Survive the Dawn (5 page)

Sebastian stopped and opened the bedroom door. “I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.” She stepped back and Alex cautiously walked into the room.

“Good Lord,” Alex exclaimed.

Sebastian followed her. The fireplace was crackling and flames danced around the dimly lit room. The large four-poster bed looked very inviting. Again, it was as Sebastian remembered it.

“William has been busy.” Alex sat on the large bed. She immediately sank into the soft downy featherbed. She let out a deep groan.

Sebastian closed the door and walked up to Alex, who grinned.

“Hello.”

“Good evening,” Sebastian said with a smirk.

Alex could not take her eyes off Sebastian, who slowly undressed. “You have such a beautiful body.”

Completely naked, Sebastian pulled Alex to her feet and started undressing her. She slipped the blouse off and kissed the top of her shoulder as she, with skillful fingers, unhooked her bra, letting it fall to the floor.

“I need you, Alex,” she said, feeling the blood course through her veins. She slid Alex’s slacks down her lovely hips. Alex stepped out of them and gasped when Sebastian pulled her into her arms and kissed her. Her tongue languidly flicked around Alex’s lips as her hands roamed down her back, her fingers slipping into the waistband of her panties.

“Yes, Sebastian, please hurry,” Alex said breathlessly.

“Soon, love,” Sebastian promised and slid the silken panties off Alex’s trembling body. She whisked the down quilt back and lay Alex against the cool sheets.

Alex smiled and parted her legs. Sebastian took the welcoming gesture as she lay between them. Both women groaned when their bodies touched. Sebastian felt Alex’s hard nipples boring into her as she rocked her hips against her. She felt that primal need deep in her belly as the scent of Alex’s arousal filled her senses. “Now, Alex. I need you now.”

“Yes,” Alex groaned and wrapped her legs around Sebastian’s lean torso and pulled the weight of her down. “Please.”

Sebastian kissed her lips and traveled down to her neck. She gently sucked the tender flesh. She smiled inwardly; the two puncture wounds from her previous feast were nearly impossible to see now. The memory had Sebastian craving for more.

Alex groaned. Her body quivered beneath Sebastian, who kissed her way down to Alex’s breasts where she hungrily feasted—one then the other. All the while, Alex’s nails dug into her shoulder urging her downward. “Please,” Alex begged again and gasped as Sebastian took her hard nipple into her mouth and lightly bit down.

After moments of what Sebastian knew was divine torture, she slid down Alex’s trembling body and nestled between her soft thighs. Breathing in the intoxicating scent, Sebastian let out a low growl. She felt her fangs grow as she leaned in and lightly licked Alex’s clitoris. Alex cried out and held Sebastian’s head close to her. Sebastian groaned and feasted, drinking every drop that Alex offered.

The hunger started; Sebastian felt her body tense and her stomach tighten as Alex came and arched off the bed. Suddenly, Sebastian was insatiable. She felt the muscles in her arms and legs tighten and expand while she ascended Alex’s trembling body.

Alex pulled her close. “Now, Sebastian,” she whispered in a ragged voice and turned her head.

Sebastian slipped two fingers in, then sank sharp teeth deep into the vein. Alex arched her back as Sebastian felt her inner walls close around her fingers. Once again, Sebastian felt her life force flowing through her veins.

She pulled away, lightly running her tongue over the two wounds, hearing Alex sigh as she did so. Sebastian placed a loving kiss on her neck and pulled back.

As she eased her fingers out, Alex closed her legs around her hand. “Just stay there for a moment. I love the feel of you deep inside me. God, Sebastian. I love you.”

“I don’t know if I could exist without you. You’re a part of me. If I had a soul—”

Alex placed her fingertips against her lips. “I don’t want to hear that anymore. You couldn’t love me if you had no soul. Somewhere, long ago, you had your humanity. It’s still there.” Alex ran her fingers down and placed them against Sebastian’s chest. “There, deep in there is your heart and soul. I don’t care what anyone says.”

Sebastian smiled slightly at Alex’s loving stubbornness and kissed her tenderly on the lips. She held Alex’s hand close to her heart. “Then listen to it, love. If it’s there, it beats for you.” She lay on her back and pulled Alex with her. “I may have overindulged. You’re going to sleep for a while.” She kissed her damp brow and pulled the down quilt over them.

“I’m nearly asleep, now,” Alex whispered. “Good night, sweetheart.”

“Good night.” Sebastian wrapped her arms around Alex and tried to fight the feeling of impending doom that nagged at her. The next day, she’d meet
Gaylen
and the others.

She held Alex in a protective embrace and listened to her steady heartbeat. She stared at the dying fire mesmerized by the glowing embers.

Who was outside when they arrived? Who knew she was back in England?

Chapter 4

Alex woke feeling as if she’d been drugged. She reached for Sebastian and got a handful of down pillow. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she cautiously looked at the window, expecting to see Sebastian looking out at the morning sun.

“Where is she?” She moaned and pulled the fluffy quilt up to her neck. She glanced at her clock on the nightstand and chuckled when she noticed it must be an antique. Had the clocked stopped? She then bolted up and looked again.

It was 2:30? She ran to the window and threw back the long curtains. The afternoon sun hung low in the autumn sky. Now she was worried. Sebastian couldn’t stay in the sunlight that long. She frantically ran to the door and realized she was naked.

“Oh, for the love of…” She tore through her luggage and grabbed a pair of jeans. Of course, they had to be tight fitting. She bounced around the room, struggling into them. She pulled a bulky sweater over her head and slipped into her shoes. “Where is that vampire?”

She grumbled as she ran out and stopped in the massive hallway; she had no idea where to go. She bounded down the stairs and ran full tilt into William.

“Good afternoon, miss. I trust you slept well.”

“Sure, yes, thanks. William, where’s Sebastian?” she asked breathlessly and ran her fingers through her red curls.

“In the cellar, miss,” he replied with a kind smile.

“Great, thanks.” Alex looked around. “W-where is it?”

“This way, miss.”

Alex followed him as he walked down the hall. He opened the door at the end of the hall and stepped back. Alex looked down the dark stairwell and grimaced. “Please don’t tell me she’s in a coffin.”

William raised an eyebrow. “I’ll be down momentarily,” he said and walked away.

Alex cautiously descended the steep staircase while holding onto the railing. She called out, “S-Sebastian?” At the bottom of the stairs, she blinked, trying to adjust to the darkness; it smelled musty and damp.

“I’m here, Alex.”

“Okay, honey, just keep talking, I’ll find you. But if you’re hanging upside down from the rafters, don’t be offended if I pass out,” she said as she searched the darkness.

In the far corner, Sebastian turned on the desk lamp. Alex let out the breath she had been holding, relieved to see Sebastian, who was sitting in a huge chair with her head back and eyes closed.

Alex was immediately at her side. “Why are you down in the damp cellar? Are you all right?” She ran her fingers through the short sandy-blond hair. She instantly felt the heat emanating from Sebastian’s body. “What happened?”

“Nothing.”

Alex ran her fingers down her arm, still feeling the heat. “You stayed in the sun too long and forgot your sun block, didn’t you?”

“Something like that.”

Alex heard the fatigue in her voice. “What were you doing outside?”

“I…nothing.”

“Tell me.” Alex sat on the ottoman, facing her. It was then she saw the wildflowers on the desk next to Sebastian.

Sebastian followed her gaze and scowled. Alex grinned. “You were picking wildflowers? For me?”

The scowl deepened as Alex picked up the bunch of wilting flowers. “I need to get these into water. Do you have water down here?” She looked around the damp cellar. “Sebastian, if you must stay in the shadows, we’ll have to do it somewhere other than this damp cellar. How can you stay down here? This whole thing is creeping me out.”

“I’m a vampire. This whole thing is supposed to creep you out.”

Alex laughed and kissed Sebastian’s hot forehead. “Yes, darling. A creepy vampire with a romantic streak. Ah, there’s a sink.”

“I am not romantic.”

“Are too,” Alex called over her shoulder as she placed the flowers in a tall glass by the sink.

“No, I’m—” Sebastian stopped and put her head back again.

Alex walked back to Sebastian and lightly ran her fingers through Sebastian’s hair. Her body temperature was returning to normal. “You have to remember your limits. I don’t like seeing you like this.”

“I will. However, I feel the serum dissipating from my system. I-I need—” She stopped and shifted nervously in her chair.

Alex watched as Sebastian ran her hand over her mouth. “What is it?”

With that, Sebastian stood and paced back and forth. “I’ve been too long without it, Alex. Last night with you…I need more,” she said and slammed her fist on the desk. “I sent William. He should be back by now.”

Alex winced and heard the low growl. She walked up behind Sebastian and placed her hand on the strong back. Sebastian flinched. “Don’t…”

“Sebastian, you must take what you need from me. Until we get the lab, I—”

“I’m not talking about the serum. I need—” Sebastian stopped and took a deep breath. “I need blood.”

In all that had happened, Alex had forgotten that Sebastian was, after all, a vampire. And a vampire needed blood to exist. “I’ll find William. You stay right here.”

As she turned to go, she heard the cellar door open. “Dr. Sebastian, I’m back.”

William descended the stairs with a cooler and a doctor’s bag. Alex knew exactly what was in that cooler. “I’ll take it, thanks.” Alex held out her hand.

Sebastian frowned. “Alex, I can—”

“Sebastian, sit down and roll up your sleeve,” Alex said; she took the black bag and cooler from the stunned butler.

“Will there be anything else, Doctor?” he asked.

“No,” both women replied.

Sebastian was brooding; Alex gave her an unwavering stare. “Rule time,” she said firmly and pushed Sebastian into the deep chair. “Me—doctor. You—vampire.”

“I’ll be upstairs if you need me,” William said and made a hasty retreat.

Sebastian let out a low grunt as she rolled up her sleeve. “I’m very capable of doing this. I’ve been doing it for quite some time.”

Alex ignored her rudeness as she examined the contents of the cooler. She found two IV bags of whole blood. She found what she needed in the doctor bag. Without a word, she started the IV. She noted Sebastian scowling and smiled slightly. “Can’t you just drink this?”

Sebastian let out a deep sigh. “Yes, but I’m trying to be civilized, I suppose.” She looked up into Alex’s eyes. “I’m sorry.” Sebastian put her head back and closed her eyes. “Thank you.”