Violet Moonlight: Smoke and Secrets

This story continues where Violet Moonlight: Truth in Shadows left off... Enjoy!1

That night was another chilly one. My office windows showed the frost creeping along the glass like an insidious white snake. I could feel a bit of the chill in here even though the heater was on.2

After throwing up my lunch earlier today, I buried myself in my work to ignore that particular embarrassment. I finished the celebrity story and doing some preliminary work on my next expose, Stryker. I didn’t relish the thought of doing investigative work on my lover. If I didn’t do it, Fiona would and that would cause all sorts of havoc. She was not one known for subtlety and Robert would surely give it to her if I wasn’t willing to do it myself.3

Besides, I told myself, I wanted answers as to why I was feeling this way around him. I knew that he was a vampire, but that didn’t explain why I suddenly developed a need for medium rare steak (yuck) or seemed to crave the smell of fresh blood.4

I was beginning to wonder if I was craving the life of a vampire or was I just going through a very weird phase. Yeah, that would be great to tell the folks... I love the smell of fresh blood and the steak and I are old friends. Yeah, that would go over great at the family dinners. 5

Shaking my head, I looked back at the information that I gathered on Stryker Kios. His adoptive grandfather emigrated from Greece in the First World War and his family has been a strong influence in New Jersey. However, there was no mention of his biological mother or father and it seems that he was an orphan before being taken in by the Kios family. His age didn’t seem to add up to the age that he looked. Maybe it was just some good genes, I thought to myself. How did he become vampire then? Or was it that he was born vampire? Questions, questions…6

I looked at my computer and saw that it was 9:15pm. I knew that Stryker’s club would be open and I decided to make an impromptu visit. I smiled to myself as I rode the elevator down to the lobby floor. Stryker, Stryker, your secrets will be mine…7

I arrived at the club a little past 10pm and the club was just starting to get a line of patrons. The bouncer knew me and let me pass, but by the time that I got up to the office door, it was blocked by a beefy looking guy. He had sunglasses on and he looked unhappy to see me.8

“Hi” I said nervously. “I’m wondering if I can see Stryker. I have to talk to him about something important.”9

“The boss is busy.” He snarled. “Why don’t you come back when he calls you?” He sneered at me. “That’s what you are good for... being called like his favorite pet, his bitch.” He laughed and I lost it. 10

I had been called bitch many times in my life, mostly because of my job, but never because of my lovers. That ticked me off. I kneed him in the groin and he bowled over in pain. I leaned over to his ear and whispered with menace. “The next time that you call me that, I won’t be so kind to leave you with a mark that’s not visible.” I patted his cheek and the door behind him opened, revealing Stryker in pants and not much else. 11

He looked as if he just came out of the shower. His hair was damp and water droplets were sluicing down his body. My eyes followed the water droplets as they disappeared past his pants. I hungrily wanted to follow them, but I came on business so I smiled sweetly and said12

“Stryker baby, this fella was giving me a hard time. Saying that I was your beck and call woman, is that true?” I raised an eyebrow and Stryker’s face turned to hard angles as his fury at that statement boiled within him.13

He walked up and pinned the bodyguard against the wall. “I told you that your mouth would get you in trouble, did I not?” He hissed, looking him full in the face.14

“Yes, m’lord.” The bodyguard said softly.15

“Now, if you dare to open your mouth again in such a manner, I will make sure that you are on the next flight home. I’m sure that Gina will be happy to see her favorite companion.” 16

The bodyguard blanched and let out an involuntary whimper.17

“I know that you wanted to be free of her. Fuck up again and suffer the consequences!” He said menacingly and released him. The bodyguard hurried down the stairs and scurried away.18

Stryker turned his eyes to me and they were glowing faintly red. I stepped back into his office from that gaze and his eyes turned back to dark brown. 19

“My apologies, love, for his behavior. It won’t happen again.” He smiled and became handsome rather than feral. “What can I do for you, my sweet?”20

“Well, I have some questions about you and also what is happening to me.” I said, faintly distracting by his kisses down the right side of my throat. He always did find it beyond temptation to not lick or nibble there. “Stryker, please…”21

“I have other ideas...” his voice became silky and low. I found it very hard to concentrate, but I succeeded. I walked away towards the small bar that he had at his office. I needed to clear my head.22

“My boss is looking to do an expose on you and he wants me to do it.” I said bluntly. 23

He stopped in his prowl for me. “Really?” he asked. “Curious, why is that?”24

“I don’t know.” I rubbed my arms to remove the feeling of his touch. Even though I really did want to jump him right now, I wanted to get some things clear first.25

“Well, my club has always generated interest, but you think it’s because of what I am, don’t you?” He said, going behind his desk to sit in the chair. He put his feet up and he seemed nonchalant about the entire thing.26

“Why are you so blaze about this?” I asked, flailing my arms around in exasperation.27

“The news media has always been curious to see if vampires truly exist.” He said smiling devilishly. “However,” and his smile dropped “we dare not let them know that we exist because there are dangerous elements and even humans that seek to wipe us off the face of the earth.” His voice dropped low to a menacing growl. His eyes glowed red in anger.28

“Well, on the topic of humans, have you done anything to me that might make me crave blood?” I asked, searching his face intently for signs of masking a lie. My instincts proved me right. He didn’t hide it well. 29

His eyes went sad, haunted and then he snapped himself off his desk and said “Well, it could be the fact that I’ve been feeding off of you. You are a surefire addiction.” He grinned wickedly. “One that I would abase myself before if just for another taste of your nectar.” He kissed me fully, his teeth biting gently on my lower lip. The pain was just a tease for more and I lost all train of thought. The only thought I had was his taste was one that I sure could get addicted to.30

After many hours of mind blowing sex, I fell asleep on the couch and woke screaming a few hours later from my reoccuring nightmare. I saw myself in a chair, in the dream, bleeding out from my arms and growing weak as a man watching me dying and watched in satisfaction. 31

Stryker curled me to him and said words of comfort. Once I was done crying my eyes out, I wiped the tears away and said “I’ve been having that nightmare for the past month. It’s so real.”32

“Baby, what’s the nightmare about?” He said, still stroking my arms up and down in a soothing motion. 33

“It’s about this guy who captures me and takes me to a warehouse where he ties me to a chair and cuts me to hurt so that he can watch me die. I always wake as I’m bleeding out and becoming unconscious.” I rubbed my arms as if I could feel the scars. I looked down and saw a little blood on the sheets from him feeding on me and suddenly, I remembered that my nightmare wasn't a dream, but a memory.34

“It did happen.” I said, reeling back from the couch and towards the window. “How did I forget that?” I looked towards Stryker, who looked more than a little guilty. “How did you make me forget?”35

He sighed. “I gave you a compulsion to make you forget and fed you blood to save your life. You were on the brink of death, Violet and I wasn’t going to let that twisted son of a bitch have you. Not when I have lost so much...” His voice broke and I could see red tears in his eyes.36

“I didn’t want you to suffer with the trauma and I tried to make it seem that we had a really good time here, but apparently you are stronger than I anticipated.” 37

I couldn’t help, but feel for him, but I did feel betrayed that he would think that I couldn’t handle it myself. “I understand why you wanted to save me from that trauma, but” and I rose up and cupped his cheek “you don’t have to protect me from anything. I’m a big girl and I can handle myself.” I kissed him in gratitude and he grasped my head and kissed me as if I was the last drop of blood on Earth.38

He devoured me and it made me more than a little dizzy. I broke away from him and said “Make love to me, Stryker. Please...”39

“I want you with me.” He said, holding me back for the first time.40

“You already have me.” I said in confusion.41

“I want you by my side for eternity as my vampire mate.” He said, his eyes wide, almost as if he didn’t believe he said it either.42

My eyes widened and I knew that I looked a little terrified at the notion of turning me vampire. “I don’t know, Stryker. I like my life and I’m comfortable with what we have. I want to be with you too, but I need some time to think on this. Can you give me some time?”43

“Sure, baby, I’m in no rush. Now where were we?” He grasped my hips and lifted me up onto the desk. “Never tried this position before” as he plunged into me and it was sweet bliss to my body.44

“Yesss...” As I welcomed him into my body, he plunged again and again, wanting to lose himself in me as much as I wanted to have him comforted by my touch.45

His hands held my steady as he nibbled and licked my breasts, heightening my pleasure until I was ready to explode. I screamed my orgasm as he came a second later. My inner walls milked him greedily and we both collapsed against each other.46

“Every time we are together is better than the last. I love you.” I said with heartfelt sincerity.47

“As I love you.” He said, smiling. “Want to go again?”48

To be continued...