The Awakening

Chapter 10

"Loving the monsters always ends badly for the humans. It's a rule"

                                    -Laurell K Hamilton.

Home turned out to be the penthouse at The Peninsula.

The last time I was here, it was night and I didn't really have a chance to look around. I was both unprepared and in a bit of a panic.

The elevator slid open into a foyer. The wall is painted a deep mahogany and filled with abstract paintings. A coat rack stands in the corner and Robin hangs my coat there.

He places his hand on a screen pad next to the door and the door slid open with a beep.

"Come on in" He says with that tilt to his lips he always has.

I wish he'd just smile or not, instead of teasing me with that half smile of his.

Walking into the living room the first thing I notice is the huge ceiling to floor glass windows with a view of central park directly in front of the windows. Although it's not as spectacular as the view from the balcony, it's no less stunning. The Hudson river twinkles from reflected light in the twilight a bit farther ahead.

"You have such beautiful views" I say captivated.

"You should see it in the morning just as the sun is rising. It's really something"

I can imagine.

I force myself to glance away from the window and glance at the room instead.

In contrast to the foyer, the walls here are painted a Payne gray.

A wide low fireplace is against the wall with a large flat screen TV directly above it, in front of artfully arranged dark couches. Mounted on the wall are black and white portraits of famous landmarks. I recognize the portrait of the statue of liberty, the Eiffel tower and Big Ben but not much else. Off an open archway I can see the kitchen and dining area and a glass door with a pool beyond it.

"Would you like something to drink?" Robin asks.

I glance up to see him at a bar off the side of the living room pouring himself a scotch.

"Water is fine"

He returns the scotch bottle and walks through the archway to the kitchen. He's back in less than a minute holding a bottle of water and a mug.

"Sit down, Khloe" He points at the couch.

I perch at the edge of the couch and gratefully accept the mug of water from him to take a gulp. As the cool liquid trickles down my throat I relax slightly "What now?"

"Now, it's time to get to the point. I want to fuck you"

I choke on my water and start coughing, eyes stinging. He stares at me impassively the whole time till I get myself under control.

"What?" I croak.

"I don't bullshit, or beat around the bush. I don't do relationships. I want you and I know you want me too, so let's fuck"

I place my mug carefully on the coffee table as I think of what to say. His eyes on me don't make thinking any easier.

He wants to have sex with me. I don't know why I'm so surprised. I mean we had dinner the other night, where he openly admitted to wooing me. He also had his sister stalk me but I'm still astonished.

"So...you want to be fuck buddies?" I ask.

He shrugs "I want to be able to have access to you whenever I want you. If that's the term you're comfortable with, then yes"

Unable to sit still, I stand up and walk around the room without seeing anything.

If I'm being totally honest with myself his offer is flattering, intriguing.

He intrigues me, and arouses me. I like him. But what he's offering? I don't think I can survive it.

I'd get attached. I get attached too easily, and the last thing I need is to get involved with an Aether.

I turn back at him only to find him already staring at me. It's disconcerting how he always has his eyes on me. I place a hand on my stomach as if that'd stop the nervous churning and slowly exhale.

"No"

His brow lifts sardonically "No?"

"You're right. I do want you. But I can't do a sex only arrangement. I get attached"

"Trust me, you won't"

"Trust you? How can you guarantee what I won't feel?"

He stands up and prowls over to me, gray eyes going black as they roam down my body.

I shiver.

"To get attached, you'd have to know me. What I'm offering isn't that. We won't go out on dates. No one will know about us. We meet here once or twice a week to have sex and then you go back home" he circles me, lifting a lock of hair from behind me and sniffs.

My head lolls back to rest on his chest and his hand fists in my hair as his mouth descends on my neck.

"When we're together in this house, you do what I say when I say. If I say jump, you ask how high"

My skin is on fire. His words barely register.

His teeth grazes my neck lightly, then he bit me. There's a sharp sting followed immediately by blinding pleasure. My core clenches hard, dampening my underwear.

He groans as he licks the bead of blood that forms on my neck.

It's like being splashed with a bucket of cold water.

I jump away from him and he releases me easily.

His eyes are dark as night as he stares at me through a hooded gaze.

Vampire.

He's a vampire.

"Did you just steal a drop of my blood?"

He smirks "You taste as delicious as you smell"

His gaze drops to my nipples which are rock hard and sensitive as they graze my cotton shirt.

My chest heaves up and down as I try to control my breathing.

"You can't just do that without asking me first!" I scream as painful memories bombards me. I drop to my knees and grip my head tightly as I try to breathe.

I can't get enough air in my lungs and I'm wheezing. I drop my right hand from my head to clutch my chest.

"Hey, hey. Are you okay?" He sounds concerned as he places a gentle hand on my back.

"Don't touch me!" I flinch back so hard I fall on my ass.

Still wheezing I crawl backwards on my ass, away from him, until my back hit a wall.

I close my eyes trying to compose myself.

Inhale through your nose. Exhale through your mouth.

I don't know how long I sit there with my back against the wall and my eyes squeezed shut but my panic slowly subsides and I can finally breathe properly again.

When I open my eyes Robin is standing over me, eyes completely silver. He looks stark raving mad.

"What the fuck just happened?" He growls.