Feral Hunger (2010) (6 page)

His shirt gaped open as he stood, having no more buttons to hold it together. She glanced from his dark eyes to that muscular expanse of male flesh and realized she very much wanted what he was offering. Okay, let's go home.

He smiled, a real smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes. He lost that brooding look when he grinned like that. She decided she liked the effect. She put her hand in his.

He had no idea what to do now, Vlad thought as they arrived back at his waterfront condo. Jaelyn hadn't said much on the ride back. There was a great deal to talk about, but he didn't know where to start.

Jaelyn had appeared on his doorstep, an unwanted problem. Since then she'd become so much more. At first he'd wanted her to disappear. Now he desperately wanted her to stay.

The door swung shut with a click. He leaned against it and studied his new houseguest. She looked wonderful, even with her dress torn and her hair mussed. Her skin had taken on that translucent quality that gave away her vampirism, but her eyes shone. A strange sensation settled beneath his heart. For the first time, his solitary life held little appeal. He realized with a start that he wanted to share his life. With Jaelyn.

Expectation crossed her face as she gazed back at him. But he also saw trust and hope in her expression. He didn't know what to say, so he started with a profound, Um...

She smiled, showing the tips of her tiny fangs. The sight tightened his groin. He wanted her so badly, and yet he didn't want to ruin the mood. He didn't want to force the situation by saying anything that might make her decide to open that door and leave.

Instead, she crossed the narrow distance between them. Gripping him by the lapels of his ruined shirt, she stood on her tiptoes in those ridiculously high heels and kissed him.

As her soft lips brushed his mouth, he couldn't stop the low growl rising in his throat. He crushed her to him, feeling every inch of her supple body. Her generous breasts pressed against the hard planes of his chest. His hands slid from the slender dip of her waist to cup her buttocks. He caught the spicy scent of her blood rushing just below the surface of her skin mixing tantalizingly with the natural scent of woman and the perfume from her shampoo. She smelled sexy, vital, and he wanted so much more of her.

She sighed against his mouth. Her tongue slid between his lips and he was lost in the taste of her. He brought one hand up to tangle in her long blonde hair, holding her in place. She didn't seem to mind his possession. In fact, she seemed to have her own conquest in mind. She tilted her head slightly to gain a better angle. Her hands roved over his shoulders and up his neck to ruffle his curls. Sudden pain made him gasp as one of her incisors pinched his lip. He tasted the tang of his own blood.

Her tongue tangled with his as she tried to steal that drop of blood. Convulsively, his hand tightened on her butt, pressing her harder against him. She squirmed in place, testing the extent of his arousal. The sensation of his hard flesh at the juncture of her thighs seemed to drive her passion higher because she pulled her mouth away. Tendrils of her hair hung in her face. Her breath came in small pants. Let's go upstairs.

Upstairs, he repeated. He wanted her out of Michaela's dress and shoes. He wanted every trace of Michael gone, leaving only Jaelyn.

Vlad hooked an arm beneath her knees and swung her into his arms. One of her borrowed sandals fell from her feet. He left it there on the carpet as he walked toward the spiral staircase. Jaelyn ringed her arms around his neck. She kissed him again with such ferocity he had to stop halfway up the staircase. Eventually, they made it to the top of the stairs. He paused in the hallway, deciding which room to take her to. The coffin wouldn't do. He decided on the room with the bed. His real bedroom. He wanted her there, in his inner sanctum, his most private of places.

Her eyes caught the coffin as they passed. They twinkled with amusement.

I need to get rid of that thing, he said. I've had enough vampire props to last a lifetime.

Jaelyn turned her head as he kicked open the door to the bedroom and crossed the floor. The rumpled bed was just as she'd left it. There hadn't been time to make it. Vlad freed a hand to yank the covers into place before he laid her gently in the middle. He sat down beside her.

She reached up to slide his ruined shirt off his shoulders. Silk whispered as it fell to the floor. She ran her hand over his pecs. His silky cool skin caressed her palm. His gaze tracked her hand as it slid down his taut stomach and stopped at his belt buckle.

He chuckled. Don't go getting too far ahead of me.

She turned so he could undo the long zipper. The hiss of metal sounded unduly loud in the silence. She wiggled out of the dress and turned back to face him clad only in her panties and one borrowed shoe.

His gaze raked over her, lingering on the line of her neck before plunging lower still. Blatant hunger burned in that look. He yanked his eyes back to meet hers.

She expected him to grasp the elastic of her panties, but instead he bent to slip off the sandal and toss it onto the floor. He was going to make her wait, she realized. Damned if she let him.

Her fingers closed on his belt buckle. He sucked in his stomach to give her room to undo the clasp and slide down his zipper. His impressive erection sprang free, held only by his boxers. She slid her hand in to caress him through the silk and earned a low hiss for her efforts. She caught a glimpse of his fangs. The sight sent a pleasure-tinged shiver through her.

She pushed his trousers down over his hips, linking her fingers through the elastic of his boxers to push them down as well. He stood to slide them off and toss them on the growing pile of clothes. Then he joined her back on the bed.

Jaelyn couldn't take her eyes off him. She followed the contours of his body with her gaze, taking in his broad shoulders that tapered to slim hips, the taut muscles of his thighs and the hard length of his erection. He slid over on the bed so he could lie down beside her.

His cool hand slid down her flat stomach to her tiny lace panties. His finger dipped lower, caressing her through the lace. She felt a hot rush of wetness at her core. He teased her again until she uttered a groan

of frustration. He laughed at the sound, but obliged her by pulling down her panties. She lifted her hips so he could take them off.

Finally, she lay completely bare before him. She should feel vulnerable. He was, after all, nearly a stranger. Instead, her new vampire strength hummed within her. Blood called to blood as if she'd known him forever. He gazed down at her, his eyes filled with longing and none of the self-assurance she'd seen there before. A dark curl tumbled down to rest against his forehead. She reached up to push it away and then pulled him down toward her.

His weight settled gently on top of her, pushing her against the downy comforter. He shifted, the broad head of his erection settling at the juncture of her thighs. She bucked her hips, showing him with her body just how much she wanted him. But he made her wait. He lowered his head, brushing her lips with a feather-soft kiss that sent little shivers all the way down her spine. He deepened the kiss, using his tongue to preview what he wanted to do to her body. She moaned against his mouth, demanding more.

Vlad slid an arm beneath her neck to raise her throat. His mouth left hers to trace the long line of her throat with searing kisses. His lips hovered over her pulse point. She felt that barest of touches all the way to her sex. He cupped one breast. His thumb flicked over her nipple, raising it to a taut peak.

Beneath his skin, his blood sang to her. She moved her mouth to press a kiss against his throat. Her incisors scraped his skin, earning her a low groan. Now he was impatient. With his knee, he spread her legs wider and thrust gently inside her.

Slowly, he began to move. She matched his rhythm, raising her hips to meet his. Her body responded, far quicker than it usually did. Already the tight heaviness grew inside. Vlad quickened his pace and she followed him.

She gripped his muscular biceps, letting instinct guide her mouth to his shoulder. His breath gusted across her neck as he sought her vein.

Desire coiled tighter. Her teeth pierced his flesh. The shock of his blood rushing across her tongue sent her over the edge. She heard Vlad's deep groan of release before his fangs penetrated her throat.

Orgasm rushed over her in a dizzying wave. Every mouthful of his blood sent another tiny peak of pleasure rushing down her spine. Every movement of his mouth against her neck shot sensation straight to her sex. Together they rode out the crest of their pleasure until finally he drew his mouth away.

Jaelyn followed his lead. With the tip of her tongue, she licked away the last of his blood and let her head fall back against the pillows. Gently, Vlad disengaged and tumbled down beside her. He raised himself on one elbow and gazed down at her, his dark eyes shining.

Wow, she breathed. I never knew it could be so intense.

He kissed her lightly and she tasted the ghost of her blood on his lips. There are good things about being a vampire.

If that was any indication, she intended to enjoy her new life very much. The thought made her laugh. And I'll have you to teach me.

He raised her hand, turning her wrist so he could brush his lips against her pulse. It would be my pleasure.