Demetrius (7 page)

If he noticed the insecurity and indecisiveness radiating off her, Alex certainly had. After his pal finished inspecting Callista’s reaction, she turned to him.

“When’d you feed last, D?”

“When I needed to,” he shot back. When
had
he last fed?

Her bright green eyes bounced between them. “Interesting.” Nostrils flared, her brows shot up. Callista’s innocence was like a beacon in a place like this. Alex’s lips curved into a maniacal smile. “This’ll be fun to watch. Later, D.” She sauntered back to Rhys.

Callista watched her go. “This was a mistake.” She spun and charged toward the door.

He took the time for one look back at Alex and Rhys, only to see the Guardian with his head thrown back, laughing. Alex gave him a little wave, waggling her fingers at him, smile still in place. At least he’d gotten what he needed before the pair annoyed the shit out of him.

He caught up with Callista before she reached her sensible car. One look at her choice of parking, and he couldn’t ignore it. “Did you pick the worst spot in the parking lot on purpose? Did you drive around until you found the most shadowed and isolated place to park?”

She stopped by her car door, let her head drop back. Her deep, calming breath was audible. Turning slowly to face him, the struggle to remain civil was written all over her face, scrawled in her body stance; her feet in those fuck-me red heels stood shoulder-width apart, her hands clenched at her side.

“I’m not a naïve human girl. Despite my father’s best attempts, I’m not isolated and fearful of the world, Demetrius. I scented no danger. Tell me again, why this should concern you?”

He crowded her, like his body was the south partner to her north magnet.

“You’re one of my people. You came to me for help.”

She leaned back against the car and crossed her arms. It was everything he could do not to drop his eyes to see what the pose did to her breasts.

“Really? I got the impression I was a pain in your ass. Which is more consideration than you gave any of the council members’ families when you destroyed their lives.”

“You hold a serious grudge against me, princess. Did you agree with what your father was doing for our people? Do you think anyone else would’ve left the council alive and plotting against him? I’d say I showed more than enough consideration.”

Her face tilted up to him, the yellow in her blue eyes resembled sparks. “Not every member was an evil, demon worshipping villain.”

“Says the girl whose father is possessed.”

She looked away, and he watched the fight drain from her. Demetrius caught her chin. Hellfire. It was the first time he’d touched her and it was a bad idea.

Just a chin. That’s all he held, but according to his cock, he might as well have been poised to thrust inside her. He swelled harder than he’d ever felt before, but it was nothing compared to the desire tainting her scent. His fangs throbbed in time with his heart, matched the beat in his groin. He wanted her. He wanted her under him, screaming for more, then he wanted to flip her over, and drive into her from behind while he held her in place with his fangs buried in her neck. After that, maybe he’d throw one of her legs over his shoulder, so she was twisted to the side as he reared over her—

“Demetrius?” she whispered.

He still held her chin. While she may not be a mind reader, she’d interpret his every intention straining his face, clogging the air around them.

“What were we talking about again?” He dropped his head lower, mere inches from those pink, full lips.

“How much I can’t stand you.” She sounded breathy, needy.

He couldn’t have her needy, now could he?

He closed the distance between them, captured those mesmerizing lips, and groaned. Callista might smell of wildflowers, but she tasted of the rarest, sweetest wines, more precious than any he’d ever sampled.

Divine.

He could’ve dived in, used his tongue to coax her mouth open, but she was a like a decadent piece of chocolate. She needed to be savored, worshipped. He didn’t want to go fast and miss out on anything.

She kissed him back. He could feel her shock, her relief, much like his that they’d finally connected. He’d only encountered her twice before, but since her image hadn’t left his brain for a millisecond, it seemed he’d been wanting to touch her for an eternity.

Pressing in harder before he eased back, he kissed his way down her neck. She panted for the air he stole. His hands held her steady by her narrow waist, but he didn’t pull her to him or lean against her.

His mind reeled. Heavy petting in the parking lot would ruin the moment. Not that he wouldn’t love to do that with her sometime, just not now. Now, he wanted to take care of her needs.

Lazily lifting his head, he savored how she slowly opened her eyes, loved the dazed look he’d put in them.

“You were hungry. Feed.”

Before she could resist, he cupped her head and pressed her face to his neck. He thought she’d refuse, but then he felt her lick her lips. The flick of her tongue against his skin affected him as if she’d run it along the length of his manhood.

“Do it, princess.” Afraid she’d storm off at his moniker for her, he didn’t worry for long.

She struck hard, and he groaned. His hips sought the cradle of hers. Her hands held onto his shoulders.

Rocking his pelvis, he couldn’t help it. Every pull, every tug of those sweet lips on his vein, was a gentle, teasing tug on his erection. It was painful. It was excellent.

Feeding for vampires was often a very erotic experience, and ended in orgasm. They were sexual creatures. Demetrius had always accepted it, enjoyed it.

This was excruciating. He wanted to pound into her. But he wanted more, so much more.

For her not to hate him, for starters.

The way her nipples pebbled against his chest, or how her body echoed the thrusting rhythm of his, she couldn’t hate him. Didn’t
want
to want him, maybe. But she did.

Suddenly, he was insatiable to prove it to himself. Lifting the hem of her short dress, his hand didn’t have far to go. Her skin was soft and creamy and he could imagine running his tongue over every square inch.

The lacey seam of her underwear didn’t survive his touch. There was a sharp inhale at his neck when he wrenched the scrap of fabric off, but her leg moved to the side, granting him entry.

Fuck, yes.

His only regret was that he couldn’t see her rosy, wet center. Couldn’t run his tongue through her slit to find that tight little bud his fingers just discovered. Her moan signaled she was ready, the intensity of the feeding pushing her to the brink.

He wasn’t ready. He didn’t want a fast fuck with her. That’s all he’d had his entire life. He wanted to savor her, and this was only the appetizer.

Circling her clit once, twice, she rocked her hips and sighed in disappointment when he left it, only to gasp in pleasure when he slid one finger into her incredibly tight channel. Her lips pressed back into his neck, her fangs buried, but her swallows had slowed, she was focused on him and what he was doing to her.
 

“Fuck, you’re tight. I wish my finger was my cock right now.” He slid his hand back and thrust two fingers into her. “I would go slow, princess, but once I fit myself inside you, I would stay there until you begged me to move.”

Callista whimpered, undulating her hips.

“What do you want, princess? This?” He slid out and thrust back in. “Or this?” His thumb found her clit and rubbed. “How about this?” Combining the two movements, he worked her center. She was so wet, his cock straining behind his fly was miserable with envy.

Her fangs yanked out and she threw her head back. Hellfire, she was beautiful. Her rigid stature was gone, replaced by a wanton goddess bathed in sex. A faint merlot glow emanated from the depths of her eyes. He’d had his share of vampire lovers, but never had he been so full of male pride to be the one responsible for that reaction.

“Let it go, princess.”

She rode his hand. He kept stroking.

“Demetrius,” she rasped.

“I want to feel you come.” With her throat exposed, he fixated on the pounding pulse point in her neck.

He didn’t intend to drink from her, but he was too aroused to think straight, and he had the most gorgeous female he’d ever seen falling apart in his arms. Fangs were bared and sunk into her neck before he gave it a second thought.

Fingers curled into his shoulders, clawing him through his sweater.

“Oh god, yes!”

Her lithe body jerked and shuddered while she cried out. Her release quaked around his fingers, nearly crushing his digits in her tight sheath.

As her blood filled his mouth, he feared he’d rip open his zipper and plunge into her. Then her taste registered and it was…off?

He swallowed and took another pull, earning another shudder of climax from her.

The blood hit his stomach like an H-bomb. Heat scorched from his throat to his stomach, and the shockwave boomeranged back up. Ripping his teeth from her throat, he doubled over, retching.

Callista’s blood burned even more coming back up. Three, four, layers of tissue were burned off on the blood’s return trip. Vomiting and spitting out everything possible, Demetrius dropped to his knees from the pain.

Chapter Seven

Callista wondered what the protocol was for when the guy you were making out with drops to his knees and vomits.

Strange wheezing sounds emanated from him, and it kicked her into CNA mode. She squatted next to him, rubbed his back, and monitored his breathing. He sounded like he was in pain, but his breathing wasn’t deteriorating.

Foamy, blood-tinged spittle dotted his navy sweater. She looked closer, squinting at his sweater. Were her eyes playing tricks on her?

“Did that burn your clothing?”

“Probably,” he wheezed. “Burned my fucking throat.”

“My blood burned you?” she asked, dumbfounded. Blood didn’t do that. It just didn’t.

He nodded, gulping air. Sweat dotted his brow, but his agony-clouded vision had cleared.

“How could that be? When I skinned my knees as a kid, it’s not like I burned my pants off.”

He spit, then frowned. Moving his mouth like he was at a wine tasting, he gave her a strange look.

“Your blood has a sulfur aftertaste, Callista.” His voice sounded so terribly raw.

She was stuck on her blood burning him, but sulfur?

He cleared his throat and winced. “Has this ever happened before?”

“No.” She hesitated too long and he noticed.

“Nothing strange,” he pressed.

“Well, no one’s drank from me. Ever.”

His eyes flared wide, then he closed them. “Oh, right. Virgin. How could I forget?” He slanted her a pointed look. “You didn’t act like one.”

She gave him a little shove when she pushed up to standing. “Old fashioned much? It’s not like a hundred years ago when you were trying to get in girls’ hoop skirts, or whatever they wore. I have the internet; I stream movies.” She put her hands on her hips, towering over him for once. “I’ve even watched porn.”

Trailing a path up her legs, his gaze reached the hemline of her dress and maroon fused with the green in his eyes. “I rather like this view.”

Suddenly modest, she put her hands down to cover herself. He chuckled.

“You’ve only played around with mere boys before, princess.” He rose. “I think it’s time I meet your father.”

Anger drained, the ever present butterflies Demetrius incited fluttered with trepidation. “What are you going to do?”

“Get some answers.”

***

Callista’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel. When Ophelia had been in the car the other day, it hadn’t seemed so claustrophobic. Of course, she hadn’t wantonly climaxed in Ophelia’s arms.

She only experienced the male’s lips and fingers. Demetrius unraveled her in minutes. When his fangs had punched through her throat… She shuddered.

“Princess,” Demetrius warned, “keep your mind on driving.”   

“Please. You think too highly of yourself.”

“Do I?” he countered archly.

No, he didn’t. No wonder he had a reputation. Callista focused on the road.

“I don’t know what Father is going to do when I bring a male home.”

“Was he strict your whole life, or is his behavior recent.”

“He’s always been that way.” She turned onto the bridge to cross back into Freemont. She hated venturing so far out, but her stomach had turned at the thought of visiting all of her old haunts to feed. Shifter blood, if she could’ve gone through with it, might’ve held her longer than human blood. “Well, actually he and my mother fought constantly because he was too indulgent of me. He was strict, but he didn’t mind if I wanted to explore, just feared me getting into the sun before I grew into my strength. But he played games with me, even suffered through a tea party or two.”