Deadly Attraction (12 page)

When she’d caught her breath, to an extent, he eased her
onto her back and gripped her cheek once more. He pumped in and out of her, a
scintillating cadence that had her panting sharply within seconds.

“Oh Jesus,” she said. “It keeps getting better and better.”

He grunted. “I need to come inside you.”

“
Please
.” She desperately wanted to feel that
explosion of heat and wetness she’d experienced with their shared fantasy.

“I want you to come with me,” he said.

“That won’t be a problem.”

He made love to her passionately, pushing deep, pounding
hard. His fingers slid to the cleft of her ass and he stroked her from her
opening to the small, forbidden hole. Back and forth. The unexpected touch
jolted her, but in a very exciting way.

“You wouldn’t stop me from doing anything I wanted to do to
you, would you?” he asked in a raspy voice.

She knew what her answer
should
be, given her lack of
experience and their bizarre predicament, but said, “No.”

“I only want to give you pleasure.”

“I know.”

Speaking became increasingly difficult as he continued
stroking her inside and out. Pleasure was what he gave her, all right.

His finger traced around the rim of her anus and then pushed
slightly in, making her hips jerk.

“Yes,” he whispered in her ear as he thrust into her.
“That’s it.”

They continued to move together and his finger dipped
deeper. Lust and longing tore through her, burning sensations magnified by her
unnatural sensitivity. She felt singed to the core of her being, yet in such a
thrilling way, she wanted more.

“Fuck me,” she demanded.

He hammered into her, fast and furious. Suddenly, everything
inside her exploded and little golden orbs flashed behind her closed lids. “
Oh!
”

Her cunt squeezed and her body shook. Her fingertips pressed
into his muscles at his shoulders.

“Jade.” He let out a low growl.

Her orgasm went on and on, radiating within her.

“I can’t stop,” he said.

“So don’t.”

She felt his body convulse and he pushed deep into her as he
ground out her name. “I can’t get enough of you.”

His cock continued to surge and pulse inside her, prolonging
her orgasm. She enjoyed every minute and held him to her as they both trembled
and breathed heavily.

She had no idea how much time passed, but she loved his
weight on her and the fact he seemed to be as swept away as she was. Her
fingers wove through his hair as his face nestled in the crook of her neck and
he returned a possessive embrace.

Finally, she felt composed enough to speak, though her voice
was hoarse. “I could come for a week. Jesus.”

“I didn’t hurt you?” His tone held a hint of dread and was
muffled against her throat. “Don’t lie.”

“No pain. Not an ounce.” She sighed happily. “That was
so…mind-blowing.” Which brought up a new point. “Hey. You didn’t read my
thoughts.”

He shook his head. “I need to avoid that, unless absolutely
necessary. Otherwise, I might try to manipulate you and I don’t want that.”

“Manipulate me to do what?”

He was quiet for a very long time and she waited patiently.

Eventually, he pulled slightly away from her and stared deep
into her eyes. “Stay.”

* * * * *

Yet another asinine thing for him to say. He scowled as he
hauled himself up and off the bed.

“Where are you going?” Jade asked, concern in her voice.

“I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

He tidied himself up in the bathroom and splashed cold water
on his face. Damn, but he was in way over his head. Making love to Jade was the
second biggest mistake of his life, one which—like his other mammoth error in
judgment—had significant consequences. For both of them.

But would he do it again if given the chance? He scoffed at
his reflection in the large mirror over the double vanity.
Of course.

He could restrain himself in a multitude of ways. Except with
her. Especially now that he knew how it felt to be inside her. How it felt to
have her body beneath his, joined with his. Her soft moans would echo in his
ears for the rest of his eternity, he was sure of it. And the way she milked
his cock and quaked when she came…

If he hadn’t already been a damned man, he would certainly
be one now. Ten times over, because he’d done a very devilish thing by
succumbing to his desire for her.

Returning to the bedroom, he found her wiping her naked body
with the towel he’d tossed aside earlier. Her hip was propped against the side
of the bed. She pressed the large towel to her breasts, covering herself.

“Don’t,” he said as he reached for the plush, white material
and dragged it away. He tossed it toward the bench. “Don’t hide from me.”

She stared up at him. “I’m a bit unnerved.”

“I know. I shouldn’t have said what I said.” He shoved a
hand through his hair. “Are you cold?” he asked, one of his many concerns when
it came to her, since he had little issue with temperature no matter what the
extreme.

“No, I’m fine. You, on the other hand… You look as though
you want to slit your wrists.”

He let out a hollow laugh. “I’m finding it difficult not to
say everything that’s on my mind when I’m with you. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry you asked me to stay, because…? You didn’t mean it?”

His gaze locked with hers. “You know I did.”

She seemed to give this some thought, then squared her
shoulders and said, “I’m glad you meant it. That tells me a lot. The problem
is,” she added as her fingertips glided over his pectoral muscles, “I would
stay. If it was at all possible.”

“But, of course, it’s not.” He might be a fool when it came
to her, but he wasn’t one in general. “It was a dumb thing for me to say,
Jade.”

She inched toward him and pressed a kiss to his chest. “It
made me happy to hear it. I can see by the look in your eyes that you think
what we just did was a huge mistake. And you might be right. At the same time…”
She swallowed hard. “I can’t imagine it
not
happening, now that I’ve
been with you. And it’s not something I would take back, if I could. Ever.”

He pulled her to him, hugging her tight. “I crossed a line I
shouldn’t have. But I wouldn’t take it back either. We do, however, need to be
realistic. Me, in particular. I get carried away with you. I can’t explain it.
And I’m sorry.”

“Please don’t put all the blame on yourself. I’m involved
too. I make my own decisions.”

“I promise I didn’t try to sway you with mind games.”

She laughed softly. “I know. Nor did you have to. I told
you, I take responsibility for my own actions.”

He sighed. Then, as he stroked her hair, he said, “You must
be exhausted.”

“Yes I am.”

“But you will stay for the night?”

“And the slayers will come for me in the morning?”

“Yes.”

She was quiet for several moments, then said, “Will you tell
Morgan there’s no hurry?”

He grinned, though she couldn’t see it. “Sheena?”

“Yes, my Lord.” She would take care of the request, Darien
had no doubt.

Jade cringed in his arms. “Oh my God. She can hear us?”

“Vampire senses. Her study is on the opposite side of mine.
Far enough away, but still…”

Jade slipped from his embrace. “How mortifying.”

“She’s very discreet, I assure you.”

“Yes, but I wasn’t exactly low key,” she muttered as she
climbed back into bed.

“Nor was I,” he said as he followed. Draping his arm around
her shoulders as she cuddled against him, he added, “I’m sure she’s ecstatic I
finally made a move. She’s tired of my sexual frustration.”

Jade shifted in his arms and came up on an elbow. “You’re
the king. Don’t you have your pick of the kingdom?”

Shaking his head, he said, “You just don’t get it, do you?”
He coaxed her back down and held her tight. “From the time you turned eighteen,
I didn’t want anyone else.”

“Are you telling me you haven’t had sex in eight years?”

“Until tonight.”

“And you expect me to believe that?”

“When you’ve lived two hundred and thirty-five years, Jade,
eight constitute mere minutes in an immortal’s mind.”

“So tonight really only equates to nanoseconds for you?”

He considered his response. Not that he worried about giving
too much away. He’d done that already, hadn’t he? “The entire time you’ve been
here, I’ve cataloged in my memory every moment. But yes, our time together is
fleeting. Much too short.”

“Well, I guess there are some similarities between demons
and humans. It’s much too short for me too.” She burrowed under the covers,
still in his embrace. “Tell me more about the 1800s.”

He did. When she drifted off to sleep, he stared up at the
domed ceiling, the dim lighting casting shadows across it. He hadn’t consulted
his clock since he’d taken his shower, but deduced it was somewhere in the wee
hours of the morning. Perhaps two or three hours before dawn.

The slayers would come sooner than he cared to admit. He
would let them take Jade away. And though her cottage was only a few miles from
the castle, at the base of the ridge and across the river, actually visible
from his south side bedroom windows, he would feel as though she were a million
miles away again. Completely out of his reach.

He contemplated this, and his actions of late, as the hours
slid by. He didn’t need much sleep and couldn’t bring himself to give in to it
with his one and only chance to hold Jade in his arms.

The knock on his door came regretfully early, though he
deduced it was close to noon at that point.

“My Lord.” It was Morgan.

Jade stirred. She’d turned on her side sometime ago and he’d
spooned her, curling his body around hers in not only a sensual cocoon but a
protective one as well.

“Tell him to send the slayers away,” she said in a groggy
voice. “I can make it back to the village on my own.”

“They won’t stand for that and you know it,” Darien said.
“They’re likely chomping at the bit to ensure you’re all right.”

“I’m not all right. I want you again.”

He groaned. To Morgan, he said, “She’ll be down in ten
minutes.”

“My Lord.”

Darien’s lips swept over her bare shoulder. “Your request is
hardly one I can deny.”

“Lucky me.”

His hand on the back of her thigh guided her legs apart. He
was already hard for her, no surprise there. He entered her from behind and she
let out a soft gasp. One of his arms snaked around her front to cross her
chest. He palmed her breast as his other hand covered her mound. His lips
grazed her neck as his fingers rubbed her clit and his cock slid in and out of
her.

She fisted her pillowcase and let out a stirring whimper of
need and desire.

“You like me inside you, don’t you?”

“Impossible to think of anything more exciting. Or
arousing.”

“I’m more than happy to arouse you.”

“And you’re damn good at it.”

He was turned-on himself. The feel of her tight, wet pussy
surrounding him drove him wild. His cock sliding along her inner walls, hitting
various spots that made her gasp, sigh and moan stimulated him as well. He
plunged a bit deeper and she responded by squeezing him, nearly stealing his
breath.

“I really should have more stamina,” he admitted, “but with
you, I lose it so quickly.”

“Then we’re both about to come?”

He pumped in and out of her as he massaged her clit. He felt
the tiny vibrations that moved through her body and heard the hitch of her
breath, indicators that she was on the edge. Thrusting into her, he felt the
tension grip her. Then she cried out and he pumped a bit faster as she clutched
him.

“That’s it, sweetheart. Come all over my cock. You’re nice
and wet.”

He erupted inside her as he whispered her name in her ear.
His voice was full of desire and soul-deep yearnings he doubted Sheena would
ever understand. He tried to keep the emotions between him and Jade this time.
He didn’t know if he was successful, because Sheena was much too tactful to
even make her presence known if she was close by, going about her daily
business.

Jade’s body trembled and he kissed her shoulder again.

“Go with the slayers. Morgan and some of his men have been
tracking the fire wraith. I don’t anticipate him coming back this way, but I
have a patrol ready to scour the woods on my side of the village’s perimeter.
The slayers will monitor the inner circle and your cottage. Don’t wander the
woods alone. If you must go into the village or to the tavern, be sure Walker
or Tanner escorts you. Will you do this for me?”

She nodded. “I can’t hide out at home, I’ll go stir-crazy.
But I won’t do anything spontaneous or stupid either.”

He let out a long breath. “I would stay with you at the
cottage if I could. But that would undermine my power here, create tension in
the village and…I need to be hunting the wraith myself.”

“I understand.”

He withdrew from her body and slipped from the bed. A knock
on the door a moment later made him almost roll his eyes. Sheena was much too
efficient. He retrieved the towel he’d discarded the night before and wrapped
it around his waist before opening the door.

His assistant handed over a bundle of clothes. “For Jade.”
She even had tall boots and a black cape. “These are well insulated. She’ll be
fine in the snow.”

“Coming down hard?”

“There’s practically a whiteout. The slayers are anxious to
get her back to the village before the blizzard sets in.”

“Damn it,” he said. “The snow will make the border more
difficult to patrol, with lack of visibility and freezing conditions.” Not a
problem for his troops, but the slayers were human, after all.

He slid a glance over his shoulder at Jade, who still
huddled under the covers. Likely out of sheer embarrassment. He found that a
humorous thought. Or rather, a charming one.