by BJ Wane
Thirty minutes later, hunger drove her downstairs and she was pleasantly surprised to find the kitchen completely stocked, raising more questions about her hosts and what was true and what was fiction when it came to their undead state. While fixing and eating a salad, she found herself thinking of Jacob more out of curiosity than fear. Rubbing her finger over the mark on her neck, she felt a small jolt that was reciprocated in her nipples and pussy, but nothing like the warm, pulsing, erotic ache she experienced when Jacob was near.
For a woman of twenty-nine who had never had much interest in sex, these new feelings were difficult to ignore. Thus far she hadn’t given any credence to Abby’s explanation about her being Jacob’s mate, compatible only with him, drawn only to him with these enhanced sexual pulls. It was just gratitude, she told herself over and over even though she didn’t believe that. She may be glad he and the other two had come to her rescue, but it was one of their kind that had drawn her into their violent world, had caused her so much trauma, had apparently put a target on her back for these more dangerous creatures, and that was something she couldn’t forget.
After finishing her salad, she decided she needed to take her mind off Jacob and went in search of Abby to ask the other woman if she would give her a tour of the estate and grounds. If she was going to be staying here for a while, she needed to learn her way around the huge estate. The converted ballroom she had glimpsed from the foyer was empty, so she went down the hall where she heard the murmur of voices. All thoughts of asking Abby for a tour flew out of her head when she found her in a small parlor straddling Damien’s lap, her naked body bowed back as she lifted herself off Damien’s hard cock with slow, undulating motions.
It wasn’t the intrusion on such an intimate act that kept her rooted in the doorway, her eyes glued to the couple instead of fleeing in mortification. It was the look of pure ecstasy on Abby’s face, her eyes glazed with pleasure that kept her watching and had her wondering. Just because she had never experienced much pleasure in sex didn’t mean she wasn’t aware that she had been missing out on something special, but seeing the ecstasy she had been denied reflected so openly on Abby’s face and the blatant response of her body to Damien’s hard, forceful upward thrusts, had her longing to experience what she had so obviously been missing.
Her own nipples beaded into tight pinpoints that felt like Abby’s looked, her pussy creaming, swelling in need as she watched the way Abby’s folds enveloped Damien’s cock, the gleaming moisture coating his shaft proof of her own highly aroused state. Abby cried out when Damien slapped her ass as she lifted again, his mouth descending at the same time to draw on one of her distended nipples. Grace shuddered as she wrestled with the idea that that slap could make Abby even more excited, but by the looks of her, that’s exactly what it did. She was glad she couldn’t see the look on Damien’s face. She feared it might mirror that on Mason’s when he was about to climax, the look of a vampire ready to stake his claim by sinking his fangs into her soft, vulnerable flesh. But when he made no attempt to do so, even as they both sped up their movements, Abby’s soft cries and Damien’s deep moans signaling their release, she had to give him credit for his restraint.
Grace shifted her eyes from the couple only to gasp in shock as she spotted another man seated in the far corner calmly watching the other couple. She recognized him as the third man who had come to her rescue last night, his sheer size alone making him unforgettable. Her gasp drew the attention of all three and she turned to flee in embarrassment when she was drawn up short by the other man suddenly appearing before her, blocking her path. She quickly took a step back, her aroused body instantly going cold with fear.
“Relax, darlin’,” Luc told the frightened woman. “I’m sure Jacob told you no one here will hurt you.” Gazing over her head, he smiled as both Abby and Damien climaxed loudly, Grace’s sudden intrusion doing nothing to dampen their pleasure. “See, they didn’t mind you watching at all. I’m Luc Preston and you’re Grace No Name.” Luc held out his hand and waited patiently for her to take it.
Grace swallowed the huge lump lodged in her throat and tentatively shook his hand, holding her breath as her small hand got lost in his huge hand. She couldn’t stifle a sigh of relief when he released her quickly then felt ridiculous when he smiled knowingly, his light brown eyes warm with humor at her obvious discomfort. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, I was looking for Abby, and then I….” she stammered to a halt as she found she couldn’t explain why she stayed and watched them instead of quietly leaving.
“Just one more thing you’re going to have to get used to around here,” Abby said from behind her, a definite bite in her tone.
Grace turned to see both of them dressed and standing directly behind her, Abby with an irritable look on her face and Damien eyeing her with a raised brow and questioning glance before he turned to smile at her.
“We haven’t been formally introduced. I’m Damien LaRue and I’m happy to have you in my home. I haven’t had a chance to tell you how sorry we all are that one of our own caused you such harm. I assure you it won’t happen again under my roof. Jacob told us about your run-in with the worst of our kind. Are you all right?”
Grace hadn’t expected them to be so nice or solicitous of her feelings and found herself floundering in confusion. She wanted to hate these people, wanted to blame them as much as Mason for her trauma, but it was proving more and more difficult to maintain her anger and fear of them. “Yes, thanks to Jacob’s timely intervention.”
Sensing her unease, Abby stepped forward and took her arm. “Come on, Grace. Let’s go have another talk.”
Abby led Grace back down the hall and out onto the back terrace through the ballroom doors as she struggled to temper her anger and disappointment. She knew a relationship with Damien wasn’t going to be easy, but she hadn’t expected him to be so stubborn about not fucking her without someone else in the room. His calm, but irrevocable statement of, “It’s safer that way” just pissed her off, especially since he refused to tell her why he thought she wouldn’t be safe having sex with him alone in their room.
As if that wasn’t enough to get her ire up, she had seen the bloodlust on his face as she rode his cock, seen the desire to take her blood, something she was told only enhanced the pleasure yet he continued to deny them both that aphrodisiac. As pleased as she was at the turn of their relationship, she was frustrated at the obstacles that still kept him from claiming her fully as his mate.
“It’s too nice tonight to stay inside,” she told Grace as she sank down on a padded white wicker chair and took a deep breath of the humid air, the night sounds echoing in the bayou both familiar and comforting.
“It’s sticky and humid,” Grace complained but took a seat next to her and gazed out over the well-manicured lawn lit with bug repelling outdoor lights.
“I like it. I’m sorry you had to learn the hard way that I was telling the truth about these guys and your safety. Are you going to stay?”
Grace appreciated her blunt manner and answered her honestly. “Yes, for now. Frankly, I’m too scared at this point to do otherwise.”
“I don’t blame you. I had twenty years to get used to the reality of vampires and three years to reconcile and adjust to the fact that I’m a mate to my guardian. Not that I mind that in the least.”
Grace smiled at her, the rueful grin pulling at Abby’s mouth and the teasing glint in her bright blue eyes making Grace relax. If she was comfortable with knowing Grace had watched her and Damien fucking, then she could be also. “I’m just grateful you’re willing to mentor me, especially after I didn’t heed your advice today.” Shuddering at the memory, she admitted lowly, “I’ve never been so terrified in my life, not even when I woke in Mason’s bed and learned I was a victim of a vampire. At his worst, Mason wasn’t as scary as those creatures I faced tonight.”
“Did they have creepy bulging eyes and spittle flying from their mouths?”
“Yes. Gross! And their shuffl
ing walk was something out of a horror film. I’ll take Jacob over them any day.”
“If I wasn’t so crazy about Damien, I’d take Jacob any day too. Or Luc, or his brother, Jon, or…”
Laughing, Grace held up a hand. “I get the picture. They’re hot, I’ll give you that. But that’s not enough to make me jump into bed with him.” Absently, Grace reached up and ran her finger over the mark on her neck, the small spark of pleasure that touch wrought making her wonder what other sensations she was denying herself because of her fear and uncertainty.
“That mark says you don’t have much choice about being attracted to Jacob, but it doesn’t automatically mean you’ll fall in love with the man or want a long, very long, relationship with him. Only you can decide if that’s what you want. I would ask that you don’t give in to the sex unless you’re sure of your feelings. Jacob’s had enough heartache in his life.”
“Has he been a vampire long?”
“I’m not sure how long, but since the civil war. I know he had a fiancé, parents and siblings that he was close to. Damien was turned almost fifty years before Jacob and together they thought they had killed the vampire that made them. Now, they’re not so sure. They think she might’ve survived their attack and is behind these recent attacks.”
Grace was digesting the information that she also had to beware of an evil vampiress when a large tiger came ambling out of the bayou, walking with slow, predatory steps straight toward them. Jumping up, she stammered, “Abby, q-quick, we n-need to get inside. Where the hell did it come from?”
Laughing, Abby rose and went to meet Micah, saying over her shoulder, “Relax, Grace, they’re tame. Damien rescued them years ago.”
Grace watched in disbelief as Abby wrapped her arms around the huge tiger’s head and hugged him, then simply stared as the big cat rubbed his head all over her in affection, deep, rumbling purrs vibrating from his throat. When another tiger, this one a little smaller joined them, Grace simply sank back in her chair and wondered how many more surprises were in store for her here.
Damien waited until he heard Abby wish Grace a good-night before meeting her at the base of the stairs. He thought she would be pleased that he had finally caved to both his desires and hers, but her miffed attitude after sex earlier said otherwise. He had spent the daylight hours pacing upstairs, shut in his darkened bedroom, unable to put himself in the death sleep his body desperately needed because of his mixed feelings about fucking Abrielle.
On the one hand, sex with her last night and tonight had been more than he could have ever imagined, the pleasure so intense it took every ounce of effort on his part not to sink his aching fangs into her, completing the mating process and binding her irrevocably to him. Ironically, it was because of those very out of control, body enveloping, mind ruling sensations that he refused to allow himself to succumb to the urge to take Abby’s blood. He knew from listening to his brethren that the taste of their mate’s blood on their tongue sent them into a mindless frenzy of pure, unadulterated lust that rivaled that brought about by connecting with the woman whose mark responded to theirs. Between the heightened sensations brought on by the combination of both draws, he couldn’t keep from fearing a relapse of control, couldn’t keep the image of that young girl that lay dead underneath him after he had been driven beyond conscious choice from being replaced with the image of Abby’s lifeless body.
After hours of contemplation, he had decided having Abby close, being able to touch her as well as keep her safe and being able to enjoy the exalted pleasure of fucking the one woman meant for him on a regular basis was enough for him. It was more than he had ever had or thought he would have. Considering it was only a few short weeks ago he was still planning on meeting the dawn after the rest of his brethren were settled happily with their mates to now looking forward to many long years of having Abby by his side, he figured he had come a long way. Why risk what they had, the pleasure they were already able to indulge safely in to risk losing everything for the selfish indulgence of wanting more?
“Abby, wait a minute,” Damien stopped her before she could follow Grace upstairs.
“You’re not going out tonight?” Abby asked him as he took her hand, surprised to see him still here. She thought only Luc was staying behind tonight.
“No. I didn’t get much rest this afternoon and thought I’d keep Luc company. Besides, I’ve got some work to get caught up on that I’ve neglected lately. I’ll walk you up, though, and you can tell me what you’re in a snit about.”
“You know what I’m in a snit about,” she returned just as coolly as he as she let him lead her upstairs. “We didn’t need a chaperone earlier.”
Damien turned his head and looked down at her, a dark brow raised in mockery. “Are you trying to tell me you didn’t get off having an audience? Because I distinctly remember…”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it,” she snapped, embarrassed that he could read her body so well during sex and knew she found being watched added to her arousal. “You were holding back and you know I wouldn’t mind if you took my blood. It’s not natural for one of your kind to deny yourself that way.”
Damien was regretting telling Jacob to give her the Book of the Crescent Creed. She had enough ideas of her own without giving her every intimate detail about their needs. “I’m not used to explaining myself, mon amour, and there are things in my past that shame me enough that I never want to risk losing your high regard by telling you about them. You’ll just have to trust me on this issue, and settle for what I can give you.” They reached his bedroom and he opened the door before turning back to her only to be brought up short by the stunned, surprised look on her face. “What?”
“Did you just call me your love? Did you mean it?” Abby had learned a good deal of French over the years, and she was still reeling from hearing him call her an endearment he had never voiced before.
Damien didn’t realize he had let that slip, but admitted the lapse was bound to be inevitable now. “Yes, I meant it.” Framing her face, he bent his head and took her mouth in a hard, demanding kiss, giving her no choice but to kiss him back. When she melted against him, he pulled back slightly, saying, “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to give in to you on this. Be happy with what we have, Abby, and don’t push me on this.”
Abby stared at his retreating back, his thick black hair gleaming in the meager hall lighting, his strides long and purposeful, his back ramrod straight. Smiling, she shut the door and prepared for bed thinking she had her work cut out for her, but confident she would win in this, especially now that she knew he reciprocated her feelings.
Chapter Nine
Other than to ask her if she needed anything yesterday morning, Grace hadn’t seen Jacob at all on Sunday. She had spent the day hanging around the plantation with Abby, exploring the multi-winged mansion with its rich history and historic charm depicted in the furnishings and artwork that filled each room. Abby skipped leading her down a very narrow hall off the second floor that used to be the servants quarters, explaining that was where Damien, Jacob, Jon and Luc were retiring to during the day now that both of them were in residence. Under normal circumstances, Grace would feel guilty for putting them out of their rooms, but the reason she was here in the first place was because of circumstances that were anything but normal.
They dealt with the sultry afternoon heat by spending a few hours in the pool, and as Abby drove her into work this morning, she was still adjusting to her close contact with Damien’s tigers. Abby hadn’t thought anything of it when the two animals slithered out of the bayou and joined them in the pool, but once Grace saw how gentle they were with Abby, she had been able to relax and enjoy their presence even if she never did get up the nerve to get anywhere near them herself. Coping with living within close proximity to such wild animals wasn’t the only thing that occupied her mind this morning when her irrational disappointment over not seeing Jacob again last night returned when he didn’t make an appeara
nce before they left. It didn’t help her mood to witness the heated farewell between Abby and Damien nor did the urge to ask Damien about Jacob sit well with her.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Abby said as she neared the city limits and hadn’t heard a word from her passenger since they left the estate twenty minutes ago. “You know, if you want to talk about what happened with Mason, I’m here. I won’t insult you by saying I understand, but I can lend a sympathetic ear or offer a shoulder to cry on.”
“Tears won’t change anything and to be honest, I’d like to just put those days behind me.” She had cried enough during the two weeks she was held prisoner in Mason’s house to last her a lifetime and now all Grace wanted was her life back. She may not have an exciting career or an active sex life, or even anyone special in her life, but what she had had been enough for her before her abduction and she was determined it would be again. She ruthlessly ignored the way her mind kept flashing back to the scene between Abby and Damien she had witnessed, a little voice taunting her that she could have that with Jacob if the look in his eyes and the erotic pulse from her mark when he was near was any indication. It was just gratitude, she repeatedly told herself, gratitude and a desire for something she had never had. She refused to believe it could be the man she was drawn to because, not only was he a vampire, but he had ‘bad boy’ written all over him, the very type her grandmother had always warned her to stay clear of.
“I’ll bet that’s easier said than done, but if there’s anything I can do to help you do that, please don’t hesitate to ask.” Pulling up in front of the library, Abby surprised her by saying, “Jacob’s planning on being here at six. To be safe, stay inside until he comes in to get you, okay?”
Hearing that she would be seeing Jacob this evening for sure sent her pulse to beating an unwelcome, completely irrational rhythm of excitement, one she diligently tamped down then ignored. “Don’t worry; I’m more afraid of a repeat of the other night than I am of anything Jacob might do.”
