Slipping his hand under Ellie’s dress, he lifts her enough to pull her panties down and off her legs. Shoving them into his pants pocket, he swings her around until she is straddling him with her back to the restaurant. Ellie gasps at suddenly finding herself sitting half-naked on Jasper’s lap.
“What are you doing, Jasper?”
He winks at her. “I’m making us both more comfortable, gorgeous.”
“I’m not sure that I’m up for having sex in the middle of the restaurant. I’m willing to do and try a lot, but I’m thinking that might be too much for me, at least at this point in time,” she says with a sexy little smile.
Jasper laughs at her as he strokes her bare legs. “I’m not going to just have my wicked way with you on the table, gorgeous. However, since you are on the Exclusive list, I thought we could show them why you are on that list.”
“I’m confused. I thought I was on the list because Ian wanted me there.”
Jasper shook his head. “Yes and no. You’re on the list because of Ian and the fact that your blood is just incredible, gorgeous. It’s not something that we want to have every vampire in the area getting hooked on though. The fact is that your blood tastes like liquid sin and is very addictive.”
Jasper pulls Ellie closer. She can feel his erection between them and is tempted to unzip his pants and finish what they started earlier. Instead, she wraps her arms around Jasper’s neck, leans forward, and brushes her lips across his. Slow, teasing kisses at first until Jasper takes control and deepens the kiss. Ellie moans and drops her head back as he moves down the side of her throat to the vein in the curve of her shoulder. Pulling gently on the sensitive skin there, he slides his hands up under her skirt stroking the silky skin of her bottom. Ellie runs her hands through Jasper’s hair and holds his head to the vein, encouraging him to drink.
Glancing up, Jasper whispers, “Are you sure you want to do this here, gorgeous?”
“I’m sure, Jasper. I want you to taste me.”
Stroking the curve of her shoulder with his fingertip, he winds his fingers into her hair and tilts it to the side. Warm, open mouth kisses on her skin causes Ellie to whimper as Jasper continues his torment. Sensual hands slide up under the short skirt to the juncture of her thighs that’s aching for Jasper’s touch. She spreads her legs giving him better access to ease the desire that’s spreading through her body. A pinch of pain and a thrust of his fingers send Ellie on a rollercoaster of sensation. Rocking back and forth on Jasper’s hand, Ellie matches the rhythm of his sinful fingers with the sucking at her throat. Ellie’s walls clamp down on his fingers, he tweaks her clit with his thumb sending her into a spiraling climax. Gently withdrawing his fangs and licking the tiny wounds, Jasper sooths her with slow strokes up and down the bare skin of her back.
Ellie leans forward and drops her head on his shoulder. “Out of curiosity, Jasper. Will I have an orgasm every time someone drinks from me?”
Jasper leans back to look in her eyes. “It depends on who is drinking from you, gorgeous. If you are attracted to the person and become aroused, then the answer is yes. If you are just offering a donation, then you may become aroused but not find satisfaction.” He brushes his lips across hers. “However, if you are with either Ian or me, you can count on being satisfied.”
Ellie gasps as she is lifted off Jasper’s lap and placed on another set of steel thighs. “I will have to agree with Jasper, little one. I don’t think keeping you satisfied is going to be a problem for either of us.”
“Ian!” Ellie leans forward for a hug. “I wondered when you were going to get down here. Jasper was showing me how the floor drinks work.”
Ian glances at Jasper with a smirk. “I bet he was enjoying the lesson too, little one.”
Jasper motions for one of the drinks to head to the table. “I always enjoy spending time with Ellie, Ian. It has been a pleasure to show her around Everlasting.”
When the drink comes to the table, Jasper orders a bottle of scotch, a fruit and cheese tray, and three glasses. “I’ve been trying to explain to her that it does not bother you that I have tasted her. She was a little worried that you would be angry.”
Ian laughs and kisses her on the forehead. “Little one, we are connected on a deeper level then that and monogamy is not something that vampires spend time worrying about.”
Ellie crinkles her nose at the both of them, as she ponders those words. “I do not understand why you both continue to talk about a deeper connection. Does this have anything to do with the Hunger stuff that Jasper was telling me about?”
Ian caresses the skin at the base of her spine, while the drink brings their order to the table. Jasper pours three glasses of scotch and hands one to Ellie. “Drink, gorgeous, it’s going to be a long night.”
Ellie sniffs the aroma of the high-end scotch and takes a tentative sip. She gasps at the warm sensation sliding down the back of her throat and pooling in the pit of stomach. Warmth spreads throughout her body and she relaxes against Ian.
“Now that we have beverages, why don’t you two start telling me about the funny things I can hear in my head and why you keep saying that I can satisfy the Hunger that Ian feels?”
Ian tosses back his scotch and slides Ellie into the seat between him and Jasper. “I believe that Jasper explained to you the idea behind the Hunger, correct?”
Ellie nods her head. “Yes, he said that there’s a person that can satisfy the Hunger that you all feel as vampires. This would not cure you, and you could still drink from others, but it would satisfy the emptiness inside of you.”
Ian reaches out and takes her hand. “I believe that you are that person for me, Ellie. I began to notice it a few years ago, when I met you at a charity function for the hospital. After I tasted you I was sure that you were the person that I was searching for.”
Ellie tilts her head to the side as she listens to Ian’s words. “After we made love, I began to feel a deeper connection with you. I was able to see flashes of what you were doing and to sense your presence. The connection is not complete at this point but it’s becoming deeper. I could sense your hesitation with Jasper in the back room and I believe that you felt me when I said that it would be fine, yes?”
Ellie sits up in surprise. “Actually, I did. I thought it was strange that I would suddenly be okay with being with Jasper but felt that you would understand.”
Jasper takes hold of her other hand. “I told you that he was fine with us being together, gorgeous. The Hunger is a deeper connection then just sex and blood.”
Glancing between the two sexy vampires Ellie asks, “So how do you complete the connection? Is it like getting married and what are the implications of a human completing it?”
Ian reaches for his glass, as he smiles. “Vampires don’t get married in the traditional sense, Ellie. However, it’s a permanent connection and it would involve you drinking my blood and becoming a vampire.” He tosses back the scotch.
Ellie jumps up and wonders if she heard him right.
Ellie stares back and forth between Ian and Jasper in confusion. Ian reaches out tugging her into his lap and Ellie pulls back.
“I would have to become a vampire? What would that, I mean, would I have to die? I don’t think that this is something that I want to do. This is a lot to process.”
Jasper hears the panic in her voice. He leans close to her and whispers, “It’s okay, gorgeous. No one is going to make you do anything that you don’t want to do. Relax and close your eyes for a few moments.”
Ellie does what he says and as she starts to slump over, Jasper picks her up and heads to the VIP lounge.
Walking into the private lounge, he heads to the daybed resting in the corner and lays her down on it. Stroking her hair back from her face, he covers her with a blanket, kisses her lips, and heads back out to the floor where he left Ian sitting at the table.
“Thank you for compelling her, Jasper. I didn’t know she would get upset at the thought of becoming a v
ampire.”
Jasper sits down and pours another glass of scotch. The area that the VIP table sits in is enclosed on three sides and it lends an air of privacy to their conversations.
“Ian, I feel like I need to talk to you about Ellie. I find myself drawn to her and feel very protective of her. I’m beginning to care for her and she really seems to be bothered about the thought of becoming a vampire. Do you have any ideas on why that would be such a problem for her and cause her to panic?”
Ian takes a drink and sits the glass down on the table. “I don’t know. I’m thinking that it’s possible that she is like most humans and fears the thought of death. The traditional finality of that can lead many humans to have an irrational fear of it. If she embraces the idea of becoming a vampire, it means she also would have to accept the fact that she would have to die.”
Jasper leans back in his seat. “I think that it also has to do with the loss of her little brother Michael. He passed away when she was a little girl from a rare blood infection. I found out about it when I did her background work for you.”
“You didn’t think that it was something that I needed to know about?”
Jasper shakes his head. “No. I assumed that she would still be sad about the death of her brother, but I didn’t think she would have a fear of death because of the loss.”
“Let her rest for a few minutes and then I’ll go talk to her and explain things in more detail.” Ian turns in his chair toward Jasper. “On a side note, did you get your invite to Annabelle’s party for next weekend?”
Jasper smiles. “I did. I also have no idea on who to take with me.”
Gesturing with his hand, Ian laughs. “Take a look around, Jasper. You could invite any woman you see. I’m sure all of them would love to attend a formal ball with a wealthy vampire.”
Jasper looks around and into the startling green eyes of a drink across the room.
“That’s an interesting choice. I believe that she is a new drink on the floor tonight. I wonder what her name is.”
“Natalie. Her name is Natalie.”
Ian looks at Jasper in surprise. “There is a story there. How do you know the young woman?”
Sighing because he knows that Ian is not going to let the subject go until he is satisfied he simply says, “I met her here at the club tonight. Mackenzie is her trainer but the girl hadn’t been tasted before. I took her to my office and showed her what to expect. It was an unsettling experience.”
Ian pushes back from the table and walks toward the main bar on the floor. Jasper watches as he walks toward Mackenzie and Natalie. Unsure of what Ian is saying to the young women, he watches as Mackenzie glances at him and smiles and Natalie shakes her head vehemently no. Mackenzie leans toward Natalie and whispers in her ear. Natalie looks toward Jasper and he can see the indecision on her face and the cautious wariness. Ian grasps her hand and pulls her along with him back to the table. Jasper rises as they approach and he pulls the chair back as Natalie sits down.
“I hope you don’t mind that I brought Natalie over to join us, Jasper.”
“Of course not. It’s always my pleasure to spend time with a beautiful woman.”
Ian turns to Jasper. “I’m going to go check on Ellie. I’ll probably be gone for a while so if you need me you know where I will be.”
Jasper bows his head as Ian turns to go, leaving him alone with Natalie and a feeling of curiosity at how things with this young woman are going to play out.
Natalie fidgets nervously in her chair as she waits for Jasper to say something. She has no idea why Ian Lochlan would insist on escorting her to the VIP table unless it was for a drink and he left as soon as she sat down. Feeling as if she needs to get this over with she asks, “Did you request a drink from me, sir?”
Jasper looks at her in surprise. “No, Natalie. I believe that Ian noticed my interest in you and decided to play matchmaker. However, if you are offering another taste I’m always up for a drink from someone as exquisite as you.”
Jasper leans forward and tugs her chair toward him, throwing her slightly off balance. Pulling the chair and Natalie between his knees, he runs his hands up the bare skin displayed by the short, black leather skirt that’s part of the required drink dress code until he reaches her thighs. Fingers caressing her skin, he leans toward her and places a gentle kiss at the corner of her mouth. He smiles at the blush on her cheeks and the sharp inhalation of her breath at the touch of his lips on her face.
Knowing that she will have to become accustomed to this man if she is going to continue to work at Everlasting, she takes a deep breath and relaxes at the touch on her legs. She pushes out of the chair and slips into Jasper’s lap. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she feels a rush of satisfaction at the surprise on his face. Of course, being the vampire that he is, the surprise does not last long and he adjusts her to fit across his legs more comfortably.
“So, kitten, how have you been doing down on the floor?”
Settling into his lap she says, “I’ve been doing well. The diners are nice and understanding that I’m new, and Mackenzie has been making sure that there were no problems. Why?”
He glances at her with a question on his face.
“Why are you concerned at how I’ve been doing on the floor?”
“It’s our policy to make sure all the new drinks are being taken care of and that they feel safe here at the bar, Natalie.”
Jasper places teasing and sensual kisses along her jaw line and moves up toward her ear. Nipping at the sensitive skin, he whispers in her ear, “I would’ve hunted you down later since there is something that I wanted to discuss with you. Ian just sped up the encounter between us, kitten.”
Shivering with desire and anticipation, she leans into the kisses that he is placing on her neck and shoulders that are left bare by the strapless bustier. “Would you like a drink?”
Jasper strokes her arm and clasps her round full breast in his palm. “I think I would like to try a different spot if you are game, kitten.”
Natalie looks into his eyes and not really understanding where the thought comes from, she knows that this man is different than the men she has dealt with most of her life, and that she can trust him.
“I’m game for wherever you would like to drink from,” she says in a throaty voice.
Jasper’s hands reach around to the back of the bustier, unzipping it halfway. Readjusting Natalie so that she is straddling his thighs, he tugs the top down until her full, luscious breasts pop free. Instantly the rose-colored tips pucker and strain toward him and he leans forward to draw one into his mouth. Reaching up and covering the other breast with his hand, he pulls and tugs at the nipple causing Natalie to groan with pleasure. He continues to suck and bite on her breasts as she pulls his head tighter to the cradle of her body.
As his hands slide beneath the leather skirt, he nudges his finger under the material of her thong and feels the wetness of her body. He can feel the tension in her as he sucks on her breasts. He eases his digit into the silkiness of her body, and groans at the warm tightness of her sheath. He starts a gentle thrusting as his mouth works in time with his hand. He can feel the tremors in her body as he strokes her to the edge of completion, while his thumb stimulates the bundle of nerves hidden from his view. His fangs extend, as he sinks them into the luscious breast at his mouth and drinks from the beautiful woman that has just exploded in his arms. As he withdrawals from her body, he licks the wounds on her breast closed and straightens her clothes.
“Are you all right, kitten?”
Natalie looks into Jasper’s eyes and nods her head slowly. “I feel absolutely amazing, Jasper.” Leaning forward she kisses him lightly on the mouth. “Thank you for that.”
Jasper clears his throat and for the first time in a very long time, feels flustered about what to do with the young woman he has in his lap.
“Thank you for allowing me to have a drink, kitten.”
Natalie has never been a shy type of pe
rson but something about the enigmatic vampire just throws her into a world of shyness. Feeling self-conscious about the display that they just put on, Natalie tries to get off Jasper’s lap without much success. Gripping her tight against his body, Jasper is reluctant to let the little beauty go.
“Natalie, would you be interested in going with me to a masquerade ball this weekend? One of the other owners, Annabelle, throws an annual Labor Day Masquerade ball and I would love it if you came with me.”
Natalie looks at Jasper in astonishment, unsure if she was correct in what she heard come out of that sexy mouth.
“You want to take me on a date?” Jasper looks amused and places a kiss on her forehead.
“Yes, kitten. I want to take you to the ball with me. It’s a formal occasion but I’ll take care of that for you. Are you available on Saturday?”
Natalie doesn’t hesitate to accept the invitation to the party. Even outside the vampire world, the annual masquerade is talked about in magazines. It’s like the Oscars of the vampire world.
“I would love to go with you, Jasper. Thank you for the invitation.”
Shifting Natalie to the seat next to him, he reaches into his wallet and pulls out his business card. “Text or call me tomorrow and let me know what day you have available for picking out a dress and I will arrange it for you.”
Natalie accepts the card and ponders her next question. “The young woman that I saw you with earlier, is she a wife or girlfriend that I need to be concerned with?”
Jasper smiles at the thread of jealousy and curiosity he hears in her voice. “No, Natalie. That’s Ellie and you don’t need to be concerned. Are you familiar with the relationships and the way of life of vampires?”
Nodding, Natalie confesses, “My brother, Simon, is a Hunger mate to his wife Sarah. They have talked about the way of life amongst your kind quite often. Therefore, I understand that monogamy is not a requirement and that sharing of partners is encouraged. I’m fine with that, Jasper. I just know that she is human and didn’t want to run into a problem with her.”
Everlasting Hunger (The Hunger Mate Series) Page 8
