Chapter 131 - Giving in

**Ambrogios pov**

I deliberately slowed our steps on the way back to my quarters. I wanted to enjoy the feeling of her hand for as long as I could. I was really amazed by her calmness and her warmth. After what Tony told her, after what she saw, she didn’t rush back to her room or to Great Falls, no, she managed to get me to leave Ana’s side because she was worried that I wouldn’t rest and gather my strength for the attack. I glanced at her as we walked. Her beautiful hair was half up with a barrette, but a few strands of hair fell forward and tickled her cheeks, something she seemed to find annoying as her free hand tried to remove them again and again.
We arrived far too quickly and stopped between our doors.
“How do you feel?” I was surprised by her question and wasn’t quite sure what she meant.
“I know you want to watch over her…” Her eyes looked deep into mine, tearing down any barriers I could put up to appear strong and unfazed.
“It...hurts...but she’s not the only important person around me right now.” I plucked up the courage and removed a strand of hair from her face, slowly tucking it behind her ear. She closed her eyes and leaned against my hand, a small movement but the feeling of trust took my breath away for a few seconds, I didn’t dare to move, didn’t want to, the image in front of me would forever be preserved in my heart. My beautiful Zandra.
“Can I stay with you for a while?”
“While I...sleep?” It was a question I hadn’t anticipated. Why did she want to be with me when I’m sleeping? Images of the dagger popped into my head but I pushed them away so they wouldn’t slip and show to her. Was that why? No...she wasn’t that cowardly...but she was that merciful.
She could kill me in my sleep so I wouldn’t have to worry, about the attack, my children...Ana...my thoughts wandered and became hard to keep in place, too hard.
“Ambrogio, I just want to be by your side, that’s all, no hidden agenda, you have my word.” I nodded slowly and caressed her cheek with my thumb.
“I must remind you though…” I faked a serious expression and looked at her.
“About what?”
“Like I said before...I sleep naked.” Her cheeks turned red and she slapped my arm. I couldn’t stop the laughter that left me, it was honest and felt good, exactly what I needed.
“Nothing would make me happier than having you near Zandra…or, I can think of a couple of things…” I winked at her and laughed some more. She rolled her eyes but I could see the smile on the corner of her mouth..
“Just go...” She nudged me towards my door and followed.
I watched her as she slowly moved around the room, yesterday it was mostly to look for things for my bath, now she took the time to look at my personal decor. She stopped in front of the mirror over my dresser. The mirror I talked through so many times. She let her fingers wander lightly over the frame. Her slim fingers...that’s when I saw it. It wasn’t much, just a tiny dot, but blood never escaped me.
“Zandra, what’s that? Are you hurt?” She quickly hid her arm behind her back.
“It’s nothing, just a little scratch.”
“Let me see.”
“It’s nothing really...what you can do is give me something to drink.” I was in front of her quickly and took her arm.
“You’re going to get your drink, and I’m not going to force you, but I’m asking you to show me your wound.
“Ambrogio...”
“Zandra, please?” She sighed and stopped trying to take her arm back. I unbuttoned her blouse and pulled back the fabric. I could feel my eyes burn, my blood boil and my fangs grow.
“Ambrogio..calm down.”
“Who? Who has been drinking from you?” I knew the answer, she had only been alone with another vampire. Tony.
“It’s not what you think, I asked him, he didn’t want to at first...”
“I’m going to kill him!” I let go of her and went towards the door, I heard her whisper something and when I touched the door handle it was like touching a glowing iron, exactly like the other door this morning.
“Zandra…let me out.”
“No.”
Her voice was calm but firm and soon I felt her hands on my back.
“Look at me Ambrogio.” I let her turn me and once again I found myself lost in her eyes. She took my face in her hands and pulled me to her, so close I could feel her breath playing on my lips.
“He didn’t hurt me.” She gave me a little kiss and I froze.
“I asked him to take some of my blood to show him our history.” Another little kiss and I experienced the sensation of relaxing and getting hard at the same time.
“I gave him my blood to show that I am not a threat to his father, his father that he loves more than anything.” One more kiss. I was lost. I pulled her to me and captured her lips. I devoured them, couldn’t get enough and when she split them open and gave me access to her mouth, it was as if a hunger I had known for so long was fed. I felt the taste of her blood as a moan left her. I immediately let go of her and took a step back. Her bottom lip was bloody, my fangs were still out so I knew I had accidentally bit her. I had sworn to never force myself on her again, never hurt her, never drink her blood and in a few seconds I had broken all those promises.
“Zandra…I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to…fuck!…you should go back…back to the wolves.
“What?...why? what do you mean?” Her flushed face looked confused and she still hadn’t caught her breath.
“You know what I mean, I don’t want to...I can’t...I can’t control myself with you, I’m trying, God knows I’m trying, but look in the mirror, a couple of kisses and you’re already bleeding.” I ran my hands through my hair, partly in frustration but also to keep them away from her, all I wanted was to pull her to me again. She licked away blood from her lip and closed the distance between us.
Her hands again took my face and again she pulled me to her.
“I’m a big girl this time Ambrogio, you can’t hurt me...you love me right”
“You know I do…but.”
“So trust me as I trust you.” She kissed me again and I gave in. I wrapped my arms around her and lifted her, carrying her towards my bed as our tongues met. I laid her down and looked at her, looking for the slightest sign of interrupting what I had started but there was none, her eyes were full of hunger and desire, her lips swollen and her breathing rapid. I kissed her again, sucking a little on her injured lip and enjoying her blood making every cell in my body sing. I kissed my way down to her neck, licking her skin and teasing the throbbing jugular vein. She grabbed hold of my hair and pushed me harder against her while stretching her neck, giving me permission to drink from her.
“Zandra...I can’t...”
“I will never deny you your nature…I trust you, the blood of your mate will make you stronger, you will need it.” A tear left her eye, but I saw no fear, no doubt...only love. Her hands caressed my face, my lips and my fangs.
“You’re going to have to be strong Ambrogio…and you’re going to have to feel me, my blood will guarantee it.” I didn’t understand what she meant, only that it was important to her that I drank from her. I kissed her deeply again, breathing in the air she breathed out, eating up all her moans with great appetite before once again kissing my way down to her neck. But I didn’t bite. My hands explored the rest of her body and as she pulled my shirt off I unbuttoned her blouse. The feel of her skin against mine was intoxicating, we pressed hard against each other, as if we were trying to merge. Her bra was lace and silk, giving hints of the glory it hid. I looked at it for a few seconds before I was satisfied that the buckle was in the front. The second I opened it I took her in my mouth, I couldn’t get enough, I wanted to fill my mouth with her breasts, I gently sucked and nibbled her nipples, she moaned louder and arched her back in pleasure. My hands continued down the length of her body, Her pants only had elastic at the waist and were easy to pull off, I reluctantly left her breasts and knelt between her legs. I stroked the inside of her thigh as I admired her...Zandra..my fiesty little witch.
“Are you sure?...”
“Make love with me Ambrogio, make love with me now.” Her voice was full of desire and it was the last push I needed. I shed the rest of our clothes and bent down and kissed her thigh, she flushed and goosebumps formed on her skin, I continued my way up and and when I had her wet and warm against my lips I kissed her softly, a faint shudder went through her body so I increased the pressure a little, I licked and sucked, letting my tongue find all the places that made her moan a little louder or shake a little more. Her hands grabbed my hair and she started moving against me.
“Ah, ah, ah....aaaahhh...” Her orgasm hit us both and with it an explosion of flavors, as if something had been destroyed or unlocked. It wasn’t like with Zara, this was something completely different, this was real. I felt the taste of her, of Zandra. I kissed my way up to her lips and we drank each other like we were walking in a desert. I hooked one of her legs with my arm and looked her in the eyes as I slowly entered her. Nothing had ever felt so right, I kissed her as I picked up the pace, her nails tearing the skin of my back and it made me thrust harder, faster. Our moans and the sound of our bodies blended into sweet music in the room and as I saw my golden lines in her eyes glow I leaned into her neck. I licked up a drop of sweat and savored the salty taste before letting my fangs do what I swore they would never do again. As her blood flowed into my mouth I pounded even harder and our orgasms ripped through us at the same time.

The magic in her blood was like a pleasant hum in my veins. I looked at her sleeping in my arms. She was a little pale and I was worried that I had taken too much. I pulled her closer and pulled the covers up tight so she wouldn’t freeze, her naked body was entwined with mine from head to toe and it made me hard again. I took a few breaths and buried my face in her hair. She needed rest and she had insisted that I needed it too. I closed my eyes and let the new feeling of happiness lull me into sleep.