Alluring Tales

by Vivi Anna, Sylvia Day, Delilah Devlin, Cathryn Fox, Myla Jackson, Lisa Renee Jones

  The tender bites only fueled the fires and spurred him on. He spun around and pressed her back to the wall where he could leverage her while he plunged deeper inside. He pumped into her again and again, until his entire body tightened into an orgasmic knot.

  On his final thrust, he peaked, teetering on the verge of shooting sperm deep inside her.

  At that exact moment, Cassidy clamped her legs tightly around his waist, licked his neck in a long, sexy swipe, then she leaned in, her mouth opening to take his throat between her teeth.

  The pager buried deep in TJ’s trouser pocket beeped, cutting through their labored breathing and vibrating against his knee. The effect was to jerk him out of the sensual haze and remind him they’d used no protection.

  “Damn it!” Without pulling out of her, TJ fumbled to reach for the pager around his knees. With his cock still firmly entrenched in her channel, the task was impossible.

  When the pager beeped again, Cassidy’s lips were sealed around TJ’s carotid artery and her teeth were poised to puncture the skin. Holy shit! She jerked her head away. Holy Shit! She’d almost bit him.

  “I’m sorry, Cassidy.” TJ pulled her close and kissed her open lips.

  The touch of his mouth to hers almost stung in its intensity. She could feel every beating pulse in his body, and she was still joined to him. How could she have let it go this far? “Let me down!” She beat her palms against his chest. “Let me down!” She had to get away. Hell, he had to get away!

  “It’s okay, it’s just a pager and I didn’t cum inside you.” But he slid her upward and off his still stiff erection.

  As soon as her feet hit the ground, she groped for her clothing and ducked out of reach. With her dress clutched to her chest, she turned to him.

  He’d already pulled his pants up, buttoned them and stood with a confused expression denting his forehead. “I didn’t come here to do that.” He held his hands up. “Not that I’m sorry I did.”

  She turned away, fighting the desire to climb back onto him and finish what she’d started. “You should go, now.”

  He stepped toward her, his hand outstretched. “Cassidy, don’t shut me out.”

  “Go. Please!” Her voice caught on a sob, and she spun to race up the stairs.

  Three

  TJ spent an agonizing night fighting hungry monsters. Damn, he hated vampires, the bloodthirsty bastards. He’d kill every one of them if he could.

  When the day shift came on, the night shift was asked to stay and assist in last-minute evacuations. Near dusk, after being on duty for over eighteen hours, rain began to fall, gently at first. As the wind picked up, the droplets became projectiles, blowing in sideways from the south. He’d had to beg the police chief to let him weather the storm at home. Most of the force would be bedded down for the night in the precinct basement.

  As he’d left the station, sustained winds blew at fifty miles an hour. Now, based on the way he was fighting to keep his truck on the road, the gusts must be nearing seventy. He hoped to hell Cassidy had gone like she said she would. He’d left so late the previous evening he hadn’t had time to check.

  All night and day long, his gut kept telling him she’d lied. That she never intended to leave the city. That the crazy fool would try to ride out the storm in her two-story, wood-framed home.

  After parking in his garage, he peered through the sheets of blinding rain trying to glean whether or not Cassidy was still there. He couldn’t see a blasted thing. With no other way to be certain, he had to go over there and check for himself.

  He breathed in the innocent scent of a summer rain, hoping the torrential downpour would slack up, but knowing it wouldn’t. The storm was going to get a heck of a lot worse before it got better. He hunched his shoulders and leaned against the wind as he launched into the downpour. With his hand raised before his eyes to ward off the stinging rain, he splashed through soaked grass and up onto the front porch of the old colonial house.

  When he shook the water from his hair and eyes, he stared at the house and swore. None of the shutters had been closed and streams of water ran down exposed glass windows. His lips pressed together. Stubborn woman. He would have closed the shutters for her if she’d let him.

  Now that the hurricane was at hand, he didn’t have time to worry about her shutters. He pounded on the door and waited. No response. Wind and rain beat against his back and made standing still difficult.

  “Cassidy!” He pounded again. “You better not be in there!” he shouted, feeling stupid, but not really caring. No one else was around to hear him.

  With the rain thundering against the tin porch roof, he couldn’t hear anything going on inside to indicate whether or not Cassidy was still at home. His gut tightened when he noticed her car parked in the garage. If she tried to ride out the storm in her house, no telling what would happen.

  He hammered against the door again. “Cassidy!”

  No answer and he didn’t feel any more confident that she’d evacuated. The only other choice was to break the door in and check from room to room. He stepped back, took a deep breath and kicked his heel against the door next to the deadbolt.

  The loud sound of wood splitting wasn’t followed by the door flying open like TJ had hoped. He snorted. She would have a good deadbolt. Hell, he’d helped her install it.

  He stepped back again, breathed deeply once…twice…and kicked the door again. The wood cracked and the door shook but didn’t open.

  A gust of wind slammed into him and slung him against the hardwood paneling. The weather was getting rougher and the sky darker as night approached. He couldn’t stay outside much longer without risking injury from flying debris.

  “Cassidy!” He pounded his fists on the door. “Open the damned door!” With his hand raised to pound again, he stopped just as the door whipped open.

  The wind jerked the knob out of Cassidy’s hand and slammed the door against the wall with enough force the doorknob penetrated the sheetrock.

  Cassidy staggered backward as the storm swept through the opening, entering the house uninvited and claiming what it could reach as its own. Before she could object, TJ allowed the wind to push him through the doorway. He turned and forced the door closed behind him, shutting out the sideways rain.

  Outside, the storm wailed and thrashed against the house as if angry it had been cheated. The windows shuddered to hold back the force of nature threatening to break through the single-paned glass.

  With the door closed, TJ spun to face Cassidy, anger pulsing through him like a jackhammer through concrete. “What the hell are you still doing here?”

  She stood, her shoulders hunched in silence.

  “Why?” he asked. “Why didn’t you leave when you had the chance? Are you completely out of your mind?”

  Her head jerked up and she stared at him, her arms crossing over her full breasts. “You think I didn’t want to leave? You think I’m stupid for staying? Well, to hell with what you think, TJ Evans. I sure as hell don’t need you telling me what I have to do!”

  The fire in her eyes beat the defeated look of yesterday. This was the woman who’d captured his imagination and every sleeping and waking thought, not the one he’d seen hiding in the shadows for the past couple weeks.

  TJ took a deep breath and let it out slowly before he attempted to say anything else. He reminded himself he was glad he’d gotten to her before anything happened. “I’m sorry.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “I was angry and scared for you.” He wanted to shout, but he held his voice in check. Before he pissed her off again, he had to get her out of her house and into his. Soon. Really soon.

  “Don’t worry about me,” she said, the anger draining out of her voice. “I can take care of myself.”

  “I know you can. But you don’t have your storm shutters in place. All it takes is flying debris to break through a window—”

  At that exact moment, a window shattered upstairs.

  Cassidy screamed and threw hersel
f at TJ, burying her face against his chest. “I didn’t think about that. I guess I just wasn’t thinking much.”

  “Come on,” he commanded in a low coaxing voice, tugging her toward the door. “Let’s get to my house before this storm gets worse.”

  “No!” She pushed against him, her pathetic attempt to break free wrenching at TJ’s heart. Her face looked almost gray in the dim hallway and her skin was cool to the touch.

  “I should have taken you to the hospital, yesterday.” He held her, refusing to let her get away this time. If he had to, he’d pick her up and carry her the short distance to his house.

  She mumbled into his shirt.

  TJ bent his head to hear her over the howling wind and could swear he heard her say, “It’s too late.”

  “Cassidy, come with me to my house,” he coaxed softly.

  “I can’t,” she said, lifting her face to his, her eyes filling with tears. “You’re not safe with me. Just leave me alone.”

  “No. I won’t leave you alone.” TJ’s jaw tightened and his brows lowered over his eyes. “Your house isn’t ready for the storm. I can’t walk away knowing you’ll be hurt.”

  Past caring, her shoulders sagged. “It doesn’t matter what happens to me, now.”

  “Cassidy, how can I help you if I don’t know what’s going on?” He pulled her against his chest.

  So weak she could hardly hold her head up, she leaned into him and pressed her forehead to his wet shirt. Her knees buckled and before she knew what was happening, TJ scooped her into his arms.

  “I’m taking you to my house. No more arguments.” With that he flung the door open and launched them out into the rain.

  Too weak to resist, Cassidy clung to his jacket, tucking her face against the solid muscles of his chest.

  Streetlights barely penetrated the darkness of the night and driving rain, but TJ strode sure-footed across the lawn and into his home. Without loosening his hold, he kicked the door shut behind him and carried her into the living room, switching on the lights as he went.

  He sat her on the couch, perched on the cushion next to her and gripped her hands in his. “Now, tell me what’s going on? Are you sick?”

  She leaned back, enjoying being taken care of at the same time as she worried about what would happen now. “I guess you could say I am sick. But it’s nothing anyone can cure.”

  “Have you talked to the doctors?” he asked, his voice soft, yet concerned.

  She rolled her eyes and stared at him. “No. And please don’t do the gallant thing and haul me off to the hospital. I’m weak right now because I haven’t eaten in three days.” Her head fell back against the sofa.

  “I can make you some food. Let me help.”

  His eagerness to help made the tears harder to hide, and one slid down her cheek. “You can’t help. What I need, I refuse to eat.”

  “I don’t get it, Cassidy.” TJ squeezed her hands. “Why won’t you eat? What’s happened?”

  Cassidy sighed and pulled her fingers free. “I was attacked three weeks ago on campus.”

  He leaped to his feet, his fists clenched at his side. “Why didn’t you tell me? I’m a cop for godsakes!”

  “What could you do?”

  “Find the filthy bastard and put him in jail, for one.”

  She shook her head. “Wouldn’t do any good. The damage is done.”

  “What happened, Cassidy?” He gripped her shoulders. “Did the guy rape you?”

  “Yes.” Her gaze dropped to where her hand pleated the hem of her damp dress. “And worse.”

  TJ dropped to his knees in front of Cassidy and took her hands in his. “Did you think it would make a difference how I felt for you? I love you, Cassidy. I think I’ve known it from the day we met.”

  “Don’t.” She pulled her hands from his. “You can’t love me. I’m tainted. Ruined.”

  “Not to me.”

  “Wait’ll you hear the rest.” She dragged in a deep breath. “The attacker bit me, TJ.”

  Still kneeling on the floor, TJ’s gaze narrowed. “Where?”

  “On the neck.” Cassidy leaned her head to the side and pointed to the smooth column of her throat.

  “You mean like a vampire?” His voice dropped to a low rumble, and he stood.

  A chill swept over her body. “Not like. He was a vampire.”

  TJ’s face grew still, the only movement the muscle twitching in his jaw. “And are you?”

  “What? A vampire?” She breathed deeply, fighting back the anger and tears. “If not being able to go out in the sunlight means I’m a vampire…or craving blood…or being unable to control my sexual urges…then yes. It’s safe to say I’m a vampire.” She held up her hand. “Not that I chose to be one.”

  “Wow.” TJ turned away and pushed a hand through his hair.

  “Thanks.” She pushed to her feet and swayed, her head spinning, reminding her of her need for sustenance. “Now, if you’ll excuse me I think I’ll go back to my house. Maybe the storm will blow it and me away so you don’t have to think about what this means to your job.”

  TJ spun to face her, his forehead creased in a fierce frown. “This isn’t about my career, Cassidy. You were the victim here.”

  “Yeah, but if I stay around you much longer, you will be the victim.” She returned his piercing gaze with one of her own. “That’s why I wanted you to leave me alone.”

  The broad-shouldered cop sucked in a breath and blew it out slowly.

  Although she’d expected it, his hesitation hurt.

  Then he reached for her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. “You are the victim.”

  She tried to pull her hand from his, but he held tight. The only defense against a broken heart was to launch her own attack. Schooling her face into a blank mask, she asked, “What do you do on your job, Detective TJ Evans?”

  A muscle twitched in his jaw and a long moment passed where the only sound was the wind howling against the eaves.

  The outside storm couldn’t begin to compete with the internal tempest twisting her in knots. This was the man she’d been falling for since the spring semester began. One night of carelessness had ripped all that away.

  TJ stared down into her eyes and admitted, “I kill vampires.”

  “Yeah.” She smoothed a hand over his cheek.

  He looked away as if so confused, so lost.

  “Don’t you see?” she said, turning his face toward her, willing him to look her in the eye. “It’s your job and your duty to kill me.”

  “No!” He grasped her hand and held it to his cheek. “This isn’t right.”

  “Right or wrong, it’s your job. You have to keep the streets safe from monsters like me.”

  “But you’re not a monster. You’re my Cassidy.”

  She shrugged. “Not anymore. I crave blood, I need it to survive. No matter how much I want to ignore it, I can’t control my blood lust and my sex—”

  A spark flared TJ’s eyes back to life. “And your sexual lust?” He trailed a finger down the side of her breast. “Is that what happened in your hallway yesterday? Was it all part of the vampire package?”

  “There has to be some attraction for the lust, but yeah.” His hand did incredible things to her insides. If she wasn’t careful she’d lose control again. “Look, I should go.” When she took a step toward the door, the room swam and she grabbed for something to hold onto. Her hand found his and she held on until the wave of dizziness passed.

  His arm circled her waist and he held her against his damp body. “Let me help.”

  “What can you do? You don’t have a pint of blood handy do you?” Her words were meant to be flippant, but they caught in her throat on a sob. “Oh, TJ, I’m so sorry.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.” He pulled her into his arms and pressed his check against her cold one. “After that time we made love, I thought I’d scared you off. That’s why you stayed away.”

  “No way,” she said into his neck, her teeth o
nly a breath away from the strong flowing blood beneath his skin.

  “Let me help you.” He pushed her back and stared into her eyes.

  “How? Do you think that you could drive me to the nearest blood bank and I’ll just run in and make a withdrawal?” She shook her head. “It doesn’t work that way.”

  His hands tightened. “Let me feed you.”

  “No!” She tried to back away from him, horrified at how her body leaped at the offer, her mouth watering in anticipation. “I can’t. You can’t.”

  “Why not?” He straightened his shoulders. “You didn’t ask to be a vampire, but you have to be fed to stay alive, right? I’m offering to help. Let me.”

  Temptation stared at her in the form of one very sexy, muscular cop. Should she take him up on the offer and slake her thirst? Would she be able to stop at just enough or would she go too far? “I don’t know how to control how much I take.”

  “Have you fed off others?” he asked, tipping her chin up.

  “Yes.” It cost her to admit to it. She found it disturbing, biting into a stranger’s throat. Taking without asking. “I didn’t kill anyone or make them a vampire. I stopped in time.”

  “Then feed off me. I’ll take my chances.”

  The sincerity in his voice and the gentleness of his touch were her undoing. “You don’t know what you’re getting into. Hell, I don’t either. This is all new to me.”

  “Then let’s learn together.” He brushed his lips against hers.

  The tenderness of his kiss slammed into Cassidy like the wind against the outside of the house. The door to her restraint blew open and all her cravings burst free. “Are you sure?” She gasped as she pressed her breasts to his chest, not convinced she could stop herself, even if he changed his mind.

  “Absolutely.”

  “Will it put your career in danger?” she whispered as her lips trailed along his jaw line and down to the warm pulse in his throat. Hunger surged up from her belly, filling her chest and rising upward. Her mouth opened and her gums stretched allowing the incisors to lengthen and sharpen into gleaming white daggers.

  “Just do it, Cassidy. Let me worry about my job.” He reached up to cup the back of her head and shove her down on his neck.