Blood from Stone, chapter 19

Chapter 19

12.12.2021-12.17.2021

Before you open that door, I need you to know a few things… Aubrey’s voice was a comforting caress in her mind, despite being able to hear him saying something entirely different aloud, just on the other side of the door.

Lily hesitated with her hand on the doorknob. You’re really starting to freak me out.

I don’t mean to, but once you walk through that door, it might be difficult for you to walk back out the same as you are now. I want to make sure you have a chance to walk away from this.

Liliana raked fingers back through her bangs in frustration. Cut the cryptic bullshit, Aubrey. You know I’m not a fragile little flower. What kind of warzone am I walking in to, and why did you ask me to bring my knives when you sound so goddamned calm?

Her heart was in her throat as she waited for a reply, his voice finally coming through but sounding strained and distant. If you walk through that door, there’s a mask hanging up on a hook. I’m livestreaming, so there are cameras and an audio feed. You’ll want to put the mask on unless you want the whole internet to associate you with what’s happening.

Fuck’s sake, Aubrey…Liliana’s head snapped up as a familiar smell hit her. Blood. Are you hurt?

Uh… Yes, and no? I asked you to bring knives for a reason. If you walk through that door, know that what you see is nothing to panic about. This is a monthly thing—

Liliana opened the door, doing her best not to kick it down. Her pulse roared in her ears as she grabbed the plain white plastic mask, right where he’d said it would be, and slipped it on. It only covered the upper half of her face, which left enough open that a few bored hobbyists online could recognize her from what was revealed, but that wasn’t her primary concern.

Her primary concern was that Aubrey Winterbourne stood on the other side of the large boudoir clad in nothing but a pair of white boxer briefs, his long blond hair slung over one shoulder. She’d never seen him this close to nude before, and he was as gorgeous a vision as she’d imagined, even with rivulets of red trailing over the inhuman perfection of his physique. A knife of his own dangled from his grip, the tip of the steel already glistening and dripping with his blood. Her eyes flicked to the white drop cloth he stood on, which had an array of fresh crimson spatters strewn across it. Her stomach churned as she was faced with the reality of why Aubrey’s tattoos seemed to change frequently. He was literally cutting them off his body, and there were several seeping wounds beginning to heal that proved it.

Heavy lidded blue eyes lifted to meet her gaze from across the room, the look in them so heated with desire that it sucked the breath from Liliana’s lungs and pooled warmth between her thighs. His lips were moving, and she realized he’d been speaking, addressing whoever his online audience was, but his eyes were only for her.

The scene before her filled her thoughts with static, so many instincts and urges warring within her that she was immobilized. Rooted to the spot with indecision. She was angry that someone was encouraging him to harm himself, despite the damage being minimal and nearly completely healed just since she’d entered the room. She was confused by how unbelievably fucking sexy he looked, when she should have been concerned about him being in pain. Liliana liked a little bit of pain thrown into her encounters for seasoning, but this was at the extreme far end of the spectrum from her norm. Knife play was one thing, but if he was going to totally clear the slate and scrape off every single one of his tattoos, this room was going to look like a Tarantino film by the time he was finished.

You in or out, bloddukke? If it’s too much, I won’t give you shit if you want to walk away, even though I do enjoy teasing the hell out of you.

His voice in her thoughts brought her a sudden clarity that sealed the deal for her. She took a step forward, hand in her pocket as she was careful to stay back out of range of the cameras for the moment. Tell me what you want me to do.

That’s my girl. He lifted his arm towards her, beckoning her with a slow curl of his finger.

Liliana’s pulse was a jackhammer trying to shatter the protective cage of her ribs as she scurried forward. Quickly assessing the hunting knife he was holding, she mentally snarked at him. You must be a bigger masochist than I am if you’re using that dull thing to shave off your tats.

With no response save a bewitching smirk, he tossed the knife in question behind his head, the blade burying itself to the hilt in the wall beyond the backdrop he stood in front of. The effortless, fluid motion of his arm should have had warning bells ringing in her head. Instead, her core clenched deliciously.

Then show me what you’ve got, Lily. I’ll let you know which one’s next on the chopping block. These hardcore fans drop donations and vote on what they want to come off, and how fast or slow.

She brought the knife from her pocket, pinky hooked into the ring on the end and fingers curled around the hilt as she popped the protective sheath off the blade. The edge glittered under the studio lights. This is gonna sting like a bitch, compared to that cleaver you were using.

Aubrey gave her a fang-filled grin, eyes sparkling as brightly as the blade in her hand. He addressed his viewers aloud, some who were frequent flyers with the familiarity he seemed to have with them. His words were mostly background noise to her, her brain muffling them as she focused on his mental instructions.

“Left forearm, three strips. Fast.” He paused for a second, reading the chat on the computer monitor. “She certainly is pretty, isn’t she?”

Liliana’s grey eyes darted up to his and he nodded at the weapon in her hand. He held his arm out to her like it was the most natural thing in the world; firm, taut muscles pliable under her fingers as she took hold of him, supporting the weight of his arm with her palm. Quickly lowering her gaze, glad that the blush that scorched her cheeks was mostly hidden behind the mask, Lily let out a slow breath to calm the clangor of her nerves.

She held the blade horizontal, not wanting to get into the muscles beneath on accident. She pressed the tip into his skin, a red bead welling up almost instantly. Careful to keep the knife only in the fascia and not accidentally poke through the skin above it, she dragged the tip from his wrist to his elbow in a few quick motions. The blade was so sharp that it took a few seconds for him to begin bleeding in earnest, trails of the hot liquid running over her fingers where she held his arm in place. She wiggled the flat of the blade under the short sides closer to his elbow until they were lifted like a flap.

Liliana held the knife out to him and he took it without a word. She wrapped her fingers around the upper edge of the first piece of skin, doing her best to get a decent grip on the slick flesh. Grey eyes darker than normal, she asked him without words if he was ready. At his nod, she dug the tips of her fingers in and yanked the skin downwards, towards his wrist. The heated gush of fluid that flung towards her in an arc struck her from her waist to her hairline as it separated from his body. She closed her eyes at the last second, but still felt the weight of his blood on her lashes.

Air hissed between Aubrey’s teeth and his body rocked forward slightly, like he was trying to curl in on himself. Without waiting, she grabbed the second, giving it the same treatment, but pulling more towards the left than straight down. More molten spatters that quickly cooled on her skin. A soft whimper escaped his lips and she gripped the final piece of flesh, peeling it loose with another satisfying splash of gore. She could feel it soaking through her thin white shirt, and she could only imagine how much of a mess she looked.

A shudder wracked Aubrey’s entire body, but judging from his deep guttural utterance of “Fuck…” Liliana knew that pleasure had overridden the agony he must have briefly experienced as his nerve endings were literally torn asunder. A quick glance downward showed the hard curve of his cock twitch, barely restrained behind the white cloth that kept him from turning this show into a full-on porno. She still held the red ruin of his arm in her hand, letting go to wipe the slick arterial juices on the thick grey cotton of her sweatpants.

In her peripheral vision, she saw the chat explode with comments, although they were too far away for her to focus on any of them. Dollar signs burst on the screen like fireworks as more donations came flooding in after their little lurid display. He held his arm up, watching as the flesh knit itself back together, covering what had been nothing more than raw meat in less than two minutes time. Pristine, untouched, brand new flesh. Complete with a soft dusting of blond hair on the top of his forearm.

Aubrey’s voice trembled ever so slightly, just enough for Lily to notice. “That makes four removals! You’ve all got one more to choose before this month’s event is over.” He turned in a slow circle for the camera, arms held out at his sides so they could see the menu of tattoos carved into his skin.

You alright?She quipped.

Better than alright. Holy shit, you have no idea…

He handed her knife back to her and she wiped the flat of the blade across the cloth that covered her toned stomach, leaving a thick scarlet smear in its wake. Aubrey was typically very hard to fluster, and his shallow, hurried breathing told her that she’d managed to affect him deeply.

After giving the audience a few minutes to reach a majority decision, Aubrey stated aloud: “Right thigh…” He had to pause and clear his throat to reduce the tremulous quiver in his voice. “One piece. Slow.”

Liliana swallowed hard, dropping to one knee before him without a second thought. Since speed wasn’t an issue for this one, she delicately traced the edges of the image of a beautiful buxom woman in full battle armor with a pair of feathered wings that sprouted from her back. It was all done in black and white, but the details were mesmerizing. She could almost smell the aroma of war that would have filled the air in the world of the Valkyrie. It seemed like a shame to undo such a gorgeous piece of artwork, but she complied.

Having noticed how quickly Aubrey healed, although he had to be nearing the limits of what he could heal without rest and some of her blood, she adjusted her cutting speed accordingly. She made four incisions that bordered the portrait, loosening the top two corners. She cleaned her blade on the drop cloth, snatching up the discarded sheath and covering the blade before setting it aside. She wiped her fingers dry on her shirt before gripping the upper edges of the flesh that bordered the tattoo. It was hard for her to not get lost in the tributaries of blood that twisted and wound their way down Aubrey’s heavily muscled thigh. The contrast of the crimson against his pale skin was captivating.

Gazing up the long, lean line of his body from her place of deference on her knees, she watched his expression and she sank her fingers in and stripped the chunk of skin from his muscles. Tugging just on one side, then the other, gradually bringing the entire image loose. His fingers were curled into a fist, his lower lip sucked between his teeth as he let loose the most ardent moan she’d ever heard when she yanked it free, more droplets raining down on her.

She tossed the chunk of flesh into a bucket of ice, as he requested of her, but she stayed on her knees, head bowed slightly as he went through his closing script, taking a moment to chat with a few of the regulars. Like with his arm: fresh, untainted new skin rolled over Aubrey’s thigh where she’d completely flayed it only a few moments before. It did take him a bit longer to heal than the others, so his resources were irrefutably depleted.

He stepped away from her for a brief moment, dropping a few links to polls in the chat and reminding everyone to vote before the next session. After expressing his thanks and saying good-byes, he signed off and shut down the computer, even going so far as to unplug the camera.

He was back before her quickly, the movement drawing her from her thoughts. “Look up at me, Liliana,” his voice was gentle, but the command was stern. Hands resting on her thighs, she did as he asked. He whistled softly as stormy grey eyes met his. “You look fetching as fuck on your knees, bloddukke.”

She couldn’t help the pleased smile that curved her lips, but she was at a loss for words. He held out his hand to her and she placed her blood-stained palm in his, allowing him to pull her to her feet. He embraced her tightly, her ear pressed into his chest, the sound of his staccato heartbeat like music to a song she didn’t know all the words to but vowed with everything she was that she’d memorize it before long.

“Are you alright?” He asked her in a level tone, seeming scared to let go of her in case she was going to bolt and flee the carnage that covered them both.

Liliana’s bark of laughter was equally quiet, as though they were both worried that any sudden, loud noises would lead them away from the path they were currently barreling blindly down. “I’m not the one who just had someone rip chunks of flesh off their body. Are you okay, Aubrey?”

He let out a slow, shuddering breath and loosened his hold on her. Looking down into her eyes, he removed her blood-spattered mask, smirking at the unsullied area of skin on her face. Cupping her face in his hands, he slowly dragged the pads of his thumbs across her cheeks, sending a shiver down her spine. Leaning down so his lips hovered just over hers, he murmured, “I’ve never been better, Lily.”

His kiss was tentative, gentle. All soft lips and tongue caressing hers with a maddening slowness that coiled heat low in her belly. She lifted her hands to wrap around his arms, the contact drawing a gasp from him that gave them both the chance to come up for air. He kissed up her cheek to her ear, his breath heavy and warm against it. “Do you have any idea how fucking amazing it feels to be touched on skin with nerve endings so new that nothing has dulled the level of sensation they can perceive?”

She shook her head lightly, unable to find words as his lips worked their way down her neck. “Your heartbeat is so loud…” he murmured against her skin. He scooped her up in his arms like she weighed nothing and kicked the rolling backdrop out of the way, tossing her onto his bed.

Liliana sank into the soft coverlet with a surprised squeak. “We’re gonna get your bed all dirty!”

He was on top of her, caging her body with his limbs, holding the weight of his torso just above her on his elbows. Long hair fell forward to frame his face, his voice a low rumble as he teased, “With all the other things I plan on covering you with tonight, you think a little blood is gonna be a deal-breaker? Hell, no.”

Liliana gnawed at the edge of her lower lip, not sure how to answer his sudden fervor. When she attempted to speak, he laid claim to her mouth once more. His knee pressed between her thighs, parting them until he was leaned against the pulsing heat of her core. He ground his knee against her with just the right amount of pressure, drawing a keening cry from Liliana that seemed to roll up from the depths of her soul to hum against his lips.

“Those sweet little moans of yours are going to be the death of me, Lily… You’ll give me more of them to devour, won’t you?” His throaty growl had her body trembling in anticipation, and he hadn’t even really touched her yet.

She turned her face to the side, closing her eyes and taking a second to inhale deeply to try to calm her racing pulse. Liliana could feel herself losing control, and as much as she wanted to just give in, she felt like she had something to prove when it came to Aubrey. She wouldn’t just roll over and let him have his way with her. He’d led their dance at the gala, and she wanted more say in how this dance was going to go.

Liliana slid her body slightly upward on the bed, head coming to rest on the pillows. She reached above her, grabbing the hilt of the large hunting knife that was sticking out of the wall, yanking it free. She switched her grip, holding the tip of the blade and offering it to him pommel first. As she faced him, he observed her movement silently, waiting for her words before taking action. He didn’t want to misinterpret anything when it came to a sensitive situation like this one.

She waggled the knife at him and said levelly, “Take this damn thing and cut me out of these clothes, so you can fuck me the way your eyes have been since the first time you saw me.”

Aubrey sat back on his heels, carefully taking the knife from her grip. His pupils were blown wide as his gaze raked over her, her clothes soaked with his blood and a beatific expression on her face that made him want to simultaneously scream, cry, and fuck her senseless. Settling on the latter, he decided the other two could wait.

He gripped a fistful of her shirt right in the center of her chest, tension singing through his corded forearm as he half snarled: “Stay still.”

Liliana sucked the edge of her lower lip between her teeth, looking up at him from under her lashes. Before she could manage to say anything smarmy, the entire weight of the knife settled on her chest, the flat of it laying parallel to her trachea. The proximity of very real danger made her heart skip a beat, the sensation of the cold steel against her skin raising goosebumps as he dragged the tip lightly down the hollow between her collarbones, traveling south with maddening slowness until he met the resistance of the fabric in his fist. Lifting the shirt farther away from her skin, he slipped the blade under it from beneath, sharpened edge pointed upwards.

He cut through the cloth quickly, the sound tearing through the air with just as much ease. He let out a shaky breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and tossed the knife onto the floor by his nightstand. Liliana inhaled deeply, thankful for a full breath again. She knew better than to move around too much when something potentially fatal hovered over her.

Aubrey raked his fingers back through his hair, a deep rolling chuckle making the muscles of his torso bunch deliciously. “Oh, Lily… You act like I’m not potentially fatal.”

He gripped the waistband of her sweatpants in both fists and tugged in opposite directions, effectively tearing them in twain. The cuffs at the ankle didn’t want to cooperate, so she pulled them off with her toes, the motion inadvertently wrapping her legs around him. He hooked an arm under her knee, lifting it higher as he pressed a kiss to her inner thigh that was hot enough to scald. Aubrey rolled her skin between his teeth, sucking hard and pulling back from her flesh with a loud pop that was drowned out by the ragged moan that rolled from her lips. His fingers gripped her thigh tightly as his lips and tongue moved higher, the tip of one of his fangs scraping along her skin and raising goosebumps in its wake.

“And even knowing that, here you are. After seeing the darkest parts of me, you didn’t run. You didn’t judge.” His tongue rolled against the pulse of her femoral artery, her leg trembling in his grip and her breathing just as uneven. His other hand cupped her heated core, grinding the heel of his palm against the soaked fabric that clung to her sensitive flesh. “Fuck, you’re so wet for me already…” he murmured against her skin.

Eyes as ice blue as the arctic sky looked up to her from under thick lashes, and she fought to maintain eye contact as her breath quickened. “You accepted me, Liliana. You didn’t ask me to shrink.” He compounded the end of each sentence with a slow, teasing kiss that came ever closer to where she wanted his mouth to settle. “You were hesitant, but you didn’t run. And that’s why I can finally admit it to myself, and to you, Liliana.”

She tried to respond and had to lick her lips before speaking again. “Admit--admit what, Aubrey?”

He closed his eyes with a soft groan. “That desperate, whiny little voice…” His fingers slid beneath the practically dripping cloth, tracing lazy patterns up and down the slick petals of her sex. “So hot. So needy…” Two fingers slipping inside of her, Aubrey curled them to press against the place inside of her that took her acquiescent moans and softly uttered curses into an impassioned growl and keening cries that echoed off the walls.

His lips curled against the meat of her thigh with a knowing grin as he felt her spasm around his fingers. “You’re that close already?” he tutted softly, pinching her skin between his teeth again, undoubtedly hard enough to bruise. “I’ve barely even touched you, but you’re so caught up in the rush from the violence, the sound of my voice… You could really go at any second, couldn’t you?”

“Yes!” she gasped, her chest heaving as she panted and did her best to hold it back.

“Mm,” he practically purred, the tip of his tongue pressing against the artery hidden behind her skin. “Just one more thing about you to love, Liliana.”

Her brain heard the words, her body acknowledged them, but she couldn’t let herself get too far off track, or she’d lose the heat coiled inside of her, waiting for his permission to be released. “Please! I—”

“Please, what, bloddukke?”

She stopped thrashing under his ministrations, but continued to pump her hips upward. Lily covered his hand on her thigh with her own, curling the tips of her fingers in between his. “I want to feel your fangs in my flesh when I come, Aubrey.”

“I think that’s going to hurt worse than you think it will. Especially considering your reaction to—”

“Venom. Yeah, yeah. If it hurts, it hurts. Maybe coming at the same time will drown it out or lessen it. I don’t fucking care if I’m numb afterwards. I’m tired of being with vampires and not getting properly bitten.”

Aubrey was still for a moment as he thought it over, the movement of his fingers inside of her slowing but not stopping. “No matter how you react to it, I promise I’ll take care of you afterwards.”

“Mmf! So noble. Just fucking do it before I do something stupid, so you won’t be able to resist the urge I know you’ve been fighting since I walked through the door…”

Aubrey grinned, his fingers pumping into her with such renewed vigor that the wet sounds were inescapable. “Just say when, Lily.”

She gripped a fistful of the blankets, her other hand tightening around his as the tension built inside of her, her breathing eager as a blush spread across her cheeks and her chest. Her eyes slid shut, the sounds coming from her own mouth seeming foreign to her ears. As her walls clamped down on him, she ground out: “Now!”

At the precise moment the orgasm crashed through Liliana’s body, Aubrey Winterbourne sank his fangs deep into her willing flesh.