by T. S. Ryder
Bianca cried out, her head lifting back, and he groaned loudly, almost falling over her – that’s how good it felt! He held her from behind, her back tight against his chest, his arm circling her stomach, while they stayed there for a moment, joined to the fullest, enjoying the raw intensity of it. He could feel her muscles softening around him, adapting to his presence, his size, and the cream of her wetness coating him. Eric leaned down forward and put a soft, wet kiss on her shoulder before he finally rose again and began to move, his hands on her hips, pushing into her with long, slow strokes until he felt her fully relax.
And then he gave himself over to desire completely, and began to drive into her, every stroke a little faster, a little harder, each followed by a low, rolling grunt as he gained his tempo, goaded by the wordless pleas Bianca uttered each time he hit the right spot.
Desperate to jump over the edge with her, together, Eric slipped his hand under her and reached around to her clit again, pressing the lusciously sensitive pearl of flesh in time with his thrusts. Bianca responded to it beautifully, rising up to grab onto the pillow and bite into it. He moved the hand that held on to her to brace himself against the headboard as he lowered his body down without losing his beat. “Tell me how you want me, Bianca,” he purred into her ear. “Faster? Harder?”
She looked over her shoulder to him, her eyes glazed over with smoldering desire, and pleaded, “Harder... yes... please!” with a desperate need that matched his own, and it was all he needed to hear.
With raw passion, he pushed into Bianca’s heat, his fingers working her clit hard. When he felt her sweet, juicy flesh quivering around him and heard her ecstatic moans growing louder and louder until they melted into one final, shattering cry, that was all that he needed to come undone and climax with a howl of ferocious satisfaction.
Chapter Nine
Bianca dozed off in Eric’s arms, their limbs tangled, exhausted, warm and deliciously sore, but stirred awake again when she felt him moving away. “Eric?” she called for him sleepily, and he turned around to give her a soft, slow kiss.
“Shhh... sleep. I’ll be back in a few hours,” he told her.
“Where are you going?” she asked, and he replied with a smile that was positively wolfish.
“Listen,” he said. Out there in the distance, howls filled the silence of the night. “The moon is full and my Pack is calling,” he told her, smiling, and kissed her again. “Sleep,” he whispered, “I’ll be back before you know it and give you the best wake-up of your life.” Bianca couldn’t help but chuckle to that. She pulled him into her arms for another long, lingering kiss before she let him go.
Eric went to open the window, an image of beauty and power as he stood bathed in the silver moonlight, and shifted right in front of her. It was a captivating sight, full of fluid elegance, as his body morphed from human to that macabre yet fascinating creature again. Bianca wondered how she could ever think of him as a monster.
Sitting up, she reached for him, and Eric moved towards her on all fours until his massive, shaggy head was under her palm. “It’s so soft,” she whispered, amazed at how his fur felt on her skin, “I thought it’d be rough... like dog fur.” Eric let out a sound that reminded her of a scoffing laugh and let her pet him a little longer before he nipped at her fingers lightly, golden eyes shining in the dark, and jumped out of the window in one graceful leap. Bianca rushed to the window, and saw him land on his feet and break into a swift run, much faster than anything in nature could possibly move.
God, what did she get herself into, she wondered, but not for too long. As sudden and profound as this new change to her life was, she loved the way Eric made her feel and wanted to see what this thing between them was and what it could develop into. With a happy little sigh, she closed the window and went back to bed. Sleep claimed her quickly, soothing and deep... so deep that she didn’t even notice someone was in the room until a hand pressed hard over her mouth, waking her up with a panicked start.
“You fat little whore,” Jason McKenna growled at her, as he loomed above her, naked, his beautiful face contorted into an ugly mask of vicious fury. Bianca started to fight him, kicking and scratching at him, trying to free herself from his steely grip, even trying to bite his hand, but it was no use. He was just too strong. “Eric always did have abysmal taste,” he sneered at her snidely. “But at least this time I’ve got some use out of his vulgarity.”
He moved his hand away, giving Bianca just enough time to utter one desperate scream for help before he punched her, sending her into unconsciousness.
She did not know exactly how much time she spent passed out, but when she finally woke, she decided it couldn’t have been too long. It was still nighttime, and her head was in a whirl, heavy and thudding. Her wrists and ankles were bound painfully tight, and she was cold because the bastard had snatched her out of bed naked and just tossed her under a large oak tree in a clearing of some sort in the woods, adding humiliation to injury.
“Oh, good,” Jason snickered. “You’re awake.” An angry howl cut through the air, making Bianca’s skin crawl with dread. “Ah... I hear Eric’s got my message,” he said, grinning. Still naked, he would’ve been an even lovelier sight to behold than his brother was, if it weren’t for that psychotic look on his face. He was standing just a few strides away, holding an enormous gun in his hand. Bianca recognized it from the movies as the infamous Desert Eagle. He lifted it, aiming for her, and she cowered against the tree. “I knew he wouldn’t resist playing your knight in shaggy armor,” he taunted her, relishing her fear. “Damn fool always did have a hero complex.”
There was a rustle of leaves and branches, and Eric, still in werewolf form, jumped out of the bushes, landing just a few feet away. Unperturbed, Jason cocked his gun without a word, looking to Eric with a deranged grin on his face. “Not another step, brother, or I blow the bitch’s brains out.”
A moment later, Eric shifted back to human, his expression grim. “Your note said you’d let Bianca go if I came,” he said, making Jason bark out a cruel laugh.
“No, it said I’d kill her if you didn’t come,” he corrected Eric snidely. “Two very different things, those.”
The look on Eric’s face grew even darker. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked, tranquil fury in his voice, cold and cutting.
Jason’s reply sounded unhinged. “Taking what’s rightfully mine!” he growled, bitter resentment thick in his voice. “I should’ve been made Alpha – I’m smarter, and better, and more talented at everything that makes a good leader! But all anyone cares about is whether or not I have the brute strength to win in a fight. What’s the use of fighting skill in today’s world? The Pack needs a political leader, a cunning diplomat to solidify its position and build influence, not a knuckle-dragging Neanderthal who’d let it stagnate as a petty family commune. Even that blockhead Hector knows that – that’s why he passed down the title. He just chose the wrong brother to give it to.”
“The Pack is happy with the way things are,” Eric replied, but Jason just laughed him off.
“Oh, what do they know?” he scoffed. “They have no vision, no ambition. Twenty years from now, when the Government in the entire Tristate Area is full of our people and we can run this territory as we see fit, they’ll thank me for this.”
Insane, Bianca thought. Jason McKenna was utterly insane.
Sadly, Eric waved his head. “Don’t be a fool, Jason,” he said to his brother. “The Pack would never accept you as the Alpha.”
But that only made Jason angrier. “After I put you and Hector down, they’ll have no choice,” he snarled. “Everything you own – the land, the shares in the company – it’ll all be mine, and I’ll have the power to cut off every single one of them. And when I’m done with you, I’ll get rid of this whore as well. With you gone and no other heirs around, The Law will support my claim, and no one will dare stand against me!”
Eric sighed, looking hurt, beaten and exha
usted, and Bianca’s heart hurt for him. To see his own brother turned into such a monster... she couldn’t imagine his pain.
“There’s just one problem with that plan,” Eric told Jason, his head dropping in defeat.
“Oh, yeah?” Jason jeered. “And what is that?”
Eric lifted his eyes, now shining gold. “Hector and I aren’t dead yet,” he replied, his tone sharp.
As if on cue, a werewolf with a red-brown pelt leapt out of the trees behind Jason.
Terrified, Bianca turned her head away and closed her eyes.
There was a horrific crunching sound and a thud, and then silence, heavy and eerie. The air was permeated with the iron scent of freshly-spilled blood.
Moments later, she could feel a pair of strong, gentle arms pulling her into a tight embrace, and something inside her broke in that moment. She began to cry, all of the stress of this horrible, magical day pouring into her tears. She knew it was Eric holding her, and she buried her head into his chest, desperate for his comfort and protection. Silently, he held her, letting her vent her emotions for as long as she needed, not even moving to cut her restraints until she had finally begun to calm down.
“Go bring her something to wear,” he murmured, and Bianca looked over his shoulder to see the enormous, red-brown creature was still there. He stood over Jason’s dead body, licking his bloody chops, before running away to do as his Alpha bid him.
“Was... was that Hector?” she asked Eric, her voice weak and choppy from crying, and he nodded. Gathering a bit of courage, Bianca looked at Jason... or what was left of him.
His body was on the ground, laid on its stomach, and Bianca could see large claw marks on the shoulders and lower back. His head resembled a smashed watermelon, skull cracked by the powerful jaws of his eldest brother, blood and brain matter spewed everywhere around it. The sight made bile rise in Bianca’s stomach, but the shock wouldn’t let her look away. She let Eric remove her bonds and scoop her into his arms protectively, almost catatonic from the experience.
“I’m sorry,” Eric whispered, holding her close, warming her with his body. “It’s all my fault.”
Bianca closed her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder, and sighed. “It was Jason’s fault, all of it,” she told him, her voice weak, “And it’s over now... right?”
Kissing her forehead, Eric petted her hair and nodded. “It’s over.”
And, for Bianca, that was enough.
Chapter Ten
Eight months later
The moon was full and, after spending a good hour pleasuring his wife, Eric McKenna opened the window of their bedroom and morphed so he could go run with his Pack.
“I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to seeing you shapeshift,” Bianca said, her tone full of pride and wonder as she sat up on the bed. Lolling his tongue out, Eric stalked over to her, wanting to feel her touch again, putting his head in her lap. She was so beautiful, his Bianca, even more so now that the baby bump was starting to show, even though she always complained that nobody would be able to guess she was pregnant anyway, considering all the padding she carried on her. To Eric, it just meant that there was more of her to love. He did not care about her size, or the stretch marks the pregnancy was putting on her expanding stomach, or any of the changes her body would go through over the years. He found endless joy in her body, yes... but he loved Bianca.
Suddenly, the baby in her womb kicked, making Bianca gasp and start laughing. God, but he wanted to spend his life watching her this happy. It had taken him months to convince her that, yes, he really did love her, and no, he wasn’t with her only for the baby. The day she had accepted his hand in marriage was the happiest he’d ever had. He didn’t even care if the baby she carried was a girl; he just wanted to be with her and make his family with her. To hell with everything else.
Petting him behind the ears with both hands, Bianca leaned to kiss him between the brows. “Happy hunting, love,” she murmured. He touched the tip of his snout to her nose, making her giggle, before leaping out of the window to meet his Pack in the woods of the reservation.
With his mate and child happy and safe, with his Pack thriving and strong, Eric felt nothing but joy in his heart.
Through all the tragedy and pain, they had earned their happy ending, he thought, and bellowed a long, victorious howl, sharing his happiness with the world.
*****
THE END
Vampire Romance: Kidnapped by the Vampire Prince
Description
A curvy doctor refusing a new job PLUS a hot Vampire Prince who wants her no matter what PLUS a suspicious and deadly attack!
It is mere months before the Great Gathering when a mysterious disease threatens the lives of the Louisiana vampire clan. The Clan King, Baptiste Roche, gives the task of finding the cause and the cure to his son and heir, Sebastien.
But when the lead expert of the medical team, Dr. Duquesne, is killed in a suspicious accident, all hope and months of hard work seem lost forever...
Until Sebastien finds out that, in the last few weeks before his death, Dr. Duquesne had been consulting with a human hematologist on the project without anyone’s knowledge.
Shortly after the death of her former mentor, Dr. Kendra Allenby is offered the chance to take over his job at the highly private Roche Laboratories. But nothing – not the prestigious position, the generous paycheck, or the chance to finally get her hands on Dr. Duquesne’s mysterious project – can tempt her into leaving the Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute.
Desperate, Sebastien Roche sees no other choice but to bring her in by force, kicking off a chain of events he never could’ve predicted...
Sparks fly when two indomitable wills clash, and the mighty pull of attraction between them cannot be denied. A wild passion blooms in the midst of the desperate race against the clock... but will it be their undoing – or their salvation?
Chapter One
Kendra Allenby entwined her fingers, rested her hands on her desk and gave Alexander Beauchamp a level stare. “I don’t think you understand, Mr. Beauchamp,” she said, her tone flat, “I am not leaving Moffitt, and that is my final answer.”
Mr. Beauchamp flashed her a perfectly charming smile that nevertheless did nothing for Kendra. “While MCC is certainly a fine establishment, I sincerely doubt it can offer you the kind of working conditions and financial compensation Roche Laboratories can,” he said. “Not to mention the years it might take you to become Head of Hematology – a position we are ready to offer you right now.”
“Moffitt provides me with the kind of work I want to do,” she replied, managing to maintain her calm despite the slight edge of annoyance creeping into her voice. “The kind that allows me to work for the good of the general public, rather than a shadowy organization with a mysterious billionaire benefactor at its helm.”
Mr. Beauchamp cocked an eyebrow. “You make it all sound so... ominous.” He tried to endear himself to her with a bit of humor, but Kendra was not amused. “Roche Laboratories may be privately owned and funded, but we are no more secretive than, say, Monsanto, or any other organization that heavily relies on research and invention to achieve success.”
“You do realize that Monsanto comparison is making my case for me?” Kendra asked, deadpan – a comment that finally broke Mr. Beauchamp’s amiable façade.
“Dr. Allenby...” he began, rather condescendingly, thus choosing both the wrong tone and the wrong words for this conversation. “Let me be perfectly clear. Yes, you are undisputedly an expert in your field and Roche Laboratories’ first choice, but you are certainly not our only one. Furthermore, considering the debt your student loan has racked up, I’m not so sure you can afford to refuse our offer.”
Resisting the urge to punch the arrogant twit, Kendra instead pressed a button her intercom, not once breaking their eye contact. “Yes, Dr. Allenby?” Dan Swenson, the desk clerk on duty at the reception, answered promptly.
“Mr. Beauchamp will be l
eaving now,” she said, her tone even. Dan didn’t need further instruction. Just a moment later, two security guards were inside Kendra’s office, standing by Mr. Beauchamp’s chair, ready to escort him out of the building by force if need be, and making their intention clear through the sheer force of body language.
At first, Mr. Beauchamp just sat there, ignoring them while he watched her with the kind of keenness that made her feel uncomfortable before he blinked and stood up calmly. “Very well, Dr. Allenby,” he said and, followed by the guards, exited her office without any further comments.
Kendra counted to fifteen and then let out a loud, frustrated groan as she dropped into her chair. This, this right here was why she entered relationships so rarely! Nursing male egos and dealing with their self-entitlement was both exhausting and frustrating, and she had lost both the patience and the will to put up with that for the sake of companionship years ago.
Some five minutes later, Dan came into the office with a cup of coffee in his hands to find Kendra focused on her work again, deeply engrossed in the reports of the most recent lab work. “So what’s the deal with Hottie McSnotty?” he asked as he approached her and put the coffee on her desk. Clearly, Dan was just as impressed by Mr. Beauchamp’s physique as he was disappointed with his attitude.
“He’s from Roche Laboratories,” she told him, in a considerably warmer tone now that the cause of her irritation was gone, and smiled to him gratefully. He made the best coffee, strong and black, with just a pinch of cinnamon to brighten the flavor.
