One simple taste.
He lowered his head and kissed her. Just a touch, a slight meeting of flesh. Draven might have stopped there, but her gasp had him slanting his lips and slipping his tongue into the soft cavern of her mouth. The tentative touch of her tongue to his elicited a groan from him.
She slipped her hands under his tee, over his flesh and stopped on his pecs. His cock took notice, his jeans becoming uncomfortable and far too tight. Draven suddenly wished for the towel that had once been draping his waist. The fucking rough material of his pants was far too constraining. His balls needed space and his cock wanted freedom.
Brea slid her fingernails down his flesh, sending gooseflesh popping out in their wake, down his chest to abs, stopping just above the waistband of his jeans. Lord, he prayed she didn’t back out now. He wanted nothing more than to shed his clothes and sink deeply inside her. His erection lengthened at the prospect of driving home.
Home.
Something told Draven if he ever allowed himself to make love to her, that’s exactly what it would feel like. Like going home.
She broke the kiss and looked at him. “Draven?”
Her tone was quiet, so much so, he almost didn’t hear her over his pulse pounding in his ears. Please, for the love of all that’s holy, don’t back out now. He raised his gaze to hers, taking in a deep breath and lowering his hands to his sides. Draven ran his damp palms against the rough denim.
“What do you need, sweetheart?”
“I need to feed.”
He bit back a curse. “Of course, you do.”
Disappointment sluiced through him. Had her response to him been nothing more than her need to feed? How the hell could he be so wrong at reading the signs? He let out a long deep sigh, resigning himself to another day of blue balls.
He wasn’t sure how long they could hole up in the small cabin, or how long they would continue to be safe there. Time was not on their side. It wouldn’t be long before Raúl’s men combed the countryside and happened upon them. She’d need to feed so they could take the motorcycle and head for Ensenada. Draven refused, however, to ride behind her, no matter how well she knew how to ride. She had taken enough of his manhood on this trip.
“One condition.”
One of her delicate brows raised. “A condition for you to feed me?”
He nodded. “When we leave here, I drive.”
A slow smile grew on her lips, before becoming a full-blown laugh. She wiped a tear from the corner of her eyes. “You can drive, Draven.”
“Thank you.” He returned her humor with a smile of his own. “Let’s take it inside. If you cause me to faint, I’d hate to embarrass myself out here. Besides, the wood flooring doesn’t look like a soft landing.”
Her eyes twinkled in merriment. “You’ve not fainted once when I drank from you.”
“There’s a first time for everything.”
He turned and entered the house, not bothering to wait for her. If she wanted to feed, she’d damn well follow. Like it or not, her rejection stung. Sleeping with Brea was wrong on so many levels, and yet he couldn’t stop from hungering for her, any more than he could his desire to protect her. No matter if her vampire genes made her stronger, Draven was a man. And as such, it was his nature to want to keep her safe.
The screen door slapped behind him. Draven sank to the floor in front of the worn sofa, putting himself on her level. Brea walked over to him and sat on the sofa, her razor-sharp fangs visible beneath her upper lip. A shiver racked his spine. He doubted he’d ever get used to offering up his blood, or the sight of her vampy side. She was menacing looking to be sure, but one huge fucking turn-on nonetheless.
Her scent wafted to his nose, further hardening his dick. He wanted her in a really bad way, even before she sank her fangs deep into his neck. Draven couldn’t imagine how much more his libido could take. He was afraid the minute she sank her fangs gum-deep and applied the suction, he’d embarrass himself. It was either that or he was going to have the sorest set of balls to date.
Chapter 10
Her fangs pierced his flesh with a soft pop. Euphoria traveled through his veins. There was no other way to explain the extreme calm, mixed with the intense pleasure, that washed over him. His hardened dick pained him. And damn him for desiring it all. He wanted Brea suckling his neck while he drove his cock balls-deep into her. Pumping his hips, tightening his ass muscles, slamming into her until they both reached their climax. No doubt about it. It would be epic.
And he hated himself for wanting it.
Draven was so fucking close to tossing Brea on her back and stripping away her pants, taking his deepest desire. The only thing stopping him…
Fuck!
The bastard didn’t even deserve the respect. He had screwed a donor in front of Brea. Holding back from acting on his hunger was no longer about revering Joseph. Hell, no. He no longer respected the dead vampire. It was out of his deep regard for Brea. Her decisions in life had always been governed by others, even her determination to mate with Joseph. Brea might think she took away Joseph’s choice to find a mate of his choosing, but the biker had a voice. Draven was pretty sure no was part of his vocabulary. His decision to mate with her was surely driven by lust. Had Joseph been in love with her, Draven was pretty sure he would’ve followed Brea through hell and back, not fucked a donor in front of her.
Draven couldn’t pretend to know what Joseph had been thinking, but his actions weren’t motivated out of love. Not that Draven was an expert on the subject, but he would’ve never treated Brea so crassly, not to mention he’d follow her through hell and back if need be.
Love.
The word floated around his brain like a taunt. Oh, fuck no! How the hell had the emotion sneaked up on him? Draven’s chest swelled. There must’ve been a damn Cupid hiding somewhere in the godforsaken woods, who had crept up on him from behind and shot him straight through the back. The fucking coward. Draven was pretty sure before he got here that four letter word wasn’t even a blip on his radar.
Brea released her fangs from his neck. The soft pad of her tongue slipped over the twin puncture wounds, sealing them with her saliva. Within hours, they would no longer be visible, another product of her vampire genes.
Her hands on his shoulders, she pushed back from him and leaned against the sofa. Brea dropped her hold and released a shaky sigh as he glanced back at her. Moisture pooled in her eyes and her lower lip trembled.
The swelling in his chest quickly turned to an ache. The sadness he saw in her expression affected him as deeply as the realization he loved her. The question was what the hell was he going to do about it? Draven supposed he could ignore it, push it aside and try like hell to pretend it didn’t exist. Or he could follow her all the way to Ensenada, undoubtedly getting himself killed in the process.
Unless…
Oh, hell no!
He couldn’t.
Once the plan began to formulate, there was no shaking it. It was the only answer. He’d protect her with his life. But as it was, against the cartel and her uncle, he was about as useless as a gnat. Draven knew Brea would never agree to it, knew she might even hate him for it. He had no other choice but to seduce her. She wouldn’t know of his scheme until it was far too late for her to do anything about it.
“You going to be okay, sweetheart?”
“I can’t have you go through with this, Draven.”
“With?”
“Going to Ensenada. I’ve made up my mind and nothing you say will change that.” She wiped away a stray tear. “You won’t survive, and I can’t see you dead too.”
“You’re leaving me behind? When did you decide this?”
“A little while ago.” She leaned forward and gripped his hand, intertwining their fingers. “I intended on leaving when you fell asleep.”
“So why tell me now?”
“Because you deserve better than me sneaking out in the wee hours. I don’t want you thinking I thought you a coward o
r weak. I wanted you to know that I believe you are one hell of a good man to come with me this far.”
She looked down at her lap briefly. When she gazed back up, he could see the hatred in her eyes. “I originally tried to protect my godfather, thinking he at least deserved that from the love he had shown me while I was growing up. His wanting me for his wife was beside the point. I figured mating with Kinky, he’d let go of the silly notion. Instead, I find out he most likely orchestrated his death. Kinky might’ve been a complete jerk in the end, whatever his reasoning, I will never know why. But I did love him regardless, and Raúl needs to be punished if he’s indeed the guilty party.”
Draven squeezed her fingers. “You?”
“Who else?” She let go of him, sat back, drew her legs to her chest, and hugged her knees. “No one can get as close as I can. And if I show up dragging you along, I won’t have a chance in hell getting on the inside either. I have to go it alone.”
“And if he decides to kill you?”
“He won’t.”
“You don’t know that, Brea.” Draven couldn’t keep the anger from his tone. Raúl was not a man to be trusted. “I can’t let you go alone.”
“And I won’t let you go with me. Don’t make me hypnotize you into staying put.”
His ire skyrocketed, heat rising up his neck. Draven would be damned if he’d allow her to take away his free choice, making him even more determined to push through with his plan. “Fine.”
“That easy?” Brea’s gaze narrowed. “What are you up to, Draven?”
“You said it yourself, I’m no match for your godfather, and you have a better chance getting inside without me.”
She nodded, still eyeing him cautiously.
“I will agree on one condition.”
“Man, you’re all about conditions. First, you want to drive. Now?”
Draven chuckled. “What can I say? You force me to bargain in order to get what I want.”
Leaning forward, Brea ran a hand along his whiskered jaw. “What can I possibly give you, Draven?”
“Make love to me.”
Brea sat back, her gaze widened. “I’m not sure—”
“You’re going off to meet the devil himself. I don’t even know if you’ll be coming back. Can you promise me you will?”
“I wish I could. But I’m walking into the unknown. I may be stronger and harder to kill, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t be.”
Draven stood, pulling her to her feet. He framed her face, staring into her beautiful dark gaze. This had to work. If it didn’t, she’d not likely ever talk to him again. Slanting his lips over hers, he kissed her deeply, possessively. When he was finished, she’d be his in every sense of the word. There would be no turning back.
Brea fisted his shirt, kissing him with fervor. She tasted of his own blood, almost making him change his mind about moving forward with his intention. But as she leaned in and her abdomen rested against the steel length of him, he knew what he had to do.
He broke the kiss, resting his forehead against hers. His breath sawed out of him as if he had already run a marathon. He was nervous and excited. Making love to Brea was all he had thought about the past few days.
“Brea,” he breathed out.
“Yes?”
“Make love to me.”
She slid her small hands up his chest, searing his flesh as her palms smoothed over him. Her fingers intertwined in the hair at his nape. Pulling him forward, she kissed him, her tongue slipping past his lips and teasing his into a response.
Draven had his answer.
Reaching down, he slipped an arm beneath her knees and picked her up, heading for the small bed. She broke the kiss, her gaze seeking his.
“Sweetheart, I’m going to fuck you senseless.”
Brea shook her head, damn near causing his heart to stop beating. A smile grew on her lips. “You said make love, Draven. I’m holding you to that.”
Draven chuckled, feeling more light-hearted than he had a right to. He was about to trick her, even though it was for her own damn good. And he intended on enjoying every fucking minute of it.
Chapter 11
This was a bad idea on so many levels. Tell that to her vampire genes, which were screaming to get laid. Joseph had left her ego in tatters. Brea might not have mated with him for the right reason, but she had loved him nonetheless. To watch him make love to the donor had been like a knife to her heart. She swore she’d never love again. The pain had been too raw, damn near crushing her. Brea had become a blubbering mess whenever Joseph had gone off to the Blood ‘n’ Rave. In truth, she had mourned his loss long before his death.
His ghost didn’t deserve to be in this room with Draven.
Brea glanced up from the middle of the bed, her gaze raking Draven from head to toe, and all thoughts of Joseph evaporated. Draven looked more delicious than the day he traipsed around in nothing but the white terry cloth towel. She knew, cartel be damned, Draven would never allow her to go to Ensenada alone. He had left behind his beloved car and traipsed through miles of dense foliage, all the while being shot at, some of the bullets grazing his flesh.
And yet, here he stood.
Draven didn’t fool her. He wasn’t about to let her go off to meet her godfather on her own. His spoken fine hadn’t convinced her. So what was his angle? Did he think by making love to her that she might fall for him, ensuring she wouldn’t dare leave him behind? Too late. It was the exact reason she was leaving him behind. Draven Smith had captured a piece of her heart, cockiness and all. As a matter of fact, she found that particular part quite endearing.
“You going to stand there all day, barkeep?”
His slow smile robbed her of breath. He reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, tossing it to the floor. Draven wasn’t overly muscled, more like that of a fitness trainer. Tall, lean muscled, and just the right amount of hair sprinkling his pecs. Her gaze followed the dark hair down to his navel, where it circled before aiming straight south, disappearing into the waistband of his jeans. His flesh was free off tattoos. She didn’t know why, it wasn’t as if she had a thing against skin art, but Brea found she liked his clean skin.
Her gaze moved back up his chest.
A delicious ache started in her lower abdomen at the thought of tugging on his small nipples with her teeth, nipping them before smoothing away the ache with the flat of her tongue. Brea couldn’t help wonder what he thought of her multiple piercings, the most notable being her Fourchette Piercing, a small ring at the rear of the vulva. She couldn’t help but wonder what he’d think when he… Oh, please let him be into oral.
Brea took in a shaky breath, realizing she needed to quiet her thoughts. Her nerves were starting to get the better of her. She was pretty sure Draven would leave a mark when she walked out if his life. If he thought to stop her, she’d be forced to hypnotize his stubborn ass. Brea would be heading for Ensenada … alone.
But first, she intended on loving every sexy inch of him.
“What’s on your mind, sweetheart? Second thoughts?”
Rising to her knees, she crawled to the side of the bed and slipped from the tattered mattress to the floor. Draven growled as she knelt at his feet, the sound smoothing over her like a lover’s hand. Tucking her tongue into the corner of her lips, she worked the zipper of his jeans. Her gaze took in his. His Adam’s apple bobbed. The dark brown of his gaze deepened. The naked desire she saw staring down at her nearly undid her. Draven wanted her, and not because she had her fangs buried deep into his carotid.
“Brea…”
Ignoring the whispered plea, she slipped a hand inside his jeans and encompassed him.
He hissed, gritting his teeth. “You’re going to fucking unman me yet.”
Pulling his erection from his briefs, another stainless steel ring greeted her. A Prince Albert slipped through the head of his penis. Draven was certainly full of pleasant surprises. Her fangs punched through her gums. Thank goodness she h
ad already fed. The thought of mounting him while suckling the dark, fruity essence of his blood was enticing, but not something she could allow. The loss of too many red blood cells could throw him into anemic shock. He couldn’t replenish his blood supply like a vampire could.
Humans were delicate.
A drop of precum leaked from the crown of his erection. Brea licked the small droplet, before taking him into her mouth. She was careful not to scrape her fangs along the silky flesh. One of his hands fisted the hair at the top of her head, guiding him more fully into her mouth. His hips moved rhythmically, earning her another groan. She smoothed her tongue along the bottom side of the shaft as her hand encompassed him.
A shiver shook his body just before his grip tightened in her hair and he forced her to release him. “Not like this, sweetheart.”
“You weren’t enjoying—”
He pulled her to her feet and slanted his lips over hers, kissing her full of passion and promise. She clung to him and kissed him back, her tongue tangling with his in desperation. Once she left him behind, Brea couldn’t be sure she’d ever see him again. Even if she wasn’t killed in her mission to take out her godfather, she’d be forced to go into hiding. Should she manage to kill Raúl, the La Paz cartel wouldn’t stop until they saw her dead. Brea couldn’t ask Draven to give up any more than he already had.
He stepped back from her, breaking the kiss. Gripping the edge of her top, he pulled it over her head, and tossed it with his onto the floor. Brea pushed her pants and panties over her hips and stepped out of them. Her bra went next, leaving her standing naked and vulnerable. Draven smoothed a knuckle over her cheek before running the digit slowly down her neck. He opened his hand and ran the back of it over her soft flesh, brushing the steel ring in one of her nipples. He didn’t stop until he got to her waist. His large hand smoothed over her hip and pulled her forward, trapping his steely erection between them.
Draven Page 5
