MIDNIGHT CAPTIVE: Book 2 of the Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles (25 page)

“And just what kind of woman is that?”

“You stated it plainly when I told you how much I had changed!”

There was that expression again, as if she’d grown an additional appendage. “Stated
what
plainly?”

“You said I wasn’t what you were expecting.”

“That is an understatement, my lady!”

Cailin opened her mouth to gloat, but James jumped on her words.

“I also said you’re not what you pretend to be. You’re atrocious at embroidery, which you claim to do often, and you try to hide the fact that you fight better than most men I know!”

“Precisely! What kind of man desires such a woman as that?”

James tipped his head back, hearty laughter pouring from his mouth.

The rush of shame and humiliation to her face blurred her vision and she struggled to see through the onslaught of tears.
How could he be so openly cruel?
Sobs choked her and she whirled to struggle with the chair blocking her escape.

James seized her by the arms, dragged her across the room and threw her to the bed. Before she could rise and make a dash for the door, his body covered hers. Her arms flailed and struck his shoulder, causing him to snatch her hands above her head as he buried his face in the mattress to stifle a roar of pain.

Through labored breaths, he managed to still her legs with his own, imprison her wrists with one hand and grab her face with the other, forcing her to face him. “Why are you pushing me away?”

“Release me, James! I cannot bear this empty promise of a union with you. We will go back to Leith and finally settle the matter and you can be done with me.”

“What have I done to make you think this, Mouse?” Accusations gone from his voice, James’s eyes implored Cailin to near tears. “Was there something I said to hurt you in one of my letters? Whatever it is, tell me. I will move the earth to prove my lo—”

“Nay, James!” Cailin squeezed her eyes shut. “’Tis nothing you did. I…just…please let me go.” Sobbing, she fought the memories clanging against her resolve.

The tender, seeking lips of her betrothed invaded her nightmarish thoughts. Though she held firm against him, he teased and caressed, his tongue traced her mouth and lapped away her tears…and his voice entranced and sapped the fight from her bones.

“Shhh, Mouse.” He suckled her bottom lip with warmth. “Relax, m’dove.” He nibbled her chin. “Look at me, Mouse.”

She kept her eyes shut against his sweet words and could bare his kindness no more. Trying to dislodge his hold on her, she wriggled beneath him, sorrow almost choking her with sobs.

“Cailin.” James held tight but she still fought him. “
Cailin!
”

“Let me go,” she ground out through clenched teeth.

“Not until you tell me what’s warring inside your heart.”

He wouldn’t release her. She was a fool to think she could bury the truth in the darkness from him, from herself. She blinked through her tears and gazed at the compassion in his sparkling jade eyes. The kindness would turn to cold stone once he knew, but where could she hide? The words rushed out in a whisper. “I killed a man, James.”

He gasped. Just a small intake of breath, but enough to suck the life from her soul.
I’ve lost him.

She renewed her struggles but continued to gain no purchase against him.

James pressed his palms firmly to her cheeks. “You listen to me, Cailin MacDougal.”

She calmed and braced herself for his chastisement. But he did not hold judgment or conviction in his eyes.
How can this be?
They radiated warmth, understanding and, sweet lord in heaven, unconditional love. His finger traced her mouth, open with awe. “The fact that you are burdened with such guilt and remorse proves to me you are not the vicious woman you must think yourself to be.”

“Nay, you don’t understand. I took this man’s life without even blinking.”

“How is that possible?” Was that doubt in his eyes? Did he think she was lying?

She trembled at the memories of her dagger sinking into the man’s chest. Echoes from the past. She struggled to banish the sensation of his warm blood flowing over her hand and spurting against her face, the coppery taste of his life in her mouth even now.

She swallowed over the lump in her throat. “It happened so quickly.” She bit her lip and diverted her attention to James’s shoulder, focusing on the blood-stained bandages, anything but his face. “Only after he lay slumped on the ground before me, did I realize how quickly everything transpired. He grabbed me from behind. Like the wind, I slipped my daggers from their sheaths as I spun around. One blade…sliced his throat. The other buried in his chest.” She fought the sobs so she could finish. “His hand clutched my breast, ripping my gown as he fell to the ground.” A half-laugh, half-moan warbled from her mouth and she whispered, “Da wrapped me in his arms and ran.” She gathered the courage to endure his judgment.
Deep breath.

He searched her face with pinched brows and a glassy gaze.

“Why do you look at me so?”

“Because I know your pain, Mouse.” He inhaled slowly and pressed his lips to her temple. “This is a cruel world and I…also had my hand forced in self-defense.”

“See, you
don’t
understand. I am a mindless killer. All the man had to do was reach for me and—”

“How did you learn to fight with blades?”

“My father, but you can’t blame him. I insisted he teach me.”

“But why?”

He asked for answers he already knew, so Cailin pondered his questions. “Be…because of Angus. Because I felt so helpless when he had kidnapped my mother and I.”

James frowned. “Can you not grasp the truth in this? The threat on your family forced your hand. I know what it’s like to feel defenseless. But I also know the courage a blade seated in your palm can give, and I don’t blame you one bit for wanting that.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but he placed a finger on her lips.

“When one is instructed the way I know your father has trained you, thinking is not an option. Life is decided in a matter of seconds and I, for one, am glad it was you who prevailed.” He brushed a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “Do you really want to know what kind of man desires a woman such as you?” The corner of his mouth turned up in the wolfish grin that always set her insides to quivering. “I am. I am exactly the kind of man who
needs
a woman such as you.”

“But—”

“You cannot embroider to save your life. I can tell you’re still learning your way around managing a household. You have a temper as fiery as the hair upon that beautiful head and a tongue as sharp as your daggers…and I would not have you any…other…way.”

“But—”

His mouth descended and claimed hers with sensual delights once again until she trembled in his arms. “Silence, woman, and make love to me.”

He nibbled a path to her chin then regarded her with hooded eyes as his hand hiked the hem of her chemise. The calloused pads of his fingers contrasted against her tender skin and she shivered when he caressed her inner thigh. “Let me touch you, Cailin.” His words feathered against her ear. “Let me inside you.” His finger flicked the sensitive bud hidden in the curls between her thighs and she gasped. “Let me show you how you are the only woman I will ever love.”

She surrendered with a whimper and claimed his mouth with her own, her tongue sweeping in to taste him. James groaned, fueling their urgency to remove the barrier of their clothes. Within dizzying moments, Cailin lay naked on the bed before him, his gaze hungry and raking her body as he stood before her.

“My God, you are so beautiful.”

She dropped her eyes to his shaft, jutting proud and challenging. There it was. All her curiosity over what the male member actually looked like, what James would look like, were satisfied in a single glance. Yet her curiosity over this mysterious organ fueled new questions.

Sitting forward, she diverted her gaze to his face as she licked lips suddenly gone dry. James gasped and his hand grasped his cock. The heat rushing to her sex elicited a moan from her throat and she marveled as a clear drop wept from the crown of his shaft.

She reached out and caught the warm fluid with her fingertip, then touched it to her tongue.

“Cailin!” She hardly had time to explore the salty taste as he descended swiftly upon her and buried his head in her neck, grunting. He nestled his cock along the slick folds between her thighs…not penetrating, but sliding the length of him against her. He pumped his hips, sending delicious shivers of pleasure through her legs, her breath rapid pants. The tip of his cock stroked farther back…back to caress and tease her anus with each thrust. She shuddered with delight and surprise.

His pace slowed and she mewed in protest as he pulled away and placed a fingertip to her lips. “This will hurt at first, but—”

“Silence, you rogue, and make love to me!” She thrust her hips forward, aching to feel those scrumptious sensations again.

A deep rumble of laughter undulated through James, vibrating against Cailin’s breasts and she arched against him. His laughter transformed into a moan and he bent his head to draw her nipple into his mouth, teasing the peak with his teeth. “James! Please!”

“Anxious for me to fill you, my little Mouse?” His deep voice hummed across her tingling skin.

“Aye!”

Cailin caught her breath as the tip of his cock hovered against her maidenhead. She locked her gaze with his and he nodded. This would consummate their betrothal. They would be as good as married.

She nodded in response.

He thrust forward and she grunted, the pain swift and fading as he pumped against her. James moaned and shackled her wrists above her head, rocking in and out. “Uhhh, Cailin!” His breath dampened her cheek. “God, I could stay buried inside you forever.” His hands smoothed down her body to cup her bottom and angle her entrance upward to meet each thrust.

She had heard, though never imagined…how could anyone describe…her mind swirled with the pleasure coursing through her body, the slickness of his wonderful shaft stroking the center of her universe, and she gasped at the pressure building inside, climbing, rising… “Oh…God…James…I…” Cailin tossed her head to the side and clutched his back, crying out as he continued to drive her over a crescendo of bliss.

James threw his head back and thundered his release, his thrusts slowing as his thighs trembled. Cailin wrapped her legs around his waist and held tight. Their labored breaths mingled with their sated kisses and moans of endearment. Collapsing to the bed, James rolled onto his back, panting.

“I can now see why you have been so anxious to wed me,” she cooed, snuggling up against his side and twirling her fingertip around his puckered nipple.

“Och, woman!” He stayed her hand. “Continue your toying and I will take you again.”

Cailin giggled and leaned forward, lapping her tongue against the pink pebble she just fondled. James pulled her atop his body to straddle his hips, his knees bending to cradle her back comfortably against his thighs. Her mouth opened in surprise. “You cannot take me thus…can you?”

That wicked laughter rumbled in his chest and his wolfish grin set her heart to fluttering. “Oh, my sweet Mouse…there are
many
ways I may take you.”

Her brows shot up at the possibilities. “Truly? What other ways?”

His hand snaked between her legs, his fingers caressed her sex. “Oohhh, sweet heavens!” Cailin bucked her hips against the glorious sensations as she held tight to her thighs.

He groaned. His fingers rubbed against that life-centering bud, teasing, stroking, smoothing through her wet cleft, touching farther back against that wicked little hole the crown of his cock had brushed against earlier when his shaft slid between her legs. James slowed his fingers and she opened her eyes and frowned. “Why did you stop?”

His eyebrows waggled and a devilish smile graced his full lips. He reached to the bedside table and grabbed the oil lamp. Puffing out the flame, he lifted the top and wick and sniffed. “Ahhh…olive oil.” He coated his fingertips with oil and seemed to test the texture by rubbing it around his finger pads. Nodding, he replaced the lamp then reached around Cailin. His oiled fingers fondled the tight hole of her anus and she gasped.

“How naught—” But her protests died in her moans of approval when his other hand continued to tickled her pleasure bud. Both hands, slick and glorious, stroked between her legs, exploring her sex and a place she had never dreamed to go.

“Lean forward for me,” his husky voice coaxed.

Hands on his rock-hard chest, she did as he bade and the motion pushed her bud between his fingers. Cailin jerked against his hand, grunting as both sides of her nub received attention. She near-squealed when the tip of his finger behind her penetrated her anus and she ceased rocking. “James!”

“Easy, dove,” he soothed, a mischievous grin playing upon his mouth. “I’ll go no farther.” He pulled his finger out…then slid back in.

“Ooohh…oh, James…”

Out…then in. His other fingers continued to stroke her quim in the same, lethargic rhythm.

“Just tell me if you wish me to stop,” he whispered.