Night Hunt Ch 09

Ok ok I did it again.. I've gone MIA and left the story hanging. Carving out the time for this is a lot harder than I thought. However, it is still my first story and I intend to finish it. I just don't know how long it will take.

Once again, thanks for all your encouragement and support. It's what's keeping this thing going. You guys are the best! As always, do leave your feedback in the comments!

For those new to this series, I'd advise to start reading from the beginning, or it won't make much sense. If you do that, please bear in mind that being my first ever try, the pace, length, and other writing choices start of rocky and get better as you go. Thanks for your patience!

Enjoy Chapter 9!

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Awkward did not begin to describe the drive to Anya's place. Now that they were both fully clothed- well, as fully clothed as one could be in a short dress and no panties- and not busy groping at each other like desperate teenagers, it appeared they could not find anything to say.

Come to think of it, they had never had a casual conversation. They seemed to alternate between getting naked, and trying to get out of a life-threatening situation. The tension in the car was stifling. Despite the air-conditioning, Anya could have sworn that the temperature had risen.

She was all too aware of Tyrus' close proximity in the enclosed space. His lean, muscled frame seemed to overwhelm the driver's seat, his long limbs folded tightly in front of it, even though his car was by no means small. It was a beautiful black Audi R8, sleek and masculine, powerful without the need to show off ostentatiously. Just like its owner.

Tyrus cleared his throat. "Did you sleep well?"

"Um, yes, thanks," She replied stiffly.

They fell into silence again. Anya sighed inwardly. She wanted to fill the silence but she didn't know how to begin. How do you go back to small talk when you had already jumped to all the exciting parts? It was crazy to think that just a few hours ago, they had been so intimate with one another.

A memory of a naked Tyrus sprawled out on his bed, her tongue exploring every inch of his skin, drifted unbidden into her consciousness. Last night, she had hungrily learnt everything she could about his body, but now, she realised just how little she knew about him.

The thought unsettled her. It should have been the other way around. She should be getting to know

him

first before getting to know his body.

For sure, she had made her two ex-boyfriends work hard before she let them get anywhere near her pants. She wasn't a prude about sex, but she'd been careful - really careful - with her heart. When it came to dating, making them wait was her way of screening them, helping her decide if she could give that part of herself to them or not.

She wondered where her caution had gone to when she met Tyrus. Nope, still no alarm bells.

She'd gone all in since the day they had met. Succumbing to him in her room, chasing after him in the club, accepting his blood not because she feared for her life, but because she wanted him. It had started out as a fantasy, a thrill without any consequences, but suddenly, it was becoming a lot more real.

For the hundredth time since waking up, insecurities clouded her thoughts. She needed to slow this thing way down if she wanted it to work. No matter how right it felt, she needed her rational mind to take over, or she could risk getting really hurt.

From now on, she should probably resist any more lusty, vampire sex. At least, she should wait until she got the chance to get to know him better. Even if his blood was surging through her veins, inciting her to do otherwise. She fidgeted uncomfortably as her traitorous body heated at the mere mention of sex in her head.

Damn this mark.

She felt fresh arousal pool beneath the short hem of her dress in spite of herself.

Next to her, Tyrus stiffened. His hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. She didn't miss the flex of his muscular forearm as his nostrils flared. A glance at the generous bulge at his crotch confirmed the cause of his sudden change. At least he wasn't immune to what she was going through either. Then again, that was probably less of a good thing if she was hoping to cool things down.

She exhaled forcefully. Might as well address the elephant in the room.

"So... About last night..." She trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

A few seconds ticked by.

"You regret it," he stated, his voice strained. His face was deliberately blank, but she caught the hurt in his eyes.

What-

How could he think she could regret something so amazing? Had that thought really wounded him the way she thought it did? Her heart jumped.

"No!" She rejected his statement emphatically. "You should never think that- Last night was... Was..."

She struggled, trying to come up with a way to summarise her conflicting emotions. She had always been terrible at expressing her feelings to the opposite sex.

He was waiting for her answer, eyes fixed on the road, the muscle at his temple twitching as his jaw clenched. Did she really dare to hope that she had that much of an effect on him? Her cheeks coloured.

"It was good for me, okay?" She bit her lip, terrified at her admission. "In fact, it was pretty damn perfect."

She practically mumbled the last part under her breath. She'd never thought liking a guy could make her feel this... vulnerable. She must be really fall-

Oh god. So much for taking it slow.

The tension in Tyrus' body visibly eased. It reassured her a little that this was as nerve-wrecking for him too. "Good. It was... perfect for me too."

Her heart, which had pretty much ceased during her admission, was now thudding back into full gear.

The car eased to a stop. She looked around to find that they were parked in front of her apartment building. She'd been so distracted she hadn't even noticed that they were here. Her neighbourhood was quiet. Nobody was out this early on a Sunday morning. They got out of the car, a new energy buzzing between them.

She let them into the small building and led him up the stairs. The lifts were old, and took forever to move. It had become a habit for her to walk up the short vertical distance to her home. She tried to lighten the mood, to distract herself from her jangled nerves.

"I've never had a sex marathon quite like that before. I must say, you've got the moves." She wanted to cringe once she heard her own words. They were beyond lame.

His eyes narrowed. Did he look offended?

"I'd like think it was much more than just

sex

." His voice was soft and low, and laced with something dangerous.

Instantly, she regretted her words.

Yes, yes it was.

But up until now, she hadn't admitted that to herself.

It was much easier to think that it was just physical. Just the effects of Tyrus' blood amplifying a primal need. She'd managed to convince herself that the way that Tyrus had worshipped her body, his kisses switching back and forth between tenderness and possession, had just been the actions of a practised lover. It made more sense that that was all it was-

Without warning, she found herself pinned against the wall in the narrow stairwell, Tyrus' large body stretched out against hers. She gasped as she felt the heat emanating from him. She looked up at his face.

That was a mistake. His amber eyes held her in place, glowing with their intensity, displaying an unmistakable, raw hunger.

"You tell me..." His fingers stroked her thigh, sending sparks along her skin. They shifted higher, hitching up her dress along with it. She held her breath as cool air caressed her bare thighs and the already moist cleft between them. His hand slid up to palm her mound. She bit her lip to stop a whimper from escaping as she involuntarily pressed herself against his probing hand.

"You tell me..." he continued huskily, his gaze still locked on hers, seeing into her, reading her, "that

this

-"

She felt a finger dip inside her and she unwittingly opened up to grant it further access "-isn't more than

just a fucking sex marathon

."

Her mouth went dry. She felt his hot touch within her, spreading from her core all the way to her outer extremities, before wrapping around her thundering heart. An all-consuming need shook through her.

Before she could even think about what she was doing, she was tilting her chin upwards. Parting her lips slightly, she slid her hands up to his face and pulled him down towards her. She skated her tongue across his lower lip and into his warm mouth, pushing against his own tongue to get there.

There was nothing tentative about her kiss as she sought the taste of him. She registered the presence of his fangs as they hungrily pushed the kiss deeper.

A low growl reverberated from his throat. She heard the sound of his zipper being lowered, and then his erection was pushing at her entrance, ready to take her. An aching, desperate urgency took over her.

At the back of her mind she remembered that they were still in the old stairwell, just meters away from the privacy of her apartment, but she didn't care. She needed him

now

.

A strong hand lifted her thigh, her leg bent at the knee, supporting her to facilitate his entry. He caught her gaze and she met it, unflinching. There was no hesitation.

With their eyes locked, he thrust, driving himself in to the hilt. They gasped in unison at the pure pleasure of the initial thrust. His huge cock filled her completely and she had to bite back a moan as she stretched to accommodate him.

Silently, gradually at first, he began pounding into her. Once he got past the first few agonisingly slow strokes, he intensified his thrusts, matching the sense of urgency she felt inside her. Her foot on the ground gave her leverage to grind her hips against him to match his rhythm.

Her dress was hitched all the way up to her waist. The rough fabric of his jeans rubbed against her bare thighs, creating greater pleasure at where they were joined than if they had been fully naked.

The pressure in her centre built quickly. Impossible as it should be, she felt him swell further, creating even more delicious friction between them. They were both panting hard, caught up in their pleasure, trying to keep from crying out loud.

His gaze had stayed locked with hers the whole time. She lost herself in glowing amber, felt the pull of their desire drawing her deeper in. The stairwell, the mission, her doubts, all disappeared from the moment she'd looked into those eyes.

All too soon she was shuddering, contracting around him as her climax exploded through her. She gasped at the intensity, so great that it was almost unbearable. He followed quickly after her, fisting the back of her dress as his release took him.

They stood there, leaning against the wall for support, shaky from their quick tryst. Slowly, with a reluctant groan, he pulled out, dragging his sticky cum down her thigh as he did so. She flushed as the warm liquid trickled down her leg, but not quite caring at the mess it made.

They were both half-smiling, eyelids heavy from the rush of their orgasms, the tension from earlier dissipated.

He ran his finger along her cheek, then cupped the side of her face and leaned into her for a lingering, gentle kiss. Her dress dropped back down, covering her weeping pussy and thighs.

When he stepped back, she could only stare at him in wonder. How was it that Tyrus could break down her walls so easily? It was so unlike her not to use her head. The hold that he had on her was exhilarating and terrifying, all at the same time. Looking into his eyes, she realised just how far gone she was.

If she wasn't careful, she'd be headed straight for heartbreak. No, she couldn't let that happen. Something this good could never last. Tyrus was all impulse and passion, and she knew the type. She didn't doubt that it was real for him now, but she wouldn't let herself be caught unawares when he got bored of her and decided to move on.

Yup, those alarm bells were working again. And they were telling her that she needed to work harder to pull the brakes on this, slow them down. Her sanity depended on it.

Anya drew a small breath, finally breaking eye contact. "Let's go to my apartment. I'll clean up, pack my things, and then you and I are going to have a proper talk about Us."

****

Tyrus sat on the worn fabric couch in Anya's apartment, waiting impatiently. He needed to know what Anya had to say. He had wanted to follow her into the shower but she had stopped him with a finger to his chest, warning him away, grumbling about how she wouldn't be able to keep her head on if they got naked again.

She had a point, but the woman must also have had an ocean of resolve. After that intense moment in the stairwell, all he wanted to do was have her all over again, except this time, unhurriedly, torturing her as slowly as he could until she begged him to take her. The image had him smiling to himself.

Yes, this was what he wanted. Not just the insatiable sexual chemistry that they shared, but what he'd seen in her eyes when he'd forced her to look at him properly. Certainly, there was something new, something brewing between them that had been steadily growing since the first time they'd met.

That tension in the car earlier... He'd hated it. He never wanted to feel that with Anya again. Those few minutes when he'd convinced himself that she was having second thoughts had been gnawing away at him.

He recalled the apprehension he'd felt, waiting for her to tell him that she had made a mistake, that his blood had overwhelmed her and she hadn't been thinking straight. But then she had said the opposite, and his heart had soared.

Yet another thing that he hadn't expected was his strong reaction to her casual comment in the stairwell. What was that about? She'd only said a few words that had belittled what they'd shared, and his demon had demanded that he correct her, and force her to see what it was that she really felt for him. It stunned him. No woman had ever made him lose control like that.

The squeaking of her shower tap had him leaping to his feet. He listened to the soft pad of her footsteps behind the closed door as she got out of the bathroom and moved about her room. He could hear her opening her wardrobe and getting dressed, followed by some shuffling sounds as she busied herself packing.

He began pacing, shoving his hands into his pockets with a growl. She was taking too long. She had said that they needed to talk, and he'd waited long enough. Just when he was contemplating bursting through her door, she opened it and stepped out of her room, her long wet hair clinging to her neck and shoulders.

Even in a simple navy long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans, with no make-up or jewellery on, she looked beautiful. She was carrying a plain overnight bag on one shoulder. He noticed that she had changed to a pair of sneakers, and he appreciated her practicality. She'd thought about what their trip would entail instead of worrying about fashion like most women would.

His mark, still less than a day old, remained strong on her. He wished he'd known just how enticing her scent would be with the addition of his claim. Every time he caught a whiff, he lost his wits.

He strode over to her, ready to pull her in for a kiss, but she backed away once she saw his intention.

"Wait!"

He stopped, confused. She wanted that kiss as much as he did. He'd had his doubts before, but after

that moment

in the stairwell, he'd seen just how much she desired him. She wanted... more... too. Didn't she?

"I said we needed to talk..." She began warily.

"What did you need to say, Anya?" He waited, frowning, trying to read her the way he had earlier when she had opened up to him. All he found was a thin, newly built wall.

"I... " she started, her eyes glancing at him, then quickly darting away, "I can't think when you're looking at me like that."

She turned and leaned against her doorframe, biting her lip.

His demon growled with impatience but he pushed it away, forcing it to stay down. Something was upsetting her, but he didn't know what.

Cautiously, he moved closer, but stopped short of touching her. She looked down, away from him.

"Anya, what's on your mind?"

She kept her attention on the floor, refusing to look at him.

"Tyrus... I'm not sure what we're doing is a good idea. You've got the mission to focus on, and I'm obviously a distraction to you..."

She took a deep breath. "I think we should lay off each other for a while."

His felt her words like a kick to his chest. He'd read her wrong. His breath caught in his throat as darkness crept along the edges of his mind, threatening to envelope him. She

did

regret what was going on between them. It didn't matter that she was awakening something in him that he thought was long dead, she didn't think that it was worth exploring.

Except... Except he had seen right through her earlier, and he was sure that she'd been right there with him, as helplessly caught up in the magnitude of this thing as he was. For a moment, he'd caught a glimpse of her true feelings.

Even now, if he allowed himself to calm down enough to see it, she was hesitating. It was as if her own words hurt her to express. No, it was something else then. But what?

He took a step closer and placed a finger below her chin, gently lifting it towards him.

"Anya, look at me."

Reluctantly, she brought her gaze to his. He read fear in her eyes and he understood.

She wasn't ready.

It was easy to recognise her doubt. Didn't he himself struggle with the same thing? The memory of his human wife's betrayal,

centuries

ago, still stung. With that memory, and having had his entire life ripped from him after, he hadn't been able to trust anyone enough to form a permanent relationship of the romantic sort since then.

Of course he could understand that she didn't want to get hurt. He didn't know what her past had thrown at her, but looking into her eyes was like looking into a mirror.

The big difference was, he'd had lots of time for the heartbreak and bitterness he'd felt to fade into the mild sting that it was today. He also had the knowledge that what they shared was rare enough that it took him three lifetimes to find it. His many years on this earth told him that if he'd found it, he should grab it by the horns and not let it go. She didn't have those years to tell her the same.

He knew that he had to tread carefully now. He had been too rash, too impatient, and now he had pushed her too much. He should have known that. Before she could admit what it was that her heart truly wanted, she was retreating now to protect herself.

He considered laying it all out for her, letting her know just how much of his soul she had captured, but something told him that right now, that would be a mistake.

He had to be patient and back off, until she felt it was safe, however long that would take. One wrong move and he could screw up any chance he had of being with her. An odd pang settled in the pit of his stomach.

"This is what you really want?" he asked disappointed, despite knowing the truth that she was not yet prepared to admit.

She bit her lip, staring hard at the floor. She gave a brief nod.

His demon sank down, defeated. Her simple action felt like a stab at his heart.

"It's all just too much at one time right now. My whole life has turned upside down. I barely even know you. And now I find out, I don't even know myself. I don't know what I am... and every time I try to think, try to pull my thoughts together, your blood clouds my judgement."

She shrugged helplessly, looking lost.

"We could figure things out slowly, together." He knew he was pushing, but he had to try. Here was an opening, before she shut him out completely.