Kept: An Erotic Anthology (2 page)

I shut off the water, pulled my clothes over my wet body, slipped my feet into flip-flops, and made my way back to my tent.

Fuck!

Two mud puppies stood outside the entrance. I knew Vic and the General sent the military police to escort me. It wasn’t a bad idea but it still pissed me off. I’d agreed to their shit offer and got two guards for my trouble.

“Are you supposed to be keeping me in my tent or just following me?”

They snapped to attention. “No Ma’am.”

Funny shit that. They treated me like the Captain my bars said I was.

“What exactly are your orders?”

The one on the right spoke up, “We’re here to see you have whatever you need Ma’am. Major Vic said you didn’t need to pack anything but personal items. We are to carry your duffel to the runway.”

That was mighty helpful of Vic—my ass.

I entered my tent and tried to remain upright when the smell of vomit hit me. Fuck it, someone else could clean it up or burn the damn thing down as far as I was concerned. I grabbed my bag, pulled my cap low, and went back outside.

“I’ll take that Ma’am.”

“I’ll carry my own shit thank you very much, just lead the way.”

They didn’t argue.

Forty-five minutes later, my plane taxied off the runway. The pilot said we’d be in the air for two hours. I tipped my seat back as far as it would go, ignored Vic who was sitting across the aisle from me, and shut my eyes. Fucking tequila was never passing my lips again.

“Kelly, you need to wake up.”

I managed to peel my eyes open. Crouched down beside my seat, Vic pushed on my arm causing major irritation to my hangover brain. The rumble of jet engines let me know we were still in the air.

“Are we there yet, daddy?”

“Cut the shit, Kells, I need to talk to you before we arrive. I’ve let you sleep for over an hour and time’s running out.”

He didn’t scare me but I figured I should listen. I’d never fucked a vampire before and maybe he had some insight. “Talk.”

“This guy could save us all.”

“It… is not a guy. Does the vampire have a name?”

“Talon.”

Laughter bubbled up from my chest. “He sounds like he walked out of the pages of some romance novel.”

Vic smirked. “I don’t think you’ll be unhappy that he looks the part, too.”

“Please don’t patronize me. I’m spreading my legs for a bloodsucker in the name of God and country. I’m curious. If he was gay, would you be spreading your ass cheeks?”

The lines across Vic’s forehead deepened. “They’re going to win, Kelly. We’ve all but lost the war. You have family and so do I. Yes, I would spread my ass cheeks if I could save us.”

My stomach flipped and it wasn’t because of my drinking binge the night before.

“You think he’ll help if he has a warrior piece of ass along with some military blood?”

Vic pushed a few stray pieces of hair behind my ear. It startled me and so did his words.

“If anyone can get the vamps on our side it’s you. I’ve watched you climb the chain of command for years. I’ve seen you fight and kick ass. I’ve seen you kill. You don’t do it because it fills some inner need for blood. You kill because it’s part of your job and because you’re damn good at it. I recommended you for this because I don’t know a stronger man or woman in the military. You’ll come through and kick ass on the other side as a Captain. Hell, you’ll outrank me within a few years. We need you, Kells.”

I fucking needed tequila.

Chapter 3

They held Talon at a goddamn resort and gave him the presidential suite. More than a hundred heavily armed military personnel surrounding the property acting as guards for what I assumed was only one vampire. What a life. Vic showed me to a small room after giving me orders to shower and change into the dress they provided.

A goddamn dress.

It had been two years since I’d worn even a military skirt and this dress was nothing more than a tight piece of black gauze. I hadn’t taken my backpack into the bathroom with me and when I came out it was gone. Wrapped in a towel, I looked at the dress again. There was no fucking underwear or bra. But there was a pair of four-inch stiletto heels. I was five-eight. I hoped this vampire ass wipe was tall.

Well, maybe not. It might be somewhat nice to look down on him.

My stolen bag held hair ties too. It was funny that having my hair down made me feel more naked than the dress. Ten minutes later, I was as ready as I’d ever be. I’d used the built-in bathroom hairdryer so my hair was wavy and untamable. No makeup, no perfume, no underclothes. I guess it was time to get fucked.

Vic stood alone outside my door. “I’m walking you to his room.”

Embarrassment sent a flood of heat to my face. I’d rather have someone I didn’t know deliver me to my sexual depravity. Pushing my shoulders back, I nodded my head. There was no way in hell I could speak.

We took the elevator to the top floor. The doors opened into a foyer. There was one set of ornate double doors in front of us.

“The cameras were removed?” I whispered without looking at Vic.

“Yes, I promise. Be careful, Kells.”

I shouldn’t have gazed at him but I couldn’t help myself. For a split second, I saw his look of pity.

“Fuck you, Vic.” All bravado, that’s me.

He ignored my words. Gesturing for me to enter first, he opened the door after two short knocks. I stepped into a huge foyer that my military budget would never afford and this was only the entrance. I’d have eyed more of the luxurious surroundings if my new fuck buddy wasn’t standing five feet away. I think my heart literally stopped beating.

Oh my fucking hell.

Talon looked like a god straight from Greek mythology. He wore casual clothes that didn’t come close to passing as casual on his perfect physique. A vision of tight jeans, black t-shirt that defined his sculpted muscles and sexy bare feet stood before me. Short hair but not a military cut, hair you could grab. His face was just manly enough to keep him from being pretty. I hoped I wasn’t drooling.

“I thought she would have short hair.” The vampire barely glanced at my near naked body. “I can smell the putrid odor of alcohol coming from her pores.”

Yep, Greek mythology all right—Hades.

I was all too happy not to meet his requirements and I damn sure wasn’t going to listen to him say I smelled bad without sharing my own feelings. “When you filled out the fucking acquisition form did you specify short hair and no alcohol or do you expect us humans to read your mind?”

He stalked forward and it took everything I had to hold my ground. I saw Vic out of the corner of my eye as he took a step back.
Chicken shit!

Even in the heels, I had to look up. His eyes were dark brown but his skin was a light bronze. I’d expected pasty white. But this close, it was his lips that caught my attention. The nearer he got, the more I wanted them on my mouth. He had full—heart stopping—fuckable lips. The upper one curved perfectly, the lower soft and sultry made me want to bite down then suck it into my mouth.

He stopped mere inches away. His head tipped as he ran his nose against my neck. I heard him inhale. He fucking sniffed me. And I couldn’t think straight because I could smell him. I’d expected death or even the metallic odor of blood. What I got was the most potent pheromone of all time. Sex on a stick wouldn’t smell this good. I was afraid my eyes crossed.

“Get out.”

What? My eyes flew open.

He was looking over my shoulder and I heard the door close behind me. Vic fucking left me with the vampire. I tried to step back but he grabbed my hair at the nape of my neck; holding me in place.

He purred against my skin. “Long hair has its uses.”

Heat traveled downward, my thighs clenched, and I was fully conscious I had nothing between my legs to absorb the wet release from my pussy.

His whisper sent shivers across my skin, “Past the alcohol, I smell your arousal. It’s calling my name, as does your blood.”

His hand ran over my arm, fingers trailing the sculpted outline of muscle. I couldn’t move. I didn’t want to move. Every nerve I possessed craved his touch, vibrated with need and screamed for more.

More him, more burn between my thighs, just—more.

One hand remained in my hair; the other tipped my chin up so I looked into his eyes. “I’m hungry but I don’t think I can ignore the alcohol.” He sniffed me again. “I have one question. Are you here willingly?”

“What?” I couldn’t have heard him correctly. What the fuck did willing have to do with this?

“Are. You. Willing?” This time he asked slowly.

I tried to shake my head but his grasp was too firm. The haze that clouded my brain since entering the room dissipated slightly. “What does willing have to do with anything?”

His eyes penetrated straight through me. I could feel them dissecting my brain, seeking answers that I was unable to give. “It has everything to do with everything.”

The sudden release of my hair and chin had me stumbling back. Grabbing my arm to steady me, he looked down at my shoes. Dropping to one knee, he slipped them from my feet and my hands landed on his shoulders before I could stop myself. Once I stood barefoot, his face traveled up my leg, scenting me again. My dress lifted slightly when he reached the hem. His nose carried the material up just a bit until he stopped at the juncture of my thighs. His hands went to my ass as he pulled me against his face. I arched my back grinding myself even closer.

What the fuck was happening to me?

“Are you hungry?”

I looked down. His chocolate eyes were gazing into mine. The slow curve of his lips gave him the most kissable mouth I’d ever seen. He released my ass and stood in one fluid move. He repeated the question and finally my brain decided it could function. I hadn’t eaten since before my drunk-fest the night before. Maybe that’s what was wrong with me.

“I’m starving.”

My brain said sex before food but at that moment, my stomach gave a very unladylike grumble.

“Sit down on the couch and I’ll bring you the phone so you can order whatever you want.”

The haze cleared a little more. “Why?”

“Because we need to get the alcohol out of your system so I can eat. It’s been several days for me and I’m cranky when I’m hungry.” His sexy grin made me want to bite his lower lip.

He took my hand leading me to the couch. I sat, the action making my dress rise indecently high. Tugging down the hem, I squirmed just a bit to adjust the scrap of nothing. I blushed and his grin turned into a leering smirk.

“Your pussy will blush perfectly for me when I feed.”

Oh hell, what the fuck was he talking about? In the entire time since I’d walked into the room, I didn’t think I’d said more than ten words. He stepped away, picking up a house phone from the corner table and carried it closer. My brain’s paralysis melted a little more.

“Are you doing this to me?”

His smile remained. “Doing what?”

I covered my face so I couldn’t see him, my cold hands pressing against my cheeks actually made it easier to think.

“You’re doing something to me. You’re causing me to desire you when I shouldn’t. How the hell are you doing it?”

He ignored my distress. “I asked you a question earlier. Are. You. Willing?”

Chapter 4

My anger flashed. “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t willing.”

His lips tightened and his grin disappeared, his eyes going almost black. “The prostitutes didn’t feel the same way. Neither of them could stop shaking long enough to utter a word. One even cried when I scented her.”

“You made a prostitute cry?” Of all the things to say, could anything dumber come out of my mouth?

His head went back and his neck stretched enticingly as he laughed. I clenched my thighs tighter trying to stop the next flood of liquid. Was there nothing about this man that wasn’t sexy?

Vampire. He was a vampire, not a man and I had to hold onto that thought.

“Make your call little warrior.” The phone plopped into my lap.

He did not just call me little. My stomach growled loudly and he laughed again. “You can debate me after you eat. You’ll feel better. Order several bottles of water, that’s all you’ll be drinking.”

I wanted to argue but I’d agreed to this. I was his human blood bank and if he needed the alcohol out of my system, I needed to drink water. Would he be able to taste what I ate? I didn’t want a fucking salad, I craved steak.

“You’ll need red meat.”

Shit, I think he was reading my mind. I pressed zero and spoke to a woman. I ordered steak, baked potato, and a salad. When asked if I wanted dessert, I added chocolate cake. I’d lived off tasteless MRE’s for more than a year and I was absolutely starving. For food, I reminded myself. Just food.

After replacing the phone, Talon sat down in the chair a few feet away.

“Tell me about yourself.” Could he sound any sexier?

Vic and I had discussed it on the plane—what I could and could not say. I was very careful with my story and had no trouble lying through my teeth. “I work for the military doing bullshit. The frontline wasn’t for me but I run a good supply train.” I spoke with just the right touch of sarcasm for a military gofer. Damn I didn’t know I could act so well.

In less than three seconds, his eyes turned midnight black. He leaned forward taking up space… my space. His voice was no longer sexy and anger dripped with each word, “Try. Again. If you can’t tell me the truth, keep your mouth shut.”

I had to bite my lower lip so I wouldn’t tell him to fuck off.

Surprisingly, a few seconds later, his eyes softened and the anger left him as quickly as it appeared. “Is there anything you can tell me that’s the truth?” He’d taken my silence as me obeying his command.

Actually, I don’t know how he knew I lied unless he could read my mind. If that was the case, this entire mission was fucked. “My name, rank, and serial number.”

“Then start with your name.”

“Kelly Myers.”

“Rank?”