by Tina Folsom
“No need to remind me.” Her sarcastic remark didn’t even seem to reach him.
“I’ll get us out of this.”
“Oh, really? And how are you planning that? By playing Rambo? Or MacGyver? Pathetic.” What was it with men always having to play the big hero who saved the damsel in distress? Maybe that worked in the movies, but it didn’t work here. “I’m stronger than you, so don’t give me this crap.”
He pressed her harder against the wall, and she could have pushed him away—really, she could, even in her somewhat exhausted state. But something made her remain in his restraints—maybe because he smelled so intoxicating, or maybe because her skin sizzled pleasantly where his fingers dug into her arms.
“You might be stronger when you’re well-fed, but right now, you’re running on empty.”
His smug voice did nothing to make her feel less pissed off with him. Yvette opened her mouth to protest, but he gave a quick shake of his head.
“Don’t even deny it. You were hungry even before you gave me your blood. How stupid do you think I am? I’ve drained you. If anything, you’re going to get weaker over the next hours. And we both know that the witch isn’t going to bring in a supply of blood for you. She has no interest in you staying alive. And then what?”
Haven’s eyes held a challenge, but she couldn’t figure out what it was for. Was he accusing her that she would attack one of them as soon as her hunger became too unbearable? “I won’t attack any of you, and certainly not Kimberly. She’s my charge. I have a duty to her.”
“How can you be so sure? When your hunger gets too great, you won’t know what you’re doing. You’ll fall into bloodlust.”
So he knew about that. Still, she had to deny it. She pushed against him and shook her head. “No.”
“I have a proposition for you.”
Yvette raised her chin and leveled a glare at him. What could he possibly do to avoid what she knew would happen in a few hours? “What proposition?”
“You’ll feed from me. Now. While the others are sleeping. Nobody needs to know.”
The vampire hunter was offering his blood? “But—”
“I ate plenty of food just now. I’m well-fed and healthy again, thanks to you. Now it’s time for you to get your strength back. Quid pro quo.”
Yvette searched his eyes to understand why he extended this offer. “Why?”
He looked away, avoiding her scrutinizing look. “I hate owing anybody anything, least of all a vampire.”
“You don’t owe me anything.” She locked her jaw, unwilling to accept the crumbs he was offering. She had her pride. “Keep your blood. I don’t need it.”
“You don’t have a choice in this.” Haven pushed his body closer to hers.
Yvette shook off his arms. “What are you gonna do? Force me?”
He gave her a wicked grin, and in that moment she knew she’d already lost the battle. “Something like that.” Then he gripped her wrists and held them against the wall. When he tilted his head to the side and moved his neck within striking distance of her lips, she took in his drugging scent: clean, male sweat, and the smell of bergamot.
“I’ll punch your pretty face to purée,” she warned him while trying to stop her fangs from lengthening. It was as impossible as stopping the sun from rising.
“Afterwards,” he promised as if he didn’t take her seriously.
“You, you—”
His neck connected with her lips as he pressed against her. “You can smell my blood already, can’t you?” It wasn’t fair that he baited her like that, that he dangled the most enticing scent in front of her twitching nose. “And you’re hungry. I won’t fight you. Just bite.”
***
Haven knew he’d gone completely crazy, but he also knew this was the only way. She needed to feed and regain her strength, and rather than let her go berserk and attack one of them in a frenzy of bloodlust—something he’d seen from another vampire before; it was terrifying and nearly impossible to stop—he was prepared to take one for the team. Wesley would never agree to it, and Kimberly shouldn’t be subjected to such gore. If anybody could get through this relatively unscathed, it was Haven.
He wasn’t afraid of the pain. Compared to what Bess had done to him, a bite would rarely register more painful than a well-placed punch by a drunken convict. And now that he knew that her bite wouldn’t turn him into a vampire, he was willing to make this sacrifice. He owed her that much. But after that, they’d be even. After that, he could go back and hate her with all the pain that he had buried in his heart. She was still a vampire, and a vampire was responsible for the murder of his mother and kidnapping of his sister. A vampire would pay for it.
But for now, he had to pay his debt to her. Yvette had saved him, and it was only right that he’d do the same. And that was the only reason why he was willing to go against his deepest beliefs and give her what she needed.
“Bite me,” he repeated. “Before I change my mind.”
Her lips pressed against his skin. Then her tongue licked over him. What the—
But he couldn’t voice his question, because the next thing he felt were her sharp fangs break through his skin and sink into his neck. There was no pain; it was as if the area had been numbed beforehand. Was that why she’d licked him?
Before he could draw any conclusions, Haven’s train of thought was suddenly blown off track by the delicious sensations coursing through his body. He’d expected it to hurt, at least a little. At the very least, he’d expected it to be unpleasant, something to endure for the greater good. He’d never in his wildest dreams imagined a vampire’s bite to be arousing.
More than that: it was the most erotic situation he’d ever found himself in. Yvette’s bite was a full-on assault on all his senses, and his body reacted the only way it could: with a raging hard-on. Her pull on his vein was more passionate than any kiss he’d ever shared with a woman, her body so close to his, he could feel her rapid heartbeat and her heat. The familiar scent of oranges wafted into his nose, and before he knew what he was doing, he buried his hand in her hair and cupped the back of her head to hold her closer.
His other hand snaked around her back and connected with her naked skin. A startled gasp came from her when he drew her into his embrace, but she didn’t release her hold on his neck. She continued sucking him greedily, and he had no intention of stopping her. On the contrary, he wanted her to continue.
Haven shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position for his cock—which had grown to massive proportions and was biting into the zipper of his tuxedo pants. Had he worn his tighter-fitting jeans, the zipper would have already burst under the pressure. Luckily, the rented pants provided a little more space—for how long, he wasn’t sure.
His hand roamed over her naked back, grateful that she wore the backless black dress rather than something else. It allowed him to explore her and relish her soft skin. She was hot-blooded, even hotter now than he’d noticed before. Was she enjoying this as much as he was?
When he let his fingers dance along her torso where her naked skin met the fabric of her dress, a moan dislodged from her chest, and her hand came up. Was she going to stop him? But instead of her hand swatting his away, she touched his chest and ran her fingers over the planes of his muscles.
Haven sucked in a deep breath. Her touch, combined with the soft pull on his vein spiked his lust and made him want to throw her down on the cot and bury himself in her to the hilt. “Fuck, baby,” he mumbled and slid his thumb under the fabric of her dress, caressing the underside of one breast.
Yvette’s nails dug into his chest, but he welcomed the pain, realizing it was the only thing that kept him from ripping the clothes off her body and fucking her senseless. The only thing that left him with any semblance of coherence. As if she knew what she was doing to him and enjoyed her power over him, her other hand went to the waistband of his pants and slid down along the zipper, cupping his straining shaft in her palm.
; He let out an involuntary moan and slid his hand further under her dress until he could cup her braless breast. The firm globe lay heavily in his hand, which it filled perfectly. He squeezed it and ran his thumb over her hard nipple.
Yvette squeezed his cock in response, and he lost all control. In the next instant, he tugged on her hair, and she released his neck, licking over the incisions before she severed the contact. When his gaze collided with hers, her eyes were dark with passion and her lips swollen, more plump than before—and far more kissable than he ever could have imagined.
Without thinking, Haven pulled her face to him and pressed his mouth to hers. Her lips parted on a sigh, and he swept his tongue inside. He tried to fight the sensations her body unleashed in him and tried to think of something—anything!—that would distract him from the pliable female in his arms. Even reminding himself that she was a vampire and his enemy didn’t diminish the passion in his kiss.
Realizing how useless it was to fight against a tide he could neither stop nor control, he gave up his struggle and explored her wet cavern. Mmm … this woman could kiss. Somehow he’d known that. Somehow he’d sensed it when he’d first seen her at the premier party. She knew it too. Her confident response to him said as much. Each of his strokes was countered with one of hers, more demanding and more urgent than the last, as if to challenge him. And hadn’t she issued a challenge at that party? Hadn’t she openly challenged him and dared him to prove he had what it took to satisfy a woman like her?
He couldn’t let this challenge expire unmet. No woman would best him—least of all a vampire female. He’d show her that she couldn’t lead him around by his nose. No; he’d show her who was wearing the pants, even if those pants were getting increasingly too tight.
Accepting her challenge, he kneaded her breast more ferociously, then took the hard little nipple between his thumb and forefinger and tugged. Her animalistic moan stopped short in his mouth where he captured it and swallowed it down into his body. He sparred with her tongue as if dueling with a warrior, because that’s what she was: a warrior who was fighting him, challenging him; not to stop, but to continue his assault on her curves.
Yvette’s curves were worth assaulting. Feminine despite her toned muscles, and covered with soft, satiny skin, her body’s curves fit to his palms as if they were custom made just for him. To feel her ample tit in his hand and stroke her until she moaned uncontrollably was better than anything else he’d felt in a long while. With every moan, his own body heated, his cock throbbing and begging for release.
Haven angled his head to get an even deeper connection, his body urging him to get more of her, to mark her, brand her. To show her that he could give her what she needed, that he was more than man enough to drive her to ecstasy.
One of her hands was still digging into his chest, but the other one moved back to his groin. When it connected with his cock, stroking along his hard length, he groaned. Under his mouth, her lips curled up in a smile.
The wicked little bitch!
She was trying to get him to lose control. But he wouldn’t allow it. Not before he could turn her brain into mush and make her forget everything except his touch and his kiss. Trying hard to ignore her caressing hand, he gave her nipple another tug, this time harder. Then he ripped his mouth from hers and lowered his head.
He found her breast through the fabric of her dress and licked over the silk. If it had been white, he’d be able to see her nipple now, but the black fabric didn’t give away her womanly secrets. Yet, the effect wasn’t lost on her as evidenced by her strangled moan. He repeated his action, licking her hard nipple again and noticed how her hold on his cock loosened. He was winning the battle. Soon, she would submit to him, and he’d be calling the shots.
***
Yvette couldn’t take much more of his passionate caresses. His kiss had been numbing, blocking out everything in the room so she could only sense him and his desire. She’d never responded to a man this openly. She’d always been in control of every situation. When she took her pleasure, it was always on her terms. And she would be the one to set the pace and decide how and when she allowed a man to pleasure her.
This was different. Haven was different.
He didn’t ask; he just took. He took, and by taking, he gave her body glimpses of pleasure she had buried deep inside her. Pleasure she hadn’t allowed herself to feel for fear she would lose herself, her identity, her heart. Her response to him frightened her, and she should have pushed him away instantly, but his touch was addictive. Like a junkie, she craved more.
Moving her hand to his shoulder—she relished the feel of his sculptured chest and abs, but she wanted—needed—him nearer—she pulled him closer to her and felt him suck her breast through her dress. It wouldn’t do. She needed more. She needed him closer, skin on skin. Heartbeat to heartbeat. When his teeth grazed her nipple, she exhaled sharply. A stream of lava raced down her core and into her clit, the liquid heat searing her from the inside. She needed something to ease the need it caused in her. The need to have him, consume him, taste him.
“More,” she begged, barely recognizing her own hoarse voice. What had she turned into? What had he turned her into?
As if he knew what she needed, his hand slipped to her thigh where her dress had already ridden up. His fingers trailed along her naked skin and moved upwards until they reached her damp panties. One finger rubbed against her, and she let out a relieved sigh. Yes, that was better, so much better. He would take away the ache and make her feel normal again.
“Yes,” she encouraged him and dropped her head back against the wall, her neck unable to support the weight any longer. Her lids were too heavy to keep open.
Yvette held her breath as Haven eased his finger underneath the thin fabric and stroked against her wet flesh.
“What the fuck?”
Her entire body stiffened, and her eyes flew open, staring at Haven. But his face was turned to the side, his hands already retreating from her body. She now realized that he wasn’t the one who’d spoken.
Her eyes followed his gaze, landing on Wesley, who stood only a few feet away from them, grimacing in disgust. She’d completely forgotten everything around her.
Haven leapt up from the cot, the massive bulge in his pants still making a prominent statement, one his brother didn’t miss. Wesley’s lips curled downwards. “You, of all people? How could you?”
“Stay out of it, Wes!”
But Wesley couldn’t be stopped. He crossed the distance between him and his brother, almost bumping into him.
“You idiot! Don’t you see she’s manipulating you?” Wesley’s disdain for vampires fairly dripped from his voice, but it wasn’t his tone that got Yvette’s hackles up. It was the words he uttered next. “She’s using you.”
Yvette jumped up, the wet fabric chafing against her nipple, reminding her all too painfully of Haven’s touch. Damn, she’d been stupid to let herself be lulled into a false sense of security with him. He hated vampires just as much as his brother did. “Get your facts straight, Wesley. If anybody is using anyone than it’s your brother.”
Haven turned and shot her an acid look. “Look who’s changing her tune. A minute ago you couldn’t get enough of my blood, and now I’m the one who’s using you?”
“She bit you?” Wesley hissed and pulled his stake from his jacket pocket.
“He offered it!” Yvette yelled and glared at Haven. “In fact, he forced me to bite him, because he didn’t think I could restrain myself from attacking any of you.”
Wesley gave his brother an incredulous look. “You gave her your blood? Freely? Who are you? What the hell happened to my brother?”
“Shut up, Wes! If it wasn’t for your stupidity, we wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place.”
“Oh, now it’s my fault that you let her bite you?”
“That’s not what I said! For once, would you please act rationally? Or do I constantly have to dig you out of every mess you g
et into?”
“So that’s what this is about! Go ahead, blame me for everything! Why did you even try to rescue me if you hate me so much?”
Yvette heard the cracking in Wesley’s voice and recognized the strain he was under. He wouldn’t last much longer.
“I don’t hate you!”
“Yes, you do. You hate me because I couldn’t keep Katie safe.” A long, tense moment passed between the brothers where none of them spoke. Only the creaking of the third cot could be heard, indicating that Kimberly had been awakened by their heated words. Yvette glanced in her direction and noted the confused look on her face, but the girl said nothing.
Then Wesley looked at Yvette and swept an assessing glance over her body. “God, Haven, you want her? How can you do this when she represents everything we despise?”
“I don’t want her.” Haven’s harshly spoken words stung. Even though Yvette knew that she wanted nothing from him, the rejection still hurt her ego.
“Then how do you explain what I just saw? You were two minutes away from fucking her.”
Wesley’s assessment couldn’t have been more accurate. Another minute or two of Haven’s hands on her, and she would have spread her legs for him, not giving a damn about who was watching. Hell, she had completely forgotten where they were.
Haven ran his hand through his thick hair, utter confusion and plain regret skidding over his features. “I don’t understand what got into me.”
Yvette closed her eyes for a moment. A feeding could bring on instant arousal in both the donor and the vampire who was feeding from him. “Wesley, you shouldn’t blame your brother. It’s not his fault. It was merely the side effect of feeding.”
“Side effect?” Haven lashed a glare at her.
Yvette tried to remain unaffected by the suspicion in his voice, steeling herself for his next reaction. “For a self-proclaimed vampire hunter, you know precious little about us.”
“Spit it out, Yvette.” His voice was full of venom now. The passionate man who’d driven her wild had vanished into thin air.
She crossed her arms over her chest and widened her stance, realizing too late that her arms created a shelf on which her breasts rose unimpeded and were presented as if she was offering them to him. Which of course she wasn’t! But it was too late to change her action, otherwise she would draw needless attention to them. When she looked back at Haven, she realized it was for naught anyway: his gaze had already snapped to her breasts, before he forced it back up to her face.
