted to stay at Vamp Investments, with us.


    I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Is it him? Your boss?¡±


    Yes,¡± I admit. ¡°I¡­ I think I have feelings for him.¡±


    ¡°Then what the hell are we doing here!¡±


    I still love you, Kelly! I don¡¯t know what I want, ok? Ethan is giving me time to figure it out. Why can¡¯t you?¡±


    The fire seems to go out of him. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, Ruby. I¡¯ve had enough time to think. I never should have let you go before. I won¡¯t let you go again.


    ¡° This time, I¡¯ll fight for you ¨C fight for us.¡±


    I step close and pull him into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kelly. I wish I just knew for sure¡­ but I don¡¯t. At least, not yet.¡±


    Can you promise me one thing? Just ¨C don¡¯t sleep with him again. At least until you¡¯ve decided for sure.¡±


    How can I deny him the one thing he asks, when he¡¯s being so understanding?


    But I can¡¯t promise that.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± I whisper. ¡°I swear, Kelly, if I could make that promise, I would, but I can¡¯t.¡±


    He pulls out of the hug. It would be easier to deal with if he was angry, but he just seems sad.


    He pulls a smile onto his face, which looks like it takes a lot of effort. ¡°Let¡¯s just have supper, shall we?


    **


    Rubina pov


    I don¡¯t know whether to be excited or nervous as I follow the other human employees into the ritual area.


    It¡¯s dimly lit with candles in multiple circles. There are thick piles of nkets in the circles, probably to make them morefortable to lie down on.


    Amelia has spent the day telling me everything there is to know about vampires. She answered a great many questions I hadn¡¯t even thought to ask.


    Perhaps I should be running for the hills. I must be crazy.


    As freaky as it was to hear at first, most of it makes sense with what I¡¯ve observed. I have no desire to run anymore, only to find out more.


    My eyes are on us from the moment he enters. He nods at me but doesn¡¯t hold my gaze. He turns instead to Amelia, gesturing. her to one of the circles.


    Hot jealousy shes through me, but I forcibly suppress it.


    us and I never said we were exclusive. nor could we be. He¡¯s a vampire and needs. the ritual like I needs food. I could never expect him to forget it.


    Amelia seemspletely unembarrassed as. she strips down. A couple of other pairs lie down in other circles, but I have eyes only for us and Amelia.


    us starts by kissing her, then licking her, until Amelia is squirming with pleasure. The worst is that I¡¯m not unaffected.


    My chest rises and falls faster as my breath speeds up. I¡¯m nearly overwhelmed with the desire to touch myself, even though I¡¯m in a room full of people.


    When us finally thrusts into Amelia, I. lose what little self-control I have.


    I start stripping.


    us pauses to look at me. ¡°Ruby?¡±


    I sent you the participant consent formst night. I want in.¡±


    I half expect him to turn me down, but his. nostrils re as I toss my panties away.


    Of course. He can smell my pussy. He knows I¡¯m wet for him.


    ¡°Katherine ¨Ce, take Amelia.¡±


    Amelia allows herself to be handed off without a fuss. Katherineys her down in one of the other circles and starts fingering her clit.


    Amelia certainly seems happy, so I don¡¯t feel too bad about usurping her ce.


    Instead of lying on my back as all the other humans do, I go down on all fours. I hear us moan slightly behind me, and he does nothing to change my position.


    us pushes his fingers inside me like he did the first time when he had me bent over the desk.


    I¡¯m ready, us,¡± I whisper. I don¡¯t want to wait for him.


    He pulls his fingers out. ¡°Humans in ritual circles do not speak.¡±


    Oh yes. I do remember Amelia told me about that.


    I nod, hoping he¡¯ll go back to what he was doing.


    us does me one better than that. He starts licking my pussy, thrusting his tongue in and out. It¡¯s not as long as his fingers, but it¡¯s so soft and wet, it¡¯s even more incredible.


    I whimper, hoping that it doesn¡¯t break the no-talking rule. Perhaps Arthur understands, because he moves up to my clit, twisting his head underneath me so that he can reach.


    I p my hand over my own mouth, holding in my pleas for him to go faster. Pleasure spirals through every inch of my body.


    My clit is a throbbing fire and I need toe so badly I¡¯m panting with it.


    us finally grabs my ass and pulls me onto his cock. He¡¯s never had a problem giving it to me fast and rough, and he doesn¡¯t let me down now.


    Helpless grunts are driven from my mouth with each thrust. I lean down on my elbows, bracing myself as us¡¯s huge cock slides in and out of my pussy.


    He can tell when I¡¯m moments froming because he drapes his body over mine. His skin is covered in a light sheen of sweat, making the two of us stick together. Arthur still manages to motor his hips back and forth at an amazing pace.


    His teeth graze across the side of my neck.


    Ie so hard I¡¯m seeing stars.


    There is a moment of pain as his teeth sink through my flesh, but that is quickly overwhelmed by waves and waves of toe-curling pleasure.


    My orgasm seems to multiply, going on and on until it¡¯s so intense I can barely stand it.


    Ie down slowly. I feel like I¡¯m floating. My ass is still up in the air, and my face is pressed against the nkets on the ground.


    I realize us is gone. How long have I been here, high?


    us¡¯se leaks out of my pussy. There¡¯s a bit of blood running down my neck.


    The world abruptlyes back into focus.


    What are the consequences of being bitten by a vampire? Does this mean I¡¯m like him now?


    I know Amelia told me, but I¡¯m so loopy off whatever chemicals I got from his bite, I can¡¯t remember.


    I know I thought about being turned, but god, I¡¯m not ready. ?¡¯m not even close to ready.


    I¡¯m panting again, but this time, it¡¯s not from desire. It¡¯s from panic.

 Fifteen

    The Choice


    **


    Ruby POV


    ¡°Ruby.¡± us is suddenly kneeling beside me. I stare into his eyes, unable to speak.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. You¡¯re not turning into a vampire. In order to turn, you would have to drink my blood.¡±


    As his words filter through, my body goes limp with relief. I suddenly feel silly. Amelia told me as much, but in the heat of the moment, I¡¯d forgotten.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I let us help me sit up. All around, vampires and humans are grunting and moaning in passion. I try not to look, suddenly self-conscious.


    ¡°You can go. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.


    Only as I¡¯m leaving do I realize that us was answering my thoughts rather than my words.


    Amelia catches up with me at the elevator, wearing a silly grin. ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Hi.¡±


    So, how was it?¡±


    ¡°Incredible.¡± I can¡¯t think of another word to describe it.


    ¡°The high willst longer next time. Strong emotions ¨C like panic or anger ¨C make it end earlier.¡±


    She certainly still looks pretty high, so I have no reason to doubt her word.


    So, have you made the choice yet?¡±


    The choice?¡± I don¡¯t remember either Amelia or us mentioning this.


    Whether to be a vampire or not.¡±


    Oh, that.


    ¡°I thought us or Katherine selected


    candidates?¡±


    They do, but you should have your choice made before that happens so that you have an answer ready to give.¡±


    I definitely haven¡¯t made the choice.¡±


    But you¡¯re thinking about it.¡±


    I am,¡± I admit. ¡°What about you?¡±


    I¡¯m going for it if I ever get the chance.


    Life is sweet ¨C who wouldn¡¯t say no to more of it?¡±


    Who indeed?


    ***


    Ruby


    The bell by my desk rings and I practically sprint to us¡¯s office. He¡¯s never exactly been talkative, and I need to know ifst night was as good for him as it was for me.


    Ruby, please would you call Ms. Maddy about her portfolio. I think we need to change up some of the stocks she has.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t what I was hoping for. ¡°Sure. Um, aboutst night..¡±


    ¡°Yes, how did you find it?¡±


    I know he¡¯s just being polite. He knows exactly how I found it because he can read my thoughts, but I appreciate his asking all the same. ¡°It was amazing. I¡¯m certain. signing up for all rituals in the future.¡±


    Good. Close the door please.¡±


    Ooh, am I getting more desk sex? Yes, please.


    I do as he says, but I¡¯m disappointed when us doesn¡¯t start undressing me.


    ¡°You seemed to enjoy our date. Would you like another?¡±


    That¡¯s even better than my initial fantasy ¨C a date, and most probably sex afterward.


    ¡°That would be great! I mean, if you want to as well. I¡¯m kind of at a disadvantage here since I can¡¯t read your mind.¡±


    I enjoyed our date too,¡± us assures me.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you tonight?¡±


    You will.¡±


    Now that I know all the surrounding vampires can read my mind, I work extra hard to keep my mind on my tasks for us and not what I¡¯ll be doing this evening.


    If Katherine hears my thoughts, us and I will both be in trouble.


    us takes me to a different restaurant this time. It¡¯s fancier, and I¡¯m d I dressed well.


    As we sit opposite each other, I feel the excitement buzzing under my skin. us is just an electrifying person to be around, and not only physically.


    Kelly isforting and loving, while us ismanding and exhrating to be with.


    The ss of wine us is holding in his hand shatters. He¡¯s staring at me so menacingly that I would have backed up a step if I wasn¡¯t sitting down.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    us? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re with him again!¡±


    Of course. He heard me thinking about Kelly. It¡¯splicated.¡±


    How is itplicated? Either you¡¯re with him, or you¡¯re with me.¡±


    Am I with you, us? We¡¯ve never talked about what we are. You¡¯re my boss. You¡¯re a ¨C you know what. You¡¯re engaged, for fuck¡¯s sake! Things with us are beyondplicated. Can you really me me for


    wanting something simple and easy?¡±


    He stiffens, his expression going cold, ¡°Then what are you doing here on a date with me?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided, ok? Can you just give me a bit of time?¡±


    He stands up, ring at me like he hasn¡¯t since the early days of our rtionship. ¡°To give you time. Go on, get going! Take your time. No need to tell me when you¡¯ve decided -I ¡®l know.¡±


    I hesitate. ¡°Can¡¯t we ¨C we don¡¯t have to stop seeing each other just because I¡¯m unsure.


    I don¡¯t quite understand us¡¯s expression something between hurt and anger and jealousy.


    His hands are trembling, and I know the table will be a goner if he doesn¡¯t let go of it.


    I¡¯ve called the carpenter in to repair his desk enough times to realize that when us is stressed or upset, he grabs something. That would be fine if he was human, but with his vampire strength, it makes for a lot of broken furniture.


    Perhaps he hears the thought because he lets go of the table and strides out. I don¡¯t bother chasing after him. He has to keep to a human speed while insight, but the moment he¡¯s outside, he¡¯ll run so fast that I¡¯ll have no hope of catching him.


    I bite my lip, trying not to cry.


    I grab my handbag and hurry out. I stop to pay the bill, but the waiter tells me that us has already done it.


    It¡¯ste enough that Kelly is definitely home, and that gives me strength as I drive. I don¡¯t know what this will mean for us and me.


    How am I supposed to choose between him and Kelly when us won¡¯t spend time with me? What information will I be basing that choice on?


    Maybe this is the choice in and of itself. If Kelly can give me what I need, and us isn¡¯t, what future is there for us and me?


    The idea feels like it¡¯s tearing a hole in my heart.


    I hurry home, toward my best source offort.


    **


    us POV


    Hot jealousy pulses through me as I kick the carefully reinforced wall in my bedroom.


    I had it reinforced for this very reason ¨C so that I have a way to vent my temper without tearing my apartment down.


    I want to rip Kelly limb from limb.


    He LEFT her. He doesn¡¯t deserve her. She should be with ME


    But she¡¯s not with me, because I chased her away. The realization takes the strength out of my limbs and I sit down abruptly.


    Am I really any better than Kelly? He¡¯s giving her time to decide between us, and when she asks the same of me, I send her away. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m much different. I¡¯m to be mated to Katy, after all.


    The thought of Katherine sends a shard of ice into my heart.


    Maybe I was right to send Ruby away. I need that alliance. I can¡¯t afford to mate Katherine. Nothing can evere of¡¯ Ruby and me, nothing except snatched evenings here and there, and even those will have to stop once I give my vows to Katherine.


    As much as I know it would probably be. smarter to let her stay with Kelly and forget. about me as anything except her boss, I can¡¯t. For so many years, I¡¯ve shut myself. off, deliberately pushing people away.


    Living hundreds of years as a vampire takes its toll.


    I¡¯ve watched dozens of people I love die. Long ago, I took a vow never to get close to anyone again.


    Somehow, Rubina has snuck past my defenses, and now I can¡¯t bring myself to regret it.


    I have to try. If there¡¯s any chance for me to have some kind of happiness, I have to try.


    My phone is in my pocket. There are no messages from Ruby.


    *Ruby, I¡¯m sorry. I overreacted. Time isn¡¯t an unreasonable request. I sent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to give it to you. If you forgive me for my outburst, perhaps we can resume our date tomorrow night?¡±


    I wait, staring at the screen, but she doesn¡¯t respond. She hasn¡¯t even been online.


    I will not do this again. Just put the phone away, us. She will answer when she gets a chance.


    I shove the phone into a drawer, but can¡¯t help wondering what she¡¯s doing now.


    Is she home? Is Kellyforting her after our disaster of a date? Or is he just as jealous as I am? Maybe he can¡¯t stand the sound of my name.


    I certainly can¡¯t stand the sound of his.


    I¡¯m just getting into bed when the phone finally pings. I snatch it, only to have the. The screen goes ck.


    Fuck. Battery died.


    I m the charger into the phone, tapping my foot on the floor.


    What will Ruby say?


    I feel like my entire world rests on the. answer.

 Sixteen

    Alliances End


    **


    us


    ¡°Tomorrow night is fine. But it had better be spectacr.¡± Ruby replied


    ¡°It will be. You¡¯ll see. I¡¯ll need another ritual Consent form from you.¡± I sent


    ¡°I thought the next ritual was only next week?¡± She replied


    ¡°That¡¯s the official ritual. If you agree, you and I are going to be doing a private ritual.¡± I sent


    I wish I could see her face. Is she going red? Touching herself at the thought?


    ¡°I¡¯ll send it over.¡± She replied.


    Vampires can only feed off humans, not other vampires.


    Vampires who choose a human as their mate often do private rituals outside of the coven setting with them before turning them.


    They need to create enough memories tost an eternity. Of course, not all vampires who choose human mates have to turn their mates, but that¡¯s a rare choice.


    Watching the person you love age and die is a pain like no other, not that I would know.


    I¡¯ve never been in love.


    I¡¯m not sure if that is still true or not.


    The next day drags by.


    I deliberately don¡¯t call Ruby into my office. If I do, I won¡¯t be able to keep my hands off her, and I want to save everything for tonight.


    By the time eveninges around, my cock is hard from thinking about Ruby. We meet around the corner, still trying to dodge Katherine.


    I¡¯m not sure how much longer I can see Katherine in the dark.


    Everything ok?¡± Katherine smiles brightly at me.


    ¡°Everything is perfect.¡±


    I don¡¯t want to burden her with my troubles. She should be able to enjoy tonight without any worries.


    So, where are we going?¡±


    To my ce, then we¡¯re going out.


    A bit of a backward order, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    You forget that the ritual is how I feed. First, we¡¯ll feed me, then we¡¯ll feed you.¡±


    You also eat human food, though. Why is that?¡±


    Vampires can eat human food, but we don¡¯t need it. Those of us who eat it do so purely. for the enjoyment of the taste.¡±


    Ruby nods, and I¡¯m d to see that she doesn¡¯t look worried or upset.


    She really is adjusting well to knowing about me.


    When we get inside, I forcibly check myself.


    I¡¯m not going to jump her the moment we step inside. If this was purely physical, I¡¯d have no hesitation doing just that, but I¡¯m past the point where I can pretend this is just physical.


    ¡°Do you want a drink?¡±


    How about we get you a drink first?¡± Ruby steps close, tilting her neck to the side. The temptation to bite into her skin is almost irresistible.


    You need to being for the blood to nourish me.¡±


    ¡°So make mee.¡± Her breath ghosts across my cheek.


    I grab her and zip her over to the bedroom.


    Ruby gasps, not used to traveling at such speed, but she doesn¡¯t try to get away.


    The ritual candles are already set in a circle around the bed. I light them so quickly that Ruby barely realizes I¡¯m gone. Then I return to her on the bed.


    Do you trust me?¡±


    ¡°I trust you.¡±


    ¡°Then put your hands in these.¡±


    The padded handcuffs are attached to the headboard. Ruby¡¯s pupils are blown wide as she obeys. I can tell by her scent that it¡¯s not fear making her eyes go wide; it¡¯s lust.


    I whip out a piece of red silk and tie it around her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your safe word?¡±


    I- what?¡±


    If we¡¯re going to do the blindfold and handcuffs, you need a safe word.¡±


    Oh. Um¡­ bicycle?¡±


    Perfect.¡±


    I grab her top, ripping it open.


    I¡¯ll buy you a new one tomorrow,¡± | whispered in her ear.


    Ruby is trembling. Her head turns this way and that, trying to listen to what I¡¯m doing, but I move too softly for her human ears to pick up.


    I pull her pants down her legs and discard them with the tatters of her top. I ghost feather-light kisses down over her stomach and each leg.


    Starting at the bottom, I begin kissing her. I kiss her ankles, then her calves, then her knees. By the time I get to her thighs, Ruby¡¯s chest is heaving.


    Spread your legs.


    She does so without any hesitation.


    I dive in, running my tongue over her pussy, starting at the opening and ending at her clit. She tastes delicious and gushes liquid as I get to work on her clit.


    I¡¯ve lived a long time, and I¡¯ve be adept at knowing when my partner is about toe. I pull away just in time.


    us!¡± Ruby tugs at the handcuffs. ¡°Get back there ¨C please ¨C I have toe.¡±


    Oh, you will, my sweet. But you wille with my teeth in your neck, sucking your blood.¡±


    Her hips arch up off the bed. I can smell the desperationing from her. I haven¡¯t touched myself yet, and my cock is straining against the fabric of my pants.


    I move away so that I¡¯m not touching Ruby at all. As I expected, this drives her wild.


    Her head turns back and forth, and she tugs fruitlessly at the cuffs. I climb off the bed and get undressed quickly.


    I allow myself two hard strokes of my cock. I can¡¯t keep back a groan. Ruby¡¯s face turns toward me at the sound.


    I climb back onto the bed, letting my skin rub against hers.


    She¡¯s so smooth and warm, more delectable than any human I¡¯ve ever been with -and. I¡¯ve been with many.


    She whimpers softly as Iy over her so that our bodies are touching at almost every point. I bury my face in her hair, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo.


    *Are you ready for me, Ruby?


    ¡°I¡¯m ready.


    I don¡¯t need any more confirmation than that. I position myself and push into her with one swift thrust.


    Ruby¡¯s hands curl around the handcuff chains, holding herself steady. She wraps her legs around my waist, changing the angle so that I can get even deeper into her pussy.


    I growl under my breath and kiss her, fast and brutal. I¡¯m in her mind, and I can hear her silently begging me not to go easy on her.


    Her climax hovers mere moments away.


    I sink my teeth into her neck. Ruby screams, arching into me as her orgasm overtakes her.


    The dual pleasure of her blood in my mouth and my cock in her pussy is almost overwhelming.


    I m into her again and again, sating my thirst even as I seek to sate my lust.


    My cock finally explodes, pouring my essence into her.


    I regretfully pull my mouth away from her neck, checking to make sure the chemicals of the bite have sealed the wound properly.


    Ruby seems barely conscious. I take off the blindfold and the handcuffs, pulling her close to me.


    We lie in bed together, catching our breath.


    That was intense. Rituals always are, but this was something else. I¡¯ve never felt anything like that. I wonder if Ruby feels the same?


    She finally seems toe out of her daze.


    us ?¡±


    I¡¯m here. Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Better than alright.¡±


    Her stomach grumbles. Ruby goes red, but I simply chuckle, offering her my hand.


    ¡°Shall we go to dinner?¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    I think I need a shower first,¡± she mumbles.


    *We both do. You can go first.¡±


    As much as I love the thought of ravishing her in the shower, I want to get some food into her. She has just lost blood, after all. Ruby showers quickly, and I do the same. She¡¯s dressed by the time I get out.


    ¡°I see you found the dress I got you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± She runs her fingers down the shimmery blue fabric. ¡°Is it for tonight?¡±


    It is. I thought we¡¯d give thatst date another try.¡±


    She smiles and takes my arm. I feel like I¡¯m floating above the clouds as I lead her out. I¡¯m just locking the door when Ruby stiffens beside me.


    I spin around. nervous Katherine.


    She¡¯s standing not ten feet away. In many distractions, I didn¡¯t notice her. She¡¯s ring. at Katherine; it¡¯s only too clear that she knows exactly what we did, and its implications.


    Serena. Go, now. Go home. I¡¯ll call you.¡±


    She shoots a frightened look at Katherine, but. thankfully chooses not to question.


    I brace myself. I¡¯ve been allied with Katherine for a long time¡­ but alliances end. By the look on Katherine¡¯s face, ours isn¡¯t going tost much longer.

 Seventeen

    Upheaval


    **


    Ruby Pov


    Ruby, redo those reports! I want the errors highlighted in YELLOW, not ORANGE!¡±


    us ms his office door shut without waiting for a response from me.


    Amelia rolls her eyes. us was shouting clear across the office, and I¡¯m sure everyone heard him.


    Gritting my teeth, I start redoing the reports. us is in a foul mood today, and it¡¯s not. difficult to guess why.


    He never called mest night after the confrontation with Katherine. I can only. assume that it went badly.


    Katherine hasn¡¯te into work today, which doesn¡¯t bode well. As much as I like not having her here, the implications make me nervous.


    I¡¯ve only done four more lines of the report. when I get an email from us.


    Well, at least he¡¯s not shouting at me from across the office anymore.


    ¡°Ruby, I¡¯m afraid l can¡¯t make our date tonight.¡±


    That¡¯s it. Just that one line. Hurt and anger have me clenching my hands on the desk, a habit I picked up from us¡±


    Fortunately, I don¡¯t have the strength to splinter wood.


    Ameliaes over, looking concerned. Ruby? What¡¯s wrong?


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I can¡¯t tell her. No one knows us and I are dating. Except perhaps Katherine.


    us is a real dick. I can¡¯t believe how he treats you.¡±


    It¡¯s on the tip of my tongue to defend him, to tell Amelia he¡¯s not that bad. But I can¡¯t do that without revealing that us and I are together.


    Or were together. I¡¯m not really sure which.


    The thing is, I thought us was a dick too until I got to know him.


    He¡¯s only hinted at the losses he¡¯s suffered in the past that have made it hard for him to have meaningful rtionships.


    I know that this behavior isn¡¯t him, not who he truly is. He¡¯s stressed, probably about Katherine, and venting the only way he knows how. It¡¯s not right, but I understand it.


    I am also not going to let him stew in this mess alone, a mess that I helped create.


    ¡°You know what? You¡¯re right, Amelia. He can¡¯t treat me like this. I¡¯m going to go talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Woah, bad idea! He¡¯s your boss! Are you looking to get fired?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I dodge Amelia and hurry to us¡¯s office.


    I enter without knocking and close the door behind me.


    ¡°What!¡± us snaps.


    I don¡¯t rise to the bait and snapback. Instead, I go around his desk, perching on the edge facing him, so that our faces are only a few inches apart.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, us?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong is that I¡¯ve been waiting over an hour for that report and it still -¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I take his face in my hands, shocking him into silence with my interruption.


    You¡¯re not mad about the report. I¡¯m in this too, you know. What happened with. Katherine?¡±


    For a moment, I think I¡¯ve misjudged this. horrible, and he¡¯s about to shout at me, or. fire me.


    Then the anger seems to go out of us all at once. He visibly detes before me. ¡°She. broke off our alliance. Well, no, that¡¯s not strictly true. I broke off our alliance.


    Why?¡± I ask carefully. I know how much us needs the alliance.


    She figured out that we were together. That there¡¯s more than just sex between us. She threatened to break off our alliance unless I broke things off with you.


    I don¡¯t like being threatened, and I will not let anyone push me around. I told her that if that¡¯s how she felt,


    then I didn¡¯t want to be allied with her at all.¡±


    I swallow around the lump in my throat.


    You didn¡¯t need to do that. I never wanted to cost you your alliance. What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided. I could go back and grovel before her, begging her to take one back.¡±


    His distaste for the option is clear in his tone. I know us won¡¯t do that. He doesn¡¯t. have it in him.


    Or?


    There are only two other options. One, I find another coven to ally with. The problem is that most covens are allied via matings, and that¡¯s not an option for me anymore.¡±


    The other is that my and Katherine¡¯s covers are unusual in that we respect human rights.


    I could never be a party to humans being raped and murdered. Finding someone. suitable to ally with will be hard.¡±


    There¡¯s another option?¡±


    us grimaces.


    ¡°Not a good one. The only other thing is to try to make it on our own, without any allies.


    My coven is too small to stand against others fighting for dominance. I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    I pull him into a hug, which us epts gratefully.


    You need your alliance with Katherine.


    us, there¡¯s really only one option here.


    We need to end things between us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not an option.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is! I¡¯m not going to be responsible for you being in danger.¡±


    ¡°You forget that I can read your thoughts. You don¡¯t want to end this any more than I do.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t, ¡°I admit. ¡°But how else can you keep your coven safe? us isn¡¯t likely toe back to the table if you and I are still an item.¡±


    I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll find another way.¡±


    No way am I falling for that.


    You do care. I don¡¯t need to be able to read your mind to know that. You may not care about the consequences to yourself, but you care about your coven.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know who is in my coven.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    ¡°Yes, I do. I see more than you think, us. The way you interact with the other vampires here tells a lot. Amelia is in your coven, but Luke isn¡¯t. Harriet is with


    Katherine and Scott are with you. Shall I keep going?¡±


    us gapes at me. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I was so transparent. I never meant to mistreat members of Katherine¡¯s coven. No wonder she¡¯s ending the alliance.¡±


    You don¡¯t mistreat them ¨C at least, not any more than anyone else. You just seem more protective of people in your coven. It¡¯s sweet really.¡±


    us grimaces. ¡°I don¡¯t do sweet.¡±


    Except when you do.


    Shut up.¡± He¡¯s grinning, though.


    Not my fault if you¡¯re reading my thoughts. Isn¡¯t there any way you could not do it?¡±


    ¡°Does it bother you?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes.¡± I pull back a little so that I can see us¡¯s face. ¡°Most of the time, I don¡¯t mind, but there are times when I would like a bit of privacy.¡±


    I¡¯m not sure how possible that would be. Think of it like trying to not hear someone speaking to you, except you can¡¯t block your ears,¡±


    Well, it was worth a shot.


    It¡¯s ok. I guess I¡¯ll just have to get used to it.¡±


    We¡¯re silent for a few minutes, and I can practically hear us¡¯s brain working.


    I¡¯m not leaving you,¡± I tell him firmly.


    ¡°Either Katherinees to her senses ¨C shell also is vulnerable if she breaks the alliance, after all ¨C or you start looking into other covens you can ally with. There must be some who share your morals.¡±


    I¡¯m not sure -¡± us breaks off, his eyes fixed on the door. ¡°Go back to work, quickly.¡±


    I recognize the urgency in his voice and do what I¡¯m told.


    Just as I¡¯m sitting down, the lift pings and Katherine steps out. I stiffen but force my eyes onto myputer screen.


    Could she be here to renew the alliance?


    She walks straight into us¡¯s office and closes the door.


    I can¡¯t hear them, but I keep my eyes on the other vampires, to whom a closed-door provides no barrier.


    As the minutes tick by, they go tense and exchange worried nces. Crap. It¡¯s not going well, then.


    The suspense is killing me. I wish I could hear what was going on.


    That wish is answered a momentter as us starts shouting.


    ¡°I will not be threatened, Katherine! Things have changed for me. You take the alliance without the mating, or you can find someone else who will take you!¡±


    I wince. There¡¯s no way Katherine will take that well.


    Sure enough, Katherine storms out of the office a momentter. She res around the room, making eye contact with the vampires of her coven.


    Get your stuff. We¡¯re leaving, right now.¡±


    Worry is reced with an rm. No one dares speak out against Katherine, but I can see their fear.


    If we split this office in half, how long before we are attacked?


    Now!¡± Katherine snarls.


    Everyone picks up the pace. The humans huddle together, surveying the general upheaval nervously. The vampires of us¡¯s coven shoot dark looks at their colleagues.


    I desperately want to do something, but I don¡¯t know-how.


    I can¡¯t let us lose this alliance because of me¡­ but what other option is there? I can¡¯t give up us. I can¡¯t.

 Eighteen

    Attack


    *


    Ruby


    When Ie to work the next day, I¡¯m still kicking myself.


    The office looks scarily empty, with arge portion of its employees gone. I feel like it¡¯s all my fault. I just sat there and watched, knowing I had the power to end it all.


    If I¡¯d ended things with us, none of this would have happened. I¡¯m not sorry I¡¯m still with him, but I don¡¯t know how to live with myself if something happens to him or his coven because we couldn¡¯t let each other go.


    ¡°Ruby, a word, please?¡±


    I gratefully hurry into us¡¯s office.


    ¡°Hey. How are things going?¡±


    He ignores my question. ¡°Stop beating yourself up. This isn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    How can you say that? If you¡¯d never met me, you¡¯d still have your alliance.


    And I wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± us trails off, apparently unable to express his thoughts properly, but he doesn¡¯t need to.


    I¡¯ve seen the changes in him since he¡¯s been with me. He¡¯s been freer, happier.


    I wonder how long before me it was that he truly let someone else in?Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Too long.¡± us sighs. ¡°Sorry. I shouldn¡¯t be replying to your thoughts.¡±


    It¡¯s ok. It¡¯s good to get the reminder that you know what I¡¯m thinking ¨C it¡¯s easy to forget. How are things with your coven?¡±


    us grimaces.


    They¡¯re scared ¨C and I don¡¯t me them.


    I¡¯ve tried to reassure them, but any assurances I can give are kind of empty.


    Word will soon get around to the more hostile covens that we are weak and without allies.¡±


    ¡°What will they do?¡±


    ¡°Probably start attacking individual members of my coven, now that they know they don¡¯t have the power to retaliate. They will work down our numbers until there are so few of us that it is easy for them to swoop


    in and take control of the pieces.


    What are you going to do?¡±


    From now on, none of my people go anywhere alone. I¡¯ve paired up those of them without mates into a buddy system. I¡¯ve set up a WhatsApp group, and we all need to check in every two hours when we¡¯re not at Work.¡±


    We tell the group what times we¡¯ll be sleeping. If someone doesn¡¯t check-in when they¡¯re not asleep, and assigned pair goes to their house to check on them.¡±


    I¡¯m impressed. He¡¯s certainly given this a lot of thought. ¡°That sounds like it¡¯ll work.¡±


    It¡¯s helpful, but two vampires together is hardly a match for an entire determined coven. It¡±¡®ll work as a deterrent for now, but I need toe up with a practical long-term solution.¡±


    I wish I had any ideas that could help, but us has been in this world a lot longer than I have, and I feel hopelessly ignorant.


    I¡¯m struggling to think of words offort when the office door bursts open. That in itself is unusual, as very few people dare to enter here without knocking


    Dave is paler than usual and doesn¡¯t apologize for interrupting. ¡°us! Iing coven, headed here.¡±


    us¡¯s hands grip the desk tightly. Barricade the entrances. Get the humans into the ritual room ¨C that¡¯s the most secure.


    ¡°Set up battle stations.¡±


    He takes my arm and hurriedly leads me to the ritual room. ¡°Stay here. Don¡¯te out, no matter what.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, us. I thought they would attack individuals?¡± I can¡¯t quite keep the panic out of my voice.


    ¡°So did I,¡± he says grimly.


    Apparently, they¡¯re more ambitious than I thought.¡± He kisses me briefly before hurrying out.


    I desperately want to hug him and have him tell me that everything will be ok, but I know this isn¡¯t the time.


    The other humans rush in a minuteter.


    us closes and bolts the door behind them. I barely have a chance to exchange a panicked look with Amelia before it begins.


    The sound of crashing, snarling and breaking is terrifying. Amelia and I cling to each other, not speaking. It¡¯s not like we could make ourselves heard over the racket anyway.


    All of the humans are cowering against the farthest wall. I feel like I should say something tofort them.


    us won¡¯t let anything happen to us. He¡¯ll fight to the death to protect his people, and that includes the humans who work here.¡±


    A few people nod. I hope I¡¯ve helped, at least a little.


    It seems like hours before it ends. When it does, we¡¯re all too scared to open the door.


    I flinch as it finally opens, terrified that the enemy coven has won, and we¡¯re about to be captured.


    us sticks his head in. ¡°It¡¯s safe toe out.¡±


    No one else seems eager to move, but I dash into his arms. He looks tired and strained, but otherwise uninjured.


    Short-lived short-lived. Dave isid out over one of the desks. There is so much blood, I don¡¯t understand how there is any left in his body.


    Mia is working frantically over him, snapping instructions to other vampires.


    Mia is our healer,¡± us exins. ¡°We can¡¯t risk human doctors working on us if we want to keep our secret.¡±


    ¡°us, he needs blood!¡± Mia looks positively desperate.


    us tenses. He turns to the group of humans, who have followed him like lost sheep.


    Dave will die without blood. You all know that the only way for human blood to sustain us is if the human is in orgasm while it is drawn.¡±


    It takes a moment for what he¡¯s saying to sink in.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    The thought of having sex amidst this blood and carnage almost makes me sick, but if it¡¯s the only way to save Dave, I¡¯ll do it.


    Thank you,¡± us murmurs. ¡°Here.¡±


    He pulls another desk right up against the one where Mia is working on Dave. He gestures for me to lie down, which I do.


    ¡°Just close your eyes, and forget about everything else.¡±


    I close my eyes, but forgetting about the destruction around me is going to be impossible.


    us starts undressing me. I¡¯m way past embarrassment at this point.


    I¡¯m going to fuck your cunt with my tongue,¡± he says softly. ¡°Then I¡¯m going to put my fingers inside you and lick your clit until you are writing with pleasure. Would you ou like that, Ruby?¡±


    Yes,¡± I breathe. I¡¯m caught up in his voice and already starting to forget my surroundings.


    Tell me how much you want me.¡±


    So much. I need you inside me.¡±


    He can surely smell my pussy by now. Am I leaking onto the desk? I certainly feel like I am.


    Keep your eyes closed,¡± us warns.


    He brushes his hands lightly over my breasts, just enough to make me shiver, but not give me any firm pressure.


    I spread my legs in invitation, and as I was hoping, he was unable to resist. Either that, or we don¡¯t have a lot of time. I shove that thought in my mind.


    us starts kissing my inner thighs. I squirm under his lips, trying to move myself further down, but his hands on my hips prevent that.


    You have to ask for it if you want it, Ruby.


    Fuck, why is that so hot? I¡¯d be annoyed if I wasn¡¯t so turned on, but I¡¯m not currently in a position to be stubborn.


    Please fuck me, us. Fuck me with your tongue and your fingers. God, I need you.¡±


    He practically purrs in satisfaction and rewards me with a long lick, going from my pussy¡¯s opening to my clit.


    Without giving me a chance to catch my breath, he breaches my pussy with his tongue.


    Oh god, that feels amazing.


    us starts thrusting in and out. His tongue isn¡¯t as big as his cock, obviously, but it¡¯s so slick and wet that it feels almost as amazing.


    My clit is throbbing and demanding attention. I remember uss promise to lick me there.


    ¡°us¡­ I need you.¡±


    He pulls his tongue out of my pussy so that he can talk, but quickly reces it with his fingers. He doesn¡¯t move them, though, just keeps them still inside my pussy.


    Where do you need me, my sweet?


    My clit,¡± I gasp.


    Say please.


    ¡°Please, us!¡±


    As you wish.¡±


    His first lick has me crying out and reaching to push his head down more firmly.


    us is too strong for his own good and ignores my attempt, keeping up light, tantalizing licks that drive me crazy.


    Instead of thrusting his fingers, he wriggles them around, searching. He doesn¡¯t need to read my mind to know when he finds my G-spot.


    Oh ¨C yes, us, right there!¡±


    Then he starts thrusting with his fingers, hitting my G-spot with every thrust. us finally gives me some relief on my clit, licking firmly from bottom to top.


    us ¨C I¡¯m going ¨C going to ¨C


    I don¡¯t have time to finish my warning. Ie so hard I¡¯m practically levitating off the desk. Thest thing I¡¯m aware of is a pair of sharp fangs biting into my neck.

 Nineteen

    Moving on


    **


    us pov


    Ruby hasn¡¯te into work yet. It¡¯s unlike her to bete.


    I think of the scene yesterday.


    Maybe she was scared off. Maybe it was too much, having to orgasm in all that carnage just to save Dave¡¯s life.


    She seemed to enjoy it, though and was relieved that Dave was ok.


    Fear shoots through me as I wonder if Elena¡¯s coven has figured out my connection to her. We repelled their attack, but just barely. They will try again.


    They don¡¯t value humans, so are unlikely to attack ours.


    They probably don¡¯t understand that I would fight to protect my people, not just the vampires, but the humans who feed us.


    But if she has worked out how I feel about Ruby, Ruby will make an excellent hostage.


    I¡¯m just grabbing my phone to call her when an emailes through. It¡¯s from Ruby.


    Hi, us


    I¡¯m sorry to do this over email, but I worry that if I try to do it in person, I won¡¯t be able to follow through. I¡¯m quitting my job. It¡¯s the only way to keep everyone safe. With me gone, Katherine will be willing to renew your alliance.


    I¡¯m sorry, but we can¡¯t see each other anymore. You know that this is thest thing I want, but I could never live with myself if you are hurt or killed because of me.


    Yours, always, Ruby.


    I stare at the email, my mind in a haze.


    It¡¯s over. She left me.


    I can¡¯t even be angry with her.


    If I was in her position, I¡¯d probably do the same thing. It¡¯s likely that I could convince her toe back, but I won¡¯t do that. She could so easily have been killed yesterday.


    Humans are so much more fragile than vampires.


    For her own sake, I have to let her go.


    What does moving on look like? How am I supposed to pretend that I never knew her?


    I¡¯m pulled out of my despairing thoughts by a familiar scent. Katherine.


    I growl under my breath as she knocks on the door. ¡°Come in.¡±


    I expect her to be here to gloat, but it bes apparent from the moment that she steps inside that she isn¡¯t.


    There are long scratches down the side of her face, and she looks severely shaken. Katherine is normally calm and collected, but not now. Katherine, what happened?¡±


    My coven was attacked. By the look of the office, so was yours.¡±


    ¡°Elena¡¯s?


    ¡°Yes.


    I¡¯m not happy with Katherine for breaking our alliance, but I never wished this on her.


    You shoulde back, and bring your coven. This has made it clear that neither of us is strong enough to stand alone.


    I see that girl isn¡¯t here anymore. Decided to drop her, have you?¡±


    I re at Katherine but don¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Well, then there¡¯s nothing to stop us from mating.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not part of the deal anymore, Katherine.¡±


    I¡¯m not giving up on Ruby. If there¡¯s away, I¡¯ll find it, but I can¡¯t do that if I¡¯m already mated.


    Don¡¯t be ridiculous, us. Alliances without matings are weak, everyone knows that. That¡¯s why we agreed to be mates in the first ce.¡±


    If we¡¯re not joined in such an absolute way,  it¡¯ll be too easy for other covens to work on undermining us and splitting our individual covens apart. Only by the leaders mating can¡¯t covens truly be made one.¡±


    She¡¯s right, of course, but that doesn¡¯t change anything. My feelings for Ruby don¡¯t leave, no matter how inconvenient they are.


    It¡¯s an alliance without mating or nothing.¡±


    Katherine purses her lips.


    I¡¯ll give you one week to change your mind. My people will return today, but if you are haven¡¯t agreed within a week, we¡¯re gone.¡±


    So I have a week to find another suitable alliance. Clearly, Katherine must have something for herself in mind if she can afford to give ultimatums. Perhaps she is willing to bend her morals about how covers treat humans, but I¡¯m certainly not.


    ¡°A week it is, then. ¡± It¡¯s not a lot of time, but it¡¯s better than nothing.


    Katherine¡¯s people arrive over the next hour.


    No one gets much work done today. We spend most of the day doing repairs. I don¡¯t want to call in a repairpany, as they will surely ask questions and maybe even call the police.


    This leaves us doing the work ourselves, but fortunately, most of us have picked up a number of skills over our long lives, so we have the knowledge between us to put the office back in order.


    The end of the day can¡¯te quickly enough. I¡¯m one of the first to head home.


    Where are you going, us?¡±


    I grimace as I turn to face Katherine. I really don¡¯t want to talk now. I just want to go home and rx. ¡°Home.¡±


    You can¡¯t go home alone. Elena has marked us as an easy target. That status won¡¯t change until we mate and ally officially. Your buddy system still stands.¡±


    I don¡¯t need a buddy.¡±


    Certainly not her. I don¡¯t need Katherine getting on my nerves right now,


    Katherine rolls her eyes and follows me. I growl under my breath and speed up. Katherine lets me draw ahead. She¡¯s not stupid and knows when not to push me.


    It¡¯s only because of that space that the attack seeds.


    Three vampirese flying out of the darkness between two cars in the parking lot. Katherine lunges for them, but it¡¯s toote. They have me.


    I fight viciously, expecting to feel their fangs in me at any moment.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    They don¡¯t hurt me at all. Instead, they grab my arms and run, dragging me away. I dig my heels in, trying to dy them.


    I can foil this kidnapping if I just manage to slow them down long enough for Katherine to reach us.


    Of course, the vampires know this. One of them kicks my feet out from under me as I try to brace them against a car.


    I struggle against them as I¡¯m pulled through the streets. A blindfold is tied over my eyes. I twist and try to bite, but they avoid my snapping teeth.


    **


    us


    I¡¯m finally thrown to the ground. I leap up and pull the blindfold off. I¡¯m in a dark room. There are no windows, and the door looks to be made out of solid steel.


    Fuck. I¡¯m in the coven¡¯s secure area.


    The door opens, and Elena steps through.


    She¡¯s wearing a seductive red dress and smiles at me.


    us. So pleased you could join us.¡±


    ¡°Not like I had much of a choice,¡± I spit.


    ¡°What do you want, Elena? Why not just kill me?¡¯


    Oh, I will, if things don¡¯t go as nned. But I thought I¡¯d offer you another option.


    Oh yeah? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°An alliance.¡±


    I stiffen. ¡°Last I heard, you were stealing homeless humans off the streets and keeping them chained in the basement for forced feedings.


    Elena shrugs delicately. ¡°We need to eat.


    But how we do it differs vastly. I hope you don¡¯t expect me to ally with you if that¡¯s how you behave. i


    ¡°Your choice save the food or save yourself. We would be good mates, us.


    You¡¯re strong, too strong to waste yourself protecting walking food.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not just food, they¡¯re people!¡±


    Elena shrugs again. ¡°That¡¯s my offer, take it or leave it.¡±


    I want to tell her to go fuck herself, but I know that if I do, she¡¯ll simply have me killed and move her attack to the rest of my coven.


    Katherine knows I¡¯m gone. It¡¯s in her coven¡¯s best interest to rescue me, but they can¡¯t do that if I¡¯m dead.


    I¡¯ll need some time to consider your offer.¡±


    Elena¡¯s smile looks more like a snarl. ¡°You have two days. I hope you fed recently because you won¡¯t eat until you answer.¡±


    Even if I¡¯m starving, I won¡¯t feed off humans who are here against their will, drugged out of their minds so that they don¡¯t object to being molested simply to bring them to orgasm for feedings.


    I get asfortable as I can on the cold floor and wait.


    Elena¡¯s coven is powerful. There¡¯s a high chance that Katherine won¡¯t be able to wrest me away from here. If that happens, Elena will kill me.


    Death isn¡¯t a possibility I often have to confront, but surprisingly, that¡¯s not what¡¯s bothering me most.


    As much as I want to live, what hurts more. then anything is knowing how broken up Ruby will be when she hears. She¡¯ll me herself, no matter what anyone else tells her.


    Maybe she¡¯ll go back to Kelly.


    The thought makes me slightly sick, but I¡¯d rather she has someone, even if that someone can¡¯t be me.


    I close my eyes, wishing time would speed up. I just want to get this over with.


    Who knew waiting for your own death Would be so hard?

 Twenty

    Trojan Horse


    ***


    Ruby pov


    ¡°So let me get this straight. You n to sneak me into Elena¡¯s coven, carrying as many weapons as I can hide, like some kind of Trojan horse?¡±


    Correct. Covens like Elena¡¯s never turn down any vulnerable-looking humans who wander into their path. You will be taken as a human feeder in an instant.¡±


    That doesn¡¯t sound particrly safe to me, but if it will get me to us, I¡¯ll do it.


    I assume they would lock me up, right? So I¡¯ll need some way of escaping, to get from the human holding area to wherever they have us.¡±


    That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll give you some lock picks and show you how to use them.¡±


    I¡¯m still a little doubtful.


    ¡°You really think they won¡¯t search me? I know vampires are much more powerful than humans, but still, they surely wouldn¡¯t want their food carrying weapons?¡±


    They will search you, but not as thoroughly as you think. They see humans as stupid, inferior, and weak. It¡¯s a viewpounded by the fact that they keep all of their humans drugged out of their minds. They never really get exposed to human determination or


    creativity.¡±


    Ok, sure, but they¡¯re still going to take any bag I have, won¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be carrying the weapons in a bag. Come with me.¡±


    I follow Katherine into another room I vaguely recognize as storage.


    Katherine lifts severalrge boxes of files with one hand and pulls open a drawer set in the wall I¡¯d never noticed before.


    I gulp.


    ¡°Please tell me that¡¯s not real human skin.¡±


    Of course not. This is the stuff that TV producers use for special effects, but it works just as well for the types of disguises vampires need. Lift up your shirt.¡±


    I watch as Katherine takes a padded piece of fake skin and puts it over my stomach. ¡°Hm, a little darker, I think.¡±


    She rummages around in the box until she finds a piece she¡¯s satisfied with.


    I have to admit, it looks realistic. Wearing it, it looks like I¡¯ve just put on some weight around my stomach.


    I think I see where this is going.


    We¡¯ll strap weapons to your stomach and remove the padding as needed to make room.


    It¡¯s not perfect, but it¡¯ll withstand the quick examination Elena¡¯s people will do, at least at first. They will do a more thorough one once you¡¯re drugged and more cooperative.¡±


    How exactly am I supposed to avoid getting drugged? It¡¯s not like I can fight them off.¡±


    I know what they use. I¡¯ll give you an antidote just before you go in. That¡¯ll neutralize the effects of the first dose, but you¡¯ll need to get to us before theye with more.¡±


    I nod, trying not to frown. There seem to be a lot of things that could go wrong with this n.


    What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll gather the coven and wait.¡±


    ¡°You and us wait for our signal. Once we start the attack, you two start trying to fight your way out. We¡¯ll meet at the site of the explosion.¡±


    ¡°Explosion?¡±


    Katherine grins. ¡°The signal.¡±


    I swallow back my fear. us needs me.


    Then let¡¯s do this.¡±


    ***


    us pov


    I cringe as the door opens. They¡¯re back already.


    I¡¯m not sure how much more of this my body can take.


    They¡¯ve been bleeding me for almost a day. I can already barely move. They haven¡¯t fed me. Blood starvation is a painful way for a vampire to die.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I stare at the figure who enters.


    Great. I¡¯ve started hallucinating.


    ¡°us!¡± Ruby closes the door and hurries to my side.


    I sigh, breathing in her familiar scent. Even if it is a hallucination, that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t take pleasure from it.


    The hallucination Ruby lifts her shirt.


    This is going well.


    Then she starts pulling weapons out from under the skin.


    Shit. Why can¡¯t I get the sexy vision? I have to get the bizarre one.


    Talk to me. What did they do to you?¡±


    Ruby throws away her skin, but there is more skin underneath it. I close my eyes.


    us!¡± She shakes me lightly, and I look at her again.


    ¡°Crap, they bled you, didn¡¯t they? Katherine warned me they might, but she didn¡¯t think it would be this bad already. Ok, you need to feed.¡±


    She starts undressing.


    That¡¯s more like it.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to work with me here, us. I can¡¯t do this alone. This ce is¡­ let¡¯s just say it¡¯s not exactly putting me in the mood.¡±


    Ruby kisses me gently. My mouth is dry, and I kiss her back eagerly, taking her tongue into my mouth, sucking on it.


    God, she feels good, even if she isn¡¯t real.


    She slowly pushes me back onto the floor.


    She wriggles her hips over my cock, which slowly starts rising.


    I didn¡¯t think I had enough blood left in my body for an erection, but apparently, Ruby can make my cock rise even when I¡¯m half dead.


    I moan and try to flip us around so that I¡¯m on top. I¡¯m too weak to do it properly and just end up sending Ruby sprawling.


    She doesn¡¯t seem to mind. She takes my arms and helps pull me on top of her.


    I¡¯m too weak to hold myself up properly, which means my cock is pressing down on her with my whole weight behind it.


    Desire starts to overtake exhaustion as I kiss her more deeply. The scent of her arousal tickles my nose, and I break the kiss to taste her pussy.


    She¡¯s already wet for me, and her pussy positively gushes as I lick every inch of it.


    I move up to her clit, loving how her scent changes. Her muscles were tense as she writes beneath me, responsive to my every touch.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready. Get inside me.¡±


    I usually draw things out more, but I don¡¯t have the energy for that right now. Nor do I have self-control.


    My cock throbs angrily, demanding attention. I push myself onto my elbows and thrust into Ruby¡¯s pussy.


    She almost cries out, but cuts herself off, ncing anxiously at the door. She pulls me in for more kisses, letting me swallow her sounds.


    I forget the stiffness and tiredness in my limbs as I thrust steadily. Ruby¡¯s pussy feels divine, clenching perfectly around my cock.


    She brings a hand to her clit, rubbing furiously.


    That pushes her over the edge. Her face is a picture of ecstasy as her pussy contracts wildly. Ruby grabs my head and pushes my mouth against her neck.


    The scent of her blood is overwhelming. As shees, the chemicals in her blood change, making it perfect for vampire consumption.


    I bite into her without thinking.


    Ruby¡¯s hips jerk as she keepsing, the chemicals in my teeth sending her to an even greater high. The sweet blood pours into my mouth. I gulp it down eagerly.


    My cock explodes, pouring mye into her. I keep drinking, unable to stop. I¡¯m so hungry, and her blood is the most delicious thing I¡¯ve ever tasted.


    Ruby¡¯s body goes limp. That jars me out of my feeding high and I pull away.


    I quickly check her pulse, which is weak but steady. I drank more than I should have, but my body needed it.


    She will recover, with time.


    As I stare at her, horror slowly starts to well within me. Now that I¡¯ve fed, my mind is rapidly clearing.


    This isn¡¯t a hallucination. This is real


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I whisper checking the door.


    No one seems to have heard us, or they¡¯d be in here already, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that Ruby is in terrible danger every moment she¡¯s here.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to rescue you, silly.¡±


    I give brief consideration to the idea that I¡¯m still hallucinating.


    ¡°Ruby¡­ you do realize that this is a vampire coven, right?¡±


    Elena¡¯s coven, yes. Now, you should arm yourself. Katherine said you¡¯d know how to use these.¡±


    I follow her gaze to the small pile of weapons. My eyes widen. ¡°Where did you get these?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re safe. Katherine says they¡¯re made by witches, and the only thing likely to work against vampires.


    lt seems I have to reconsider my opinion of Katherine.


    I¡¯ve seen her as a rival for so long ¨C the one thing keeping me from being with Ruby ¨C but she¡¯s going to take an incredible risk to rescue me.


    I¡¯m sure she¡¯s doing it because it benefits her coven, but I¡¯m still grateful. Mostly.


    Why did she have to bring you into this?¡±


    I wonder if she thinks that if Ruby dies, I¡¯ll mate with her after all?


    ¡°She said Elena¡¯s coven is too powerful to assail from the outside. You and I need to start the break-out on our own. Katherine¡¯s coven will help us from the outside.¡±


    That¡¯s probably true, too.


    I¡¯m about to ask Ruby what the n is when a sound makes me freeze up.


    Footsteps in the corridor outside. If anyone finds Ruby here¡­

 Twenty one

    Edited


    Escape


    **


    us pov


    I press a finger to my lips, not even daring to move.


    The room I¡¯m in is tiny and bare. If one of Elena¡¯s people decides toe in, there is no way to hide Ruby.     Well, have to fight our way out, no matter how slim our chances of sess are.


    The footsteps fade. I breathe again.


    I quietly crouch down next to the weapons. They look like ordinary weapons-a gun, a knife, a couple of throwing stars. But they¡¯re not ordinary.


    They glow red, a sign that they¡¯ve been enchanted by witches specifically to hurt and kill vampires.


    I arm myself, handing the spare knife to Ruby. She takes it without protest. She tilts her head to the door, her eyebrows raised in question.


    ¡°They¡¯re gone for now. We can talk, but quietly.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not much else to say, at least for now.¡±


    Katherine said she¡¯s going to blow up an empty building when they¡¯re ready to move from her side. Judging by theyout of this ce, I think our best bet is to shoot through the door, then go through the window at the end of the corridor outside.


    I don¡¯t remember much from when I was dragged in here, so I¡¯ll have to take Ruby¡¯s word for it. I still can¡¯t believe she¡¯s actually here.


    ¡°You should never havee,¡± I murmur, pulling her close.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She melts into me, wrapping her arms around my waist.


    ¡°Like I would ever just leave you here.¡±


    The likelihood of both of us making it out of here alive is slim. I know that if I don¡¯t tell her how I feel now, I¡¯ll regret it for all the endless centuries ahead.


    Thest time I uttered the words to anyone, they died.


    But I didn¡¯t regret telling them. I only regretted not protecting them.


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too.¡±


    She says it easily, but with a warmth and conviction in her voice that tells me, she¡¯s telling the truth without even having to read her thoughts.


    We stand like that, soaking in thefort of each other¡¯s presence.


    An explosion somewhere out of sight makes the ground shake.


    Ruby and I break apart.


    It¡¯s the signal.


    I grab my gun and aim. The lock shatters. It wasn¡¯t made to be impervious to spelled bullets.


    I hold Ruby¡¯s hand tightly as I pull her into the corridor. There is one vampire there, who I shoot in the shoulder. He passes out at once.


    The window doesn¡¯t have bars on it, at least, but it is locked.


    I shoot thetch and pull it open.


    ¡°Come here, quickly.¡±


    Ruby lets me boost her up and she scrambles out. I leap after her, picking her up and breaking into a run.


    I make a wide circle around Elena¡¯s coven, heading in the direction of the explosion.


    This all feels too easy.


    A building is in shambles.


    Standing just outside it is Amelia, with Mia. They probably have Amelia here in case I need emergency feeding, but Ruby has restored me.


    My heart is swelling with relief as I put Ruby down on her feet.


    She copses, shaking violently.


    Ruby?


    At first, I think that she¡¯s just shaken from the run, but it¡¯s more than that. She¡¯s convulsing.


    ¡°Move, us.¡± Amelia gently pushes me aside and examines Emi.


    What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± I demand.


    Amelia doesn¡¯t answer as she runs her hands down Serena¡¯s body, apparently searching. for something.


    ¡°We need to get her back to the coven.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring your medical supplies here!¡±


    I brought everything I thought I¡¯d need,¡± Amelia tells me calmly. ¡°This is ¨C I don¡¯t want to say too soon. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I scoop Serena up in my arms and follow Amelia and Mai to a car.


    Mai drives, speeding so fast that Ruby and I are periodically thrown against the car. doors, but I don¡¯tin.


    **


    us pov


    We get to the office, and Iy Ruby down on a table. Amelia hurries to her office andes back with a portable X-ray machine.


    ¡°What do you need that¡±


    ¡°Move back.¡±


    I want to snap at her, but I¡¯m not a healer, and I don¡¯t dare get in the way of anything that might get in the way of helping us.


    I pull Amelia a few steps back with me.


    We wait as the X-ray machine buzzes.


    Finally, something appears on the apanying screen. It seems to be a scan of Ruby¡¯s ribs. At a nce, none of them look to be broken.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± I demand. Amelia sways and grabs onto the desk for support.


    ¡°That.¡± She points out a small spot right by Ruby¡¯s heart.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    It¡¯s some kind of chip. Probably for tracking- you know that some covens track their feeder humans. I didn¡¯t realize that they had gotten more ambitious, though. This one seems to be causing her seizure.¡±


    ¡°WELL GET IT OUT!¡±


    I don¡¯t have a lot of medical knowledge, but I do know that prolonged seizures can cause brain damage. I flex my fingers, resisting the urge to try to tear that thing out of Ruby with my bare hands.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time for surgery right now it¡¯ll take too long. We need to disable it.¡±


    Disable. Yes.


    Mia, go to the weapons room. Get the EMP


    Mia dashes into the armory and is back momentster.


    We don¡¯t have time to try to protect the office equipment, but that¡¯s thest of my worries right now. I tear the safety off and activate the device.


    We all flinch as a shockwave goes out in a huge circle. Everyputer screen goes ck.


    Ruby stops shaking.


    I force myself to keep quiet as Mia examines her, but then Ruby moans, her head turning from side to side.


    ¡°us?¡±


    I step forward, gently moving Mia aside. I¡¯m here.¡±


    What happened?


    ¡°You have a chip in you ¨C something Elena¡¯s people must have injected when they captured you.¡±


    Ruby groans.


    ¡°They knocked me out. They must have done it when I was unconscious. Is it out?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, but it¡¯s dead. We used an EMP on it.¡±


    ¡°I should give it another scan, just to be safe. A close-up, this time.¡±


    ¡°Let her rest, Mia! She¡¯s just woken up.¡¯ I can see from the way Ruby moves that she¡¯s in pain. Having a seizure for as long as she did can¡¯t have been fun.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be quick,¡± Mia promises.


    She sets up a different scanner this time. I¡¯m not really worried. The EMP will have destroyed the chip. Now it¡¯s just a matter of having a surgeon remove it at their leisure.


    ¡°us, you should see this.¡±


    I reluctantly let go of Ruby¡¯s hand and go to the screen Mia is staring at.


    ¡°The EMP dislodged it?¡± I guess.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. I-¡±


    Mia breaks off, and I don¡¯t need to ask why.


    That chip just moved.


    It was only a tiny bit, and a human may have missed it, but it¡¯s obvious to vampire¡¯s eyes.


    How can it do that? I thought the EMP killed it? EMPs are supposed to kill anything electric!


    It must have some kind of shielding for electrical interference. It¡¯s obviously damaged, but it seems to be repairing itself.¡±


    ¡°Can human technology do that?¡±


    ¡°Mia and I share a dark look. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You don¡¯t think¡­?¡±


    I don¡¯t have an answer for her.


    Would Elena be reckless enough to make a deal with witches? Magic can certainly do things that technology wouldn¡¯t be able to aplish alone.


    ¡°Get it out!¡± Ruby hisses, pushing herself up on an elbow. ¡°If it¡¯s repairing itself, then get it out of me before it goes on the attack again.


    ¡°Agreed. How Elena did it doesn¡¯t matter. We just need to remove it. Lie back, Ruby. We don¡¯t have time to go to a surgeon, but it¡¯s shallow enough that I should be able to cut it out with local anesthetic.¡±


    I don¡¯t like that idea at all, but I don¡¯t have another to offer up in its ce. I settle for holding Ruby¡¯s hand again.


    The elevator opens, and the covens starting in, both mine and Katherine¡¯s.


    I force myself away from Ruby for a few minutes, smiling and shaking hands, thanking the people I owe my life to.


    What¡¯s wrong?¡± Katherine may not be able to read my thoughts, but she¡¯s gotten pretty good at reading my expression.


    It¡¯s Ruby. Elena put a chip inside her. I think it might kill her if we don¡¯t get it out.¡±


    Katherine follows me back to the desk where Mia is injecting an anesthetic into Ruby¡¯s chest.


    Can you feel that?¡± She pokes Ruby with a scalpel.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s numb. Just get that thing out of me.¡± I can see that Ruby is close to panicking. I would be too if I had a chip inside me.


    She can¡¯t panic now, though, or she could end up really hurting herself.


    I look into her wide eyes, willing her to remain calm.


    Her breathing increases and she starts to shake¡­

 Twenty two

    Edited


    Escape


    **


    us pov


    I press a finger to my lips, not even daring to move.


    The room I¡¯m in is tiny and bare. If one of Elena¡¯s people decides toe in, there is no way to hide Ruby.     Well, have to fight our way out, no matter how slim our chances of sess are.


    The footsteps fade. I breathe again.


    I quietly crouch down next to the weapons. They look like ordinary weapons-a gun, a knife, a couple of throwing stars. But they¡¯re not ordinary.


    They glow red, a sign that they¡¯ve been enchanted by witches specifically to hurt and kill vampires.


    I arm myself, handing the spare knife to Ruby. She takes it without protest. She tilts her head to the door, her eyebrows raised in question.


    ¡°They¡¯re gone for now. We can talk, but quietly.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not much else to say, at least for now.¡±


    Katherine said she¡¯s going to blow up an empty building when they¡¯re ready to move from her side. Judging by theyout of this ce, I think our best bet is to shoot through the door, then go through the window at the end of the corridor outside.


    I don¡¯t remember much from when I was dragged in here, so I¡¯ll have to take Ruby¡¯s word for it. I still can¡¯t believe she¡¯s actually here.


    ¡°You should never havee,¡± I murmur, pulling her close.


    She melts into me, wrapping her arms around my waist.


    ¡°Like I would ever just leave you here.¡±


    The likelihood of both of us making it out of here alive is slim. I know that if I don¡¯t tell her how I feel now, I¡¯ll regret it for all the endless centuries ahead.


    Thest time I uttered the words to anyone, they died.


    But I didn¡¯t regret telling them. I only regretted not protecting them.


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too.¡±


    She says it easily, but with a warmth and conviction in her voice that tells me, she¡¯s telling the truth without even having to read her thoughts.


    We stand like that, soaking in thefort of each other¡¯s presence.


    An explosion somewhere out of sight makes the ground shake.


    Ruby and I break apart.


    It¡¯s the signal.N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    I grab my gun and aim. The lock shatters. It wasn¡¯t made to be impervious to spelled bullets.


    I hold Ruby¡¯s hand tightly as I pull her into the corridor. There is one vampire there, who I shoot in the shoulder. He passes out at once.


    The window doesn¡¯t have bars on it, at least, but it is locked.


    I shoot thetch and pull it open.


    ¡°Come here, quickly.¡±


    Ruby lets me boost her up and she scrambles out. I leap after her, picking her up and breaking into a run.


    I make a wide circle around Elena¡¯s coven, heading in the direction of the explosion.


    This all feels too easy.


    A building is in shambles.


    Standing just outside it is Amelia, with Mia. They probably have Amelia here in case I need emergency feeding, but Ruby has restored me.


    My heart is swelling with relief as I put Ruby down on her feet.


    She copses, shaking violently.


    Ruby?


    At first, I think that she¡¯s just shaken from the run, but it¡¯s more than that. She¡¯s convulsing.


    ¡°Move, us.¡± Amelia gently pushes me aside and examines Emi.


    What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± I demand.


    Amelia doesn¡¯t answer as she runs her hands down Serena¡¯s body, apparently searching. for something.


    ¡°We need to get her back to the coven.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring your medical supplies here!¡±


    I brought everything I thought I¡¯d need,¡± Amelia tells me calmly. ¡°This is ¨C I don¡¯t want to say too soon. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    I scoop Serena up in my arms and follow Amelia and Mai to a car.


    Mai drives, speeding so fast that Ruby and I are periodically thrown against the car. doors, but I don¡¯tin.


    **


    us pov


    We get to the office, and Iy Ruby down on a table. Amelia hurries to her office andes back with a portable X-ray machine.


    ¡°What do you need that¡±


    ¡°Move back.¡±


    I want to snap at her, but I¡¯m not a healer, and I don¡¯t dare get in the way of anything that might get in the way of helping us.


    I pull Amelia a few steps back with me.


    We wait as the X-ray machine buzzes.


    Finally, something appears on the apanying screen. It seems to be a scan of Ruby¡¯s ribs. At a nce, none of them look to be broken.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± I demand. Amelia sways and grabs onto the desk for support.


    ¡°That.¡± She points out a small spot right by Ruby¡¯s heart.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    It¡¯s some kind of chip. Probably for tracking- you know that some covens track their feeder humans. I didn¡¯t realize that they had gotten more ambitious, though. This one seems to be causing her seizure.¡±


    ¡°WELL GET IT OUT!¡±


    I don¡¯t have a lot of medical knowledge, but I do know that prolonged seizures can cause brain damage. I flex my fingers, resisting the urge to try to tear that thing out of Ruby with my bare hands.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time for surgery right now it¡¯ll take too long. We need to disable it.¡±


    Disable. Yes.


    Mia, go to the weapons room. Get the EMP


    Mia dashes into the armory and is back momentster.


    We don¡¯t have time to try to protect the office equipment, but that¡¯s thest of my worries right now. I tear the safety off and activate the device.


    We all flinch as a shockwave goes out in a huge circle. Everyputer screen goes ck.


    Ruby stops shaking.


    I force myself to keep quiet as Mia examines her, but then Ruby moans, her head turning from side to side.


    ¡°us?¡±


    I step forward, gently moving Mia aside. I¡¯m here.¡±


    What happened?


    ¡°You have a chip in you ¨C something Elena¡¯s people must have injected when they captured you.¡±


    Ruby groans.


    ¡°They knocked me out. They must have done it when I was unconscious. Is it out?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, but it¡¯s dead. We used an EMP on it.¡±


    ¡°I should give it another scan, just to be safe. A close-up, this time.¡±


    ¡°Let her rest, Mia! She¡¯s just woken up.¡¯ I can see from the way Ruby moves that she¡¯s in pain. Having a seizure for as long as she did can¡¯t have been fun.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be quick,¡± Mia promises.


    She sets up a different scanner this time. I¡¯m not really worried. The EMP will have destroyed the chip. Now it¡¯s just a matter of having a surgeon remove it at their leisure.


    ¡°us, you should see this.¡±


    I reluctantly let go of Ruby¡¯s hand and go to the screen Mia is staring at.


    ¡°The EMP dislodged it?¡± I guess.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. I-¡±


    Mia breaks off, and I don¡¯t need to ask why.


    That chip just moved.


    It was only a tiny bit, and a human may have missed it, but it¡¯s obvious to vampire¡¯s eyes.


    How can it do that? I thought the EMP killed it? EMPs are supposed to kill anything electric!


    It must have some kind of shielding for electrical interference. It¡¯s obviously damaged, but it seems to be repairing itself.¡±


    ¡°Can human technology do that?¡±


    ¡°Mia and I share a dark look. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You don¡¯t think¡­?¡±


    I don¡¯t have an answer for her.


    Would Elena be reckless enough to make a deal with witches? Magic can certainly do things that technology wouldn¡¯t be able to aplish alone.


    ¡°Get it out!¡± Ruby hisses, pushing herself up on an elbow. ¡°If it¡¯s repairing itself, then get it out of me before it goes on the attack again.


    ¡°Agreed. How Elena did it doesn¡¯t matter. We just need to remove it. Lie back, Ruby. We don¡¯t have time to go to a surgeon, but it¡¯s shallow enough that I should be able to cut it out with local anesthetic.¡±


    I don¡¯t like that idea at all, but I don¡¯t have another to offer up in its ce. I settle for holding Ruby¡¯s hand again.


    The elevator opens, and the covens starting in, both mine and Katherine¡¯s.


    I force myself away from Ruby for a few minutes, smiling and shaking hands, thanking the people I owe my life to.


    What¡¯s wrong?¡± Katherine may not be able to read my thoughts, but she¡¯s gotten pretty good at reading my expression.


    It¡¯s Ruby. Elena put a chip inside her. I think it might kill her if we don¡¯t get it out.¡±


    Katherine follows me back to the desk where Mia is injecting an anesthetic into Ruby¡¯s chest.


    Can you feel that?¡± She pokes Ruby with a scalpel.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s numb. Just get that thing out of me.¡± I can see that Ruby is close to panicking. I would be too if I had a chip inside me.


    She can¡¯t panic now, though, or she could end up really hurting herself.


    I look into her wide eyes, willing her to remain calm.


    Her breathing increases and she starts to shake¡­

 Twenty three

    The Only Option


    Edited


    us


    Hey. Ruby, look at me. You need to stay calm. You can¡¯t move while Mai has a scalpel in you, or you¡¯ll just end up getting hurt.¡±


    I need it out, us¡± she whimpers.


    I know. Just do what Mai says and you¡¯ll be ok.¡± I nod to Mai as Ruby rxes a little.


    It¡¯s now or never.


    Mia speaks soothingly, drawing Ruby¡¯s attention.


    Close your eyes. The chip isn¡¯t below the sternum, but it is under some muscles that I¡¯ll need to either cut through or go around.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to look pretty gruesome, and I don¡¯t need you freaking out.¡±


    I quickly put a hand on Ruby¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Just look at me. Mai will have that thing out of you in no time.¡±


    I watch as Mai makes a small cut. She pulls the skin apart with her forceps, but Ruby suddenly flinches.


    Mai pauses. ¡°Are you in pain? Do you need more anesthetic?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not there, it¡¯s further down. Here¡­¡±


    Ruby trails her hand down her chest and to her stomach, wincing. ¡°It¡¯s like something is moving inside me.¡± She clutches my hand tightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, just try to breathe slowly.¡± I keep my eyes on her, but I can see Mai bringing the scanner closer.


    A gasp tells me that something is wrong. What?¡± I tear my eyes away from Ruby.


    ¡°The chip is moving. It¡¯s going deeper. From what I can tell, it¡¯s embedded itself in Ruby¡¯s liver.¡±


    ¡°This is beyond my skills, us. She needs a trained surgeon.¡±


    Then that¡¯s what she¡¯ll get.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    I snarl at Katherine, dropping into a crouch in front of Ruby.


    ¡°We will not sit by while this thing harms her!¡±


    us, use your head! The chip moved once when it was threatened. Thest thing we want is giving her a huge surgical wound to get to her liver, only to have the chip move again.¡±


    As much as I want to ignore her, I can¡¯t. Katherine is probably right. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving her to die.¡±


    Katherine looks away. No one wants to say it, because they know I¡¯ll bite their head off.


    I grit my teeth and force the words out. Does anyone have Elena¡¯s contact details?¡±


    ***


    us


    The meeting doesn¡¯t take long to set up. By the time Mai is finished stitching the small wound in Ruby¡¯s chest, Elena has responded with a location.


    Of course, she has. She was expecting this. She probably activated that chip the moment she realized Ruby and I were gone.


    Katherine offers toe with me, but I turn her down. She¡¯s already put herself in enough danger for me. Ruby demands toe with me, but I tly refuse.


    I am not putting you at risk again. Look what happened the first time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my life that¡¯s at stake, us! I should get a say in it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going within five miles of Elena.¡± If it was anyone else, that would be that, but I can hear Ruby¡¯s hurt and fear in her thoughts, and that doesn¡¯t sit well with me.


    ¡°Look, how about I wear an earpiece? That way you can hear everything that¡¯s happening.


    Ruby sighs. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s the best I¡¯m going to get, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back soon. Once Elena turns that chip off for good, we can have it removed by a surgeon.¡±


    I kiss her, lingering on the touch of her lips. I have no assurance that Elena will actuallye alone. She could have her coven grab me the moment I¡¯m in sight.


    I have to do this, though.


    I can¡¯t watch Ruby die.


    **


    us


    I make the short drive to the caf¨¦ Elena named. She¡¯s already there, smiling smugly at me.


    I sit down opposite her, ring. ¡°Tell me how to get that thing out of Ruby.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very simple. All you need to do is make an alliance with me. As your ally, I would happily hand over any feeder humans you desire. If you want to take the chips out of them, I can make that happen.¡±


    Do you want an alliance? Fine, you are officially my ally. Now turn that chip off.¡±


    Her smile widens. ¡°You know that¡¯s not how this works. Alliances without matings to back them are weak.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, I won¡¯t be your mate.¡±


    ¡°Then your feeder will die.¡±


    ¡°Her name is Ruby!¡±


    ¡°Elena shrugs. ¡°Whatever.¡±


    She looks at her watch. ¡°In ten minutes, that chip is set to turn onto kill mode. Even with a healer, I doubt your feeder will live more than a few minutes. Decide now.¡±


    I want to scream. I want to run. I want to tear Elena to pieces.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    None of that will help Ruby.


    I desperately don¡¯t want to mate Elena, but if it¡¯s the only way to save Ruby¡­ The mating bond can¡¯t be undone.


    I¡¯d never be able to be with another vampire, physically. It¡¯s impossible to be aroused for anyone but your mate once mated.


    Humans are an exception, as we need them to feed, but how could I be with Ruby as a human, knowing that the moment I turn her into a vampire, I can¡¯t be with her anymore?


    Or I could not turn her, and watch her age and die.


    Either way, your rtionship with that feeder is over. Whether she dies now or goes on to live a full life is up to you.¡±


    The words feel like a coffin closing.


    I thought I could be happy with Ruby. I guess that¡¯s what you get for wishing for Something so impossible.


    I take off the earpiece and crush it. This is the only option.


    If I¡¯m going to do this, things will have to change.


    Our covens will be aligned, and you know my views on humans. You will have to adopt my policies. No hurting humans, no enticing them, no feeding from them without pre-given, written consent.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re no fun,¡± Elena pouts. She considers for a minute. ¡°What if the humans want to be hurt?


    If that¡¯s what they¡¯re into, then I won¡¯t object, but you¡¯ll have to have them detail everything they agree to have done to them in the pre-given consent.¡±


    Another minute of consideration. I¡¯m sitting on the edge of my seat, all too aware that Ruby¡¯s time is swiftly ticking down.


    Deal. But we do this now.¡±


    I manage not to flinch, but it¡¯s a near thing. I won¡¯t even get a chance to exin to Ruby, a chance to say goodbye.


    ¡°Agreed, but turn the chip off first.¡±


    I listen as Elena calls her coven, telling them to deactivate the chip, then follow her back to the ce I just escaped from.


    Elena leads me to her bedroom. It¡¯s borate, with huge purple velvet hangings around the bed.


    I have no desire to draw this out. I strip quickly, gesturing for her to do the same.


    Neither of us has any illusions about romance.


    This is an alliance mating. Simple mechanics.


    Unfortunately, both of us have toe for the mating to take. I close my eyes and start kissing Elena, trying hard not to think of Elena.


    Even though my mind is in agony, my traitorous body responds.


    Elena is beautiful. I run my hands down her sides, letting the feeling of her body slowly harden my cock.


    She kisses me expertly, drawing a moan out of the back of my throat. I pull her so that she¡¯s flush against me. Her breasts arerge and fit perfectly in my hands.


    As I rub them, the nipples harden pleasantly.


    My mind shes back to how Ruby¡¯s nipples feel when I touch them. They are softer and wider than Ruby¡¯s and feel like ripe raspberries under my fingertips.


    At the thought of Ruby, my growing erection softens.


    I bite back a groan of frustration.


    I have to do this.


    If I don¡¯t follow through on my word, Verity will re-activate the chip, and Ruby will die.


    Elena smirks at me and reaches down for my cock. She takes it in her hand and starts stroking firmly. I kiss her again, willing myself to get lost in the moment.


    I¡¯ve slept with people I don¡¯t have any feelings for before. I¡¯ve had to, in order to feed. I can do it again.


    Elena lies back on the bed, spreading her legs. ¡°Touch me, us.¡±


    I wish she¡¯d just do it herself, but arguing will hardly get either of us in the mood.


    I start fingering her clit, letting myself be guided by the noises she makes.


    By the time Ruby is squirming on the bed, her pussy leaking and ready, my cock has softened again.


    Fuck.


    Elena raises herself on an elbow to see what the problem is.


    Her expression darkens.


    ¡°You think you¡¯ll be able to get out of this, us? Stall until your healer has removed the chip? It¡¯s not going to happen. Either you follow through with this mating, or you can say goodbye to that feeder forever.¡±


    The Only Option


    Edited


    us


    Hey. Ruby, look at me. You need to stay calm. You can¡¯t move while Mai has a scalpel in you, or you¡¯ll just end up getting hurt.¡±


    I need it out, us¡± she whimpers.


    I know. Just do what Mai says and you¡¯ll be ok.¡± I nod to Mai as Ruby rxes a little.


    It¡¯s now or never.


    Mia speaks soothingly, drawing Ruby¡¯s attention.


    Close your eyes. The chip isn¡¯t below the sternum, but it is under some muscles that I¡¯ll need to either cut through or go around.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to look pretty gruesome, and I don¡¯t need you freaking out.¡±


    I quickly put a hand on Ruby¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Just look at me. Mai will have that thing out of you in no time.¡±


    I watch as Mai makes a small cut. She pulls the skin apart with her forceps, but Ruby suddenly flinches.


    Mai pauses. ¡°Are you in pain? Do you need more anesthetic?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not there, it¡¯s further down. Here¡­¡±


    Ruby trails her hand down her chest and to her stomach, wincing. ¡°It¡¯s like something is moving inside me.¡± She clutches my hand tightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, just try to breathe slowly.¡± I keep my eyes on her, but I can see Mai bringing the scanner closer.


    A gasp tells me that something is wrong. What?¡± I tear my eyes away from Ruby.


    ¡°The chip is moving. It¡¯s going deeper. From what I can tell, it¡¯s embedded itself in Ruby¡¯s liver.¡±


    ¡°This is beyond my skills, us. She needs a trained surgeon.¡±


    Then that¡¯s what she¡¯ll get.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    I snarl at Katherine, dropping into a crouch in front of Ruby.


    ¡°We will not sit by while this thing harms her!¡±


    us, use your head! The chip moved once when it was threatened. Thest thing we want is giving her a huge surgical wound to get to her liver, only to have the chip move again.¡±


    As much as I want to ignore her, I can¡¯t. Katherine is probably right. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving her to die.¡±


    Katherine looks away. No one wants to say it, because they know I¡¯ll bite their head off.


    I grit my teeth and force the words out. Does anyone have Elena¡¯s contact details?¡±


    ***


    us


    The meeting doesn¡¯t take long to set up. By the time Mai is finished stitching the small wound in Ruby¡¯s chest, Elena has responded with a location.


    Of course, she has. She was expecting this. She probably activated that chip the moment she realized Ruby and I were gone.


    Katherine offers toe with me, but I turn her down. She¡¯s already put herself in enough danger for me. Ruby demands toe with me, but I tly refuse.


    I am not putting you at risk again. Look what happened the first time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my life that¡¯s at stake, us! I should get a say in it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going within five miles of Elena.¡± If it was anyone else, that would be that, but I can hear Ruby¡¯s hurt and fear in her thoughts, and that doesn¡¯t sit well with me.


    ¡°Look, how about I wear an earpiece? That way you can hear everything that¡¯s happening.


    Ruby sighs. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s the best I¡¯m going to get, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back soon. Once Elena turns that chip off for good, we can have it removed by a surgeon.¡±


    I kiss her, lingering on the touch of her lips. I have no assurance that Elena will actuallye alone. She could have her coven grab me the moment I¡¯m in sight.


    I have to do this, though.


    I can¡¯t watch Ruby die.


    **


    us


    I make the short drive to the caf¨¦ Elena named. She¡¯s already there, smiling smugly at me.


    I sit down opposite her, ring. ¡°Tell me how to get that thing out of Ruby.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very simple. All you need to do is make an alliance with me. As your ally, I would happily hand over any feeder humans you desire. If you want to take the chips out of them, I can make that happen.¡±


    Do you want an alliance? Fine, you are officially my ally. Now turn that chip off.¡±


    Her smile widens. ¡°You know that¡¯s not how this works. Alliances without matings to back them are weak.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, I won¡¯t be your mate.¡±


    ¡°Then your feeder will die.¡±


    ¡°Her name is Ruby!¡±


    ¡°Elena shrugs. ¡°Whatever.¡±


    She looks at her watch. ¡°In ten minutes, that chip is set to turn onto kill mode. Even with a healer, I doubt your feeder will live more than a few minutes. Decide now.¡±


    I want to scream. I want to run. I want to tear Elena to pieces.


    None of that will help Ruby.


    I desperately don¡¯t want to mate Elena, but if it¡¯s the only way to save Ruby¡­ The mating bond can¡¯t be undone.


    I¡¯d never be able to be with another vampire, physically. It¡¯s impossible to be aroused for anyone but your mate once mated.


    Humans are an exception, as we need them to feed, but how could I be with Ruby as a human, knowing that the moment I turn her into a vampire, I can¡¯t be with her anymore?


    Or I could not turn her, and watch her age and die.


    Either way, your rtionship with that feeder is over. Whether she dies now or goes on to live a full life is up to you.¡±


    The words feel like a coffin closing.


    I thought I could be happy with Ruby. I guess that¡¯s what you get for wishing for Something so impossible.


    I take off the earpiece and crush it. This is the only option.


    If I¡¯m going to do this, things will have to change.


    Our covens will be aligned, and you know my views on humans. You will have to adopt my policies. No hurting humans, no enticing them, no feeding from them without pre-given, written consent.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re no fun,¡± Elena pouts. She considers for a minute. ¡°What if the humans want to be hurt?


    If that¡¯s what they¡¯re into, then I won¡¯t object, but you¡¯ll have to have them detail everything they agree to have done to them in the pre-given consent.¡±


    Another minute of consideration. I¡¯m sitting on the edge of my seat, all too aware that Ruby¡¯s time is swiftly ticking down.


    Deal. But we do this now.¡±


    I manage not to flinch, but it¡¯s a near thing. I won¡¯t even get a chance to exin to Ruby, a chance to say goodbye.


    ¡°Agreed, but turn the chip off first.¡±


    I listen as Elena calls her coven, telling them to deactivate the chip, then follow her back to the ce I just escaped from.


    Elena leads me to her bedroom. It¡¯s borate, with huge purple velvet hangings around the bed.


    I have no desire to draw this out. I strip quickly, gesturing for her to do the same.


    Neither of us has any illusions about romance.


    This is an alliance mating. Simple mechanics.


    Unfortunately, both of us have toe for the mating to take. I close my eyes and start kissing Elena, trying hard not to think of Elena.


    Even though my mind is in agony, my traitorous body responds.


    Elena is beautiful. I run my hands down her sides, letting the feeling of her body slowly harden my cock.


    She kisses me expertly, drawing a moan out of the back of my throat. I pull her so that she¡¯s flush against me. Her breasts arerge and fit perfectly in my hands.


    As I rub them, the nipples harden pleasantly.


    My mind shes back to how Ruby¡¯s nipples feel when I touch them. They are softer and wider than Ruby¡¯s and feel like ripe raspberries under my fingertips.


    At the thought of Ruby, my growing erection softens.


    I bite back a groan of frustration.


    I have to do this.


    If I don¡¯t follow through on my word, Verity will re-activate the chip, and Ruby will die.


    Elena smirks at me and reaches down for my cock. She takes it in her hand and starts stroking firmly. I kiss her again, willing myself to get lost in the moment.


    I¡¯ve slept with people I don¡¯t have any feelings for before. I¡¯ve had to, in order to feed. I can do it again.


    Elena lies back on the bed, spreading her legs. ¡°Touch me, us.¡±


    I wish she¡¯d just do it herself, but arguing will hardly get either of us in the mood.


    I start fingering her clit, letting myself be guided by the noises she makes.


    By the time Ruby is squirming on the bed, her pussy leaking and ready, my cock has softened again.


    Fuck.


    Elena raises herself on an elbow to see what the problem is.


    Her expression darkens.


    ¡°You think you¡¯ll be able to get out of this, us? Stall until your healer has removed the chip? It¡¯s not going to happen. Either you follow through with this mating, or you can say goodbye to that feeder forever.¡±

 Twenty four

    The End.


    ***


    us


    I struggle to think. I have to save Ruby. I have to.


    Do you have a desk?¡±


    Yes. Why?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go there.¡±


    Elena leads me into an equally borate office. I point at the desk.


    Bend over it. Don¡¯t speak.¡±


    I close my eyes again, once more pretending it¡¯s Ruby. I ignore the little things that tell me it¡¯s Elena and lose myself in memories.


    I thrust two fingers into Elena¡¯s pussy. She pushes back against me, quickly soaking my fingers. I start rubbing my cock against her ass, breathing a sigh of relief when it hardens.


    I¡¯d better get this done now before it goes down again.


    I grab Elena¡¯s hair as I thrust into her. I start moving, hard and fast, panting as my thoughts recede. Soon, nothing matters except my impending release. I¡¯m as hard as a bar of iron now.


    I grab Elena¡¯s hips, changing the angle so that I can get my cock even deeper inside her. Her hand is on her clit, and I can tell from her movements that she¡¯s close.


    I flip her around so that we¡¯re facing each other. We need to be face to face for this.


    My balls draw up and my cock finally releases itse.


    Elena screams as she is impaled on my pulsing cock in a final thrust.


    I lean down and sink my teeth into her neck. She does the same with me. We drink each other¡¯s blood as wee, sealing the mating bond.


    A frizzle goes through the air, a reaction to the power of what we just unleashed.


    We are now mates for life.


    I pull out of her and walk away. ¡°I will be in. contact with you tomorrow to discuss the merging of our covens.¡±


    Elena doesn¡¯t try to stop me. She got what she wanted.


    And I lost everything.


    **


    Ruby


    I wake up in my bed. That shouldn¡¯t be unusual, but it is. Somehow, I expected to wake up somewhere else.


    Memories m into me and I sit up with a gasp.


    Thest thing I remember was the anesthetist putting me under. The surgeon was going to remove the chip from my liver.


    My middle twinges with pain, and I pull up my shirt to find a thick bandage.


    Someone must have brought me back while I was asleep.


    I bet Katherine pulled some serious strings to get me released from the hospital.


    Maybe she thought it was too obvious a location for Elena to look and thought I would be safer at home, though I don¡¯t see why she didn¡¯t bring me to us¡¯s apartment.


    As I reach over for my phone to call us, my hand brushes over a piece of paper on my dresser. I pick it up and find that it¡¯s a letter addressed to me.


    Dear Ruby,


    I¡¯m so sorry to do this by letter, but I think it¡¯ll be easier this way.


    Elena was only willing to trade one thing for your life: me. She insisted on the mating immediately. She and I are now bound by a vampire mating bond. This bond is irreversible.


    I cannot be with anyone else.


    It broke my heart to do, but it was the only way to save your life. I¡¯d rather you have a life and a chance at happiness, even if it can¡¯t be with me.


    Elena has agreed to adopt my standards for the treatment of humans, so the office is safe. I leave it up to you whether or not you return to work but know that if you do, it will be as my employee only.


    This is the end for us, Ruby.


    I¡¯m sorry.


    I love you.


    us.


    I stare at the message, tears running down my face. No. This can¡¯t be.


    I crumple the paper in my fist.


    I¡¯m not going to give up.


    ncing at the clock, I see it¡¯s halfway through the workday, but us will forgive me for beingte.


    There are painkillers in the drawer, which I gulp down with a ss of water before heading to work.


    ***


    Ruby


    Ruby! What are you doing here? You¡¯ve just had surgery. Here, sit down.¡±


    Amelia tries to usher me to a chair, but I brush her off.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Amelia. I need to see us.¡±


    I¡¯m not exactly fine ¨C my abdomen hurts quite a bit and I¡¯m already exhausted from the short trip to the office ¨C but my need to see us overrides that.


    It¡¯s impossible not to notice the changes, even as I make a beeline for us¡¯s office.


    All of Katherine¡¯s people are gone, reced with Elena¡¯s. It¡¯s easy to tell who the humans and vampires are.


    The humans are all thin and pale, their eyes wide and they jump at small movements. Up until recently, they¡¯ve been prisoners.


    us¡¯s people are working too hard to teach them how to run the business, though I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re all qualified.


    us is waiting for me.


    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t havee.¡±


    I ignore this and fling my arms around him.


    us returns the hug for a moment but then steps away with a sigh.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do this, Ruby. We can only have a working rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Why? We were together before, with Katherine.¡±


    ¡°Katherine and I weren¡¯t mated. Please, sit down.¡±


    us looks so lost and hurt that I can¡¯t bring myself to argue with him right now. At least until he¡¯s done exining.


    I sit opposite his desk, hating the space between us.


    When two vampires mate, it¡¯s impossible for them to be with another vampire physically. They can only get aroused for their mate. That¡¯s why we can¡¯t¡­ why I tried to do everything except a mate.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I¡¯m human, not a vampire. So what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°The problem is that if I¡¯m with you now, I¡¯ll just fall even more in love with you than I¡¯ll already be. What then? My options are watching you age and die, or turning you into a vampire, and thus ensuring I can¡¯t be with you.¡±


    But¡­ you could¡­¡± I struggle to think of a way out, but the answer is staring right at me out of us¡¯s dead, hopeless eyes.


    I wish I was strong enough to be with you and watch you die, but ?¡¯m not.¡±


    I never should have opened my heart to anyone again. I knew how dangerous it was, and now look what I¡¯ve done. Please understand, I can¡¯t spend a lifetime with you only to lose you.¡±


    Perhaps I should be mad, but ?¡¯m not.


    I can¡¯t even begin to imagine what it¡¯s like to be immortal, to watch those around you die over and over again.


    I can¡¯t say I¡¯d do any better than us in those circumstances.


    ¡°There has to be some way to undo the mating. I¡¯m safe now. We just need to reverse it.¡±


    us smiles sadly.


    ¡°I know you want to fight for us, and I swear, if there was a way, Id be right beside you.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that vampires over the ages have wanted to end matings? It¡¯s been tried more times than I can possibly count, by people a lot smarter and more knowledgeable than me. It¡¯s not possible.¡±


    I¡¯m shaking my head, but no words wille out. The door to my happiness is closing rapidly, and I can¡¯t see any way to stop it.


    I try to change the subject, to buy myself time to think.


    ¡°What about the other humans here, the new ones? Will they be working with us?


    For now. Not all of them are suited or qualified for this business, but I¡¯m taking them on until they regain their feet. Most of them are traumatized and not able to rejoin the wider world yet.¡±


    I¡¯ll give them a job as long as they need it, and then help them get a new position somewhere else if they decide to move on.


    ¡°The business will probably run a bit slower. Elena and I had a fight about it, actually.¡±


    ¡°I assume she objects tomon kindness?¡±Apparently.¡±


    She says that it¡¯s a bad business decision to hang onto workers who probably won¡¯t be able to contribute much for weeks, and even after a few weeks, only some are qualified to be in this field.¡±


    It probably is a bad business decision¡­ but it¡¯s a good moral decision.¡±


    us rolls his eyes.


    ¡°Try telling that Elena¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I fidget with my sweater, not sure what else to say. us seems to have no such problem.


    I¡¯ll send the work I need you to do to your email. I think it¡¯s best to limit in-person interactions between us. It¡¯ll just make things easier. If you want to participate in the ritual, you can, but it won¡¯t be with me. It¡¯ll just make things harder, I think.¡±


    Just like that, I hear the door mming irreversibly closed on my chances for happiness.

 Twenty five

    Worth Fighting for


    ***


    Ruby pov


    I blink back tears as I walk to my desk. Amelia is waiting for me there.


    us told me everything,¡± she says quietly. ¡°I think he wanted you to have Someone to talk to.¡±


    I take deep breaths, pulling resolve from within myself.


    You¡¯re right. I need someone to help mee up with a n.¡±Ruby¡­¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not giving up on us. I understand why he¡¯s given up. He¡¯s lost too many people. It hurts him too much to fight. But what we have is worth fighting for, and I¡¯m going to find a way to fix this.¡±


    Amelia just looks at me, and I look back.


    Whatever she sees in my eyes must convince her, because she finally nods.


    ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°The ritual. us is hopeless and lost right now. I¡¯m going to need to take a leave of absence to try to find some solution to the mating problem, but I can¡¯t leave him like this. I need to leave him with a sweet


    memory, to give him hope.


    ¡°You¡¯re allowed in the ritual, but it¡¯ll have to be with someone else. us won¡¯t take you,¡±


    ¡°He will if we do it the same way as the first time.


    Amelia chuckles. ¡°You mean if we ambush him halfway through?¡±


    ¡°Will you do it?¡±


    Ok, I¡¯ll do it, but if us is mad at me, I¡¯m directing him to you.¡±


    ¡°Done.¡±


    ***


    Ruby


    The next ritual is in two days, and I spend those days lulling us into a false sense of security.


    I don¡¯t go to his office and respond to his emails in a purely professional manner, with nothing personal added in.


    The only times I see him areas he enters and leaves at the beginning and end of each day.


    He nods at me as he passes, and I nod back.


    If I didn¡¯t know him so well, I¡¯d say he doesn¡¯t care, but I know better than that.


    When the ritual is announced at the end of the next day, I get up along with the humans who signed up.


    Most of Elena¡¯s people have opted out, but there is one who decided to give it a try.


    He¡¯s trembling from head to foot. I walk up to him.


    ¡°Hey. I¡¯m Ruby.¡±


    ¡°John.¡± He tilts his head to the room. ¡°I suppose we go in?¡±


    We do. But if you want to stop at any time, you can.¡±


    So how does it work with this coven? Do we just¡­ get chosen?¡±


    That¡¯s how it usually works, but us has made a different arrangement for the people from Elena¡¯s coven.¡±


    He knows you¡¯ve suffered in the past, so for  the first few times any of you wants to participate in the ritual, he¡¯ll assign one vampire to take care of you based on your preferences.¡±


    They will be thoroughly briefed on your history and triggers ¨C that¡¯s why the form you had to fill in is so much longer than the usual one. We want this to be a positive experience for you.¡±


    John nods, seeming slightly calmer. The two of us walk into the dimly lit ritual room.


    us beckons Amelia,  who goes eagerly to him. We suspected he would choose her, but we weren¡¯t sure. If he didn¡¯t, our n would have been a bust.


    John?¡± Rnd is wearing just his pants as hees over to us. ¡°I¡¯m Rnd. I¡¯ll be taking care of you tonight.¡±


    John gulps. ¡°Do I ¨C do I undress?


    ¡°Not yet. There isn¡¯t enough space for all of us to work at once here. I was thinking while we wait for a spot to open up, we could go to the other room and have a drink. Talk for a bit. Get to know each other.¡±It¡¯s the right approach to take.


    ¡°I-I¡¯d like that.¡±


    I give John a thumbs up as Rnd leads him away. As curious as I am to see how things go for John, my eyes are drawn to us.


    He¡¯s kissing Amelia, and it¡¯s hard not to be jealous. For our n to work, I need to wait until he¡¯s so lost in hunger and lust that he won¡¯t be able to resist.


    I move back, pretending to be waiting for my turn like the other humans.


    I watch carefully as us¡¯s movements be choppy and urgent. He finally spreads Amelia¡¯s legs.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    us stops at once, sitting back on his heels. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    In answer, Amelia rolls away. I slip easily into her ce. Like most of the people in the room, I¡¯m already naked.


    us¡¯s eyes narrow. ¡°Ruby, I told you-¡±


    I stop his words with a kiss.


    us stiffens for a few moments, but as I keep kissing him, he finally moans in surrender.


    I tilt my neck, giving him better ess to my carotid artery. He can¡¯t bite yet, but he can smell the blood pulsing in my neck.


    usys me out on my back, looking at me like I¡¯m the most priceless thing in the world.


    ¡°This is a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s a perfect idea.¡±


    In case he¡¯s getting any second thoughts, I grab his cock, giving it several firm pumps.


    ¡°Take me.¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    His eyes are gleaming, and I know this isn¡¯t a rejection. He just wants to make sure I¡¯m wet enough to take him.


    I¡¯m certainly notining.


    There is a setlist that vampires at the ritual go through ¨C kissing, nipples, clit or dick, then pration. With me, us abandons the list entirely.


    He kisses me until we¡¯re both breathless, then kisses me some more. Without breaking away, he reaches a hand down and pushes two fingers into my pussy.


    Fuck, that feels amazing.


    I thrust against him, my pussy clenching around his fingers. They¡¯re so good, but not quite enough.


    ¡°You want something more?


    ¡°Yes, please,¡± I breathe, more than ready to move on to the pration part of the ritual.


    Instead of climbing atop me and positioning himself, us leans to the side, getting something out of a crate at the edge of the room.


    I know exactly what¡¯s in that crate, and sure enough, hees up with a huge purple dildo.


    ¡°You want it?¡±


    I nod eagerly.


    us sets it on the highest setting and slowly pushes it into me.


    The vibrations seem to go all the way. through my body, setting every nerve tingling with pleasure.


    us moves the dildo too slowly, and I writhe in frustration. He knows I need it hard and fast.


    There¡¯s one way to make sure I get what I want.


    I get around onto my hands and knees. The movement dislodges the dildo, and us doesn¡¯t put it back in.


    I want your dick, us.¡±


    His body is suddenly draped over mine, his mouth by my neck. ¡°As you wish.¡±


    He thrusts into me so hard that I would have fallen on my face if he wasn¡¯t holding me.


    Yes, this is what I need.


    I m myself back onto us¡¯s cock over. and over again. The heat of lust overtakes me, and I forget all about Elena and the. impossible situation us and I face.


    It¡¯s just him and me, our bodies pping together loudly, but I¡¯m too far gone to care.


    us can read my mind, so of course, he knows exactly what I need. He fingers my clit for a minute but then reces his fingers with the still vibrating dildo.


    Oh oh, us! Fuck!¡±


    I move to support myself with one arm so that I can use the other to grab his hand and grind the dildo more firmly onto my clit.


    I can feel my releaseing, and ignore my tired legs as I thrust back onto us¡¯s cock.


    I just manage to choke out a warning. ¡°Now, us- Then I¡¯ming,ing so hard that I see stars.


    us¡¯s teeth sink into my neck, drawing a scream from me as my body arches around his cock and mouth, impaled and inundated with pleasure.


    When Ie down, us is holding me.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The ritual is going on around us, but all I see is him


    His cock is still in my pussy, but it¡¯s soft. I lie with my back against his chest, enjoying the feeling of being sated and close to him.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear youining.¡±


    us chuckles.


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t, did you? This was ourst time, Ruby.¡±


    I turn around, letting his cock slip out of my pussy.


    ¡°For now. I¡¯m not giving up on us.¡±


    Across the room, I can see Elena ring at us with her arms folded. us ignores her, and I do the same.


    us will have to deal with her anger; no doubt he agreed not to be with me, and he¡¯s gone back on that. I have more important. things to do than deal with Elena.


    I¡¯m going to fix this.


    Worth Fighting for


    ***


    Ruby pov


    I blink back tears as I walk to my desk. Amelia is waiting for me there.


    us told me everything,¡± she says quietly. ¡°I think he wanted you to have Someone to talk to.¡±


    I take deep breaths, pulling resolve from within myself.


    You¡¯re right. I need someone to help mee up with a n.¡±Ruby¡­¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not giving up on us. I understand why he¡¯s given up. He¡¯s lost too many people. It hurts him too much to fight. But what we have is worth fighting for, and I¡¯m going to find a way to fix this.¡±


    Amelia just looks at me, and I look back.


    Whatever she sees in my eyes must convince her, because she finally nods.


    ¡°What do you need me to do?¡±


    ¡°The ritual. us is hopeless and lost right now. I¡¯m going to need to take a leave of absence to try to find some solution to the mating problem, but I can¡¯t leave him like this. I need to leave him with a sweet


    memory, to give him hope.


    ¡°You¡¯re allowed in the ritual, but it¡¯ll have to be with someone else. us won¡¯t take you,¡±


    ¡°He will if we do it the same way as the first time.


    Amelia chuckles. ¡°You mean if we ambush him halfway through?¡±


    ¡°Will you do it?¡±


    Ok, I¡¯ll do it, but if us is mad at me, I¡¯m directing him to you.¡±


    ¡°Done.¡±


    ***


    Ruby


    The next ritual is in two days, and I spend those days lulling us into a false sense of security.


    I don¡¯t go to his office and respond to his emails in a purely professional manner, with nothing personal added in.


    The only times I see him areas he enters and leaves at the beginning and end of each day.


    He nods at me as he passes, and I nod back.


    If I didn¡¯t know him so well, I¡¯d say he doesn¡¯t care, but I know better than that.


    When the ritual is announced at the end of the next day, I get up along with the humans who signed up.


    Most of Elena¡¯s people have opted out, but there is one who decided to give it a try.


    He¡¯s trembling from head to foot. I walk up to him.


    ¡°Hey. I¡¯m Ruby.¡±


    ¡°John.¡± He tilts his head to the room. ¡°I suppose we go in?¡±


    We do. But if you want to stop at any time, you can.¡±


    So how does it work with this coven? Do we just¡­ get chosen?¡±


    That¡¯s how it usually works, but us has made a different arrangement for the people from Elena¡¯s coven.¡±


    He knows you¡¯ve suffered in the past, so for  the first few times any of you wants to participate in the ritual, he¡¯ll assign one vampire to take care of you based on your preferences.¡±


    They will be thoroughly briefed on your history and triggers ¨C that¡¯s why the form you had to fill in is so much longer than the usual one. We want this to be a positive experience for you.¡±


    John nods, seeming slightly calmer. The two of us walk into the dimly lit ritual room.


    us beckons Amelia,  who goes eagerly to him. We suspected he would choose her, but we weren¡¯t sure. If he didn¡¯t, our n would have been a bust.


    John?¡± Rnd is wearing just his pants as hees over to us. ¡°I¡¯m Rnd. I¡¯ll be taking care of you tonight.¡±


    John gulps. ¡°Do I ¨C do I undress?


    ¡°Not yet. There isn¡¯t enough space for all of us to work at once here. I was thinking while we wait for a spot to open up, we could go to the other room and have a drink. Talk for a bit. Get to know each other.¡±It¡¯s the right approach to take.


    ¡°I-I¡¯d like that.¡±


    I give John a thumbs up as Rnd leads him away. As curious as I am to see how things go for John, my eyes are drawn to us.


    He¡¯s kissing Amelia, and it¡¯s hard not to be jealous. For our n to work, I need to wait until he¡¯s so lost in hunger and lust that he won¡¯t be able to resist.


    I move back, pretending to be waiting for my turn like the other humans.


    I watch carefully as us¡¯s movements be choppy and urgent. He finally spreads Amelia¡¯s legs.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    us stops at once, sitting back on his heels. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    In answer, Amelia rolls away. I slip easily into her ce. Like most of the people in the room, I¡¯m already naked.


    us¡¯s eyes narrow. ¡°Ruby, I told you-¡±


    I stop his words with a kiss.


    us stiffens for a few moments, but as I keep kissing him, he finally moans in surrender.


    I tilt my neck, giving him better ess to my carotid artery. He can¡¯t bite yet, but he can smell the blood pulsing in my neck.


    usys me out on my back, looking at me like I¡¯m the most priceless thing in the world.


    ¡°This is a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s a perfect idea.¡±


    In case he¡¯s getting any second thoughts, I grab his cock, giving it several firm pumps.


    ¡°Take me.¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    His eyes are gleaming, and I know this isn¡¯t a rejection. He just wants to make sure I¡¯m wet enough to take him.


    I¡¯m certainly notining.


    There is a setlist that vampires at the ritual go through ¨C kissing, nipples, clit or dick, then pration. With me, us abandons the list entirely.


    He kisses me until we¡¯re both breathless, then kisses me some more. Without breaking away, he reaches a hand down and pushes two fingers into my pussy.


    Fuck, that feels amazing.


    I thrust against him, my pussy clenching around his fingers. They¡¯re so good, but not quite enough.


    ¡°You want something more?


    ¡°Yes, please,¡± I breathe, more than ready to move on to the pration part of the ritual.


    Instead of climbing atop me and positioning himself, us leans to the side, getting something out of a crate at the edge of the room.


    I know exactly what¡¯s in that crate, and sure enough, hees up with a huge purple dildo.


    ¡°You want it?¡±


    I nod eagerly.


    us sets it on the highest setting and slowly pushes it into me.


    The vibrations seem to go all the way. through my body, setting every nerve tingling with pleasure.


    us moves the dildo too slowly, and I writhe in frustration. He knows I need it hard and fast.


    There¡¯s one way to make sure I get what I want.


    I get around onto my hands and knees. The movement dislodges the dildo, and us doesn¡¯t put it back in.


    I want your dick, us.¡±


    His body is suddenly draped over mine, his mouth by my neck. ¡°As you wish.¡±


    He thrusts into me so hard that I would have fallen on my face if he wasn¡¯t holding me.


    Yes, this is what I need.


    I m myself back onto us¡¯s cock over. and over again. The heat of lust overtakes me, and I forget all about Elena and the. impossible situation us and I face.


    It¡¯s just him and me, our bodies pping together loudly, but I¡¯m too far gone to care.


    us can read my mind, so of course, he knows exactly what I need. He fingers my clit for a minute but then reces his fingers with the still vibrating dildo.


    Oh oh, us! Fuck!¡±


    I move to support myself with one arm so that I can use the other to grab his hand and grind the dildo more firmly onto my clit.


    I can feel my releaseing, and ignore my tired legs as I thrust back onto us¡¯s cock.


    I just manage to choke out a warning. ¡°Now, us- Then I¡¯ming,ing so hard that I see stars.


    us¡¯s teeth sink into my neck, drawing a scream from me as my body arches around his cock and mouth, impaled and inundated with pleasure.


    When Ie down, us is holding me.


    The ritual is going on around us, but all I see is him


    His cock is still in my pussy, but it¡¯s soft. I lie with my back against his chest, enjoying the feeling of being sated and close to him.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear youining.¡±


    us chuckles.


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t, did you? This was ourst time, Ruby.¡±


    I turn around, letting his cock slip out of my pussy.


    ¡°For now. I¡¯m not giving up on us.¡±


    Across the room, I can see Elena ring at us with her arms folded. us ignores her, and I do the same.


    us will have to deal with her anger; no doubt he agreed not to be with me, and he¡¯s gone back on that. I have more important. things to do than deal with Elena.


    I¡¯m going to fix this.

 Twenty six

    Stay Away from Witches


    ***


    Ruby


    Finding out Katherine lives isn¡¯t hard.


    A couple of people in us¡¯s coven have been on errands to drop documents off at her house and it doesn¡¯t take much persuading to get them to give up the location, not after I tell them my purpose.


    She doesn¡¯t look surprised when she opens her door to find me standing in front of her.


    I suppose she recognizes me by scent by now.


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    Can Ie in?¡±


    Katherine¡¯s mouth twists into an expression of annoyance, but she nods.


    Apparently, working together to save us hasn¡¯t made her like me any more than she previously did.


    I sit down on a couch in the living room uninvited. I don¡¯t bother with small talk and get straight to the point.


    ¡°I need your help. I have to figure out how to undo us and Elena¡¯s mating bond.¡±


    ¡°And why would I help you?¡±


    Here ites. The gamble. If I¡¯m wrong, I¡¯ll probably have no chance of fixing things with us.


    Because I think that despite everything, you care about us. I think you want him to be happy, even if he can¡¯t be happy with you.


    Katherine stares at me for so long that I begin to wonder if she¡¯ll ever answer. I¡¯m considering giving up and just walking out when she finally speaks.


    ¡°What help could I possibly offer you? The mating bond is unbreakable.¡±


    So everyone keeps telling me, that there has to be away. I get that you don¡¯t know of anyway, but there must be someone else I can go to, someone who might know more.


    Katherine¡¯s expression flickers for a moment before she pulls a carefully nk look back onto her face.


    ¡°What is it? You¡¯ve thought of something.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a good option.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not looking for a good option. I¡¯m looking for an option. Whether it¡¯s good or not is for me to decide.¡±


    When Katherine doesn¡¯t answer, I continue to press her.


    I walked into a coven of murderous vampires to save us¡¯s life. Do you really think I¡¯ll shy away from any potential way to fix this just because it¡¯s difficult, or dangerous?¡±


    Actually, I don¡¯t, and that¡¯s exactly the problem. You¡¯re right. I do care about us¡¯s happiness. It¡¯s impossible to work with him for years and not end up admiring him.


    ¡± As much as I don¡¯t like it, I know you make him happy.¡±


    Even if you can¡¯t be with him, you are at least alive and have the potential to find happiness with someone else.


    ¡°If you die now, it will destroy him.¡±


    Not being together is destroying him! You haven¡¯t seen him, Katherine. He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯s trying to be strong, but he¡¯s hurting just as much as I am. At least tell me what you¡¯ve thought of. I can decide if it¡¯s worth the risk or not.¡±


    I¡¯m already going through the list of other options in my head. If Katherine won¡¯t help me, I¡¯ll find someone else who will.


    The world is full of vampires. One of them will tell me what I want to know, for the right price.


    ¡®Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Katherine youarled.


    Do you think all vampires are like us? The vast majority of them are like Elena. They view humans as nothing more than a food


    ¡°Source. They would tear you apart.¡±


    I¡¯m not going to give up. You should know better than that by now. If you¡¯re worried about my safety should I go to other vampires, I suggest you tell me what you know so that I don¡¯t have to.¡±


    You¡¯re impossible. I don¡¯t understand what


    ¡°us sees in you.¡±


    I don¡¯t respond, fixing Katherine with a steady gaze.


    ¡°Fine, but I tell you, it¡¯s not a good idea. I still don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible to undo a mating ritual, but if there¡¯s anyone who away has a way, it would be witches.¡±


    I remember us mentioning how some of the magic of the rituales from witches, but we never really discussed the subject in detail.


    ¡°Great, so where can I find some witches?¡±


    ¡°Bad idea, Ruby. ¡®Stay away from witches¡¯ is the first thing all new vampires are taught.¡±


    ¡°Dealing with them is difficult at best, deadly at worst. That¡¯s why we try to preserve the ritual items we get from them as well as we can, to avoid having to contact a witch coven for as long as possible.¡±


    Except you have to contact them eventually, so it¡¯s obviously possible to do so without being killed.¡±


    ¡°For a vampire! Humans don¡¯t even know about witches. Trust me, a coven would not react turned you turning up on their doorstep asking for magical help. They¡¯re likely to kill you just for knowing about them.¡±


    ¡°Thene with me.¡±


    Katherine looks like she can¡¯t decide between bodily dragging me from her house and ripping my head off. ¡°You are insane.¡±


    ¡®So are youing or not?¡±


    I¡¯m kind of d I can¡¯t read her thoughts; watching Katherine¡¯s expression is scary enough.


    Fine! If it will get you and your death wish out of my life, fine. Let¡¯s go.¡±N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    I hurry after her to the car.


    Katherine doesn¡¯t talk as she drives us through the city. I can tell she¡¯s silently fuming. I don¡¯t say anything to her.


    No need to poke a sleeping dragon in the eye.


    We finally ordinary-looking-looking block of apartments.


    ¡°This is yourst chance to turn back. There¡¯s an entire coven of witches in that block. If they decide to kill us, I don¡¯t have the power to stop them.¡±


    I¡¯m doing it. I have to. But you¡¯re wee to stay here.¡±


    Katherine just rolls her eyes as she gets out of the car. I follow a step behind her.


    When she rings the bell, the gate opens without anyone asking who she is or what her business is.


    Maybe witches are psychic?


    ¡°No, but they are able to recognize people with magic in much the same way vampires do with our senses.¡±


    ¡°Useful skill to have.¡±


    Katherine doesn¡¯t reply.


    We take the elevator up to the top floor and go to apartment seventeen.


    The door is already open.


    Katherine pauses at the doorway. Sara? May wee in?¡±


    ¡°What is this you¡¯ve brought me, Katherine?¡±


    A petitioner. She¡¯s here to ask for your help.¡± Bring her, then.¡±


    Sara is tall and thin, with bright red hair that makes a shocking contrast with her pale skin.


    She gestures for us to sit down. I sit closer to Katherine than I would normally have. Sara is already giving me the creeps.


    ¡°What is your business here?


    I¡¯m Ruby. I need your help breaking a vampire mating bond.¡±


    Sara exchanges a look with Katherine. ¡°You are apanied here by a vampire. Surely she has already told you that mating bonds are unbreakable.


    She has, but I¡¯m not willing to ept that.¡±


    Let me guess. You are in love with a mated vampire?¡±


    ¡°Yes


    And he doesn¡¯t want to be with a human, because it means he¡¯ll have to watch her age and die?¡±


    That¡¯s right.¡±


    Does this mean she¡¯s dealt with these kinds of problems before? Maybe she already has a solution.


    ¡°There is no way to break a vampire mating bond¡­ but there is still a way you could be with your love.¡±


    My heart leaps.


    I take anything, even if it¡¯s not breaking the bond. As long as I can be with a us.


    ¡°What do I need to do?¡±


    It is for your ears alone. Katherine, please leave us. Unless you need something from me?¡±


    ¡°No, our supplies are still good. Just¡­ don¡¯t hurt her. You¡¯ll bring the wrath of two covens down on yourself if you do.¡±


    I won¡¯t do anything to her that she doesn¡¯t Consent to.¡±


    Katherine doesn¡¯t seem to find this particrlyforting, but she nods¡­ Good luck.¡±


    My nerves mount as Katherine leaves, but I. force myself to meet Sara¡¯s gaze. ¡°Well? What do I need to do?¡±


    Did you know that witches are immortal too, just like vampires?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡±


    We are still human, though, and thus can be. fed off by vampires. There is only one solution to your problem, as far as I know. If you want to be with your love, you need to be a witch.¡±


    I stare at her.


    Be a witch? I had not been expecting it. that.


    ¡°How would I do that?


    ¡°Then how willeter. First, you must decide if this is a path you want to take.


    There will be costs ¨C high ones. It¡¯s not something anyone undertakes lightly.¡±


    I know I should be asking what the costs are, but does it really matter?


    I¡¯m willing to do anything to be with us.


    I don¡¯t need to think about it. Whatever Sara asks of me, I will ept as a fair price to be with him.


    I¡¯ll do it. Tell me what I have to do.¡±

 Twenty seven

    Too Late


    ***


    Ruby


    If you really mean it, then take my hands. Once you have pledged yourself to this path, it cannot be undone, much like the vampire mating ritual.¡±


    I hold out my shaking hands. Sara takes them in hers, gripping tightly.


    She starts chanting in anguage I don¡¯t know. Latin, maybe, or some close derivative.


    Her hands in mine heat up, until it feels like they¡¯ve been in the fire. It¡¯s just on the edge of being painful. I resist the urge to yank my hands away.


    A sh of purple light goes out from our joined hands, lighting the entire room for a moment. I blink a few times, trying to get the imprint out of my eyelids.


    Sara lets go of my hands.


    ¡°It is done. The price has been set in ce. Once it has been paid, you will have the power to wield magic. You will need to be taught how to control it. You will join my Coven.


    What exactly does that entail?¡±


    ¡°Members of my coven will follow my orders, just like vampires do within their own covens. You will still have your own life, but you will need to attend coven meetings, and if I decide that there¡¯s an issue the whole coven needs to be involved in, you will have to help with that.¡±


    What have I gotten myself into?


    What kind of issue?¡±


    ¡°Mostly defense issues with vampires. Don¡¯t worry, though, that doesn¡¯t happen often. I¡¯ll give you some b0oks to read.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a few weeks before your pricepletes, and it¡¯ll help with controlling your magic if you know some of the theory beforehand.¡±


    ¡°What is the price?¡±


    A life.


    I wait for the punchline, but Sara doesn¡¯t so much as smile.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Magic i1s a powerful and elusive element.


    You cannot gain control over it simply by wishing you can. A sacrifice needs to be made.¡±


    Once you gain magic, you will never die.


    That cannot happen without a bnce. For you to be a witch, someone you love has to die by your hand.¡±


    Are you fucking kidding me?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking, Ruby?¡±


    ¡°No. No way! I take it back, I don¡¯t want this. Not at the expense of someone else¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°I told you, you can¡¯t take this back. It¡¯s tote. The price has already been put in motion. Not even witches can stop it now.


    What did you do!¡±


    I realize I¡¯m on my feet, and I¡¯m exerting all of my willpower not to leap on Sara and try to throttle her.


    I suggest you call your ex. You will need to kill him to gain your powers. He will die anyway, but if you don¡¯t do it yourself, he will die slowly and painfully, and you will not gain the power you want.¡±


    Fear and anger war within me. Fear eventually wins out.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    I dash outside and hail a cab. I give the address while dialing Will¡¯s number.


    He¡¯ll be at work. I can meet him there.


    He answers on the first ring. ¡°Ruby. I was Just going to call you. We need to talk.¡±


    Yes, we do! Can you meet me at home?¡±


    I¡¯ll be there.¡± He sounds awful ¨C sad and exhausted.


    What did Sara  do to him?


    I give the driver the changed address, and we head home. I arrive just as Kelly does.


    I run to him, flinging my arms around him.


    ¡°Are you ok?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside.¡±


    I follow Kelly inside, locking the door behind us.


    M


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I can clearly tell that something is wrong. I know Will well enough to know that.


    I sprained my ankle at work. The doctor ordered some tests, just to be sure it wasn¡¯t broken. He saw something funny on the scans, and did further tests. Ruby , I have cancer.¡±


    My heart seems to stop in my chest.


    How bad?¡± I whisper.


    Bad. The doctor says there¡¯s nothing he can do. I have a few weeks at most. I¡¯ll likely need to be admitted to hospital for thest few weeks.¡±


    Apparently, it can get excruciatingly painful. They can give me painkillers, but even those are oflimited use at the end.¡±


    If you don¡¯t do it yourself, he will die slowly and painfully


    Is this what Sara meant? She spelled cancer into Will¡¯s body so that I would be pushed to end if mercifully rather than let him suffer?


    I pull Will into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Rogers.¡±


    This is all my fault.


    Will just nods. Neither of us really knows what else to say.


    Are you¡­ are you still with us?¡±


    The question surprises me, and I hesitate.


    ¡°Am 1?


    ¡°Not at the moment. He broke up with me.


    Thene to bed with me. I want to feel alive before I die.¡±


    How can I refuse him? The grief pounding through my veins demands to be close to Kelly, while I still can be.


    I take Kelly¡¯s hand and lead him to the bedroom.


    For once, I don¡¯t crave being fucked rough


    Mmand hard. This time, I want it gentle, and Will has always been an expert at that.


    He slowly undresses me. I don¡¯t break his gaze as I step out of my pants, then lift my arms so that he can pull my shirt over my head.


    I do the same for him, pulling his pants carefully over his slightly swollen ankle.


    When our clothes are in a pile on the floor, I step up close to Kelly, pressing my body against his. I wrap my arms around his waist, breathing deeply.


    For a while, we just stand like that, but after a while, my hands start to stray downward to his ass.


    Will chuckles and pulls me tighter against him. I can feel his cock starting to rise against my stomach. I grab his ass and tilt my head up toward him.


    Will takes the wordless invitation and kisses me.


    I kiss him back like he¡¯s oxygen and I¡¯m suffocating. I may be in love with us, but I still care about Kelly.


    I desperately don¡¯t want him to die, but I don¡¯t know how to stop it.


    I settle for kissing him more deeply.


    Kelly slowly walks me back to the bed. I lie down, and he lies next to me.


    His cock is fully hard now, and I put a hand on  his chest, stopping him from moving. I want to draw this out, like us always does.


    Stop thinking of us while you¡¯re with Kelly! What is wrong with you,  Ruby?


    I guiltily push the thought of us to the back of my mind.


    Kelly groans as I take his cock into my mouth. He starts thrusting eagerly, and I have to hold his hips down to prevent myself from choking.


    His skin is hot and tastes slightly salty, as usual. I take his cock as deep into my throat as I can, swallowing the little bits ofe that leak out of the tip.


    I swirl my tongue around the head, making Kelly groan again and grab my head, trying to guide mne.


    I pull away, smiling. I¡¯m not ready for him toe yet.


    ¡°Touch me.¡±


    I spread my legs and lie on my back. Kelly goes for my clit at once, which I am absolutely notining about.


    He can¡¯t read my mind, so I guide him with Sound and movement.


    When I feel like I¡¯m about to burst with the need to have him inside me, I finally push him away.


    You ready?¡± Kelly¡¯s pupils are blown wide with lust, and the sight makes my pussy gush even more than it already is.


    T¡¯m ready.¡±


    I pull my knees closer to my chest, closing my eyes as Kelly slides into me.


    His cock feels divine. My pussy clenches around it as he starts moving slowly.


    I pull one of his hands to my breast. He starts circling it with his fingertips, moving ever closer to my nipple.


    I snap my hips up to meet him with increasing urgency. Kelly finally reaches my nipple with his fingers. I gasp as it hardens under his touch.


    Kelly leans down to kiss me. Our lips meet in a crash of lust and need. I buck my hips frantically, small grunts being drawn out of me as Kelly reaches each apex of his thrust.


    When the orgasm hits, the rest of the world fades away.


    I clutch Kelly¡¯s shoulders for dear life as I soar over peaks of pleasure that seem to send bright shes through my body.


    Willes not momentster, thrusting a few more times before pulling out of me.


    The two of use together in each other¡¯s arms, panting and sated.


    As the high of the orgasm fades, reality sets back in. I still have the same problem I had a few minutes ago.


    How amI going to tell Kelly that I¡¯ve sentenced him to die?

 Twenty eight

    A Living Nightmare


    Ruby pov


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Shit. He knows me too well


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Kelly pushes himself up on an elbow to look at me. ¡°We may not be together anymore, but I can still read you like a book.


    ¡°Something¡¯s bothering you. Tell me.¡±


    I suppose I may as well get this over and done with.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t be mad,¡± I whisper.


    I won¡¯t be. Just tell me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s my fault you¡¯ve got cancer. It¡¯s my fault you¡¯re going to die.¡±


    Kelly is already shaking his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not. Leaving someone you love doesn¡¯t cause cancer.¡±


    I know, but witches do.¡±


    What are you talking about?¡±


    I sigh and rest my head on Kelly¡¯s arm then I tell him everything.


    He¡¯s silent for most of it, only asking the asional rifying question. When I¡¯m done, he just looks at me.


    Well? Do you believe me? Are you going to have me carted off to a mental institution?¡±


    I want to.¡± Will lets out a shakyugh.


    You being mad would certainly be the simplest solution. But what you say makes sense, strangely. You don¡¯t have any history of mental illness in your family, and you¡¯re not in the habit of lying, which makes it most likely that you¡¯re telling the truth.¡± I burst into tears.


    ¡°Ruby! What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re- you¡¯re the only one who would believe me.¡±


    I try to get myself under control, but the tears keeping.


    Anyone else would demand proof, but you¡¯ve always believed in me. And now you¡¯re going to die because of me.¡±


    Hey. Hey,e here. Listen, we don¡¯t know that. This type of cancer doesn¡¯t just spring up overnight. Yes, it may be magic. but it might just be that Sara used her. power to discover it, not cause it.¡±Could it be?


    The thought of acquittal is tempting, but I¡¯m still not sure.


    It¡¯s not like it matters anyway.¡± Kelly brushes a few tears off my face. ¡°Whatever caused this, it¡¯s here. I¡¯ve got a few weeks left. I¡¯d like to spend them with you.¡±


    ¡°Id like that too. I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m so sorry, Kelly.¡±


    Kelly lifts my face a bit, forcing me to meet his eyes. ¡°I want you to listen to me carefully, Ruby. I forgive you. Ok? I forgive you.¡±


    ¡°Why? You should hate me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you made a stupid decision, but who hasn¡¯t? Yours wasn¡¯t done out of maliciousness, but love. Besides, I don¡¯t want to leave this world holding any grudges. It just takes too much energy, you know?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared?¡±


    Of course, I¡¯m scared. To be honest, that¡¯s part of the reason I¡¯m so eager to forgive you for everything. I need you to hold my hand through this, and that¡¯ll be easiest if I focus


    on the good between us rather than the bad.¡±


    Whatever you need. I¡¯ll be here until the end.¡±


    The only question is, what end will that be?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Kelly sighs.


    I¡¯m going to die anyway. The doctor says the end will likely be very painful. I¡¯d prefer to avoid that. What if we don¡¯t wait for nature to take its course? What if I stay around until it gets too hard to keep doing, and you do it?¡±


    You¡¯re asking me to kill you?¡±


    It makes sense. I won¡¯t have to suffer a lingering, horrible end, and you get to be with the man you love.¡±


    I don¡¯t care how much sense it makes! I¡¯m not killing you!¡±


    Kelly shrugs. ¡°Just think about it. When the meds stop working¡­ I might need your help, onest time. I¡¯d rather go quickly than be in agony for weeks.¡±


    The thought of Kelly in agony for weeks is gut-wrenching, but the idea of killing him is no better.


    ***


    Ruby


    ¡°Ruby.¡±


    Will¡¯s voice is so soft and hoarse that I have to struggle to hear it.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    I hurry over to his bedside. Will looks like a ghost.


    Five weeks ago, he looked healthy, like he had his whole life ahead of him. Now, cancer has ravaged his body, and he can¡¯t even feed himself.


    I¡¯ve tried everything.


    Katherine¡¯s coven healer couldn¡¯t do anything for him.


    Sara might have been able to, but she refused, and wouldn¡¯t let me talk to her coven healer. I haven¡¯t been able to find any other witch covens.


    Human doctors can¡¯t do anything more for him, not even ease his pain.


    This is my living nightmare.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°More¡­ morphine.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, Kelly. You¡¯re not allowed more for another hour.¡±


    Please¡­


    I struggle to hold back tears. ¡°The doctor says you¡¯ll build up a tolerance.¡±


    Kelly¡¯s face is scrunched up in pain. He¡¯s trembling with it.


    I hate this. I¡¯ve never felt worse in my entire life.


    He should only have a few days left, ording to the doctor, but those few days seem like an eternity when he¡¯s in such


    agony


    ¡°Ruby¡­ remember¡­ what we discussed?¡±


    He has to pause to fight for breath every few words, and I wish he¡¯d save his strength, but he keeps talking.


    About you¡­ ending it for me? I think¡­ we¡¯re there¡­ please¡­ it hurts¡­¡±


    ¡°Kelly, I can¡¯t.¡± I lose my battle against tears. Please.. need you¡­ it hurts too much¡­ please.


    I press a hand over my mouth.


    How can I deny him?


    I¡¯ll never forgive myself for killing him, but neither will I forgive myself for letting him continue to suffer when I can do something about it.


    Slowly, I nod. ¡°It¡¯s ok, Kelly. It l all be over in a minute.¡±


    I stumble to my bedroom, blinded by tears. I grab my pillow and return to Kelly. I press a light kiss to his forehead.


    ¡°Just rx. This will hurt for a moment, but then it will all be over.¡±


    Thank you, Ruby. Never me yourself for this. Be happy. I love you.¡±


    I love you too, Kelly.¡±


    My love for him has changed. I love him as a dear friend, rather than a partner, but right now, that doesn¡¯t matter.


    All that matters is that I have to kill him.


    I press the pillow over Kelly¡¯s face, holding it down tightly. For a few moments, he lies still, but then he starts to struggle.


    He has no strength left in his muscles. After maybe a minute, he goes still.


    I stay where I am, keeping the pillow in. ce. I need to be sure. There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll find the strength to do this again if he¡¯s just unconscious.


    I lose track of how long I stayed frozen in ce, but it must have been at least twenty minutes. Finally, pull the pillow away.


    Kelly¡¯s eyes are open and his face is ck. It¡¯s a horrifying sight, but it¡¯s less disturbing than the view of him in terrible pain.


    I go back to my bedroom and put the pillow down in its ce. Then I return to Kelly. My legs give out, and I find myself sitting on the floor.


    I¡¯m about to call Amelia when my phone starts ringing.


    It¡¯s Sara.


    I hang up. I¡¯m nowhere near ready to talk to her yet.


    I lean back against the wall, staring listlessly up at the ceiling. I should be crying, but I just feel numb. Numb and unable to move.


    I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ll ever be able to move again. Right now, it doesn¡¯t feel like it.


    It feels like the ceiling is slowlying down on me.


    No. Wait. The ceiling really is moving.


    My numbness leaves in a rush as I jump to my feet. The ceiling is slowly but surelying down. The wall edges vanish beneath it.


    What the fuck?


    I try to leave, but the door is jammed.


    ¡°No,e on,¡± I moan, tugging at the handle.


    Maybe this is my punishment for killing Kelly. Either I¡¯m going mad, or this is some kind of divine retribution. I probably deserve it.


    My phone rings again, and this time, I answer it, not caring who it is.


    Sara¡¯s voice fills my ear. ¡°Serena, good. I¡¯ve sensed that your task isplete. Your powers will be manifesting soon. You need to learn to¡±


    ¡°Sara, help! The ceiling ising down and I¡¯m trapped!¡±


    I expect her to tell me that no such thing is happening., but she doesn¡¯t.


    It¡¯s your magic. You need to learn to control it. You need to stay calm and focused.


    One of the paintings on the wall crashes to the ground, knocked off by the descending ceiling.


    ¡°I¡¯m finding that a little difficult right now!¡±


    Sara swears quietly. ¡°Ok, I¡¯m on my way. Just hang tight.¡±


    ¡°I DON¡¯T HAVE TIME FOR YOU TO DRIVE ACROSS TOWN, THE CEILING IS COMING DOWN NOW!¡±


    The line goes dead.


    The ceiling advances on me. I cringe, going to the ground in a ball and making myself as small as possible, but that doesn¡¯t help. The ceiling keeps grinding downward, ever closer to me.

 Chapter Twenty nine

    A Way Forward


    **


    us


    As always, I look to Ruby¡¯s desk as Ie in. As always, it¡¯s empty.


    She said she was taking a leave of absence, but it¡¯s been two months now.


    I don¡¯t think she¡¯sing back.


    I get started on my work, stopping briefly about an hour in to get a coffee. I nce at Ruby¡¯s desk, and my legs almoste out


    from under me.


    There she is, sitting there like she never left.


    Ruby!¡± I rush toward her and have to clench my arms to my sides to stop myself from hugging her.


    You¡¯re back.¡±


    She smiles at me. Her smile is as bright as ever, but she looks tired. ¡°I¡¯m back. Can we talk?¡±


    Of course.¡±


    Elena isn¡¯t in yet. At my insistence, she¡¯s helping some of the humans she previously held against their will to assimte into therger world.


    A lot of them have left, but some have chosen to stay with us. Nate is doing particrly well, no doubt because of Rnd.


    I start to walk to my office, but Ruby grabs my wrist.


    ¡°Not there. Too many ears. Can we go to your ce?¡±


    There¡¯s something different about her, but I can¡¯t quite put my finger on it.


    For some reason, I can¡¯t read her thoughts at the moment.


    Elena lives with me now. We could go for coffee?


    ¡°Maybe a hotel.¡±


    I know I shouldn¡¯t, but the thought of being alone with her, with no one listening, is too good to resist.


    A hotel is, then.


    ***


    us


    About half an hourter, we are seated on opposite couches in the honeymoon suite of the best hotel in town.


    Ruby skips all the small talk. ¡°I¡¯ve fixed things.¡±


    What do you mean? You can¡¯t fix the mating bond. It¡¯s permanent.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is. So is magic.¡±


    No. Surely she can¡¯t mean what I think she means.


    What have you done?¡±


    I¡¯m a witch now, us. I¡¯ve joined Elena¡¯s coven. I¡¯m immortal, but you can still feed on me. Being able to stop vampires from reading my mind 1s Just a bonus.¡±


    *Are you insane, Ruby!


    ¡°Possibly. But that¡¯s not the point.¡±


    I don¡¯t want to shout at her, but ites tumbling out without my permission.


    Don¡¯t you realize that magices with a price? You¡¯ve just doomed an innocent. person to die!¡±


    Tears glimmer at the corners of her eyes.


    I know that, us. If I¡¯d known beforehand¡­ but I was hasty and stupid.¡±


    I¡¯ve spent thest few weeks wondering if I even deserve to be with you if I deserve to be happy after what I did. Eventually, Sara took it out of my hands and ordered me here. I¡¯m d she did.¡±


    I can¡¯t believe she did all this for me.


    And here I was, wanting to give up on us.


    There¡¯s something I need to know, though. What was the price?¡±


    Ruby looks away from me.


    ¡°kelly,¡± she whispers. ¡°I had to kill him.¡±


    I wish I could read her thoughts. I know she¡¯d never kill Kelly, but if she¡¯s been taken into the coven, she must have gained magic


    Somehow.


    Since I can¡¯t read her mind anymore, I¡¯m stuck with asking.


    ¡°What happened?


    He got cancer. I¡¯m not sure if Sara gave it to him or if he had it before. Either way, there was nothing the doctors or anyone else


    could do. He was in so much pain at the end.


    The morphine wasn¡¯t working anymore. He begged me to kill him.¡±


    I sit down beside Ruby and put my arms around her, holding her close as she trembles.


    Tm so sorry. You never should have had to go through that.¡±


    Ruby shrugs.


    ¡°It¡¯s in the past. I¡¯m trying to move on. I wouldn¡¯t take that price if it was offered to me again, it¡¯s done and I can¡¯t change it. At


    least now I can be with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s moreplicated than you think. Part of the reason vampire alliances are sealed by matings is in an attempt to emotionally bond the leaders. Most vampires in such alliances expect their mates to be faithful to them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still allowed to feed. She can¡¯t object. to that.¡±


    Yes, but she can object to an Emotional Connection.¡±


    ¡°us Ethan, if you think for one moment that I¡¯m going to let you try to walk away again after everything I¡¯ve been through to make it so that we can be together-¡±


    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying.¡± I take her face in my hands and kiss her gently.


    ¡°I never would have believed it possible, but you truly have found a way for this to work. I¡¯m not so foolish as to walk away from you a second time. I¡¯m just saying it¡¯ll be difficult, and we¡¯ll need to be careful when we find a way forward.¡±


    Ruby melts into my touch.


    ¡°We¡¯re kind of used to that. I guess Elena is the next Katherine. It¡¯ll certainly be easier to sneak around her now that I can shield my thoughts.¡±


    Just make sure not to let slip you¡¯re a witch. There¡¯s no way  Elena will let you stay with thepany if she knows. Vampires and witches typically don¡¯t get on very well.¡±


    I know. Sara has me reading some of the histories. It¡¯ll all be from a witch¡¯s point of view, of course, but I can already see there has been plenty of wrongs done on both sides.¡±


    ¡°Careful you don¡¯t say that in front of Sara.¡±


    I¡¯ll try.¡± Ruby¡¯s eyes are on my lips.


    She leans in closer to me, letting her lips brush gently over mine.


    I suddenly forget all about talking. I suck on her lower lip before pulling her tongue into my mouth.


    Serena flips herself around so that she¡¯s facing me while sitting on myp. I grab her ass, pulling her more firmly against me.


    My cock hardens in response to the pressure.


    I twist my hands in her hair, guiding her movements as we kiss long and deep. It feels like forever since I¡¯ve been with her.


    Ruby only pulls away when we¡¯re both gasping for breath. She quickly pulls off her pants and panties.


    I can smell the slickness of her pussy, but before I can reach for it, she¡¯s untying my pants, letting my cock spring free.


    Any ns of making thisst are gone in an instant. I eagerly pull her back onto myp, positioning her hips with my hands so that my cock slips easily into her pussy.


    We kiss again as our bodies move together, working up a rhythm.


    Her shirt is still on. I growl in displeasure and rip it open, exposing her bra. I rip that too, finally exposing her breasts.


    I grab her hips and lift her up and down on my cock faster than her human limbs could ever manage.


    Ruby is clutching my shoulders, a faint sheen of sweat building upon her skin. I dive down to her breasts, letting my teeth just


    graze the hardened nipples.


    Harder, us,¡± she murmurs.


    I carefully bite down on a nipple Ruby cries out and puts a hand down between us to find her clit. She¡¯s close then.


    This is more difficult without being able to read her thoughts, but I find I don¡¯t really mind.


    I rece her hand with my own, quickly working her up into a frenzy.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Now,¡± Ruby breathes.


    Her pussy tenses impossibly around my cock. I push her hair aside and bite into her beautiful neck. Her sweet blood in my mouth


    is enough to tip me over the edge.


    Mye explodes outward into Ruby¡¯s pussy while I suck her divine blood inward with greedy pulls.


    Ruby slumps forward, her head resting on my shoulder. I can¡¯t see her eyes, but I know they are dreamy. She¡¯s high from the bite.


    I¡¯m toofortable to move right now, so I simply put my arms around her. I don¡¯t keep track of how long we sit here, just listening to each other¡¯s heartbeats.


    Ruby is the first one to move. She presses a light kiss to my lips and carefully gets up. My soft cock slips out of her pussy.


    I¡¯m just going to wash up.¡±


    Tl is right behind you.¡±


    I grab some tissues from the box on the table and clean up before tucking my cock back into my pants.


    I wish I could spend hours here with Ruby, but I have to get back to work.


    The thought of sneaking around again, as we did with Katherine, is exhausting, but the thought of not being with Ruby when there is hope for us is unbearable.


    The only problem is that Elena isn¡¯t Katherine. She¡¯s a hundred times more Ruthless.


    With Katherine, I worried about her breaking off the alliance if she found out about Ruby and me.


    With Elena, I worry about her killing Ruby and me and taking my entire coven down with her.

 Chapter Thirty

    Sneaking Around


    **


    Ruby


    Sneaking around Elena is difficult. us and I don¡¯t dare try anything in the office.


    We keep our contact to a minimum of professionalmunication.


    Even so, Elena suspects something. Her eyes narrow whenever we look at each other, no matter how innocent it is.


    I jump a little when the rm I set on my phone goes off.


    Right.


    Time to leave for my coven meeting. I¡¯ve had to take a reduced schedule at Vamp investments since I¡¯m required to go to coven meetings three times a week.


    They¡¯re actually not bad. Mostly everyone talks about the projects they¡¯re working on. I¡¯m still fine-tuning my control.


    It¡¯s been a long time since something drastic has happened, like the ceiling literallying down, but I¡¯ve had a fair few tes exploding and curtains catching fire.


    I want to tell Arthur I¡¯m leaving, but Elena is watching me. She always seems to be watching me. She¡¯ll surely notice if I share a tender moment with us.


    He knows where I¡¯m going, so I don¡¯t really need to tell him.


    I get up and leave.


    I get to the coven meeting early. Sara is just putting down a te of biscuits.


    Ruby, thank you foring early. I want to talk to you.


    ¡°Sure.¡± I sit down on the couch and grab a biscuit.


    I still haven¡¯t forgiven Sara for Kelly, but she did save me from being crushed by my own ceiling, which definitely counts for something.


    What¡¯s up?¡±


    Now that you¡¯ve assimted back into Vamp Investments, it¡¯s time to take the next step.¡±


    ¡°Next step?¡±


    You can be with us physically, but practically, Verity prevents your rtionship from moving forward.¡±


    ¡°I know. I don¡¯t really know what to do, though. We¡¯ve barely seen each other since I came back. Elena is always waiting to go home with him.¡±


    ¡°You have to kill her.¡±


    I gape at Sara. ¡°What?¡¯


    ¡°You heard me.¡±


    I am not killing her! Do we seriously have to go through this again? You tricked men into killing Kelly. I am NOT going to kill for you again!


    For me? Elena¡¯s death has no benefit for me. This is for you.¡±


    I¡¯m not doing it. Why do you even care?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your coven leader. Why do you think we have these meetings every week? It¡¯s my job to ensure the happiness and sess of the members of my coven. I¡¯m trying to help


    you.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I could order it.¡±


    You know I wouldn¡¯t follow that order. I know that gives you the right to take drastic disciplinary action, but I¡¯d still take that over being a murderer.¡±


    ¡°Think about it, Ruby. You know who Elena is.¡±


    She¡¯s a rapist and a murderer. She¡¯s only changed her ways because of us. He forced her into it, and I can guarantee that if it wasn¡¯t for him, she¡¯d revert to her old practices.¡±


    She¡¯s not wrong there.


    ¡°That still doesn¡¯t give me the right to kill her.¡±


    Sara  shakes her head, as though I¡¯m being


    unbearably dim.


    ¡°When youe around,e to me. I will show you how.¡±


    The other coven members start arriving, but I spend most of the meeting ring at the te of cookies.


    Who does Sara think she is, ying god? No one has the right to kill. She¡¯s crazy¡­


    The worst bit is that there¡¯s a small part of my mind that?¡¯s actually considering it. I want to be with us so badly¡­


    But I can¡¯t, not if it means murder.


    When ites to my turn in the meeting, Sara has me practice by levitating little balls through hoops.


    It¡¯s very difficult.


    I can levitate the balls, but having enough fine control to get them through the small hoops is another story.


    You¡¯re doing well. It¡¯s all about learning control. The better you get at this.¡±


    Sara¡¯s encouragement doesn¡¯t improve my


    mood with her.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She doesn¡¯tin when one of her couch cushions catches fire, calmly cleaning it up.


    I just can¡¯t wait to get back to work, to see us. It¡¯s not like we can discuss anything important with Elena there, but just seeing his face will be afort.


    **


    Ruby


    The moment I get back to VampInvestments, I can tell something is wrong.


    The doors are locked and barred, and I have to beg to get inside. I hurry up to the top floor.


    It¡¯s pandemonium.


    The roof seems to have caved in, leaving a pile of rubble on the floor. us¡¯s and


    Elena covens are working to pull the rubble aside.


    What happened?¡± I hurry over to Amelia, who is standing just outside the radius of flying debris.


    An attack. We think it was a rival coven of Elena¡¯s. They somehow got a bomb in the ceiling. I thought it was going to crush Elena, but us jumped on top of her. He


    probably saved her life.¡±


    I inwardly curse Sara. I wouldn¡¯t put it past her to have orchestrated this, somehow. She clearly doesn¡¯t know us very well, though.


    Of course, us would save Elena, even though his life would be a lot easier with her gone. That¡¯s just the kind of guy he is.


    I try to help with pulling the debris away, but my strength is nothing to match a vampire¡¯s, and I¡¯m just getting in the way. I reluctantly retreat to Amelia and wait.


    us and Elena finally emerge. us¡¯s body is curved over hers. He¡¯s covered in scratches but fortunately seems no worse for the wear.


    He gets up and offers Elena his hand.


    She takes it and gets to her feet, visibly shaking. She throws her arms around us. He murmurs soft words to her that I


    can¡¯t quite make out.


    Elena nods and steps out of his arms, offering him onest grateful smile.


    I stand rooted to the spot. I know that us was just trying to be decent byforting her, but¡­ I don¡¯t like that look.


    I know that trauma bonds people together.


    us has every reason to want to be with Elena.


    What if their rtionship grows closer?


    What if he decides he really does want her as a mate?


    Ruby!¡± us spots me and hurries over, pulling me into a hug. Right now, I don¡¯t care about Elena seeing.


    I¡¯m so d you were gone when it happened.¡± He runs his hands through my hair, still holding me close.


    ¡°This shouldn¡¯t have happened at all. I thought the alliance was to stop this kind of. thing?


    ¡°There are bound to be some ups and downs. in the beginning. Soon enough, other covens will learn that we¡¯re too strong to be messed with.¡±


    We need to talk. There¡¯s something I have to tell you.¡±


    us nces around. ¡°I can¡¯t leave now. I need to make sure everyone is ok. Tonight?¡±


    Tonight,¡± I agree.


    us doesn¡¯t get any work done for the rest of the day.


    He instead goes from person to person, listening to their worries, and offering them calm, reassuring words.


    He doesn¡¯t differentiate between humans and vampires, or vampires of his or Elena¡¯s coven.


    Elena quietly watches him from the background. I can¡¯t tell what¡¯s going through her head, but she looks deep in thought.


    When the workday finally ends, Elena catches us just as he¡¯s walking past my desk. ¡°Shall we go home? I could use some wine and a hot bath.¡±


    Tl has to meet you there. I still have some employee concerns after the attack.¡±


    It¡¯s a smooth lie, and Elena seems to believe it. ¡°Don¡¯t stay out toote. We have work tomorrow.¡±


    She gives us another strange look, devoid of the general hostility I¡¯ve be used to seeing from her.


    us and I meet at a coffee shop, taking a table at the back where no one is likely to notice us.


    I don¡¯t know how long we have before he¡¯ll


    have to get back to Elena, so I get straight to it.


    Sara wants me to kill Elena.¡±


    us doesn¡¯t look all that surprised.


    ¡°What did you tell her?¡±


    What do you think I told her? I said no!¡±


    How can he even ask me that?


    us nods slowly.


    ¡°This is turning out more difficult than I had. nned. Elena  is¡­ she¡¯s different than I expected. I think she must feel the same. Her attitude is changing. She asked me on a date


    today.¡±


    What did you say!¡±


    ¡°What could I say? I told her yes. She¡¯s my mate. I pledged myself to her.¡±


    us looks miserable, but that¡¯s nothingpared to how I feel.


    ¡°Do you have feelings for her, us?¡±


    Of course not!¡±


    Do you think you could have feelings for her in time?¡±


    us  opens his mouth, but no wordse out.


    My heart falters.


    What if after all this, us falls for his mate? I don¡¯t think my heart will survive that.


    I stare at him, willing him to tell me no, that he¡¯ll never have feelings for her, but us just looks away, his lips pressed tightly together.

 Chapter Thirty one

    I¡¯m Not Leaving You


    ***


    us


    I¡¯m saved from answering by the ringing of my phone. I avoid Ruby¡¯s gaze as I answer Elena.


    I stare hard at the table, but I can still catch glimpses of Ruby¡¯s expression of outrage.


    us, we have a problem. How soon can you get home?¡±


    I¡¯m kind of in the middle of something.¡±


    One of my spies in a rival coven has gotten wind of an attack. They¡¯ve heard that I¡¯ve mated, and they want to strike now before alliances between our two covens are solidified.¡±


    Shit! I¡¯ll be home in ten minutes.¡±


    Ruby is staring at me, a mixture of hurt and rm on her face. ¡°An attack?¡±


    It¡¯s not unusual for there to be bumps in the road with new alliances.


    The longer two covens are united by a mating, the more united they will be.


    Any rivals would do well to attack the alliance near the beginning.¡±


    ¡°What do we do?¡±


    I pull some cash out of my wallet and drop it on the table, offering Ruby my arm.


    We pull all the humans out of the office for a start.


    ¡°I lead her away, ncing to the shadowy corners of the shop, but there are no hostile vampires lurking there.


    No. The others, sure, but I¡¯m not leaving you, us.¡±


    ¡°This is not a good time to decide to take a stand, Ruby. You and the other humans will all be safer working from home until this is done.¡±


    What if one of you gets injured? Who¡¯s going to feed you?¡±


    She has me there. Covens that don¡¯t care about human life are happy to keep their human employees on even during dangerous times like these.


    We¡¯ll manage.


    Of course, you will, because I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±Ruby-¡±


    us, stop. I¡¯m staying, and that is final.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your boss! If I say you work from home, then that¡¯s what you¡¯re going to do.¡±


    This isn¡¯t a work decision, and you know it.


    It¡¯s a personal decision, and personally, we are equals, even if you are my boss in the business world.¡±


    Again, she has me there.


    I¡¯ve got to get home. Elena and I need to n. We can discuss this over the phone tomorrow-¡±


    We can discuss it tomorrow in the office.


    Goodnight, us.¡±


    Ruby brushes a light kiss over my lips and hurries away. I¡¯m left gnashing my teeth but unable to run after her and convince her otherwise, as I have to get to Elena.


    Elena. Anotherplication.


    I had thought that Elena was simply evil, but the longer she¡¯s a part of my coven, I¡¯m starting to doubt that. She was raised to believe as she does, but as time goes by, she seems to be learning otherwise.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I even heard her apologizing to Nate the other day for the way she treated him.


    I don¡¯t think anything will stop me from loving Ruby -I¡¯m way too far gone on her ¨C but I can¡¯t seem to help these feelings that are cropping up around Elena.


    I don¡¯t love her, but I¡¯m certainly starting to care for her too.


    Can you be in love with more than one person at the same time? I hope I never have to find out.


    Elena is pacing impatiently when I get home.


    ¡°us! Finally. Come, I¡¯ve got everything nned out.¡±


    I follow Elena to the dining room, where she has papers spread out all over the table.


    I¡¯m d to see that her battle ns are absent of any human names.


    She¡¯s already assumed I would want to send them home or perhaps wanted that herself.


    Ruby doesn¡¯t want to stay at home.¡±


    Elena raises her eyebrows. ¡°Does she know the danger?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She wants to be there for a supply of blood if anyone is injured and needs to be fed.¡±


    Elena¡¯s eyebrows go even further up her forehead. ¡°She¡¯s braver than I¡¯d expected for a human. Good, then. We can use her help.¡±


    I can¡¯t hold back a snarl. ¡°You think I should risk her life just so that it¡¯s a bit safer for us?


    Do you forget how fragile humans arepared to vampires?¡±


    ¡°No, I think she¡¯s an adult who can make her own decisions.


    That the decision helps us is a factor, but it¡¯s not the reason.


    You are the one who taught me that humans should


    be respected, us, not controlled.¡±


    Fuck. Is that really what I¡¯m doing?


    I guess it is. But all I want is to keep her safe¡­


    ¡°Fine,¡± I snap. ¡°But she¡¯s the only one.¡±


    I still need to keep the truth of our rtionship from Elena. I may being to like her, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m yet sure if I can trust her.


    ¡°We should have an extra ritual tomorrow.


    Make sure we¡¯re all at full strength.¡±


    It¡¯s a good idea.


    I nod as I pull up a chair and start to look through Elena¡¯s ns.


    ***


    us


    Ruby is lying naked in the circle when Ie in.


    She hasn¡¯t sought out one on one contact with me today after our argument yesterday, sending me short and to the point emails on work matters whenmunicating with me


    has been absolutely necessary.


    Her eyes are on me from the moment I step into the ritual room. I see no resentment there, only love and trust. My heart swells as I go over to her.


    As usual, I forego the normal ritual protocols when I¡¯m with Ruby.


    I kiss her slowly, letting my cock press against her thigh, but not chasing any further friction yet.


    Her scent thickens as her pussy starts to get wet. I long for a taste of that wetness even more than I long for her blood, and I see no reason to deny myself.


    She spreads her legs wide for me as I shuffle downward.


    I thrust my tongue into her pussy, making a noise of satisfaction deep in my throat. I start fucking her pussy with my tongue, spurred on by the noises she is making.


    It¡¯s a good thing that vampires can¡¯t read her mind anymore, because, with the way she¡¯s trembling, I doubt that controlling her thoughts is on her mind.


    I tilt my head so that I can push my tongue in deeper, which causes Ruby to lose thest of her self-control.


    She wraps her legs around my head and starts thrusting desperately forward, riding my tongue.


    I can barely breathe with the way she is pressed up against me, but I can¡¯t bring myself to pull away.


    Instead, I add a finger to her clit, which makes Ruby arch up and cry out loudly enough that other couples are pausing their ritual to look at us.


    I have to remind myself that I can¡¯t make here yet; I still need to feed on her, and I can¡¯t do so from this position.


    I regretfully untangle her legs from my head. Her strength is no match for mine, and Ruby whines as I leave her pussy empty.


    It doesn¡¯t stay empty for long. My cock feels like a bar of iron. I gather some of Ruby¡¯s pussy slick and use it to wet my cock, stroking up and down a few times, groaning


    with awakened desire.


    ¡°Now, us, I need you now.¡±


    We¡¯re on the same page, there.


    I push slowly into her, loving the view as Ruby squirms. She is slowly impaled on my cock. Once I¡¯m fully sheathed within her, I can¡¯t bring myself to move slowly.


    Her blood and pussy both smell divine, and there¡¯s only one of those I haven¡¯t yet tasted today.


    I fuck her so hard that I start to push her toward the edge of the circle, and I¡¯m forced to check myself. I grit my teeth as I m my cock into Ruby¡¯s hot, wet pussy.


    She¡¯s close too; it¡¯s easy for me to tell, knowing her as well as I do, even though I can¡¯t read her mind anymore.


    Ruby reaches behind my neck, pulls my head down to her neck, and bites down on my shoulder as shees.


    Her teeth are blunt and don¡¯t break the skin, but it¡¯s so sexy that the action has meing too.


    I¡¯m so caught up in my pleasure that I almost forget to feed, but the hunger finally makes itself known.


    My teeth sink through her soft skin, and I suck up to her delicious blood like a man dying of thirst.


    Once I¡¯ve had my fill, I almost lie down next to her but manage to catch myself. Cuddling would definitely be a tip-off.


    I nce around automatically for Elena, who is busy with Amelia.


    Neither of them is paying attention to Ruby or me.


    I¡¯m just helping Ruby stand up when an rm goes off so loudly everyone winces.


    My instinct is to p my hands over my ears, but I can¡¯t.


    That¡¯s not an ordinary rm.


    That¡¯s the rm that goes off when another coven of vampires enters the building.


    A hostile coven.


    The attack has begun.

 Chapter Thirty two

    An Unlikely Alliance


    **


    Ruby


    ¡°It¡¯s too early!¡± I scrambled to get into my clothes as the room breaks out into chaos.


    Usually, nothing interrupts the ritual, but partners everywhere are separating from each other before feeding, frustration, and worry mingled on their faces.


    Humans to leave at once!¡± us is also dressing at top speed.


    ¡°Through the emergency exit. Vampires, meet the attack head-on.¡±


    He lowers his voice, speaking only to me. Ruby, wait here.¡±


    Rnd is chivvying Nate toward the emergency exit, an exit us had installed after thest attack. It leads straight to the ground and emerges a few blocks away.


    Amelia follows Nate, and the rest of the human employees follow her.


    Rnd finally gets his clothes on and hurries to us¡¯s side.


    The two of them dart out of the room.


    Within moments, I¡¯m alone.


    us shuts and locks the door, but I know that won¡¯t keep me safe if we lose this fight. I go to the keyhole and peek through.


    I quickly regret it. Vampires are everywhere, fighting so fast that their individual limbs are blurred to my eyes. I back away, wringing my hands.


    I wish there was something I could do.


    Wait. There is something I can do.


    I don¡¯t know many spells yet, and those ones I have learned are hardly appropriate for battle. I wrack my brains, wondering if there¡¯s anything I can do to help.


    I peek through the keyhole again. Our side is losing. From what I can make out, the number of attackers is much higher than us or Elena estimated.


    Nachren.¡± I whisper the word, though I doubt I would be heard in all the racket of fighting even if I shouted.


    The vampire ?¡¯m looking at ps his eyes to his face, long enough for Rnd to take him down.


    The ¡®night spell¡¯, as Sara calls it, is a temporary blindness spell.


    It doesn¡¯t blind someonepletely but makes them think that they are surrounded by a dark, moonless night in a forest rather than day or electronic lighting.


    It has the same effect as a blinding spell, except it¡¯s not nearly as difficult. I move slightly, whispering the spell again, targeting a vampire-fighting us.


    I¡¯m not an experienced witch yet, and I quickly tire. I sink down against the door, breathing hard.


    Just as it looks like our side might be gaining the upper hand, a rumbling and shaking have me leaping to my feet.


    The floor appears to be copsing under me.


    They must have done something to the foundations. They¡¯ve realized they can¡¯t beat us and Elena, so they¡¯re bringing down the whole building.


    Evacuate!¡±


    I easily recognize us¡¯s voice. We must have driven the other vampires back, then, if he¡¯s calling to evacuate.


    ¡°No, us, you¡¯re injured- go, I¡¯ll get her.¡±


    us is injured?


    I¡¯m headed for the door when it is pulled open. Elena is there. ¡°Come, Ruby, we mustard go now.¡±


    I follow her at once. ¡°Where¡¯s us? Is he hurt?


    He¡¯ll be fine, it¡¯s just a leg wound. He has thepany bus waiting to take us to a safe house.


    Of course. It¡¯s still daytime, so we¡¯ll need a vehicle with cked-out windows to travel effectively.


    us seems to have it sorted out.


    Elena is just helping me scramble over some broken desks when the ceiling above us copses.


    I scream and cover my head with my hands.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    When I look up, there¡¯s dust everywhere, and Elena is trapped under arge beam.


    She tries to lift it, but it¡¯s too heavy even for vampire strength.


    For a moment ¨C just a moment ¨C I hesitate.


    It would be easier to let Elena die. us and I could be together, then. Her coven would remain allied with his.


    But it would be wrong, and as much as I want us, I don¡¯t want him at the expense of another¡¯s life.


    Not again.


    Never again.


    I run over to Elena and try to help her lift the beam, but it¡¯s too heavy for even ourbined strength. I stare desperately around, but everyone else seems to have


    evacuated.


    There¡¯s no one to help us.


    I only have a second to evaluate. By the shaking of the floor, the building feels like it mighte down at any moment.


    Vampires do not like witches. I don¡¯t know what the consequences of letting Elena see me use magic will be¡­ but I¡¯ve already ascertained that I¡¯m not willing to let her die.


    Israelis.¡± The simple lifting spell doesn¡¯t lift the beam very high, but it¡¯s enough.


    Elena rolls out from underneath it, grimacing. She gets clear just as the beam drops. Her leg is bleeding heavily as she pulls out arge piece of wood from her thigh.


    Can you walk?


    Elena nods but wavers when she tries to put weight on the leg. I pull her arm over my shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote¡­ the bus will already have left.¡±


    It¡¯s ok, we can hang out in the basement until us realizes we¡¯re still here. It¡¯s fortified down there, so it should hold even if the rest of the building copses.¡±


    Neither of us speaks as we hobble down the stairs. We manage to make it to the basement in time, but it¡¯s a near thing.


    I m the bomb shelter door closed, then hurry to Elena.


    I pull my jacket off and wrap it around her leg. ¡°That should halt the bleeding until we can get us. Do you need to feed?¡±


    Elena blinks at me. She seems a bit spaced out, probably from blood loss. ¡°You would do that for me?¡±


    I don¡¯t feel like going into a long exnation. of morals right now, so I simply nod. ¡°I. Would.¡±


    ¡°I think a feeding would help me.¡±


    I lie down on my back and put my hand on my clit. I close my eyes and try to block out all other sounds.


    It takes longer than usual to bring myself to orgasm, but I manage it.


    ¡°Now, Elena.¡±


    Her teeth sink into my throat. The thrill of the feeding hits me, and suddenly I¡¯m not at all bothered by our current situation.


    The two of us lie next to each other on our backs, recovering.


    Elena is the first to speak. *¡±You¡¯re a witch.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    And us hired you?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t a witch when I got the job.¡±


    I thought witches were born?¡±


    Most are, but there are ways to gain power.¡± I sigh as I think of kelly.


    ¡°The price is too high, though.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do it.¡±


    I don¡¯t answer. It¡¯s difficult to concentrate on which facts I¡¯m supposed to be keeping from Elena when I¡¯m still high from the feeding.


    It¡¯s also not just the feeding.


    Going through traumatic experiences indeed brings people closer.


    As we lie together on the basement floor, I feel like I could confide in Elena, and maybe it would be ok.


    Perhaps she has some of the same thoughts as me because her next words are soft and encouraging.


    You can talk to me, you know. I don¡¯t know you very well, but us holds you in high regard. You¡¯re part of our coven, even if you¡¯re not a vampire. All the humans are.


    She really is changing her perspective on humans. I can see why us¡¯s feelings about her are evolving.


    ¡°Do you love him? us?¡±


    Elena shakes her head. ¡°I respect him and I care for him, but no, it¡¯s not love. That doesn¡¯t mean it couldn¡¯t turn into love someday¡­ but I don¡¯t fool myself. He¡¯ll never love me. His heart belongs to you.¡±


    My breath catches in my throat. ¡°You know?¡±


    It¡¯s not that difficult to see. The way you two look at each other¡­ I can tell you¡¯re in love. It¡¯s ok, Ruby. I care enough about him that I want him to be happy. You two don¡¯t need to sneak around anymore.¡±


    Iugh shakily. ¡°I was not expecting that.¡±


    I hope that someday, someone looks at me the way you and us look at each other.¡±


    Is that allowed?¡±


    ¡°Not usually. Mated vampires are generally faithful to each other. But if you and us can have each other, I don¡¯t see why I can¡¯t have someone too.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure us will agree.¡±


    It seems I¡¯ve made an unlikely alliance with Elena.


    Before we can say anything else, Elena sits up, suddenly alert. ¡°Someone ising.¡±


    I don¡¯t know how she can tell with the noise of the building copsing above us, but I¡¯ve never known vampire hearing to be wrong.


    I get up too, just in time to see us staggering into the basement through the back entrance.


    He is still bleeding, and his skin is red and burned all over.


    Ruby.¡± He holds out a hand to me, then copses on the floor.


    I¡¯m barely aware of a scream leaving my lips as I rush to his side.


    After the great incident


    us and Ruby¡¯s love never decreased and Elena found someone she also loves


    Watch out for the Season Two of This Story


    Thanks for reading and I¡¯m sorry for the changing of names ??


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!