“Sure you can. I’ve learned a lot from my readings.”
“All I know is that my heart feels bruised.”
“Yeah, and look who’s here to help you mend. You’d do well to appreciate me more than you do.”
Her bruised heart softened. “I do appreciate you. You’re kind and funny and sexy. You’re becoming a way better friend to me than Keith ever was.”
“Thanks.” He smiled. “Bear in mind that I’d make an awesome dad, too. If you had rug rats with me, not only would they be highly attractive children, they’d have a father who’s been around for almost a hundred years.”
She laughed. “That’s quite a sales pitch.”
“You bet your sweet ass it is. It brings a whole new meaning to the good old days.”
She laughed again. Nicholas was definitely one of a kind. “We better get going or your brother and Tessa will wonder what we’re doing out here.”
“Afraid they might think we’re making out? We can do that later.”
“In the car?”
I know just the place where we can go.”
“No doubt you do.” The thought made her skin tingle. “You know everything.”
“I try.” Giving her a taste of what was to come, he grabbed her, stealing a sinfully rough kiss.
Her eyes nearly rolled back in her head. If he dragged her to the backseat, here and now, she would let him. But he didn’t. One kiss and he released her.
They exited the vehicle and walked to the front door of the house, taking a flower-lined path. They rang the bell, and Anthony answered the summons. He was tall and striking, just like Nicholas.
Marie said, “Darrin told me you two looked like twins, and you do.”
Anthony smiled. “Except that he’s my baby brother. I hope he’s not driving you too crazy.”
She laughed a little. “Actually he is.”
Nicholas shrugged. No shame at all. “I can’t help it if I drive the ladies crazy.”
Anthony shook his head. “You drive everyone nuts.”
Nonetheless, the men embraced on the doorstep, their brotherly love evident. It made Marie wish that she had a sibling.
Their host invited them inside and introduced Marie to Tessa. “This is my fiancée,” he said proudly, as a delicate blonde stepped forward, half of her face horribly scarred.
If Marie hadn’t been forewarned, she would have been shocked. She couldn’t imagine going through life with a disfigurement. But it seemed obvious that Anthony was teaching Tessa to accept herself. Marie wanted to hug her, but Tessa beat her to it, making the first move. Nicholas received a hug, too. He was his usual self, flirting with Tessa as he would any other female, only a bit more gallantly. When he stepped away from the scarred girl, Marie tried not to swoon.
“I hope you like Italian,” Tessa said to her. “I made spaghetti with marinara sauce for dinner. Nicholas told us ahead of time that you were vegetarian.”
“That sounds great,” she replied, her emotions thick with thoughts of him. “And it smells wonderful, too.” She inhaled the spices that danced in the air, using them as a distraction.
Soon everyone was seated at a cherry wood table. Tessa had also prepared a big fancy salad and fresh-from-the-oven rolls.
Halfway through the meal, Nicholas openly studied his brother, who was shoveling the main course into his mouth. “It’s weird to see you eating normal food. I can’t wait until I can go back to being mortal.”
Anthony finished his bite and swigged his wine. “Be patient. It will happen.”
“I’ve been trying to convince Marie to be the love of my life.”
Anthony scolded him. “You can’t convince someone to love you.”
Marie chimed in. “That’s what I keep telling him.”
Tessa had a different opinion. “I think it’s romantic.”
Nicholas, naturally, poured on the charm. “Finally someone who gets it.” Since Tessa was seated next to him, he reached for her hand and brushed an old-fashioned kiss across her knuckles. “I’m so glad you’re going to be my sister-in-law.”
She blushed and thanked him. He’d already won her over, but now she was completely taken with him.
After dinner, the men went onto the porch to catch some brother-to-brother time, and Marie helped Tessa with the dishes.
The blonde said, “I never expected to be the love of someone’s life. Anthony is the best thing that ever happened to me, and I almost didn’t let it happen. I was afraid that my damaged face would get in the way of our happiness.”
“I’m damaged on the inside,” Marie told her, explaining what happened with Keith. “I feel like I’ve been through the wringer.”
“I’m sorry your boyfriend betrayed you,” came the heartfelt reply. “But I think Nicholas is a much better choice.”
“You’re only saying that because you want it to be him.”
“I’m saying it because of the dashing way he looks at you.”
“He only does that because he’s trying to woo me.”
“Yes, but what if it’s destiny? What if he came into your life to sweep you off your feet? Give him a chance, and see where it goes. You never know what might happen.”
Later that night, Nicholas directed Marie to a hill overlooking a cityscape. The view was exquisite, but her mind was laden with the conversation she’d had with Tessa.
Was destiny involved? Was she meant to be with Nicholas?
No, she thought. Between his blatant attempt to become mortal and her wounded need for rebound sex, destiny seemed like a stretch.
“Pretty,” he said, interrupting her thoughts.
She gazed out the windshield. “Yes, it is.”
“I was talking about you.”
Her heart bumped her chest. Was he giving her one of those dashing looks Tessa had mentioned? Marie turned toward him, but she couldn’t tell. It was so dark all she could see was his shadowy outline. He, however, could see her just fine. He had nocturnal vision from his vampire side.
She shakily said, “Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this.”
“I thought you wanted to.”
“I did.” But that was before Tessa had messed with her mind. “We can get in trouble if we get caught. In the movies, either a cop conveniently comes by and flashes a light into the car or a serial killer appears on the scene and slashes the lovers to bits.”
He chuckled. “This isn’t a movie.”
“I know, but...”
“Don’t worry. It’ll be fine. If anyone else shows up, I’ll make us invisible to them.”
“You can do that?”
“I can do anything with magic.”
“Almost anything,” she corrected. He couldn’t wave his hand and make either of them fall in love. Not true love. Not lasting love. That had to come from within.
He reached for her. “I’ve been desperate to be with you all night.”
“Me, too,” she admitted, her resolve shattering.
He kissed her, hungrily, and she climbed across the console and onto his lap. They groped like teenagers on prom night, only today’s teens had enough sense to rent hotel rooms. She rubbed him through his jeans, then popped the snap and unzipped them, freeing his cock. From there, they got in the backseat, giving themselves more room.
Taking the lead, she nudged him down and lowered her head, licking the length of his shaft and making him shiver. She rolled her tongue around the tip, too, teasing, playing.
He grabbed fistfuls of her hair, and she gave him a naughty blow job, enjoying every big, hard inch. He thrust forward, fucking her mouth. She sucked and sucked, but he didn’t come. The man had stamina.
Finally, he made her stop. “Your turn to lie down, Marie.”
Eager, she reclined on the backseat, lifted her dress, and removed her panties, expecting him to return the oral favor.
Instead he said, “Touch yourself.”
His nocturnal vision added a strangely evocative element. A voyeuristic edge.
&n
bsp; Reaching down, she stroked her clit, moving in soft little circles.
“That’s nice. Does it feel good?”
“Yes.” Good. Sexy. Warm. She liked that he was watching.
“Keep doing it. Be bad for me.”
She continued, eager to please him. His voice was creamy hot, the fantasy too delicious to refuse. Being bad appealed to her. She stroked a little faster. She took her other hand and opened her nether lips so he could see the moisture inside.
“That’s my girl,” he said. “Give me a taste.”
She offered him her fingers, and while he licked her sticky digits, she lost her breath.
He upped the ante, as he always did. “Lift your legs in the air.”
“Like this?” She did her best, given the tight quarters.
“Perfect.”
Zoom! In the next perilous instant, a pair of what felt like leather restraints shot down from the headliner and clamped her ankles.
While she was bound, Nicholas gave her the oral pleasure she’d expected earlier. He ate her until she came, until heat washed over her body and pinpricks of passion flooded her core.
Then he did the unthinkable. He whispered, “Gvgeyuhi. I love you.”
Marie prayed for redemption.
“Did I say it right?” he asked.
“Yes.” He’d pronounced the Cherokee phrase correctly. But he didn’t mean it, she reminded herself. It was merely part of his ploy. His beautiful, unfair ploy.
“Say it back to me,” he demanded gently.
She shook her head. “I don’t want to tell you that I love you when I don’t. I don’t want to say it anymore.”
“If they’re empty words, then why does it matter? Why place so much more importance on them?”
“Because you’re trying to use them to make it happen.”
“And by refusing, you seem afraid that it might work.”
“Because this is too much for me.” Too much pressure. Too much emotion. “I’m hurting over Keith. I’m—”
“Don’t talk about him. Or think about him.” He slid between her ankle-strapped legs and fucked her, deeply, blatantly, taking her prisoner. “Think about us, Marie. Imagine that you belong to me. That you’re my wild willing wife.”
Wild. Willing. Wife.
Confused, she dragged her nails down his back. The scratches would heal as quickly as they were inflicted. She couldn’t mar his immortal skin for good. But she tried, determined to draw blood, if only for the moment.
Then, within the beat of her raging heart, they both went on the attack, kissing and biting. Nothing in her safe little human life could’ve prepared her for this kind of sex, this kind of brutal excitement. She clawed and clawed. He fucked and fucked.
He repeated the dreaded words, too. “Gvgeyuhi. Gvgeyuhi. Gvgeyuhi.”
Marie came so hard, she nearly cracked. In the heat of their frenzied union, in the backseat of her steam-fogged car, Nicholas insisted on playing his merciless game.
Making his phony profession of love seem blindingly real.
Chapter Ten
During the remainder of their two weeks, the “blindingly real” thing hovered in the air, constant in Marie’s mind and pulling her into a heap of emotion. And now as she plopped down beside Nicholas on her sofa, she wondered what to expect.
“I had a great time,” he said.
She merely nodded. They’d just gotten home from a local amusement park and while they’d shared a wonderful experience, she’d also been secretly freaking out.
He stretched his legs, resting his feet on a calf-printed footstool. “Everything we’ve been doing has been fun.”
She gave another nod. They’d been spending every moment together, engaging in activities like horseback riding, country dancing, and long evening walks.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. “Why are you so quiet?”
Unprepared to answer what felt like a loaded question, she cautiously replied, “We only have three days left.”
“I know. I’ve been thinking about that, too. Time is running out.” He frowned. “We need to hurry up and fall in love.”
She frowned, too. “Tessa told me that I should give it chance. But I’m scared about the way it might turn out.”
“Scared that we’ll end up together or that we won’t?”
“Both.”
His brow remained furrowed. “I want it to work.”
“For the wrong reason.”
“That isn’t true. Every day that I’m with you is beautiful and exciting. When I look at you, I can actually see my future.”
“Because you want to see it so badly.”
“Because I can see it,” he countered. “Because it feels natural envisioning myself with you. It even feels natural saying, ‘I love you’ when we’re playing those sexy husband-and-wife fantasies.”
Her breath hitched. “That almost sounds like you do love me.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed. He looked as jittery as she felt. “All I know is that I want to be with you all the time. If I don’t become mortal when this ends, I’ll be devastated. Not just because I didn’t win the mortality prize, but because you won’t be part of my life.”
“I can’t imagine living my life without you, either. But how qualified am I to fall in love? I’ve only been broken up with Keith for—”
He cut her off. “I hate it when you talk about him.”
“And I hate that he made me leery of me trusting my own instincts.”
“Is what you feel for me stronger than what you felt for him?”
“God, yes.” It was a million times more. A billion. A trillion. “But I’m still scared.”
He choked out a laugh. “I’m petrified, too. I’ve been acting so cavalier, but I’m far from being an expert. The reading I’ve been doing hasn’t helped a bit. I’m totally out of my element.”
She searched his gaze, needing to hear his side of it. She’d never seen him so nervous, so humble. “What scares you the most?”
“Honestly? I’m worried that that I won’t appeal to you if I become human. That I’ll be lacking the qualities you’re attracted to.”
His response confused her. “That doesn’t make sense. You’ll be the same, only mortal.”
“Will I?” He expressed his doubts. “I won’t be able to create magic anymore. That’s a major part of who I am. It fuels my personality.”
“That isn’t true. You’ll still be you, with or without it. The ability to create magic doesn’t fuel you. You fuel you. Your charm. Your sense of humor.”
“That sounds good in theory. But I’m still worried.” He shifted in his seat. “What about the blood?”
“What about it?”
“Won’t you miss our feedings if I become mortal? Won’t you miss the high it gives you?”
“Yes, I’ll miss it.” She gotten used to the strangely hungered side of their relationship. “But if we stay together as humans, I’ll have new experiences with you that will matter so much more.”
He prodded her to expound. “Like what?”
“Big things, like holidays. Small things, like sitting around watching TV. Annoying things, like catching each other’s colds.”
He teased her, making a cross with his fingers and warding off the foreboding evil. “I haven’t had one of those for over sixty years.”
She teased him right back. “Then you’ll probably catch a doozy.”
They both laughed, and he said, “Tell me about the holidays. What will they be like?”
She went dreamy. “They’ll be perfect and hectic and everything they’re supposed to be. During Christmastime, we can decorate our tree with homemade ornaments, string lights around our house, and hide the presents we bought each other. And on the actual day, we can cook for our families and ply them with eggnog.”
He grinned. “What about New Year’s Eve? Are we going to get sloppily drunk?”
“Sloppily, happily drunk,” she supplied. “With lots of midnight kissing.”
/>
“I like that.” He looked ready to kiss her now. But he queried her instead. “What’s our Valentine’s Day agenda? Do you have anything in mind for that?”
She thought about it for a second. “You can write me a love song.”
He gazed longingly at her. “A love song, huh?”
She nodded, answering his look with one of her own. “If you become mortal, it will be because you love me.”
He finally said it. “I do love you, Marie. By God, I do.”
In an instant the dream turned into reality. “I love you, too.” She couldn’t deny it any longer. Living without Nicholas would be impossible. “I want everything with you.” Everything she’d mentioned and more.
“So do I.” He drew her into his arms. “We’re going to have a big beautiful wedding.”
“And a slew of gorgeous kids.” Their mouths came together and they kissed like desperate fiends. He’d just proposed, and she’d just accepted. Her heart swam with it.
He tugged her onto his lap. “We’re also going to have explosive sex as often as we want.”
“Are we still going to use restraints?”
His eyes flashed. “What do you think?”
She rubbed against him. “I say yes.”
“Absolutely, yes.” He carried her to the bedroom and placed her on the bed. “Would it be wrong for me to use my magic tonight?”
She contemplated his question. In three more days, their new life would begin, his mortal existence, the future they were meant to have. Their destiny, she thought. There was no such thing as wrong. “I think it will be fitting. A farewell of sorts.”
“Then I’m going to restrain you with these.” He created two wickedly rugged pieces of rope. “And this.” One long silky piece of rope.
Once he did away with their clothes, he secured her wrists to the bedpost. Next he harnessed the silky rope in an intricate design, winding it around her breasts and knotting it between her legs. He did this magically, making it slither on its own. Marie’s breath rushed out. She was caught good and tight, the piece between her legs causing a delightful friction.
As he sat back to admire his handiwork, she gazed expectantly at him. As always he was the quintessential bad boy, with his tousled dark hair and rangy muscles. But with those exotic green eyes, he also reminded her of a jungle cat. He behaved like one, too. With the grace of a panther, he moved toward her.
The Vampire Bracelet: Erotic Paranormal Romance ( # 2: Blood Genies series) Page 6
