by L. E. Wilson
To her credit, she didn’t pull away. “What did you do?”
Gathering his courage, he forced the confession from his soul. “I fucked with your head. I changed your memories. Not all of them, but…some. Enough.”
She studied him a moment. “Why?”
“Because I needed you safe, and I wanted to give you a chance.”
“A chance at what?”
“A chance to live your life.”
She looked away, and her hand fell to the bed between them. “A life without you, you mean.”
“Yes,” he whispered.
When she looked at him again, her mouth was set in a hard line. “Don’t you think that should’ve been my choice?”
He gave her a small smile. “Perhaps.”
She fiddled with a loose thread on the quilt. “Can you give them back?”
Nik frowned. “Your memories?”
“Yes. I want them back.”
And that’s what he was afraid of. His heart sank to his stomach. “Yes.”
“Then do it. Now.”
“Okay.” Nik tenderly brushed her bright hair away from her eyes. Taking her face between his palms, he held her gaze with his and sank into the depths of her mind.
“Remember everything I told you to forget.”
Chapter 50
Emma cried out as her memories, and the emotions they held, came crashing back. For a few seconds, it was all too much.
Fear, shame, sorrow, lust, anger, happiness…love.
The kitchen. His shower. The RV. The clearing after the fight, when he took her like a man possessed. And where they shared blood.
Her sister.
My sister!
Screaming as she tightened her fingers around the monster’s throat.
The witch is MINE.
It’s okay, honey. Go with Nik. I’ll be out in a bit.
I probably saved your fucking LIFE!
Nikulas watched her. His jaw was clenched and his blue eyes were darker than she’d ever seen them. But beneath it all, she saw his fear. Fear of losing her.
“Oh, my God. Nikulas.” Emma gripped his shoulders, recollections of their time together jumbling together in her head. She felt like she was losing her mind, but eventually, they sorted themselves out and fell into a kind of order.
She remembered. She remembered everything. A sob escaped her as she felt everything they’d experienced all at once.
Her eyes flew to his. “My sister. She’s really okay?”
He nodded. “She is. She’s with Luukas. He won’t hurt her. I wasn’t wrong about that.”
She blinked away tears and stared at the male before her, and really saw him this time. “Nik! You need to feed! You need to feed from me.”
He frowned. “You’re not angry at me?”
“I am. A little.” She paused before admitting, “But I understand why you did what you did.”
He took her hand in his, and kissed her knuckles before pressing her palm to his chest. His eyes pleaded with her to believe him. “Luukas was unpredictable. He still is, a bit, although he’s improving. But sweetheart, if you’d tried to come between him and Keira—”
“He would’ve torn me apart like you did to the creatures that attacked me,” she finished for him.
“Yes,” he breathed.
She edged closer to him. “Nikulas, I love you. I want to be with you. There’s nothing I want more. Even without my memories of us, I knew that.”
“I’m so sorry,” he told her.
“I know.” She sniffed, and her eyes dropped to his cock, still thick and hard between them. Desire for him rushed through her anew. “You might just have to make it up to me, though.”
He grinned and moved in to kiss her.
Emma stopped him with a hand over his mouth. “And if you ever do that to me again, Nikulas, I won’t forgive you next time.”
He mumbled something behind her hand, and kissed her palm.
Emma smiled and removed her hand.
Hopping off the bed, he quickly shed his pants and shoes, returning before she’d had a chance to miss him. He lay down and pulled her down alongside him.
Emma felt every inch of him as he took her wrists in one hand, kissed the pulse there, and lifted them above her head, pressing them down into the mattress. With his other hand, he held her jaw, turning her face to him for a kiss.
She moaned as he took her mouth. She could feel his throbbing length against her hip, but when she tried to turn toward him, he moved his hand from her jaw to her hip, holding her in place.
She whimpered in protest, but he just smiled against her mouth.
Then suddenly, he released her wrists and rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him. One hand on the back of her head and one on her lower back, he pressed the hard length of him into her belly, growling low in her ear.
Emma pulled her legs up to either side until she was straddling his lean hips. Lifting up, she ran his length through the slick folds of her pussy. The ropes of muscle in his stomach clenched, and his cock jerked beneath her, weeping drops of semen. As she did it again, he shuddered underneath her.
“Stop. Before I come too soon.”
He pulled her to him until they were nose to nose. She watched his eyes glow bright with desire as he told her, “When I come, I’m going to be deep inside of you, Em. I want to feel your tight warmth gripping me, pulsing around me, when I do. But I want to taste you first.”
Emma moaned as she felt a flood of moisture between her legs. She caught a flash of his fangs as he lowered his head to her neck, and a small sound escaped her as he pressed his mouth to the skin over her artery. But still, he didn’t bite her.
Instead, he worked his way down to her aching breasts, his hands lifting her as he fastened his mouth over one throbbing nipple. Sucking it into his mouth, he teased it with his tongue before sucking hard. Then he released it to do the same to the other side.
Lifting her higher, he kissed his way down her belly, hitting each and every ragged piece of skin, until he reached the soft, red curls at the apex of her thighs.
Emma gripped the top her headboard as Nik lifted her above his mouth. At his urging, she spread her legs, placing a knee on each side of his head. She looked down and gasped as his fiery blue eyes met hers. Nose in her curls, he inhaled deeply, growling low in his throat.
Emma’s belly clenched as she felt another rush of wetness in response.
Nik reached up and ran his hands up over her breasts, kneading them in his large palms, before gripping her hips and placing her over his mouth. She lurched uncontrollably when she felt his warm tongue, but his grip tightened on her hips to hold her still as he ran his tongue over her, his eyes closing as he settled in.
Emma’s head fell back as he found her clitoris, and flicked it with his tongue. Moving her hips in unison with his movements, the tension in her belly returned. Desire flooded through her where he manipulated her with his mouth, spreading through her body before centering in her core.
Emma began to tremble uncontrollably, her muscles straining toward her orgasm. She hovered on the brink, until with a growl, Nik sucked her throbbing nub into his mouth and bit down, piercing her with his fangs. She cried out as the pain mixed with pleasure and sent her crashing over the edge.
His fingers dug into her hips to hold her to his mouth as her body convulsed above him.
Chapter 51
Nik’s eyes rolled back in his head as the sweetness of her blood mixed with the muskiness of her sex to flood his mouth and throat. He continued to suck her off as she bucked above him, his cock jerking with every cry.
Unable to wait any longer, he lifted her away from his mouth and moved her down the length of him. Bending his knees to meet her, he was deep inside of her with one strong thrust, his own cry of pleasure joining hers at the feel of her tight grip around him.
One hand on her hip, he used the other one to grip the back of her neck, and pulled her down to his throbbing fangs. Sliding ou
t of her, he thrust back in at the same time his fangs sank deep into her nape. With a deep pull, he growled as her blood rushed down his throat, healing him and exciting him, filling him with her lifeblood as he filled her.
With strength flooding through him, he sat up and flipped her over, and sank his fangs into her again.
Then Nik allowed the hunger to overtake him.
There was no gentleness as he took her, just an overwhelming need to consume her, body and soul.
Emma cried out beneath him as another orgasm hit her, pulling him over the edge with her. Releasing her neck, he threw his head back with a roar as he exploded inside of her, her pulsing sheath squeezing every last drop from him.
Head thrown back, fangs bared, muscle straining, Nik gave himself over completely to her.
Her hands roamed limply over his chest and arms as he lowered his head and closed the wound in her neck, and he thought he’d never get enough of the feel of her touching him.
Collapsing on top of her, he rolled to the side, pulled her with him and held her close. For a long time, the only sound was their ragged breathing as they lay curled around each other.
Running his hand over her bright hair and down her soft back, Nik asked, “Did I hurt you?”
Emma pulled back a bit and looked up at him with heavy lids, her lips curving up happily. “No. I’m fine. Truly. Just a bit sleepy.”
Nik took in her tired features. She looked even paler than before, if that was possible, even after all their exertion just now. “Here. Drink from me, Em. It’ll make you feel better.” He paused. “And, because I’d like you to. I want you to be with me. Completely. And for a long, long time.”
“Okay.” She smiled a little. “But only if you promise to do that again.”
Chuckling, he lifted his wrist to his mouth, efficiently opening a vein. He offered it to her, and watched her drink from him. A strong feeling of contentment washed over him as she raised her hand and held him to her mouth.
This was right. This was how it should be.
He let her drink a little more than she should have, enjoying the sound of her soft moans, watching the color come back into her face. Her eyes popped open as he started to pull his arm away, her brows lowering in a frown of displeasure. “That’s enough, Em. You need to leave me some, ya know.” He smiled as her eyes widened and she immediately let go of him.
“Sorry,” she mumbled, licking her lips.
He could practically see his blood rushing through her system, chasing away the fatigue, tickling her nerve endings, heating her blood.
She reached down and wrapped her small hand around him, licking her lips again as he grew in her hand. He rolled his hips toward her as she ran her hand up and down his length, and she gasped as he swelled to his full size, her fingers unable to reach completely around him.
Desire and deep need shone from her eyes when she looked up at him, and he knew the same reflected back to her from his.
“Nikulas,” she pleaded.
Nik ran his hand up the outside of her thigh and over her rounded ass, dipping his hand between her legs from behind. She was wet and ready for him. With a helpless moan, he rolled her beneath him. Sliding an arm under her leg, he entered her with one long, smooth thrust.
His Emma didn’t need to ask twice.
Chapter 52
Nik cracked his eyes open and squinted at the clock next to the bed. It was almost dawn. He groaned and pulled Emma in closer to him.
“We’re never going to leave this bed again, are we?” she teased. Her voice was husky from the cries he’d wrung from her throughout the night. They’d spent the night re-learning each other, until Emma was so exhausted, even his blood couldn’t keep her eyes from sliding closed.
Nik sighed against her back. “Unfortunately, we’re going to have to. Well, at least I am. The sun will be up soon, and you don’t have any shades over your windows.”
Emma frowned as she squinted at the windows. “I’m going to have to order some.”
He dropped a kiss on her shoulder, then Nik rolled over and flicked on the bedside lamp. He needed a shower, and he planned on sharing it.
Gazing over his shoulder at his lovely mate, he caught her pulling the quilt up to cover herself. She’d dragged it with her every time she’d gotten up during the night, and he was losing his patience.
“Don’t do that,” he commanded harshly.
Emma’s eyes flew up . “Nik…I…”
He stood and stalked over to her side of the bed, pulling her up with him. He took the comforter from her, leaving her as naked as he was. Gently pushing her along in front of him, he ignored her protests and walked her into the bathroom.
Flicking on the light, he turned her so she faced the mirror and he was standing behind her. The top of her head barely came up to his shoulder.
Emma kept her eyes down. “Nik, please don’t do this,” she whispered.
When she tried to leave, he wrapped his hands carefully around her upper arms and held her in front of him. “First of all, don’t ever hide yourself from me again. I love looking at you.”
Still refusing to look up, Emma scoffed. “You can’t mean that.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart. I’ve never meant anything more. Look in the mirror, Em.” When she refused, he shook her slightly. “Look in the mirror, Emma.”
Sighing heavily, she raised her eyes and visibly cringed.
Nik gave her a second to take a good look. “Do you know what I see in that mirror? I don’t see a woman who is flawed, or imperfect. I see a strong woman. A woman who defended herself. A woman who fought for her survival against all the odds and won. A woman who never gave up on finding her sister. A woman who didn’t crumble under pressure. A woman who took meeting me, a vampire, in stride.” He caught her eyes with his in the mirror. “That woman makes me proud. That woman is a warrior. That woman is amazing. That woman is sexy as all hell. That woman is the most beautiful and precious thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. That woman, Em, is YOU.”
“Don’t ever hide yourself from me,” he said softly. “I couldn’t stand it. I love you. All of you. I only wish I’d been there to protect you.” Lowering his head, he wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear, “I’ll never let anything like that happen to you again. I swear it.”
Emma turned in his arms, and this time he let her. Wrapping her arms around his lean waist, she told him, “I love you, too. And I’m going to hold you to that.”
He hugged her to him, letting himself enjoy the moment, then ran his hands up and down her back. “Come on, woman, we need to get a shower. Then I need to find a place to hole up for the day. After I call to secure our flight back to Seattle.”
“I have a cellar, you can stay down there—” she began. “Wait. Seattle?”
With one last hug and a kiss on her adorable nose, he reached over to start the shower. “Yeah. I have to get back. And you’re coming with me.”
Joy lit up her face. “Okay.”
When the water was warm enough, Nik turned back to her with a grin. “So, we still have about an hour before the sun comes up,” he said, running his eyes up and down her lithe body.
Emma turned to walk away. “I’d better get packing then. Is it cold in Seattle?”
She squealed as Nik grabbed her with one arm from behind, dragging her under the hot water with him. Bending down, he nibbled on the side of her neck before breathing in her scent. “Oh no, you don’t. You’re not running away from me again.”
“Never.”
With a groan, he pierced the supple skin of her throat. And as her sweet blood filled him and she wrapped her slender arms around his neck on a sigh, Nik sank into his female.
And knew his life was only beginning.
The Series Continues A Vampire’s Vengeance.
Keep reading for a sneak peak!
A Vampire’s Vengeance
Click on the cover to get your copy, or keep reading for a sneak peak.
> Chapter One
Luukas
Luukas was jolted back to consciousness as a searing pain tore through his abdomen. His eyes shot open to see a long silver blade carving through the layers of skin and muscle, splitting him open like a gutted deer. Hanging by the wrists as he was, he could do nothing but watch in horror as warm blood gushed down the front of his dirty jeans, soaking through the material to stick to the bare skin beneath.
His fangs punched down in defense, a loud hiss escaping him as he threw his head back, gritting his teeth against the pain. Half a second later, fire burned through the same path as the blade before it, the stench of his own burning skin making his stomach heave. He struggled not to scream, but the hoarse sound ripped from his raw throat against his will, the agony too much for him to bear in silence. The flames sizzled inch by slow inch across his stomach, cauterizing the wound.
His dislocated shoulders jutted grotesquely through his skin as he twisted his torso back and forth, trying to escape the flames, but the silver manacles around his wrists held fast to the wall above his head. Just when he thought he was going to pass out again, it stopped, leaving behind a dull throbbing ache from his ribcage to his hip. He sagged on his chains, sucking in ragged breaths, praying to all the gods that he would pass out again.
Or better yet, that he would just die already. Die a vampire's true death.
“He’s awake now, mistress.”
At the sound of that sniveling voice, Luukas struggled to lift his heavy head. He detested that voice. Peering through the slits of his swollen eyes, he attempted to locate the source of it, and found it directly in front of him in the form of a young, dark-skinned, male vampire: young in both human and vampire years.
Their eyes met and held, and the young one’s own grew wide at what he saw. The piece of shit stumbled backwards, the flaming torch he’d pulled off of the wall and used on Luukas falling from his hand to land with a soft thump on the dirt floor. The long, bloody knife he held in the other hand joined it with a clatter a moment later.
