An Unholy Embrace Read online

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  Aspen Mountain Press

  www.aspenmountainpress.com

  Copyright ©2007 by CJ England

  First published in 2007, 2007

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  NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the original purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, including without limit email, floppy disk, file transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment.

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  WARNING

  This book graphic scenes of sex, violence and adult language. Store your e-Books carefully where they cannot be accessed by underage readers.

  An Unholy

  Embrace

  CJ England

  Aspen Mountain Press

  An Unholy Embrace

  Copyright © 2007 CJ England

  This e-Book is a work of fiction. While references may be made to actual places or events, the names, characters, incidents, and locations within are from the author's imagination and are not a resemblance to actual living or dead persons, businesses, or events. Any similarity is coincidental.

  Aspen Mountain Press

  PO Box 473543

  Aurora CO 80047-3543

  www.AspenMountainPress.com

  E-Book edition by Aspen Mountain Press, October 2007

  This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction fines and / or imprisonment. The e-Book cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this e-Book can be shared or reproduced without the publisher's express permission.

  ISBN: 978-1-60168-061-7

  Released in the United States of America

  Editor: Sandra Hicks

  Cover artist: CJ England

  Dedication

  To my family, who supports me without question,

  And

  A special thank you to Terri Pray,

  Who recognized in me the ability to ‘think outside the box'

  And appreciates it!

  Thylyrn Os Paes ... Follow Your Dreams

  Chapter One

  She heard the sounds of running footsteps behind her. Pursuing her as relentlessly as the smell of her own fear.

  They were going to catch her. She couldn't run from them forever. Somehow, she'd always managed to evade them in the past. Through fate or cunning, she didn't know. Her heart fluttered and her mouth went dry at the idea that this time ... her luck had run out.

  She darted through the twisted trees of the forest, tripping over exposed roots and brush. Branches clawed her bloodied face and pulled at her dress with bony fingers. The sharp crack of a foot stepping on a fallen limb behind her spurred her faster. They were so close. Sobs of frustration and fear clogged her throat and tears blurred her eyes. She tried to take in a deep breath, but she choked instead. Burning pain spread through her lungs at her labored breathing. There was no one to help her; no one who would come to her rescue. Her heart broke with the certainty of that. She had no one who cared enough. In fact ... if she disappeared, no one would even miss her.

  Hope was something that belonged to those who had love in their lives. It was for those who knew the joy of waking up with the certainty they were valued. She however, knew exactly what her worth was and why she was being chased through this desolate wood. She was good for only one thing in the minds of her pursuers.

  "Teran!” an angry voice shouted. “You can't run forever! Make us angry and we'll only hurt you more."

  She bit her lip in fear. They'd hurt her as he promised and enjoy doing it. She dodged a large boulder and ran down a deer path deeper into the woods.

  "The bitch has gone into the forest,” another man shouted. “Get her! I want to hear her scream when I fuck her!"

  Teran blinked back more tears. She raced up the path, but her legs were quivering with fatigue. She was slowing down and it wouldn't be long before the men caught up with her. She risked a look over her shoulder and her heart nearly stopped when she saw a man's form leave the shadow of the trees. His lust filled gaze captured hers for a moment and she faltered.

  "I've got her!"

  She twisted back around and dodged into the trees, hoping that they would hide her from the man behind her. It was pitch black, but she blundered forward knowing it was the only chance she had.

  When she came up hard against a solid form, her heart fell to her shoes. Arms came up to surround her and she screamed.

  She was caught.

  With her last ounce of strength she struggled. She kicked and bit the man and she heard him hiss in anger. Her head lifted quickly and their eyes met.

  Every bit of moisture in her mouth evaporated. The man's eyes gleamed red and watched her with an animal like intensity. They were both frozen for a long moment. Suddenly, he smiled, revealing sharpened fangs.

  It was all too much. Teran screamed again and fainted.

  * * * *

  He had lived in the forest a long time. Longer than many of the trees that surrounded him. Longer than the mortals that called it their own. He used them as he needed. They were his food, his sustenance. Now, one had literally fallen into his arms.

  Sebastian gazed down at the unconscious woman. He'd thought at first she was a child, but she was just small boned and very thin. Yet, he could feel her womanly curves as he held her close against him. Her clothing was threadbare and patched, but clean, with the faint scent of flowers.

  He brushed the long black hair from her oval face, frowning at the marks he saw there. They did not belong on such beauty as this. Her skin was like fine porcelain with high cheekbones and a full pouting mouth. Her long black lashes fanned down over eyes he'd seen were a dark blue.

  He saw the hot blood racing through her veins. His body tightened and his mouth watered. He wanted to bury his teeth into her neck and taste her living energy. Passion grabbed him in a burning fist. He wanted to bury his cock into her heat and let himself go like he hadn't in decades.

  His thoughts were pulled back by the sound of men crashing through the trees all around him. His eyes narrowed. The men were chasing this woman. Why?

  He tucked the small human under his arm and moved so he was nothing more than a shadow in the darkness. One of the men blundered past him and with the speed of a striking rattlesnake; Sebastian reached out and knocked the man to his knees. Moving faster than the mortal could see, the vampire knelt and gripped the man's head with his large hand, using his enthralling powers to keep him still.

  He snarled as the reasons for the chase were made plain. These men were rapists, intent on ravaging the beauty he held in his arms. He looked down at her bloody face and his anger flared. He would not allow this.

  He bent and put his mouth close to the enthralled man's ear. “Not this time,” he whispered. “She has escaped you.” Making a fist, Sebastian clubbed the would-be rapist, sending him sprawling to the dirt.

  Then lifting the woman into his arms, he melted away into the shadows.

  * * * *

  Teran's eyelids fluttered. She felt like she was slowly pushing up, up, up, through a thick mist. She smelled the scent of burning wood and something very soft was stroking across her cheeks. Her eyes flickered again and this time she made out the form of a man sitting beside her. It was he, who was caressing her so carefully, so gently.

  "Can you hear me?” His voice was deep and rough. It stroked over her nerve endings like a soft kiss.

  "Who are you? Where am I?” she croaked and then blushed at the raspy sound of her voice.

  "My name is Se
bastian and you are in my house. I ... came upon you in the woods."

  Teran's eyes cleared. “You rescued me."

  His lips twitched. “I spirited you away."

  She shuddered, remembering the lechery in her pursuer's eyes. “I'm Teran. I owe you my thanks."

  "Should you not fear me as well?"

  She studied the man who sat beside her. Tall, dark and definitely handsome, he had a brooding quality about him that gave her pause. His face was long and thin with sculpted cheekbones. His sensuous lips were framed by a mustache and small goatee. He had shoulder length dark hair and deep piercing brown eyes that seemed to gaze into her very soul.

  Wide shoulders and muscular arms were easily seen under his tight fitting, black silk shirt. His dark slacks covered hard thighs. Teran blushed when she saw that the bulge between his legs was as big as the rest of him. Heat curled tightly in her belly.

  She raised her eyes to his, struck by a longing to be closer to this man. She shook her head dazedly. She'd never felt quite this way before, but he was right. She was alone in his home and she didn't know him. She shouldn't trust him. She should run from him the same way she ran from those other men. Still ... there was something about him. Something in his eyes that made her feel ... safe. Safer that she'd felt in a long, long time.

  Chapter Two

  "I'm not afraid of you."

  Sebastian stared at the lovely woman in astonishment. She wasn't afraid of him? Impossible! Even those who were unaware of what he was instinctively feared him.

  Standing, he made his way over to the fire and stared into the flickering flames. “You would do well to be cautious, little one. Such trust can be used against you."

  Swinging her legs to the floor, Teran sat up and closed her eyes tightly as if the sudden movement made the room spin. She laughed bitterly. “I don't trust anyone. I've learned not to."

  Sebastian narrowed his eyes at her tone. “Why were those men chasing you?"

  She sighed, pushing back her tangled hair. “It's a long story."

  He sat down in a large stuffed arm chair. “I have no place to go. Tell me."

  Teran chewed her lip. She hated to talk about it. She never talked about it, but he had saved her. Maybe he did have a right to know. She sighed again. “My mother grew up very poor. She helped out her family by taking in laundry. Apparently, one day she was offered money to do something more than wash shirts.” She looked away from Sebastian's intent gaze.

  "She prostituted herself?"

  She flushed. Even after all these years the fact that her mother was a whore, shamed her. “She made more money on her back than she ever did at a wash tub. She became a rich man's mistress. He kept her well until she became pregnant. She didn't tell him, but when she got too big to hide it; he tossed her out into the street. It was too late for an abortion so she had to have the child."

  "And that child was you.” Sebastian's voice harshened as he thought of the type of childhood she must have had.

  Teran flinched. “Yes."

  "And does she still sell her body?"

  Her lips trembled. “Yes.” She lifted pained blue eyes to him. “And they think that now I am old enough ... I ... should be willing to do the same."

  Fiery outrage coursed through his body at the thought of this delicate woman whoring herself. Then he cursed inwardly. It shouldn't matter to him what she did. He calmed himself with an effort. “But you do not."

  She shook her head vigorously and then grimaced as if the movement hurt her head. “No ... never!"

  Sebastian took a deep breath in relief then swore again when he realized that it did matter ... too much. “And your father?"

  Teran shrugged. “I've never spoken to him. He doesn't claim me.” She looked into the fire. “I've always lived with my mother."

  "How did you come to be in the forest last night?"

  "I'd delivered some shirts to one of our clients. Afterwards, I took a short cut through the woods. My mistake. That's when those men saw me.” She shuddered. “They thought I was like my mother. They wouldn't take no for an answer. So I ran. I escaped into the forest and they almost caught me until..."

  She frowned, suddenly recalling how she'd run from one man right into another. One who had looked so ... strange. Now she remembered his face. Her eyes flew to Sebastian's as she gasped out loud. “It was you."

  He inclined his head.

  "But ... your eyes ... your ... teeth..."

  The dark man sitting before her smiled, revealing a set of sharp fangs. His eyes took on an unholy glow. “Is this what you saw?” he asked silkily.

  Teran's mouth dropped open in shock. She'd seen pictures of his kind in the church archives. He was one of the undead. The priest would call him a monster. Her heart beat a little faster in nervous excitement. Shouldn't she be afraid? He was a killer, wasn't he?

  Then she remembered the tender way he had cleaned the blood from her face. How he had saved her from the men, protecting her. No ... even knowing what he was, she still felt safe with him.

  Sebastian was surprised at her reaction. She knew the truth, he could hear the blood in her veins rushing faster at the revelation, but he still didn't sense any fear from her. Surprise, yes. Wariness ... there was that as well, but it was because he was a male. He didn't understand it.

  "Are you not afraid? I am a vampire, Teran. I use your kind for nourishment."

  Curiosity filled her eyes as she gazed up at him. “Is that why you were in the forest?"

  "Yes."

  "Do you live here? Do you really drink blood? How old are you? Can you die?” The questions tumbled out of her.

  He shook his head, nonplused. He was supposed to frighten her, not make her curious. Didn't she understand what he was?

  "Can I see your teeth again?"

  Sebastian narrowed his eyes. His emotions threatened to rage out of control. This was why he didn't have contact with humans. He hated to be on display. As his irritation grew, so did his lust. She was so close to him, he could smell her own special sweet scent. He wanted to grab her and drive deep in her body with both teeth and cock. The thought made his mouth water again.

  "No,” he snapped.

  Teran looked hurt. “You don't have to get all mad about it."

  He shot to his feet, looming over her. “I am not angry. I am hungry. You prevented me from feeding last night."

  A tingling feeling of arousal went through her. She stared up at the handsome vampire. Her heart pounded and it made her limbs weak. A thought leaped unbidden to her mind. What would it be like ... to be fed off of? Would it hurt? Would else might he do to her? She trembled. She was already attracted to him. Something she had never felt before.

  His eyes were glowing even redder now. He stared at her with the same animal intensity he had in the forest, but still she wasn't afraid. She was drawn to him in such a powerful way. Did she want him to use her for nourishment? Was it more than just curiosity that made her want to get closer to him? She bit her lip in sudden indecision.

  She would be putting her life in someone else's hands. Something she never did. But, she argued with herself. He needs you. And he did help you. Before she even consciously knew she was making the choice, she reached her hand out to him.

  "Do ... do you want to ... feed from ... me?"

  Sebastian stilled. He searched her face for fear or disgust, but instead he found ... acceptance. Who was this woman? He shook his head, getting more confused by the minute. She was reacting differently than any human he'd ever met. He had to remember what she was. She was human, so she was food. No matter how she made him feel, she could never be anything more.

  "I will feed from you,” he rasped as he took her outstretched hand and pulled her against him. He ignored how perfect it felt to hold her. “I will take your blood to give myself strength. He ran his hand up her smooth throat, pushing back the tangled hair. “You will allow this."

  Teran trembled. She felt his mind reach out to hers and was sudde
nly afraid. She wanted to do this, but on her own terms. She didn't fear much, but like earlier, the fear of being out of control of her own destiny terrified her. She didn't want to be turned into a mindless automaton. She jerked away from his grasp.

  He growled and his eyes lit with red fire. “You cannot escape me."

  Taking a deep breath, knowing that she was making a choice, Teran shook her head decisively. “I don't want to."

  Chapter Three

  The vampire stopped, as if confused by her words. “What?"

  She swallowed as the enormity of what she was doing struck her. She lifted her chin and met the flaring red of Sebastian's eyes. “I won't run from you. You saved me from certain rape in the forest. I owe you. If you need to eat, then go ahead. All I ask is that you leave my mind alone. Don't steal away my will."

  Sebastian stared at her. She'd surprised him again. She was offering herself to him? His body twisted in sudden arousal. She was strong, brave and beautiful and he wanted every part of her. He stepped closer and ran a long finger down to the pulse he could see throbbing in her neck.

  "It will hurt if I do not enthrall you."

  Her breathing quickened at his touch. “I'd rather have the pain. It tells me that I'm still alive."

  He frowned at the bleakness of that statement. It gave him a glimpse into what her life must truly be like. Unthinkingly, he smoothed her wild hair, pulling her closer. He had the sudden urge to protect her forever. Then he laughed inwardly. Why was he even thinking such a thing? She was his for the day. He would slake his hunger for her blood and her body, and then let her go. She didn't want him to enthrall her? So be it. He would seduce her in other ways. His eyes darkened to a deep blood red.

  "I will not kill you, little one.” He ran his hands down her back to her shapely rear. “I have reasons to keep you alive.” Bending, he caressed her neck with his lips.

  Teran gasped as desire swept through her. This was something she hadn't experienced before. Because of her mother, she kept all the boys in town at a distance. Now ... this man ... this vampire, stirred her like no other. He bit down, gently and she moaned. Oh, God ... it felt so good.