#vampire aus

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You lift your neck up as you observe your face in the mirror. Without even looking, your fingers reach down and latch onto the diamond necklace that was gifted to you. You raise it onto your neck and hold it up to the skin, imagining what it will look like when it’s fastened securely around your throat. The choker is intricately designed and expertly engineered with a beautiful deep red ruby set in the center of two silver bat wings.

You jump in your seat as you hear scratching by your window. You rush over to it, unfastening the curtains and pulling them apart. You yelp in shock as a little black object floats around in circles, bouncing against the window pane. Releasing a relieved breath, you unlatch the lock and open the window. It's a bat with something rather large in its mouth. It drops the object onto the window sill before taking off into the orange autumn sky. You chuckle and reach down to pick up the letter and package that the bat delivered. You bite your lip in excitement as you immediately recognize the elegant black cursive script on the envelope.

My Life, it reads.

You relatch the window and flop on your bed to open and read the letter. The familiar deep red seal closes the back with the symbol of a wilted rose. His family stamp After ripping the envelope open and pulling out a piece of parchment, your eyes read down the page.

My dearest Y/N,

I require your presence this evening at the mansion. I expect you to arrive promptly around nine in the evening, dressed in the garment which I have enclosed in this package. You know how I like your makeup and hair.

And lest you forget the jewels I gifted you last week. They should match wonderfully with the dress I have procured for our rendezvous this evening.

You know where I am. As always, I shall be awaiting your arrival and shall not breathe easily until we are together again.

Your love in eternity,

Aus x

You giggle to yourself at the contents of the letter. Austin has no issue speaking like someone who lives in the twenty-first century, but he likes to pretend that he’s still stuck in the 1800s whenever he writes you letters. You carefully refold the letter and then place it back into the envelope to save it along with all the others you’d received.

Taking the soft package, you untie the red ribbon and use the strings to open the leather pouch. You pull out a long burgundy velvet dress and fluff it up so that you can take a look at it. You hold it in front of yourself by the floor-length mirror and smile as you slide your fingers along the soft fabric.

Glancing behind you at the clock, you see that it’s already approaching seven o’clock, which means you have less than two hours to get ready and drive over to the mansion if you’re going to arrive on time. You immediately start getting ready, preparing your makeup and hair the way you know he likes it: a bold red lip and your hair off your neck and shoulders. You accessorize using the diamond necklace, a few matching bracelets, and a pair of delicate diamond earrings - all items which Austin had gifted you over the years you’ve had this little arrangement.

You pull the dress on as carefully as possible and smile to yourself as you evaluate your figure in the mirror. As usual, the dress is absolutely beautiful. It hugs your frame in all the right places and the color looks magnificent with your skin tone. It shimmers in the light when you move and it has a classy leg slit that makes you look tall and lean. Just as you pin your hair into place, your phone rings from its place beside the bed. Rushing over, you see your best friend’s name on the caller ID and answer.

“Hey what’s up?”

“Hi, I was just calling to see if you wanted to do something tonight?” they say.

“Oh, I’d love to but I’m sorry I can’t. I’m actually on my way out to see Austin tonight,” you respond as you carefully and expertly position pins to secure your hairstyle.

“Again? Didn’t you just see him last week?”

“Well, yeah, but I’m going again tonight.”

“I still don’t fully understand what your relationship is with this man. Isn’t he basically just your sugar daddy?”

You pause and heave a sigh. It’s actually quite difficult to explain your relationship with Austin. You can’t tell anyone the truth, anyway, because it would put him at risk. If they believed you, that is. Most people would probably just judge you for lying and making up some ridiculous story to cover for the fact that you basically have a sugar daddy.

Austin is…a being that many people don’t believe exists. And if they did believe in his existence, they would be terrified and utterly frightened of him. He would probably be killed on the spot if they could really see him. Even though Twilight revolutionized vampire appreciation, they're still considered to be fantastical beings by most sane people.

“Not…exactly. I just go over every couple of weeks to keep him company. He cooks dinner and we just talk or watch movies and stuff. He doesn’t get out much so it’s all just to keep him connected to the world.”

“It literally sounds like you’re visiting a nursing home, Y/N. But let’s not forget about the part where he literally pays you with jewelry every single day for having sex with him.”

“Excuse me, we have never had sex, actually! And it is not every day! He sends me something one time a week and he isn’t paying me. He’s just very rich and has no use for the money, so I think it makes him feel good to send me things. He’s just showing his gratitude. I think it really means a lot to him that I take the time to visit him.”

“Is this man married? Why doesn’t he leave the house? How old even is he?”

You bite your lip to keep from laughing at your friend’s questions. How old is he…what a loaded question that you couldn't even answer seriously if you wanted to.

“He’s old enough to be more mature than any man either of us has ever dated. No, of course, he’s not married. And he doesn’t leave the house because he…can’t really go out. He has a…condition that prevents him from going outside.”

“Mhm,” they sound unconvinced and sigh before continuing. “Okay, well, whatever. It’s not my life. But just let me know when you’re back for the night, okay? I hate the thought of you hanging out at that creepy ass mansion up on the hill with a mysterious agoraphobic sugar daddy who pays you in the ugliest jewelry I’ve ever seen.”

“It is not ugly! I like it!”

“Okay sorry, sorry! Seriously, though, let me know when you get there safely and when you get home.”

“I’ll do my best. But you have nothing to worry about. We trust each other and I know he’s a good man. Thanks for checking on me and we can meet up tomorrow. Margaritas?”

Your friend laughs on the other line.

“Sounds like a plan. Okay, I gotta go cause Jasper’s throwing a fit,” she says, referring to her newborn baby. “But I’ll text you about tomorrow. Love ya!”

“Love you,” you repeat before hanging up.

You stick one last pin into your hair and double-check your appearance. You smile. Wearing the things Austin sends you always makes you feel absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking. You aren’t totally sure why, but you always feel your sexiest when you’re wearing something you know he likes.

You would never tell any of your friends but over the last four years, you’ve fallen terribly in love with Austin. Not that it would ever work considering…but still, you can’t stop the emotions from pumping through your heart every time you lay eyes on him. With a deep breath, you shrug on your coat and grab your keys, slamming the door to your apartment behind you. Now that the sun has set, the air is chilly as it blows through the deep blue night. You climb into your car and flip the lights on, preparing for the long drive that you’ve memorized.

It’s not a particularly pleasant drive as it requires you to go up and down dark hills and around tight turns and dangerous bends without any railings or road precautions. Not to mention that you have to use your high beams virtually the entire time since there’s almost no light to be seen the entire way. Perhaps the most annoying and scary portion of the drive involves a veer off into the pitch-black woods and up a path that is existent only to the people who already know it's there. Thanks to Austin on that one.

Fortunately, you don’t run into any issues this time and the sky remains mostly clear for your journey. As usual, you don’t pass a single other car on the haunting road up to the ancient mansion. It’s not surprising considering the fact that nothing lies at the end of the road other than the mansion itself. But you still breathe a sigh of relief as you pull up the long cobblestone drive toward the makeshift garage in the back. You park and flip down the mirror to check your makeup once again.

Satisfied with your appearance, you text your friend to let them know you made it safely and then step out to make your way up to the front door. You pry the vase on the front porch up and grab the heavy metal skeleton key from underneath it. Before opening the door, you pause to admire the stained glass roses which are fashioned on the door. Although the entire mansion is beautiful, these stained glass windows are your personal favorite. You’ve never seen anything like them anywhere else in the world. You insert the key and turn it without issue, the grating of metal against metal signaling that the key is working. You push the door open and replace the key before shutting it quietly.

“Austin! I’m here,” you shout and listen back as the echo surrounds you.

As normal, you admire the mansion’s entryway while you wait for Austin. You know more about the house than anyone other than Austin. That was the main topic of conversation the very first time you met him here at the house. He’d told you about it's history.

“Le Manoir D'argent. The Silver Mansion, as it was called, was constructed in 1845 for a young duke and his wife. They had moved to America for better work opportunities. Tragically, she was murdered in the house when thieves broke in to steal some of the couple’s famous artwork. After she died, the duke returned to France, and the mansion was sold to a local banker and passed down from there. It fell into my uncle’s hands and I inherited it from him.”

The large entryway has a winding staircase with a balcony that overlooks the space and disappears into two hallways upstairs. On either side of the ground floor, there are two hallways that lead to different sections of the house. The floor is made of gorgeous Italian marble, creating a black and white checkerboard print. The walls throughout the house are covered in deep red, green, and blue wallpaper with mahogany wooden boarding lining the bottoms and tops. With its vaulted ceilings, the entryway itself feels three times as large as it actually is. Although the lighting is dim in most areas, the mansion doesn’t feel haunted or eerie at all. Actually, it feels rather cozy and warm. Austin keeps it exceptionally clean.

Your favorite detail in this room is the large portrait of the mansion’s master which hangs right beside the door. You step toward it and smile as you admire it. It’s done in the style of a renaissance portrait, with Austin wearing a fashionable black tuxedo and a red shirt underneath. Your eyes always gravitate toward his in the painting, glinting golden underneath his blonde, sandy curled locks. As you take a step closer, you tilt your head and notice something you’ve never seen before. In the painting, he’s holding a necklace or a pocketwatch…something silver in his hands. You are about to examine it further but Austin’s voice interrupts you.

“Y/N! It’s so good to see you,” he says excitedly.

You turn and smile happily at him as he approaches you and takes your hands in his. His fingers are always deathly cold but it doesn’t bother you one bit. He’s dressed very handsomely and your eyes immediately drop down to the skin on his chest that’s peeking through his partially-unbuttoned dress shirt. It’s blue, your favorite color on him, and pairs well with the black dress pants he's wearing. The sleeves to the top are already rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms.

He pulls you toward him, winding his arms around your body and pulling you against him. You rest your arms on his back and inhale his scent. Despite having been dead for almost two hundred years, he doesn’t smell it. Instead, he smells of musk and something warm and sweet like vanilla or cinnamon. It’s intoxicating and you find your eyelashes fluttering closed.

“I’ve missed you,” you whisper against the skin of his cheek and you can feel him release a content sigh. He releases you and holds you at arm's length so he can get a good look at you.

“Gorgeous, as always. How do you like the dress, darling?” he asks, offering you his elbow. You take it with a smile and allow him to lead you into the dining room.

“It’s absolutely beautiful, Austin. Thank you so much for gifting it to me. You know that you don’t have to send something every time we spend time together, right? Just being with you is gift enough for me.”

He leads you to your usual chair and pulls it out for you. As gentlemanly as always. You slide into the seat as gracefully as you can while he responds.

“It’s of no consequence to me,” he waves his hand dismissively. “You know that I have centuries of savings stored up, waiting to be spent on something. Why not spend it on you, the person who makes me happiest on this earth?”

He takes his seat at the head of the table, just to your right. You shrug and nod, not having any reason to argue with that. The plate that sits in front of you is steaming. You lift the silver lid and take a deep sniff. A smile spreads across your face.

“Oh, Austin, my favorite. It smells delicious,” you say and grab onto your utensil.

You’re actually quite hungry and the food smells so, so good. You spoon some into your mouth and close your eyes in pleasure at the wonderful familiar taste. Despite not eating very much human food, Austin is a wonderful cook and always has his kitchen stocked with your favorite snacks for when you visit.

“It’s wonderful,” you assure him and he smiles warmly, relaxing in his chair.

He brings his hand up to his lips, running a finger over his bottom lip as he watches you eat. Your eyes drop momentarily down to his place to see nothing there, as usual. The first time you’d visited, he’d eaten the same meal as you but each time after he’d refrained. He explained that vampires are capable of eating human food, it just doesn’t agree with their digestive system or do much anything to keep them healthy and alive.

Blood, of course, is the main staple of their diet and, as most people know nowadays, vampires prefer human blood over any other kind of blood. Although Austin sustains himself on animal blood, every vampire must drink human blood every so often to remain alive. Austin generally takes to the streets in small rural towns around the area for a full meal every now and then. He explained that he usually picks criminals or elderly people and does his best to stay away from young and healthy individuals. And he never, ever feeds on children.

The dining room is dimly lit with an exquisitely ornate crystalline chandelier that casts light in rainbow colors across the room. Here in more lighting, you start to notice how drawn and stretched Austin looks. Your eyes travel to his golden blonde hair, pulled back in a fashionable ponytail with a few strands swinging freely to frame his face. They follow down to his sparkling golden eyes, which look a bit greyer than normal, as does his normally pale white skin. He appears ashen, his cheeks caved into his skin more than you remember. But his jaw still cuts dramatically across his face, and his pink lips are as plump and elegant as ever. He’s still as handsome as the day you first met him. You smile as you scoop another spoonful of food into your mouth.

“Austin…in the portrait in the entryway, what are you holding? That little silver necklace? What is it?”

Austin’s eyes flick up to you and he clenches his jaw. You lean back, away from him, suddenly worried that you’ve said something wrong. Your eyes flick down to his fist which is clenched on the tabletop. His eyes follow your gaze and he releases his fingers with a sigh.

“It…belonged to my sister.”

You shake your head and lean back in. This is news to you.

“You had a sister?”

“Yes. Her name was Ashleigh,” he replies, nodding slowly. “She died when I was young.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. What was she like?”

You watch for a moment in silence as his eyes flick back and forth on the black lace tablecloth in front of you. When he lifts his gaze to yours, he looks even more drawn and you can see the emotion clear on his face.

“Have I ever told you how I became a vampire?”

You pause for a moment to think and then shake your head.

“No, actually. I don’t think you have.”

He nods, almost solemnly and then intertwines his fingers on top of the table.

“My sister, Ashleigh, and I grew up in Normandy, on the coast of France. We lived in a wealthy family, although she always had dreams of coming to America. She met a man whom my mother and I did not approve of. But my father, with the final say, blessed their union and they were married. I remember always thinking that he was a very strange man, always pale and never very pleasant. But she loved him with her entire being and her whole heart. Anyway, she moved to America with him and they purchased a house, a mansion. He was a duke, extremely wealthy, and they were doing very well here. I came to visit, in the hopes that I would secure a job in the states. I have told you how magnificent the art collection here was, haven’t I?”

You nod and he continues.

“Do you remember the story of the art thieves that I told you? That they descended upon the house at night and killed the duchess in cold blood?”

“Yes, Duchess Butuiller. What does she have to…oh god”

“Duchess Butuiller, Ashleigh Butuiller, was my sister. I grew up with the name Agustin and only adopted the name Austin in the twentieth century. But those thieves…they weren’t thieves at all. They were hunters of my kind.”

“Was your sister…?”

“No, thank god. She was spared this fate that I wasn't. I was up late, reading in the library when they came into the house. I caught them. I tried to stop them but there were too many. I was stabbed in the chest and I…I have no memory of what passed until I woke up the next day as the creature I am today. The duke was who they were searching for. The bastard allowed my sister to be killed but to save my life, he turned me. Why he saved me I'll never understand. But it was he who turned me into this monster, this bloodsucker.”

A few moments of silence pass before you gather the courage to ask another question.

“Where is the duke now?”

“I have no idea and I’d like to keep it that way. After he explained what he’d done to me, he released the house to my ownership and left. I don’t know where he went or why, but if he were ever to come back here, I would end his life. No matter what it took.”

Silence settles again and you gulp as you reach up to place your hand on top of his. He averts your eyes but you can see the shimmering glint of a tear as he breathes heavily through his emotions.

“Should we move into the living room, now? It’s more comfortable in there," you suggest to ease the tension.

Austin nods and offers a small smile before rising to his feet. You notice him sway for a quick moment but he regains his balance quickly and holds out his hand for you to take. You place your fingers into his and stand. As soon as you take a step toward the living room, Austin wavers, slamming his hand onto the table for support.

“Austin!” you shout, moving to slide your arms underneath him and help support him.

He hisses and shakes his head, heaving a frustrated breath.

“Goddamn it,” he mutters under his breath, releasing your arms from his torso.

He moves to take another step but falters again, reaching for his head. You catch him and slowly but carefully drag him into the next room. You help him onto the loveseat and sit beside him, your fingers resting on top of his hand.

“How long has it been since you’ve…eaten?”

“I’m fine.”

“Austin,” you say disappointed. “How long has it been since you last fed?”

“A few days, maybe. I don’t know, Y/N.”

You sigh and angle your head down to better observe him. He looks awful, thin and blanched, and, most of all, tired.

“Well, you look terrible. You need to eat. Do you have any blood in the fridge?”

“No.”

“What about upstairs somewhere?”

“No.”

“Okay, well maybe I could run down to the pet store and-”

“Stop!” he suddenly shouts, whirling to glare at you.

You clamp your lips together and look at him, shocked into suppression. His angry expression immediately melts and his shoulders round in defeat.

“I’m fine, I already told you. Besides, I don’t need animal blood. I need…” his eyes flick toward you, dragging up and down your frame.

You gulp under his gaze. You and he have engaged in a variety of activities but sex and feedings are two areas you both avoid. Sure, you've allowed him to trail his teeth up and down your skin and even give you a little taste of what it would feel like to be bitten. You’ve even passingly offered for him to feed on you before, but he’s always denied your proposal. Every single time, without fail. He refuses to bring his teeth anywhere near you when he’s hungry for human blood. It's just too dangerous.

You close your eyes and take a deep breath, lowering the strap of your dress onto your shoulder and brushing the few strands of hair on your neck out of your way, to expose your skin to him completely.

“Feed on me,” you say as confidently as you can, although your heart is pounding painfully in your chest.

Austin’s head snaps up and he looks at you with furrowed eyebrows. He says nothing although his eyes search your figure.

“Feed on me,” you repeat. “You need to eat and I know you can feed without turning me. So…I’m offering.”

Austin’s expression suddenly changes and he laughs. His eyes squeeze shut and he leans back against the loveseat, clutching his stomach.

“Absolutely not.”

“Why not?” you ask, suddenly offended. You can’t place why but the thought of him not wanting your blood makes you angry. “Am I not good enough for you?”

The amusement falls from Austin’s face once again and he stares dryly at you.

“Y/N, we’re not doing this,” he says firmly, his lips pressed into a straight line. You scoff and cross your arms over your chest.

“Austin, stop being so stubborn! You practically passed out on the way in here. You need to eat,” you insist, gesturing toward your shoulder.

“No. Stop it now.”

“What the hell is wrong with you? I’m offering-”

“Y/N, stop!”

“Are you afraid of turning me or-”

“Stop.”

If you weren’t so wrapped up in your anger, you would have noticed the way Austin’s long fingernails begin to dig into the pillow beside him. But you’re so inspired by your anger and frustration and concerned with his health that you continue to insist that he feed on you.

“If you would just trust me, then-”

Your breath catches in your throat as Austin’s fingers wrap harshly around your wrists. Before you can even process what’s happening, he’s slammed you back into the wall of the living room. His hands are holding your wrists hostage against the wall as he towers over you. You wince at the pain of his fingers around your arms. When you stare up into his eyes, your heart begins to beat faster. Your breath grows shaky with fear. His eyes are red. Not a little red, or in the process of changing red. They are red, a deep, sinister color almost as dark as your dress. He stares down at you with his almost black eyes, nostrils flared and fangs bared. You freeze under his touch, tears starting to gather in your eyes.

He’s never acted this way with you. You've never understood how people could think vampires are evil since Austin has never been anything but kind to you. But now, as you stare up into his haunting face, you understand it all. It’s as if the very bones under his skin have shifted to create this horror of a being that bares down on you now. He resembles nothing of his normal self and your heart is racing with terror. For the first time since you met him, you wonder if he’s going to hurt you.

“Is this what you want, Y/N?” he asks. “You want this version of me? The bloodsucking monster? The killer? Is this the man you want to see?”

You shiver under his grasp. He picks up your wrists and slams them against the wall. You wince and shake your head.

“No. I didn’t think so. This is not what you want. Leave now. And don’t ever come back.”

He releases your hands and returns to the couch, gently keeling over onto the cushions. You take a moment to collect yourself, breathing in and out slowly, and consider your options. Your first instinct is to return to him, to comfort him and to find some way to lift his pain. But what are you doing here in the first place? This is all just a reminder of what he’s capable of. That he could kill you at any moment. The fact that he hasn’t hurt you to this point is honestly astounding, even if it’d been by accident.

Resolved to get the hell out of here, you’re about to turn and grab your purse, but a loud burst of thunder strikes, and the old house rumbles. You turn and approach the window, lifting the dark red curtain to peer outside. You can barely see anything with the rain falling in sheaths everywhere you look. It would be extremely dangerous and probably impossible to make it home tonight.

“You can sleep upstairs in the guest room. I’ll fix it up for you,” Austin says.

You turn, about to tell him you’ll just take the couch, but he’s already gone. Damn vampire speed. You fish your phone out from your purse and text your friend quickly.

it’s storming really bad up here and too dangerous to drive home. but i'm safe

You hesitate, looking up from your phone and glancing at the wall against which Austin had harshly pushed you. Shaking your head, you continue typing.

i’m safe with austin. text you in the morning ❤️

With a deep breath, you grab your purse and head upstairs. Each step creaks with your heels and, to be honest, you only realize once you hit the top of the steps that you have no idea where you’re going. You pause and listen for movement. Luckily, you can hear Austin rummaging about in a room and you follow the noise. You knock on the doorframe and step into the room. At one point, it had clearly been a woman's room based on the decoration; it probably belonged to Austin's sister long ago. Austin is bent over the bed, smoothing out a blanket.

"Hi," you say quietly and Austin just nods.

"The bathroom is right there. The sheets and towels are brand new and clean. I'm just next door if you need anything."

You nod. A few moments of awkward silence pass until Austin clears his throat and starts toward the door. You move out of the way, passing him as you step further into the room. After you lay your purse down on the bed, you turn.

"Austin, can you, uh…unzip me, please?” you ask sheepishly, your shoulders turning in on yourself.

After a moment of quiet contemplation, Austin approaches you. Your back unintentionally arches when his freezing fingers brush against your skin. You gasp and close your eyes. As his fingertips dance across the zipper, one of the straps slips from your shoulder. You glance over at it, suddenly terrified when Austin stops unzipping the dress. You both wait in silence. You can feel his eyes trained on your shoulder and, with how fast your heart is thudding against your chest, you’re sure he can sense the veins in your neck as they pulse rhythmically.

You just barely turn your head to look over your shoulder at Austin. He’s staring down at you, his eyes red again, but a brighter, less threatening red this time. His lips are parted and his chest is heaving. Your eyes slip down to his lips and the next thing you know, he’s leaning toward you, his hot breath tickling your face. Your eyes flutter closed as you wait for the feeling of his lips on yours.

“Fuck!”

You fall forward onto the bed and quickly glance over your shoulder to see Austin gripping the door frame. His long nails are tearing parts of the white wooden trim away from the wall. You turn around, holding the top of your dress securely onto your chest as you stare at him.

“Why are you doing this to me, Y/N? Why? I can’t fucking control it around you. I can’t see you anymore. You can never come back after tonight. Do you understand?”

You shake your head, the frustration coming back.

“No, I don’t fucking understand. You’re the one who sends me these dresses, these jewels, all this shit. It’s not my fault you can’t control yourself, but did it ever occur to you that maybe I don’t care? That I don’t want you to control yourself? That I’m offering for you to feed not because I’m turned on by the thought of it but because I love you and I don’t want you to fucking die?”

It all comes spilling out before you can stop it. But once it's out there, you don't know what to do other than own up to it. You clamp your mouth shut and fall down on the bed, dropping your head and closing your eyes as a few rogue tears slip out. Suddenly, you feel Austin's fingers underneath your chin. He lifts your face up to his. His hands slide onto your cheeks and he leans his forehead against you.

"Don't love me," he whispers. "You shouldn't love me. I'm a freak, a monster. I'm disgusting and hideous in every way. I survive on the death of others and I enjoy it. Look at me, Y/N, I'm not worthy of you. Look at these nails. They're like animal claws and they're dangerous. The thought of them ripping or tearing your beautiful skin...I hate myself for even being capable of it."

"Austin, Austin, Austin," you whisper, placing your hands on his face. He leans into your touch and closes his eyes, an expression of pain crossing his face. "I trust you with my whole heart. You could never hurt me, I know it. You're not a monster. You didn't choose this life; someone else chose it for you and you're living it the most honorable way you can. That's why I love you, with all of my being. That's why I want you to feed on me, because I can't lose you, Austin. I just can't."

"What if I can't stop myself?"

You drop your hand onto his chest and tap his heart.

"If you truly love me, you will."

With that, you lean your head to the side, brushing your hair away and closing your eyes to prepare for him. His cold fingers tickle your skin as they touch your shoulder. His hand drops down to your arm and he grasps your bicep, pulling your body closer to his. He does it slowly so that you have time to place your hands on his thighs and support yourself.

Your heart is pounding in your chest with the anticipation of feeling his teeth sink into your skin. Your chest rises and falls rapidly and you can feel Austin’s breath on your shoulder. His soft lips press onto the skin. You smile to yourself as his lips drag up your body, rhythmically pressing chaste kisses up your throat and onto your face. Your lips pop open as his mouth slips onto yours. He kisses you hungrily. His lips smooth as they move between yours.

You grip his thighs, a feeling of sudden desperation growing in your heart and in your gut. You lean further into his kiss, moaning quietly against his lips. His hand circles around to your back and he gently drags his long fingernails up your spine. They just barely tickle the skin and your back arches in response. You gasp into his lips as goosebumps rise on your arms.

He pulls away from you but you jerk forward into the space between you, desiring his lips more than you’ve ever wanted something in your life before.

“You like that, don’t you love?” he whispers.

You bite your lip and hum in agreement. He smirks and then presses his lips against yours again, one of his hands grasping onto your head to hold you against him. You smile into the kiss and arch your back as his fingernails dig into the skin. The sharp tips ache but only for a moment before he pulls his hand away from you and clutches onto your jawbone.

He stares down at you and your breath catches in your throat. You resist the urge to moan into the air between you and clutch harder onto his thighs instead. He tilts your head to the side and runs a fingernail down your throat. Your eyes flutter closed and you wait for him.

He presses a wet kiss to your neck. You gasp as the tips of his fangs scratch against your skin. And then they sink in. You immediately sway back with the force, moaning loudly at the mixture of pleasure and pain. You pant as the area on your neck grows warm and starts to ache. You can feel his teeth moving around in your skin, and, like massaging a tender muscle, you feel the satisfying sensation of relief. You moan again as you feel your head starting to ache. Your vision is beginning to blacken when Austin pulls away. You gasp, your eyes flying open.

Your head is still tilted back as you stare down at him. His eyes are deep, dark red like the burgundy color of your dress. In the dim lighting, they almost look black. Your blood drips down the corner of his mouth in a long dark line and is smudged red along his lips. His tongue darts out and swipes around his mouth to gather the extra blood before he circles it around his fangs to clean them. You sigh deeply and gulp.

“Why did you stop?” you ask.

“Your heartbeat, love. I can hear it pulsing in your chest,” he responds, his icy fingers pressing against the warm skin on your chest. "It was too much."

“Maybe I just liked it,” you say, your eyes dropping down to his lips.

He smirks, his hands falling to your hips and yanking you onto his lap. You straddle him and slide your hands onto his shoulders, one of them tangling into his long blonde hair. You lean in for a desperately needed kiss but he restrains you and wiggles his fingers. You watch as he takes his long sharp nails to the front of your dress. He gazes lustily into your eyes as he drags his fingernail down the fabric. It begins to rip and you press against his chest.

“Austin, stop, this is brand new!” you say. He smirks and leans forward, pressing a sweet kiss to your lips.

“I’ll buy you another,” he mutters against you.

And with that, his fingernail rips easily and hastily through the entire front of your dress. It falls gracefully from your chest, revealing your bare skin to him. His eyes trail down your figure and he heaves a deep breath. You giggle happily and lean forward, about to press your lips onto his but he stops you with a gentle hand to your heart. He curls his finger and trails it up toward your cheek and onto your cheekbone. He smiles sadly and shakes his head.

“I don’t want to fuck you tonight,” he says. “I just want to hold you.”

You smile and press a gentle kiss on his forehead. You nod and he helps you down. After stepping away to allow Austin to get up, you slide the rest of the dress off, along with your shoes. By the time you turn back around, Austin has returned with a pair of silk pajamas.

“I was saving this for another time but you pretty obviously need it now,” Austin says with a chuckle. You share the expression and then shrug the pajamas over your head.

You climb into bed as Austin turns the lights off and slides in behind you. He wraps his strong arms around you and holds you close. You nestle back into him. Although he’s frigid, he feels good against your hot skin. The rain is falling hard, pattering against the window as soft rumbles of thunder sound in the distance.

“Can I show you something?” he asks.

You shift in his arms to see his face and nod excitedly.

“Of course.”

He reaches underneath his shirt and pulls out a silver necklace. Somehow you’ve never noticed it before. He stretches it out to show it to you. The moonlight that shines through the window allows you to get a good look at it. It’s a small oval-shaped silver charm with the family’s rose crest engraved in the metal.

“This is what you saw in the portrait.”

“Ashleigh’s necklace?” you ask and he nods.

“The very same. When she owned it, it contained a picture of the duke, her beloved. But when the duke gave it to me, I didn’t know what to do with it. It remained empty for a long, long time. But now,” he carefully clicks it open and tilts it to show you. You giggle contently. “It contains a picture of my beloved.”

You reach toward the necklace and swipe a thumb over your face nestled in the little silver oval. When you glance over at him, he’s already staring at you with a handsome smile. You reach up to cup his face and he leans into your touch. He presses a sweet kiss to your forehead and you nestle into his chest before mumbling goodnight.

“Sleep well, my heart.”

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