by Celia Kyle
Liam purred. Honest to god purred. “It’d be wrong to tell you that the idea of you taking them down a notch makes my dick hard, wouldn’t it?”
“Liam!” She fought between a gasp of outrage and a laugh.
“Victoria, you need to get out whatever you’re planning on saying. Because, right now, I’m focusing on the fact that you’re my Fire and all I want to do is claim my prize.” His fangs were extended, flashing white in the room.
“Fine,” she snapped. “We have to have sex without sharing blood. A lot of it. The lack of blood will push the vamp back so that I’m not a crazy psycho-bitch. I need to read a bit more, but I’ll still be kick ass and crave your blood, but no one else’s. If I take any more of your blood right now, the vamp-bitch is here to stay. But no matter what it says, medically necessary or not, I’m still not fucking you.” Maybe.
Okay, just because she super really, O-M-G-Yes, wanted to bang Liam didn’t mean she really, really wanted to bang Liam. Even if his kiss left her breathless and everything inside her screamed for his touch. Her vagina was not going to lead the rest of her around by her G-spot.
Liam smirked. “Really? Is that your final answer?”
“You know, killing you seems like a viable option. Just sayin’.” Liam’s face paled, and she smiled. Yeah, teasing him like that was probably wrong. Hella fun. But still wrong.
Only…only there was something in his eyes that made her not want him dead. At all. No, the heat that seeped into his expression made her want him very, very much alive. The fucker. Memories of his kiss, the way his touch made her feel, pushed all other thoughts from her mind.
And then her clit throbbed, and she realized that her brain lived in her vagina.
It also might be smarter than her.
*
Liam craved Victoria like a drug. Hearing that she was his Fire simply made sense. The taste of her on his tongue was like nothing he’d ever experienced in all his years. He was also vampire enough to admit that she scared him a little bit.
But the fire in her eyes that came with her anger had his cock hard as granite. He was more than ready to spend the next few hundred years alternating between making her scream in anger and then pleasure as he fucked her unconscious.
Victoria’s small hand slammed onto the table, jarring him from his thoughts. “Are you even listening to me?”
The wrong answer would be no.
“Of course.”
Those fiery eyes narrowed. “What’d I just say?”
“That you want me to fuck you?” He raised an eyebrow and waited for another smack. He didn’t have to wait long.
“Damn it, Liam.” She sighed and then flopped into one of the chairs. “This is your fault.”
Without hesitation, he circled the table and sat in a chair beside her. A quick snatch and he had her in his lap. He didn’t miss the way she nuzzled him then took a deep breath followed by a shudder.
At least she wasn’t unaffected.
“I’d say it’s the Pixie King’s fault. I just saved your life.” She should be grateful, damn it.
She sighed. Again. And the seductive scent that lingered on her skin taunted him. He wanted to follow the fragrance, lap it up, and swallow down each morsel he could find.
“I know.”
Victoria met his gaze for a brief moment. He had to admit that he preferred her without those god awful, purple contacts. Especially when her light brown eyes were focused on him. Brown, but not. Pale flecks of green were sprinkled amongst the milk chocolate. He only got a glimpse before she tucked her face against his shoulder, hiding from him.
Then she mumbled, squirming in his lap. The woman really needed to sit still. Unless she wanted to be filled with him, his cock balls deep in her pussy.
“What?”
Another murmur.
“Victoria?”
“Don’t…and sex…stupid…”
He forced her to look at him, ignoring her squeaks. “What are you talking about?”
She frowned at him then flashed her fangs. “I don’t know how to do this whole sex thing, asshole. I’m a stupid, ignorant girl. There, is his Royal Vamp-asshole-ness happy?”
Liam sucked in a breath, choking, and coughed to cover the sound. “I think you said asshole twice.”
Victoria struggled against him, muttering once again. “Fucking fucktardicious asshat, zombie-wanna-be shithead.”
For some reason, her insults had his dick twitching in his pants. “So you’re saying you’re a…” He coughed. “A virgin?”
She snorted. “No. I’m just…not experienced. I mean, you’ve probably been fucking your way around the world. I haven’t.”
“I haven’t been—”
“How old are you?”
The question brought him up short. “Six hundred twenty-two.”
“Does that include pre-transition years?”
“Fine,” he grumbled, “Six hundred fifty-four.”
“Right. So, Middle Ages. Wow, you’ve been a man whore for a long time. Take six hundred fifty-four, minus fifteen years. I’m being generous there since I figure you probably got down and dirty with women before then, but whatever. That makes six hundred thirty-nine years of boinking. I’m guessing a minimum of four chicks a month which is just over thirty thousand women.” She gave him a bland look, and he forced himself not to wince.
“But, I’m old. And I can’t imagine it’s that high, I mean…” He let his thoughts wander through the years of his life. There was his time in in Scotland, then France, and, oh, England. He bounced around for a while. True, a lot of women held onto their virginity, but there had been enough widows, unhappy wives and fallen women to more than make up for the virgins.
Damn.
“Okay, I admit I wasn’t exactly chaste through the years—”
“Man whore.”
Liam winced. “—But my experience doesn’t diminish what we’re going to have, Victoria.” He’d teased her before, blood boiling and demanding, but it was more than wanting a quick tumble. He needed to slow down. If she was inexperienced, she had no idea about the wicked things he wanted to do to her body. He grasped her hand and pressed it to his chest, trying his best to show her what she meant to him already. “Do you feel that?”
“What? Your heart beating? I assumed it would since y’all are all ‘we’re not undead’ and stuff. You guys really take offense to the smallest things—”
He shook his head. “No. Not my heart. Or, not just that. Do you feel the temperature of my body? The heat?”
She nodded.
“That’s because you’re my Fire. You’re it. The only woman in the world, past, present and future, that can warm me. You know that Carac is cool to the touch, Simond…hell, everyone but Griffin because he has Wren.”
Victoria raised a brow. “So, I get you hot. That’s it? Woo hoo, I should jump your bones? Or let you lay an amazingly hot kiss on me, chase me around the table and then haul me into your lap, making me all needy and—” She winced and Liam figured she hadn’t meant to reveal that tidbit. “I am not a bone jumper. Or even a bone connoisseur. I’ve had sex with one guy. One. And that was once, at prom. I mean, you’ve had over thirty thousand women, so you’ve had sex at least thirty thousand times. Hell, it’s probably higher than that since you likely boinked some of them more than once.”
Yup, his dick was diamond hard. His pants were suddenly too tight for comfort. His cock pressed against the confines of his jeans, begging to be free and buried in Victoria. His heart rate thumped double time, arousal burning his veins while he held her close.
His Victoria. Forever.
His Fire wiggled in his lap and then stilled, surprise dancing across her features. “Well, then.” She squirmed. “You’re…”
He groaned.
“Cause of me?”
He jerked his head in a quick nod. “How could you doubt? Weren’t you involved in that kiss? Don’t tell me you’re not wet.” He leaned in and nuzzled her, taking a de
ep breath and letting it out slowly. “Yeah, love, you were aroused by that kiss. I got you wet and wanting.”
Her face flushed as desire crept into her gaze. “Liam, I don’t know how to do this.”
He leaned close, inhaling her scent once again, noting the flavors of her rekindling arousal, and then he rubbed the tip of his nose against hers.
Slow, damn it.
He hated slow.
“I do.”
Chapter Four
The next day, Tory tromped after Liam, bare feet sinking into the lush grass of the mansion’s back yard, jeans brushing the ground and probably getting stained. Lovely.
Actually, they called the area “The Gardens.” She called it a long walk. And Tory, being a chubby chick, was not into long walks. Ever. Not even a little.
Liam strode before her, sure and strong as he navigated the garden, moving further and further away from the manse until she could barely see the massive building in the distance. A basket hung from his hand, swinging with every step, and she sure as hell hoped there was something good to eat in there. She still craved Liam’s blood, that scratchy beastie inside her begging to be let free, but she could go for a sandwich, too. Especially since snacking on Liam was a no go. Not if she wanted her inner-vamp to take a back seat to the Fire business.
Finally, after forever, he paused, and Tory took her first look at their surroundings. Her breath caught in her throat. They were encircled by flourishing trees and flowers, colors ranging from yellows to reds and purples. For the first time since she’d left her home, she felt like she could breathe. The air was clear and nature called out to her, soothing her in a way she couldn’t describe.
“This is…beautiful.” She had no idea why she whispered the words.
Liam came toward her, his gate smooth and unhurried. “I’m glad.” He wrapped an arm around her waist and urged her forward. “There’s a perfect spot just under that tree, right by the river.”
She let him lead her forward, secretly enjoying his arm around her, holding her close. She wasn’t just inexperienced in sex. She was inexperienced in everything. So this was…nice. More than nice. Super duper nice?
In minutes they were settled beneath a large oak, relaxing on a blanket and nibbling the food he’d brought along.
Tory sampled it all, snacking on fried chicken, potato salad and strawberries for dessert. With chocolate sauce. Thank god he remembered the chocolate sauce. That thought alone added a check into the “pro-boinking-and-living-forever-with-Liam” column.
The second the food was finished and cleaned up, awkwardness set in. Okay, maybe it was just awkward for her. Because Liam was staring at her with a shit-eating grin on his face, and a blush heated her cheeks.
“Quit it.” She stuck out her tongue, and her fingers immediately went to her hair, twirling a strand round and round. Nervous. She was nervous. He knew what he was doing, and she was just a stupid smart girl and…
Liam reached out and tugged her hand from her hair. “You quit it. And no sticking that out unless you want to use it.” He lay down on the blanket, settling with his hands behind his head. “Come here for a minute.”
Nibbling her lip, she eased toward him. This was it. It. They were gonna go all bow-chicka-bow-bow. Part of her ached to make love with him, but the other half of her was nervous. That bit of her that had been a dork in high school, and an even bigger nerd in college, was worried that he’d be disappointed and then it’d all fall apart. Poof.
But that kiss had been…
Tory lay on her side next to him, body stiff, and did her best to relax. But too much tension and adrenaline thrummed through her veins.
One of Liam’s thick arms wrapped around her and pulled her closer to him, pressing her against his body until they were aligned from chest to knee. “That’s better.” He brushed a kiss across her brow, a caress so different than what he’d given her in the library. That gentle touch relaxed her a bit. A very tiny bit. “We’re gonna sit here and talk, Victoria.” He rubbed her arm, callused hands scraping along the skin, and a gentle shudder raced through her. “Nothing more, nothing less. I promise. I pushed too hard yesterday and we’re just going to relax here.”
“Oh.” That was kinda…disappointing. Maybe. She forced herself to relax and curl against him. In increments, the tension in her muscles eased, and she let her head rest against his chest. “I can do that.”
“Good.” Another gentle kiss to her temple and she realized she liked the barely-there stroke. “So, I’m six hundred twenty-two—”
“Fifty four. Pre-transition years count, blood-sucker.” She nodded to let him know she was right.
“Right. Six hundred fifty-four. I was born in Sussex and lived there until I was Changed, and then I began roaming the world. As long as there were people around I didn’t go hungry. I started as a mercenary and then became a warrior for a well-loved Baron. From there, I became a Knight Protector.” He shrugged. “That’s the sum of my life.”
“Except for all the girls you boinked.” Tory felt him wince and she smiled.
“Right.” His voice sounded strained.
“Can you tell me what it’s like to be a vamp? Since I don’t follow the ‘norm’
I don’t know what’s what. I mean, we can go out in the sun, obviously.”
Liam sighed. “Stupid legends. There is very little difference between us and humans. We can still die.”
“But it’s harder to kill you, us, whatever.”
“Right. We’re not damaged by sunlight. Garlic, holy water, and silver do nothing to us.” He paused a moment. “We’re just people.” He sounded…sad.
And that made her, well, sad. Totally a novel concept.
Tory pushed up, propping her chin on his chest, and stared into his eyes. “Who didn’t think you were a person, Liam? I could kill them for you. Okay, I’m not a ninja, so killing is probably out. I could ruin them financially. Will that work?”
*
Liam stared into those sparkling eyes. No purple today, just a pale brown that he was more than happy to see for the rest of his days. Many, many days. He could live with the multi-colored hair. Hell, the purple locks had grown on him already. But he wanted to look into her chocolate orbs forever.
“It doesn’t matter.” A strand of hair fell forward and he brushed it back, tucking it behind her ear.
“Of course, it does.” She poked him. “Spill.”
Liam rolled his eyes but relented. It didn’t matter any longer. At least, that’s what he told himself. “Once upon a time, I thought I was in love. I wasn’t. End of story.”
Victoria pulled from his embrace and hovered over him, giving him her entire attention. He didn’t want to look into her penetrating gaze. Didn’t want to admit…
“Liam,” Her voice was so soft, so seductive. “Tell me.”
He huffed. “It was fourteen ten and I’d been Changed for two years.” He shook his head and smiled ruefully. “God, it was so different from today. So hard.” Memories assailed him as he recalled the smells, the difficulties and the pain. “I’d settled with the Earl of Scarworth. I’d decided that hiring out my arm had grown old, and I wanted to be a simple crofter. I worked my spot of land and lived a pleasant, quiet life.” Liam reached up and eased her head back to his chest. The hard parts. He couldn’t look at her while he released the old pain.
“I finally met a young lass. Kenley.” He smiled. “She was so sweet. Never had a harsh word and was so beautiful. Like spring flowers walking through the village.” The memory poked at the pain that lingered in his heart. “I couldn’t marry her. I knew that. Not when she would grow old and I’d never age. But I couldn’t leave her alone.” Victoria’s small hand stroked his chest, easing the building ache. “Then she got sick. The plague hit the village, and it took so many… So, so many. I didn’t want it to take her, though. I couldn’t watch her die. Not when she was so full of life.” Tears stung his eyes, burning like fire. “And I went to her, revealed that I was a
vampire and offered eternal life. I offered to take the chance of Changing her even though I was such a young vampire. I wanted to do it for her because I loved her. Do you know what she said?”
“Liam…” Victoria hugged him tighter, and he took comfort in her embrace.
In his mind, he knew that what he’d felt for Kenley was nothing compared to his feelings for his Fire. Already his heart burst with emotion for the curvaceous baby-vamp. The woman truly was fire incarnate with her sharp tongue. But he wouldn’t have her any other way.
“She said she’d rather die than become an abomination.” This time, a tear escaped. Evidence of his pain slid from his eye and down his cheek. “Then, in my arms she passed.”
Victoria took a shaky breath, the sound rattling through the stillness. “And you started drinking.”
He let his eyes drift closed. Let the tinkling of the river, and her touch, soothe him. “And then I started drinking. Hell, I don’t even think I need it anymore. It’s almost a habit. The pain hasn’t reared its ugly head in years. Plus, now I have you.”
She snorted. “What can I possibly do? I’m just a chubby, smart mouthed, mostly obnoxious chick with a love of the odd.”
“Surprisingly, I find myself craving your luscious, smart mouthed, sometimes obnoxious love of the odd.”
Staring at Victoria, seeing the one woman he’d spend the rest of his life with… He couldn’t resist her. The resolve to tame his need dissolved into dust.
Carefully, he tugged her higher on his chest, bringing her lips within kissing distance, and then he took what he wanted. No, unlike before, he coaxed a response from his Fire. He teased her with his lips, sliding them across hers, and savored the soft gasp that he drew from her body. Again, the near chaste caress.
Victoria shifted against him, a tiny whimper escaping from her lips, and he lapped at the seam, enticing her to open for him. Then the delicate strawberry flavors of her essence coated his tongue. He searched out more, sliding into her entrance, drinking greedily, hunting that taste.
