The Vampire's Mistress

Chapter 2: Elevator

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Ariana's Sunday nightshift had been well underway for a few hours when she was called into Mrs Holloway's office. Ariana quickly walked down to the little room wondering what she had done.

When she entered the room she noticed Mrs Holloway's face, red and sweaty - she looked exasperated and stressed. Ariana wondered what was going on, contemplating whether she had made a colossal error and if the woman was about to fire her. She wracked her brain but nothing came up.

"Ari," Mrs Holloway sighed, "I need you to do a favour."

Ariana could feel her body deflate in relief. She hadn't done anything wrong after all.

"Of course."

"I need you to go out and get some champagne, magazines and flowers. I've got the list of what exactly what her majesty wants. And when you've gotten the items, I need you to run them to Mary." Mrs Holloway explained.

That was an unusual errand.

By the older woman's sarcastic use of the term 'her majesty', she knew she was referring to Sebastian's mistress, Sabine. Since meeting Sabine, Adriana had only had a handful of run-ins with the woman. Each time she came out of the experience slightly more on edge. It hadn't taken long for Ariana to realise that the model was temperamental and easily agitated.

From the look of Mrs Holloway's face Ariana could tell that something had clearly happened with Sabine. The older woman didn't get along with the model. Sabine in turn seemed to genuinely enjoy upsetting the matron.

"Sure," Ariana nodded, receiving the paper from the woman.

"And hurry," Mrs Holloway continued, "Sabine is in a mood."

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Ariana ran as fast as she could down towards the shops to collect all the items on the list. She felt a stitch stab at her stomach as she ran back into the complex, but ignored it, pushing herself up the stairs and towards the kitchens. She almost cried, received to have found Mary in there, loading up a tray with glasses and chocolates. The last thing Ariana wanted was to spend the evening running all over the Complex looking for the maid.

"Thanks Ari," Mary sighed, taking out the champagne and magazines and chucking them onto the tray, rushing forward, "

She

is off the walls tonight."

"What's going on?"

Ariana knew she probably shouldn't have asked, but her curiosity got the better of her.

"I don't know." Mary replied, "I'm thinking that something happened with her and the boss? I don't know how she gets away with carrying on the way she does. She's been screaming and trashing things all evening."

Ariana nodded, wondering what it was like to be so secure you could behave in such a way. She'd been kicked out of home for a lot less.

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Ariana took the service elevator up back to the 15th floor so she could start dusting the rooms not in use. The elevator made a stop on the way up, and as it opened Ariana was surprised to see that it was Sebastian. The vampire didn't usually take the service elevator. In fact, no one but staff usually used them.

Sebastian hurried in appearing slightly dishevelled, shirt sleeves rolled up, no tie. Ariana was surprised to notice that he also seemed angry, but then she had recalled what Mary had said earlier. Maybe Sabine and him had been fighting.

He ignored her as he stepped in, typing furiously into his phone - which was fine by her, there was no way she wanted him talking to her in such a state. She tried to make herself as small as possible in the corner, trying not to draw attention to herself. The last thing she needed was to give Sebastian or any of the other staff an excuse to have her dismissed.

"You can stop trembling," Sebastian's voice broke through the elevator. He brought up a hand to smooth back his hair which seemed to be haphazard - actually, all of him seemed to be in a state of disarray. Sebastian was usually neat and tidy in his appearance, never a hair out of place. Ariana noticed he hadn't even shaved, dark stubble gracing his jaw. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, putting the phone into his pocket, and just like that Ariana felt the temperature in the elevator sudden get hotter. Or maybe it wasn't the elevator, maybe it was her. It was difficult to think with the man's focus on her.

"Ok," was all she could say. The air hung thick with tension and Ariana had no idea why or what had happened to create it. Although she had a suspicion it had something to do with the screaming mistress on the top floor.

They slowly ascended the floors, the service elevator particularly sluggish today. Ariana wished it would speed up - and she wondered what it was about being with Sebastian that made her feel like the elevators were always too slow. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that whenever she was in close proximity with her boss she felt like he was going to pounce on her.

"Is everything ok?" She heard herself ask, her voice like a ripple in otherwise smooth water.

She didn't know why it had come out, or why she had thought it would be a good idea to talk to the man, considering the state of anger he seemed to be in.

He turned to her sharply, eyes surveying her intently. He seemed annoyed, as if even looking at her was an inconvenience. As soon as the words had some out, she knew that had definitely been the wrong thing to do. Ariana turned to look at her feet, pretending she hadn't said anything, ignoring Sebastian's eyes on her.

The elevator stopped to reach his floor and Ariana almost felt her heart flip as he left. She was half relieved he'd left, and half wished he'd stayed. Even angry he was gorgeous; there was something about the feral look in his eyes and unkempt appearance that kind of sent a thrill through her body. And not the bad kind, not the warning kind of thrill. The good kind, which strung anticipation throughout her body and made her squeeze her thighs together just to stop the arousal from completely overtaking her.

Sebastian stalked out of there and as his figure retreated she resisted the urge to press the 'close doors' button on the elevator and waited for them to close automatically. Thrill or not, she knew the best way for her to keep her job was to stay away from him and not piss him off.

The doors didn't get the chance to completely close though, Sebastian was suddenly back at the elevator doors, his large hands wrenching them apart. The doors were nothing compared to his strength, giving way easily with a loud groan.

"Christ!" her heart slammed against her chest at the sudden violence.

Ariana pressed herself flatly against the elevator wall, hand over her heart trying to calm it and momentarily wondered if he was going to yell at her.

Sebastian stood there, gaze locked onto hers. She could see his nostrils flaring and a red ring outlined his iris. This was no man standing before her now. Terror filled her body, she knew she was shaking.

Ariana didn't know what to say, or what was even happening. She wracked her brain with everything that had happened that day, wondering if she'd done something to displease him, but nothing came up.

One moment, Sebastian was staring at her as if he wanted to sink his fangs into her body and tear her apart. The next, he was moving - he took two strides forward and next thing she knew he had grabbed her around the waist, one hand slipping into her hair and roughly pressed his mouth to hers.

She didn't notice the doors shut, the elevator moving or anything. All Ariana could focus on was the sensation of being kissed by

him

, and the giddy surprise racing through her as his lips caressed hers.

She was eighteen years of age and this was only the second time she'd ever been kissed. The first time she didn't give much thought to given that fact that she was twelve and it was with her step-father, who had tried to then molest her. So...not a positive experience.

But this, this was different. Firstly, it was good. Better than good. It was lovely, and lust-filled and heady and...and

everything

. Secondly, she wanted it. God, she'd never wanted anything more in her life. Ariana wouldn't dare admit she'd spent hours after their first meeting imagining how his lips might feel against her own. Dreaming had been nothing compared to the real thing.

Sebastian moved his lips urgently against hers, she could barely keep up in returning his insistent nips and kisses. She'd hadn't had much practice, but with the way he was practically consuming her mouth, he seemed pleased enough.

She pulled back for air momentarily, just long enough to realise that they had, in fact, reached her stop and the elevator doors had opened. She was unsure of how long they'd been open.

Anyone could have seen them!

Sabine could have seen them - that was a terrifying thought.

As soon as Sabine entered her mind, Ariana realised exactly what she was doing and pulled back. She didn't know anything about either of them, but surely Sabine would be devastated to see her lover kissing another woman.

Sebastian tried to bring her mouth back to his, but she placed her hands on his chest and pushed. He pulled back and assessed her face, arms still wrapped around her, unwilling to let her go.

"We really shouldn't be doing this," Ariana said softly, "You have a girlfriend, and I work for you."

"Sabine is my mistress, not my girlfriend."

What the hell did that even mean? Did he really not care?

"Semantics. It doesn't change the fact we shouldn't be doing this."

"Why not?"

It was a good question.

"Because..." she paused, really trying to remind herself of why she didn't want him to be kissing her, because actually, she really wanted nothing more than to have his lips on hers again.

He seemed to take her silence as an opportunity and brought his mouth to hers once again, drugging her with his lips.

"Because," she managed between kisses, "I. don't. want. To. Hurt. Anyone."

"Stop pulling away, woman," He murmured, capturing her lips again. A gentle nip at her lower lip and she was parting her mouth for him to slip a caressing tongue inside.

Ariana clung to the front of his shirt, revelling in the warmth and scent of him. She wanted to touch him, press her hands against his naked skin. He evidently felt the same, moving to press his lips her jaw, neck and shoulder, leaving open mouthed kisses upon ever bit of available flesh. He pulled down the shoulder of the shirt, kissing the bare skin exposed. Ariana could feel surges of liquid arousal seeping between her thighs, desire shooting through her like stars in the sky.

Her hands moved of their own accord, coming up unbutton Sebastian's shirt and she pressed her hands against the hard expanse of his chest. His skin was heated, taut to the touch, Ariana felt the distinct desire to lean forward and taste his skin.

"You're perfect," she heard him growl in her ear, sucking and kissing the skin on her neck, a hand coming up to cup her breast through the shirt. Ariana shivered at the touch, moans, prayers leaving her lips, begging him to keep touching her, to fill her need.

The door dinged shut and started climbing to the top floor.

His floor. Sabine's floor,

she realised at the back of her mind.

"Sebastian," Ariana whispered.

"Mmph," was his reply as he busied himself kissing her jaw and lips, trying to get underneath her shirt.

"Sebastian," she said more urgently, watching the elevator reach the top floor.

"What?" he pulled away, eyes staring down at her with glints of frustration flying through them.

"Top floor," was all she said, watching them reach the top.

"I don't care" he growled, nipping her mouth, successfully managing to snake his hand underneath her shirt and cupping her breast, squeezing it through the flimsy fabric of her bra. She couldn't stop the moan from escaping her mouth from the contact.

When had she ever been touched like this? When had she ever wanted to be touched like this?

"Sabine," she panted, barely able to speak with the way his fingers were dipping into her bra to touch her sensitive flesh.

"I don't care," he nipped her neck this time, long fingers teasing her, taking her hard little nipple between his fingers and pinching. She couldn't stop the whole body reaction, like a undulation spreading through her, ending in a high-pitched squeak.

"Well I do," She said urgently, trying not to focus on how, with only two fingers on her taught nipple and lips on her neck, he was making her more aroused than she'd ever been in her life.

Sebastian pulled back gently and he inhaled deeply, as if trying to calm himself and gave her a look over, staring intently at her breasts.

"You're a curse, woman," He uttered.

Ariana tried to ignore the hurtful statement, instead focusing on the fact that she needed to stop Sebastian from touching her again, because she couldn't focus when he did that.

"You should fix your shirt," she frowned, gesturing to his unbuttoned shirt, trying to fix her messed up hair. He smirked, looking down at his crushed, opened shirt and started buttoning it back up. Ariana continued frowning, wanting to simultaneously hit and kiss the man.

The elevator doors opened with a ding and Sebastian walked out the door, not even bothering to look back.

As the door closed, Ariana felt dread and excitement filling her all at once. She also felt anger bubbling through her, anger at the fact he didn't even bother to acknowledge her as he left.

Ariana was unsure of what exactly had just happened and why. All she knew was that she'd made a huge mistake. She'd made out with her boss, while she was supposed to be working, and he had a mistress.

What had she been thinking?

Then, as the desire started to flow from her, a cold hardness started to wrack her body. Ariana knew she wasn't a sophisticated European model. She knew she was kidding herself if she thought she was on the same level as Sebastian or Sabine. There was so much difference between them, and a part of her knew that the kiss would have meant nothing to someone like him.

And maybe it wouldn't have meant much to her if she had been different, and if her life had been different. But the fact remained that Sebastian had been her first real kiss. She could hardly count the slobbering attempt from her step-father when she was younger, and, in fact, didn't want to. No, this had been her first kiss and it had been wonderful. Well, up until he'd called her a curse.

Her friend, Mae, had referred to him a notorious flirt, but he'd seemed so nice whenever she'd come across him during work.

Stupid Ariana

- she'd fallen into it! She'd thought Mae had been silly warning her, but she could see now evidently it had been for a reason. Clearly Sebastian had been nice just to take advantage of her.

Ariana knew she could never let anything like that happen again. It wouldn't end well for her.