If anyone had told him three months ago that life as a vampire lord was somewhat akin to that of a corporate executive, he'd have laughed. Oh, he'd known there was business involved. After all, he'd been running Krystof's affairs in Manhattan for decades. But this endless nattering about every tiny detail of even the smallest vampire enterprise in the farthest reaches of his territory . . . Christ, there were times he wanted to run as far and as fast as he could go. Find some tropical paradise with warm, velvety nights and soft waves lapping at sun-warmed beaches—just leave all of this crap behind and say fuck it.
But there were so many souls he cared about who relied on him—Emelie and the rest of his children. And now a seemingly endless number of others he really didn't care about, but who relied on him just as much, if not more.
And besides, who would spend those velvety nights with him? Paradise wouldn't be paradise if he was all alone.
He sighed, straightening away from the railing and turning to survey the many and vigilant vampires who shared the rooftop with him. He was certainly never alone here. Not anymore. His eyes scanned his security team, noting Emelie's absence. Em had seemed to sense his dwindling patience for meetings and suggested he let her clear his calendar for the rest of the night. There were a few hours yet before sunrise, but he'd agreed readily enough, originally thinking about dropping in at one of his clubs, although, he'd quickly discarded that idea as just more business. There were always the trendy human clubs, crowded with beautiful people desperate for attention. But that didn't appeal either. Maybe he'd just spend a quiet few hours at home—some chilled vodka, good music. He shook his head in amusement. He must really be getting old if that was his idea of a good time.
He headed for the stairway that would take him down one flight to the top floor of the building and his penthouse condo. His security team moved with him, anticipating his direction and sending two of their number down the stairwell ahead of him, while the rest formed up around him. Raj stifled another sigh and let them do their job, going the short distance down the stairs, through the fire door and then down the hallway to the double doors of his condo.
They stopped there, waiting while he tapped in his security code, taking up positions to either side of the hallway door while he stepped inside the darkened penthouse alone. That was the one thing he insisted upon, the one thing he and Emelie had fought long and hard over, even though she'd known his will would triumph in the end. He permitted no security inside—this was his home, his inner sanctum. It was the one place where there were no petitioners, no one looking to him for answers or protection. The one place where he could be truly alone.
Except he wasn't alone tonight.
He heard her breathing first, speeding up to match her racing heart. She stood almost directly across from him, one hand touching the back of a chair as if to anchor her in the dark room. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes as it all came back to him, the feel of her beneath him, around him, her small cries of pleasure as she came over and over until she lay limp in his arms, her pale skin damp with sweat. He exerted his will and candles flared to life around the room, more welcoming than the harsh, artificial light of the modern era.
Her eyes widened, their golden flecks echoing the flames. Finally she looked at him, raising her chin defiantly, as if she expected an argument. He smiled. She'd get no argument from him, not tonight.
"Sarah."
"Raj?” Her voice wavered and he saw the gleam of tears in her eyes.
"Come here, little one."
She ran across the room. He'd intended to let her come to him, but his will failed, his need to touch her too strong, and his heart too weak. He met her halfway, catching her when she jumped into his arms, holding her easily as their mouths met for the first time in what was surely centuries. He crushed her to his chest, their kiss hard at first, a clashing of teeth and tongues, as if their time was limited and they each needed to taste as much of the other as possible in the brief time allotted them. She was whispering his name over and over, tears running down her face. He tasted their saltiness and held her closer, carrying her to his bedroom, kicking open the door and lowering them both to the huge bed where he'd slept alone and hungry for too many months.
His mind was buzzing with questions. How she'd gotten here, where she'd been, but his body had its own plans. He could feel his fangs pressing against the flesh of his gums, his cock straining against its confinement beneath the suit slacks he'd donned for his last meeting an entire lifetime ago. He pulled back and stared down at her, running a finger along the ridge of her pale eyebrows, across her soft cheek and along the crease of her lips. She sucked his finger into her warm little mouth and he laughed. “Hungry, sweetheart?"
"Starving,” she said fervently, wrapping her arms around his neck. “You're wearing a suit."
He glanced down at himself. “So I am."
"I think you should take it off,” she said. “Now."
"Such a hurry. Maybe we'll take it slow—"
Her clever fingers slid down between their bodies to grip his erection through the cloth of his pants, and he groaned, throwing his head back with a pleasure so great he wanted to howl. He lowered his head and gave her a flat look. “Careful, little one,” he growled. “It's been a long time."
She met his gaze evenly. “I missed you, Raj. I missed you so much."
His heart clenched with unfamiliar emotion and he let his hand drop to her neck, sliding beneath the silk of her white blouse, slipping the buttons free until he had bared the valley between her breasts. “I missed you too, Sarah.” He bent his head and kissed her softly, tasting her sweet mouth, his tongue exploring, remembering. She made a small, eager noise and his cock jumped in response. He groaned, baring his fangs into their kiss, feeling her tongue glide around them until she nicked an edge and her warm blood flowed into his mouth. The taste drove him over the edge.
He ripped the rest of her blouse away, revealing her full breasts barely concealed by a frothy bit of lace bra. He tore that away as well, sucking hard on her nipples, exploring each one with his tongue until they stood eager and erect, two pretty pink pearls gleaming wet in the candlelight. He renewed his attack, scraping her tender breasts with his fangs and lapping up the slow trickle of blood as she cried out and buried her hands in his hair clutching him closer, arching her back against his mouth.
He moved down her body, ignoring her protests as he left her breasts bare in the cool air of the room. She was wearing a short, tight skirt of some sort. He didn't bother with the zipper, simply slid it up her thighs until it was gathered around her waist. He kissed his way over her abdomen, rubbing his jaw against the soft skin of her belly, tearing the flimsy lace panties away from her mound when they hindered his explorations. Sarah moaned softly, spreading her legs in invitation so that the sweet scent of her arousal drifted up to torment him.
He ran his big hands over her thighs, spreading her legs wider, lowering his mouth to her silken folds and opening her with his tongue. He found her hard, little clit and rasped his tongue over it. She cried out, tugging at his hair frantically and gasping, begging, “Please, Raj. Please."
He didn't know what she was pleading for, but he knew what he wanted. He sucked as hungrily on her clit as he had her nipples, rousing the hot little nub until she was screaming, until he could feel her pussy clenching beneath his mouth as she came hard. He smiled and licked her juices slowly and leisurely as she groaned desperately. “Raj. Baby, my lord, master, whatever you want. Just fuck me, please. Please."
He laughed in pure male satisfaction, standing by the side of the bed and stripping off his suit, watching her hungrily as she writhed beneath his gaze, her little fingers sliding down between her thighs and rubbing frantically, trying to erase the unquenched desire burning there. He stepped out of his underwear and knelt on the bed naked, taking in the sight of her luscious body, her full breasts plump and aching, her pale pink areolas with their deep pink nipples begging for his mouth. His gaze slid
down further, past the skirt still gathered at her waist to her hot, little center, all wet and ready for him. He growled low in his chest and her eyes grew wider, raking up and down his body, settling on his jutting cock. Her pink tongue emerged, wetting her lips eagerly. She raised her eyes to meet his and without looking away deliberately spread her legs even wider.
He bared his fangs in a smile and dropped to the bed between her thighs, thrusting his full length deep into her tight sheath in a long, slow stroke. Sarah cried out wordlessly, wrapping her legs around his hips and holding him close, scraping her nails down his back until he felt the warm trickle of blood over his ribs. He drove in and out, eager for the feel of her climax around him, for the rush of his own release. It had been too long. He waited until he felt her begin to tremble beneath him, until her body began squeezing his cock, coaxing it to release his seed. He lowered his head to her neck, rubbing the full length of his fangs along her sweat-soaked skin, before lifting his head slightly and sinking his fangs into the delicious flow of her blood.
She came instantly, screaming, her legs almost spasming around his back, lifting herself even further onto his cock as he joined her in a blazing, uncontrollable freefall of ecstasy.
He collapsed onto her, shifting to one side at the last minute to avoid crushing her. The movement threatened to slide his pulsing cock out of her hot, tight sheath, but she reacted quickly, her legs scissoring sideways to hold him inside her. He chuckled softly and gripped her hip, pulling her more firmly into the curve of his body. He licked her neck lazily, sealing the wound, savoring the delectable flavor of her blood, a flavor that was unique, his Sarah.
"You taste good,” he murmured, a rumble from deep in his chest.
She shivered and slid a hand up his back along his ribs, where she'd clawed him open with her nails. Raising fingers red with his blood to her mouth, she sucked them clean and, licking her lips as if savoring the sweetest honey, said, “So do you."
Raj grew still. “Sarah,” he said cautiously. “If you—"
"I know,” she said firmly. “I'm yours for however long you want me."
"That would be a very long time,” he said, kissing her mouth gently. “A very . . .” He kissed her again. “. . very long time."
She curled her arms around his neck and met his gaze. “Okay. But none of this vampire mating shit. I'm not a gorilla. I want a real wedding."
He groaned and rolled his head back in protest, but then lowered his gaze to hers once again and smiled. “It will have to be a nighttime wedding."
Sarah laughed. “I love you, Rajmund."
"Yes, you do,” he said smugly. She glared at him until he relented and admitted, “I love you, too."
He kissed her at length, savoring the knowledge that she was his. “I just have one question,” he said at last. Her eyes opened wide. “How long have you and Emelie been plotting against me?"
Sarah laughed and began to move against him. “This . . .” She arched her back, sliding herself on and off his hardening cock. “. . . is not a plot, my lord. I think we need to refresh your memory a bit."
Raj growled, rolling them over and forcing her down to the bed, driving himself deep inside her. “I see you need to learn your place, little one. And that is beneath your master."
Sarah slipped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear. “I love you, master."
Raj smiled as the phone rang. He reached across her to dig his cell out of the pocket of his pants which lay on the floor. He checked the ID. “Emelie,” he answered, not waiting for her to say anything. “Clear my schedule for the next three days.” Sarah's eyes widened as he began thrusting slowly in and out of her. “And, Em? Thank you."
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Epilogue
Malibu, California
Cyn leaned forward, smiling as she read the latest e-mail from Sarah. It tickled her that Sarah and Raj had gotten together. And at the same time, she was delighted to have a friend who truly understood what it meant to be mated to a vampire. Or soon-to-be married, in Sarah's case. Cyn pursed her lips thoughtfully, trying to figure out the best way to convince Raphael they should go to the wedding. Damn vampires were so prickly with one another, especially now that Raj had taken over his Sire's territory.
She pushed back from the computer and picked up a bottle of water, tilting her head back and drinking deeply. With no fresh air, Raphael's underground lair tended to be cool and a little too dry. Still, she preferred to work here during the day, while he slept on the other side of the room. She usually slept with him the first few hours, and then worked awhile, finally ending up back in bed with him before sunset. He liked to have her there when he woke, and she didn't exactly mind, either, since—
She froze, taking the bottle slowly away from her mouth and setting it blindly on the desktop as she turned to stare into the deep shadows over the bed. She'd heard . . . Her mind raced trying to recreate the precise sound and couldn't do it. There shouldn't be any noise at all. Raphael always slept perfectly still. She stood and walked over to the bed, her breath catching in her throat when she heard something again, but this time . . . Was that a groan?
"Raphael?” Her voice cracked with tension, her heart pounding fiercely inside her chest. He groaned louder, a sound of such anguish and pain that she threw herself onto the high bed in a panic, crawling over to him, reaching out blindly in the darkness to touch his face. Her lungs constricted in fear and she scrambled back to the bedside lamp, snapping it up to its brightest setting, before spinning around to examine his face in full light.
It was covered in blood. Cyn screamed, “Raphael!"
To be continued . . .
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