64 | FRESH FROM THE TAP

The first mouthful is pure bliss. I had hoped my memory had been hyped in my head by my imagination, enough so that I’d never want to even consider draining my mate dry. It’s not the case. In fact, it's horribly, horribly opposite. I’ve got a death-grip around Blue’s throat before I know what’s hit me, the vaguest whispers of alarm bells chiming in the back of my head as euphoric pleasure overwhelms me.

The cunning and cold tendrils of my vampire-half overshadow the warmth of his blood, chilling me so thoroughly it’s like I’m drowning in a half-frozen lake. The part of me that screams that I’ve taken enough, that cries out that I’m being too rough with Blue, that struggles to be heard over the suddenly thunderous song of Blue’s steady heart in my ears…it slips deeper and deeper into the back of my head. Falling into the box I’d trapped the worst of the emotions I’d buried. The box acting like a coffin now.

At the second mouthful, I feel Blue’s rough fingers skimming the hand I’ve got choking him. He’s not being forceful, or trying to remove the fingers digging into his windpipe, but soothing the slowly rising terror from the part of me that knew something like this would happen. The part currently being blocked by my vampiric instincts to rip out his jugular and feed right from his heart. But the touch is also coaxing the *me* that was sentient only seconds ago back to the surface, lifting me from the darkness and filling me with his presence.

He’s in my head now, all around me, and slowly dispelling the darkness that had temporarily taken over. The hum of the ever-present connection between us flares, a beacon of everything hopeful and bright. Calling me to him. Calling me home.

*This is enough*. I think as the mental voice of my common sense breaks the icy spell. My limbs are suddenly too hot, pinpricks of feeling skate through me as my tight grip around my mate’s throat loosens.

I almost loose control again as a third mouthful of his precious life-blood fills my mouth. Some semblance of sanity *zings* through me at the last second, my tongue darting out on instinct to lick the twin punctures penetrating to Blue’s veins. Beneath my tongue, he shivers, his face still buried in my own neck. But unlike me, he hasn’t broken my skin for sustenance. It’s more like he’s blissed-out. Lost in some euphoric trade-off…or blood loss.

I un-latch my mouth from his skin, swallowing the last remnants of his hot blood and fighting the groan that rises from my chest at the lingering flavor still exploding across my tongue. I breathe in fresh air, the crisp scent of the air cementing my sanity for a second before Blue’s scent wraps back around me. This time, however, my fangs aren’t out to confuse me on the matter of my mate not being food. I let out shuddering hiss of a breath as I realize I’m in complete control.

“Knew you could do it,” Blue murmurs to me softly, grinning that mega-watt smile I’ve missed so much. He’s got one arm wrapped around my waist to keep spine from digging into the rough bark of the tree at my back. His silvery-grey eyes are darkened - either from the lack of oxygen or something else, but the look he’s giving me leave no room for interpretation. The longing and heat are palpable, his aura curling around me for once and caressing every inch of me. I shiver at the unexpected feel of the near-celestial force as it flips the bliss-switch in my mind from *zing* to *hot-and-bothered*.

“That makes one of us.” I force the words out, but their bite of bitterness is non-existent. My voice is breathy, wavering from one syllable to the next. Blue’s fingers stroking my cheek aren’t helping. The touch is so innocent and light that it really shouldn’t affect me, but my brain’s not getting the memo. Each swipe of his calloused fingertips against my skin sends fresh zaps to my core, ratcheting up the already too-fast-and-erratic beat of my heart.

“It’s…getting late.” Blue breathes suddenly, taking the tiniest of steps closer to me. There’s really no room between us for him to close. I’m still leaning against the tree, looking up at him, with my hand resting at the base of his throat. I blink at him, my imagination taking off with it’s already dirty-thoughts.

“Sleep is overrated.” I comment softly, biting my lip as his eyes smolder and shimmer as they look into mine. I know he can see the direction of my thoughts and sense my emotions by the slight tightening of his arm around my waist. My mind is so far from using a bed for sleep that the thought of ‘rest’ is currently impossible. And I’ve functioned on more than one night without sleep before.

“You *need* to sleep, Red.” Blue’s voice is a little more like his Alpha-tone, leaving very little wiggle room for me to argue. I purse my lips as the all-consuming heat is chilled a degree.

“The nightmares-” I begin, my mood nose-diving as I recall my reason for leaving the Coven in the middle of the night in the first place.

“I know.” Blue murmurs softly, his voicing going back to gentle and soothing as his arm tightens around my waist. The slight pressure of his body against mine is both entirely innocent and comforting. “How about,” He begins slowly, the luminescent light in his eyes dancing uncertainly as he looks at me. “Why don’t I stay with you tonight.” I blink, wondering if I’ve just heard him correctly. My imagination and libido taking full control of my thoughts as his words replay in my head. A sudden uncertainty and anticipation war in my fluttering stomach, my mind spinning as my mouth dries and heart tries to take off at a sprint.

“You…and me…” I say slowly, not sure how much liberty I should be taking with my interpretation of his words. Blue’s smile widens, but there’s that flare of heat in his eyes again…

“*Just* sleep, Red. Get your mind out of the gutter.” He chides me softly, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to my forehead and pausing. “Although…” There’s a note of consideration in his voice that sends a tiny jolt of fear through me. “Just kidding.”

“Tease.” Even though I say it with disappointment clear in my voice, I can’t help but relax a bit. And I’m sure Blue notices.

“C’mon. If we get to your room now you just might actually get more than five hours of sleep.” He insists, again with that bossy tone of his.

“Mh…you’re no fun.” I sigh, pouting a bit just to tease him.

“I can be,” He winks at me, the darkness in his eyes flaring against the light as he passes me a wicked grin. “But not tonight. I know you’re not sleeping much lately. And you need rest.” He’s gone back to using his Alpha-voice, once again leaving no room for debate. I feel my sullen attitude rise to petulant-child proportions after a second.

“I slept the other night.” I mutter under my breath in my defense. Blue chuckles again and takes my free hand in his, pulling me with him as he begins to walk towards the Coven. We’re a few miles away, but I know even with his easy pace that we’ll get there sooner rather than later.

“I know.” Blue tells me softly. “That’s why I’m going to stay with you.” When he says it like that, my warring emotions flutter back to the surface, but much quieter than before.

“And sleep?” I clarify with a little smirk, part of me enjoying teasing him like this.

“And sleep.” Blue confirms, squeezing my hand. Some of my dim mood lifts a bit as I take it in. Despite my earlier line of thought, I know we’re nowhere near actually doing anything…*permanent*…or life-altering tonight. But I like the idea of my mate staying with me while I try to sleep and helping me combat the darkness of my nightmares.

His presence settles me to almost normal-proportions without even trying, coating me in an ease and calm I somehow know I couldn’t live without. The jarring fact has some of my fight-and-flight fluttering to life, but it starts to fade almost as quickly. Something’s changed between us. Small, so tiny that it’s nearly imperceptible, but no where close to insignificant.

I’ve always said that I trust him, and he’s told me the same on many occasions, but this may have been the first time we’ve actually tested that. And he’s passed. With flying colors. It adds a spring to my step as we walk and has every buzzing part of me charged and content. I feel fifty pounds lighter, almost as if I’m not really even secured to the ground by gravity, and am walking on air.