Bloodless Desire

Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Cold Silk and Heavy Rain

The victory she felt in the study did not last past midnight. By the next evening, a sudden, heavy tropical rainstorm hit the high cliffs of Katariz. The sky opened up with a massive downpour, and thick sheets of water pounded against the old stone roofs of the castle with a loud roar. Lightning flashed across the sea, sending sharp, bright streaks of white light through the windows, followed by deep thunder that shook the whole dining hall. The power failed completely because of the storm, leaving the huge, empty castle in total darkness, lit only by the low blue fire in the fireplace.

Analaya stood near the center of the cavernous hall, her long dark wavy hair cascading down her back like a wild, beautiful shadow. She wore the hand sewn black gothic dress once more, the heavy black velvet bodice keeping her grounded despite the chaotic violence of the elements outside. The shadows did not intimidate her anymore. Her green eyes were fixed entirely on the large leather chair near the fire, where Alejandro sat, his pale skin looking almost translucent against the deep blue flames.

The physical and emotional distance between the king and the human girl had completely vanished, eaten away by the raw, deeply personal history they had shared. Driven by the dangerous momentum they had built over the last week, Analaya took an absolute, dominant stance. She stepped directly out of the shadows, her layered lace skirts rustling softly as she closed the space between them, stepping straight into his imposing shadow.

Alejandro lifted his head, his short straight jet black bob catching the flicking blue firelight. His glowing crimson eyes flared with an intense, predatory brilliance as she stopped right in front of him. Before he could utter a single word of his dry philosophy, Analaya reached down, using her soft palms to trace the clean, lean muscle of his broad chest directly over his vest. She leaned forward, her body mere inches from his frame, completely past the point of resisting her own shameless desires.

The touch sent a visible, deep shudder through the vampire king's tall frame. Alejandro’s restraint fractured under the sheer, breathless anticipation of her touch. He reciprocated the slow, torturous torment by capturing her small hands in his large palms, his silk wrapped stone fingers holding her with an unyielding tightness. Instead of pushing her away or commanding her back to the east wing, he guided her hands upward, dragging her fingers up to his plush mouth.

Analaya’s breath hitched in her throat as she felt the cool, sharp edge of his fangs as they fully elongated in the dark, pricking the pads of her index fingers. No clothes were discarded, yet the slow, intoxicating friction of their fingers caressing each other's lips while the storm raged outside was an absolute masterclass in slow burning agony. Alejandro let out a low, deep groan that dipped into a breathless purr against her skin, his chest heaving hard against hers. He pulled her down onto the arm of the chair, his face rising to meet hers. The space between their lips shrank to millimeters, the scent of cedarwood and fresh rain completely consuming them as they both leaned in, tilted their heads, and prepared to cross the ultimate boundary for their very first kiss.

The heavy velvet silence shattered, but it wasn't a mocking applause that cut through the dark. Instead, a choked, desperate sob echoed from the back of the dining hall, piercing through the thunder like a jagged blade.

Analaya pulled back instantly, her green eyes flashing with a volatile mix of frustration and sudden shock as she whipped her head around. Stepping out of the deep shadows and into the flickering blue firelight was Urelia.

But the elite, arrogant facade she had worn days before was completely gone. Her long straight black hair was heavily soaked from the downpour, sticking to her damp velvet cloak in messy, ruined strands. Her glowing yellow eyes were heavily pooled with thick, shimmering moisture, and dark streaks of mascara were already bleeding down her pale marble cheeks. The refined, high society noble was utterly unraveled, her chest heaving in silent, fractured gasps as she cried bitterly, completely broken by whatever terrors or regrets had chased her through the tropical storm.

"Alejandro," Urelia gasped out, her fancy British accent completely cracking, stripped of all its venom.

Before either of them could even calculate her movement, she sprinted forward. Her wet silk skirts hissed aggressively against the floorboards as she threw herself across the room, running straight into Alejandro’s arms. She crashed violently against his broad chest, her long pale fangs flashing in the blue light as her long fingers clutched the fabric of his vest with a desperate, trembling necessity. She buried her face into his shoulder, her loud, bitter weeping echoing through the hollow spaces of the castle while the storm roared outside.

Analaya stood completely frozen on the arm of the chair, her stomach twisting into a suffocating, icy knot of pure jealousy and horror as she watched the ex wife cling to her king.