VAMPIRE TEMPTATION

Too Late

***

Ruby

If you really mean it, then take my hands. Once you have pledged yourself to this path, it cannot be undone, much like the vampire mating ritual.”

I hold out my shaking hands. Sara takes them in hers, gripping tightly.

She starts chanting in a language I don’t know. Latin, maybe, or some close derivative.

Her hands in mine heat up, until it feels like they’ve been in the fire. It’s just on the edge of being painful. I resist the urge to yank my hands away.

A flash of purple light goes out from our joined hands, lighting the entire room for a moment. I blink a few times, trying to get the imprint out of my eyelids.

Sara lets go of my hands.

“It is done. The price has been set in place. Once it has been paid, you will have the power to wield magic. You will need to be taught how to control it. You will join my Coven.

What exactly does that entail?”

“Members of my coven will follow my orders, just like vampires do within their own covens. You will still have your own life, but you will need to attend coven meetings, and if I decide that there’s an issue the whole coven needs to be involved in, you will have to help with that.”

What have I gotten myself into?

What kind of issue?”

“Mostly defense issues with vampires. Don’t worry, though, that doesn’t happen often. I’ll give you some b0oks to read.”

“It’ll be a few weeks before your price completes, and it’ll help with controlling your magic if you know some of the theory beforehand.”

“What is the price?”

A life.

I wait for the punchline, but Sara doesn’t so much as smile.

“What do you mean?”

“Magic i1s a powerful and elusive element.

You cannot gain control over it simply by wishing you can. A sacrifice needs to be made.”

Once you gain magic, you will never die.

That cannot happen without a balance. For you to become a witch, someone you love has to die by your hand.”

Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Do I look like I’m joking, Ruby?”

“No. No way! I take it back, I don’t want this. Not at the expense of someone else’s life.”

“I told you, you can’t take this back. It’s to late. The price has already been put in motion. Not even witches can stop it now.

What did you do!”

I realize I’m on my feet, and I’m exerting all of my willpower not to leap on Sara and try to throttle her.

I suggest you call your ex. You will need to kill him to gain your powers. He will die anyway, but if you don’t do it yourself, he will die slowly and painfully, and you will not gain the power you want.”

Fear and anger war within me. Fear eventually wins out.

I dash outside and hail a cab. I give the address while dialing Will’s number.

He’ll be at work. I can meet him there.

He answers on the first ring. “Ruby. I was Just going to call you. We need to talk.”

Yes, we do! Can you meet me at home?”

I’ll be there.” He sounds awful – sad and exhausted.

What did Sara do to him?

I give the driver the changed address, and we head home. I arrive just as Kelly does.

I run to him, flinging my arms around him.

“Are you ok?”

“Let’s go inside.”

I follow Kelly inside, locking the door behind us.

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“What’s wrong?”

I can clearly tell that something is wrong. I know Will well enough to know that.

I sprained my ankle at work. The doctor ordered some tests, just to be sure it wasn’t broken. He saw something funny on the scans, and did further tests. Ruby , I have cancer.”

My heart seems to stop in my chest.

How bad?” I whisper.

Bad. The doctor says there’s nothing he can do. I have a few weeks at most. I’ll likely need to be admitted to hospital for the last few weeks.”

Apparently, it can get excruciatingly painful. They can give me painkillers, but even those are oflimited use at the end.”

If you don’t do it yourself, he will die slowly and painfully

Is this what Sara meant? She spelled cancer into Will’s body so that I would be pushed to end if mercifully rather than let him suffer?

I pull Will into a hug. “I’m so sorry, Rogers.”

This is all my fault.

Will just nods. Neither of us really knows what else to say.

Are you… are you still with Klaus?”

The question surprises me, and I hesitate.

“Am 1?

“Not at the moment. He broke up with me.

Then come to bed with me. I want to feel alive before I die.”

How can I refuse him? The grief pounding through my veins demands to be close to Kelly, while I still can be.

I take Kelly’s hand and lead him to the bedroom.

For once, I don’t crave being fucked rough

Mmand hard. This time, I want it gentle, and Will has always been an expert at that.

He slowly undresses me. I don’t break his gaze as I step out of my pants, then lift my arms so that he can pull my shirt over my head.

I do the same for him, pulling his pants carefully over his slightly swollen ankle.

When our clothes are in a pile on the floor, I step up close to Kelly, pressing my body against his. I wrap my arms around his waist, breathing deeply.

For a while, we just stand like that, but after a while, my hands start to stray downward to his ass.

Will chuckles and pulls me tighter against him. I can feel his cock starting to rise against my stomach. I grab his ass and tilt my head up toward him.

Will takes the wordless invitation and kisses me.

I kiss him back like he’s oxygen and I’m suffocating. I may be in love with Klaus, but I still care about Kelly.

I desperately don’t want him to die, but I don’t know how to stop it.

I settle for kissing him more deeply.

Kelly slowly walks me back to the bed. I lie down, and he lies next to me.

His cock is fully hard now, and I put a hand on his chest, stopping him from moving. I want to draw this out, like Klaus always does.

Stop thinking of Klaus while you’re with Kelly! What is wrong with you, Ruby?

I guiltily push the thought of Klaus to the back of my mind.

Kelly groans as I take his cock into my mouth. He starts thrusting eagerly, and I have to hold his hips down to prevent myself from choking.

His skin is hot and tastes slightly salty, as usual. I take his cock as deep into my throat as I can, swallowing the little bits of come that leak out of the tip.

I swirl my tongue around the head, making Kelly groan again and grab my head, trying to guide mne.

I pull away, smiling. I’m not ready for him to come yet.

“Touch me.”

I spread my legs and lie on my back. Kelly goes for my clit at once, which I am absolutely not complaining about.

He can’t read my mind, so I guide him with Sound and movement.

When I feel like I’m about to burst with the need to have him inside me, I finally push him away.

You ready?” Kelly’s pupils are blown wide with lust, and the sight makes my pussy gush even more than it already is.

T’m ready.”

I pull my knees closer to my chest, closing my eyes as Kelly slides into me.

His cock feels divine. My pussy clenches around it as he starts moving slowly.

I pull one of his hands to my breast. He starts circling it with his fingertips, moving ever closer to my nipple.

I snap my hips up to meet him with increasing urgency. Kelly finally reaches my nipple with his fingers. I gasp as it hardens under his touch.

Kelly leans down to kiss me. Our lips meet in a crash of lust and need. I buck my hips frantically, small grunts being drawn out of me as Kelly reaches each apex of his thrust.

When the orgasm hits, the rest of the world fades away.

I clutch Kelly’s shoulders for dear life as I soar over peaks of pleasure that seem to send bright flashes through my body.

Will comes not moments later, thrusting a few more times before pulling out of me.

The two of us come together in each other’s arms, panting and sated.

As the high of the orgasm fades, reality sets back in. I still have the same problem I had a few minutes ago.

How amI going to tell Kelly that I’ve sentenced him to die?