Gabriel
“Vegas, baby! Woo hoo!” Stefan greeted us on the tarmac. He pulled down his aviator sunglasses, grinning. “King Big Brother and his lovely date, Ms. Audrina Hawthorne. It’s a pleasure. We are going to have so much fun.”
But his nostrils flared as we got closer. His face twisted into a grimace.
Fuck. Here we go.
“Brother.” As Audrina climbed the steps to the Gulfstream aircraft, he urgently pulled me aside. “What the hell? She remains a double virgin!”
“Shut it, Stefan,” I growled. “Mind your business.”
“But what happened? We could all smell her last night-she was prepared to be taken by you.” He looked mystified. “I assumed that after we rescued her from Leonora, she would throw herself into your bed and beg to never leave your protection.”
“You assumed incorrectly. Now excuse me, I have to protect my virgin from a pack of rowdy vampires.”
I climbed the stairs, eager to get away from him. But there was no relief inside the luxurious interior of the plane. My brothers, Julian’s ushers, Bianca, her bridesmaids, Madam Ives, and her husband—all of them stared at me in open shock.
The powerful scent of Audrina’s double virginity rolled through the cabin. Everyone could smell it. Each vampire was acutely aware that not only had I failed to claim my virginity, but I also had neither fed from her nor had sex with her. Even though I’d pleasured her at the party. Even though I’d told everyone who would listen that I intended to make her mine.
I bit back a curse as Audrina waved to me from her seat in the rear of the plane. I slapped a smile on my face and waved back. I also slapped Cristian as I passed him. He was snickering. “Shut it, brother,” I hissed. “Or I’ll have your head on a spike.”
“At least something will be getting penetrated.” His big shoulders shook with silent laughter.
He would pay but later. I smoothed my features, beaming at Audrina as I took the pale-cream leather seat beside hers. I would be on nothing but my best behavior around her for the remainder of our arrangement. She’d agreed to stay. And for that, at least, I was grateful.
“This plane is incredible.” She marveled at the immaculate carpet, the glossy hardwood tables, and the huge flat screen television. “I didn’t even realize a plane could look like this.”
“I am happy to share this adventure with you. Even though our destination is Vegas.”
“Hey,” she chided, “relax. We might have fun. Remember, I’ve never been there before! I’m excited.”
“Good.” That same smile remained plastered on my face. But underneath my façade, I was quite uncomfortable for several reasons.
First, her scent. I could not escape it. The fact that she’d rejected me had no effect on my appetite for her, my craving. My cock, already hard, stiffened beneath my pants. It was hopeless. I kept my hands clasped in my lap, hoping she wouldn’t notice that the beast was still awakened.
Second, Audrina declined my offer to claim her. She’d been perfectly matter-of-fact about it. Although I understood her concerns about her sister, it did not ease the sting of her rejection.
She’d been so sure. It made me feel like a fool.
Third, and related to her denial, was my fear that I’d misread her. She seemed excited about visiting Las Vegas, giddy about going to the spa with Bianca, and enamored with flying on a luxury plane. I worried that the only reason she’d stayed was because she didn’t want to miss out on these experiences.
But Audrina had integrity, and I knew the real reason she’d agreed was to save her home and protect her sister. Still, I had to admit to feeling slightly wounded that she’d seemed so eager when we’d left for the airport. Happy, even.
And there I was, in hell, because she’d rejected my proposal. I couldn’t even touch her…
I cursed again. I’d done this to myself. I could have released her, sent her on her way, and found a replacement virgin in no time-one that wouldn’t say no to me or my throbbing cock. And yet, I couldn’t bring myself to even consider it.
Audrina’s eyes sparkled with excitement as the plane accelerated down the runway. We picked up speed, hurtling toward liftoff. Without looking at me, she reached over and grabbed my hand.
Something inside me loosened, a knot becoming uncoiled at her touch. I laced my fingers through hers and held on tight.
“O-Oh. Sorry.” Audrina turned to me, a surprised expression on her face. She tried to pull her hand away. “I wasn’t thinking-”
I held on tight. “I don’t mind if you don’t.”
The plane lifted into the air, and she became distracted. She leaned closer, squeezing my hand. Ah. This was what I wanted. My Audrina, close to me-needing me.
“I’m sorry.” She laughed nervously. “I just haven’t flown since I was a child. I forgot what it was like.”
“Don’t be sorry.” There was a satisfied undercurrent to my voice, one I couldn’t mask.
“T-Thank you.” She turned back toward the window but didn’t let go of me.
That feeling rose between us again, heavy, an undeniable attraction. Did she feel it, too? Charleston shrank below us, becoming doll-like and miniature. A smile spread over Audrina’s face as she gazed at the city. “It’s so gorgeous.”
I didn’t let go of her hand. “You know, it is.”
But of course, I was only looking at her.
After we’d lifted above the clouds, we’d each had a glass of champagne. Then Audrina had curled up and fallen asleep in her chair, still leaning in my direction.
I watched her chest rise and fall. Her gorgeous face was peaceful in sleep, her skin smooth, her features relaxed. I wanted nothing more than to pull her onto my lap, to hold her against me…
My phone pinged and I reached for it. It was a text from Cristian, a video of a very tiny dog dancing on its hind legs while wearing a tiara. I see you staring at her while she sleeps. You are the virgin’s lapdog, he wrote.
I am sharpening a stake with your name on it, I wrote back. Before he could make another crack about penetration, I turned off my phone.
The rest of the passengers were already drinking, warming up to their revelry. But I stayed next to my Audrina, the only place I wanted to be. Cristian could call me names if he wanted to. But as long as my virgin remained by my side, perhaps I still had a chance.
The flight passed quickly, and we soon touched down in Vegas. Heat shimmered from the black tar of the runway. The mountains jutted like enormous mirages in the distance, but the Strip dominated the view. Glittering buildings rose into the sky, the promise of luxury, of good luck, of decadence.
Audrina woke up a few minutes before landing and quickly pulled herself together. She gaped at the scenery as we left the airport and climbed inside the fleet of black SUVS awaiting our party. Except for the driver, she and I had our car to ourselves.
Her smell washed over me again. Her eyes were bright, sparkling, after her nap. She peered out the window, her mouth open in wonder as she took in the skyscrapers climbing high in the bright, late-afternoon sky.
“Our hotel is right on the strip,” I said gently.
“Wow.” She turned back to me and shook her head. “Remember when I told you I hadn’t traveled at all? And that I wasn’t sophisticated?”
“I remember.”
She grinned. “Be prepared for me to freak out over all this.” She motioned outside. “How do they even make buildings that tall? It’s crazy!”
I couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm, which was infectious.
“Wow. Wow!” She pointed to first one attraction and then another, the pyramid at the Luxor and the fountains at the Bellagio. “Can you even believe this?”
“It’s much more fun to see it through your eyes,” I admitted.
I’d been upset that she’d seemed excited about the trip, but that had been short-sighted-I’d been selfishly licking my wounds of rejection. I’d judged her too harshly. What did I know of her existence? I’d traveled all over the world more times than I could count, and I took such experiences for granted. But Audrina had practically been an inmate at Hawthorne Hall. She had never seen a building higher than the ones in quaint little Charleston, and she hadn’t even been there for years.
I watched her face, light up with awe and delight. It made me feel like an ass for every derogatory thing I’d said about Vegas. I’d taken it for granted. I vowed to see the city through her eyes tonight, to make it memorable for her.
She might not want to make a commitment to me for longer than our two weeks. But while I had her by my side, I would do what I could to show her the world. If nothing else, Audrina would never forget our time together.
She would never forget me.