Eric The Guardian - Book 2 of the Raven Series

by Rhiannon Neeley

  She nodded. "I like it with you. The way it surrounds you." Her hand began to creep lower. "It puts an edge on things, an extra spark." She smiled. Her hand moved lower still.

  Eric held his breath. He could tell the vampire angle was turning her on. "You're not afraid?" he asked, his voice beginning to crack. Her hand was so close.

  "I'm a biologist," she said, raising up to look him directly in the eye. "I study new species."

  Eric sucked in a breath as her hand closed around his hard member.

  She smiled. "I think I want to study you now." Then she began to slowly stroke him, up and down, watching his face as she shifted herself on the cot. "How does this feel?" she asked, brushing her lips against his.

  Eric was struggling not to just grab her and throw her over so that he could plunge deeply into her. "Good. It feels good." He swallowed, sweat beginning to form on his forehead.

  "I think I know something that will feel better than this. You'll have to tell me if it does," she said, moving down his body toward his waist, "because with you being a different species, I won't know if it feels good or not."

  Eric watched her as she moved into position, her lips almost touching the head of his erection. He felt a wetness form on the tip as anticipation kicked in. Eric ran one hand over her satiny hair. He could feel her breath, warm and soft, flow over him.

  "Will you tell me?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.

  "Yes." Damn, she's going to drive me insane, he thought.

  Then her tongue slid out from between her lips and she swiped a moist circle around the tip of him, her hand holding him firmly below.

  Eric shuddered and closed his eyes for a moment.

  "Tell me, Eric," she said, then blew a hot breath across the wetness.

  Eric groaned. "Mmm. Yeah." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "You're not going to fall off the cot are you?" he asked, noticing just how far down she had moved.

  She shook her head. "Don't you worry about that." She slid her tongue all the way up the underside of him. "You worry about this."

  Eric's muscles tensed. She was teasing him into a frenzy. Lydia moved the hand that was gripping him at the base slowly up and down, wetting it where she had dampened him with her tongue. She hovered, her full luscious lips brushing against him on the upstroke, her breath fanning over him. She added her other hand, bracing herself on his thighs, and settled in.

  Her eyes locked on his, she wet her lips. Then, her mouth closed over him.

  Eric sucked in his breath through clenched teeth. His hand involuntarily tangled in her hair as she took him into her warm mouth deeper still. One hand still held him firm while the other grazed his balls with her fingertips. Eric groaned and lay back.

  Lydia swirled her tongue around his shaft, then released him from her mouth. "You're not telling me..." she warned. "I'll stop if you don't start talking."

  Eric felt a buzzing begin in his groin. Damn, she could make a man shiver in his shoes, he thought. "Baby, you have no idea how good that feels."

  "How good what feels?"

  "Your mouth." She was making this extremely hard for Eric. His fingers laced into her hair, the other hand dug fingers into the sleeping bag beneath him.

  "Do you want me to put you back in my mouth?" she asked, her voice smooth as silk.

  "Yesss," he groaned.

  Lydia chuckled, then gave the tip of his member a lick.

  Eric trembled. "Woman, you're gonna make me explode."

  Like a famished tigress, she took him into her mouth all the way to the back of her throat.

  Eric thrust into her, his shaft pulsing, on the verge of sweet release. He watched as she braced herself, then bobbed up and down his shaft. Her eyes were like blue neon lights, sparkling with desire. She began to suck with each upward movement, milking him.

  Eric couldn't take it. With a roar, he grasped her head and held it as his seed pulsed into her mouth. She continued to suck, drawing every ounce of him down her throat. Eric groaned again, a sizzling buzz jittering through him.

  Finally, he was spent. With cozy "mmm's," Lydia licked his member clean.

  Eric was drenched in sweat. He had never before seen a woman enjoy going down on him that much. He was going to pay her back. In spades.

  Lydia crawled back up to rest her head on his shoulder. "How was that?" she asked quietly.

  Her breath was hot against the skin of his chest. "Amazing," he said. "Abso-fucking-lutely out of this world."

  "Well, now that I've tasted you, my vampire, I guess I'm going to have to taste you over and over again." She moved up and brushed his lips with a kiss.

  Eric couldn't believe his luck. This woman was either going to be the fulfillment of his life, or the death of him. He drew her to him and found that luscious mouth of hers. Then he began to devour it.

  * * * *

  Barack panted outside the tent. He felt himself wanting to shift from wolf to man but fought it. Listening to Eric and the woman had stirred up a desire in Barack that he thought was dead. A desire for a human woman.

  He padded back and forth silently, completely aroused and with no way to satisfy himself for the moment. He could smell them. Smell their sex. The woman's scent was a lusty lure to his senses.

  Barack wanted to take her.

  But he wanted to take her as a man.

  With a low growl, he trotted toward the tree line, putting distance between himself and the pair.

  He didn't want to confront Eric at this moment. He would much rather have the woman come to him eagerly. Of her own free will.

  This woman caused an earthquake in Barack's mind, one that spread to his body. He hadn't felt it in centuries.

  Deep inside the woods and moving fast now, trying to run off the lust in his bones, Barack raised his head and howled as he ran.

  He would have her.

  One way or another.

  * * * *

  Their bodies, slick with sweat, generated heat. The tent was hot, making Lydia wish she had brought some kind of battery powered fan. But then, it was the outrageous sex that was making her hot.

  She moved her hands over the muscles of Eric's back as he slowly thrust in and out of her, making delicious love to her this time. Slow and easy, taking time to enjoy every touch, every taste, every tickle of desire. They had moved from the cot to the floor of the tent, pulling the sleeping bag with them to lie on. They had needed the extra room, and Lydia didn't think the cot would take much more abuse.

  Now, on the floor of the tent, Eric lay on top of her. They moved together in a sultry rhythm. Lydia gazed into his eyes. She knew she was in love with this strange man. If he was a man.

  Floating on a sea of undulating pleasures, Eric brought her to orgasm once again. This time Lydia didn't cry out, but moaned softly as her hips surged upward to meet his thrust. Eric came then, his seed flowing inside her, hot and filling.

  He collapsed on top of Lydia, their sweat mingling as she stroked his damp hair. "I think I'm about done for the night," he said, his voice gravelly.

  Lydia sighed. "Stay. Sleep with me."

  A lone wolf howled in the distance, the sound forlorn and heartbreaking. Lydia wondered if it had a mate.

  Eric rolled off and to her side. "I can't. I have to go." He ran his hands over his face.

  "Why? Is there someone?" she asked, not sure if she really wanted to know.

  "Don't worry. There's no other woman," he said, turning on his side and brushing her hair back from her forehead. "There are some things that I need to do."

  "In the middle of the night?"

  "Yes."

  Lydia watched his face. His jaw was set, his eyes serious. "Are you a vampire?" she whispered. "Do you need blood?" She moved closer to him. "If you do, you could..."

  Eric shook his head. "Stop. I'd never do that to you." He scowled at her. "Don't ever offer that to anyone. Ever."

  Lydia was taken aback by his tone. "Okay." She raised up on her elbow and fished around on the floor fo
r her discarded T-shirt. "I just wanted to help, that's all," she said, pulling it over her head. She sat up and crossed her arms, hugging herself. "You'd better go. You have things to do."

  Eric leaned up, cupping her cheek. "I don't mean to hurt you."

  Lydia looked at him evenly. "I'm not hurt. I'm not some teenager."

  Something flashed across Eric's eyes, then was gone. He nodded, then rose from the floor and began to dress. "You need to protect yourself from the wolves. Be sure not to get near them. If you see one, get away as quickly as possible."

  Lydia frowned. "Stop being so demanding. Wolves don't normally attack people unless they're provoked."

  Eric turned, his eyes burning into hers. "These aren't normal wolves."

  Lydia shivered. She had never seen someone so serious about something before. "All right, Eric. I'll be careful."

  "See that you are," he said. With one last look, he left the tent, zipping the opening closed behind himself.

  Lydia drew her knees up to her chest and hugged them.

  "Damn," she whispered. "I'm in love with a lumberjack-vampire who's great in bed but has an aversion to wolves that aren't normal wolves and I'm out here in the Maine wilderness. Who'da thought." She bit her lip and wondered silently if she had lost her mind.

  Chapter Four

  Lydia would have sworn she'd dreamed of Eric the night before if she wasn't so sore from his lovemaking. She could barely walk when she first got up. Morning had dawned late, thanks to a heavy cloud cover. Lydia had needed the extra sleep anyway. She had been up most of the night with Eric. But when she had fallen asleep, she'd slept the sleep of the dead.

  She puttered around her camp, working the kinks out of her muscles as she made herself a breakfast of granola bars and coffee. Carrying her cup, the aroma of the fresh coffee filling the air around her, she walked a circuit around her camp, examining the sky, wondering what the weather was going to turn out to be. The clouds were still building. The possibility of rain was growing by the minute. Lydia frowned and started to walk again, feeling the stretch in the backs of her thighs as she took long strides. When she reached the tent, something caught her eye.

  Tracks. Just a few feet from the tent. She crouched down, brushing her fingers over them. Wolf. Lydia looked over her shoulder at the tree line. Strange. It had been so close to her tent, but not near the firepit where she cooked. She had no food inside the tent, because it would draw animals. Her food she kept in a sack, strung high in a tree and in a metal cooler, locked tight and stored away from the tent.

  She rose and walked to the sack of food in the tree. This would be the most likely place a wolf would scrounge for food. Lydia searched the ground under the sack. There were no tracks here.

  She looked back at the tent. Frowning, she sipped her coffee. It seemed as if the wolf had been scouting her. She'd have to be on the lookout tonight.

  Maybe it would come back.

  Lydia collected her gear, and decided to take a chance on the weather. She needed to do some research. She had been here two days now and had gotten nowhere on even finding a moose. That's what she was here to study. She felt like chucking the moose research and trying wolves. But she didn't think Dr. Taylor would appreciate the change, as the money she had been awarded for the research specifically stated moose. Then--what about vampires? She quickly shrugged that idea off. They would think she was nuts. She wasn't sure herself about Eric's vampire teeth. Ah well. Maybe she'd at least get to see some wolves. It would be a special treat, since it was uncommon to see a wolf in the wild. Especially in Maine.

  Lydia shouldered her pack and shoved her hat down on her head. She looked up at the sky once more. Gray and foreboding but still no sign of rain. She hoped it stayed that way. She decided she wouldn't go very far, just in case. It would not be fun to get caught out in a thunderstorm in the woods.

  Lydia started off in an easterly direction, bearing a bit south. She had trekked east yesterday and hadn't found Eric's camp. But--she had run into Eric. "I hope I find something," she said, moving into the trees. Either a moose, a wolf or a vampire.

  * * * *

  Eric waited until Barack and the females were deep in their deadly slumber before moving. He needed to meet Dirk. They had planned to meet this morning, by the small pond a little way from Lydia's camp. Carefully, he made his way to the door of the cave and crawled out.

  The day was gloomy, the woods seeming to take on the cloak of darkness. Eric was thankful for that. Ever since the vampire Claire had used him for her meals during his last assignment, Eric had not been especially fond of bright, sunny days. One more bite from Claire and he wouldn't have seen daylight again. Period.

  Eric hurried toward the pond. He couldn't be gone long. Just in case one of them opened an eye. But he needed to connect with Dirk. Dirk had to get in touch with John and get the okay to get rid of the Clutch. Eric had to do something. Lydia was in danger. Barack had been too close last night. Eric had heard him howl, and though it had sounded distant from Lydia's camp, he knew Barack was keeping tabs on her. Otherwise, why would he tell Eric to watch her?

  Eric had to get her out of there or destroy the Clutch. But getting Lydia out of the Maine woods would be next to impossible. It would be easier to kill three vampires than to get her to do something that she didn't want to do. He would have destroyed them by now but he needed at least one other person to back him up when he attacked. The lair only had one way out and once Eric started, he didn't want to be trapped inside.

  Finally, Eric arrived at the pond and cautiously looked around. He watched and waited. He didn't have to wait long.

  Dirk walked down the trail toward the pond, his head up, his eyes scanning the woods.

  Eric grinned, thinking about trying to spook his little brother, but decided against it. They were vampire hunters, after all. They got enough spooky stuff just doing their job. Dirk was only 22 years old, but he acted much older, older than Eric's 26. Eric was raunchier, while Dirk was quiet, moody. Serious most of the time. Dirk was a lot like their oldest brother, John. But even John wasn't as serious as the youngest Raven brother.

  Eric waited until Dirk reached the edge of the pond, then stepped around the tree he had been hiding behind.

  "Not very good cover," Dirk said dryly.

  "Whatever will do is 'good cover,'" Eric said, approaching him.

  Dirk slung his pack onto the ground at the edge of the pond and sat, propping one arm on his raised knee. "So what's the story? Are we ready to go in?"

  Eric squatted down beside him and plucked a piece of tall grass from the ground. He turned it in his fingers, looking out over the algae-covered pond surface. "We're not quite ready but we're going to have to go in now. You'll need to notify John. I want to take them down as soon as possible."

  Dirk frowned. "Being in a hurry can get you killed. Or worse."

  "I know."

  "What's the rush? Are they onto you?"

  Eric shook his head. "No. There's someone else here. Someone who's in danger."

  "There's always someone in danger. We hunt vampires. Remember? There is no reason to go in before we're ready and take a chance of one or both of us getting nailed."

  Eric threw the piece of grass on the ground and stood. He looked down at Dirk. "Understand this. I'll take them down with or without you. The woman in danger is also the woman I'm in love with. I won't let them take her."

  Dirk raised an eyebrow. "Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?"

  After convincing Dirk to contact John, Eric rushed back to the lair. He quietly made his way in and back to his sleeping place. He lay down, breathing out a slow breath. He'd made it. He glanced over at Barack.

  Barack was stretched out by the fire, one female on each side. Eric wondered what had enflamed Barack before he had returned to the lair. It was the first time Eric had seen Barack take both females on at once, in human form. It had been like watching an alien orgy, the three of them moving over each other, fangs bared.
When Barack had satisfied himself, he had offered the females to Eric.

  Eric had refused of course, claiming weakness from not finding much to feed on.

  Barack had smiled a strange smile and nodded. Then he and the females had wrapped themselves around each other and dropped into sleep.

  As Eric's tired body began to relax, he wondered just how much Barack knew about his encounter with Lydia last night. Eric closed his eyes, remembering. He couldn't get enough of her. That long blond hair and blue eyes. Her taste, her smell, her warmth. Without realizing what he was doing, his mind reached for Lydia's, scouting for her energy.

  There. She was at the pond where he and Dirk had met. He watched through her eyes, seeing the footprints that he and Dirk had made in the moist earth at the pond's edge. He felt her intrigue.

  Eric felt Lydia's heart begin to speed up. She had found a wolf print. She wanted to track the wolf. He couldn't allow that. The only wolves here were the ones that lay in this lair with him. He couldn't have her tracking them back here.

  He took a deep breath and began to occupy her mind.

  * * * *

  Lydia squinted at the surface of the pond. Something had made the water ripple. The algae bobbed and floated with the tiny waves. She frowned. Then she went back to searching for tracks. She started around the edge of the pond, thinking this must be the nearest watering hole for the wolves. A few feet away from the first paw print, she found another. She crouched down to look at it. Her foot slipped on the muddy bank and she landed on her backside with a thump, obliterating the print. "Damn," she said, taking a deep breath. She started to push up off the ground when she saw the water ripple again. She froze. There was something in the pond, swimming toward her. Probably just a frog, she told herself.

  Lydia squinted, trying to see better in the gloom. She closed her eyes and shook her head. She frowned again. A strange feeling came over her, a sleepiness. She couldn't open her eyes. They felt so heavy.