If you have not read the first book of the series, "Reborn", it is advisable you do so before reading "Renewal" or you will be lost. This link will provide you with a series summary as well as all sixty-eight chapters of Reborn
Table of Contents for Fifty Five chapters of Renewal, created by @bashadow
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter Eighty-Five
Jess stood on the porch at the cabin in Montana, a blanket wrapped around her pajama clad body wishing she was anywhere else on the planet. No, that was a lie. Even if her body wasn’t quivering from freaking vampire sexual biology there was no place she would rather be than with Michael. If only he felt the same way, then perhaps instead of dread she would be excited about the coming days.
She glanced at the door, listening as he moved around inside and lit a fire to banish the cold. Where Vegas had been unseasonably warm, Montana was freezing, though considering it was December that shouldn’t have come as a surprise. But she, being herself, rarely paid attention to things happening outside of her immediate surroundings, so of course she had been surprised. She stepped off the porch hoping a walk around the property might calm her frazzled nerves, or at least make her feel more positive.
There was a blanket of snow on the ground and cold dampness seeped through her sneakers almost immediately. Yet another example of things you don’t consider, she thought self-deprecatingly. Now her socks would be soggy and most likely smell bad.
So much for improving her mood, she thought, as she drew the blanket around her more tightly.
She stomped one of her now uncomfortable feet in irritation. Was she really wallowing in self pity over soggy socks? As a vampire she wouldn’t even have to suffer pins and needles or deal with white wrinkly toes. Better, she coaxed. Besides, the chill from her feet was cooling down her overheated body. Very good! She smiled at her mind’s inner cheerleader then focused on the scenery around her.
She decided this spot would be magnificently beautiful in the spring. She could picture the now barren trees filled with green leaves and the withering grass full and dotted with multi-colored wildflowers. Huh, I wonder if I’ll see it like that one day. As soon as the thought completed she rolled her eyes. She hadn’t even gotten through this and she was already thinking about the next time.
She stopped her slow shuffle through the snow and glanced back at the cabin, her heart rate picking up as she thought about Michael. She was hopelessly in love with him. She hadn’t allowed herself to think that before now, feeling it was too soon to know and not wanting to be like her old self falling in and out of “love” on a weekly basis. But what she felt for him was nothing like she’d ever felt before.
She didn’t have to remind herself to get to know him, she wanted to get to know him, everything about him. His likes and dislikes, his favorite food and favorite past time. What kind of movies he liked to watch, if he was outdoorsy….she’d never been into the whole camping scene, but the idea of sleeping in a tent with him while a campfire burned outside sounded like Heaven. If he wanted to hike through mosquito infested swamps she would happily march along behind him…she’d do anything as long as she was in his company.
But how to make him feel the same way? The only reason he was even here was the freaking vampire sexual biology thing. There wasn’t a male alive who wouldn’t have felt just as compelled to be with her while she was in heat…well except Jared, she amended. She pictured the happy couple and sighed, feeling a breath of envy for the hundredth time in the past couple weeks.
The cabin door opened and she watched Michael walk out onto the porch, her knees nearly buckling at the sight of him without a shirt. He was absolutely breathtaking, his nearly bronze skin rippling with muscles. He didn’t have any hair on his chest and she wondered if it was common to all vampires since Tyros hadn’t either. But Tyros paled in comparison to him. Every male paled in comparison to him.
His face was like a sculpture in its chiseled perfection, with eyes so blue it almost hurt to look at them. His jeans were slung low on his waist and she found her eyes riveted to the bulge in the center. She’d had her hand on that bulge on the plane and a shiver of anticipation coursed through her at the thought of it pressing inside her.
“I have a nice fire going,” he stated, “you should come in, you’re not dressed for this weather.
She walked up to him smiling uncertainly and nearly collapsed as a wave of heat sluiced through her. He swept her up into his arms and carried her inside.
She clung to him, burying her face in his neck and drinking in his delicious spicy scent. She whimpered as waves of pleasure traveled down her thighs and back up, brushing at the center of her.
She became suddenly and acutely aware of the pulse in his neck and sank her teeth into his skin without warning. He stopped in the middle of the room and sagged down to the floor.
Michael had never even dreamed of pleasure like this. Anna had drank from his wrist when she’d stayed with them in London and though he’d liked the feel of her gentle tugging it had not been intense. This felt like his whole body was involved in an erotic massage and he vaguely acknowledged that a fleet of demons could burst in and barely distract him.
She pulled away from him and his body groaned in disapproval. For a moment he considered disregarding the plan he’d carefully constructed as he’d worked on the fire. Her hands were working at the front of his pants and it took every ounce of his will power to stop her.
“No,” he said gently, forcing her to look at him.
Her eyes were flashing and he worried he would not have time to explain his intentions before her mind was lost to need.
“Can you hold off for a little bit?” He asked and she blinked up at him.
“H..hold off?”
“I need to talk to you before you’re no longer coherent.”
Jess swallowed thickly and took several deep breaths. Her thoughts were becoming muddled but she wanted to do as he asked so she stomped on her ever increasing need and nodded for him to speak.
“I don’t intend to have intercourse with you,” he began, “not while you’re in this state. I can’t have my first time be a mindless slapping of bodies, it’s too important to me…
Jess listened mutely as he gave his speech, her heart filling with pain. She knew his carefully selected words were not spelling out everything, but his unspoken words were clear enough. He wanted an out. If they didn’t have intercourse then his so-called obligations would be limited.
She should have been happy about it, really. She didn’t want him to be with her out of some twisted sense of duty, she’d said as much to Anna on the plane. Sex was not a good enough reason for two people to be together. She wanted someone who would love her for herself and not just her body.
As he continued to speak she wanted to scream at him in protest. Wanted to tell him to call somebody else, wanted to run away. But she couldn’t do any of that since her mind was already fraying. He wouldn’t allow it anyway, she thought bitterly. His sense of duty required him to keep her safe. Several minutes later she managed to hear him ask if she understood and all she could do was nod and pray the next three days would go by fast.
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