She tentatively lowered her body, allowing Marcus to take her weight, then placed her lips over the wound and took a tiny sip.
“Tastes good, spicy, like you,” she murmured before returning for a second draw. By the third swallow, she appeared lost in the moment.
She gave herself freely to the process, enjoyed herself. With each swallow, he sensed she felt stronger, more alive. Grateful his blood provided for her, he wrapped an arm around her back in order to have more physical contact while she drank.
Christina moaned against his neck. The sensuous sound elicited a whole body spasm which caused him to drop the dagger. Fire licked over his sensitive skin, driving his passion higher.
He could have stayed like that forever, with her taking his essence into her. It took all of his carefully honed self-control to realize when she’d taken enough to create the mindlink.
The feel of the link connecting made him grab her by the shoulders and try to hold her from him. “That’s enough, cara. You don’t have to take any more.”
Much to his surprise, Christina did not stop. She continued to draw from him and ground her pelvis back and forth against his hard shaft. Marcus gripped the couch, watching her hips move against him. The suction of her lips timed to the movement of her hips created a dual sensory experience that pushed him toward the edge.
He smelled the sweet scent of the moisture between her legs. He might be a strong male, but the erotic scent took the remainder of his self-control. He growled and brought Christina away from his neck. Lifting her by the shoulders, he brought her lips closer to his.
He kissed her hard, tasting his blood on her lips. As his body healed the wound on his neck, he lowered her back onto the couch, stripping away her towel. She lay with one arm stretched above her head as the other reached for him.
With one finger she wiped the small trickle of blood that had escaped from the wound before it closed. She brought her finger to her mouth and sucked it in, her cheeks going concave. Marcus groaned at the seductive sight. His cock jumped in response behind the zipper of his pants.
Christina pulled her finger from her mouth with a popping noise then grabbed the hem of his shirt, sliding the offensive material over his head. It dropped to the floor as she lifted her hands to his chest. She traced the contour of his pectorals, moving her hands down to trace the hard lines created by his abdominals. His mate followed the trail to his belly button, circling the outie with one finger before opening the hook clasp on his waistband. His shaft sprang free as she unzipped the pants with a quick pull.
Christina wrapped her hand around his manhood, stroking it slowly, fanning the flames of ardor that consumed him. Christina licked her lips and purred, “Come closer.”
Marcus happily complied; nothing would have kept him from obeying at that moment. Christina gazed at him, holding his eyes as she took him into her mouth. She closed her lips around his thick shaft, surrounding him with the warm heat of her mouth. When she moved up and down the length of him, he thought the top of his head might blow off. Up and down, her hand traveled in the opposite direction of her lips, driving him mad.
Just when he thought he would lose himself in her mouth like a virginal schoolboy, she pulled away. Surprised, he glanced down and watched her tongue swirl around the tip once, twice before she again took him into the welcoming heat of her mouth. She pulled him out, licking the tip like a cat does cream, before she made his flesh disappear back into her mouth. She took him deep, so freaking deep, until he felt her throat work around him. His balls drew up tight in response.
Damn, his mate possessed a talented little mouth. A grateful moan pushed through his lips as he threaded his fingers in her hair.
She built the momentum, increasing her speed until he had no choice but to bite out, “If you don’t stop, babe, I’m going to explode.”
Christina pulled back slowly, releasing him from her mouth with one last tug around the tip. She continued to stroke him with her hand as he settled between her legs. He allowed her to guide him into her feminine core. Her silky opening gripped him when he thrust into her. He built the friction between their bodies with each slap of their skin. She matched the rhythm of his hips with her own. Their bodies moved as one, in perfect synchronicity.
Her nails scored his back until her hands rested on his buttocks. Her fingers bit into his flesh, encouraging him deeper.
Marcus lowered his mouth to her breast and punctured the delicate flesh with his fangs. Over their mindlink, he sensed the slight sting give way to a wave of ecstasy that coursed through her body, washing her in desire.
She rode the surge, while he drew her life-force into his mouth. Her body wound higher, her muscles tightened. She arched her back, fisting her hand in his hair to anchor her to this plane.
His mate screamed his name when her climax hit. Christina’s inner muscles rippled around him, milking him, driving him higher with the incredible sensation. His body tightened, throbbed for its own release. It built from his toes, coursed through his body and demanded he follow his heartmate over the precipice. Giving in to temptation, his release pushed through him so they tumbled together in a fall of ecstasy.
When they came back to earth, Marcus leaned his head forward. Christina watched him lick the puncture wound closed then laid her head back on the couch. Through their mindlink, Marcus sensed she reveled in the sated, tranquil sensations that coursed through her body. Her body no longer ached. Both her neck and her breast had already healed.
She knew he had bitten her, but no pain throbbed in her body. With her finger she traced the place where the wound had been, astonished to find nothing there.
“What did you do? I can’t feel it anymore.”
Marcus nuzzled her other breast, his lips brushing over her sensitive skin as he spoke. “My saliva contains healing properties. When I licked your breast, it took the pain away.”
Christina rubbed her hand over her delicate breast, looking for his mark. She found nothing. Her hand moved up her body to her neck. She shifted her hand to the other side, as if she might have inadvertently touched the wrong side.
“My neck is fine. How did you do that?”
Marcus smiled against her breast. “That was my blood. It healed you.”
“That’s amazing,” she murmured and held him to her by placing her hand on his head.
“You’re amazing, cara. The taste of you drives me wild.” He raised his head and captured her gaze, allowing her to see the love and reverence in his eyes. “Now do you understand why I didn’t drink from you that night in the library?”
Christina smiled a sated grin. Breathlessly she answered, “I most certainly do.”
Chapter 20
“I was so fucking close!”
The vampire licked his lips, savoring the remaining taste of blood. Her blood. Until they had been interrupted by that meddlesome Alpha, he enjoyed the mouthwatering taste of fear in her blood. He would have to wait to take the woman—live to fight another day or in his case make a strategic retreat to attack another night. He hoped he’d dematerialized out of the apartment before the other vampire had seen his face.
He stormed down the street, sending a series of vile curses into the air until someone accidently bumped into him. When he growled his frustration, a look of surprise and fear crossed the man’s face, but he didn’t care what the human thought. Edgy and pissed, he needed a way to work off his frustration. And up ahead he spied what he needed.
The vampire ducked into the seedy, dark bar. It smelled of stale beer and perspiration. Dressed in jeans, a black T-shirt and leather jacket, he looked like he belonged. While he waited for the bartender to pour his whiskey and cola, he saw her in a corner table. A petite woman with mahogany hair sat surrounded by a group of four burly men. The vampire squinted, his vision blurring until the woman looked a lot like the one that got away.
“She’ll do,” he muttered, slamming down his drink in one quick gulp. It burned like the sun down his throat.
He tapped his empty glass with an index finger. “Another,” he said to the bartender and dropped a C-note on the bar. “Keep them coming.”
The bartender nodded before the vampire turned his attention back to the woman and waited for opportunity to strike. After thirty minutes, she headed down the hallway toward the bathrooms. Ahhhhh. An opening rewarded his patience.
The motto “Good things come to those who wait,” came to mind. If patience was a virtue, he must be a saint. Most his life, he’d reaped the rewards of his persistence and patience. And it seemed tonight would be no different.
The vampire crossed the distance and caught up to the woman in the hall. He grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn toward him. His eyes roamed her face. Though not as beautiful as Christina, this one wasn’t bad. Looking into her eyes, the vampire captured her gaze.
“You are tired of this place.” He gave her a mental push to punctuate his command. “You are too good for your companions. You want to leave with me. Now.”
The woman went with him willingly, unable to do otherwise. His ire, more than necessity, kept his grip on her arm tight as they walked through the bar.
One of her companions noticed the two heading for the door and called after them. “Hey, you…Barbie. Stop!”
The table emptied, and all four men followed the couple out of the bar.
The vampire turned on the quartet. “Let’s get this over with. I’m in a hurry.”
He moved his second-place prize behind the establishment, with the men following in tow.
“Sit,” he commanded, and the woman promptly complied with his directive.
He rounded on the brawny men, tucking into a fighter’s stance. One of them let out a warrior’s yell and lunged for the vampire. The monster pivoted to the side then grabbed the back of the man’s leather vest with both hands. He spun the human head first into the brick wall of the bar, leaving an indentation from the man’s head in the bricks. He dropped the guy unceremoniously onto the ground atop the debris from the wall.
The vampire rounded on the remainder of the group. He leapt in the air, coming down between two of the men. Grabbing each by the head, he brought their heads together with a loud crunch. Blood poured from their crushed faces. He listened to their hearts stutter in an interesting rhythm before they ceased to pump and silenced.
The last man pulled a switchblade from the pocket of his jeans and opened it with a flick of his wrist. “I’m gonna slice you up.”
The vampire smiled in response to the threat. He held his arms straight out in a submissive stance. “Come and get me.”
The man shot forward with his knife extended in front of him. The vampire grabbed his arm and throat at the same time. He brought the man’s arm down over his knee, causing an open fracture. He squeezed the man’s throat, cutting off his scream of pain. Held tightly in his grasp, the man’s body jerked with its effort to take air into his lungs. But the exertion was for naught as the vampire simply tightened his grip in response. When he heard the man’s heart stop, the vampire let the body fall to the ground in a heap.
The male looked around at the carnage and smiled, pleased with his handiwork. He came looking for some action, and he’d found it, albeit human action. Too easy really, not nearly satisfying enough. Luckily, he still had more to look forward to this evening, a different type of action, a way to work off what remained of his frustration.
His prize still sat where he’d left her. The monster bent, grabbed a wrist and pulled her to her feet. He might not have who he wanted, but she was a good substitute, and he couldn’t wait to get her to his playroom with the others.
****
Marcus and Christina lay side by side on his bed while the news played on the plasma TV. Her fingers trailed lazily along his black silk shirt.
Stephan and Kat are here, Marcus projected the thought.
“How do you know?” Christina looked up into his handsome face.
I can always feel when my sire is near.
Christina pushed off the bed, her eyes wide. “How can I hear you? You’re lips aren’t moving.”
I’m using the mindlink. You can communicate with me using your mind too. Just close your eyes and concentrate. I’m using a mental channel to communicate with you. Follow the channel back to my mind.
Christina closed her eyes. This is never going to work.
It just did, babe. You’re good. Marcus squeezed her in a tender hug to his chest. It usually takes a couple of tries to use a mindlink. You did it on the first try.
“I can’t believe you can hear my thoughts.” Her excitement brought a boyish grin to her lover’s face.
“The more we use the link the easier it will become until you will be using it as naturally as you speak aloud. Let’s go up and greet Kat and Stephan.” Marcus led Christina up the stairs toward the front door.
Christina wrung her hands and thought, I hope Kat likes me.
“Of course, she will like you. What’s not to like?”
“You heard that?” She shook her head in disbelief. “It’s going to take me a while to get used to this mindlink thing. Having someone hear your every thought is strange.”
Marcus gave her a side glance and smiled. “I can’t hear every thought yet. As I said, the more we use the link the stronger it will become.”
Marcus opened the door wide. “Hello, Stephan.”
His sire stepped to the side and ushered his heartmate through the door before him with a sweep of his arm. Marcus caught Kat up in a bear hug, lifting the leggy blonde off her feet. “Hey, Kitty Kat, it’s great to see you.”
“It’s good to see you again too, Marcus. So are you going to put me down and introduce me to your heartmate or what?”
Marcus set Kat on her feet and placed his palm on the nape of Christina’s neck, giving it a gentle, reassuring massage. “Yeah, of course. Katrina von Haas, this is my heartmate, Christina. Christina, Kat.”
Christina expected the woman to be pretty, but she’d been unprepared for the graceful woman who stood before her. Katrina could only be described as drop-dead gorgeous, with her lithe dancer body, long blonde hair that flowed over her shoulders, and blue-gray eyes. At least a head taller than Christina, Kat had shapely legs, on display thanks to the miniskirt she wore, appeared to go on forever.
Christina swallowed her jealousy and pasted a welcoming smile on her face. “It’s nice to meet you, Kat. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Not too much, I hope.” Kat shot Marcus a mock glare. “Marcus has a big mouth and tends to go on and on and on—”
Marcus crossed his thick arms over his chest and cocked his head to one side. “Hey now, I resemble that remark.”
“Yes, you do,” Christina teased and gave his bicep a playful punch.
Kat looked up at Stephan and smiled. “You weren’t kidding. She really can keep Marcus in line.” Her eyes landed on Christina. “I can tell we will be fast friends.”
Marcus tsked and wagged his finger. “Now, now ladies, no ganging up on this poor defenseless male.”
Kat laughed. “Defenseless my butt. Christina, did he ever tell you about the time he single handedly took out four vampire body guards to save me?”
Stephan cleared his throat and hugged Kat to his side. “Who exactly saved you, Kitten?”
The blonde rolled her eyes. “Of course, you helped, too. Whatever! Don’t get your dander up, heartmate. Anyway, it’s history.”
“History that doesn’t need to be shared. Christina’s human, after all. I’m sure she doesn’t want to hear all about our scary adventures.” Stephan gave his mate a pointed look that spoke volumes.
What’s that all about, Marcus?
He’s telling her he does not approve of a human knowing about their conflicts with other vampires.
Meaning me?
Meaning, any human. He’s got a thing about protecting our existence. It’s a long story.
Christina leaned toward Kat and put her hand to the side of
her mouth. In a stage whisper she said, “Come with me, Kat. You can tell me all about it while I get the hors d’œuvres from the kitchen.”
“Lead the way. We have so much to talk about.” Kat threw Stephan a smug smile over her shoulder before she followed Christina down the hall.
****
Stephan shook his head wearily from side to side and grinned. “The women seem to be hitting it off.”
“Yeah, they are. I see Kat hasn’t changed a bit since marrying you, old man. She’s still as feisty as ever,” Marcus quipped.
“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The younger vampire chuckled. “I know what you mean.”
The two males made their way into the living room. As they waited for their mates to join them, Marcus filled Stephan in on what happened in Christina’s apartment.
A look of concern filled Stephan’s face, furrowing his dark brows over his sapphire eyes. “This is very troubling.”
Marcus nodded. “That’s not all. There was a story on the news tonight about a woman who is missing. She was at a bar with four men. The men were found behind the bar—all dead. The woman cannot be located. The news showed a picture of her, and she looks a little like Christina.”
Stephan leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “So let me get this straight. You interrupted a vampire attacking Christina. Now a woman who looks like Christina has been reported missing.”
Marcus rested his elbows on the arms of his chair and steepled his fingers. “Yeah, and don’t forget the four men found dead outside the bar. I don’t see how a human could have taken on all four of them and won. The TV report showed their mug shots. They were big guys. I think we can be sure a vampire killed them and took the woman.”
Deadly Alpha Page 13
