Chapter 6 - The next step

Only three weeks since I last posted anything, instead of several months. I'm improving!

This is probably the second-to-last chapter of this story; I have the conclusion in mind, and that should be the next chapter.

Contents: ff oral fingering slight anal fingering

It took a little while for things to sink in, but then Max was on the phone with Carmine every day for a week, peppering her with questions to understand the situation.

***

"So... How old are you actually? That haircut is from the twenties, I think."

"I'm not that old. I just like the haircut. I was born in '53."

***

The situation seemed unreal at first, but she quickly got used to it. Now that Carmine no longer needed to hide things from her, she got to see her a lot more often -- and she now realized why she never saw her during the day.

The sex improved, as well. There were advantages to a partner who didn't need to breathe.

***

"F-fuck! I can't f-feel my legs!"

***

Carmine quickly grew more open about taking Max along when she went 'hunting,' as she called it, and now that Max better understood the influence that Carmine could bring to bear, those nights got a lot more interesting.

***

"How about the cutie in the corner? I'm pretty sure she just dumped that guy who just left. She might be interested."

"You really like going for the ones who haven't been with a woman before, don't you?"

"Hey, it worked for me!"

***

Sometimes she still had doubts about using Carmine's abilities on people, but she told herself that they never caused anyone permanent harm. She also told herself that she was OK with it even now that they no longer worked on her, so others would probably think the same. If they could think about it clearly.

In any case, as the months passed, those concerns faded while she became more and more intrigued with the possibilities.

***

"Yeah, more! Get back to what you were doing!"

"I think these two aren't up for more, dear..."

"Oh. Yeah, they look pretty out of it... Maybe we should go home to continue this?"

"I maybe pushed a little too hard. Oh well, they'll be fine in the morning. Just let me drink, here, and I'll join you at the car."

***

She realized eventually that the 'fantasy' she had had about Justine had been real, but to her disappointment Carmine never wanted to play with her again.

***

"It's too risky. You took to this well, but there's no guarantee that she will, too, and since you're frequently in contact with her, she might start to realize what's going on."

***

Her roommate did notice Max's more frequent absences at night, but Max's introduction of Carmine as her 'very busy' new girlfriend seemed to sate her curiosity.

Max ran into no further bumps in her relationship with Carmine until her graduation approached.

***

"I think it's time I moved on again. It's not a good idea to stay in the same town for too long, and I've been here for almost eight years now. People might start to notice things."

Carmine said it matter-of-factly, as if she hadn't just dropped a bomb into their post-coital relaxation.

"What? You-" Max stammered, her heart suddenly racing. The thought of Carmine leaving made something clench uncomfortably in her chest. She wasn't in love with her, not really, but she had gotten... attached. Very attached. "You're leaving?"

Carmine's strong arm held Max close and while her hand stroked her hair.

"Not right away, but soon. If one of us stays in the same area too long, people sometimes start to notice. The people I feed off don't remember, but the... injuries start to get noticed. Authorities might get suspicious, and we don't want humans in general to find out about us."

"You're leaving me?" Max managed to ask, her voice small.

Carmine gave one of those confident, superior chuckles that usually went straight to Max's groin. This time, it was simply painful.

"Oh, I hope not. That's why I waited until you were done with school. I was hoping you'd move with me. I've got some contacts in other places, so I could probably help you get settled."

"Oh." Max didn't know what else to say as she was suddenly flooded with relief.

"I was thinking maybe New York? It's been more than twenty years since I was there, but I still own an apartment there."

"Er... Maybe?" Max had a little trouble adjusting to the sudden change of direction.

"There's nothing keeping you here, right? And a change of scenery might do you good."

"Not- not really, no. You know I don't talk to my parents much, most of my friends are going to scatter in all directions after graduation, and I might be moving myself anyway once I start looking for a job. But isn't New York really expensive?"

"You're welcome to share my apartment, of course." Max could hear the smug grin in Carmine's voice. "You're over here all the time anyway. And, like I said, I've got some contacts. We'd find something."

"That... sounds good, actually," Max said. She wasn't sure if making major life decisions in a post-orgasmic haze was a good idea, but she knew that Carmine could still get her to agree to almost anything, even now that her influence no longer worked. In any case, New York was as good a place as any, at least to start out.

"Great! Now, I think I'm ready for another round..."

Max sighed as skillful fingers found her still-sensitive pussy again, and watched as Carmine slithered down her body, her dark hair disappearing under the sheets.

***

Packing up her entire room took a couple of days after graduation, and then she flew home for a couple of days to reconnect with her parents. They had drifted apart a little during her time at college, and now there was the distance created by the necessity of keeping Carmine's secret, but it was still nice to see them. They were both excited to hear about Max's 'opportunity' in New York, and Max could only hope that Carmine was right that she could help her find something quickly. At least she wouldn't have housing expenses.

And then it was time to take the plane to New York. Carmine had already told her that all Max's stuff had arrived OK, so the only things she needed to take were a small bag of clothes and bunch of childhood mementos that she hadn't bothered to take with her to college.

***

"I can't wait to get there and relax a little! I haven't had a quiet day since relaxation."

"I look forward to seeing you too. I won't be able to pick you up, since you're landing while the sun is still out, but I'll be waiting for you at home."

***

The sun had sunk below the buildings and it was pretty dark by the time that Max arrived at Carmine's building. She paid for the cab, then dragged her luggage toward the elevator. There was someone sitting behind a desk in the lobby, but he simply waved her on when she told him her name and the number of Carmine's apartment.

Then it was a matter of letting the elevator carry her to the twenty-fourth floor, followed by a short walk through a nicely-carpeted corridor before she was standing in front of a dark wooden door with a gold-colored '17' on it. Even though she knew Carmine was beyond, the new surroundings had her unaccountably nervous, and she hesitated a moment before she could make herself push she doorbell.

It took a few minutes before the sound of footsteps came from the other side of the door, and a moment later the door opened. Max's nervousness disappeared immediately as she finally saw Carmine again, after several days away.

NOt that Carmine was looking her best at the moment. The sun wasn't completely down yet, and Carmine was clearly lethargic and not quite awake yet, though she smiled when she saw Max. Even after she had become aware of Carmine's true nature, Max had seen her like this only once; she was strongly nocturnal, and had real difficulty being awake when the sun was still up, even when she was indoors.

"Hey," Max greeted her, and Carmine blinked owlishly at her before returning the greeting and waving her inside.

Max dragged her things inside and dropped them in the hallway, then turned to Carmine.

"So..." she began, unsure what to say.

Carmine blinked slowly, then gestured at one of the open doors. "You can put your stuff in there. I-" she yawned hugely, "I expect that we be sleeping together most of the time, but there's another bed in there if you want privacy." Another slow blink. "Give me a couple of minutes to wake up properly," she finished, then shuffle toward what looked like the living room.

Max smiled at Carmine's retreating back and then dragged her suitcases into the room she had indicated. It was clearly a guest room, though it was still bigger and better-furnished than her half of her dorm had been, and there was an empty closet. She spent some time hanging up her clothes, and then wandered further into the apartment in search of Carmine.

She found her in the small kitchen, bent over a cup of coffee and looking more awake already. There was no longer any sunlight visible from the window which looked out over the city.

At Max's approach, Carmine looked up, and Max was immediately struck by those familiar electrifying eyes. Yes, clearly Carmine was fully awake now.

"Welcome," Carmine said, rising smoothly to her feet and approaching Max with her predatory gait. "It's good to see you."

She took Max's shoulders in her strong hands and held her gaze for a few seconds. Max could feel the power in it, and even though it no longer had quite the same effect on her, she could feel her body begin to heat with anticipation.

She didn't have to wait long before Carmine closed the last bit of distance and pulled her down, capturing her lips in the familiar crushing, possessive kiss. Max heard herself moan as she relaxed against the smaller woman, her own body feeling even hotter as she pressed against Carmine's cooler skin.

Objectively, they hadn't been apart for very long, but her body had missed this, the fire Carmine ignited under her skin and the passion that immediately clouded her mind at the contact, the way Carmine's hands wandered over her body...

Max sighed when Carmine broke the kiss, sharp teeth giving a final nip at her lower lip.

"I suppose I should show you around the apartment," Carmine said, a teasing tone in her voice even as her hands lightly held Max's hips.

Max looked down into those amber eyes, noticing the hint of red she had dismissed as a trick of the light those first few times, and let herself fall under their power again. She knew Carmine was going to push her to her limits of pleasure tonight, but she also knew that the other woman like the tease and the delay until Max couldn't stand it anymore. She liked that, as well.

Anyway, she did need to know the apartment if she was going to live here. She nodded meekly, though she couldn't help the grin on her face.

***

The apartment was pretty similar to Carmine's other one. It was a little smaller, though still decently-sized, especially for New York, and furnished in the same dark woods. Living room, kitchen, spare room, guest room -- "Or your room, now," Carmine purred -- bathroom... Max tried to follow everything Carmine told her about where everything was and how to work the state-of-the-art entertainment system, though it was hard to concentrate when Carmine's hands never left her body for very long, slim fingers running over Max's arms, over the fabric of her shirt, along her thighs, the back of her neck...

By the time they reached Carmine's bedroom Max felt like her entire body was humming with anticipation and burning with excitement.

"And this is the bedroom," Carmine said, waving at the darkly-furnished room with the big four-poster bed in the center.

"Looks comfy," Max said. It did. The bedroom in Carmine's apartment back home was nice, but the bed here looked extravagantly luxurious, with big fluffy pillows and what looked like silk sheets.

"It is," Carmine said, from behind Max, and Max could hear the amusement in her voice. She wasn't surprised, therefore, when Carmen went on, "but you've had a long day, so I'm sure you want to get in your own bed and get to sleep. If you joined me in here I don't think you would get to sleep any time soon."

Max turned her head and leaned over to plant a light kiss on Carmine's forehead.

"I got some sleep on the flight," she said, "so I think I could be persuaded to join you in here."

Carmine looked up at her, and there was that flash of red in her eyes again, that always made Max melt.

"Could you?" She held her expression neutral for a second or two and then broke into a smirk. "Good."

She stepped around Max with her familiar speed, and the next thing Max knew she had one arm around her waist and the other around her neck, pulling her face down for a bruising kiss. Carmine kept them pressed together until, when her lips finally left Max's, she was panting. Then that panting turned into a surprised, delighted shriek as those strong arms took hold of her and rushed her the last couple of steps toward the bed, then threw her onto the soft surface.

Max flung out her arms to either side and giggled as she sank into the soft covers. A moment latr, Carmine joined her, kneeling over her with her hands on either side of Max's head.

"Now just lie still. It's been too long since I had my way with you."

"I missed you too," Max smiled at the uncommon hint of softness in Carmine's expression.

Then she gasped as Carmine dove down and nipped at her ear, then trailed down the side of her face, planting little kisses along the edge of her jaw on the way to her throat, which she lavished with her tongue until Max was panting.

When Max reached up toward Carmine's hair with a shaky hand, Carmine's own hand darted out and pinned it back against the bed.

"Lie still, I said," she murmured against Max's shoulder.

Max shivered a little at the intensity in her voice, restrained to reach out with her other hand, and instead lay back, smiling at the ceiling as Carmine put her mouth back to work. Max had never really thought of her neck as much of an erogenous zone, but her time with Carmine had shown her the possibilities, and she was more than willing to let Carmine work.

It didn't take ling, while Carmine's mouth continued to work on her nick, for her hands to wander down, caressing Max's body through her shirt. And then, as Max should have expected, there was a ripping sound and a feeling of cool air on her torso.

"Hey! I liked-" Max protested, until Carmine's fingers found a nipple.

"Hm?" Carmine breathed against her skin.

"Oh, never mind..."

Max was getting used to her clothes being destroyed when she was with Carmine. She mostly didn't mind the demonstrations of Carmine's strength, and in any case Carmine was usually generous in replacing damaged clothing.

She was also good at focusing on the task at hand. Max wasn't quite sure how long it took, but she almost melted into the bed as Carmine spent long, heated minutes lavishing her with nips and kisses, tweaks and caresses. At some point, there was another ripping sound as her panties were shredded and her skirt was flipped up, leaving her pussy bare to the air. Max sighed, expecting a touch to follow soon, but it didn't come. Both Carmine's hands returned to her breasts while her lips wandered all over, peppering Max's torso with kisses.

As Carmine returned her attention to Max's breasts, Max soon ceased to care about where Carmine was touching her, her skin humming uner Carmine's cool touch as she simply tried to stop herself from struggling, keeping her eyes closed and concentrating on the sensations rushing through her body.

So, it came as a surprise when Carmine's fingers suddenly brushed the outside of her pussy. Her breath hitched and she jerked in place, her hand almost moving down until Carmine's darted out to push it back against the mattress.

"Stay still," she breathed, a smile in her voice as she nipped at Max's nipple.

Max only huffed in response and pressed her arm harder into the mattress as Carmine's teasing fingers continued to touch her pussy, maddeningly light and deliberately avoiding her clit and never moving inside. Carmine was usually more aggressive, and Max wasn't used to teasing like this. Finally, Max couldn't take it anymore.

"M-more," she pleaded.

Carmine stilled abruptly. "More?" she asked, a tone of dangerous amusement in her voice that Max was all too familiar with. "Yes, I suppose it is time for more."

Before Max, in her pleasure-filled haze, could quite parse the meaning of that statement, Carmine moved again. Without preamble, two of her fingers thrust into Max's slit, all the way in in a single motion, while at the same time her thumb pressed down on Max's clit. Max let out a moan that was more like a scram and her back arched, only Carmine's lightning-quick other hand pressed down on her chest stopping her back from leaving the bed entirely.

Carmine didn't pause but immediately went into a rapid rhythm, finger-fucking her with two fingers while her thumb brushed Max's clit. Max was already sensitized and excited from the earlier gently play, and now her pleasure quickly rose until she was panting and moaning, incoherent pleas falling from her mouth as Carmine held her down, sharp teeth working on her nipples.

It wasn't long before Max could feel herself approaching her peak. "G-gonna c-Ah!" she managed to pant. Carmine probable understood what she meant, because there was a sharper nip at Max's nipple and Carmine's fingers sped up sharply, their movements inside Max's dripping pussy almost painful as they sent jolts of pleasure through her. Carmine usuually tried to draw this out but, Max decided through the haze of sensations, this time she was clearly trying make her cum as quickly as possible. Max didn't try to hold back.

A moment later, her pussy clenched involuntarily and all her breath left her in a long moan that turned into more of a scream as she came. Her back arched off the bed, burying her feet and shoulders deeper in the soft mattress.

Carmine slowed down but didn't stop entirely, her nips and bites turning to soft nibbles and her hard thrusts turning into slow, gentle strokes, keeping the sensations going as Max went through the aftershocks of her orgasm, and even afterwards, as Max's body relaxed again, leaving her floating on the soft mattress, her entire body tingling with the feelings Carmine was still causing.

She lay there for long minutes, her mind empty of thoughts but filled only with lazy pleasure.

Finally, Max withdrew slowly, leaving Max's pleasure to slowly recede until she became aware of the places on her skin where Carmine's saliva and her own fluids cooled. It took her a few moments to realize that Carmine was speaking to her.

"That was nice, wasn't it, girl?" her voice came by Max's ear, though the tenderness in her tone didn't match the words.

"Hmmm..." Max hummed, smiling up at the ceiling and slowly stretching as she regained control of her limbs.

"Time to return the favor, then?" Now there was more of the familiar tone of superior amusement in her voice.

Max turned her head and looked at Carmine beside her. They were almost nose to nose, and Max's eyes found Carmine's amber ones.

"I think so."

"Good," Carmine said, and rose to her knees. She had removed her clothes at some point and was now completely naked, her pale skin practically glowing against the dark wood background of the room. Max's eyes flicked to her rosy nipples, then reflexively travelled downward to her bare, glistening pussy. It was clear that her earlier had left her aroused, no matter that she still affected the superior, uninvolved tone.

But Max liked that about her.

"I can't really move yet," she announced, "why don't you come and sit on my face?"

That got a startled smile. Carmine stroked a hand through Max's hair gave her a quick but heated kiss, and shuffled forward. She swung a knee over Max's body and quickly positioned herself above her face. Max's eyes locked on the glistening lips now inches away from her mouth and breathed in deeply. She could almost taste the older woman's arousal.

Then Carmine lowered herself until her pussy was hovering just barely hovering of Max's lips. Her hand was still in her hair, holding her head down, but Max reached out with her tongue. She could barely reach those dewy lips, and flicked her tongue along them, making Carmine shudder.

Max was pinned in place again, head held down while Carmine's shins held her arms to the mattress, but Carmine didn't draw away and Max made the most of what contact she could make. The tip of her tongue licked along Carmine's lower lips, then dipped between them the few millimeters that it could reach. Carmine jerked again as Max kept going, pleasuring as much as she could and enjoying the taste of Carmine's nectar dripping down her tongue.

After a minute or so, Carmine huffed a laugh and stroked Max's hair again. "Alright then..." she breathed.

She dropped down further, her crotch pressing against Max's face, covering her in juices. For half a second, Max simply reveled in the feeling of Carmine's heat against her. The she opened her mouth wider, her tongue thrusting between those sensitive folds and her lips pressing against swollen flesh. She closed her eyes, concentrating compeltely on Carmine's scent, on her taste, on the feeling of her skin.

Carmine's pussy was familiar territory by now, and it didn't take Max long before her lips and tongue found all of her most sensitive spots again. They played along her folds, licked between her lips and teased over every inch of Carmine's cunt. Her tongue thrust inside, touching her as deep in her channel as she could reach. From the moans reaching her, muffled by Carmine's thighs, Carmine was appreciating her efforts. For once, Carmine didn't even try to seem unaffected, and soon those thighs were clamped tightly against Max's head, pinning her in place even more firmly than the hand in her hair or the legs on her arms.

With effort, Max bent her arms and reached out, her hands just barely managing to find Carmine's wonderful butt, stroking it for a moment before kneading the cheeks. It was one of Carmine's most sensitive spots, and soon the vampire was grinding her pussy against Max's face. Max didn't try to hide her smile, though Carmine's crotch no doubt blocked it from view very effectively.

Max kept going, lips and tongue licking and sucking at Carmine's cunt even though it was difficult to keep to a rhythm as Carmine kept rubbing herself on her face, clit grinding against Max's nose with every movement. It was getting difficult to breathe. Max had to catch quick snatches of breath whenever she had the opportunity and she was getting light-headed. Carmine didn't always remember that Max needed to breathe, though she always caught on quickly enough when Max's movements slowed.

She did now, lifting herself up for a moment or two so that Max could take a quick gasp of breath before the cunt lowered against her mouth again and she gratefully returned to her task.

Nip, lick suck, press against the grinding clit... she lost herself in the moans from above, her mind concentrating only on making Carmine feel good. A feeling of satisfaction rushed through her as Carmine's moans grew louder and her pussy grew wetter, drenching Max's face.

"Yes, g-good girl," Carmine panted, her fingers tightening in her hair, pushing Max's face harder agains her crotch.

Max stopped kneading Carmine's ass for a moment, a questing finger dipping forward for a moment and just reaching the wetness between her legs, managing to get itself covered in juices. Carmine was usually firmly in control when they had sex, but Max liked it when she managed to get her own touch in and surprise her partner.

The next time Carmine slid back on Max's face, Max grabbed firmly grabbed an ass-cheek to pull it aside and quickly thrust her middle finger into the tight little hole between.

"Oh!" Carmine let out a sound of surprise and she halted for half a second, giving Max the opportunity to slide her finger in to the second knuckle and wriggle it around against the tight ring of Carmine's sphincter. She managed to lean forward a fraction, too, and nip at Carmine's clit. That was rewarded with a tight clenching of Carmine's ass and another gush of nectar against her face.

then Carmine began moving again, moaning loudly now as Max settled into a rhythm, her mouth sucking at her pussy while her finger thrust into her tight ass with every movement.

It didn't last long. Carmine's movements grew increasingly erratic as her moans turned into shouts utnil finally, she let out all her breath in a single scream as she froze above in place, cunt pressed hard against Max's face as her ass clenched hard around the invading finger.

Max moaned too as hand in her hair tensed and pulled her head up, the pain on her scalp just on this side of pleasurable. She opened her eyes, looking up at Carmine's body frozen in the throes of ecstasy.

then the perfect moment passed, and Carmine slumped, then let herself fall sideways to land on the soft bedcovers beside Max. Max moved, slung an arm over Carmine's torso and cuddled up against her.

They lay together for a while, Max catching her breath and waiting for her heartbeat to slow down, Carmine lying utterly still in the way Max had learned meant she was recovering from a particularly strong climax. After a few minutes Carmine turned to face her and kissed her on the nose. Then she opened her mouth and let out a faint wheeze. A surprised frown flashed across her face for a brief moment.

It took Max half a second to realize what had happened. When she did, she burst into a fit of giggles. Carmine must have been really out of it. She had tried to talk without remembering to breathe in first.

Carmine tried to look offended at first, but then she broke into a laugh as well.

Eventually, when they had both fallen silent again, she took a deliberate, deep breath and said, "That was really good. I'm happy you decided to move here."

"Yeah, me too. I could get used to this," Max replied, pulling Carmine closer.

It was easy to forget that the other woman was quite a bit shorter and more slightly-built than Max, and it surprised her every time when she had the opportunity to gather her in her arms how easily she fitted against her.

"It'll take me a while to get used to your schedule," she said into Carmine's dark hair. "You mind if I sleep now and see you again in the morning?"

"That's fine, I need to go out anyway." Carmine slipped out of the circle of Max's arms and stood next to the bed. She smiled down at Max. "I'll tuck you in."

Max signed happily when Carmine lifted her up in her arms, somehow managed to gracefully flip aside the thick duvet, and then lay her back down in bed and covered her again.

Max yawned and watched Carmine look at her for a while.

"What?" she asked eventually, when Carmine didn't move.

"I should eat first," Carmine said, licking her lips and revealing a flash of the tips of her sharp canines.

Max considered for a moment. "It's been long enough, I think," she said. The little knot of excitement that had developed since she had realized Carmine's true nature gave a spark of heat low in her belly.

"Yeah," Carmine agreed, and bent down to her.

Max swallowed nervously as Carmine nuzzled the side of her neck. She liked it when Carmine drank from her, even enjoyed the brief sharp flash of pain it brought, but Carmine almost always bit her on the thigh, or rarely on her wrist. Despite Max's fantasies and encouragements she had never gone for her neck. Max knew it was riskier, but somehow the thought of the closeness made it even more exciting to her. Carmine had refused when she had asked about it.

Until now. There was a brief brush of soft lips against the side of her neck and then came the sharp prick of pain. Max shivered and let out a moan as she felt Carmine begin to suck.

She went slowly. Max felt the excitement heat up her body, even as she slowly grew light-headed. That was mostly psychosomatic, she knew, but she still liked the feeling.

Her mind drifted off into haze of sensation, the feeling of Carmine's mouth of her neck and then the weight as Carmine lay down on top of her. One hand drifted between her legs, fingers lazily playing with herself.

She barely even registered it when Carmine's lips broke away for a moment, and she was slow to even parse the the words as she mumbled, "I'm going to keep you," before returning them to her neck.

She didn't even try to understand their meaning as her thoughts grew slower, the lazy play of her fingers carrying her away on a slow tide of pleasure as her vision tunneled.

The last thing she felt was something pressing against her lips and a sudden coppery taste in her mouth, and then everything went black.


To be concluded
