Bonds of Blood [Lords of the Expanse] (Siren Publishing Classic) (11 page)

Striding in like a force of nature, the man looked at her with pursed lips before sweeping past. Stopping in the middle of the formal sitting room, he turned back to her. “We will set up here,” he said in an authoritative tone and then clapped his hands. At the signal, his four assistants started wheeling in racks of materials, racks of pre-made, almost completed clothing, his machine, the perch the lady would stand on for fitting, a large tilted mirror, and of course, the clothier’s chair.

The man was a force of nature to be sure. He stormed in and simply took over control. “And what is your name?” she asked because he hadn’t given her the courtesy of his name, and that annoyed her. “Aleina, this is…” She turned to the clothier and waited.

“I am Jaron,” he said as he instructed his assistants to placement and to open all the blinds for as much light as possible. “Now.” He nodded as everything was placed as he wanted and turned to her. “If you will, my lady”—he indicated a spot in front of him—“stand here and please, chin up, shoulders back, and stand as tall as you can,” he ordered. Holding out a hand, he snapped his fingers and his measuring tool was placed into it.

Getting onto the small raised perch, she stood with back arrow straight, chin held high, and shoulders back.

It was a long and tedious several hours, but when it was complete, she had several outfits for day wear, one gown for accepting visitors, and was assured the remainder of her clothes would be ready in three days. The most embarrassing parts of her wardrobe had been when they measured her for her under coverings and for bedwear. She wanted to tell them she didn’t sleep with anything on, but then the chuckles with the clothier and the viewing of the sheer silver silk had her changing her mind. Something about the Colonel unwrapping his bride was what sent her over the edge.

She watched as they all left and sat down with a sigh. Alone once more with Aleina’s assurances that she would return the next day, she waited for her husband to return home.

He’d missed the clothier, or so the guards reported. He wasn’t so upset about that, but he’d missed out on helping Xandra choose her clothing and the pleasure he might have had watching her go through the process. Opening the door, he stepped in and looked around, frowning at the boxes and piles of items still sitting in the formal sitting area. “Xandra?” he called through the suites, pausing to see if he could find her. Heading up the stairs, he walked to the family sitting room and to where her heartbeat led. “Xandra?” he said her name again to alert her that she wasn’t alone.

She turned and looked up at him with a smile. “You have just missed the clothier, Andries.” Standing, she approached him and leaned close. “How was your day?” She wanted to reach out to him, but Aleina’s words hung in her mind, so she kept herself back from him, waiting for him to tell her how his day was.

“Long,” he said softly, looking down at her and leaning in to kiss her lightly. “I’m sorry I missed helping you with the clothier, Xandra. I did try to get back, but we had to work out a few things.” He lifted a hand to touch her cheek. “Are you still interested in coming with me during the mission?” he asked her.

She leaned into his touch, her eyes closing and hiding the pleasure he gave her from that simple touch. “I’m sorry your day was so hard and long.” When she opened her eyes, the pleasure was still there, but she couldn’t hide how she felt, not when he was touching her as he was. “I would like to do that, Andries. If you’re certain I won’t be too much in the way, I would very much like to come with you, please?”

“You won’t be in the way, but you may want to ask Aleina for some reading materials to take along. It will be a long and, for the most part, boring trip. I don’t want you to be bored while we’re traveling,” he told her. Shifting his hand, he cupped her cheek. “How was your day? Did you find anything that you liked from the clothier?”

“I did. I found a lot of things that the clothier made just for me.” She smiled and nodded. “I hope that I got things that you will like as well, Andries.” Stepping closer to him, she laid her hand on his chest. “I very much like it when you touch me, Andries,” she whispered softly.

Stilling, he stared at her and fought to keep the question contained, but it just kept trying to come out until it popped out. “You like my touch?” he asked and winced inside of his head. Clamping his teeth together, he shook his head. “Ignore me, I’m tired,” he said but he didn’t move back and his thumb, of its own accord, began to move over her skin slowly.

“Yes, I like your touch, Andries.” She smiled up at him. “I love your touch. I seem to crave it.” She looked up and into his eyes. “I want to keep this moment forever, Andries,” she whispered and laid her hand over his hand, holding him close to her cheek while the other lay over his heart, gently caressing his chest as she did so. “Have you had lunch?” It was a soft question. She hadn’t wanted to break the moment, but she wanted to know if he needed food.

“I ate at the meeting,” he murmured, watching her carefully as he felt his body reacting to her. “You should eat if you haven’t. I don’t want you missing out on a meal. I’m going to go and lie down for a while. I need to go by the shipyard and ensure my crew knows when we are departing. If you’d like, we can go together so I can show you around a bit and then, if you are of the mind to, we could have dinner out.” He had no idea why he was offering any of it except that it seemed to be a compulsion with him to try and please her.

“Aleina shoved food at me while they were marking and picking out the gowns. She said I needed it while I argued with the clothier.” Xandra grinned. “He didn’t appreciate me wanting my neck line above my”—she flushed—“well, you know. I would like to go with you, Andries. I would like to see the shipyard and what you do, please?”

“Do you have something to wear out if I choose an establishment of a higher end?” he asked cautiously since he had no idea if the question would offend. He also hadn’t a clue what she actually had for clothing after her morning session. Pulling her in closer to him, he lowered his head, his nose brushing over her temple gently as he breathed her in.

Turning her face up to him, she smiled. “If you would like, you can see what I have and choose something. I have several very nice dresses that I was assured would be the height of fashion and would be good no matter where we went.” Her body was pressed against his now as she took another step closer to him. She felt every inch of him pressed to every inch of her.

“Later,” he breathed, feeling his teeth elongate. Gods, he should have more control than this, and yet he was behaving as a youth would. Sliding his hand around her neck, he buried his fingers into her hair, tilting her head so he could press his face to her neck. Inhaling her scent, he licked at her pulse, his body jumping from low heat to full flames instantly. Closing his eyes, he shuddered. “Push me away, Xandra,” he said, demanding her to tell him his behavior was unacceptable.

Her fingers tightened in his shirt as she leaned her head to the side in offer to him. “No, I need you too much to push you away, Andries. Please.” She wanted this. She needed this. His very touch was sending fire along her veins, forcing her heart to thump hard as it worked to move that blood through her body, the blood that called to her husband.

Growling softly, he gently rubbed the flat of his incisors over her flesh. “It won’t just be a taste this time, Xandra,” he whispered against her pulse. The blood flowing through her veins was like a song, and it was singing to him loud and clear. “And it won’t be just your blood, either.” He growled, his voice was turning too animalistic, the beast taking over more control. “I want all of you. I swore I’d give you time, but I find I cannot. I ask you again, push me away from you, Xandra,” he begged softly, knowing if she didn’t, he wouldn’t be letting her go any time soon.

“I give you all of me, Andries.” She rubbed her cheek against his and then moved her head to the side once more. “I accept you as you are and need you. Please, I don’t want to be without you, Andries. Show me.” It was a soft release asking him for all he had to give, giving him leave to take from her the blood in her veins and the innocence of her body.

Putting his arms around her, one under her bottom, Andries lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom. Closing the door with a push of his foot, he set her down moments later by the bed. Releasing her, he slid his hand around her waist and over her stomach. Meeting her gaze, he let her see him as his desires rode him hard, his pupils long, thin slits of black, his eyes darkening as he became more and more needy. Gently he turned her and began to undo her dress, tugging it from her body, his hands moving slowly over her warm flesh.

There it was. His pupils became mere slits just as Aleina had said they would. She moved her hair over to the side and she turned to look at him over her shoulder. “Please touch me,” she whispered. He was touching her already, but the feeling of it was blissful to her. “Please never stop, Andries.”

“I won’t,” he promised her quietly, leaning in to nip at her shoulder gently, ensuring he didn’t touch her skin with his incisors. Lifting her from the mound of her dress, he settled her on the bed before he stepped back and pulled at his uniform with motions that were anything but smooth. Stripping quickly, he stood for a moment and let his gaze move over her before he stalked toward her. Crawling onto the bed with her, he kissed her thigh, her hip, her ribcage, and then nuzzled the underside of her breast. He was more the beast inside than man, and the beast liked to play with its partners, which was why Andries had always been careful before her. But with her he could be who he really was, and if she couldn’t accept it, then he knew he was never meant to have anyone.

Her fingers buried into the short dark hair and held tight to the strands. “Andries.” She gasped out as her head fell back, her leg moving to rub up his thigh and the curve of his waist. “That feels so good.” Licking at her breast, he carefully sucked at her nipple, pulling it into his mouth between the long teeth. Sliding a hand up her leg, he gently touched her pussy, lifting his head to whisper soothing words as she jolted. When she calmed, he rubbed at her slowly, letting her acclimate to his possessive touch, and once again, returned to her breast, needing to taste her again.

She moved slightly, rubbing herself more on him and needing more as well. “Please.” The feeling of his fangs on each side of her nipple was making her pant. “Oh please.” Her pupils were dilated with hungry need as she looked down at him, watched him. She loved to watch him, loved the way that his eyes glowed with feral heat and needed, wanted more.

Sliding a long finger into her pussy, he gently stroked her as he moved to her other breast, giving it the same treatment as the first. Lightly he scraped his long teeth over her skin, ever aware of just how little pressure it would take to bring blood welling to the surface. Looking to her, he watched her watching him and pressed a second finger into her cunt. He knew she was innocent, had felt that barrier just moments ago that told the truth of all things, and because he wasn’t a complete monster, he wanted her to be ready. Pressing a kiss to her heart, he moved down her body, his tongue lapping and licking at all the flesh he could find.

She was shaking as he made his way down her body, her voice a sigh of pleasure. “Andries.” He spread her legs wider, giving him more room to work between them, his fingers stroking slowly in and out of her slick pussy.

Kissing the soft flesh just on the inner side of her thigh, so close to the heat of her pussy, he could feel it on his cheek. Her scent was ripe in the air, filling it and his lungs with her need. Licking her flesh slowly, he nuzzled her curls with his lips, and then spreading her wide, his fingers damp, he laid his mouth to her clitoris before licking along her labia.

She shuddered violently as he licked the broad side of his tongue up and then back down her hot pussy. “Andries.” Surely what they were doing wasn’t allowed, right? Whatever, because if it was, she couldn’t see how people would ever leave their beds. “Again, please.” She begged for more of his masterful attention.

Closing his eyes slowly, he breathed a small sigh of relief that she wasn’t protesting what he was doing. Vampires were sensual and highly sensory beings. To him this was pure bliss. Doing as she asked, he looked up her body to watch her face as he licked at her again, sliding the fronts of his incisors up her swollen pussy, dipping his tongue deep into her and wiggled it around slowly.

She felt the long incisors as they gently moved over the swollen and sensitive pussy. It didn’t hurt. However, it did excite her in ways she never dreamed possible. “Again, please.” She was panting and reached a hand out to touch him. She caressed his cheek gently and watched as his eyes seemed to close slowly and then open again with fire in them.

He couldn’t seem to resist her soft commands, and again, he did as she asked, applying just a hint more pressure before he moved up to suckle at her clitoris. Pushing two fingers deep into her pussy again, he stroked her faster, spreading them to help stretch her until he could push in a third. When she tensed, he patiently waited, flicking his tongue over her clit and teasing her gently with his teeth.

She felt her body clenching and then stretching to accommodate him. “Please.” She begged slightly as she moved her head to look up in his eyes. “Andries, I need.” She had no idea what she needed, but she needed. She knew that.

“Soon,” he promised quietly as he moved his hand again, pressing deep into her body, stretching her even more to fully accommodate him. “I don’t want to hurt you any more than is normal for your first time, Xandra.” Kissing her inner thigh, he licked along the artery he could feel just under her thin skin, breathing her in. Shifting, he continued to stretch her as he shifted up her body, pausing to kiss each of her breasts gently before laying over her. “How are you feeling?” he asked her, his eyes locked with hers.

“Marvelous.” She breathed out on a sigh and bit her lip. “Incredible and needy. Like I’m burning up and wanting more. I don’t understand it, but I need, and each time I feel your teeth pressing against me”—she gave a shiver—“it makes me all the more needy.”