Kiss Before Dying Read online

  “Enough,” he ordered, moving away.

  Sebastian removed the last of his clothing, shucking out of his slacks, shoes and socks. He lifted me from my knees, swept me into his arms and carried me across the short distance to the bed.

  He settled me atop the pillows so that I was upright and started removing my clothing—shoes first then garters. “You’re so beautiful,” he murmured. “Completely breathtaking.”

  “No more than any other, sire.” I gasped, unnerved by his fingers tickling a path down my thighs. He removed my hose, bringing the thin material down my legs, taking his time. His fingers played against my skin, creating a chorus of sensation.

  “Even more so,” he said and paused to gaze up at me with his luminous sapphire eyes. “I wonder why you agreed to share my bed. How could you? Knowing you’ll never return from it.”

  Another part of the façade was pretending to be born into slavery, and I answered evenly, gazing into his eyes. “My death will enrich the lives of my family. It’s an honor to serve you.”

  He looked away then, tracing circular designs with his fingers along my calf. “So you’re doing this for your family?”

  No. I wasn’t. But I couldn’t tell him that so I nodded.

  “I see,” he said and moved up my body, his chest brushing against mine. He settled his shoulders between my outspread legs, forcing them to part. His fingers brushed against the outside of my pussy in a lover’s caress and a new wave of electricity shot through my spine, radiating throughout me. Wetness soaked the area between my legs, coating my sex with pure molten fire and need.

  “Silky smooth,” he growled, fingering my tender slit. Sex slaves were always waxed before they entered the bed, and while it had hurt to have it done the reward of his guttural voice made it all worthwhile.

  “Oh God,” I whimpered, arching my back and feeding my aching core into his palm. He knew precisely what to do, using his fingers to part my labia, pushing his thumb against my hammering clit.

  “So wet, so incredibly hot and liquid. But are you equally as sweet, Arianna? Do you taste just as good?”

  I stopped breathing, grasping his meaning. He refused to look away, vivid sapphire eyes studying me as his face lowered. His tongue flicked and tasted me for the first time. I cried out, unable to remain still. Grinning up at me, he licked again, this time long and deep, parting the lips of my pussy.

  “More than sweet,” he groaned. “You are delectable.”

  Grasping my hips, he pulled me closer and lowered his eyes. I couldn’t silence my cries, fisting the red satin sheets as he tongued, licked and sucked my sex. He rotated between bathing my outer lips and then moved inward, tonguing me deeply before licking me gently. When I couldn’t take it anymore—as that pinnacle of release beckoned for the first time in my twenty-seven years of existence—I begged him mindlessly not to stop.

  “Remember, Arianna. I want to hear you cry my name as you come.” He latched on to the swollen center in front and drew my clitoris into his mouth.

  The entire room disappeared as I did as I was told, screaming, “Sebastian!”

  It was more than an explosion, more than a detonation of the body. It was letting go of the world around me, floating in a place that existed but remained unseen. I rode the waves of pleasure and wanted them to last forever. Ever so slowly my body stopped trembling and the room came into a blurry focus.

  “I want to take the vein here before I claim you,” Sebastian rested little kisses upon my thigh. “You smell divine.”

  Fear almost sent me off the bed. I could mask the scent of my blood—as well as the taste—but only for a short while. The enchantment I’d had placed on my mask would only work for minutes after the piercing of my skin, then the magic faded.

  “S-sire,” I stammered, my voice high-pitched and afraid. “I would prefer a kiss before dying.”

  “I’ll still give it to you.” He scraped his fangs along my skin. “I want to taste your virgin blood before I take your body.”

  I struggled to speak, unnerved that he knew of my virginity. “How did you—”

  “I smell your purity,” he answered before I could finish.

  “Please.” My limbs trembled, fear coursing through my body. “I don’t want to feel my death.”

  “You won’t.” He sounded confident, but I knew better.

  Even vampires couldn’t prevent idle gossip.

  “I’ve heard about women who didn’t ease into their deaths.” The kitchen staff loved to share the information they’d gained over the years, much to my relief. “I know what might happen if I consent to your wish and something goes wrong.” Beheading a bed slave in order to prevent his or her slow, agonizing death was rumored to be the preferred method of vampires. The shudder that swept over me was very real when I whispered, “Don’t ask me to take the risk.“

  He hesitated, his breath cool across my skin. I froze, hoping the rumors held some truth. Otherwise, he’d take what he wanted and everything I’d hoped for would be lost.

  With a tiny scrape of his fangs against my skin, he moved away. “Very well.”

  He maneuvered his muscular frame up the bed, coming over me. He was much taller and wider, blanketing me as he rested his weight between my legs. His head came down and he kissed me. I tasted myself on him. His lips were no longer cool but warm. Each nudge of his tongue heightened my senses. After a moment I realized he’d bitten his tongue to share his blood with me.

  Although I had taken Sebastian’s blood to ensure his scent marked me and cemented our bond through the years, sharing blood was a rare gift. Not only did vampire blood make humans stronger, it also enhanced and multiplied all their senses. Due to that I’d been allowed to drink from him once per year on the anniversary of our introduction. No more, no less. Given just enough to know what I was missing, leaving me aching for more.

  My eyes burned as tears formed. Knowing he’d share his blood in such a selfless way—for someone who was nothing more than a bed slave and a stranger—made me love him all the more. Due to his generosity I would experience things with better clarity and enjoyment. His blood would also ensure my final orgasm would last long enough to dim the awareness of my death.

  “Take this off.” He lifted his chest away and tugged at my corset.

  I forced back tears and sat up as he untied the strings and worked the corset free. He pulled the constrictive garment over my head and threw it carelessly to the floor. His eyes lingered on my breasts, his stare potent.

  “Again, Arianna,” he bent down and brought his mouth to a rosy peak, “beautiful.”

  The tug of his teeth against my nipple sent a ripple through my pussy, causing my core to clench. It was as though there was a connection between the two most erotic zones in my body, each encouraging the other. Each tiny flip of his tongue or nip of his fangs increased my arousal, building it higher.

  And it was all for him—only for him.

  “Please,” I begged when he moved to the other breast while he glided a finger into my drenched core.

  “Soon, sweet,” he said, brushing his tongue against my nipple. “I want nothing but pleasure for you.”

  He worked a second finger into my body, forcing my virgin center to stretch and accept the invasion. The heat from my excitement wet his fingers, allowing him to slide in and out of my body. While uncomfortable at the start, I was soon whimpering and undulating, crazed and incensed.

  “You’re very tight,” he whispered, continuing to work my sex with practiced fingers. “As tight as a fist. I can only imagine how you’ll feel, all wet and hot around my cock.”

  The explicit statement worked me up, got me hotter. Another orgasm built, threading through my muscles, burning under my skin. I started panting as the promise of pure bliss neared, wanting it so badly that I thrust into his hand and tightened the walls of my pussy around his fingers. I could feel the pulsating tingles beginning, bristling and rippling under my skin.

  When he spread his fingers
and massaged the tight inner walls, it was over.

  “Bastian,” I groaned, throwing back my head, crying out as my body erupted. A release even more powerful than the first overcame me. The combination of his lips and hand were too much, bringing on levels of pleasure I never knew existed. This time when I came down from the cloud of bliss I remained lax on the pillows, breathing quickly.

  Nothing had ever felt so incredible—nothing.

  “So good,” Sebastian purred, removing his fingers then placing them in his mouth and licking them clean. “I could get spoiled by the taste of you on my tongue, Arianna.”

  I watched through weighted lids as he slid up my body, licking a path from my bellybutton to my throat. This was what it all came down to—the consummation. Once he claimed me, and just before he came to orgasm, he would give me my kiss—the bite that would ultimately end my life.

  “Don’t be afraid,” he murmured as if sensing my thoughts, pressing his lips against each of my hardened nipples. “I promise there will be no pain.”

  “I know,” I whispered, bringing my hands to his broad shoulders. I knew Sebastian would never hurt anyone unless it was deserved. It was his way—one of the many reasons I had fallen in love with him.

  His hand came between our bodies and he fisted his cock. He slid the round head over my drenched labia, carefully working his way past the wet folds. The tip slid past the crease and lodged in the mouth of my pussy. I whimpered, wanting more, knowing he’d give it to me. He lowered his head and kissed me as he thrust his hips. Each tiny plunge sent him deeper, bringing us closer together.

  He brought his hands down, caressed my rib cage and then grasped my hips with determined hands. He pulled back, removed his cock from the heat of my body and waited until he was nearly unsheathed before driving forward in a smooth, firm stroke. My strangled cry was caught in his mouth. It hurt but felt so good, so much better than I’d imagined. He stopped, remaining utterly still, gazing down at me.

  As I adjusted to the feel of him he kissed me again and rolled my nipples between his fingers. He brought his hand around, pinched the peaks and soothed the sting with tender, featherlight flutters. Each motion of his tongue and hands sent electricity soaring over my skin. Soon any pain was long forgotten.

  Finally. Even if the cost is high, I have him.

  He’s mine.

  “Arianna,” he rasped, “I was wrong. You feel better than heaven. You’re so tight and hot around me. It’s a most pleasurable kind of torture.”

  I gasped in ecstasy when he moved, thrusting his hips, guiding me to meet his thrusts. The feel of his long, hard shaft moving in and out of my pussy was nothing short of extraordinary. With each joining, I knew I had made the right decision.

  I never could have known Sebastian like this—just like this—otherwise.

  Perfect.

  Our friendship came first, then my love for the vampire, but neither of those emotions matched the intimacy I felt at our bodies being connected so closely together. We were one, beginning and ending, a key turned in the perfect lock. I gazed into his face and wished for a moment that I could remove my mask and reveal myself. Instead I communicated my love for him through my eyes and motions, rising up to meet each of his steady plunges. He moved his hand down to my sex. I gasped as he fingered the swollen nub in the front. Unbelievably, I felt my body respond and clench, orgasm almost at hand.

  “Bastian.” I sighed his name as I neared climax, writhing against him. I wanted to extend the moment but my body wasn’t willing to wait. He brought out emotions and sensations in me I’d imagined but never fully understood. It was worth it. No cost too high. No sacrifice too significant.

  “So beautiful,” he whispered, rising onto his elbows to watch my eyes and mouth as I came. “So damn beautiful, Arianna.”

  The world shifted and evaporated into nothing, leaving me soaring. My muscles flexed, spun so tight I worried they might snap. My throat became dry as I tried to scream but made no sound. I knew my kiss was at hand. The time had come. Instead of fear, there was only acceptance.

  Mine. Finally. After all this time.

  I felt his teeth pierce my throat as I climaxed, scoring my skin cleanly. His fangs sank deep, penetrating my vein. Euphoria mingled with the deep draws at my throat. Within seconds weakness overcame me and I drooped against the bed. My breaths turned shallow, harder and harder to take. He trembled, arms shaking. Jets of come erupted inside me, semen pumping into my sex. His arms wrapped around my back, surrounding me as he drained my life’s blood.

  As he fed, I longed to wrap my fingers in his hair. Sebastian loved to be petted, especially when he drank. Determined to do so, I tried. My heart sank when I realized I lacked the energy. My languid limbs refused to obey. My body was dying, scattering to ash from the inside out.

  The light from the fireplace dimmed. I watched the reflected licks of flame and fire dance across the ceiling, creating shadowy figures and shapes that mingled together. I listened to the sounds of his rhythmic swallows and lowered my lids when they became too heavy, allowing my eyes to drift closed.

  Everything I thought it would be. Everything I hoped.

  This was our moment. I’d finally gotten what I’d wanted most.

  I didn’t want it to end, holding on as long as possible.

  Darkness swirled, becoming dark.

  Then, there was nothing.

  Chapter Three

  I lifted extremely heavy eyelids, lashes fluttering rapidly against my cheeks. I was disoriented and confused, trying to remember where I was and how I had gotten there. The room was dark. A fire in the hearth had nearly gone out. I shifted and found I was sore, but in the most wondrous of places.

  Suddenly the night before came rushing back, and I thrust a hand to my face. My fingers landed on my nose and bare cheeks. Oh no. I couldn’t conceal my identity without the mask.

  “Are you looking for this, Katja?”

  I stilled at Sebastian’s voice, heart hammering.

  I remembered the kiss before dying. It was everything I’d heard it was and then some. A drifting off that ensured a host didn’t feel any pain. I remembered the draws at my neck, the weakness, the lethargy, and the moment I had finally surrendered to his power by closing my eyes.

  I’d died. I knew I had. He’d drained my very life’s blood.

  Sebastian walked around the side of the bed, tossing my mask and blonde wig to the floor. He was wrapped in his thick plush black velvet robe, his contrasting blond hair uneven around his neck and wide shoulders. The bed sank beneath his weight and I peered up at him. Dying without pain I had contemplated but not this.

  Would I be punished?

  Would I experience a slow, agonizing death minus a beheading?

  “Marietta told me of your plan.” He regarded me closely, his blue eyes bright in the dark room. “She said you wouldn’t be swayed to leave well enough alone, regardless of what she said.”

  “It’s not her fault.” I tried to defend the house witch and control my panic. I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble for my choice. “I would have done the same thing with or without her help.”

  Amused, Sebastian said, “Marietta will receive no punishment. She helped you because I allowed her to do so. I gave her my permission.”

  With heart pounding, I found the courage to ask, “Why did you let me to believe you didn’t know? Why didn’t you call me out? Why play along?”

  “Katja.” He bent over, urging me onto my back. “Do you know why blood slaves are virgins?”

  I nodded, suddenly solemn and torn. “Our blood is pure, it’s more potent.”

  “No, love.” He shook his blond head. “Though that is what we tell our blood slaves to make the need for purity credible.”

  “I don’t understand,” I murmured.

  “Vampire royalty can’t claim a bride who comes into a family tainted. Just as they cannot claim a bride who doesn’t choose a life with a vampire for eternity of her own free will.”

/>   “A bride?” I echoed, frowning.

  “Yes, sweet, a bride.” He smiled and brushed the hair that had fallen across my forehead to the side. “Keeping our existence secret is of paramount importance. As our numbers dwindled, we were forced to look at mortal society to find eternal companions. The chemistry must be there, of course, which is why we allow a ten-year period for slaves to become attached to their masters. But only those who would willingly offer their lives to be with one of us are worthy of the honor of being changed. It’s rare, to be sure. Most mortals aren’t willing to sacrifice their life for love.”

  Sebastian stood and removed his robe, allowing the plush material to fall to the floor to reveal his magnificent body. “I am honored to be so fortunate.”

  “B-but,” I stammered in confusion, almost losing my train of thought at the glorious sight of his naked frame as he returned to the bed. “I don’t understand. I remember what happened.”

  “Do you?” he asked, slightly arrogant, one of his least desirable traits.

  “Yes.” I glared at him. “I died.”

  “No.” He bowed his head and exhaled against my lips. “You were reborn.”

  His mouth felt warm—lips too—and I shoved at his chest. “What did you do? What have you done to me?”

  “I changed you,” he said simply, without a trace of remorse. “You’ve taken enough of my blood in the past to ensure a shift from mortal to immortal upon a draining. While your body transformed I’ve waited, anticipating the moment you finally opened your eyes.”

  “Why,” I whispered, slightly afraid. I knew nothing of created vampires, only those born.

  “I love you, Katja Arianna Morgan.” He spoke with a familiarity that revealed he knew far more about me than I was aware. “I have since I saw you on the platform at Telliandria’s auction. Even then, standing before the lords and ladies with your head held high, I knew you were special. But…” He sighed, hands forming into fists. “As your time in my keeping passed, I feared you wouldn’t choose to come to me. I thought I was going to have to let you go.”