Before I had a chance to process what was happening, Fang lurched for the Abba twin, and hoisted him up in the air by his throat. His little feet dangling helplessly, losing one of his penny loafers in the process. Which, to be honest, wasn't a tragic loss. Who still wore those?
"How dare you come unannounced into the King's private chambers!" Fang growled loud enough everything in the room trembled from the reverberation. Including yours truly.
"I vas...(gurgle)...sent by Sin...glaaaaargh." The poor minion tried frantically to speak, granted, not very well. But, hey, I gave him points for the effort. It couldn't have been easy with Fang's meaty paw latched around his throat ready to pop his head off like a dandelion.
I hadn't ever witnessed Fang in such a rage before. It was both intriguing and terrifying. The guy had gone off like a suicide bomber in a nitroglycerin factory. Usually, he was always in control, an annoyingly cool cucumber under any circumstance, but right now, anger was radiating out of him in hot, rolling blasts I could feel from where I sat dumbfounded with my mouth hanging open on the bed. It was...sexy as hell.
I gulped hard, my heart thrashed wildly in my chest at the sight of him. His icy eyes glowed with a cold, brutal fury, and his full lips were peeled back in a vicious snarl revealing his long, lethal pointy teeth. His broad naked chest glistened with sweat as it heaved up and down with the ferocity of his growls rumbling through the room. The muscles in his back rippled and twitched as he held Sven...or um...Olaf suspended as high and dry as the last chicken nugget on a kid's all-you-can-eat buffet.
He was a magnificent sight to see, and my beating ovaries totally agreed. But, as much as I was enjoying the spectacle of Fang in full wrath, it seemed a bit in bad taste to be sexually captivated from him choking an immortal the size of a Cabbage Patch doll to death.
Reeling in my runaway hormones, I quickly scrambled off the bed and lunged at his arm. In my haste to save one of the keepers of the vaffles...shit...I mean waffles, I completely spaced the fact I wasn't wearing anything but my delicates. So, there I was, dangling from his bicep like a stripper on a pole. Not exactly my finest moment. Digging in with my heels, I jerked with all my Mighty Mouse might to get him to release the poor immortal, but I was about as effective as a mosquito, and he didn't budge an inch.
"Fang, put him down!" I huffed, throwing all my weight into my effort. Fat lot of good it did me though, his arm remained unmoving.
Narrowed eyes, cold as Frosty's ass, took me in then widen ever so slightly. He seemed baffled, his big body frozen in a Statue of Liberty pose holding the minion aloft like a torch. The only movement was the deep, huffing breaths he took, and the slight flare of his nostrils. I never considered nostril flaring as sexy before, but, right now, you could have drowned a toddler in my panties. It was that hot, and I momentarily forgot what I was doing until the little Swedish guy gurgled.
Oh, yeah...save the waffles. "Put him down! Now!" I said sternly, giving his arm another worthless tug.
He didn't move a muscle. The big oaf simply turned his steely focus back to the minion's face which was turning lovely shades of bright fuschia tinged with blue.
"Why are you not wearing the towel?" he rumbled.
"I...uh...what towel?" His voice was so low, it hummed through me causing me to accidently on purpose rub myself against his hard thigh. It was like humping a telephone pole. I stared up at him, my mind in a fog as I marveled at the beautiful, masculine sight he made. I don't know what the heck had gotten into me, but right now, I freaking wished it was him.
"The towel you need to be wearing to cover yourself, Red," he growled from deep within his chest.
"Oh...my. I mean...oh...that towel." I looked over my shoulder at the discarded terry cloth and shrugged. "I was in a hurry to save you from killing Olaf," I explained, giving his arm another heave as a reminder.
"S...ven...Mel Majesty," Sven choked out on a gurgle.
Drat! I had a 50/50 shot of getting it right, and wouldn't you know it...I guessed wrong. Story of my life and every test paper in high school.
"Put Sven down," I ordered Fang again, pirouetting on his arm like an Olympic gymnast going for the gold.
"Put on some clothes," he snarled back.
"What does it matter what I am wearing while you commit first degree murder?" I rolled my eyes. I knew these vamps had some old-fashioned ways of thinking, but I was pretty positive upholding a strict dress code when killing someone wasn't one of them.
He let out an exasperated puff of air through his lips. "Because you are my Queen, and no one sees the flesh of my mate but me." He gave his arm a small wiggle, efficiently knocking me loose before stuffing me behind his back and away from Sven's bulging eyes.
And what a glorious back it was. All robust and well-defined with his spine cutting a stark valley between the two slabs of his muscled back, begging for my tongue to roam over each one of his vertebra. His leather pants sat low on his lean hips, the shiny material highlighting and wrapping around his ass like a lover's palm. Suddenly, my hands itched to cup it, rub it, and play it like a set of bongos at the Tropicana. Shaking my head, I wiped the dribble of drool off my chin while I backed away from the temptation to break into a rendition of Babalú.
Now was not the time to be thinking with my inner slut. Despite the fact she was on her hands and knees with her hands clasped in pleading willing, to do things that would make Larry Flynt blush with embarrassment. Telling her to go take a cold shower, I managed to roll my tongue back into my mouth, and glare at his backside that a male stripper would envy while I took several steps back before I was tempted to sink my teeth into his luscious behind. Besides, after that nonsense he just spewed out of his mouth, I wasn't terribly happy with him at the moment. He may stir things in me that would be illegal in most states, but I wasn't about to just lay down and take it. I groaned as sweat beaded my upper lip. Forcing the images dancing and writhing in my head, I focused on my anger. I was far from perfect, but I would be damned if I let him turn me into a hypocrite.
"That's ridiculous," I groused with false bravado, still backpedaling. "You can't tell me what I can or can't wear. This isn't the 1800's. I've worn bikini's more revealing than this." Not exactly true. The last time I was in a bathing suit was probably when I was in diapers. When you had skin like mine, the sun was not your friend. I didn't tan, I only turned various degrees of sunburn. "You aren't the boss of me, Fang, and you certainly aren't my mate and I am not your Queen, so you can stop this Kingly-I-forbid-it crap you seem to get off on." There, that told him. Too bad my body didn't a hundred percent agree with me. I kept backing up until the coolness of the stone wall seeped into my feverish skin, but no matter the distance I put between us, the desire for him continued to grow in the deepest and darkest of places. And...ahem...I'm not referring to my bellybutton.
But, even if he did make me hotter than the bottom of my laptop during a marathon session of trying to save that stupid bitch Princess Zelda, I couldn't give into my urges. I wanted to. Oh God, how I wanted to give in. I wanted him with the single-minded determination of a desperate climber with the summit of Everest in their sights, who had lost all their traveling companions and Sherpas, had no supplemental oxygen left, but kept climbing preferring death to failure. But...unless I wanted to be his mate and claim a throne in the process, that was one mountain of a man I could not climb. I could feel my lips pull into a pout, and not the ones on my face.
Fang looked over at his shoulder at me, his eyes going dark as they roamed over my body, firing up every erogenous zone along the way. "If you insisted on walking around naked as the day you were born, Red, I would not mind. In fact, I would rather enjoy it, and so would every male species on this compound." His eyes darted back to the helpless Sven, a little snarl breaking through his lips. "But, I should warn you, by continuing to claim you are not my mate, allows others to challenge me for the honor of the position."
My mouth fell open, which was becoming an annoying habit lately. "Is that why you are trying to choke poor Olaf? Because you think he's challenging you to mate with me?"
"S...Sven," Sven hoarsely corrected.
"Whatever." I waved my hand dismissively. The whole thing was ludicrous. "He's an immortal for crying out loud." I giggled. "What's he going to do? Woo me with waffles?" I laughed until I snorted.
Fang turned to face me again, still holding his prey in the air. "Being immortal does nothing to change the fact that he is still a male, Red." The amusement in his eyes turned to outright laughter at my perplexed expression. "Just because he is immortal does not mean he cannot become...aroused."
Silence descended on us with a thud. My eyes darted from Fang to Sven to Fang and then finally to the place I should have never allowed my eyeballs to wander...Sven's crotch. Sure enough, his little pants were tented in the front. OH MY GOD! Ewwwww factor overload! I was never going to be able to unsee that now.
"Sven!" I scolded, making a mad dash for the bed, and snatching the towel. With quick, jerky movements, I wrapped it around myself while giving him my best squinty look of disproval.
He gurgled something in reply, and then gave me a creepy sheepish grin.
Fang shook him like a British nanny. "You are never to enter these chambers again without specific permission from either myself or Melanie. Do I make myself clear?"
Sven nodded furiously, his pale blue eyes bugging out further from his skull before Fang finally released him.
"My apologies, your Majesty," he gasped, bringing a shaky hand to his throat while he dropped to his knees. "I vas told by Sinclair to fetch you vithout delay. He thought dat you vould vant to know Dr. Kleinrosebroom is in dire straits." He turned limpid eyes towards me. "I vill never look upon your person again, Mel Majesty," he said, brushing his forehead to the floor before getting up and backing his way out the door. "No matter vhich undergarments I see Mel Majesty is vearing, yah?" A perverted twinkle danced in his eyes, before he quickly ducked out and closed the door before Fang could rip him to shreds.
I let out a heavy sigh, shuddering at the grossness of it all. Swedes invented the zipper, but obviously, Sven didn't know how to zipit and zipit good. Though, judging by Fang's face, he needed to learn and pronto.
"From now on you shall be properly clothed," he snapped, whirling around to face me.
"What?" the abrupt subject change and lay of blame made my head spin. "You're kidding me, right? You can't blame me for what just happened!" His withering glare told me he could...and he did. The jerk. "I had clothes on, remember? You're the one who stripped me against my will and shoved me into a cold shower."
He scrutinized me cautiously, his eyes lingering on my breasts, roaming over the pale mounds visible above the towel as if he were touching them. My mind instantly turned to mush, and took a little trip down memory lane of what it felt like to have his mouth on my lips...his hands skimming across my eager flesh...
"Only because I was, once again, forced into saving you from your own stupidity," he said stonily, shoving an irritated hand through his silken hair. "Dammit, Red! It's time you fucking grew up and realized not everything is a game!"
The sharpness of his tone stabbed me straight in the feelings. The pain slapping my pleasant memories I'd been having into oblivion. My bottom lip trembled uncontrollably as my eyes began to burn from the hurt.
I mean...yeah...sure...there had been a few times when I made a couple of teeny tiny miniscule mistakes here and there, but was that any reason to call me stupid? True, it's not like the first time I ever heard someone call me that, but to hear it coming from him? It hurt. Way more than I wanted the big fink to know. I wasn't about to let him see how deeply his words had cut. I should have known better than to allow myself to get close to him again anyway. Hadn't he already proven he was unreliable, a big fat lair and maddening as all get out? I sucked back a small sob. Leave it to me, the first time I fall in love in my life, I fall for an asshole. No, not just an asshole, but the King of the assholes. I hated vampires. I hated being a vampire...and I especially hated him.
Sucking in a steadying breath, I blinked back the tears forming in my eyes, and tilted my chin up. The urge to break down and cry was strong, but I knew all it would do would leave me with red swollen eyes, and a snotty nose. Besides, he didn't deserve to see me cry. Not just because it was ugly, but because I didn't want to give him the satisfaction...and...okay...yeah, because it was ugly. So sue me.
"That's a low blow, even for a bloodsucking parasite like yourself. It wasn't my choice to become a vampire, and the only reason I'm stuck in this shitty situation is because you tricked me. But, I promise you one thing, your Majesty," I sneered, "you don't have to worry about being strapped with a stupid mate for your Queen. We're through. There will be no more touching, no kissing, no sucking of blood," I counted each one off on my fingers, "and if you thought we were going to have mind-melting-fabulous-so-good-you-need-to-pray-about-it sex...thing again bucko. I'd rather boink one of the lingonberry boys!" Turning on my heel, I stomped towards the closet.
Despite my words, my body still craved him like a dieter craved carbs. The sight of him made my heart race, and my skin sweaty with want. Not to mention a few other places. I needed to get away from him, as far as possible. And then I needed to gargle with a gallon of mouthwash. The taste of him was still lingering on my tongue. Entering the closet, I slammed and locked the door behind me. Not that it did any good. I could still hear him. I could still smell him. I could still feel him. He was everywhere. I couldn't get away from him whether I wanted to or not. Whimpering, I leaned against the door, all the fight leaking out of me.
"Red...," he started. I could feel the slight bend of the door as he leaned against it.
"Don't." Right now, I wasn't sure if I needed to have sex, sleep or to punch someone in the face. Maybe it was a combination of all three, but the one thing I knew I didn't want to do, was talk about it.
"I'm sorry," he murmured, ignoring my plea. "I don't know what came over me." He huffed out a miserable sigh. "I didn't mean it, I swear. I was just so...fuck...pissed. Remember how I told you the bond between us would continue to grow? That is what's happening. The longer we fight it, the more intense it becomes until we are driven crazy by it."
"So now I am stupid and crazy? Gee, your apologies are pretty high on the sucky meter." I pulled away from the door, and tried to distract myself from the draw of his voice by finding something to wear. Impatiently, I shoved hangers of miscellaneous skirts and dresses off to the side. Definitely couldn't wear something I would be tempted to lift up over my head, I thought with a grimace.
"I didn't mean it that way," he growled, sending a delicious shiver down my spine. "It's driving us both crazy. You drive me wild, woman. One minute you are teasing me, tempting me and the next...I'm trying to kill a long loyal immortal servant and talking to you through a fucking door once again." I could hear him let out a low curse. "Your blood calls to me. Your body sings for me. But your mind continues to refuse me. I need all of you, moya solnishka. It's the only way this madness will come to an end."
The purr of his pet name for me coming through the door made my knees wobble. When he put it that way, it took all the fun out of being annoyed. But, sadly, there was one thing he didn't say that made my heart ache. He didn't say anything about loving me.
"Drake...," I sighed his name, not knowing what to say, but wishing he would just go away until I could lick my wounds and get my shit together.
"Why is it you only use my name under times of duress?" he said softly.
Despite myself, I laughed. "Probably for the same reason you only call me Melanie when I'm in trouble."
His warm chuckling filtered through, wrapping around me like a warm hug.
"We need to talk, but I don't want to do it through a fucking door."
"Well, I don't want to talk at all, so I guess we are at what they call an impasse." My words came out muffled as I a slipped fuzzy red sweater over my head. Drat. I may hate these vamps, but their choices of wardrobe were impeccable. The sweater felt soft enough to have been made of angel kisses, and formed to my body as if it had been personally knitted by the cherubs themselves.
"I could easily break this door down, Red," he warned. "Nothing will stand in my way, but now is not the time. I need to check on Kleinrosebroom. I'll return soon, moya solnishka."
"Don't bother on my account," I muttered, wiggling into a pair of fashionably ripped jeans. I was about to slip on the cutest pair of red suede ankle boots when it occurred to me, I had heard that name before. I jerked up, the beautiful boots falling from my hands. Kleinrosebroom. Harry Potter! The dude who stuck me in the ass and turned my life into a living version of Dracula! My heart started to flutter with excitement.
The one man who could cure me was here somewhere in the compound.
Author's Note:
Happy FANGED Friday my fiends!
Sorry about the delay, but I promise, I am playing catchup as quickly as I can. Being sick...well...it sucks! It's springtime where I am from, the tree's are blooming, the flowers are flowering, and my nose is running. Stupid allergies...sigh. It also means it's time for me to get my gardens going. So updates are going to be wonky for a while, but I WILL keep updating. Just hang in there.
I hope you enjoyed this latest installment of FANGED, and if you did you will consider giving it a vote. I always enjoy your comments, so keep them coming, and if you have any questions you can always PM me. :)
If you don't see any updates here, feel free to check out my other works Bending Steele, When Roses Collide and Steal You Away.
As always, thank you for reading!
Sincerely,
K