by Alice Wade
He frowned watching her battle this and knew what she needed but wasn’t asking for. He also knew his answer would upset her. “Before the meeting yesterday, but I had not worked it completely out until today.”
“Why did you not approach me yesterday?” She hated that her voice rose. She expected an answer, her words meeting a wall of silence.
He heard the rise in her voice, knew she was on the edge. He didn’t want to taunt her. He chose a different tact. He rose from the bed and lit a fire that quickly blazed into an inferno that illuminated the room. When he turned around and seeing her in the light, he stumbled. Without shame, he adjusted his trousers as his body reacted to her long bare legs being exposed through the split in her robe. He saw his chance to make amends when the anger faded slightly in her eyes. He was only going to be given one and this was it. Dace prepared to step forward, but her words halted him.
“You haven’t answered my question. Why did you wait?” Lainey shifted in her chair trying to cover her exposed thigh.
His heart nearly jumped out of his chest. He wanted her like he’d never wanted her before. Only her. Only Lainey.
Dace stood looking vulnerable as he determined what he was going to say. His confidence fled and he was back to being terrified she would throw him out before he took his chance to formally apologize.
The longer he delayed in answering her, the more concerned she became. What could have kept him from coming to her other than another woman? That was gut wrenching thought, even if she did something similar; to have him bed another would be devastating. Then she laughed. What did it matter? He’d broken it off and was a free man; she no longer had a possessive claim on him.
Turbulent feelings clouded her mind and were not helped by the tingling heat that coursed through her body. The sexual need flared back to life while she sat there becoming uncomfortable. Putting her head in her hands, Lainey hide her face. She felt the first tears form and didn’t want him to see her frustration. Why wasn’t he answering her?
Dace watched the battle, understanding her plight from her tortured body language. It was fascinating to watch how she fought both her feelings and her sexual urges. He wasn’t aware that his delay was adding to her distress.
Shaking his head, Dace chucked at himself because frankly, he was spell bound by her beauty. He found his ability to speak, “You distracted me.”
He rumbled an angry sound seeing her red and wet eyes as she lifted her face. Dace’s face contorted before he cursed to himself. He’d caused that. He’d made her cry. “I didn’t come to you because of Talon. He wouldn’t let me. I tried, believe me; I tried.”
Her distrust increased. Lainey sat very still listening, but he had not said anything that made her believe him yet.
Dace paid attention, waiting for her body language to let him know to continue. She prepared herself for some false statement, so Dace made sure he filled his voice with enough sincerity that she would have to believe him. His lip twitched as another tear slid down her cheek. It felt like a knife to his heart. “I was really close to barging in on you taking a bath and...um,” he stammered, not able to vocalize what she had been doing in the bath. He smiled at the memory and looked back into her face, “I stood outside the door. Hell, I had my hand on the doorknob, but Talon stopped me. It was his decision that I stay away, not mine because it was for your own good. He wanted you to hunt first, and then I could come. I watched you depart hours ago and have been waiting anxiously for your return so we could talk.”
Her surprise at learning he had been outside the bathing room showed on her face. She rode the levels by first narrowing her eyes that slowly widened into embarrassment. He had heard what she was doing in the bath that pushed her too far.
“Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no!” She suddenly stood and paced around the room, clearly agitated.
Her sudden movement caused Dace to take a step back. What did he say?
She circled the room frantically, and every once in a while would glance back at him with the blush of embarrassment. Adding to her discomfort, the more she moved the more intense her urges became. With or without Dace’s help, she needed to do something about them in a moment. Each step was sending electrical shocks from where her feet hit the floor. Within three steps, the area between her thighs became moist and throbbed with the escalating beat of her heart.
Dace broke out of his spellbound fear, “Lainey, what did I say?”
Her circuit of the room placed her before him when she met his eyes, “It’s not what you said, exactly. You were really at the bathroom door? Did you hear anything?” Just asking this forced her face to flush a brighter shade of pink.
Now Dace saw her embarrassment clearly and couldn’t help the small chuckle. A knowing smile graced his lips. “I heard you pleasuring yourself,” he whispered and his own body pulsed at that memory. Every ounce of him was twitching to touch her again, to taste her sweet mouth, and to have her kiss him back.
Lainey shriveled with humiliation. She was about to turn away when his strong hands trapped her in place. He forced her to look into his burning eyes that radiated a need that matched her urges in their intensity.
“Dace—” but any further words were halted when he smoothly grabbed the back of her head and wrapped his arm around her waist pinning her intimately to his body. Within seconds, his mouth descended to hers in a rough kiss. At first she resisted until she felt his tongue probing for entry.
In that one moment, she was set free and not only opened her mouth but also reached for his hair to pull him to her, while grinding her body against his erection. Forget apologies, forget forgiveness. She didn’t want to talk at the moment and gave up fighting this, fighting him.
Dace pulled her tighter as if trying to merge their bodies and searched for the tie on the robe, finding it in seconds. He practically ripped the garment off her and pulled back in order to dip her upper body back so he could devour her breasts.
He didn’t talk. He couldn’t. He was too afraid of breaking the moment. For now all he wanted was to taste her skin, her mouth, and feel her succulent body move with his. He looked down and felt his cock practically vibrate with the amount of blood pulsating through it. She was absolutely spectacular bent over like this. He ran an open palm between the valley of her breasts before cradling her neck in his hand. This conversion took an already perfect woman and made her a masterpiece.
Lainey felt an explosion of pleasure that almost made her shatter right then when his hot mouth took a nipple into his mouth and swirled around the sensitive skin with his tongue. She even swore he growled which melted her blood even further. She allowed his mouth to sweep her away on a wild ride of sensation, rejoicing in each bite, lick, or suckle he delivered. It didn’t take long until Lainey was a quivering mess, ready to do whatever he wanted.
Lainey still clutched at his neck, weaving her fingers through his soft hair. Mewing sounds of pleasure escaped her lips as he moved from one breast to the next. This felt so good that she was in danger of losing complete control and throwing him to the floor where they stood.
That was when her fangs elongated at the intense emotions. Fear chased a little of her joy away as she lack of control may just scare him off. She wasn’t ready for him to leave just yet. In order to hide her new teeth, she closed her mouth and breathed heavily through her nose while he continued to devour her body, completely unaware.
She missed that his other hand had left her waist. The only contact he had with her was the arm supporting her back and his mouth on her breasts.
Dace had other intentions for that hand though. He cupped her heated sex, reveling in the heat pouring from her core. His rapid breath hitched when he felt her body press against his hand and that was enough.
Three fingers found a way inside easily for she was that drenched. He slowly stroked her velvety body in a rhythm which had her purr
ing in his arms. Surprised, he looked up from his attentions and saw she was completely lost to the feeling. Indeed a strange purring sound vibrated through her chest. That sound caused him to almost drop her. He had enough foreplay.
He picked her up and carried her to the bed where he laid down with her and continued to stroke into her, listening to the sounds his attentions generated as her body became more and more heated. As before, he started with gentle touches to her clit and she nearly twitched off the bed from that fluttering soft contact. He didn’t relent.
He kissed her mouth firmly, but felt a sharp prick on his tongue and suddenly stopped all actions.
Lainey felt him stop and she opened her eyes knowingly. She evaluated him fearfully as he stared in confusion at her mouth.
“My fangs,” was all she said.
Her eyes then closed while she battled the confrontation waging war inside her body. She was torn between the pain from the urges that ripped through her body and the terror that this was the moment he would flee. She was so close, yet she knew that she would have to accept it if Dace turned her away for being a monster.
“Open your mouth,” he ordered in a deep, seedy voice. His hand began moving within her again while he brushed her clit in feather-light strokes. “I want to see them.”
“Please don’t make me do this.” Lainey was terrified he would react negatively. She didn’t think she could handle it if he rejected her at this very moment. That he hadn’t stopped caressing her was a good sign, right?
“Are they part of you now?” his lips itched to taste her and moved along her cheekbone and down her neck to that spot he knew she loved so much. He was rewarded with a sharp intake of air as he found and focused all his attention on it, lapping up her sweat and arousal. He didn’t remember her tasting this intoxicating. He toyed with her until she writhed in his arms. “Show me,” he asked again.
After a long moment, Lainey finally bared her teeth for his inspection while she kept her eyes closed to avoid having to see his revulsion. The last thing she expected was him to kiss her, gently probing the fangs with his tongue in exploration.
He waited for her to begin that amazing purring sound before he lifted his torso off her to look down into her face, “I told you before,” he said in a sensual whisper, “I want you back. I don’t care about these. As long as they are attached to you, I accept them.”
Using his hand, he pressed harder on her swollen clit as he delved deeper in her sea of arousal. She was so heated that he was maddened with his own need to consume her. He wanted nothing more than bury his cock inside that warmth and ride her to insanity.
She did her best to ignore the building pressure in her loins and looked at him again, “So, you can you accept me as a vampire? Even with all your childhood prejudices?”
As his face once more found her heaving breasts, he whispered against her skin, “Yes.”
That did it. Lainey came hard while his hand was both pressing and stroking her and his mouth was biting her nipple. A roar of passion erupted from her mouth and her entire body experienced a violent spasm which had her twitching as each wave of the explosion tore through her. All that she could think through the intense feelings was he had said yes.
“Lainey?” It was Kailani. “Are you all right?”
“Yessssss.” she moaned in reply.
“Sweetie, you might want to block. You are probably waking up every man’s libido in this entire inn if not the town.” Kailani added with humor, “It’s also a bit distracting while I’m trying to pacify Talon. He’s reacting to you, not me.”
“Oh, sorry. I lost control there for a moment. I’ll be more careful.” She was horrified that her two vampire companions had heard that, but she knew they would understand.
“Lainey?” Dace was watching her with concern for she had gone completely still.
“I’m fine, Dace. Thank you, that was, uh, very nice.” She smiled sweetly at him as she felt the desire receding from her system.
Feeling her in his arms, Dace relaxed immediately. A smile crept up his face, and he tenderly kissed her again before he rolled away to undress. He didn’t take his eyes off her though, while completed this. “Am I forgiven?” His face radiated a sweet hopeful light that touched her deeply.
“Not quite yet. You hurt me, Dace. I think it’s going to take years of you making it up to me.” She let her hungry eyes roam over his exposed body. She drank in every curve of his firm chest, or his narrow waist that rippled with muscle or his strong arms. How she missed him. Then he dropped his trousers and Lainey’s desire flared into full bloom. His body pulsated with thick veins that announced he was more than ready for his own release.
“I know. I won’t do it again. I’ll do anything you ask. I want you back so badly. I’ve missed you, honey. I really have. You belong at my side, and I can’t be in this world without you.” He stalked towards her with a determined look. Dace lay on the bed next to her, pressing his cock into her thigh, giving her a few hip thrusts to let her know under no circumstances was he leaving this room without them making love.
He ran his hands over her body noting her skin felt like satin now. It was like stroking the most luxurious fabric and it drew him in further.
“Dace?”
“Hmm,” He mumbled, having his evaluation interrupted when she spoke.
“You never answered my other question. What changed your mind?”
He paused, raising his head to look down at her. “My heart.”
Lainey snorted, making him laugh. “Seriously.”
“I’m hurt Lainey.” He was absently caressing her still. The emotional journey of his decision bubbled to just beneath the surface and he swallowed down the remembered despair. Dace took a deep breath in all seriousness, pausing his caress. “I was angry at you,” he started again. “I couldn’t see the truth or beyond my bitterness. What pushed me over the edge was the ring,” he sniffed, “I’ve never felt that sort of fury before and I never want to again.”
“I didn’t take it off,” she defended softly.
“I know that now.” Dace softened looking down at her, his heart lurching to this throat at how close he was to losing her. “That is what changed things for me, baby. Kailani forced the issue and with Talon at her side. They cornered me and explained what I was too deaf to hear.”
Lainey sniffed loudly to ward off crying. The raw emotion in his voice was hard to endure. “So you heard the whole story then.”
Dace tenderly stoked her cheek, seeing the sensual effect it was having on her internal urges. “Aye. I know you saved my life by doing what you did, and for that I don’t know how to repay you.” The catch in his voice finally cracked Lainey and he watched the tears fall unhindered from her eyes. “I,” he paused, “I can’t imagine the agony you must have been in and when you came home to find comfort,” he shrugged. “I have no excuse for my actions, and I only ask that you can forgive me. I was wrong and I understand what it means now.”
She continued to weep. It would have been nice to have this conversation days ago and all the heart ache could have been avoided. “What does it mean to you? Please, I need to hear you say it.”
Again Dace paused in his caress. Seeing her green eyes watch him so intently, caused his body respond by pulsating painfully while pressed to her leg. She wasn’t the only one consumed at the moment, “I took it to mean you love me Lainey. You made the greatest sacrifice for me and you didn’t resist. Did you think we’d have a chance to be together again?”
Lainey groaned and turned her face away in shame, “At first, before Kaen took me yes. But afterwards, no. I thought I would never see you again. My only consolation was your life, and it was all I clung to. Knowing you’d live.” She refused meet his eyes, instead focusing on the wall across the room.
He didn’t like her avoiding him. Dace pulled her fa
ce around using his touch on her cheek and forced the issue, “I’m alive and I’m here, with you.” He leaned closer so his lips were hovering an inch from hers, “Will you have me Lainey?”
It was too much. Her desire claimed her. With a loud sob she closed the distance and kissed him, bruising her lips in the process. Lainey grunted at the unexpected force of her own attention, almost laughing when she heard him grunt in unison.
Their attention turned more sensual and less frantic, dragging a consistent purr that vibrated from her chest. Itching with desire, she wrapped her legs around his body and ground into him while he plundered her mouth. She was happy. Truly for the first time in days, she was at peace. Feeling the emotion that rolled off Dace in a thick cloud, she knew one thing —he could never understand what she’d endured. It would destroy him. Because of that, Lainey kept her celebration that Kaen had lost this round to herself. Dace was alive, she was in his arms. Hopefully they could rebuild their life. Kaen tried to take that and failed.
Lainey sighed into his mouth. Using her legs wrapped around his body, she pulled until he practically covered her entire length and continued to assault him with her lips. When his tongue demanded she submit and delved into her hot mouth she released all the pent up feelings that she’d been repressing.
Dace confidently took over control of the kiss and had their mouths moving in a deep sensual rhythm as he drank in her scent. She was beyond aroused and ready, that is what he smelled. It awoke something deep inside and his lower body moved with a mind of its own, grinding into her, pressing his erection along her silky skin. The pressure wanted to break free and this grinding was a minor relief. When he finally broke the intense kiss, he chuckled then whispered, “I take that as a yes?”
She laughed for the first time, chasing her tears away. “Yes.”
* * * *
In the next room, both Kailani and Talon reeled from that broadcast and then he laughed. It pleased him to know Dace had succeeded in winning her over. “I should tell her to block,” Talon muttered.
