Love in Death's Embrace

by Lee, Trina M.

  “Then close your eyes and let Miss Kitty play with you.” One of his silk ties lay across her hand. She pulled one end so that it slid through her fingers without a sound.

  There was a dangerously mischievous glint in her ethereal orbs. It wasn’t hard to figure out what she had in mind. Excitement coursed through Luca; his body flushed with adrenaline and heat. Sitting up a little straighter, he tensed when she gripped his wrists with inhuman strength and slid the tie around each in a figure eight.

  When she pulled his bound hands above his head, Luca was thrumming so hard with desire, he thought he’d come right then and there. Kat tied the loose ends tightly around the rungs of the headboard so a struggle would only tighten the bonds. He watched her with wide-eyed wonder.

  “Kat, I—”

  “Hush.” Placing a finger over his lips, Kat trailed her other hand down his bare chest. Dragging her nails to create pale red lines, she circled one of his flat nipples until it stood erect. “Just relax. I’ll take good care of you.”

  A tiny shred of concern plagued him. A vampire had just tied him to the bed with clear intentions in her awe-inspiring eyes. He should be afraid. In fact, he never should have sat back and let her do this. Yet he wasn’t afraid. It was a strange but warm sensation—the realization that he really did trust her implicitly. He was itching to see what she had in store for him.

  His breath came in short bursts. His gaze never left her face as she continued the slow descent with her sharp nails, pausing at the patch of hair that disappeared into his jeans. The tip of her nail tickled him, and he felt it in the pit of his stomach. Oh, how he wanted to bury himself inside her. The inability to do so until she took them there was the hardest part of having his hands bound.

  The contrast of her skin on his—creamy white on pale mocha—was enchanting. Luca could have watched her touch him all night. It was more than the feeling; it was seeing her lust and affection in every stroke.

  Kat wore an expression of absolute serenity as she straddled him. Her groin lined up with his, separated by their remaining clothing. Gliding her fingers back up his body to tangle them in his hair, she leaned down over him, her chest pressed to his. She sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and nibbled it gently.

  The mounting tension had Luca impatient, aching to touch her. He groaned when the soft pressure of her lips moved to the sensitive spot beneath his ear. An erotic tickle shot down his spine, and he squirmed beneath her. The sudden sting of sharp fangs against his flesh sent a combination of arousal and anxiety through him. What would it be like? Luca couldn’t help but wonder. To have part of her inside him, taking from him as he did to her—it was intriguing.

  Wriggling atop him, Kat smirked wickedly. She kissed and licked her way down his chest, pausing to bite his nipples. All he could do was look at the mass of red hair that taunted him. Oh, how he wanted to feel it slide through his fingers. Tugging on his bonds was useless, but he couldn’t help it. Like he’d assumed, they only grew tighter.

  It was painfully arousing.

  His erection strained against the restrictive material of his jeans. Begging Kat to quicken her pace was likely to have the opposite effect, so he bit his tongue and took a deep breath. He was conflicted—longing to beg for release, knowing that was what she wanted. Despite the pain of resistance, he fought back the urge, waiting to see what she would do next.

  “You are the most amazing woman.” Luca’s voice was low and thick with need. Kat’s reaction was to fondle her breasts while he watched, pinching her nipples into hard points. How had he ever made it this long without her? If he’d known what he’d been missing…

  Running her hands through her cascading red locks, Kat purred like a kitten. Maintaining steady eye contact, she bent down low and bit at his taut belly. Her tongue found his navel and toyed with it until he gasped. Her nimble fingers made short work of removing his jeans. In no time, she was sliding them down over his hips.

  Luca’s swollen erection sprang free. She oohed and aahed over it like she’d just received a pricey gift, and her fingers played in the black curls that framed his manhood. Outlining the curves of his hips and thighs, she batted her lovely, long eyelashes at him before touching her lips to his inner thigh. Luca couldn’t believe how lucky he was. The woman’s very touch was mind-blowing.

  The instinctive urge to grasp her head was frustrating. Being unable to lay his hands on her was as agonizing as it was a turn-on. Kat flicked her tongue out and ran the tip over the head of him and down his shaft. It earned her a throaty moan from him. That made her smile.

  The heat of her mouth and the moisture of her tongue brought Luca to the edge of pleasure. He thought surely he would explode, but then she eased off just enough for the sensation to subside ever so slightly. His mind and body screamed for more, and he squirmed uncontrollably beneath her. The touch of her mouth had him yearning for more.

  Frenzied passion had Luca ready to demand she free his hands. If he didn’t touch her soon, he’d lose his damn mind.

  “Getting impatient, baby?” Kat murmured and chuckled low in her throat.

  “Oh fuck.” Luca moaned, tossing his head back. He gave a little growl, needing to break free of the expensive tie wrapped around his wrists. His actions pleased Kat, who laughed merrily.

  Kat slowly crawled up his body until they were staring into each other’s eyes. “I love the way you react to me, Luca. It drives me wild.” She kissed him with an intensity that kept the blood pumping to his groin.

  After pushing herself to her feet, Kat slowly peeled off her thong underwear. She stood over him so he got an eyeful of her beauty. Luca shuddered, lust commanding him.

  “I want to touch you,” he said, the words sticking in his throat.

  “And I want to taste you.”

  Her reply surprised him. He knew exactly what she meant. And rather than being horrified or even frightened, he was on fire. He could barely speak. Managing a nod, Luca invited her bite.

  Kneeling over him, Kat pushed her hair back from her face and stroked the side of his neck with a perfectly manicured fingernail. Luca’s pulse beat faster as he anticipated her bite.

  The wetness between her legs brushed against his shaft teasingly. He lifted his hips from the bed in an attempt to get closer to her. Grinding against her caused Luca to groan with tortured desire.

  Kat nuzzled his throat, licking his salty skin fervently. The two tiny points of her fangs rested on the surface, as if giving him a last chance to change his mind. With one hand, she reached down between their bodies and placed his cock at her warm entrance. Time seemed to stop then. Kat slid down, taking Luca deep inside her at the same moment her fangs sank into his neck.

  The pain was vivid and extreme, but only for a split second. It quickly faded into a sensual glow that wrapped Luca up in a cloud of serenity. His blood spilled into Kat’s mouth, and she sucked it down greedily. Every pull on the wound was rhythmic, matching the pace as she rode him. Never would Luca have imagined Kat’s bite could feel this good. The vampire’s bite was deadly, and this was why—it was so damn intoxicating.

  Thrusting up to meet her every time she plunged down, Luca was overwhelmed by the flurry of feelings and thoughts. Kat pulled back, looking down at him with bloodstained lips. She reached for the tie and freed him with little effort.

  He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly to him. Blood slowly oozed from the wound in Luca’s throat, trickling down his neck in a warm stream. He was intent on Kat above him, watching her with a carnal delight.

  Her breasts bounced in time with their lovemaking, causing him to reach for them eagerly. Kat’s smooth flesh was succulent. He kneaded the supple white globes and fondled her nipples. A satisfied smile tugged at his lips when she moaned.

  Luca couldn’t get enough of her. He felt reassured, knowing time was on their side and they would be able to spend many nights this way. His heart was hers. Buried inside her body, which was warmed by his blood, he knew it withou
t a doubt. Rather than feeling intimidated by his emotions, Luca felt elated. Despite everything that still lay ahead of them, he felt free for the first time since he’d met Kat. Nothing else existed for him in that moment except for the gorgeous creature atop him.

  Sweat ran from his brow, the exertion sapping all of his strength. Grabbing Kat’s hips, he pulled her down while pushing up into her. Her cries grew frenzied, and she moved faster. Her dainty tongue snaked out to lick the remnants of his blood from her lips.

  Kat writhed above him, her inner muscles clenching him tightly. Eyes closed and head back, she appeared the epitome of sexuality. The sensual way she moved, naturally and with perfect precision, made Luca feel like he’d never known true ecstasy before.

  Luca’s seed filled her as they shared in orgasmic delight. She collapsed on top of him, her face pressed to his chest. “I love you, Kat.” His voice was raspy, barely audible. But he knew she heard him clearly.

  A soft kiss, her full lips pressed to his chest, was her immediate response. After a moment, she raised her head and grinned. “You’ve lost your mind. You do know that, right?” When he stared at her intently, she added, “I love you, Luca. Though it’s surreal and more than a little mind-boggling.”

  “It is.” He nodded once, filling his hands with her thick locks. “My head keeps telling me it’s wrong, but my heart wants what it wants—and that’s you. Shit, did that sound completely cheesy?”

  Luca rolled his eyes, feeling like a moron. Why had he said something so stupid? It was what he was feeling, and it had spilled out of his mouth uncensored. He didn’t regret the meaning of his words so much as the ones he’d chosen. They weren’t quite as poetic as they had sounded in his head. She laughed and squeezed him in a tight hug. Maybe it wasn’t so bad after all.

  “Not completely. It sounded nice. No one has ever said anything like that to me before. I’ll take it. Cheese and all.”

  “Never?” Luca’s jaw dropped. “I’d think you would have men falling at your feet everywhere you go.”

  Kat scoffed. “The dead ones maybe. That’s about it. Unless Arden counts.”

  “All this time and nobody has loved you the way you deserve? I can’t believe it.”

  “Yeah, but who’s to say what I deserve, Luca?” There was no sadness or regret in her tone. She spoke like it was so matter-of-fact.

  Running his thumb over her lips and along her jaw, Luca pulled her close so he could devour her with a hungry kiss. It wasn’t fair that anyone should be condemned to an existence such as hers. Or his, for that matter. They were more similar than he’d first realized.

  “Nobody should be alone for so long.” His whispered words were spoken against her lips. Not even a vampire. The thought came unbidden.

  Kat was more than a vampire, but Luca wasn’t so naive as to see her as the innocent. She was a fierce killer. He wore the bite that represented what she was. Obligation bound him to a destiny he didn’t feel was his anymore. After taking care of Arden, he was through with vampire hunting.

  “That’s coming from someone who has been alone for too long.” A thoughtful frown adorned her features. “For just how long anyway? I mean, how long has it been since your father and Arden formed their little union and stuck you with this burden?”

  Luca studied her, mystified. “So you really never met my father? No, I guess you spent more time avoiding Arden than associating with him. It’s been almost half a century since that all went down. Feels like just yesterday sometimes. And other times…it feels like forever.”

  She stared at him until he grew uneasy. The light that danced behind her eyes made him curious as to what she was thinking. When he couldn’t take it anymore, he poked her lightly in the side. “What?”

  “Nothing.” Kat peeked out at him from behind thick lashes. “It’s just—don’t you want to get married, have kids, all that typical human stuff?”

  Try as she might to hide it, Luca glimpsed the shadow of fear that crept into her eyes. It was something that looked so wrong on her. He was beyond confused, struggling to come to grips with the new feelings bursting inside him. How much harder was it for her?

  With a sigh, he lifted her chin so he could study her. “I did once. I gave up on that ages ago. It’s not for me. I mean, look at us. Neither of us really walks in the human world. We merely observe it and interfere based on our own instincts.”

  “That’s an interesting way of looking at it. I guess you’re right.”

  “Kat, this thing between us—it’s real. It has to be. No one else has made me feel the way you do. Is it wrong? Hell yeah. I’m sure it is. Do I give a damn? Not a chance.”

  Her gaze strayed to his wounded neck, and she smiled. “You’re really something, vampire hunter. You know that? Now, when are we going after Arden?”

  “You can’t come with me there. You’ll only endanger yourself.”

  “Nonsense.” She rolled away from him, leaving him suddenly cold in the absence of her warmth. “Let’s go right now. He’ll be there. There are still a good two hours before sunrise. I want to watch him burn, Luca. You understand that, don’t you?”

  Luca sat upright, his heart constricted with fear. “It’s not worth risking yourself, Kat. I won’t let you do that. He’s not worth it.”

  She said nothing as she dressed, but he could sense her resolve. He was going to have a fight on his hands. The thought of her being out there when the sun broke over the horizon chilled him to the bone. And that’s when he really knew with every part of him that the curse meant nothing. It had brought him to her, and to break it, he would have to lose her forever.

  Images danced through his head of every vampire he’d ever dusted. Not her—it could never be her.

  “You’re not going to budge on this, are you?”

  “Nope.” She beamed a smile at him and winked. “I have more than enough time. If I cut it close, I can head for the cemetery. The tombs aren’t exactly five-star hotels, but getting into them is a breeze.”

  Luca got up and hurriedly put on his jeans. She was crazy to want to do this—insane.

  “I wish you wouldn’t insist on coming with me. But I’m not going to argue with you about it.”

  “Good,” she quipped. “You’d lose.”

  “It’s not funny, Kat.” Luca frowned, reaching to pull her into his arms. “You’re putting yourself in danger unnecessarily.”

  She let him hold her close and leaned into him affectionately. “Better finish getting dressed. Time’s ticking.” With a light smack on his ass, she gave him a gentle shove toward the closet. “I assume you already have everything we need.”

  Luca was torn, caught between the desire to protest her decision further and the clock that ticked on the bedside table. They had ample time yet, but it would pass quickly. He chose to trust Kat’s judgment, despite the way it nagged him to do so.

  “You promise me right now that if we run short on time, you’ll go to the cemetery. I’ll meet you there.”

  Surprise shone in her eyes. Whether it was a reaction to the heavy concern in his voice or the raw emotion in his eyes, he wasn’t sure. But whatever she saw in him then, it made her hesitate.

  “I promise.”

  It wasn’t good enough for Luca. Everything within him warned it wasn’t good enough. There was no way of knowing how the next two hours would play out. So why did he have a bad feeling about it all?

  Chapter Eleven

  Nothing could have kept her away. If Arden Ashton was going to die before the dawn broke, she was going to be there to witness it. Excitement fueled her need for vengeance. At last, after being hunted, abused, and stalked by the man she’d grown to hate with her entire being, it would end tonight.

  Kat glanced at Luca, who remained silent beside her. She sensed the tremors of angst that rocked him. Knowing it was because of her insistence on being there, she felt both guilty and incredibly loved. How Luca could love her after all he’d been through, she didn’t know. She wasn’t entirely
sure she could do the same had their roles been reversed.

  “Are you ready?” she asked softly. They stood at the end of the driveway, staring at the house that loomed in the distance.

  Luca nodded and reached for her hand, then gave it a gentle squeeze. He bent to pick up the gas can at his feet and motioned to the wrought-iron entry. “That would be your area of expertise, I believe.”

  Stepping up in front of the gate, Kat held her hands up, palms out. Directing the metaphysical energy wasn’t hard, but it did require concentration. It took her a moment to shake off the nervous vibes she was picking up from Luca. With almost two hours until sunrise, they could do this. By the time the flames were spotted and authorities dispatched, they would be long gone, and Arden would be a smoldering skeleton.

  The energy flowed out from her, and she hummed with power. The only sound was the squeak of the heavy iron hinges as the gate swung open. Kat was alert, sensing for anything amiss. She half expected Arden’s lackeys to be prowling the vicinity. Since they weren’t, she wondered just how badly she’d hurt the bastard. Maybe it was worse than she’d thought. She could only hope.

  Together, Kat and Luca walked down the driveway. She couldn’t stop herself from sneaking glances at him. He was just so handsome, so enchanting. He had devoted his life to wiping out vampires, and more specifically, Arden’s vampires. Yet he wanted her. It was almost too much for Kat to understand. If she’d been the one in Luca’s shoes, she never would have been able to do the same.

  Everything had changed since the night she’d run headlong into Luca. The memory brought a smile to her face. Kissing him like that had been spontaneous. She hadn’t planned it, but she wouldn’t have changed it for the world. It was a bittersweet remembrance, tainted with the fact that she didn’t believe theirs was a union that was meant to be.

  Luca slowed when they were just beyond the dim outside light shining from the front porch. “I’m going to surround the place with gas. Stay back, just in case.”