* * * *
I wake up to sunlight shooting straight into my left eye through a crack in the shades. Squinting at the stark contrast between my black sleep of nothingness and the brightness outside the window, I roll onto my back and stretch my arms above me.
This is gonna be weird getting used to not dreaming anymore. You’d think I’d at least have normal people dreams… “Ha! Who said I was normal?”
I take a deep breath and smell coffee and vanilla.
Oh, shit—wow, that really did happen. I can’t wait to tell Hollie. She’s gonna freak!
Sloane walks into the room, pushing the door aside with his elbow as he carries two mugs—one in each hand. I grab the covers and pull them over my head to hide the goofy grin I know is plastered on my face.
“What are you hiding from, gorgeous? I brought you some coffee. It should perk you up a little for our busy day.”
Cautiously, I bring the sheet down just below my eyes and smile even bigger as Sloane sits down on the edge of the bed. I almost don’t notice he’s still shirtless because his blue eyes and adorably tousled hair is demanding my attention.
“How can you wake up looking so great? I’m sure I’m a mess,” I mumble through the sheet.
“Oh hush, you look fine. Beautiful, in fact. Now will you please move the covers and take a cup?” Sloane grins and I am amazed that his eyes sparkle when I reveal my entire face.
I scoot back and prop the pillows behind me, making sure I’m stable before grabbing my drink from Sloane’s hand. Last night left me a bit off-kilter. In a good way, but so much so that even a good night’s sleep didn’t shake it off completely.
“Were you talking to someone while I was in the kitchen?” Sloane effortlessly slides over closer to me, not spilling a single drop of his to-the-brim cup of coffee.
“No. Oh, well just to myself. Nothing important.” I dismiss the question with a wave of my hand.
I have something else on my mind. “How do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Move so easily. I’m a complete klutz and you practically float around like ghosts and vampires do in movies. Covetina was able to do it, too—well, except she really, truly did float…”
“It’s because I am part vampire. And part ghost, I suppose … in a way. You are, too. Part elve, demon—lots of different things.” Sloane says this simply, with a perfectly straight face.
“Wh—What? What are you talking about? You’re kidding, right? Please tell me you’re kidding. Smile or something.” I clutch my mug so tightly I’m sure there’s a good chance of me crushing it. Either that or I’ll have sore, burnt palms for a short while.
A smile breaks out on Sloane’s face as he switches his cup to his right hand and places his left on my leg. I discern, though, that the smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Seriously.” I sit forward. “Wait, are you serious? Or are you just messing with me?”
“Please don’t freak out, doll. We are one and the same. Faeries, vampires, werewolves—the whole lot of ‘fantasy’ creatures stem from the same place. We all have a little bit of each other inside.”
I don’t have a clue what to say and I am sincerely hoping he isn’t saying all of this because he thinks last night was a mistake. Is he trying to push me away?
I gingerly bring my coffee cup to my lips and blow on the hot liquid. Not once do I take my eyes off Sloane. Nor does he look away from me. When I take my first sip, he begins to speak again.
“It is true but not in a bad way. I’m not saying I am really a vampire or an angel or anything—I am fae, but we do have some of the same traits. They overlap. Like, some faeries can fly and some cannot. Some live under the water, but most do not. And there are other interesting similarities among us all.”
I shake my head in disbelief yet continue to listen, taking small sips, the same way I am slowly drinking in what Sloane is telling me. Just as I have done with all the new stuff I’ve been told over the past couple of days.
“We all stem from Avalon. But there are different parts of it. There are different realms everywhere.” Sloane stops speaking for a moment and cocks his head, looking deep into my eyes. He slowly and gently rubs my leg through the blankets and asks, “Did Bonnie really not tell you all of this? I assumed you already knew.”
Again, I shake my head and remain quiet. I stare at him in such a way I hope will direct him to go on.
And he does. “Well, I suppose it is pretty basic. Avalon is only another name for the Underworld, be it heaven, hell, or some other plane of existence.” He hesitates, seemingly mulling something over.
“I believe I can best explain it like this. You know how some people believe that the world—the world as you knew it a couple of days ago, that is—started with Adam and Eve? Well, Avalon did start like that. We all stem from one basic mold and idea, and we expanded from there.”
I lower my coffee to my lap. “So, what would we have been if we hadn’t changed into different beings?”
“I honestly am not sure about that. Just like people who believe in The Garden of Eden don’t really know what race Adam and Eve were, we have no clue how we started. Some even believe Avalon and The Garden of Eden are the same. They believe the world split into different kinds of people and creatures, along with splitting into different realms and dimensions.”
“Wow—overload here.” I take a couple of deep breaths while thinking. “So you’re really, truly saying we are part vampire and even mermaid and whatever else?”
“Yes. Not in a ‘let’s sleep in coffins and hunt the night’ or ‘let’s go live in Atlantis’ type of way, but it is where we get our stealth-like abilities. Or so I have been told.”
“Hmmm… Do they take a while to, ya know, kick in? ’Cause I’m not feeling anything of the sort.”
“Maybe. You are the first changeling I have met, so I’m not sure. But it does seem like you are slowly gaining powers and controlling them. For example—you are better now with mind-reading and blocking others out of your own mind.”
I take a couple more sips of my coffee but I really need to get rid of it. It actually produced some sort of jolt; I suppose it’s like most people feel when they drink caffeine. Normal people.
Wonder if it’s extra strong. Doesn’t taste strong.
I lean over and place my mug on the nightstand and then grab Sloane’s from him. Some books have to be shoved over, but I manage to find a place for his. I then lean back on the pillows and grab his hand.
“Come here.” I tug gently and he moves toward me as if propelled. Laughing, I say, “Well, you didn’t need much convincing.”
“Hell, no. I have been dying for you to wake up.” He lies down next to me in one swift motion, and then props his head on his right hand. “I’m glad you didn’t get too scared about anything I just said. Really, I thought Bonnie went over everything with you.”
Nuzzling closer to Sloane, I reply, “Nope. Guess she only told me the basics. Figured I’d learn as I go. Not that good of a plan on her part; she knows me better than that… But at least you’re here to help me with it now.”
“That, I am. I always will be. But do you think Bonnie might have known how much more capable you would be now? I mean, after you visited Covetina. I bet Bonnie simply has faith in what and who you are. Now that you know.”
I smile sweetly and lower my voice. “Is there anything I don’t know that you want to teach me? I mean, besides what you already did…” I trail off and blush at my brazenness.
Sloane smirks and searches my eyes, and I get the feeling he is making sure I am prepared for what he has in mind. “Oh, you have no idea.”
“Well that sounds interesting.” My smile changes to match his smirk and my eyes search his face for some kind of clue. I do know it is something I would never expect, or guess, on my own.
“Do you trust me? To do anything?”
“Uh, yeah.” He is making me a little scared but I shove that feeling way down aw
ay from the surface. “I mean, yes. Of course I trust you.”
“All right then.”
At this point, I expect him to make some sort of move but he doesn’t dive right in. He is sweet and keeps asking me questions. He also asks for my polite cooperation.
“I want to make sure you are ready for this. You can just lie back and relax. Know that I would never hurt you.”
“I know that. I do.” I stare into his eyes, which now look stormy instead of bright. I am positive he is planning something dangerously exciting. He also is pulling up some of my previous thoughts. Some odd thoughts… My random scary movie fantasies pop into my mind. But none of those can be right regarding Sloane’s plan because no one expects a fantasy to come true.
Then again, I certainly never expected to learn that I’m a faery even though I had sensed it. But not as much as I sense Sloane’s hot breath by my left ear. And then his lips and his tongue and then I don’t seem to have a clue what I am thinking.
Except for that I believe I have found a clue in my thoughts that Sloane is feeding me. I have considered it—just once, during my first encounter with Donovan at Preston’s party. On second thought, though, there’s no way that can be right. ‘Reality’ is still too much a part of my mindset.
So I’m at a loss again but I can’t possibly care less at the moment. Every touch from my guy causes my insides to quiver.
“I’m glad. I love that you trust me. Are you ready?”
I nod. Here it comes…
“Great. Now I want you to close your eyes and lie back on the pillows,” Sloane instructs me.
Not wanting to tear my eyes away from his, but keeping my faith in him, I comply. The excitement of what is to come takes over. I feel Sloane move on top of me and sort of sit on my upper legs.
Oddly, I don’t feel his weight—his presence. I can feel enough to know he is this close, but not so much that it hurts or that I even feel any pressure.
What’s he gonna do next? I’m kind of afraid. Should I be afraid? Shut up! Just shut up and trust him. Gosh!
He uses both of his hands to lift my right arm. Holding my wrist with his left hand, he traces up and down—from my elbow to my wrist—with the first few fingers of his right hand. It sort of tickles, which I normally can’t stand but Sloane’s hands feel damned good no matter what they are doing.
I almost cry out at what he does next. Instead, I breathe in deeply as I realize it didn’t hurt. Not in the least.
What the heck. I could have sworn he sliced me with something. But now I don’t feel a thing. I so wanna open my eyes…
His warmth now hovers closer to my upper body. I become momentarily distracted from this when I realize something warm is running down the side of my arm.
“What the—”
“Shhh,” Sloane reassures me. “Keep your eyes closed, Kellyn. Remember to trust me. I promise you are fine.”
“OK. Sorry—I didn’t mean to talk out loud—especially that loudly.” I feel stupid having done so and force myself to relax.
Then I feel it.
There is no doubt anymore.
I realize what is happening.
Sloane’s tongue touches the inner part of my forearm and he licks down toward my wrist. He gently strokes my arm with his soft tongue—his lips barely touching me.
As he just grazes my skin, a surge of energy shoots through my body. I haven’t a clue what to think, but it doesn’t much matter because I am back to enjoying, not thinking. Strange as the experience is.
His lips grab on to my skin and his tongue begins rubbing around in a circle. Soon this stops and he feverishly takes my arm in both hands and pulls it even closer to his mouth.
He begins sucking on me. Hard. Yet he is gentle … of course.
So much vitality and pleasure bursts from this spot. The thrill radiates up my arm and to my heart. And once my heart is in on the action, it is no holds barred.
Every vein throbs and I feel a scream desperately wanting to escape. I attempt to hold it in, but as Sloane continues what he is doing, it comes to a point where I can’t keep quiet no matter how I try.
“Shit! Sloane. Damn, that feels so good! Oh my―”
I keep moaning as I am also writhing now that Sloane has started rubbing his lower body against mine.
The power of the flow decreases over the next couple of minutes. My blood is now only simmering, rather than boiling. Our bodies don’t stop moving, but Sloane does stop drinking.
Rubbing his tongue over the spot where he cut me, Sloane slowly, even slower, and slower still releases his lips and gives my arm a couple more flicks with his tongue.
His body grows from warm to hot as he repositions in order to brace himself over me. He hasn’t let go of my arm, but neither of my arms stay by my side for long now that I’m more than thoroughly turned on.
He is forced to release his grip and practically falls as I pull him down to me. I still am unable to feel his weight. It is almost as though he is floating above me, yet I can still feel his entire being, as close as can be.
Yes, Sloane is definitely close to me, almost every inch of his body touching mine.
His lips press against mine and I ravenously return his kiss. I still don’t have a clue exactly why he decided to do what he just did, or what the mechanics of it entail. But then again, I haven’t had many moments of rational, ‘together’ thought since I’ve been awake. They are just starting to come back now, enough so I know what Sloane did was powerful and that it made me ridiculously strong somehow.
What the hell was that? It was great, but why do I feel so energetic and powerful? Shouldn’t I be weak after losing blood?
I decide just to go with it and enjoy the moment.
Feeling the urge to do the same back to him, I test it out while we are kissing by biting his lip. Just his lower one. Tenderly.
I’m surprised to find that my teeth go through the skin like the sharp blade I used the one and only time I cut myself. Whoa. Bad thought. Think of Sloane – not weak, younger me. Don’t be an idiot, Kellyn!
Shoving that horrible memory out of my head, the most phenomenal flavor overtakes my taste buds. It is liquid chocolate with a drop or two of raspberry mixed in.
I lick it up greedily and start kissing Sloane again. I’m not quite sure if I am really ready to suck his blood yet; I am content just to taste it slightly during sweet kisses.
He pulls away from me for a second and I notice a trickle of blood running down below his lip. I want to lick it up, but what he starts doing jumbles my thoughts right back into incoherence.
While Sloane unbuttons his pants and unties mine (I don’t remember putting on his jammie pants—maybe he did it for me?), I spare a glance over at my arm. Just a small red mark is showing. As if stoned or high, lying in awe, I watch as it fades more – into nothing at all.
Sloane bends down toward me after he accomplishes his task of removing our pants and, without thought, I lick under his lip before he can kiss me again. My insides float and, as my mind begins working once again, I conclude that I am in heaven, no matter how ridiculous the thought seems.
Everything we shared last night happens all over again, and it is even better this time, which I didn’t think was possible. At this point, I am even more convinced this truly is heaven. And whatever the whole blood exchange thing was about, well, it definitely is heightening the experience.
I give into the pleasure, loving that I found Sloane. If only I’d known long ago that I’m a faery…
This enjoyment shouldn’t be kept from anyone.