by Austin, RB
“I don’t want you to be in anymore pain,” he said.
She shook her head. “I could kill you.”
His eyebrows furrowed. “No, Kate. I don’t think you could.”
“You don’t know that.” It was taking all of her strength to keep the tears in.
“I do.” He laid his palm against her cheek.
She gasped.
He immediately sat back. “What? Is it another vision?”
Kate rocked forward, pressed her bare hands against his cheeks. She moaned. The pads of her fingertips brushed the soft skin underneath his eyes. His rough stubble grazed against her palms. There was no stopping or slowing now.
Her fingers trailed over his forehead. Her thumbs ran down his closed eyelids, his nose, lips. She traced his lips. Again. Wanted to lean in and kiss him, but wanted to touch more.
Heat swirled in her belly. Hotter than before.
“Take your shirt off.” The words rushed out. He took too long to respond. Her hands dove under the soft fabric. Stroked the ridges of his abdomen. Fingers played with the light sprinkle of hair on his chest. Thumbs ran over his nipples. Paused. Did it again. She had to see what she was touching.
Kate tugged at the shirt. Dragged her gaze up to meet his.
Lucas’s eyes burned blue, brighter than she’d ever seen before.
Chapter 52
Sweet Creator.
Lucas ripped off his shirt.
Kate gasped, her gaze lowering to his uncovered chest, lids falling half closed. A second later her hands were all over him.
He’d never seen anything so sexy before. Had never been so afraid to lose control, afraid he’d move too fast and scare her. Her hips moved in a slow thrust against his pelvis. He didn’t think she was even aware, but he could barely concentrate on anything else.
“Red,” she said on a breath. Her hands seemed to have multiplied and were touching every inch of his chest leaving his nerve endings wanting more, tingling with need.
“Huh?”
“Your tattoo. It’s bright red.”
“Forget the red.” He grabbed her hips, thrusted up.
She inhaled sharply. Her hands clutched his biceps. Short nails dug into his skin, making him moan. Her eyes flashed to his, held. His Behn gaze brought everything in greater focus and his need intensified. Fangs burned to come out.
Recently moistened, plump, pink lips were parted slightly. Her smoldering brown gaze, always so full of caution, was trusting, pupils large with her own excitement. Soft breaths escaped her mouth and fanned across his face like a gentle welcoming breeze. Her cheeks, pink from arousal, only peaked his own. Tiny pieces of hair, still damp from her shower, curled around her head, framing her face.
Her tongue darted out, wetted her lips. “I want . . .” She panted with each thrust of his hips. “I want.”
“I want, too,” he whispered, letting go of her hips, to cup her cheeks.
Kate stiffened. He did the same, interpreting the changes in her expression. Fear. Confusion. Wonder. Delight.
He pulled her closer. Their lips inches apart. “I want to peel off your clothes one at a time,” he said softly. “Caress you with my hands. Taste every inch of your body with my mouth. Lavish each revealed piece of skin, giving it the attention it’s deserved your whole life.”
She opened her mouth, lower lip trembling, eyes shining. Her mouth closed, opened again. “Yes,” she said, her voice shaking.
Lucas didn’t move. “I’ll stop whenever you want. Just say the word.” He searched for any other hesitation or worry.
A slow nod. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. Gaze fell and stayed on his mouth.
Another inch forward. Just a flick of his tongue and he’d be at her mouth. His cock already stretched painfully against his slacks. Kate’s heat was driving him crazy. A low growl escaped. Her eyes widened, flashed to meet his.
“Okay?”
“Yes.”
Her hands ran the length of his bicep, up and down, made it difficult to move slowly, give her time to change her mind. But this was Kate. He’d do anything for her.
He pressed his lips against hers.
She stilled.
Again, he did the same. Moved back a breath. “More?”
Instead of answering, she leaned forward and pushed her mouth against his. He let her set the pace. Her movements were stilted, unsure, and slowly torturing him. Hands still cupping her cheeks, he tilted her head to show her. When she got the hang of it, alarmingly fast, he opened his mouth and flicked his tongue against her lips. He groaned. Apples. Not only was it seeping from her pores, but it was on her skin as well.
Her tongue hesitantly swept across his bottom lip. He moaned to encourage her and because it felt so damn good. She did it again.
He darted his tongue out to meet hers. She stiffened, a breath pushing out of her lips.
“Good?” he breathed.
She gave a half-moan, half-yes answer. Then her hands cupped the sides of his face and she pulled him across the short distance to attack his mouth.
Lucas caught up fast. His hands fell, gripped her hips. Squeezed.
Her tongue danced faster against his. Her hips moved quicker, thrust harder. He helped.
She groaned loudly as an orgasm shook her body. He ran his mouth along her jawline, her cheek, earlobe.
She grew limp in his arms. Rested her forehead against his. Soft, warm breaths fell across his lips, his own mingled with hers.
“That was . . . that was.”
“Not even remotely the first orgasm you’ll have tonight.”
Her head lifted, eyes widened.
He leaned in for a hard, fast kiss, before cupping her bottom and standing.
She didn’t question, just wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips. Her fingers swirled across the back of his neck, trailing over his shoulders. Her touch was mesmerizing, intoxicating, and his almost bursting cock thickened more.
He was out of the Entertainment Room and in his own bedroom in five steps. Her hands ran over his chest as she slid to the ground. He kicked the door closed and walked her backward to the bed, stopping when the back of her knees hit it. His hands played with the edges of her shirt. One finger brushed across the skin of her lower belly. She stiffened, her eyes large again, but not just with excitement and passion.
Lucas stopped immediately. He pressed her hands against his chest, covered them with his own. The pads of his thumbs ran over the silky smooth, practically untouched, skin on the back of her hand. “As slow as you want,” he reminded her. “Stop at any time.”
She swallowed, nodded.
His gaze ran over her face, studying her expression again. This wasn’t just first time nerves. He inhaled sharply. His eyes flashed bright. Fangs burst from his gums so fast he didn’t have time to think of holding them back.
Kate gasped.
Though she made no move to get away, Lucas dropped her hands and stepped away. His hands clenched into fists at his side and he lowered his head. Someone had hurt Kate. His Kate.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Forget it for now. Don’t ruin this moment. Question her later then go find the bastard and kill him.
His lips were moving before he could stop himself. “Did someone force you, Kate?” His voice was gravelly from speaking between the fangs, but she understood him.
The rosy color in her cheeks, the glow he’d brought there, leeched out. She stepped back, but the bed was directly behind her and she began to fall instead. Lucas grabbed her hands, helped her sit, before kneeling in front of her.
He let go of her hands. It was the hardest thing he’d ever done, but he wanted to give her space. Show her he wasn’t the same as that scum.
/> Her head was down, hair falling forward. His unsteady finger tilted her chin up. “Talk to me.”
Her eyes met his before lowering to his fangs. Her heart raced. Breaths matching, so fast he was afraid she was going to pass out.
“Don’t be afraid. He can’t hurt you anymore. I’ll protect you.” He’d kill the bastard.
She stared at him, chest still rising and falling rapidly. A look he couldn’t read crossed over her face. Her breathing slowed. Tears filled her eyes, two slipping down her cheeks.
He caught them with his thumb. “What is it?”
She opened her mouth, closed it, wet her lips, and tried again. Her voice was barely a whisper. “He’s dead.”
He was confused and disappointed for only a moment. His gaze flashed to hers, held. Fear was still evident in her brown eyes, but she wasn’t scared the zakaar was coming for her. “You killed him,” he said softly.
More tears dislodged. He caught those, too.
“I didn’t even know it was possible. He’d ripped my shirt off, started touching—” She shuddered.
A growl rumbled in Lucas’s throat.
“I was pulled into a vision.” She half swallowed a sob. “So many girls he’d hurt. I knew what he was going to do to me. Saw what he’d done in the past. I was so scared. Then so angry. I told him I was going to tell. He laughed. Said no one would believe me. I was nothing. Even my parents didn’t want me. I didn’t think. Just pulled off my gloves. Pressed my bare hands against his chest. To see more. Get evidence. Fear and pain tore through me. All from his victims. He gasped and I suddenly knew he was seeing and feeling what I was.
“I’ve never been able to let go in a vision, not by myself, and at that moment, I didn’t want to. When the vision ended, he was still on top of me, shaking. He started to get off. I followed. Held on. Until he was on the ground and I was over him. I didn’t let go until his body was still.” She fell silent. Her gaze bounced from Lucas to the wall. Lucas. The floor. Her lower lip trembled and she caught it between her teeth.
“I’m glad.”
Her eyebrows drew down.
“You protected yourself. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
She shook her head.
Lucas clasped her hands, ran his thumb across the smooth skin. “I wish I could take that from you. All the bad things that happened to you. You deserve to be showered with love and gifts on a daily basis.” He wanted to be the one to do it.
It might be too soon, but he couldn’t hold back any longer. He just had to touch her. Gently, he brushed the hair back from her face, trailed his fingers over her cheek. She closed her eyes, tilted her head into his palm.
“We don’t have to do anything.”
A line formed in the middle of her forehead.
“I’d be happy just to hold you all day long.” He gazed at his pillows, sheets. She couldn’t lie on his bed. Anything she touched would give her a vision. What had he been thinking? He stood, pulled her with him. Started for the door, but was jerked to a stop.
“You gave me a promise.”
“I’ll protect you, Kate. With my life.” He reached for her other hand. “But you’re strong. You’ve overcome so many things in your life. No one stands a chance against you.” Happiness then sadness ran through him. He glanced at their joined hands. He shouldn’t be able to get a reading tonight. Not after what he did earlier.
“That’s not the promise I’m talking about.”
What other promise had he given her?
She tugged and he stepped closer. Another tug and there was only a whisper of air between them. Kate stretched on tiptoes. They were eye level now. Her hands clasped behind his neck. She leaned until her body rested on his.
His heart began to thrum. Urges rose. He wouldn’t scare her. Never. But the way she was looking at his mouth made it difficult to hold still. Her eyes slowly trailed up to meet his.
She licked her lips.
His cock twitched.
“You promised me more orgasms.”
Chapter 53
Kate watched the emotions play across Lucas’s face. She could feel his response pressing against her belly and wanted to straddle him again, rub against him again. But he still wasn’t kissing her. Or holding her tight.
Maybe he was afraid of her now? Did she repulse him? He hunted murderers. She was a murderer.
She settled back to her feet. Dislodged her arms from around his neck. Stepped back, head lowered. He knew most of her secrets. Had weapons against her. That didn’t bother her as much as—
He moved so fast she didn’t realize what was happening until her arms were back around his neck and his hands were on her waist.
“What are you doing?” he asked, huskily.
Her face was bathed in his blue light. The tips of his fangs peaked from between his lips. At first his fangs had frightened her, then she noticed their appearance was the same as when his flashlight eyes turned on. And he didn’t look angry right now. Far from it.
Did he want to drink from her? Is that why his fangs grr-ed out? Could she touch one? What did they feel like?
Another first. Kate had stopped wanting to touch things a long time ago. Now she didn’t want to stop. As long as it involved Lucas.
He held her close, left hand high on her back. The right had found an open spot between her untucked shirt and pants. His fingers ran back and forth over her skin, making her insides heat.
Another first. She didn’t ever want Lucas to stop touching her.
Every brush of his fingertips against her skin was intoxicating. In all her life, she’d never yearned for skin-to-skin contact with another human—let alone with a guy. Nightmares, yes. Fantasy, wishes, never. She had no preconceived notions of what it should feel like. To have someone’s hands on her, his skin against her skin.
The calloused pads of his fingers glided over her. Every touch left heat behind. The warmth always traveled south until she was achy with need.
And, God, his lips. She could kiss him forever. His tongue when it’d stroked hers, another first, wasn’t wet or uncomfortable. It had overwhelmed, but in the most exquisite manner. Intrusive, but she hadn’t wanted him to stop.
“Did you change your mind, Kate?”
Her gaze jerked from the fangs peeking out of his mouth to his eyes. Had the blue light dimmed? She shook her head, her ability to speak at the moment lost. The sensations, the memory of his touch, made speech difficult. Made coherent thoughts impossible.
He made a noise at the back of his throat that sounded like a growl. Another turn on. Then she was up in his arms. He opened his bedroom door, stepped into the hallway.
“What are you doing?” His bed was closer. Why was he walking away from it?
Her questions fell away when Lucas opened the door to her room, set her down next to the blankets on the floor. This was the second time she’d forgotten about her ability. What did this man do to her head?
No one except Nan had ever gone out of their way to make sure she was comfortable. To protect her. She closed her eyes against the hot tears. It’d be hard to leave after this. But she would. As Lucas said, she was strong.
She threw her arms around him, yanked his head to hers. There were no words to convey the emotions inside her. None that would keep the tears at bay anyway.
He growled again and her body bloomed in response. She wriggled closer. Oh, how she wanted his hands all over her body. Touching her in places only her hands had ever traveled. Back of her neck. Across her thigh. Stomach. Breast. And even between her legs, where she ached despite her recent orgasm.
Without breaking contact with her lips, Lucas slowly lowered her down to the blankets. He followed, elbows on either side of her head, his legs resting on the outside of hers. His weight pressed her into the
floor.
An image of Randy popped into her head. She jerked, eyes flashing open. Her gaze collided with his. The bright blues brought her back to the present.
She knew where she was. Who she was with. And what she wanted.
Her gaze roamed over his body, hands following. Shoulders, chest, nipples, sides of his waist.
How could touching him turn her on so much?
The muscles in his stomach, small dusting of hair below his belly button, the waist of his expensive pants. It was a toss-up. She didn’t know what she wanted more. His hands on her or hers on him.
She concentrated on the feel of each dip along his spine, the tautness of his lower back, back up to his shoulders again. Through the soft, short strands of hair on his head. Smooth-skinned temples. Bristled cheeks. Dangerous lips.
Kate paused. A thumb on either side of his mouth.
She flicked her gaze up to his. He was watching her. The expression in his eyes caught her breath. She wanted to cry again, dammit. She swallowed thickly before turning her attention to his mouth. His lips parted and he opened his mouth wider to show the two white, long, sharp teeth.
Slowly her right thumb rubbed the top of a fang. Glided down over the smooth surface. She glanced up to catch his reaction.
Still tenderness and trust, but also a bit of worry. As if he were afraid of her reaction.
Chapter 54
Lucas froze. Held his breath.
Kate’s thumbs slid across his top lip, down the length of his fangs that had grown along with his cock. A groan escaped. He wanted to sink his fangs into her neck and slam inside her all at the same time, but he held still.
