"Then why don't you go fuck off, I have work to do." Several of the men laughed at Huss's words before he turned back to me.
The man who'd stopped him didn't speak again as Huss and the others kicked and punched me. Spouting insults and literally spitting on me. Some part of me, the part that still thought he was a knight of God's army believed I deserved this. I was a monster. A creature of darkness and death. This was God's punishment for letting myself go astray. I deserved everything they gave me and more.
Please. Kill me. End this eternity and keep Piper safe.
I had no doubt that she wouldn't leave me here to die. She would do everything in her power to save me, and I couldn't let her. I wouldn't snuff her light out to save my cursed one. She deserved more than that.
They'd unchained me to get better access to my softer body parts. By the time they were done with me, I was a quivering, aching mass of flesh. I couldn't even lift my head to antagonize them to finish the job.
Huss dropped down to my level, his fingers digging into my skin as he grabbed me by the back of the neck. "Not so tough now, huh? Stick around," he breathed in my face, "we're just getting started." He released me without warning and my face smacked against the concrete beneath me. The sound of their booted feet leaving lulled me into the darkness where I hoped to stay.
I didn't dream. I was too beaten and starved to have the energy to conjure up any kind of subconscious thought. Though, I thought I was dreaming when I heard the door at the top of the stairs open and a soft set of steps came down to stop before me.
"Oh, Marcus." Piper's soft voice filled my ears and I tried to force myself awake.
No. No. She couldn't be here. She needed to go. To leave before they caught her.
Soft hands touched my face, making me wince. "Oh, I'm sorry, but I need to clean you up," Piper explained, as she pushed me over onto my back. "I don't have a lot of time. The others went to some big speaking event with the president. Can you believe they treat this guy like he's the actual leader of the country rather than their little world?" she scoffed and shook her head.
"G-Go." I coughed out the word, trying to get her to leave. If they caught her here, they'd do worse to her than to me.
Piper, the stubborn woman, huffed and pulled a plastic container out. A wrapper crinkled as she messed with it before something cold and stinging touched the bloody split in my lip. She wiped gently over my face. Every place she touched burned, but just her presence was a balm on my soul which was far more damaged than my body.
"They really beat the crap out of you, huh?" Piper murmured, more to herself than to me. I sagged on the ground, letting her do what she willed, regardless of it being pointless. I'd die at the end of all this, and I just wanted to do so without killing her or my brothers in the process.
She leaned back on her heels and sighed. "This isn't working. You've lost too much blood and I can't imagine they're feeding you." Piper shifted around, muttering to herself. When her weight settled on my hips, my eyes widened. "Oh, don't look at me like that. I'm not going to ravish you in this state." My lips twitched, but it hurt too much to smile. "You need blood. I'm going to give it to you."
I shook my head, or tried to. While my body wanted to push her away, my fangs pulsated at the thought of sinking into Piper's tender flesh. She was right. I needed blood, but the problem was I wasn't sure once I started, I'd be able to stop.
Piper, sensing my distress, stared down at me with a soft smile as she pulled her blonde hair to the side. "Don't worry. I trust you. I'll make you stop."
With strength I didn't think she had, Piper dipped her arm under me and lifted my torso up to meet her. She pressed my face to her neck. I wished I could say I had the strength to pull away, to tell her no and die in peace, but if I had proven anything in my long, immortal life, it was that I didn't have the strength to deny anyone anything. Least of all her.
The pulse in her neck teased and taunted me, making my fangs push at the back of my lips. My mouth opened on its own accord, and before I could give her any warning of the pain that would come with the action, my fangs sank into her. Sweet, sweet nectar of life spilled into my mouth. Piper cried out slightly but didn't pull back from me. Not that I would have let her anyway. Just that single drop of blood was enough for my body to go into survival mode. One arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to me as the other held onto her head. Piper no longer needed to hold me up, my strength returning and my wounds healing with each sip of her glorious life force.
Her body pressed to mine, the soft curves of her form pushing up against my chest and hips. It was no wonder my body woke up enough to harden my cock beneath her. A small moan came from her throat and her thighs squeezed my hips, startling me enough to pull back from her neck, staring down at her enraptured expression.
Piper's eyes were closed, her head thrown back, and her mouth gaping in an O shape. It almost seemed like she enjoyed my bite. Which was ridiculous. I was near starved to death and I couldn't have been gentle with her, but when I scented the air it was there, the telltale hint of arousal mixed in with her normal scent.
"Why'd you stop?" Piper's almond-colored eyes blinked up at me. "Did you get enough?"
I swallowed and grunted, nodding stiffly. "Yes. Thank you." After a long awkward moment, I added, "You should get out of here."
"Yeah, give me a second." Piper licked her lips and shifted in my lap. I forced myself not to react to the brush of her heat against my length. It had been so long since I'd found myself aroused by anyone. Least of all in a situation like this one. Piper had surprised me in more than one way in the time I'd known her. That my body wanted her even now shouldn't really shock me.
Her hands went to her neck and it came away red, blood still trickling from the bite wound. "Do you think you could...you know?" She angled her head to the side, giving me a clear view of where I'd bitten her. I'd really gone to town on her neck and my asshole of a self didn't even heal her properly.
"Of course." I ducked my head and my tongue dipped out, sliding over her skin as I lapped up the escaping blood. Piper's fingers curled into my shirt at the sides, and her hips jerked against mine. I licked and lapped at her neck until it was completely healed, but didn't move away just yet. Having sated the hunger in my stomach, another hunger came alive. My hands sank to her hips, pulling her against me with a grunt as I continued to press my tongue to her skin.
Piper's hips swirled on top of me, but then she seemed to catch herself, pulling away from me. "I think it's healed now. Thank you."
Reluctantly, I lifted my head from her neck. Our faces hovered close to one another, the minty scent of her breath meeting my nose, making me self-conscious of the blood that no doubt covered my face and saturated my breath. I shifted to pull away, but a hand touched the back of my head and my brows rose in question.
Piper stared at my lips, a curious expression on her face. "Can I just...try something?"
My head jerked in agreement, but I didn't move as she leaned forward. Her mouth captured my bottom lip, suckling the taste of herself from my skin. My cock jumped in my pants as I fought for control. Piper's tongue, wet and warm, slid over my lips and then burrowed into my mouth.
This wasn't the time or place for this. The hunters could be coming down here at any moment to question me, and they'd see Piper had healed me and it would put her in further danger. However, the feel of her mouth on mine was too much to ignore.
I flipped us so she was beneath me on the ground and took control of the kiss. My hips thrust against her core and a startled moan slid from her throat. I swallowed it down as my tongue searched every crevice of her mouth, tasting her, memorizing every inch of her. If I was going to die soon, I wanted to die with the taste of her in my mouth and a smile on my face.
Piper pulled back to breathe, but it only caused me to drop my mouth to the exposed skin of the low neckline she wore. I grazed my fangs against one mound, making Piper hiss as I broke then skin and then lapped it up.
"Marcus," she groaned, her hands tangled in my hair. "We can't. We're gonna get caught."
I paused long enough to cock my head to the side, listening to the sounds from above. "There's no one in the house. At least not inside." I turned a wicked grin back on her, pushing my hips against her core. "We can." I hesitated for a moment, a thought coming to me. "I mean, if you want to."
Piper blinked up at me. "I do...I do...it's just you're still healing, and these leather pants weren't the easiest to get on."
I stared down at her for a long moment and then threw my head back and laughed. Leaning down, I murmured, "Then why don't we move this somewhere more...not here." Backing away from her, I stood up and offered her a hand. "How about it? Ready for a jailbreak?"