by Janie Marie
“David,” she whispered, and instantly, his violent gaze was aimed at her.
He didn’t frighten her, and she smiled as the murderous gleam in his dark blue eyes faded away.
Her body warmed, filling with joy. David was a terrifying beast, but always soft and understanding with her.
David huffed and grabbed her hand again before looking back at the man he seemed ready to beat just for looking at her.
She almost swooned right there.
“William,” he said in a more controlled tone, but his eyes said, ‘I will rip you apart if you look at her again.’ “We are hungry.”
William nodded. “Yes, of course. The others requested hamburgers. I know that’s not your usual preference. Would you like something else?”
David turned to her. “Do you have something specific you’d like to eat?”
She grinned and shook her head at him. “No. I’ll have whatever you are having.”
David smiled back at her. “Baby, I eat a lot of meat: chicken breast, steaks, some fish, and almost every vegetable.”
Jane scrunched up her nose.
David chuckled. “I thought so. Do you like hamburgers?”
Jane felt silly because she truly loved a greasy burger and fries any day, and she loathed veggies. “Yes.”
“Prepare a hamburger for her. Put her condiments and toppings on the side . . . French fries, baby?”
Jane nodded, blushing because she wanted to request piping hot, golden fries.
“And fries,” David said.
She could hear the smile in his voice.
“And for you, Master David?”
David sighed. “My usual day meal, but make me a hamburger as well.”
“Are you in need of a donor ration?” William asked.
“Yes. A double, though.”
“And the lady?” William asked in a hopeful tone.
Jane noticed David smirking as he eyed the man. He then lifted her hand to his lips, kissing it before he said, “She only feeds from me.”
William appeared disappointed but bowed before leaving, and that didn’t make any sense to her.
“Why do you look so happy?” she asked.
David smirked and lowered her hand. “William is a donor.”
“Okay . . . I still don’t understand.”
He chuckled. “Many humans donate blood by having it drawn and stored for us. However, many enjoy the pleasure that comes from live feedings. William is one of the few men who offer themselves for live feedings. He only does it for whom he considers attractive women.”
“How awful.”
David gave her a tight smile. “Humans can be as vile as the most wicked immortals. William is not the only one—most immortals in the kingdom participate in live feedings. Arthur has rules in place for them.” He gestured in the direction William had gone. “He is popular with the women. I was showing him that he stood no chance of having your lips on his skin, or his pathetic blood on your tongue.” His gaze drifted over her face. “Your lips will only taste my blood. Now, he knows that, and he will pass the message on to the others.” His eyes sparked with light. “You’re mine.”
Oh, dear Lord. She almost fainted from the dominance he was showing over any male in contact with her.
The clanging of two plates on the table made them look away from each other. David was clearly pleased at the inferior look on William’s face as he pulled the plates closer. There was a large glass of blood, which David grabbed first. He pinned William with a dangerous stare and slowly raised it to his lips.
“Is there anything else, Master David?” William asked.
Jane didn’t care about David’s dominance right now because she was suddenly interested in the glass he held. She sighed, licking her lips.
David leaned over and kissed her on the temple. “I will feed you in a moment, baby.” He sat back. “You are dismissed, William.” He chuckled, watching the man leave before glancing back at her.
Jane shoved his arm. “You’re horrible.”
He shrugged and inspected his hamburger. “The whelp needed to learn his place.” He sniffed his burger. “Which he now knows is nowhere near you.”
She smiled and put pickles and mustard on her hamburger, noticing he was watching everything she was doing. “Don’t tell me you have never had a hamburger, David.”
He gave her an annoyed look. “I am wondering why you are only eating mustard and pickles.”
“It’s good.” She took a bite and smiled with her mouth closed, chewing her food.
David smiled as he watched her for a few seconds and then returned to his burger. “I usually avoid junk food.”
Jane swallowed and reached for a fry. “Hamburgers and fries are heaven for me.”
“Really?” He took a bite.
“Yes. I will take a greasy burger and hot fries over the fanciest restaurant food.”
He chuckled as he grabbed his water. “I shall remember that.”
She watched him take a drink, then finish his hamburger in only a few bites. Even though he ate quickly, he managed to look graceful doing it.
“Was that your first burger?”
David pushed his empty hamburger plate away and pulled the one with two grilled chicken breasts and vegetables closer. “Yes.”
Jane gasped and dropped her fry. “Did you like it?”
“It was adequate.” He proceeded to cut his chicken, a faint smile touching the corner of his mouth.
“Yeah, right. I’ve never seen someone eat a hamburger that fast. You freaking loved it.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “I said it was adequate.”
A snort came out without her consent, and she blushed when his eyes cut to her, clearly amused by the way he still fought full-on smiling. “Have you had fries?”
“No.”
Jane gasped again and held one up to his mouth. “Eat one right now.”
He eyed the fry and then her. “It is a fried potato, Jane.”
She waved it under his nose. “It’s fried goodness. Try it. I just want to see if you like it.”
David laughed but leaned forward and bit the fry. His lips touched her finger, and she pressed hers together when his gaze met hers. Before she could pull her hand back, he closed his lips around her fingertips to take the last of the fry, then leaned back and chewed.
Jane didn’t realize she was holding her breath until she sucked in a big gulp of air and lowered her hand. “Well?”
He smirked and began to cut his food again. “You taste better.”
David opened the door to his room and pulled Jane in behind him. After flicking on the light switch, he led her to the bed. She’d been quiet since they left the dining hall. Her habit of overthinking was no doubt at work, and he hoped she wasn’t regretting anything between them. He needed to make things clear before he fed her again, because if she was regretting kissing his cheek or anything else with him, she would definitely regret how they were during her feedings.
He turned and saw her frowning at a corner of his room. “Jane?”
“Hm?” She hummed a response but didn’t look at him.
“What’s going through your head, baby?”
Now she looked him in the eye. “I shouldn’t have had a nice time with you.”
“Why is that?” He already knew she was feeling guilty for simply being happy with him.
Her gaze dropped to the floor. “I didn’t want to hurt or lie to Jason. I did hurt him, though, and you and I ended up acting like we were on our first date together.”
“You will know when I take you on a date, Jane.” David smiled, cupping her cheek. “Do not regret our time together, and try not to feel so guilty for being happy. You have been sad for so long. I want you to be happy.”
She pouted those perfect lips of hers. “But I’m not supposed to be happy.”
David leaned back. “Why would you think that?”
“Because I’m not meant to.”
He didn’t
know what to say, so he kissed her forehead. “You deserve every bit of happiness your heart desires, Jane.” As he pulled back, he gripped her hair and tilted her head up. “We will figure everything out. Our situation is complicated, but we will work through it.”
“Yep.” Fire sparked in her eyes, and her head bobbed as much as she could manage since he still held her. “I make everything complicated. I complicate everyone’s life.”
“I can handle complicated, baby. Give me your worst, and I will give you my best.” He smiled down at her. “And I see no mess when I look at you. We have been over this before.”
Her cheeks pinked, but her gaze hardened. “Maybe your sight isn’t as good as you believe it is.”
David laughed. “You want to fight with me, don’t you?”
“You’re supposed to get mad.” She tried to glare at him, but he saw through her.
“I cannot be angry with you,” he said. “But I see what you are doing.”
“And what’s that?” Her sharp tone should have upset him, yet it didn’t.
“You use anger to protect yourself, my love.” He watched her purse her lips. “You don’t have to protect yourself from me. I will not hurt you.”
A defeated sigh left her mouth, and the fire dimmed in her eyes. “But I’ll hurt you, David.”
“And your lovely heart takes the beating to protect me.” He kissed her forehead again. “I love you more because you are willing to do whatever it takes to keep me safe. You are like this for everyone you love as well. But I will not let you destroy yourself for me.”
Her eyes were glassy when they locked gazes. “I can’t be the one to hurt you. Not you.”
He felt an incredible warmth in his chest because he saw that she truly cared for him more than he had originally believed. “I can protect myself. I can protect you, too.” David glanced at his bed. “Are you sure about this? I do not think you are in danger of becoming too unstable, but you know we can wait for me to draw it for you.” He wanted her to take their feedings seriously.
Jane gave him a determined look. “I want to do this. I know you’ll make sure I don’t do anything that will make me upset later. I trust you.”
Her faith in him made him smile again. “I know you trust me, sweetheart. I am worried, though. You were just regretting having an enjoyable afternoon together, and now I’m about to feed you again. Don’t get me wrong, I know for certain that I only want you feeding from me, but I am worried about your reaction after it is all done.”
She reached up to touch his cheek. “David, I know you’ll keep us from doing anything wrong.”
David stared at her for a moment before sighing. “All right. I promise to make sure you stop before anything improper happens. I think you should take it from my wrist again.”
Jane was already shaking her head. “I want to get used to drinking from your neck.”
He continued staring at her. She was serious, and he knew she was simply trying to get control over her own reaction to him. The feedings from his wrist had actually ended up being more improper than the ones from his neck anyway—and it was a lot faster to feed from someone’s neck than wrist, but when she moved just the tiniest bit, he always wanted to flip her onto the bed.
The sudden thought of her seeking another out to feed from entered his mind, and he clenched his jaw. There were others out there who would fight to have her feed from them. Fresh blood was more desirable than bagged blood. If Jane had the opportunity, in her newly transformed state, she might not be able to resist a willing donor, and her sexual needs would want to be satisfied.
“All right, Jane,” he said, unwilling to stomach the thought of her feeding on another man or accidentally harming someone. “We will try it this way. But if it becomes too difficult for you to control yourself, I will find another way in the future. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand.”
He studied her face. He wanted to make sure this was his Jane and not some trick. It was her. He knew it when he looked into those hazel eyes he loved so much.
“Okay,” he said, pulling her the rest of the way to the bed. He sat and moved her so she stood between his legs. He smiled before reaching up to caress her cheek. “Are you ready?”
Jane nuzzled his palm and nodded, so he scooted back slightly, never letting go of her hand, and tugged her so she stood in front of him. “Do you want to kneel beside me or . . .”
Jane looked down at him anxiously before grabbing his shoulder. “I think I will wind up on top of you anyway. Might as well let you get a good hold of me.”
“All right,” he said, smiling. He slid his hand along her waist, loving the beautiful curve of her body more and more.
After grabbing the back of her thigh and situating her knee on the bed, he watched her raise her other leg so she could straddle him. They locked eyes as she held onto his shoulders with both hands, and she scooted closer. David tightened his hand on her hip, watching her mouth open a little as she squeezed her legs around him.
Shit.
Letting go of her hip, he cupped her cheek again. “I promise to stop you, Jane. Just help me, too. Try to control yourself. I’m sure with time, we will both get better at it.”
“I’ll try.”
“I know you will,” he said, watching her carefully.
Jane played with his hair, and he had to force himself not to shiver as he slid his hand behind her neck. Slowly, he began to pull her closer, and he almost groaned when her legs tightened around him again.
David watched her instincts take over then. She sighed, her fangs elongating to reveal his beautiful vampire. She was completely in feeding mode now, and her sole focus was on the rapidly beating pulse in his neck.
At this point, he didn’t need to prompt her. She leaned down and bit into him with her warm lips molding to his skin. They squeezed each other tighter, enjoying how they felt together. Jane moaned as she tangled her fingers in his hair, sucking harder.
David struggled to block the sounds she was making along with her sweet scent, but it was no use. She was continuously trying to pull him to her, so he got a firmer hold, which she only seemed to enjoy more by the louder moan she gave him.
Take her, a thought surfaced in his mind.
David squeezed his eyes shut and slid his hands across her back. Jane moaned, obviously liking what he was doing with his hands. He could feel her breasts pressing against him, begging him to touch them. He wanted to. He wanted to yank her shirt down and cover them with his mouth.
The image of Jane naked flashed in his mind, and he quickly opened his eyes, looking around. Jane wasn’t naked; she was still drinking from him. He squeezed her hips to stop her from rocking against him and closed his eyes again, grunting when she bit him harder.
Almost instantly, she pulled away from feeding on him to kiss along his jaw. He could feel her soft skin under his hands and couldn’t stop himself. He let out a growl and flipped her onto her back just like he’d always imagined doing before.
She moaned when he roughly ran his hands up her naked thigh as he used his knee to nudge her legs apart and then reached for the button of his pants.
No, he yelled at himself.
She wants you, a voice encouraged.
Jane wrapped her legs around his waist and lifted her hips for him. He ran his thumb over her hip bone, smiling as she bucked against him. She looked into his eyes and smiled. David couldn’t hold back anymore and brought his lips down on hers, feeling hers instantly move with his. He didn’t wait and pushed his tongue into her mouth, exploring and tasting all her sweetness.
They nipped and sucked on each other’s lips. David didn’t even realize his clothes were gone until he felt her raising her hips up for him again, waiting for him to enter her. He locked eyes with her. She was smiling at him, encouraging him to continue.
He did.
David thrust into her, hard. She screamed out, but he didn’t stop. He didn’t let her get used to him; he buried himself
deep inside her again and again as she cried out his name. Their hot breaths mixed with their moans, and he squeezed her waist, lifting her up more so he could go deeper as he leaned over her, nearly putting a hole in the mattress from how hard he gripped it. She screamed louder.
“David,” she whispered, but her voice didn’t sound like the same tone she was moaning in.
He opened his eyes. They were still sitting on the bed, and Jane was drinking from him. David blinked, confused. He wasn’t undressed and neither was she.
A trickle of sweat dripped down the side of his face. He shut his eyes again, and again he saw himself moving in and out of her while her nails dug into his arms and back. He could feel her body as if it was under him, warm and soft. He could almost feel her tightening around his dick.
David let out a grunt and snapped his eyes open. Nothing changed. He was still seeing himself ravaging her beautiful body. He didn’t know what was happening to him.
Take her.
David suddenly saw their conversation from earlier playing out in his mind. “David, I know you will keep us from doing anything wrong.” . . . “I trust you.”
He blinked and saw when he promised to stop her. “All right. I promise to make sure you stop before anything improper happens.”
The images blurred, and he was able to see the room come back into focus. Once again, he was holding a clothed Jane while she simply fed from him.
His breathing was heavy, but he lifted his hand to her head. “Stop, Jane.”
She began to suck harder, not wanting to stop her feeding session.
TAKE HER!
He fisted her hair and raised his voice. “Stop!” He wasn’t yelling at her; he was yelling at the thoughts in his head, but Jane flinched from his harsh tone and let go of him quickly. David kept her hair in his hands and tried to slow his breathing.
She didn’t move, but she whimpered. Immediately upon hearing her fear, he calmed and let go of her hair to hug her. “Shh, baby. I’m sorry.” He slid his hand up her back.
She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in the crook of his neck. “I’m sorry I didn’t stop,” she whispered.
