by Tina Folsom
“I’m afraid not. I don’t exactly keep a first-aid kit around, since I don’t need it myself.”
His own wounds from the day before had healed without the aid of any man-made medication while he’d slept.
“Right; being a vampire, I suppose, has its advantages,” she remarked in a clipped tone.
The way she said it didn’t sound like she considered this to be a good thing. Frankly, his ability to heal quickly was one of the things he liked most about being a vampire. Being injured sucked.
“What else do you know about me? Should I introduce myself or is that unnecessary?” he asked. For a second he reconsidered his decision of bringing her into his home, but since she knew what he was anyway, there was no use in hiding. Maybe she already had a whole dossier on him. He wouldn’t mind helping her add some details to it, such as what he liked in bed.
“Amaury LeSang,” Nina answered simply.
It didn’t surprise him that she knew his name. Since she’d followed him the previous night and had come prepared with a stake, she probably knew more than just his name.
“This is the first time I have my own little stalker. I’m quite flattered.” Unless, of course, she tried to kill him again, if that was what her intention had been the previous night.
“I’m not a stalker.” Her defiant glare hit him like a punch in the gut. There was so much pain in her eyes, he wanted to merely wrap her into his arms and squeeze her tight. His own reaction surprised him. He wasn’t the cuddly kind.
“What do you call it then when you follow me around at night?”
Again her mouth distorted into a thin line. Nina obviously didn’t like to be cornered. No answer was forthcoming. Was she pissed now and not talking to him anymore?
“You mean I’m not the only one you stalk? Well, now I’m hurt. And here I thought you were interested in me.”
“Oh, you’re such a pompous ass!” she spat.
“Pompous ass or not, it got you talking.” Amaury smirked. He loved the way her cheeks reddened and could almost feel the heat in them radiate outwards. She was lovely when she was angry. Maybe he should continue provoking her.
He felt her warm skin under his hand where he held her shoulder to keep it immobile. He let his thumb stray, slowly gliding over her skin. The motion heated the natural oils on her skin, and the intoxicating scent drifted into his nose. She was like a heady perfume, making him dizzy. That and the aroma of her blood played havoc with his body and mind.
His fangs twitched, ready to descend and drive into her flesh, hungering for a taste.
“What are you looking at?” Nina suddenly asked, her voice edgy. Had she caught him staring?
“We’ll have to close up the wound, otherwise it won’t stop bleeding.”
Good save, Amaury!
“You wouldn’t have a Band Aid lying around?” Her tone was sarcastic. She clearly didn’t trust him further than she could throw him, which wouldn’t be very far at all. Not with his massive proportions. He perused her pretty frame. She wasn’t petite, but compared to him, she looked fragile. Her body was well proportioned: generous curves, strong muscles, yet feminine.
“Do you?” Her voice made him lift his eyes to look at her wound again. Band Aid? No, he didn’t have such a thing.
“I’ve got something better than that.” What the hell, he’d just do what he would normally do: close the wound with his saliva. Use the tools he had.
Amaury lowered his head to her shoulder and felt her pull away from him. “What are you doing?” Panic laced her voice, and her eyes opened wide.
“I’ll lick your wound. My saliva will mend it.” It was simple enough and would be delicious. He’d get a taste of her blood after all.
Nina jerked backwards, scrambling to get away from him, but he pulled her back with both hands.
“Trust me, it won’t hurt.” He infused his voice with a soothing tone.
“Do you think I’m stupid?”
“Not at all. Actually, I think you’re quite smart. Very few humans have figured us out, but obviously you have.”
“That’s right. And that’s exactly why I’m not going to let you near my blood.” There was a hard tone in her voice, mirroring her icy look. Melting that ice had just turned into the most important task on his agenda.
“Don’t get hysterical. I won’t bite you. You can hit me if I do,” he offered with a roguish grin. Then he pulled her closer while he continued to watch her eyes. She was still scared. She didn’t trust him, but she allowed him to come closer. Without any haste he lowered his lips onto her skin. So soft, like silk, like velvet.
The scent of blood almost drugged him, but he pushed back his hunger. “You’ll feel my tongue. It will tingle. Ready?”
There was no reply, but he could feel her holding her breath.
Slowly, his tongue darted through his lips and lapped at the cut. Her blood leapt onto his tongue and ran down his throat as he licked upwards to the end of the wound. Nina tasted of vanilla and spices. He’d never tasted anything as good. If he had a choice, he’d be feasting on her every night and never try anything else again.
He licked over the cut once more, even slower this time to savor the moment, but already he felt the skin close and mend. No more blood seeped from it. She would have a small scar, but the wound had already healed. Unable to tear himself away, he placed his lips on the spot he’d healed and kissed it.
“Is that part of it?” he heard her ask.
It wasn’t, but for her he would make it part of the healing process. “Yes.” Amaury planted another feather-light kiss on the wound.
He looked up and met her gaze. Did she know he was lying?
Nina inspected the spot and for the first time gave him an approving look. “Wow, that’s impressive.”
“Didn’t hurt, did it?”
The question made her blush. She suddenly looked soft and vulnerable, not like the tough fighter he’d met in the alley.
“Let’s check your other injuries.”
Amaury tried to be as professional about it as he could, but was sure he could barely disguise his eagerness. He hoped he’d find many little cuts he could seal. Any excuse to touch her skin and kiss her. He wanted to do this all night. Lick every square inch of her enticing body, explore each fold and every ridge.
“I’m fine. That was the only injury,” Nina assured him and straightened.
Amaury looked down at her shirt and noticed the torn fabric over her breast and the bloodstains on it. “Liar.”
He opened the top button of her shirt, while Nina tried to push his hands away.
“Hold still. I’m just trying to help you.” There was nothing wrong with him getting a bit of action in the process.
“Right!” she hissed.
“Come on; think of me as a doctor.” He’d be more than happy playing doctor with her, especially if he got to examine her naked. And if she was shy, he’d help her over her shyness by getting naked himself. In fact, he’d ask her to undress him.
Undeterred, he opened another button. Nina’s hand came up to stop him. Gently he brushed it away and continued. As he eased another button open and glimpsed the curve of her breast, he sucked in a sharp breath.
Air conditioning. He should have switched on the air conditioning. It was getting far too warm in the apartment.
When the last button was undone, he pulled back the right side of her shirt, exposing her breast to his view. Ignoring the cut for a second, he noticed the perfect roundness, the size of a small grapefruit, waiting for his caress. Ripe fruit ready for harvesting. He was one lucky son of a bitch.
Again, Amaury had to clear his dry throat. “It’s a bad cut. I’ll clean it with warm water first.” He had to keep talking, so he wouldn’t fall over her and devour her. “I think he got you with one of his claws.”
He looked up and noticed that Nina had turned her face away from him as if she couldn’t watch. His gaze went back to her breast. The cut was about three inches long an
d had barely missed her nipple. It continued bleeding.
Slowly, he took the wet towel and started cleaning her wound with one hand, while his other one cradled her breast from underneath to hold it still. She jerked at first when he settled her soft globe into his palm, but said nothing. He liked feeling the weight of it in his hand, realizing it was the perfect size for him. He gave it a barely noticeable squeeze. A perfect combination of firmness and softness greeted him.
“I’ll have to close the cut now. You’re losing too much blood.” He spoke in a low voice, not wanting to alarm her in any way, not wanting to destroy this perfect moment.
Nina finally met his eyes. “Do it.” He was surprised by the huskiness in her voice.
The moment Amaury dipped his head to her breast, he knew he would do more than heal her cut. The desire coursing through his loins had him in a tight grip. At the first lap of his tongue over the injury, he grew hard. He let the blood run down the back of his tongue and forced himself to take it slowly, so he could prolong the moment of sheer and utter bliss he felt. Twice already he’d licked over the cut and it had sealed, but he was unable to stop.
“Nina,” he whispered as his tongue strayed from the cut and lapped over her hardened nipple. Hardened? Was she aroused?
And then he felt her hands in his hair, as if to hold him in place. His lips locked around her nipple, and slowly he suckled. His hand kneaded her gorgeous breast as he sucked her nipple deeper into his mouth. He couldn’t get enough of her. She tasted like heaven, like a dream, a fairy tale.
Even the way she played with his hair turned him on. When she suddenly released a moan, he thought he would come right there and spill in his pants. His cock yearned for her soft center, giving him a painful reminder that he hadn’t had sex in over twenty-four hours.
Amaury released her nipple, only to lavish his attention on her other breast. He dared not use his teeth to tug harder, lest he scare her. But he wanted her—no, needed her—underneath him. He pressed her back into the sofa cushions and shifted his own position, nudging his heavy thigh between her legs.
***
Nina felt his weight on her and his thigh pressing against her sex, as he continued to use his talented tongue on her breasts. With every lap, he sent bolts of fire down to her core, liquidizing anything in its path. She felt her panties soak with the evidence of her desire and was unable to stop her body from responding to him. The same way he responded to her: his erection pressing against her hip was impossible to ignore. Too big to overlook, too hard to wish away, even if she wanted to.
Nina arched her back to force him closer and slipped her hand onto his firm ass. His muscles bunched under her touch when she squeezed him. Would his skin feel soft or rough? Would it be smooth, firm, and warm? Without thinking, she let her hand glide underneath the loose-fitting cargo pants to explore.
She gasped when skin met skin. The man didn’t even wear underwear. Just the thought of it turned her body temperature up by five degrees.
He groaned loudly when she grabbed him firmly. Amaury released her breast just long enough for an excited “Oh, yes” to pass his lips.
Then his mouth blazed a trail of molten lava from her breast to her neck, before he looked at her. The moment he pressed his lips onto hers, she noticed his eyes flash red. His lips urged her to surrender, as his tongue teased her. Resistance would be impossible. Her tongue met his for an unequal duel. As he gained ground, she suddenly felt how he pressed her harder into the cushions, until—her tongue touched his fangs! What the hell was she doing? Sleeping with the enemy?
Nina shrieked and pushed back with all her strength. Instantly, a wave of pain raced through her ribs again. “Ahh!” she cried out in agony.
She was stupid, stupid, stupid!
Amaury pulled back and lifted his weight from her. “What’s wrong?” He looked concerned, but she wasn’t fooled. His eyes were flashing red like alarm beacons, and his pointy teeth peaked out from beneath his lips. If she’d ever had any doubts about what he was, all of those were extinguished with one look at his sharp fangs.
Holding her ribs to counteract the pain, she glared at him. She couldn’t form a coherent sentence, still too dazed from his touch and kiss.
“Why didn’t you tell me you had another injury?” he accused her and touched her side with his hand.
Nina flinched, not because it hurt, but because she didn’t want to feel his touch. It made her dizzy and stupid. Only a stupid woman would be making out with a vampire—and like it.
“Don’t touch me,” she barked.
Amaury gave her a startled look. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to hurt you. You should have said something before.”
He reached for her side and placed his hand over her ribs. She wanted to pull back, but he shot her a warning glance. “Keep still.”
His gentle movements, testing whether her ribs were broken, were unexpected. How could a vampire with such large hands have such a soft touch? Maybe she’d hit her head during the fight and was hallucinating.
“Nothing seems to be broken. They’re only bruised.” When he looked at her again, she noticed that the red in his eyes had disappeared and been replaced by a deep blue. Did the man have to look this gorgeous?
Nina nodded. “It hurts like hell.”
His hand came up to stroke her cheek so softly; she couldn’t reconcile this side of him with the glimpses of vampire she’d seen.
“I’ll be more careful in the future.” Amaury’s lips curled into a roguish grin. “So, where were we?”
His mouth approached her, but she pulled back. The man was obviously so overconfident that he thought he could just continue where he’d left off. As if she was some grateful damsel in distress who’d go all gaga over her rescuer.
Arrogant prick!
“We were right at the end. And it’s not going anywhere from here.”
Nina had to stop this madness and get out of his place. He was most likely using some vampire trick on here, some sort of glamour or control. Why else would she have let him touch her and kiss her so intimately? That had to be the reason, for sure. She wasn’t the kind of woman who’d just let her hormones rage and melt the moment a hot guy showed her some attention. No, she was always in control. Vampire or not, he was a man, and men were not to be trusted.
“Maybe you should rest a little. Can I get you anything?”
What was Amaury up to? Maybe he was planning to drug her. It wasn’t safe here. She should have never allowed him to bring her to his apartment.
His lusting gaze reminded her that her shirt was still gaping open, exposing her breasts. She quickly pulled it together in the front and caught him frown.
“Can you bring me an icepack for my ribs to keep the swelling down?”
Amaury got up from the couch, bringing his crotch to eyelevel. His huge hard-on was impossible to overlook. Was he doing this on purpose to tempt her? Her womb clenched at the thought of what it would feel like to have his cock inside her.
“Sure. Give me a minute.”
Nina watched him as he walked to the kitchen. She figured she had less than a minute before he would be back with the icepack, and she used it wisely.
In under ten seconds she was at the entrance door, opening it quietly. Luckily she hadn’t taken her shoes off. She didn’t bother with buttoning her shirt, but scurried out the door without looking back.
Amaury was dangerous, and not only because he was a vampire. He was a man who could get to her, penetrate her defenses, and devastate her. She could never let that happen. All these years she’d carefully guarded her heart so nobody would ever hurt her again. She wouldn’t let her guard down now. Not for him or anybody else.
And he was still the enemy. She couldn’t betray Eddie’s memory by consorting with the very man who, together with his partners, was responsible for his death. She felt like a traitor for having felt pleasure when Amaury had touched her. She would never allow it again.
Eight
The door connected with the weasel’s face and knocked him backwards into the kitchen of his sorry excuse for a studio apartment. The place stank. Nina tried to ignore the unpleasant odors of stale smoke, mold, and spoiled food, and concentrated on the man in front of her.
With an angry jerk of her foot, she slammed the door shut behind her. Her informant held his bloody nose and gave her a shocked look. She kicked him in the balls for good measure, and he doubled over. Who was the weaker sex now?
“Stop it,” he begged.
She hated beating up people who were smaller than her, but this time she had no pity. He’d sold her hide to those vampires, and she needed to know why.
“Now, we’ll talk,” she announced. Nina knew Benny had a strange sense of what he considered the truth, and the only way to get it out of him would be to beat it out of him. Something she was definitely in the mood for tonight.
Still holding his balls, his face twisting in pain, Benny held up one hand in surrender. Nina wasn’t fooled. The moment he recovered, he would fight back. But she wouldn’t let him recover—not this time.
She’d already figured out that Amaury couldn’t possibly be behind the attack on her. After all, the butt-ugly vampire had nearly killed him, and Amaury hadn’t looked the least bit remorseful or pissed off when she had staked the bloodsucker. Unless he’d set all this up to trick her and make her trust him—which would make no sense. She dismissed the idea outright.
Benny straightened. Without hesitation, she balled her hand into a fist and hit him in the gut, his untrained stomach muscles providing no real resistance.
“Ugh!” he grunted as he tumbled backwards and landed against the kitchen counter. Utensils scattered onto the floor.
“There’s more where that came from. Now I want an answer.”
He gave her one of his fake innocent looks where he raised his eyebrows in mock surprise. “What answer? You haven’t asked me anything yet.”
“Don’t play as dumb as you look, or I’m gonna turn you into a eunuch.” Somebody like Benny should definitely be taken out of the gene pool. Darwin would thank her for it.
