Bad Blood

"There's nothing to explain. You're a fucking liar. That's all there is to it as far as I'm concerned."

"That's not fair!"
Ava protested vehemently, trying to remain steadfast in spite of the fury in his intense eyes, which resembled glowing coals.
"You don't understand-"

"I understand that you brought me here under false pretences."
He cut her off sharply, his smooth voice dripping with venom.
"I value my privacy, and I would never have fucking come here if I'd have known you were still shacked up with your zombie. I was a fucking idiot to trust you. Shit, I must need my head examining!"

"I don't see what the big deal is. He isn't here, is he? And he won't be coming back, but this is why I didn't want you to know, because you're so fucking paranoid. I knew you wouldn't come otherwise. And you had to, you had to come. I gave you what you needed Adam."

Adam faltered at her words, his thoughts momentarily running amok, and swirling with dangerous possibilities. What he needed? No. She absolutely hadn't.
What he needed from her, extended far beyond blood alone. But there was no chance of that, not now. And that is when he felt the full on crush of disappointment. The complete agony one feels when all hopes are dashed. Which was unsettling in itself, as he hadn't realised just how secretly and selfishly happy he had been when blissfully ignorant, believing her husband to be deceased. And now he was struggling to contain the blistering fury that bubbled up inside of his chest.

"What I need?"
He scoffed openly, feigning indignation.
"You've hardly given me shit. The smallest fucking amount, even though when you were at my house you near enough drained my entire fucking supply...not to mention the fact that you drank Ian!"

Slipping on her usual mask of childish indifference, she pouted and rolled her eyes.
"I said I was sorry. I didn't mean to. I just got carried away."

"No shit. But that isn't an excuse."

"God Adam! You know, Eve might act like my mother but you're not my fucking father. I've said I'm sorry, so will you please stop lecturing me."

A red mist descended before his eyes, and he took a half step forward, closing the distance between them. She swallowed hard as he loomed above her, his stature which oozed dominance and masculinity, now screamed anger.

"Lecture you?"
His hand moved in a blur, clasping hold of her perfumed throat.
"I'd choke the life right out of you if I could!"
He increased the pressure slightly, just enough to cause alarm, and her eyes widened in panic. She could feel the sensation of her heart palpitating, forcing ripples of throbbing blood directly to her temples.

"Did you fuck him?"
He demanded crudely, his voice dropping to a fierce whisper as his large hand trembled with temper, or possibly hunger. Perhaps a combination of both.
He needed to know. Even at the risk of not liking the answer, he had to have one. The mysteries shrouding the sordid details of that fateful night had been plaguing him ever since he'd laid eyes on Ian's lifeless body.

The sound of her pulse beating erratically in her ears made his voice barely audible, and the question seemed too strange to be feasible. How was it possible that even now after all this time he still seemed to be fixated by her carnal pursuits with human men?
He did little to hide his contempt for her, so him taking such an eager interest in her personal life made no sense.
She opened her mouth to supply him with an answer but no sound came out, her voice too hampered by her breath that was raggedly moving in and out at regular, gasping intervals.

"Well, did you?"
His tone was menacing, and his patience thinning.
God help him, he was losing it. His eyes involuntarily cast down to her heaving chest, the motion of her breasts hypnotic, and teasing. Tempting him into a dark, strange world of forbidden longing and shaking limbs.

It took every fraction of strength for Ava to shake her head in response. Under normal circumstances if anyone else attempted to oppress her in such a way, she would've fought back like a feral cat. Scratching, clawing, and even biting when the occasion called for it. She had done it before when threatened, and would not hesitate in tearing someone's throat out again if necessary.
But this was different. This was Adam. Lovely Adam. And despite his sudden burst of aggression, there was something about the way he held her, and the way he looked at her, that sent a spark off to all her senses. The strange sensation of fear mingled with desire, caused her body to shake in an odd trembling rhythm against him.

His own breathing had quickened, and she could feel the heat of his stormy eyes penetrating the sheer material of her robe, taking their fill. And as his gaze scaled back up to her face, he looked every bit the devil he was. So smooth, dark, and sexy.
How could she ever resist him? Let alone fight him off?
God, his eyes were beautiful. Deep, mysterious, and mournful. As well as betraying a tortured soul, they were intelligent. The eyes of a deep thinker. Whilst simultaneously being dangerous, I-could-do-things-to-you-and-you'd-thoroughly-enjoy-it eyes.

Loosening his grasp on her slender neck, he roughly released her and turned away abruptly. Silently warring with his disturbing primal urges once more, he quickly reminded himself he was better served by anger than want.
"I doubt you'd admit to it even if you had. I'm done with this shit."

Without the slightest hint of warning, he stalked towards the front door, wrenching it open with such force he almost tore it off it's rusty hinges.

"Wait! Adam!"
She managed, with rising panic in her voice.
He was going to walk out of her house, out of her life, and she didn't have a clue where he would go if he got as far as the front gate. She couldn't lose him. Not now. Not again.
She had long since come to realise that she needed him in her life, no matter the capacity. And the thought of losing him, this time possibly forever, made her heart feel like it was being torn in two.

He disappeared into the blackness of the night, his clothes and hair serving well as camouflage. Racing after him, heart sinking like a stone, she called out into the darkness,
"Don't be stupid Adam, where are you going to go?"

He did reach the front gate but instead of marching through it, he suddenly slammed it closed, spinning on his heel, before returning to the house. Muttering a procession of expletives under his breath, his expression thunderous.

For a brief moment she was filled with relief, thinking he'd perhaps changed his mind, but as he stomped passed her and up the stairs, her alleviation was short lived.

"I need my fucking coat."
He supplied tersely, as he bounded up the staircase, the sound of his heavily booted footsteps reverberating against the wood.

Reaching her hands up into her hair, Ava tugged on it in frustration until it was askew. She had to do something, and do it fast. Him forgetting his jacket had afforded her time to act, but her mind was a blank. Save for pouncing on him and attempting to tie him down, she was at a loss for ideas.

Fortunately for her, the shrill ring of the telephone suddenly perforated the tense atmosphere, almost making her jump out of her own skin. Initially choosing to ignore it, tutting at the inconvenience of being interrupted now, of all times, the continuous trilling refused to relent until she finally gave in, and answered.
"Yes?"
She huffed, not bothering to hide her irritation.

"Ava, sweetheart...is he with you?"

The phone almost slipped from her hands, and she had to suck in a deep breath.
It was Eve. And she was enquiring after Adam.
Immediately flustered, she found herself floundering, wondering how on earth to respond. She was tempted to lie, or pretend to be ignorant to all knowledge of his current whereabouts, but as her mind raced and fumbled for excuses, her lengthy pause betrayed her. Unfortunately, it became apparent her sister knew her only too well..

"Ava, it's okay. I knew he'd be there. Just let me speak with him, would you?"

And then the phone did actually fall from her grasp, slipping from her fingers like in a scene from a film.

"Ava? Are you there?"
Eve's calm voice rang out from the floor, as she scrambled to retrieve the receiver.

"Sure, um. I'll just get him."

With classic timing, Adam was already making his way back down the stairs, his eyes set on the open front door, focused solely on leaving.

"Adam. It's...it's Eve."

Halting at her words, his head whipped around as she extended her hand, offering him the receiver.

"I didn't tell her I was going to look for you."
She whispered hurriedly, noting his murderous expression.
"She says she wants to talk to you."

He took the receiver from her, and Ava could feel the blood pressure collectedly rise in the room. Hers as well as his. The apprehension gnawing at her insides as he placed the phone to his ear.

"Eve?"

"Hello sweetheart.."

Adam closed his eyes, hearing his estranged wife's breathy voice unexpectedly caused a mixture of sadness, and panic.
She was always so calm and collected, his voice of sense and reason. She brought calm to his inner storm, and the thought of making a new life for himself permanently without her was incredibly daunting. He'd lived so long under her influence, he really didn't know how to function properly by himself.

"I'm just checking in, I knew Ava would find you. And I'm glad you're not all by yourself."
She continued, not the slightest hint of malice in her voice.

"Well you knew more than I did."
He retorted with a wry smile.

"I know more than you think darling."
She replied, and his grip tightened on the phone.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Oh Adam, come on. Isn't it about time you stopped deliberating and just accept the fact that she adores you? Our lives are long, and living in fear is such a waste."

His body went rigid as her words filtered through his ear and straight into his vampiric heart.
"W-what?"
He croaked, as his throat constricted tightly.

"I've always known I suppose, and I realise now how selfish I have been. Keeping you all to myself, even though the attraction the both of you share is undeniable."

"Eve, I-"

"Let me finish darling, I need you to know that you have my...well, blessing. Not that it's needed. Adam, we as a race take companions and form bonds that endure centuries. I love you so much..."

"And I love you too."
He managed hastily, sliding his eyes towards Ava, he was immediately struck with the way she now hung her head dejectedly. Giving further validity to Eve's assumptions that she felt for him, and a wave of barely containable excitement suddenly threatened to drown him.

"I know you do, but my sweet lord...there is a difference between loving and being in love, and you know precisely what I mean. Ava and yourself, you share a deep connection, one that can't be left unexplored, otherwise it'll drive you both crazy. Do you think I don't know why her arrival in Detroit kept you awake? You might've succeeding in fooling yourself into believing you were worried about your precious tapes, and such.....but I knew then that you were yearning for her."

Struggling to string a sentence together, all he could do was wheeze as the words stuck in his throat. Painfully aware of Ava's presence, he was mindful of alerting her to his wife's proclamations. He was having a difficult time digesting it himself.

"So, perhaps it's time you took a chance and satisfied those undisclosed desires of yours, hmm? There's no need to be afraid, change is scary but necessary. Otherwise situations become stagnant. Perhaps she'll be the breath of fresh air you so desperately need."

Meanwhile Ava was taking in Adam's stunned expression, and standing by trying to guesstimate what was being said, was proving too difficult. Perhaps Eve was begging for him to return? She always did have a way of winning him over, and he followed her guidance and advice as though it were gospel. She knew she should be happy for them, if a reconciliation were to take place. But the deeper, darker part of her, selfishly wanted him around. Even if just for a little while. To be close to the enigma that had enthralled her since their first meeting, was too delicious a temptation to resist.

Suddenly struck with an idea, she scuttled off into the kitchen. Her intention, to bring him a little something for his hunger. She desperately wanted to show him she wasn't completely lacking maturity, and convince him she was more than capable in taking control of situations, just like her brilliantly sensible sister.

Leaping on the opportunity, in her absence he finally responded.
"Shit. Eve, I don't know what to say. I can't explain it. I just...I don't know what to say.."

"You don't need to say anything darling. I'm setting you free. Fuck, I know you, and your self-obsession...I can't bear the thought of you agonising over what you can't control. I was hoping I might somehow be able to alleviate your feelings of misplaced guilt. Adam, I don't want you to be maudlin anymore. Take a risk, you used to be so full of life. I think Ava could be exactly what you need."

"I wish I could share your optimism, but it'd never work anyway, she's so bloody boisterous, and flippant-"

"Which I'm sure with your reverence you can tame some of her wildness. That's precisely what she needs. But her spark is what you need. I honestly believe you'd be good for each other. You can find your way together, and take care of one another, and just...just learn to...be."

He could hear the smile in her voice as she spoke with conviction, and seemed genuinely pleased at the prospect of their possible union. Which made his head swirl.
"I..well..um."
His vocabulary appeared to have reverted to that of a toddler, which earned him an amused chuckle from the other end of the line.

"You'll be fine sweetheart. Trust me. Just remember what I said, now go and have some fun!"
And with that she was gone. Leaving him completely stumped.

As if waking from a trance he set the phone down, and turned, only to suddenly collide with Ava in the doorway.

"Fuck! Adam!"
She cursed, as he inadvertently knocked the glass from her hand, causing it to fall and shatter at their feet, sending it's contents splattering across the hallway floor.

"Oh, fucking hell!"
He exclaimed gruffly, whilst looking-on helplessly as the precious, life-giving nectar began to soak into the dense carpet.

His shirt, and chest also bore the smattering of the dark liquid, and the sight made her subconsciously lick her lips. His taut stomach smeared with blood, was a mouth-watering delight to behold. And when he ran a fingertip along his stained flesh and placed it into his mouth, she chewed on her bottom lip furiously, in order to suppress the unsettling stirring within.
Bending down, she busied herself with picking the fragments of broken glass from the rug.

"I'll need to take a shower to get this shit cleaned up."
He pointed out, still lamenting the loss of what would have been a much-needed feed.
"Shit, what a waste."

Somewhat distracted, Ava flinched suddenly as she felt the sharp sting of glass slice through her fingertip.
"Ow!"
She winced, rising to her her feet whilst inspecting her injury.

"What now?"

"I've cut my finger. Fuck me, that hurt!"

His head snapped up, and his eyes fixated on the crimson droplets of blood resting on the crease of her dainty finger. He edged nearer, crunching the stray remnants of splintered glass beneath his black eyelet boots, into the floor.
She stood stone still, immobile like a statue as he reached out slowly, and gently clasped her by the wrist.
He tried to resist, but he was overcome with the urge to throw caution to the wind, and the prospect of tasting her red, velvet lining was the kind of thing his most illicit dreams were made of.

He brought her trembling hand up towards his lips, and she had to stifle a gasp, well aware of his intentions, which only increased her erratic pulse.
His intense eyes were scrutinising her face now, his gaze heavy and intrusive. Searching for signs of protest, because sharing ones blood was not to be taken lightly, no matter how small the amount.

However, she put up no resistance.

His pupils widened, nearly glistening with a sense of lust she had witnessed before, especially in relation to feeding. Then without speaking a word, his eyes never leaving her face, he unfurled his tongue and began licking along her bloodied finger at a sweet, leisurely pace, savouring the delectable, bitter-sweetness of her life source, until his need and passion grew more ardent.
Eyes closing, engulfed by erotic pleasure as he lapped at the wound greedily, he drew the entire length of her finger into his hot mouth. Coupled with his own raging lust, her small shriek of surprise sparked his libido all that much more. Causing a flush of excitement to lurch deep within his chest, as well as his jeans.

She watched his sensual actions, transfixed with uncertainty and desire as his tongue swirled around tentatively, tasting, and suckling on her digit, until she became overwrought with the raw, sexual intensity of what he was doing to her.
Pulling her finger back slightly despite his reluctance to let go, she withdrew and then provocatively pushed it back in, slowly repeating the movement several times. Sexualising the exchange even further by mimicking the very act of intercourse itself, he understood the intimate nature of the gesture, and growled around her finger, eliciting a low moan from her as he sucked with arousing enthusiasm.

Retracting her finger completely, she ignored his protests as his lips attempted to catch it again, and instead she lowered her head before he had chance to collect his thoughts or object. And in the next instant she pressed her warm mouth to his chest, making him shudder as she traced along the speckles of blood with her own small, pink tongue.

His head lolled back, his large, capable hands grasping fistfuls of her beautiful hair. He tugged on it, his grip tightening painfully as she abruptly dropped to her knees before him, whilst licking her way downwards.
The touch of her soft rosebud lips against his bare skin felt incredible, and he was close to abandoning all restraint.

She felt his muscles bunching and tightening as she trailed down his abdomen, and a deep, utterly masculine groan tore from his throat as she edged closer to the waistband of his jeans.

Struggling to regain some coherent thought through the lust-filled haze that fogged up his mind, he felt the unmistakable tingling in his gums as his fangs extended.
Prompted by the slight tugging on his belt, and the tell-tale sound of his buckle being undone, he forced himself to pull back away from her.

"No Ava..."
His voice was ragged, and his command lacked conviction. But the truth was, he wasn't sure he felt right taking this any further.
"...this has to stop. Right now. It can't happen."

As she placed her hands on his narrow hips, and pressed herself against him like he were a God, and she his most devoted worshipper, he could detect the disappointment in her tone when at last she managed to speak.

"But why? Don't you want me Adam?"
She ventured nervously, only too well aware of the unmistakable bulge that was straining against his tight-fitting jeans.
Knowing she had this affect on him was a heady feeling indeed, and her blood rushed to her face as well as a certain other part of her body, just at the mere thought of it.

Her words heated and burned his insides, the inner turmoil he was faced with had never been so excruciating. After all those decades of longing, he knew now in that instant she would be willing to have him. He sensed her arousal, and willingness just as she sensed his need and urgency. And damn it, the temptation was bound to bring about his demise.
He wanted her so badly it physically pained him, and as she pressed herself against him, silently giving her permission to take whatever he wanted, it hurt even more feeling so compelled to not accept the invitation. He had to decline. As much as he wanted to take her roughly, right there on her hallway carpet, something was preventing him. Much to his annoyance.
Adam wasn't one for acting on impulse anymore, and hadn't in a very long time. Behaving rashly only led to disaster, and as far as he was concerned, Ava was like a living, breathing personification of trouble. After having to learn to be cautious in order to preserve his privacy, he couldn't quite shake the feeling that she would be detrimental to his self-preservation.

"No, no I don't."
Never before had he spoken such a blatant lie, the words sounded empty and hollow, but he had to put an end to this now before the situation escalated any further.
"I'm err...I'm going to take a shower, if that's alright? And then I'm going to go. I can't stay here."
He mumbled, deliberately avoiding looking at her.

She didn't respond, instead she watched him climb the stairs slowly. Her face hidden behind her sheet of red-gold hair. The sting of rejection felt like being slapped in the face, but she wasn't completely crushed. Taking comfort from the knowledge that he did secretly want her after all, made her previously heavy heart soar as though it had grown wings.
Their intimate encounter had proved he wasn't immune to sensuous contact, in spite of his usually stoic, composed conduct. Now, enthused with determination thanks to this fresh hope, all she had to do was contrive a way of convincing him to stay.

*************************

Upstairs, Adam had located the bathroom, and was absolutely appalled, but not entirely surprised to find it had undergone refurbishment, and painfully modern decor had replaced all of the original fixtures and fittings.

But as the water cascaded over his body like a curtain of warm rain, his thoughts returned once more to the impossible situation he found himself in.
God, he couldn't recall ever having being so turned on before.
Ava's blood had tasted exquisite, and it had been only a mere drop in the ocean. He didn't dare allow his mind to linger on the forbidden thought of what it would be like to really taste her.
Pressing his palms against the tiled wall, his dark wet lashes flickered shut, as he attempted to will his arousal away.
What was this strange, almost magnetic influence she wielded over him?
He couldn't keep doing this, he told himself. They were complete opposites, and she had a husband. A husband who was alive and living, and unlike his own spouse, most likely hadn't given her permission to start a new life with someone else.

Lost in his thoughts, the sound of the water bouncing off the tiles prevented him from hearing Ava's soft footfalls on the landing outside.
The bathroom door was slightly ajar, and she couldn't resist sneaking a peek through the gap.
The glorious sight of his nude form, all glistening and wet, chased the mischievous smile from her face. Rendering her awestruck, as the water bounced off his gleaming, soap-slicked body, sending up rainbows in the mist.
Staring agape, her mouth having literally fallen open like a fish, her wide eyes wandered over his impressive physique. She found herself hoping harder than ever that she'd succeed in persuading him to stay, now having seen him naked it'd be even more painful having to let him go.
God, her sister was such a complete idiot to let this brooding Adonis go.

And that was when a fiendish idea came to her, like a gift from the Gods.

Tearing her eyes away from the marvellous sight, she tip-toed carefully to her room, and as she'd anticipated, found his clothes in a discarded heap on the floor.
"Well, Adam...your shirt does need a wash now anyway.."
She mused to herself, with a sly grin.
"..let's see how far you get without your clothes, you gorgeous, fucking prude."