Chosen by Blood (20 page)

“Wet. It’s a word I’ve always associated with you, but not quite under these circumstances.”

Despite his obvious attempt at humor, he sounded as if even talking had become a chore for him. “You’re hungry, aren’t you?” she asked.

He didn’t answer. His head lolled so that his chin tucked into his chest.

Felicia threw the towel to the ground and cupped his chin in hers, lifting his face. “Knox. Knox!” When he didn’t respond, she tapped his cheeks lightly, then harder.

Maybe too hard.

Suddenly, his head jerked up and a hiss escaped his lips. He captured both of her wrists in punishing grips. “What the hell?”

Felicia struggled against his hold. “That’s what I was just asking. What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Nothing.” He stared at his fingers wrapped around her wrists. He stood, but failed to release her. “I’m fine now. Sometimes I get tired, that’s all.”

His grip on her was tremulous. He was literally shaking, and sweat had beaded on his upper lip. When she stroked his hair from his face, he closed his eyes and groaned as if even that light touch was excruciatingly painful.

Abruptly, he jerked away. “I’ve got to go.”

“You’re not going anywhere—”

“Felicia, you don’t understand—”

“I understand that you’re sick and you are not leaving—”

“Damn it, Felicia,” he yelled, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her with enough force to stun her. “I have to leave. Now. Otherwise I’m going to crawl on top of you, and push my dick inside you at the same time that I bite your throat. Is that what you need to hear? Fine, I said it. Now get out of my way.”

She swallowed hard. He was tired and weak, but was it possible that his desire for her was the reason? Could she really affect this strong male that much? Giddy pleasure mingled with a flood of corresponding heat, as well as fury. He needed her and yet he forced her to continue denying him. Why? If he needed her so desperately, why couldn’t she be enough for him?

“The female in France,” she said hesitantly. “You—you weren’t with her.”

He slanted her a dark look. “No. I told you, I have no interest in her that way. If it weren’t for my clan’s needs—”

“Stop hiding behind your clan, Knox, and tell me why,” she erupted, suddenly unable to take it anymore. “If you want me so much, why can’t you give me what I need?”

“I told you, Felicia, I can’t discuss this now. I’m going . . .” He tried to move away again.

This time it was her fingers that manacled his wrists. “No,” she whispered. She said it more firmly. More loudly. “No. That’s not what I needed to hear. I want to hear that you love me. I want to hear why that’s not enough for you. Why you can’t promise me your fidelity? I want to hear you tell me that despite all our differences, despite the fact that we don’t share the same blood, that we belong together. That we’d be good together.” She released his wrists as suddenly as she’d taken hold of them. Taking several steps back, she struggled to speak past her tears. “I want to hear why you haven’t taken me, when it would be so easy for you to. When you know it’s what I’ve wanted.”

By the time she stopped talking, Knox’s fists were clenching at his sides and he was breathing in air like a locomotive. A flush had spread across his cheeks and sparks of red were beginning to flicker in and out of his black and silver eyes, making her hold her breath in anticipation.

“I haven’t taken you,” he gritted, “because we both know that’s the surest way for me to lose you. And of all those things you want me to say, that’s the only thing I can say right now, because the rest will either scare you, be a lie, or is something I don’t know.”

Wearily, he sank back down to her bed, his head bent as he stared at the carpet under his feet. She breathed in raggedly as she stared at him. The desire was still there, but so was something that looked perilously close to defeat. That frightened her more than anything had up to now.

“Well, at least I can always count on you to be honest,” she said, taking a seat next to him. Tentatively, she rested her hand on the bed between them. He covered it with his own. Relief was a heady thing.

“I’m right, aren’t I? You need blood.”

He looked at her and smiled thinly. “Yes. I need blood.”

“How long?”

He rubbed a hand against his forehead. “Awhile. Mahone was supposed to have some animals brought in, but I guess there’s been a delay. That, or the fucker is just getting back at me for something I said earlier.”

“About him and your mother?”

He chuckled wryly. “Yeah. Sometimes I forget you know all there is to know about me.”

“Not everything.”

“What don’t you know?”

“I don’t know what it feels like to make love to you,” she whispered. “I’ve imagined it, time and time again, but I don’t know.”

His hand tightened on hers until the grip was almost painful. “Why are you saying that? To tempt me? Or torture me?”

“I’m saying it because—because . . .” Tears gathered as she struggled to get the words out. Past her guilt. Past her worry. And past her own fear. “I’m saying I want to know. Now. Finally.”

Although she breathed a huge sigh of relief that she’d finally said it, Knox didn’t seem pleased. Neither did he move. “Why now? After all this time? When you know what I intend to do . . .”

She frowned, struggling to explain when part of her felt she’d already said enough. “That’s exactly why. I’ve wanted you so long. Why shouldn’t I have you? As to your plans, I haven’t changed my mind. I won’t share you, Knox. But today, no one has claim on you. No one but me. After seeing that vamp on that gurney . . .” Pulling her hand from his, she stood and paced in front of him, not liking the way that fear was once more edging out desire.

“Ah,” he said. “You’re worried about me? Afraid the North Koreans have figured out a way to subdue vamps? No worries, love. For all I know, that vamp was starving and didn’t have enough strength to swat at a fly. There’s no reason to—”

“You’re starving, too,” she snapped, uncertain how she’d gotten so angry so fast. “You’re not feeling the full effects now, not like a full vampire would, but it’s coming, isn’t it?”

He stood. “Save your pity fuck for someone else, Felicia. I’m fine and I’m going to stay fine.”

He turned away, stopped, then whipped back around to face her. “I don’t want you because you’re scared, Felicia. I don’t want you because I make you come to me, either. When you open your legs for me, when you take me inside you, I want it to be because you’re so hot and so desperate for my touch and the pleasure that only I can give you, that you’re willing to throw away your doubts and concerns and notions of morality to have me. Until you can give me that, don’t offer yourself to me again.”

Her head was spinning with the pinpricks of rejection. “Or else what?” she challenged.

“Or else you just might see how much strength this old vamp has in him. And not in a good way.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Then you better go find yourself something to drink, old man. Because you just might need all the help you can get.”

“Don’t push me, Felicia.” He strode toward the door.

“How about I stop pushing you and go push someone else?” He froze at her words and she walked past him toward the door, not caring that she was once again wearing her tank top and pajama bottoms. The ease with which he was rejecting her, when she was finally,
finally
offering him what he’d been asking for, caused her to snap. “How about I go push O’Flare. He’s a medic, sure to be skilled with his hands. Or better yet, Hunt. He’s an asshole, but I’ve heard sometimes those make the best lovers. Them being so, so
nasty
,” she sneered the word, stretching it out, “and all.”

She didn’t even see him coming. One second she was mouthing off, and the next she was flying through the air as he grabbed her, picked her up, and threw her on the bed. Still bouncing, she gasped and flipped on her stomach to crawl away from him. Instead, his heavy weight flattened her into the mattress. His dick, a hard rod that burned her even through her clothes, prodded relentlessly at the cleft of her bottom. At the same time, he stretched her arms high above her head, holding them there with one hand while the other grasped the inside of one of her knees and pulled her legs apart.

She moaned when he shifted and arched into her, thrusting his dick against the hot, moist warmth between her thighs.

He leaned over, his hot breath blasting her neck. “You just had to keep pushing and pushing, didn’t you? Well, guess what? It worked. Only, I’m not going to fuck you, Felicia. I’m not going to take you so you can later blame me for taking the choice away from you. If you want me, you say so right now. Loud and clear. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she screamed. “I understand that you are a prick. A big . . .” She tried to put her knees under her so she could buck him off, but he just pressed his legs even harder against hers, laughing. “Ugly . . .” Furious, she tried to jerk her wrists loose, and he retaliated by raking his fangs against the back of her neck. She froze, but managed to pant out, “Stupid . . .” She moaned when his free hand tangled in her hair and rubbed her scalp. “Ugly . . .”

“You said that already.”

“You’re so ugly I have to say it twice.”

“Is that it then? You’ve said all you need to say?”

She forced herself not to answer but couldn’t stop herself from crying out when he let go of her hands and pushed himself back and off her.

She closed her eyes as the mattress bounced, and she knew unless she said something, he’d be gone.

“I want you,” she whispered.

She felt him pause. “What?”

“I want you,” she said louder.

“How about you say that one more time.”

Her relief was overwhelming. “I want you,” she yelled.

“I want you, too.”

She tried to lower her arms, which were still stretched above her head, but she couldn’t. An immovable force held them in place. “What . . .” Still on her stomach, she turned her head to face him.

His eyes were narrowed and heavy-lidded with desire.

“Are you . . .” she began. “You can’t . . .”

Slowly, he turned her so that she lay on her back. “Of course I can use my persuasion powers to pin your arms down. As long as I have your permission. Are you going to give me permission, Felicia?”

She blinked, trying to focus on what he was saying. She moaned when he cupped one of her breasts, then the other. “Generally. . . .” She bit her lip when he tweaked one of her nipples, then moved to the other, pinching it in a firm, sustained grip. “Generally one asks for permission before taking liberties,” she choked out.

“Ah, yes. Of course. I suppose I jumped the gun a bit.” He leaned down and licked at her ear, his tongue thrusting into the delicate whorls at the same time his other hand slipped into her pajama bottoms. “Let me do it right. May I continue to use persuasion in order to ensure that your arms stay above your head so that I may pleasure you with both my hands?”

“No,” she gasped, moaning loudly when she felt his nimble fingers circle and pluck at her clit.

“No?” Everything about him froze. His body. His mouth. His fingers. The pressure on her wrists gave and he began to straighten. “Okay . . .”

Desperately, she rushed out, “No, I didn’t mean no. I meant, no, not until you say please.”

“Please?” he echoed.

Slowly, she pushed up on her elbows. Knox shifted until he was on his knees, straddling her hips. She reached up, smoothing her hands over his thick, muscular biceps. “Please,” she said softly. “Pretty please. Please with sugar on top. Please.”

Her final please was muffled. For long, blissful moments, his mouth ate at hers. Occasionally, his head lifted and tilted to give him better access. Eventually, the frantic grind of their mouths against one another slowed, as if he was beginning to accept she was here, in his arms, and wasn’t going anywhere without him.

Knox pulled back slightly. He looked at her, direct and aroused. He raised his hand and rubbed his thumb over her mouth. Firmly. Twice. She was acutely aware of every sensitive inch of her body. Her lips ached, felt swollen and needy. Her hands reveled in the feel of him, repeatedly moving from his silky hair to his muscular, broad shoulders. Her nipples tightened into painful, aching points, and she leaned into him, brushing them against his chest, wanting her thin tank top and his shirt gone so that nothing separated them.

Skin on skin. That was what she wanted. What she needed. What she craved.

She reached up and kissed him with all the pent-up passion inside her. First she nipped at his bottom lip before gently sucking it. Then she soul-kissed him, circling his tongue with her own. When he widened his mouth over hers, she drew back and playfully ran the tip of her tongue over his lips, then his fangs.

Knox growled and grabbed her hips. When he pulled her into his groin, she raised her leg, rubbing it up and down his thigh. God, he was hard. She wanted to touch him everywhere. She wanted to ease the heated ache in her body by feeling him move inside her. When she reached down to rub the front of his pants, he broke their kiss, gasping for breath. He grasped her hand, stilling her.

“No. Not now. If you touch me now, I’m going to lose it.”

“I want you to lose it.”

“Not before I show you everything I have to give you,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss her.

Her hand snaked away from his to cup his dick. “Believe me, I know you have a whole lot to give and I’ve been waiting too long to stay away now.”

Before she knew it, she had her arms stretched above her head just like before, his eyes staring directly into hers. “I asked you a question earlier. And then I said please. Which means . . .” Carefully, he released her. Once again, she tried to lower her arms and couldn’t. He watched her, waiting for her assent.