by Jackie Ivie
Facts hadn’t helped anything. This might be a forced copulation. With a monster. Covered with ancient skin. But what was happening defied logic. This went beyond lust. It was barely controlled want. Physical need. Massive craving. And his body displayed all of that...to an embarrassing degree.
She turned her head and caught him looking. His education on vampires failed. Because she tipped her chin down, her gaze slid away from his, and he could swear she blushed.
Blushed?
His frame lurched with a series of motions that hadn’t the slightest rhythm to them. He was lucky they didn’t bring another ration of acidic water; and yet cursed at the same time. At least, pain provided a disruption. She moved her finger out from beneath his unbroken manacle. Clasped her hands together. Looked indecisive. Paul Henry’s response was immediate. Abrupt. And hard-toned.
“Why do you stop?”
She shook her head.
“Why?” Anger tinged the word. And when she didn’t speak, leaving him to interpret things, he got even more frustrated. “I don’t understand. You are the one who started this!”
She glanced at him again, then away. “I know...but—.”
Her cheeks darkened farther as she stopped her explanation. Paul Henry nearly howled with aggravation before catching it. A display of aggression wouldn’t get him what he wanted here – Eska beneath him. Ripe. Open. Moist...
Oh no.
He froze.
Oh. This was bad.
He didn’t want that. He wanted his freedom. Period.
Paul Henry put his head back down. A self-disgusted sigh accompanied the move. He didn’t even care. This was akin to being in a blast furnace. Getting the flames stoked. Then cooled with a shot of liquid. Fired up again only to be cooled with another jetted stream.
Ignited.
Cooled.
He’d never gone through such conflicting emotions, nor suffered them in such vivid quotient. He shut his eyes. Tried to bring up the ocean view again. Sun-warmed sand. Wind-brushed palms. Crashing waves. He licked his lips. Shuddered through another round of hormone-induced tremors. And felt her touch at his ankle again.
He lifted his head. Reopened his eyes. Held his body rigid, his expression impassive. She snapped the iron cuff apart by feel. He shook it off with the same lack of attention.
“Thank you.”
He mouthed it. She nodded.
Two accomplished. Halfway there, Paul Henry.
He crooked his outer elbow, lifting his wrist. Water droplets fell from behind his head somewhere and chains clinked as they moved a fraction, but nothing stung. “You need to finish,” he told her.
“I...know.”
“Then finish.”
“You won’t renege, will you?”
“Of course not. You have my word.”
“I’ve heard that line before.”
“Not from me.”
She still looked skeptical. Paul Henry caught another flash of irritation. Her teasing took him on a rollercoaster of emotion...all of it completely foreign. Even now, just halfway to it, freedom was such a heady concept, he could almost taste it. He swallowed, and barely heard her whisper.
“Once you’re free...I have no bargain.”
He growled the response. “Come along, woman. See reason! Where would I go? And how? You’re a vampire! You’d catch me. Besides...” He lowered his voice. “I think you’re ignoring a bit of rationale...that I shouldn’t even need to mention.”
He glanced to his erection. Back to her face. A flush rose through his upper body, sending a circuit of warmth where he didn’t need any. The next moment she was at his side, slipping a finger beneath his wrist iron. He hadn’t even seen her move. Paul Henry met her gaze. Caught his breath. Vibrated with an enchantment she seemed to conjure so easily. Her gaze absorbed him. Her eyes were so deep. Dark. Utterly mesmerizing. He barely felt the cuff snap apart. He didn’t have to shake his arm for the bracelet to fall. The weight was enough. The manacle fell off the side of the platform, taking the length of chain with it. Metallic clanks filled the chamber.
One left.
One.
He lifted his far arm and gingerly brought his wrist to her. Chains skidded across his skin as he dragged them, but nothing dripped onto him. She didn’t move.
“Break it, Eska. Now,” he prompted.
“I...don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“If I should.”
A blast of heat hit him. Paul Henry sucked in a breath. Cut short an expletive.
“Isn’t this enough? I mean, you look mobile enough to—?”
“No,” he interrupted.
“Can’t we just—?”
“No!”
Paul Henry twisted his manacled wrist, grabbed a large iron link in his palm, and tightened his fingers around it. He didn’t look, but he knew the knuckles whitened. His fist shook.
“But—?” she began.
“I said...no!”
Paul Henry was finished playing games and being teased. He wasn’t just in danger of losing focus. For the first time he could recall, he was fighting to keep his temper. His eyes narrowed. His breathing quickened. Each inhalation came harshly and sharp, only to be followed by an exhalation just as hard. A red film even coated his vision. And it darkened with each increasing heartbeat.
And at the center of that was Eska.
Damn her.
He grabbed the edge of the stone platform with his free hand. Pulled himself into a sitting position. She took a step back from him. Another. Paul Henry clenched his teeth together so viciously, something tore. He tasted blood. Scowled. Scooted a measure toward her. Maneuvered his still-chained arm behind him, to keep it close to the wall. Then he slid off the platform. The stone beneath his feet was cold. He barely felt it. His knees bent, returning feeling sent prickles. A slosh of water went back to a continual drip.
“Break the cuff, Eska. Now.”
Her response was another step back from him. Paul Henry barely caught the oath.
“I am ordering you!”
Her eyes widened, and then she did the unbelievable. She spun and sprinted out of sight around the corner.
Shock filled him. And then fury. His howl reflected both. It sounded like an enraged beast. Reflex action took over. Paul Henry turned. Locked his hands together. Set his feet. Sucked in a breath. Tightened his muscles. Yanked with all his might...
And the bolt sprang free.
A mass of metal and shards of rock sailed outward toward him as Paul Henry stumbled. Dodged the projectile. Nearly fell. He stared for the briefest moment at the impossible.
And then he took off after her.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Eska raced to her chamber. Her heart beat mightily from where it lodged in her throat, obstructing her newly-awakened ability to breathe. Her pulse flew. This was so unlike her. She wasn’t a novice. She’d been wed young. Widowed early. But still, she’d been indoctrinated into what it meant to be a woman. Found it anticlimactic, at best.
She’d spent her afterlife attempting to alter that.
There had to be more to what happened between a man and woman. Something that satisfied the urges stirred into existence. Something...massive. That’s why she prowled the nights, searching for her King Salmon candidate. Hoping. Longing. The exercise proved futile, although it provided some diversion in an afterlife of sameness. So, she’d prowled. Practiced. Honed her verbal sparring skills. Dressed to entice. Men made easy prey. Tantalizing and beguiling brought a glimpse of what she craved. Interchange brought benefits...for both of them. The rush of testosterone made their blood tangy. Viscous. Thick. Extremely satisfying. She rarely left them wanting, either. Taking could be a sensual experience for a mortal.
And Eska really liked doing that.
Thoughts flashed through her mind. This was so crazed. She’d had so many opportunities. Over many years. So much experience. And what had she done when she’d actually found him?
This was worse than insane. She’d been warned Henry was dangerous! Why hadn’t she listened?
Precious seconds elapsed before her chamber loomed just ahead. Finally! Eska skidded to a halt just shy of hitting the door. Fingers trembled as she punched a three-digit code into the keypad. She faltered. Mixed the numbers incorrectly. Tried again. More moments ticked by before the keypad reacted. The locking mechanism was loud. As was the sound of the handle as she turned it. She shoved the door open. Slid past...
And stumbled.
A mass rushed past, yanking the door from her grasp. The boom as it rebounded back to the doorframe was loud enough to echo. As was the bolt as it fell, sealing the portal.
Oh no!
He’d caught her?
Disbelief warred within her, even with proof before her eyes. Henry had definitely caught her. He stood in the midst of her chamber, his legs silhouetted against the white velvet-covered bed. The glow of candlelight glanced off bronzed skin, created golden glints in his hair. Showcased his beauty.
Oh my. My.
The man was beyond sigh-worthy. His size was just another bonus. He was taller than she’d surmised. And impossibly fit. She’d noted his physique the moment she’d seen him, but when standing, the man was beyond impressive. Rarely had she witnessed such a specimen. And never with this effect! Shivers coursed her skin as he just stood there. Menacingly silent.
Oh! This was exciting!
Incredible.
And really scary.
His every breath was a match to hers. Hard. Deep. With each one, he somehow loomed larger. He scowled as he faced her. Chin lowered. Tiny lines carved across his forehead. Eyes narrowed. But something was very different. His eyes were not remotely blue at the moment. They were red.
Blood red.
He lifted an arm, clanking the length of chain that dangled from it, while a chunk of gray rock swung back and forth with the motion. Her heart stopped. And then it dropped to the pit of her belly. When it restarted, the pounding was forceful. Rapid. And frightening. He finally spoke, but it was more a growl.
“You forgot one.”
“H-how...did you get free?” Oh, dear. Her voice trembled.
“Being half-changed appears to grant all manner of things. Strength. Speed. Dexterity. Emotion adds a definite edge. If you weren’t already dead, you might know that.”
He took a step toward her, shrinking the room as well as elevating the temperature. Her reaction didn’t help. Eska immediately backed a corresponding amount of space from him. It was instinctual. Self-preserving. Totally discomfiting. His upper lip lifted in a smile. Her eyes widened. Not at the threat he presented, but he had small spikes where his canines should be!
He waved his shackled arm. The stone mace swung back and forth again, barely missing his leg. He didn’t even seem to notice. “Finish this, Eska. Break the cuff.”
“H-H-Henry?” Eska hurriedly swallowed, but it was too late. She’d stuttered. It was instantly audible. Easily interpreted.
“I said finish. And that is not a request.”
She shook her head quickly, a gesture she instantly regretted.
“Do not make me force it.”
He took another step toward her. Eska almost backed again, but caught the motion just in time.
“You will not find it enjoyable. I guarantee it.”
“I never—”
He cut her off. “It’s obvious you like a man in your power. Well. This time you have the wrong man. Trust me. Now. Free me. I’m ordering you.”
He took another step toward her. Now he was so near, his every breath touched her. Proximity sent all manner of incendiary signals. Her mouth went dry.
“This is your final warning, Eska. Break the cuff. Now. Right now.”
She took a hesitant step. Felt him hovering above her. Heard his intake of breath followed by a long silence as he held it. Her eyes filmed over with a sudden wash of tears, making it difficult to see. Everything was so strange. So powerfully new. Intensely nerve-wracking. Her hands were icy as she reached for him. Touched the iron about his wrist. Tremulously, she slid two fingers beneath the metal...contacted skin. And an electrically charged surge raced up her arm. It filled her chest. Grabbed her heart. It was difficult to move. Impossible to think.
The shackle fell off, dropping with a metallic thud to the floor. She watched it happen. She hadn’t even felt the iron snap apart. His breath came out with a whoosh of air that lifted hairs on her forehead.
“Thank you,” he said softly.
Eska nodded. She didn’t move her gaze from his newly-freed arm. She didn’t answer. There weren’t words for what she felt.
“I probably could have broken it myself,” he informed her.
“Why...didn’t you?”
His voice carried a strange tone. “Because you are a vampire. A creature I should never consider bargaining with. And definitely not for anything...as personal as what you required.”
She caught a reactionary cry. It was a small victory.
“You are not as you seem, Miss Eska. You’re dead. The equivalent of a flesh-covered corpse. Dry. Aged. Unlovely.”
“Just go,” she whispered.
“Ah. That is the rub, sweet. I cannot. Not now.”
He’d just called her sweet! Her ears heard it. Her heart gave a mighty thump. Her mind reeled. Her belly might as well have taken a blow.
“Do you see yet?”
“See...what?” She shouldn’t have tried to answer. The words were almost unintelligible.
“Why I forced you.”
She shook her head.
“I just spoke on it. You are a vampire. You reek of death. And—.” He bit off his words. Sucked in a breath. “Damn everything! This isn’t working! Ah!”
His yell rattled candles in their holders. Eska flashed a glance upward. He had his chin tilted back, his eyes closed. His teeth gritted.
“Henry?” she asked.
He lowered his head. Speared her gaze with his. “I spout words that are meaningless. Repeat things that are useless. Order things to change. And yet, nothing works! I cannot deny the proof before me.” His voice lowered. Hoarsened. “You are none of those things, Eska. You are so beautiful, words fail me. You exude warmth. Light. Energy. I am bedeviled. Vexed more with every moment that passes. Confounded at every turn. Why is everything so damned backwards?”
“I...don’t understand.”
He sighed heavily. “I cannot explain. Not yet. Maybe, not ever. Are you ready, then?”
“For what?”
“Our bargain.”
She gasped.
“I gave you my word. I’m now honor-bound to keep it. That is why I forced you to free me. Because otherwise, I would not be here. And I definitely would not. Be doing. This.”
He separated the words with actions. First reaching an arm about her waist, then tightening his grip to pull her to him. His other hand went beneath her chin, lifting her to face him. Eska’s hands came up automatically. Smacked against his pecs. His heart hammered into her palms as he pulled her close. Closer. His eyes had changed again. They weren’t blue. Or red. They were a warm violet shade. Unique. Vibrant.
“Keep the fangs under control. Deal?”
“Yes, but what of—?”
She didn’t finish. He’d lowered his head. Blond locks of hair fell forward, brushing her cheeks. And then his lips met hers. Eska’s gasp was lost in the caverns of his mouth. Her eyelids dropped shut. Her hands slid up, reached around his shoulders, and used the grip to move even closer. Heat swelled in her core, shot outward, and then it became sound. The room filled with an operatic aria that pulsed with energy. It resounded with the depth of his groans, the lilting accompaniment of her moans. Her heart beat crazily. Erratic. Harsh. And it carried a distinct echo since it matched his.
A blizzard of sensations assailed her. White. Frost-filled. Shockingly vivid. A virtual white-out ensued, containing slivers that intensified, before
they warmed. Became liquid. Electrically charged waves of it raked her, alternately cresting. Then ebbing. Cresting again. All of it hammering at her efforts to restrain. Control. Confine. She had to keep her fangs at bay.
She just had to!
Somehow.
CHAPTER NINE
Oh my!
A sob escaped her control. It carried a note of ecstasy. Henry grunted slightly, and then did something extraordinary. Surprising. And divine.
He slipped his tongue across her lips. Touched it to her inner tissues. Sparks ensued. And Eska’s knees buckled.
He caught her easily. A moment later she was lifted against him. Held tightly. Her breasts pressed to his chest. Their hearts beating as one. Stridently. Without pause. Eska had never experienced anything as marvelous. His method of kissing turned the previous sensations she’d experienced into a raging torrent that demanded succor. Release.
But she daren’t give in. Her canines already vibrated angrily. Any loss of restraint could unleash them.
She felt a pinprick of pain to her inner lip, tasted blood, and stiffened. She knew instantly what had happened. She didn’t know about half-turned individuals, but it must give them some ability to bite. Feed. But he’d cut her off every time she’d tried to speak of his sharp spikes. A moment or two in suspense passed. Henry licked. Laved. Shuddered. And then groaned a sound that didn’t resemble anger. It was closer to delight. But then he lifted his head, cracked an eye open, and speared her with a now-shocking neon blue gaze.
“I said...no fangs.”
His voice throbbed with deep bass tones. It carried an intimidating tone she had no trouble deciphering. It lifted goose bumps everywhere on her skin. But Eska found them entirely pleasant.
Dangerously exciting.
“It’s...not me,” she told him.
His upper lip lifted. He ran a tongue along his teeth, stopped at the dual obstructions of his canines. The neon shade of his eyes darkened. His look turned calculating.
“I did not know that of half-turning. Interesting.” And then he winked.
