Exquisite Breath of Darkness

by Candice Stauffer

  “I am convinced there has never been and never will be a woman even slightly as wicked as you are.” Barely moving, his gaze never once leaving hers, he pumped his hips as if testing his limits. “One way or another I will find the strength to properly punish you and put you in your place.”

  “I hope you do.” And she meant it. She began to lift her hips and move with him as a fire spread throughout her body and centered at her core. Her body was alive with his thick and hard cock moving inside her, stretching her and creating the most spectacular friction.

  “Hope? Where is your faith in me?”

  Nothing in her life had prepared her for the way it would feel to have him join his body with hers and share such intimate physical pleasures.

  “Lift your legs, Mia. Wrap them around me.” Without hesitation she followed his instruction. “That’s it.” Enjoying his body and celebrating in the knowledge that he too was enjoying hers had to be a sin worthy of eternal damnation. It felt too damn good in so many ways to be anything less.

  Mia felt a change in the atmosphere, in Joseph, and knew he was drawing power into himself as he would if he was about to fight. He kissed her passionately, roughly, his teeth nipping her lips and his tongue soothing each sting. His rough kissing incited the darkest, most primal lust in her. In wild abandonment she returned each of his fervent kisses with equal enthusiasm. The power she felt rising in him felt nearly as frightening as it was exciting. She wanted … no, she needed to feel that dark, dangerous, untamed part of him losing control over her, with her as she gave in to the wild passion building in her.

  The atmosphere came alive with electrical currents that skittered over her skin. He put his lips to her ear. “I may never find the strength or the will to leave your body. I’ve never in my life experienced anything as pleasurable as being inside you,” he whispered hoarsely. And then he began to push his body deeper into hers, his every movement creating the most perfectly stimulating, heated vibrations.

  Needing more, she lifted her hips, meeting each long, hard, deliberate surge of his body and taking him as deep into hers as possible. Her heart raced like never before. Each thrust seemed perfectly designed to take them higher and higher until they were soaring together in the heavens on the wings of physical and spiritual ecstasy. They were one mind, one body, and one spirit joined together for all of eternity. Nothing could ever tear them apart.

  She knew that she was his life, his only love, his world. She looked up at him as he thrust helplessly, savaging into her body. And he was her life, her only love, her world. She felt so much pleasure and pressure building when he threw his head back and his thrusts became wilder and more powerful. Eventually all she could do was dig her nails into his biceps and hold onto him as he took them to an even higher place of divine rapture.

  Her body seemed to tighten around his, or his swelled even more. She couldn’t tell. He was unbelievable hot and hard. She felt wild and out of control. Her gums ached. Her teeth ached. It was too much. She was going to bite him if they continued. “Joseph!”

  The pleasure, the unparalleled heat was too intense. “I can’t!” Her every thought was focused between her thighs where his body ramming into hers. “Joseph!” She felt such intense heat and pressure building. She was going to explode into oblivion.

  He continued to pump his powerful hips wildly, but he bent his head to look down at her. She felt him in her mind searching for the reason behind her distress. “Together we can.” He growled the words in a guttural whisper. “Come for me … with me, Mia.”

  The sight of him, his eyes solid black yet burning like torches and the infinite pleasure and sweet agony etched deeply on his handsome face, robbed her of her breath. But he didn’t understand. Biting her lower lip, she closed her eyes and shook her head.

  Nearly pulling all the way out of her, he stopped moving. “Look at me, Mia.” Immediately frustrated, she opened her eyes. “You’re the most incredibly beautiful woman ever born.”

  She couldn’t stop herself from moving her hips. She needed the heat, the fire again.

  “I’ve waited for so long to see you like this, beneath me, and to feel your body so hot and tightly wrapped around mine.” He touched her lips. “Let me see.” She shook her head. He reached beneath her and lifted and tilted her hips. “Show me.” She shook her head again. He immersed his cock, slowly going deep. Then he pulled nearly all the way out again and stopped.

  Growling, she wiggled and bucked wildly, but he easily used his weight to restrict her movement. He slowly pushed forward and nearly retreated all the way again. “Joseph.” His name came out sounding like a breathless gasp.

  “You’re not getting anymore until you show me.”

  “Stop it. It’s not funny.” But again she was bucking beneath him, her body writhing.

  He bent his head to kiss her. “You aren’t getting what you need from me until you show me.” When he used his tongue to separate her lips, she bit his tongue. Her response shocked her, but she was more shocked when he bit her lip and then leaned back and smiled to show her his elongated canines. “Don’t tell me you thought wolves were the only ones with big sharp teeth. I showed you—now it’s only fair you show me yours.”

  “I really hate you right now,” she growled between clenched teeth.

  “No, you don’t. Show me.” Using his tongue again he parted her lips, and then he leaned back to look. “Oh my, Mia what beautiful, sharp teeth you have to bite me with,” he teased. He bent his head to kiss her.

  The urge to bite him seemed odd, but all thought was lost to the kiss, to his body surging into hers. He lifted and cradled her head to his chest and moved, thrusting his hips wildly, with long, powerful surges that went on and on until she was sure she would detonate. She was soaring dangerously high. And he was taking her higher yet.

  She began to scrape her teeth on his chest, and he moved faster, harder. The pressure was building. The heat was growing until she was certain they would burst into flames. She bit his chest. The instant she tasted his blood, her body began exploding all around his. He continued to move his body, pounding into hers. Her orgasm was violent, and it went on and on.

  * * *

  Joseph felt her canines penetrate his flesh. It was a pain that instantly turned to ecstasy when he felt her body tightening, squeezing his cock. He’d never experienced a greater physical pleasure. There was no holding back his climax. He thrust hard one last time and erupted, his seed spurting, jetting deep inside her body. Her body continued to spasm around his. Never had he felt such absolute connection to anyone. Several minutes later, his breathing was still ragged, his heart was still pounding, and his muscles trembled. Before he could collapse on top of her he wrapped his arms around her and rolled over. Making sure he remained inside her heat, he pulled her body over his as a blanket.

  He should’ve felt content, but he didn’t. Not at all. He was still hard and aching for more. She touched his face as she lifted her head to look up at him. He lifted his head.

  “Why did we wait for so long?” Mia lightly teased Joseph’s chest with the tip of her fingers. “I can’t believe that’s what I’ve been missing out on.”

  He caught her hand and brought it to his mouth. “Neither can I.”

  “You’ve had sex before.”

  “That wasn’t sex to me.”

  “What was it?”

  He bent his head to kiss her. “Making love for first time.”

  “That’s a very good answer.”

  The last thing he wanted to do was to take her back. He liked the idea of keeping her to himself. “I could stay here with you for forever, Mia.”

  “Don’t even think about it. I need to go back.” She stretched her body over his to kiss him. “You are taking me back, or I will make your life hell. But I will admit that staying alone in bed with you for forever sounds like a perfect … oh, no.”

  He felt the most terrible pain rip through her body.

  “Joseph. I’m …” She c
overed her mouth with her hand and coughed. He knew she tasted blood and felt like she was choking.

  She tried to get up. She didn’t want him to know she was coughing up blood. But he moved quickly. Before she could even think to react he was no longer on his back beneath her but was sitting up, cradling her on his lap, holding a cloth up to her mouth, and doing his best to take the pain from her.

  She was squirming around, coughing and choking on her blood as she struggled to get away from him.

  “Just relax. Don’t try to fight me. Let me help you.”

  * * *

  His voice was gentle, but his arm wrapped around her, holding her in place, was like steel. There was no way she would be able to get away from him. She decided to relax and get the moment over with as quickly as possible.

  “That’s it,” he whispered in her ear. “Just relax.”

  No longer needing to hold her in place, he started to massage her neck and shoulders as he cradled her against his chest. She felt the warmth of healing energy flow into her body and center in her lungs.

  Tears welled up in her eyes. She was embarrassed. She felt blood on her face and chest. She saw it on her hands and arms. And worse, she saw her blood on his hand that held the cloth over her mouth. When she was finally able to catch her breath, she whispered, “I’m sorry, Joseph.”

  “Why? There is no need for you to be sorry.” Conjuring up a clean, warm, damp cloth, he began to wipe the blood from her face and then her chest, arms, and hands.

  “I just coughed up blood all over you.”

  “So?” He was relieved she was talking because it proved he was able to take and hold the pain for her. He pushed the thought from his mind before she was able to catch it.

  “Duh. It’s just about the grossest thing I could’ve done to you.”

  “No part of you is gross to me.” Grinning, he winked. “And trust me—I’ve had much worse things coughed up on me.”

  He was making a joke of it, but she saw the fear, the sadness in his eyes. She knew what he was thinking. She was also thinking it. She was getting closer and closer to dying every day. And despite all he’d done, despite all he would continue to do, she would soon die and he would move on.

  “You’re wrong. What I was thinking was that this happened because of the small amount of my blood you took. The pain you felt was the same I felt when my blood, my dragon, started to fight off the poison.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I think that somehow my blood is fighting the poison in your body.”

  “Is that possible?”

  “Anything is possible.” What he wasn’t telling her was that such a thing would only be possible if she were his true mate. At least that was what he’d always believed. He would’ve simply given her his blood a long time ago if he’d known it would cure her. Did he dare hope that she was his true mate though she was lycan? He’d never heard of a demon’s mate being lycan. He’d always been taught that being united with one that way was forbidden.

  “Then why did you risk taking the poison?”

  “I had never thought of the cure being as simple as you taking my blood,” he lied. He’d thought of it but had never believed it would work. “How do you feel now?”

  “A little sore,” she said, pinning his gaze with hers. “My bones and my muscles ache, but you’ve taken the brunt of the pain.” He knew she was daring him to try and lie to her about it.

  He smiled. “It’s not bad at all.”

  “Liar.”

  Laughing softly, he laid her down and pulled her into his arms. “I am not lying. The greater the pain I take for you the greater the pleasure I feel.” He wanted to make love to her again and again, but he knew she was exhausted and more than a little sore. Within minutes she was asleep, and shortly after he allowed himself to sleep.

  ~ Fourteen ~

  “I CAN’T BELIEVE JOSEPH found a man willing to do it. Honestly, I almost feel sorry for the other guy,” Mia said. “Wait until you see her in the dress we made for her. I’ll be shocked if Nikolas doesn’t completely go insane.”

  “I’m sure Nikolas will do his best to remain … hmmm. Mia, maybe this is a bad idea,” Caylee said.

  “Nah. He needs a li’l wakeup call.”

  “Not at the expense of an innocent man’s life.”

  “He’s not going to kill him.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “Yes, I do. Joseph said they go way back. They’re good friends”

  “Are you sure?” Caylee asked. “A good friend wouldn’t be willing to act as if he’s going to run off with his friend’s woman.”

  “Julie still isn’t answering.” Mia put the phone down.

  “You look worried.”

  “I am”

  “Do you want me to have Haden check on her?” No. I won’t do it. You know she has very impure thoughts about me. Caylee had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at Haden’s instant response.

  “No.” Mia shook head. “There’s no reason for it. She probably just lost track of time. And it wouldn’t be fair to send Haden. She has the worst crush on him.”

  “He wouldn’t mind.” Yes, I would.

  “It’s probably nothing. She’s young and has a tendency of being late or forgetting to come in at all.” Mia’s phone rang. She picked it up. “Julie, where are you? Oh, okay. Stay put. I’ll be there in few minutes.” She put her phone in her pocket. “Her car broke down. Do you mind watching the shop while I go pick her up?”

  “Of course not. I’ll keep an eye on things here. Go get her.”

  Mia was already putting her jacket on and heading for the door. “She’s up by the cemetery. It will only take a few minutes.”

  Caylee’s phone rang. She looked down and it and frowned. “Go away, Haden.” She pushed end and put the phone down onto the counter.

  “That wasn’t very nice.”

  Caylee turned to face Haden. “Neither is poking around in my business. And why are you calling my phone when you’re lurking around here?”

  “I wasn’t lurking—and I was trying to be respectful and give you space. I wasn’t sure if you wanted to talk to me yet.”

  “I’m not mad at you, Haden. I’m worried about you.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. You girls shouldn’t provoke Nikolas. It could get ugly. He has a bad temper. And he hasn’t been quite himself lately.”

  “Tell him, and you’ll regret it. Besides, Joseph will be there to look after and protect the other guy if Nikolas gets a little nutty.”

  “Nutty?” Haden smiled. “I wouldn’t think of spoiling your evil plan. Personally, I think Nikolas deserves it, but as his younger brother I can tell you he has never been good at playing well with others or sharing. In fact, when crossed he has a bit of a mean streak.”

  “It’s not my plan. It’s Mia’s plan. And it’s not evil. Oh, and we don’t want him to share Brianna with the other guy. We like Nikolas. We understand that he has only been a bit testy because he thinks he has to stay away from her to protect her. The truth is, despite his behavior at the charity event, we think he’s good for her. We just want him to realize that letting her get away would be a big mistake. Sometimes it takes losing something before you realize how much you want it.”

  “Does Brianna know about the plan?”

  “No. We didn’t see any sense in stressing her out. Besides, Brianna and Nikolas have such a strong mental link that we figured keeping it from Brianna would be best. It won’t work if Nikolas knows the truth. We told Brianna that she’s double dating with Mia and Joseph.”

  “Do you want to go?” Haden asked.

  Uncertain she’d heard him correctly, Caylee stared up at Haden. Was he agreeing to take her to another public gathering? “You want to go out with our friends?”

  “I do. I think it will be quite entertaining.” He took her into his arms. “I know that living with me has been difficult, little love. You were right the other night. I’ve been living in f
ear ever since the night Paul forced you to take his blood. For a moment, I truly believed I would have to kill you to save you from suffering the fate of living as a vampire with tainted blood. I’ve been difficult. I’ve been stubborn. I’ve been afraid of failing you again.”

  “You didn’t fail me. It wasn’t your fault.”

  “I guess this is one of those times it would be best for us to agree to disagree. Don’t make excuses for me. It will not help me. You will never be able to convince me that I didn’t fail you that night. I take my responsibility to protect you very seriously.”

  She nodded. “I know you do.”

  “You found the courage and strength to defeat the fear that kept you captive for so long,” Haden said. “I will do my best to find the same courage and strength because I cannot live with myself any longer if I continue to force you to live as prisoner of my fear.”