by Kate Hill
Matthew sprawled naked on the bed, his broad back propped against the pillows as he stared at her with intensity that made her spine tingle.
“I got this.” She held up a slinky black dress, the neckline and hem adorned with seed-pearl flowers.
“Beautiful,” he said. “Try it on for me.”
Dulcie shed her clothes, a half smile on her lips as his gaze devoured her, focusing on her full breasts and the soft mound between her legs. His cock lengthened and thickened. Desire pulsed through her as he curled his fist around it and rubbed the staff a couple of times before folding his arms behind his head. The position exposed the curve of his biceps to advantage.
She slipped the dress over her head and glanced at herself in the mirror. It was a pretty dress.
“God, does that look sexy,” he said.
Dulcie’s smile broadened as she removed the dress and hung it in the closet.
“These—” she bent, reaching into the bag and awarding him a perfect view of her bottom, “—are for you.”
Straightening, she tossed her hair over her shoulder and approached the bed. Two silk ties, one pink, one gray, dangled from her hand.
His gazed flickered to the ties. He took them as she knelt beside him on the bed.
Examining them carefully, his lips curved upward slightly. “My favorite designer.”
“I know.”
“Thank you.”
“Let’s try one on you.” She selected the pink and slipped it around his neck. The intensity of his gaze and the soft stroking of his fingers across her breasts had her pussy drenched with desire. Knotting the tie, she pulled it tight around his neck, holding it to the pit of his throat with one hand while her other grasped his cock and pumped.
“Umm.” He arched his head back, his eyes slipping shut as his cock swelled even more in her hand.
Jerking the tie loose, he placed both accessories aside and reached for her. She grinned, slipping from his grasp, and leaned over the bed, reaching for a smaller bag.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Cherry-flavored lotion.” She slanted her gaze at him. “I know you’re not into foreign enhancements, but do you think we could just try—”
Grasping her by the waist, he flung her onto her back and stretched out beside her, taking the lotion from her hand. His gaze scanned the label. “Delectable. Edible. Sensual. Lots of alluring words, here, love.”
“Honestly, Matthew,” she giggled. “You’re the only man I know who’d read the label on a sex lotion before using it on a lovely, willing woman stretched out naked in front of you.”
“I just want to know what’s in it.”
“I’ve used it before. It’s really—”
His body covered hers and he kissed her, his tongue sliding into her mouth while his thumb caressed her clit and his middle finger slipped into her slick pussy. Her arms locked around his neck and she thrust her pelvis against his stroking hand.
When the kiss broke, he said against her lips, “I don’t want to hear about your old lovers.”
“Don’t worry. No matter how many aids they used, none of them were nearly as good as you. I just thought it might be fun to—”
She paused as he opened the lotion and squirted it onto her belly, using the tip of the bottle to draw random shapes. Kneeling over her, one steely leg on either side of her body, he bent, his hands curving around her waist as he licked the lotion from her flesh.
When all the lotion was gone, he reached for the bottle again, this time decorating her breasts.
Dulcie nearly laughed aloud at the vibrancy of his eyes. He licked his lips, his hard cock brushing her belly.
“Not so bad, is it, genius?” she teased.
“Do not call me that. You remind me of Vincent.”
“Heaven forbid.”
“And this stuff tastes pretty good. Of course, just about anything would taste good off such a lovely plate.”
“Ohh,” she purred. “I love it when you get romantic, Dr. Winter.”
His tongue rolled over her nipples and covered every inch of her full breasts, lapping away the cherry-flavored cream. He kissed and licked his way down to her clit. He caressed the swollen pink flesh with the flat of his tongue then ran the tip along the sides and the sensitive little head.
When his incisor pricked the tip, the sensation almost overwhelmed Dulcie. She thrashed and moaned, steadied by his hands on her hips.
Sliding up her body, he rubbed his cock over her thighs and belly. She inched lower and grasped it, her tongue flicking over the head as she squeezed and stroked the shaft. As he’d done to her most sensitive part, she nipped his cock head.
Matthew growled, his muscles tight and straining as she sucked and licked his cock.
When the sensation became unendurable, he covered her body with his, filling her with his pole-hard erection. The hard, velvet-skinned cock rubbed and teased, bringing them both to the panting edge of passion. He slowed his movements and sped them again, tormenting them until their fangs pierced each other’s flesh and they came, groaning, their bodies jerking together in sweet, passionate fulfillment.
* * * * *
The remainder of Matthew and Dulcie’s vacation went well. In between helping Adam, Matthew spent leisurely hours with his wife and they had a few memorable evenings on the town.
“See how fast two weeks went by?” Nancy said to Matthew at the lab on his first morning back. “And can you believe we actually survived without you?”
He smiled too sweetly. “Imagine that.”
“What time did you get here this morning?”
“Five-thirty.”
“Do you ever sleep?”
Matthew shrugged. “I almost wish I didn’t have to.”
“Jay came around yesterday looking for you.”
Matthew’s smile faded as he tugged at a loose strand on the sleeve of his lab coat. He wasn’t looking forward to meeting with Jay. Though he knew he didn’t want to leave his job, Jay’s offer had been almost too tempting.
For the rest of the day, Matthew immersed himself in his work. He forgot about Jay until the man himself entered the lab.
“Matthew—” Jay shook his hand, “—have a minute?”
Matthew guided him to his office.
“So, when can you start?”
“I’m not leaving the hospital.”
Jay’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve thought this over carefully?”
“I have.”
“I really do want you on the team. You’re the best.”
“Thank you, but I’m happy where I am.”
“Maybe you just need more time to think it over.”
“No.” Matthew sat on the edge of his desk and folded his arms across his chest, his eyes fixed on Jay’s. He felt the man probing his thoughts, but Matthew had become quite good at blocking telepaths when necessary. The last person he wanted crawling around his mind was Jay.
“Well,” Jay sighed, “I can’t say I’m not disappointed, but you have to do what’s right for yourself. Good luck, Matthew.”
“And to you. I think your project is good, something our kind has needed, but I’m just not ready to leave my research and my patients here.”
“I understand. Well, I’m sure we’ll see each other again sometime.”
Matthew escorted Jay to the hospital entrance and watched his black sports car disappear into the Boston traffic.
* * * * *
When Matthew arrived at home around eleven, Dulcie was busy in her studio, but she called out to him in greeting, saying she’d heat up dinner while he went for a run.
At twelve-thirty, they sat at the kitchen table eating dinner by candlelight.
“I talked to Jay today. I declined his offer.”
“Good. I really don’t like him.”
“Me either, but the opportunity… No use talking about it now. I just couldn’t bring myself to leave the hospital.”
“I know.” Dulcie reached for his hand. “I�
�m sure they’d miss you as much as you’d miss them, and Jules would be upset to return and find you gone.”
“I wish he’d get back. Simmons is driving everyone crazy. I hate obscenities, but asshole is the only word for the guy.”
After dinner, they cleaned the kitchen together, then Dulcie told him she wanted to finish her painting and would meet him in their bedroom.
Matthew undressed and slipped into bed, journal in hand.
He glanced over ten pages of his bold handwriting. It revealed an argument with himself over the decision he’d made regarding Jay’s offer. For crying out loud, Matthew, how boring is this?
“Do you plan on writing in that all night?” Dulcie purred as she approached the bed and ran her claws over his chest. He tossed the journal aside and pinned her beneath him so swiftly that she gasped in surprise and whispered, “I guess not.”
He kissed her, and when their mouths finally parted, she said, “You did the right thing today with Jay.”
He nuzzled her shoulder. “I love you, Dulcie.”
“You too. Now, do you plan on showing me how much?”
* * * * *
For the next month, while Matthew worked his long hours, Dulcie anxiously prepared for her exhibition. In between, their marriage continued as happy as ever. Dulcie hadn’t imagined that after eight years their affection would continue to grow, and she wondered if even after a thousand years they would grow tired of each other. She supposed not. Her own parents had been together since ancient Greece, or was it Rome? After so many years of hearing the story, she’d tuned it out.
The day of the exhibition, Dulcie met her friend and collaborator, Charlie, at the hall so that they could look over the arrangement of their work one more time.
By dusk, the women had returned to Charlie’s house to dress. Dulcie finished braiding Charlie’s brown hair and applied blush to her lightly freckled cheeks.
“So how do I look?” Charlie asked.
“Gorgeous.”
Charlie laughed, glancing at Dulcie’s voluptuous curves in her black dress. Her hair was arranged in a stunning updo, her green eyes lined with black. “No, you’re gorgeous. I think I look okay, though.”
“Better than okay, dear.” Dulcie flicked a bit of lint off Charlie’s sleeveless brown sundress, admiring the creamy tops of her firm breasts. “If I survived off mortal blood, I’d bite you.”
Charlie smiled. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“As well you should.” Jocelyn stepped into the bedroom. Tall and lean with chin-length blond hair and metal-rimmed glasses, he looked every bit the history professor that he was. Though physically older than Charlie, even before his centuries as a vampire, Jocelyn seemed her perfect match. He continued in his charming English accent, “Charlie’s blood is the only fond memory I have of my vampiric years.”
Charlie stood on tiptoe and kissed her husband. “Has the sitter arrived for the kids?”
“All set. If you ladies are ready, I’ll escort you to the car.”
“Is Matthew coming tonight?” Charlie glanced over her shoulder at Dulcie as they walked down the hall.
“So he promised, but you know Matthew. He might lose track of time.” Dulcie tried sounding nonchalant, but inside she hoped Matthew would come to the exhibition. She accepted his devotion to his career, but at times she did want him to herself.
* * * * *
Dulcie smiled and nodded to the man speaking with her about one of her paintings. She murmured thanks to some comment he made, not even certain it was complimentary.
As she slipped from the exhibition hall for the third time to glance outside for Matthew, she noticed Charlie standing in a corner laughing with a group of patrons, Jocelyn beside her. She felt a pang of envy.
Someone caught her arm before she reached the exit. She smiled upon recognizing her childhood art instructor, the woman who’d first encouraged her to explore her talent. She fell into deep conversation, pleased the woman even remembered her.
“Remember you?” the tall, elderly lady smiled. “I’m so proud of your success. I always knew you were talented.”
“If it hadn’t been for you I might never have pursued art.” Dulcie paused as she caught Matthew’s scent. Her heartbeat quickened and she smiled inwardly. So, he remembered his promise after all.
As Matthew’s warm hand caressed her back, she turned to him, gazing into his sapphire eyes.
“I’m sorry I’m late.”
She looked at him through her lashes, as if to say, I’ll make you pay for it later, before introducing him to her old instructor.
Moments later, they walked together through the exhibit hall.
Matthew leaned close to her ear and whispered, “You look gorgeous in that dress.”
Dulcie’s gaze swept his dark blue suit and the gray silk tie she’d bought him. “You’re not half bad yourself.”
As they paused in front of one of Charlie’s paintings of a sunlit beach, he whispered, “Are you wearing underclothes this time?”
“Of course not.”
His eyes glistening with lust, he growled so low that only Dulcie heard. She giggled, shielding her mouth with a delicate hand to conceal the incisors that stubbornly poked through their sheaths. Determined to control her desire, she forced her teeth back into submission. After the exhibition, they’d have all night for each other.
“I painted one for you,” Dulcie told him. “You’re no telepath, but I bet you can guess which one.”
Matthew’s lips slid into a half smile as he wandered throughout the hall, studying the array of paintings, paying particular attention to Dulcie’s nighttime works. He lingered over a painting of naked red devils and voluptuous black demons tangled in carnal embraces, writhing on a mountain streaked with lava from a smoking volcano.
Matthew glanced at Dulcie who stood beside him, her fingers entwined with his. He said, “I love it. Thank you.”
“It’s called Pleasure and Pain.” She winked. “And I knew you would.”
He opened his mouth to reply but stopped suddenly, his gaze darting toward the door. Moments later, Jay stepped inside.
Dulcie sensed Matthew’s discomfort. They both hoped they’d seen the last of the slender, dark-haired scientist.
Jay smiled and waved as he approached them. “Dulcie, Matthew. So good to see you again. I must say I’ve been looking forward to this exhibition, and I can already tell I’m not going to be the least bit disappointed. Dulcie, your collaborator is also very talented, but I’m afraid your depictions of the night world are far more appealing than her interpretations of the day. I suppose I’m biased… Demonic hell, that is a masterpiece!” Jay brushed between the couple, staring at Pleasure and Pain. “It emanates all the wicked lust ever felt by man or beast since the beginning of time.”
Dulcie glanced at Matthew from the corner of her eye and said, “It definitely had carnal inspiration.”
Jay turned to Dulcie. “But there’s no price.”
“That one’s not for sale.”
“Not for any price? I can be quite generous. I must have it.”
“It already belongs to someone.”
Jay scratched his chin. “Well, where’s the owner? I’m sure he’ll strike a bargain.”
“I’m afraid he won’t,” Matthew told him. “I’m the owner.”
Jay smiled. “It seems you’re fated to disappoint me, Matthew. I know there’ll be no bargaining with you for your wife’s work.”
“You’re right.”
“Well—” Jay turned back to the painting and stared for a long moment, “—you might be interested to know, Matthew, that my new research center is operating beautifully. It’s amazing what we’ve done already. Even the Network has been keeping contact with us.”
“You must be very happy.”
“Yes. Only one problem keeps me from total bliss. You’re not on our team.”
“You’re far too complimentary. There are many just as capable and I’m sure more
experienced than I am. I’m not old enough to—”
“Age has nothing to do with this. I know it’s generally thought the older we are, the more powerful and knowledgeable we become. Unfortunately, after so many years, many of us cling to old superstitions. Ancient ones are fearful of the new. An Immaculate with your intelligence, training and youth is as priceless as…as Dulcie’s exquisite painting.”
“Enjoy the exhibition,” Matthew said with a forced smile as he took Dulcie’s hand and walked away.
Jocelyn waited for them at the door. He swept a tendril of straight, blond hair behind his ear and asked, “Who is that?”
“Jay Ashford,” Matthew told him.
Jocelyn’s brown eyes flickered in Jay’s direction. “The man who made you the job offer? Glad you didn’t take it.”
Dulcie and Matthew exchanged glances. Though Jocelyn had lost his vampiric powers several years ago, he retained a keen sense of perception and powerful telepathic ability. His friends trusted his judgment.
Jay turned from one of the paintings and stared directly into Jocelyn’s eyes. The slender, blond mortal held his gaze. It was the vampire who looked away first.
Jocelyn nodded to his friends. “Forgive me, but it’s almost time for me to collect my wife. The hall will be closing soon.”
The blond left them alone.
“It’s been a fun night—” Dulcie’s claws bit into Matthew’s hand, “—but I’m looking forward to celebrating the exhibit’s success—with you.”
“I plan on really showing you my appreciation.”
Chapter Eight
Matthew drew back from the microscope, squinting against the sudden glare of lights.
