Rhiannon Frater - Pretty When She Destroys

Bianca still couldn’t believe she was alive. During the dark, terrible days of her possession and imprisonment, she’d been convinced she was doomed. She had known that in the end The Summoner had truly wanted Amaliya at his side, not her. That knowledge had prepared her to die.

Instead, she was alive.

Cian had used so much of his blood to bring her back from the verge of death that he had become her new creator. It had surprised Cian and Bianca when they had realized they now shared the bond of a creator and fledging, but he had quickly stepped in to guide her through the dark life. He was kind to her in a way The Summoner never could have been. She understood why Amaliya loved him so much. Cian made her feel safe and strong. It was odd to go from being an orphan to a slave to a part of a family of vampires.

Though the vampires were presently sleeping in Jeff’s attic, they would soon be moving into a new house that Cian was having modified to suit their needs. Bianca would even have her own room decorated to her taste, but Amaliya had made it clear she could sleep with them whenever she wanted. After being alone most of her life, Bianca found comfort in sleeping with the other two vampires through the hours of the day. Surprisingly, she no longer awoke during the day and her necromancy powers were waning. Cian suspected they might disappear altogether as his blood continued to alter her vampire nature.

That thought thrilled Bianca.

All her life she had dealt with the spirits of the dead and now she was free of them. If she had to live as an undead creature, she preferred the simplicity of just being a regular vampire.

Alexia continued to sing along to yet another song.

Bianca zoomed her scooter around a corner and toward Jeff’s Victorian. Her scarf fluttered behind her and the cool air kissed her cheeks red. It was Christmas Eve. She had a family, a home, and a future.

She had tried so hard to save Amaliya, but in the end Amaliya had saved her.

“You are mutilating that poor bird!” Samantha stomped her foot and frowned at Jeff.

“Excuse me, but my turkey cutting skills are excellent,” Jeff responded, holding the carving knife over the golden roasted bird.

“Doing it all wrong. So wrong.”

Jeff kissed her nose. “Well, deal with it. We’re getting hitched. You’re signing on for the whole package. Besides, I have to put up with the cat and the ghost.” Jeff gestured to Beatrice sitting at his feet waiting for more turkey skin and then Roberto.

The ghost was washing dishes and looking decidedly grumpy about it.

Samantha grinned, lifting her eyes to the ceiling. “True.”

“Why haven’t you sent him on to his just reward?” Jeff asked, leaning toward her. He adored her cute face and twinkling eyes.

“He’s afraid it’s in the burning place.”

“I’d rather go to hell than do your dishes,” Roberto groused.

“Oh, shut your face,” Samantha shot back.

Jeff returned to carving the turkey. “I have the craziest life.”

“And you love it.” Samantha plucked a bit of turkey from the pan and fed it to her cat.

With a grin, Jeff had to admit she was right.

“Did I do that right?” Galina frowned at the setting on the dining room table.

Cassandra craned her head to check. “Yep. Everything is right. Fork, knife, spoon all in the proper places.”

Setting crystal goblets at each setting, Aimee bestowed a sweet look on Galina. “You’re doing very, very well.”

“Do I set a place for Cian, Bianca, and Amaliya?” Galina pursed her lips, her eyes filling with tears.

Cassandra slipped behind her mother and gave her a little hug. “The vampires are going to join us, but not eat. Don’t set anything for them. They’re here for conversation.”

“It’s been a very long time,” Galina said, her eyes settling on the notebook open on the table. “Cian moved on.”

Kissing her mother’s cheek, Cassandra wished her mother didn’t hurt so much over Cian, but it was safer for her in Austin than anywhere else. Until they were sure that all of The Summoner’s forces were wiped out, they all had to be very careful. It was awkward to have her mother and father in close proximity, but they were both trying very hard to be cordial.

“It’s all good, Mom.”

“It is good,” Galina nodded her head. “It is. You and Aimee are here with me. Your friends are very nice. The house is beautiful. And your father loves you. Plus, I’m going to make you cookies tonight.”

“See! Life is perfect!” Cassandra gave her mother one more squeeze.

“I’ll start now!” Galina smiled at her lovingly, picked up her notebook, then hurried to the kitchen already forgetting she had been helping to set the table.

Aimee sidled around the table and wrapped her arms around Cassandra. Her kiss was sweet and loving. It always made everything much better when Aimee held her.

“It’s all going to work out, you know. It always does,” Aimee assured her.

“As long as we’re together, I’m not worried,” Cassandra answered.

“I’ll never leave you. Ever. You’re stuck with me.” Aimee kissed her again.

Cassandra couldn’t imagine anything more wonderful.

Cian tangled his hands in Amaliya’s hair as he came hard inside her. Gasping, she bit his bottom lip and rolled them over so she was on top. Her wild black hair in her face, she was gorgeous. Every time he thought he couldn’t love her any more than he already did, he discovered he was wrong.

“What time is it?” she gasped.

Keeping himself firmly inside her, he shifted his legs, edging toward the end of the bed where the bed stand sat. He’d had the king size bed and bedroom furniture delivered weeks before. The attic was now much more comfortable, a welcome departure from the one day he had spent alone in it. Grabbing his cellphone, he checked the time.

“We have thirty minutes before the dinner,” Cian answered, then read the message from Bianca. “Bianca will be back by then with Alexia.”

“Then we have time for one more roll in the fuckin’ hay.” Amaliya rotated her hips over his, a seductive grin on her face.

Already aroused, Cian grunted, cupped her full breasts, and rubbed her pierced nipples with his thumbs. “We have to shower and dress still.”

Sliding up and down his cock, Amaliya smirked. “We’ll just attend naked.”

Flipping her over, Cian answered, “I’m fine with that.”

“Fuck me,” she ordered.

He did.

Dinner was far removed from Samantha’s usual Christmas Eve celebrations with her family. She sat next to Jeff at the end of the table sneaking bites of turkey to Beatrice while the conversation around the table was increasingly loud and bawdy.

The three vampires sat at the opposite end of the long table with glasses of wine in front of them. Amaliya wore her usual black tank top and jeans, while Cian looked handsome in a dark red shirt. Bianca’s slim form was tucked into combat boots, rolled up jeans, and a plaid shirt over a tank top. She looked young and cute. The twin buns on either side of her head had delighted Benchley. He had called her a “blonde Princess Leia.” Samantha sensed there was a bit of flirting going on between Benchley and Bianca, but she wasn’t quite sure how that was going to fare considering that the three vampires slept together.

Samantha strongly suspected that they were not just sleeping together, and watched their interactions like a hawk. Amaliya teased Samantha if she even dared broach the subject. Samantha knew she’d never get a clear answer, so it drove her a bit nuts. She’s come a long way from being her old judgmental self, and it wasn’t her sex life, but she couldn’t imagine sharing her bed with anyone else but Jeff. Jeff was her everything.