(CMS:BT) Chapter 13

Trent didn't know what to do, as he watched Corliss drive him home without a word between them. She didn't even want to discuss what they had learned from her two brothers. Occasionally, she would rub her finger under her eyes to wipe away any tears that had fallen. He wanted to know what could have caused the strong woman so much pain. In his wildest imagination, he couldn't fathom what could make the kine cry. She seemed like a brick wall to him, willing to take whatever the weather threw at it.

Pulling onto the side of the road, Trent realized that they were at his apartment. With a mumbled goodbye, he opened the door, and tried to step out. He couldn't do it, his feet wouldn't leave the car. Shutting the door, he turned back to her.

"What happened?" He asked, sounding more annoyed then concerned.

"Nothing that concerns you, now please leave. I will see you tomorrow." She said trying to hold back even more tears.

Trent reached over to the steering wheel and pulled the keys from the ignition. "Well, I am going upstairs to have a drink, and if you want your keys back then I suggest you join me." With that he stepped out of the car, and began his walk to the apartment building.

He was more then a little surprise to see Corliss step out of her car without so much as a curse thrown his way. Trent didn't know why he cared, but he knew that he couldn't just let the woman go on crying all night alone. Woman? Why did he keep calling her that in his mind, she was no woman, she was a vampire, a kine. She fed on human beings to sustain her own life; she was a monster.

As they made their way up to his apartment, he gave Corliss ample opportunities to steal the keys from his hand. She didn't even notice that he barely hung onto them, or that he tossed them in the air for her to catch. He knew with her quick kine reflexes she could easily snatch them away from him. Yet, she didn't even try, and that was when Trent understood that she needed someone to talk to tonight. Under his breath, he damned himself to hell for offering his shoulder, but deep inside he felt excited that she was willing to just sit and talk to him for a while.

Inside his apartment, Corliss took a seat on the couch, not even bothering to take off her coat. Trent poured them both a shot of vodka, then realized that she probably wouldn't like his cheap stuff, so drank them both down himself. If he was going to listen to her complain, then he needed something to make him care. At least, that's what he kept repeating to himself in his mind, in truth he really did want to know what was wrong.

Pouring some orange juice into a glass, he added some vodka to the mixture, and got himself a beer. Corliss took the drink from him without her usual upturned nose, and disgusted glare.

"It's got a shot of vodka in it, hope that's alright." He said, thinking that Corliss might tell him how she drinks only the finest of vodkas, but she didn't. With a nod, she took a sip then set it on the coffee table. "So, you going to tell me what wrong?" He asked, as he dropped her car keys on the coffee table, if she wanted to leave he wasn't going to hold her prisoner.

She swallowed, "I found out today that I am being given away or at least I think I am."

"Given away?" Trent asked after taking a drink of his beer.

"Yes, Adriel is giving me to another kine." She didn't want to tell him that she was going to be married to her new master; it was better that he think she would remain a toy.

"And that is what has you so upset?" He leaned back.

"No, I… I found out that my husband basically killed himself." She sniffled.

"Basically?"

She gave a nod, "That is as much as I can say. He hated the idea of being married to me so much that he killed himself so that he didn't have to touch me."

Trent didn't know what to say. Deciding to remain silent; he hoped that she would continue speaking.

"From the day that I arrive, he was so nice to me, and… well, I had no idea that he loathed me that much. He would have rather been dead than to bare any children with me." She wiped some tears from her cheeks.

"How did you find out?"

She shrugged, "Someone who helped him told me today after you left the bistro." Again, she sniffled, "Just to cause me heart break."

Setting his beer down, Trent called himself an idiot several times in his head, before scooting closer to Corliss. He wrapped one arm around her shoulder, and pulled her head towards his chest. "You can't believe everything people say, Corliss. Sometimes, people say terrible things just to hurt you."

"No, it was the truth. I asked Adriel tonight and he told me." She rubbed her cheek against his chest gently to wipe away any tears that fell.

With a sigh, he set down his beer on the coffee table, then began to stroke her upper arm with his free hand. He wanted to feel sorry for her, but his father's voice telling him what she was up to kept playing in his mind, and he couldn't help but wonder if this was another ploy to get close. Corliss sat up and look down at the red lipstick stain she left on his light blue shirt.

"Sorry, I'll have it dry cleaned." She said, as she tried to smear it away.

Trent look down at his shirt and shrugged, "It's old, probably need to buy a new one anyway."

With a sharp clearing of her throat, Corliss seemed to put herself back together. "I apologize as that was very unladylike of me. I shouldn't be placing my troubles on a stranger; let alone a human."

"It's alright, Corliss….it is…interesting to know that you have emotions just like anyone else."

"Interesting how?" She turned to face him, and found him already lost in her eyes.

"Not so much interesting, as it is nice to know."

He was acting strangely, she had picked up on his new behavior that morning. Something was amiss, and though she wasn't entirely certain what it was, she knew that she needed to think quickly. His eyes were not the eyes of a man in lust, but instead the same ones that Kaleb had given her when he knew that he was in control. That was it, Corliss needed to gain back some of her control, but she had no idea what Trent thought he was in control of.

Without realizing it, her thoughts had kept her quiet and her eyes focused on Trent's. He nudged closer to her, and placed his hand on her cheek, bringing her lips towards his own.

To Trent's utter dismay, he felt relieved when his lips began to caress her own. The memory of their previous kiss still burned hot within his mind, and though he wanted to desperately tell himself that it was nothing more then a drunken mistake, he wanted more. Even when he was completely sober, which was becoming less often, he wanted Corliss to touch him. Something about being with her made him feel better about himself, as if she was never judging him. It had hurt him more than angered him when his father told him of Corliss' deception.

Her tongue began to run gently over his lips, and though his mind told him to stop this madness, his body refused to listen. His own tongue danced with her own, before finding the sharp fangs in her mouth. For a moment, he remembered himself, only to be lost again when Corliss' hand made its way from his chest to his thigh.

He knew, Corliss' eyes flashed open and she stood from the couch. Trent knew that she was trying to seduce him, she didn't know how he did, but he did all the same. His face was full of confusion as Corliss stared down at him with what he thought was horror.

"What's wrong?" Trent asked with lipstick on his face once again.

Corliss had to think quickly, she had to regain control of this. "Trent, I'm sorry, but I can't do this."

His confused look continued, "What? Why?"

"Adriel, he told me to seduce you so I could get information from you. I'm sorry, but I just hold too much respect for you now. Doing something like this with you, it would be under false pretenses, and if we did this, I would want it to be for the right reasons." Corliss adjusted her clothing.

"What right reasons?" Trent was trying to lead her, perhaps get her to share more information then she wanted.

"Because we are attracted to each other for starters. Or how about because we have feelings for one another?" She tried to hold back her tears, as she tried to make up these lies, she realized that they weren't lies at all. Trent said nothing just stared up at her, his face showing both disappointment and pity. "I should go." With that Corliss flipped around and headed for the door.

Practically leaping over his couch, Trent caught her as she opened the door, and slammed it shut. Corliss felt his body push against her back, pinning her to the door. He locked the deadbolt, before brushing her hair from her neck. His kisses were not angry or harsh like the ones before, but instead soft as he made his way up her neck to her cheek. Corliss felt him give her enough room to turn around.

"I told you before that I am attracted to you." Trent mumbled the words into her throat as he continued to kiss her.

"But I am a kine, Trent." She said as his hands slide down her arms to grab her wrists, then brought them up over her head.

He stopped and looked into her eyes, "Does it bother you then that I am human and you are not?"

"No, it bothers me that I am a kine and you are not." Corliss' words were soft as Trent's lips hovered a feather's width away.

He grinned, "I don't think it does, and that's what really bothers you."

The words cut like knives, though it was the truth. She really didn't care that he was human, all she wanted was to see him again. Being out in the real world with him during the investigation had almost made her feel free, and when she had to return to the Macreas, it was like giving that freedom away again. Corliss didn't answer him, just looked into his eyes.

Trent didn't need her to answer with words, he had already seen the truth for himself. They were both playing games with each other, both thinking that they were the ones in control. Truth was that neither of them had any control over the other, and all they had been doing was lying to themselves about their feelings for the other. Corliss was much better at it then he was, though he liked to believe he had faked it well.

"If you don't want me to kiss you again, then tell me now." Trent whispered the words as his breath cooled her moist lips.

"I don't know." Corliss didn't want to cry again, but was more confused now then she had been moments before.

Trent took her words to mean that she wanted more, and his lips rushed her own. Letting go of her hands, he grabbed her shoulders, afraid that she would try to run away. Instead, Corliss' hands ventured downward to his shirt and pulled it from his slacks. Her thin fingers began to slowly unbutton his shirt, the slow progress she was making was purposely meant to frustrate Trent and it worked well. He let out a deep moan in his throat, before finishing the job of removing his shirt, his lips stayed locked with her own.

Trent became excited when he felt Corliss' fingers trying to unbuckle his belt, and then not long after his slacks. They slide down to his feet, revealing his black boxers. Corliss tried not to grin when he pushed his eager flesh against her abdomen. Pulling away from his kiss, Corliss gently nipped at his neck, causing Trent to remember that he was with a kine. Yet, it excited him even more to know the danger that Corliss represented.

Her lips left his neck and made there was down his chest to his nipples where she briefly licked them, before continuing her travels downward. Trent leaned his head against the door, as Corliss dropped to her knees in front of him. Her lips tickled his stomach, causing him frustration in the anticipation of what he hoped was about to happen. Corliss grinned each time her lips came close to the thin cloth of his boxers, and Trent would suck in his breath. She could see his hard sex behind the cloth, and it thrilled her to know that she had that affect on him.

Corliss' hands made their way around Trent to feel the tenseness of his buttock, her fingers held the fabric tautly, before slowly sliding them off. He kicked off both his slacks and boxers when they were both at his feet, as soon as they were off, Corliss began to tease him with her lips again. This time she did so with his shaft, before finally making love to him with her mouth.

Trent tensed up when he felt Corliss' warm lips over his member, and became even more so when her sharp fangs glazed his skin several times. Still, the pleasure soon drowned out any worries that he had about her kine nature. After what seemed to Trent to be several long gratifying moments, he looked down to realized that Corliss hadn't even taken off her jacket.

"Stop." He mumbled, placing his hand on her head. The satisfaction he knew was sure to come was mounding within him, but this is not how he wanted it to end.

Corliss stopped and looked up to see Trent staring down at her, "Something the matter?"

"I want to please you."

She didn't know what to take from that, but knew it meant she needed to stand up. When she was on her feet, Trent slowly removed her jacket and threw it on the couch. Kneeling down, he unzipped her boots and helped her step out of them. Corliss said nothing only watched curiously as Trent slowly stripped her. Standing back up, Trent began to unbutton her black shirt, when Corliss tried to help, he smacked her hand away. She looked up at him a little wounded by his action, but Trent paid her no attention. He became more aroused when he found the red lace bra that was hidden underneath her dark clothing. When the shirt was open, he ran his hand gently over the flesh that was not covered by the bra.

"Kiss them." Corliss ordered, and Trent complied.

Peeling her shirt the rest of the way off, he found his way to her slacks. His hunger grew when he found matching panties underneath. He had never known a woman to wear such sexually appealing under garments unless they were expecting to become intimate. He might of given the thought more time, had Corliss not taken him into her hands. Looking back into her eyes, he saw her own hunger growing. With a deep kiss, he wrapped his arms around her back, and Corliss brought her legs around his waist.

Placing his hands around her bottom, Trent took her to his bedroom. He had to step over the trash to get to the bed, and was pleased when Corliss said nothing about it. Laying her on his black and white checkered bedspread, she continued to kiss him, seductively sucking on the tip of his tongue. Reaching behind her, Corliss removed her own bra, and Trent didn't give any arguments.

Her breast were full, and her nipples hard. He immediately pulled them into his mouth, and nipped them tenderly. Corliss convulsed slightly, whenever he did so. Finally, he began his way down her stomach, surveying her skin with his mouth. He carefully removed her underwear to find a small red rose tattoo under her navel, similar to the one he had seen before on the small of her back.

Sitting up, Trent looked over the nude woman in front of him. She was more perfect laying there then she had ever been in his dreams. Corliss sat up by propping herself up on her hands.

"What's wrong?" She asked, her voice low.

"Nothing… you're perfect." He sounded almost disappointed.

Corliss smiled, and ran her fingers over his cheeks, gently kissing his lips. "Thank you, I think you are too."

Trent shook his head, "You can't possibly expect me to believe that."

Sitting up on her knees, she kissed his lips tenderly three more times. "You don't have to, only I do."

Folding his arms around her, he laid down beside her. His hand ran from her breast to the warmth between her legs, his fingers found their way to her moisture. Corliss ran her nails down his arm, and tried to kiss him even harder. She pulled him close, her voice begging him to be within her.

Trent shivered as he felt her warmth wrap around him, and her legs engulf his hips. She controlled how quickly he was able to move within her. Arousal began to hit it's peek, when he heard the deep moans emanating from Corliss' throat. Her fangs running over the flesh of his shoulder and neck, as she tried not to penetrate his skin. It was common for kine to share blood during love making, but this was not another kine. Her nails scratched down his back, gently at first, but became more vigorous.

Feeling her teeth on his neck, Trent remembered hearing stories from pets about how pleasurable it was to be fed from. His sanity slowly fleeting with each of Corliss' moans, he whispered for her to bite him.

"No." She whispered back between breathes.

"Please, just do it."

That was all it took for Corliss to bite deeply into his flesh. At first all Trent could feel was the pain of his skin breaking under the pressure of her fangs, but as she continued to suck it came. The pleasure that he had never experienced before, his entire body shivered as Corliss' onslaught of his neck continued. Until she cried out in her own pleasure, Trent could felt her contract around him. Corliss was shocked to discover that she had orgasmed with a human as it barely happened with another kine. Trent wasn't too far behind her, and moved away from her as soon as she released him from her stranglehold of his hips.

Sitting up, Corliss suddenly became both ashamed and angry, she wanted to leave. She couldn't face the truth of what she had done right now. Before she could stand up, Trent grabbed her wrist.

"Where are you going?" He asked, his head resting on the pillow.

"I should go home now." Corliss told him finding her bra on the bed beside her.

Yanking gently on her arm, she scooted closer to him. "Stay here."

"No, I should leave."

Trent reached out his arms to her, and Corliss was immediately attracted to his embrace, despite the ongoing argument in her mind. Resting her head on his chest, Trent pulled the comforter over their bodies, and within moments they were both fast asleep.

---***---

Corliss' eyes fluttered open, and she soon realized that she was not in her own room or Adriel's, for that matter. Sitting up, she felt Trent's arm slide down her stomach and into her lap. She looked at the sleeping man beside her, his mouth was slightly open, and he breathed heavily but without snoring. His long black hair had come out of its tie, and was now feathered out over his pillow. Smiling to herself, she brushed his hair back from his face, and for a moment went without guilt for what she had done that evening. When she was finished watching him sleep, Corliss removed herself from his arms, and found her clothing that was scattered throughout the house.

Standing in the living room, she picked up her keys from the coffee table and looked around the small apartment. It was then that the beige folder caught her eye, underneath a newspaper on the counter in the kitchen. She was only going to briefly look over the folder's outside to see if it had anything to do with the case. Carefully, she lifted up the newspaper with two fingers to find the a large circle with several vines in the center. It was the symbol of the Upper Circle. Despite, her desire to leave Trent's apartment immediately, Corliss picked it up. Laying it open on the breakfast bar, she chose to continue standing in the kitchen so she could see Trent coming.

Her eyes quickly read over the death threats from miscellaneous writers to her brother. After several moments, she came to the final report that her brother had delivered to the Upper Circle. Corliss inhaled quickly and deeply as she continued to read about her brother's deception and about his accomplice, The Shadow, as they called him. The worst part came when she realized that the entire Macrea Building had been bugged.

"Damn it, Rylan. What the hell were you thinking?" Corliss said underneath her breath.

A large hand fell over the folder and slammed it shut, "What are you doing?"

Looking up into Trent's eyes, she could see that he was both angry and nervous. Without knowing what to do, she grabbed the folder from under his hand and ran towards the door. Trent caught her before she was able to open the door, and pinned her to it. He was wearing nothing but his boxers, which he had slipped on before searching for Corliss.

"Let me go!" Corliss screamed.

"That's classified information, Corliss! You can't tell them!" He tried to grab for the folder, but she kept it away from him. Anger filled his heart, and Trent, knowing full well that Corliss could easily over power him, grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face him. "Are you the Shadow, Corliss?" He ordered the answer, but when none came, his anger subsided. "Please, Corliss, tell me that you are the Shadow." He was begging now, and it pulled at her heart.

"I am not the Shadow. I'm sorry."

Trent's head dropped, "Fuck." He mumbled. "Fuck!" The word came again, this time louder and accompanied by his fist slamming the door beside her head. "You can't tell them, Corliss! You just can't do this! We are trying to make sure that the Macreas don't start any wars between the clans!"

"I have to tell them! These are my masters, I can't keep secrets from them!" With that Corliss brought up her hand, and slammed it into Trent's chest.

Falling to the floor on his hands and knees, Trent gasped to catch his breath as Corliss opened the door and ran from the apartment building. She felt terrible leaving him there, but knew he would never let her leave with the folder. Hitting the stairs, she stopped when she saw Isaac approaching her. His eyes went immediately to the folder in her arms. Knowing that the only way she could have that was to steal it, Isaac leapt forward to snatch it away from her. Before he made it half way, Corliss bared her fangs and hissed. It was a barbaric display of aggression in kine society, but it worked well on humans. Isaac stopped his assault, and Corliss was able to escape the stairwell, and make it to her car. Placing the folder on the passenger's seat, she drove away as Isaac ran from the apartment complex to try and catch her.

---***---

Bursting through Trent's apartment door, he looked at his partner. Trent was leaned over the counter, his hair falling into his face. His breathes were heavy more through anger then because of the attack. Slowly he looked up to Isaac, half hoping that it would be Corliss.

"What the hell, man? Corliss nearly bit me in the fucking hallway, and she has the folder your dad gave us!" Isaac snapped as he slammed the door shut.

"She stole it, alright! She found it on the damn counter!" Trent yelled back then slammed his hand on the counter.

Isaac rubbed his face, "What was it doing on the counter? You have a safe in your closest, why the hell didn't you put it in there?"

"I don't know. I didn't think she would steal it."

Suddenly, Isaac realized that his partner stood in nothing but his undergarments. "What was she doing here?" He asked the question with fear of the answer.

Trent said nothing just stood up straight, and glared his partner down. It only made things worse, because now Isaac could see the bite marks on his neck. Two puncture holes as well as bruising of other teeth marks, she had bitten him quite hard.

"She bit you?" Isaac's voice was full of panic, "Oh, fuck, man! Oh, fuck! Did she turn you?" He asked as he began to pace the room.

Trent shook his head, "Don't worry. I didn't drink any of her blood. I won't become a kine."

Isaac stopped his pacing, his eyes wide, "You let her bite you, Trent? Tell me, please, tell me, that you didn't let her do this."

He said nothing, which only caused Isaac to spew more cuss words throughout the apartment.

"What the fuck, man? What the fuck!" Isaac kicked the couch, "What the hell is the matter with you? She's a fucking vamp, Trent… a god damn vamp!"

"Don't you think I know what she is?" Trent growled.

"Apparently not! Look at you, what the hell happened to Trent Monte? Remember he hated vamps and dogs, remember him? I mean it was only a week or so ago that he was my partner. Who the hell are you?" Isaac looked like he was nearing tears, and about to become sick all at once.

Trent leaned over, dropping his head onto the counter, "I don't know, Isaac. I really don't know. I can't even tell you what happened, it was… it just happened."

He couldn't think straight in those moments, all he wanted was more of Corliss. The rips in his shoulder ached for her fangs and lips, he now understood what had happened to his mother and sister. He had allowed her to do this to him; to take control. Worst of all, he didn't care that he longed for her, even though he desperately wanted to. With a swallow, he prayed that it was only passing, before realizing that Isaac was still yelling at him.

"And that's not even the worst of our problems, your getting it on with a god damn vamp… which is pretty fucking bad! She had years worth of information in that folder, enough to shut down everything that your father and the Upper Circle have been working for since I was a recruit!"

"Isaac, shut the hell up!" Trent barked, "I know what kind of shit, I am in. Don't worry, I'll take all the blame."

"Yeah, you will! I had nothing to do with this! I warned you, I fucking told you…"

"Shut up!" Trent yelled. "Great, you fucking told me so! Good for you!" With that he spun around and pulled the vodka from the cabinet. Taking out a glass, he poured himself a large glass. Bringing it to his lips, he immediately felt ill. When he set it down, the nausea went away. Trying again, the same thing happened. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

"What?" Isaac asked, sitting on one of the stools with his head on the counter, "No more bad news, I can't take it."

Trent looked over his shoulder and shook his head gently at his panicked partner. "It's nothing." He sighed and dumped the vodka out into the sink.