Real Vampires Take a Bite Out of Christmas Read online

  Real Vampires

  Take a Bite out of Christmas

  by

  Gerry Bartlett

  Copyright © 2014 Dragon Lady Publishing

  Cover design Frontrunner Publications

  Ornament design Danielle Garrett

  Table of contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter One

  I had a knot the size of Austin in the pit of my stomach. Stupid. So I’d finally said “yes” to my long-time lover. I wore his ring, a five-carat beauty that felt heavy and strange on my finger. Not a shackle, a commitment. Which I was ready for. Seriously. Just seeing Jeremiah Campbell’s happy smile as he directed workmen to tear down walls in my apartment convinced me I’d done the right thing. I wrapped my arms around his waist.

  “Big project you’ve got going on here. You sure all this is necessary?” I leaned against him.

  “You’ll love it. Master bedroom adequate enough for my king-sized bed, a bath with a soaking tub and those jets you like; not to mention a walk-in shower that will fit both of us comfortably.” He turned to hold me against him. His dark eyes reminded me of wild times in dozens of showers. The man did know his way around a tile enclosure. “Want me to tell the workers to knock off for the night? Let me give you a personal tour?”

  “Tempting.” I briefly kissed his firm lips then lingered. These mortal workmen didn’t have a clue they were in an apartment with two vampires. Jerry’s fangs slid down and I played with them for a moment before I pulled back. “Later. The sooner this project is done, the sooner we can move in and start our new life together.”

  “About that life. Gloriana St. Clair, you’ve been dodging my questions lately. How about some answers?” He led me out into the hall. I’d lived in 2B.

  We carefully avoided two men carrying a piece of granite up the stairs and into unit 2A where Lacy, a werecat and the day manager for my shop downstairs, had lived until recently. Jerry had bought the entire building for us and was turning this floor into our apartment. Lacy had taken being evicted surprisingly well and had found other living arrangements. I hadn’t had a chance yet to ask her what those were. Jerry’s hand stroking my butt brought me back to the problem at hand.

  Questions. At first I hadn’t thought past saying yes to his proposal. Being practical, Jer had immediately bombarded me with those questions about how and where we’d live, the inevitable changes to our relationship, and any number of things that had made me scared to commit. Of course he wanted answers. But would he like what I had to say? The knot in my stomach was now the size of the entire Lone Star State.

  “Okay, let’s get this over with. I’ve been thinking. You’re a traditional man, Jeremiah Campbell or Jeremy Blade, whatever name you wish to use when we marry. I’ve become a modern woman.” I ran my hands over his chest. I did love those hard muscles. My guy had been a Highland warrior hundreds of years ago and had the scars to prove it. He would always have the look--keen eyes and a sturdy frame that dared anyone to take him on. I knew that even now he could lay his hand on a number of weapons if a threat appeared.

  My stubborn, handsome, invincible Scot. He’d faced danger many times. For me, for the people he loved. I adored that about him. I felt fiercely protective of him too and would risk everything to keep him from getting hurt. I let him see that in my eyes and he pulled me tight against him.

  “Ah, Gloriana, my love. I know you’ve changed. I loved you then and I love you now. Please trust me to deal with whatever you have on your mind.” He ran his hands up and down my back. I’d seen him do it before when calming a fractious horse. Yep, that was me. The fractious part anyway. Thinking of bolting.

  I took a breath. Okay, so it worked. I was settling down. “First, I’d like to keep my name. Stay Gloriana St. Clair. I have a business that I plan to continue running, a Facebook presence, lots of connections who know me by that name. So I won’t become Mrs. Campbell. Definitely not Mrs. Blade.” I smiled to take the sting out of that. “Hey, I don’t carry knives everywhere like you do.” I slid a hand under the back of his shirt and plucked out a dagger to prove my point.

  “Careful, that’s sharp.” He had it settled into its custom sheath before one of the workmen could see it. Then he firmed his lips, thinking about the name thing. I knew he wasn’t thrilled. It was how in the primitive part of him thought to claim me.

  “Gloriana…”

  “Hear me out, Jer. Your mother hates me anyway. She’ll be over the moon that I’m not sullying the great Campbell name.”

  “Like I care what she thinks.” He scanned the room and frowned. “Come with me.” He dragged me down the hall, to yet another vacant apartment. It made me wonder just how big our new place was going to be. He’d kept some of the details as a “surprise.” He opened a door and pushed me inside then shut us in, flipping the lock. I glanced around. Most of the walls were down in here too. I started to ask about it but he put a finger over my lips. “Listen to me.”

  I stiffened. I hated taking orders. But this was obviously important so I just stared up at him.

  “You would do the Campbell name proud. If you ever, ever say again that you’re not good enough for me, I swear I’ll put you over my knee and beat the daylights out of you.” His hands tightened on my shoulders. He was deadly serious. It was sweet and a little scary.

  “You’ve never hit me before, Jerry. And I know I’ve provoked you.” I looked up at him through my lashes. “Beat me? On my bare bottom?” I slid my hand down to tease the bulge in his jeans. As usual, my man was quick to respond. “I haven’t seen daylight in over four hundred years. How hard would you have to spank to get the daylights out of me?” I slid down his zipper. He was hot and hard, going commando, my fascinating lover.

  “Are you saying you need a good spanking, my love?” He growled, his fangs down and his eyes narrow.

  “It would be something new to try. I’ve been reading some interesting books lately. It seems that, for some people, it can be quite a turn-on.” I stroked his erection, rubbing my thumb over the moisture at the tip. “But then you didn’t want to excite me, you wanted to punish me. For thinking that an actress, a lowly commoner, might not be good enough for the heir to Clan Campbell.” I sighed when he grasped the edge of my sweater and pulled it up and then tossed it out of the way, He proved once again that he had excellent fine motor skills, popping open the front clasp of my bra with one hand while he pushed his other hand into the back of my spandex jeans. I do love pants that stretch.

  “This is just one reason I love you, Gloriana St. Clair. You have never failed to surprise me. Just when I think we might begin to fall into a pattern, you turn the tables, invent something new.”

  “A pattern? Why that sounds way too much like boredom.” I continued to play with his cock and walked us back toward a rough table had been made out of a piece of plywood laid across a pair of sawhorses. It was set up next to where a kitchen was being torn apart. Various utensils were scattered on the countertop. “If I ever bore you, promise to file for divorce.”

  “Bore me? I don’t think that will be a problem.” Jerry stopped when I grabbed a rubber spatula and thrust it into his hand. “What’s this for?”

  I shoved my jeans and panties down to my knees and leaned over the table, offering him my bare bottom. “Figure it out, Jer. I think I’ve been a bad, bad girl. Your mother was right. I was never good enough for you. It’s a mistake for you to marry me. I bet you haven’t even told her our news yet. You surely won�
�t invite your parents to the wedding, will you?”

  “That’s enough, Gloriana.”

  “No, I can see it now. When the priest asks if there is anyone with a reason why this couple should not marry, your mother will rush the altar and beg you to come to your senses.” I rested my head on my folded arms and closed my eyes. Would he do it? Abusing women wasn’t in Jer’s wheelhouse. But this was a game. And— I felt the sting of the rubber hitting my ass. It wasn’t a love tap.

  “Ow!”

  “Our marriage isn’t a joke. I called my folks as soon as you agreed to marry me. Mum’s first question was if we’d set a date.”

  “Probably so she could figure out if she had time to talk you out of it.” Whap.

  “I’ll not have you talking like that. I don’t give a damn if my parents approve or not, Gloriana. You are my choice. Da made it clear they would be at the wedding and greet you happily as the newest member of the family.”

  “Now you’re making me dread my own wedding day.” I sighed and rubbed my bum. “This isn’t as exciting as the books make it out to be. Have you had enough?”

  “Not yet.” The spatula whispered across my tender flesh and I quickly moved my hands out of the way. Now this was more like it. The gentle brush of plastic between my buttocks could definitely be a turn-on.

  “Okay, keep going then.” I kept my eyes closed, enjoying the feeling as he ran his hand across what I was sure were bright pink cheeks back there.

  “Set a date. You keep putting me off. I need for you to name the day for our wedding.” The spatula tapped me one, two, three times. Gentle blows.

  I owed him answers. I braced myself. “June. A June wedding.” That earned me a serious swat.

  “You’re mad. No fucking way I’m waiting until June.”

  “It’s a traditional month. And I want to do it up right.” I was sure he’d lose it now. Jerry rarely cursed in front of me. Not the “f” word anyway. So that meant I’d pissed him off. I forced myself to lie still. If he beat me until my bum was a bloody mess, we’d end up drinking from each other anyway. The scent of fresh blood is such a turn-on for vampires. I waited, scared and maybe a little excited. But instead of another hit, I felt Jerry’s lips on my stinging flesh. I moaned when his tongue licked away the pain of his punishment.

  “Are you sure you want to wait that long?” He turned me over and watched me, waiting.

  How could I disappoint a man who seemed to know my heart better than I knew it myself? “It’s just a ceremony, Jer. A formality.” He picked up the spatula. “Wait! I know it means a lot to you. And you’ve been very patient with me. Truly.” I reached up to rub his cheek. His frown made me want to cry. I had to fix this.

  He threw the spatula away. “Then why do you keep putting me off? Are you sure this delay isn’t because you still have feelings for Valdez? Or Caine?”

  “Jerry! No. They’re my friends. That’s all.” I pulled up my jeans, wincing when the fabric hit my tender tush. Rafael Valdez had been my bodyguard and we’d had an affair. But that had been over long ago. Israel Caine, famous rock star and my one-time fantasy man, had been a one-night stand when Jerry had gone home to Scotland and left me on my own. I know, not an excuse. Since then I’d accepted that Jerry was the one and only man for me. But Rafe and Ray were still in my life and Jerry was jealous of both of them. I didn’t blame him. I sure didn’t like seeing his old lovers around him. But I had to erase his doubts.

  “I’m ready to marry you. I am.” I knew this was one time that distracting him with sex was the wrong move. I bit my lip. He just stood there, staring at me. Waiting.

  “Are you? Then prove it. If they are no longer competition for me, then you won’t mind setting a date, a date not that far away, and then announcing it to them and the world.”

  I took a breath. Put up or shut up. It was only fair. “Fine. I don’t have a problem with that. Are you okay with me keeping my name?” I noticed that he’d zipped up his jeans so I pulled my bra back together. No more lovemaking tonight. Too bad.

  “If it’s that important to you. But you’ll wear my rings. I want everyone to know you’re taken.” He stopped me when I grabbed my sweater. “Don’t cover up. I like to look at you.” He picked up the spatula again. “Did this do it for you? Turn you on?”

  I pulled it out of his hand. “No!” I broke it in half and tossed it into the sink. “Pain doesn’t work for me and I hope you don’t want me to--”

  “Beat me with something?” He grinned and jerked off his shirt, throwing it on the table. “No, thanks. But you can bite me, anywhere, any time.”

  I nipped at his shoulder. “Good to know.”

  “You’re beautiful, Gloriana. Is your bum still sore?”

  “A little.” I smiled. “Want to kiss it again and make it better?”

  “Why not? I’ll get there. Eventually.” He efficiently got rid of my bra then leaned down and sucked one nipple into his mouth.

  I moaned and grasped his hair. He did know exactly how to please me. When one of his fangs drew blood, my own fangs came down. Oh, yes. We would drink from each other tonight and make slow, delicious love. But first I had something I needed to say.

  “Jerry, look at me.”

  He raised his head, licking a drop of my blood from his lips. “What is it?”

  “New Year’s Day. What do you think? Wouldn’t that be the perfect time for us to start our new life together?” I brushed his hair back from his face. I loved him so much my heart squeezed. Why had I been so reluctant to commit to this man?

  “You want our wedding day on New Year’s Day?” His smile twisted my heart even more. It took so little to make him happy.

  “It won’t be easy. We’re busy in the shop before Christmas, but--”

  “No, I’ll take it. That gives me a month. If I pay overtime I can have our apartment ready by then.” He kissed me hard and deep. “I love you, Gloriana. Never doubt it. I can’t wait to start the New Year with you as my wife.” He slid down my zipper again. “I think this calls for a celebration.”

  “Yes, it does.” I helped him work off my snug jeans and kicked my heels across the room. In moments we were both naked. “I’m worried now. Patterns. We need to keep things fresh between us, Jer.”

  He laughed. “You want fresh? Gloriana, I have had you many, many ways in hundreds of places. What do you suggest?”

  I glanced around, suddenly out of ideas. There wasn’t much to work with here and standing in front of him naked under the harsh overhead lights didn’t suit me. He might notice the imperfections I dressed carefully to disguise. I had a generous figure, especially in the hip area. I’d just about decided to pick up the plywood and hold it in front of me when he dragged me against him.

  “Relax, sweetheart. Do we always have to reinvent the wheel?” He chuckled and kissed my hair.

  “I should read more, watch porn or something. And lovemaking is an important part of our relationship, Jer.” I said this to his chest, distracted by the yummy masculine smell of him. He was clean and I could hear the blood throbbing through his veins.

  “We don’t need porn or a manual to enjoy each other. But there’s something I’d like from you.” He leaned back and stared into my eyes. “Will you sing to me? I was blown away when I finally heard you sing on Halloween. After all those centuries, to get your Siren’s voice back... It’s a bloody miracle, isn’t it?” He smoothed his hand over my throat. “ Ever since that night, I’ve been imagining you singing to me while I make you come.”

  “Jeremiah Campbell!” Shocking but then I had to admit I liked the idea. Now that I could sing without sounding like a goat giving birth to a rhino, I did at every opportunity. I couldn’t wait to sing in that double shower he was building for us. “Any special requests?”

  “Surprise me.” He pulled me down to a pile of cotton drop clothes in the corner of the former living room. When his mouth landed on my stomach and began working its way down, I began singing a very wobbly version of �
��Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” I felt him smile against my skin.

  “Like that one?”

  “Yes, and I plan to have a very merry time indeed.” He spread my legs and pulled them up over his shoulders. “What have we here? An early present. Don’t quit singing now. No matter what happens.”

  “Troubles out of…” I couldn’t seem to remember the words as his tongue played with the spot that he knew drove me wild. My hips bucked off the floor and he gentled me again, this time with a soothing hand on my breast. I held onto his hair, that thick so wonderfully soft hair that would always be dark and never streak with gray.

  “Sing, love. I think there’s something about ‘golden days’ coming up.” He glanced up, pushing his finger inside me while he raised my hips even more. “Your blood is pounding in your veins, keeping time.”

  “Faithful friends,” my voice rose so high I feared for the glass in the windows. His fangs pierced my vein, there in my upper thigh. He’d hit the sweet spot and the pull of his mouth along with his fingers inside me sent me tumbling over the edge into ecstasy. I shivered, trembled, and pressed my legs together so hard he had to pry them apart.

  “Careful, Gloriana, you’ve almost cracked my skull.” He’d licked the punctures closed and grinned up at me before he slid up my body and pushed his cock inside my still quivering center. I screamed, sure the workmen would come running to see who was being murdered.

  “If the fates allow, Jer, I do hope we’ll always be together.” I pulled his head down to kiss him, licking my way into his mouth and holding him as if I’d never let him go. I sang to him in my mind, verse after verse, until we were both relaxed and satisfied in each other’s arms.

  “A merry Christmas it will be.” Jerry stretched then stood. “Let me show you around the place, explain exactly what the men are doing here. We can plan where to put the Christmas tree and hang the mistletoe. If you see anything you don’t like, I’ll change the plans.” He helped me up then began to pull on his clothes.