by Mary Hughes
I gasped his name, wanting to say yes, wanting to scream it. Yes, Logan. Make love to me. Impale me on your thick cock. Fill me with your flesh. Love me, completely—bite me. But would that make me his love slave, or worse? Sex with a vampire might kill me.
“Liese. Please.” Logan nuzzled my throat, fangs whispering against my skin. Powerful, deadly fangs. But he wouldn’t use them unless I agreed.
Strangely, that released me from my fear. Logan had given me a choice. What kind of evil creature gives you a choice? Botcher never had.
Botcher also had never taken me to heaven. Even if Logan killed me, he could take me there at least once before I died.
So, live enslaved to the painful past, scared of the future—or grab a chance at heaven?
That was a no-brainer.
I arched under Logan’s muscular body. Threw back my head, exposing my throat. “Love me, Logan. Love me completely.”
Logan snarled. He sprang over me, covered me like a huge male beast. His golden hair tumbled forward over his broad shoulders. His biceps stood rigid, his belly taut. His chest was flushed and pumped. My thighs fell open at the sight.
He thrust himself between. His erection kissed my nude pussy, the head nestling into my swollen lips like a homecoming. Threading his long fingers through my hair, Logan turned my head, anchored it, exposing my throat. Nostrils flared, he lowered his mouth.
Which was when my land line rang.
Chapter Nine
Logan swore viciously. I sucked in a shriek of frustration.
“This is Liese,” I heard my own voice say. “Leave a message.”
Don’t leave a message, I thought. Let me have this moment of fantasy, uninterrupted.
Beep. “Hey, Liese. Long time no see, heh-heh.”
I nearly screamed. It was a voice I’d hoped never to hear again. Why now?
“Babe, I could really use a favor,” said that scheming rat-bastard of an ex-fiancé. Bernie Botcher, my personal hell. “Heard Steel Security is doing some work for you. Seems they installed digital cameras here and one sort of caught me with my pants down, heh-heh. I know you’ll help me out. You’re a peach, Liese. Thanks.” Click.
Listening to Bernie, Logan’s eyes had narrowed until they were slits. “Who was that?”
“Head of IT at Andersly-Dogget.”
Logan stared at me, saw something in my expression that made him hiss. “It’s him, isn’t it? He’s the man who hurt you.”
He was so damned perceptive. I closed my eyes, too ashamed to deny it. “It was ages ago. Sixteen months.”
“What did he do to you? What did that man do that was so horrible you’re hurting over a year later?”
I blinked. Logan was furious. So angry, on my behalf. It was, well, sweet. Tenderly, I brushed a strand of long blond hair from his face. “Do we have to talk about it now?”
“He’s the one between us, Liese. He’s the reason you don’t believe me when I say you’re beautiful. The reason you don’t trust me.”
“Then take me somewhere I can forget him. Take me to heaven.” I seized Logan’s beyond-gorgeous face in both my hands and kissed him.
After a moment’s hesitation, Logan responded fiercely. His mouth ground into mine, his sleek canines lengthened against my lips. He kissed down my jaw to my exposed throat. My pulse leaped under his mouth.
His erection filled and thickened. The head pulsed between my labia with searing heat. Anticipation flared through me. I trembled under him, knowing I was about to feel him inside. If anything could drive away the memory of Botcher, it was Logan’s big, beautifully shaped cock.
He pressed forward, unbearably slow. Inch by inch, his erection spread me, filled me. I panted as he licked down my collarbone, kissed the notch of my throat. He kept pushing, sheathing himself, throbbing inside me. I trembled. Penetration was burning me up—what would loving me completely be like?
And once Logan was fully inside, he stopped. As if he had all the time in the world, he kissed my neck. Licked my skin. Nuzzled me.
“Logan!” My pussy spasmed helplessly around his thick rod. I grabbed the muscles of his sleek ass and tugged. His tight butt fit my palms perfectly, feeling even better than it looked. I dug my fingers into that taut ass, pulled for all I was worth. Urged him without words to impale me.
He didn’t move an inch.
Hell, did he need more incentive? I kicked my head back, baring my throat. Please please please, my thumping pulse roared.
Logan latched onto my breast instead. He suckled me with his hot mouth, hard tugging that made me a squirming mass of sheer screaming want, nailed to the mattress by his enormous erection. He suckled my breast until I was shouting. Until I streamed liquid desire.
I pumped against him, trying to ease the heavy, hot, almost unbearable pressure.
“You still didn’t say the word,” he growled, his voice more beast than man. “Say it, Liese. Say yes.”
Swollen with need, about to rupture, I couldn’t think much less form words. Slowly Logan withdrew. I whimpered, clung. Please, my clutching hands said. Penetrate me. Deep, hard. I wasn’t sure if I meant cock or fangs.
And he was withdrawing! My pussy sucked at him, trying to pull him back. If I was desperate, it was frantic.
It unlocked my tongue. “Yes,” I shrieked. “Yes, yes, do it!”
Roaring my name, he drove into me with single fierce thrust. I gasped. His cock mushroomed inside me, powerful and heavy. I never knew a penetration so potent.
Until his fangs sank deep into my breast.
Intense sweet fire burned through me, so bright it hurt. I trembled on the cusp of detonation. Logan’s deeply thrust cock, his electric bite, were erotic invasions of my flesh that threatened to tear me apart with ecstasy.
And finally he began to move. Not languidly, not casually at all. Logan, any pretense of laziness vanished, fucked me like a jackhammer. His fangs came out of my breast to be replaced by his tongue lapping at me like a frenzied dog.
His huge cock rode my delicate sheath so hard I thought I’d ignite from the friction. I panted, rubbing my belly into his rough line of hair. His tongue rasped my tender flesh like sandpaper.
His mouth left my breast to assault my neck, kissing and licking. When he nipped sharply, I throttled back a scream. My blood was boiling, hot with need. It jumped at the touch of his fangs, longing to escape, like a teakettle screaming for release. No, forget the teakettle. Like a volcano, filled with lava and about to explode.
I arched my neck. Logan’s tongue rasped over my pulse, his mouth open wide. The sharp tips of his fangs scored my skin, fiery lines of need that branded my throat, making me writhe. I squirmed under him until, with a low, guttural sound, he pressed his fangs to my neck just enough to pin me, an animal’s possession. I felt my blood well up around the tips, hot pearls of dark desire.
He stopped. Poised on the brink, a moment of intense promise pounded between us. More than sex. More than lust. Soul-searing pleasure, yes.
But no turning back. Not for either of us.
Logan groaned to the bottom of his heart, just before he bit deep.
Liquid heat burst against my neck, his hot mouth and my pierced desire. I could feel my blood spurting. It should have scared me. I should have been appalled, repelled.
But as he bit, Logan thrust his cock so deep he hit my eyeballs. He erupted and I did too, climaxing so hard the top of my head blew off. He shouted, I screamed. He lapped at my neck and shuddered and filled me. I gasped and clutched him and wrenched my back as I arched in extreme orgasm.
And for the first time in my life, I went to heaven.
I floated down on angel wings. Logan gave my neck a final lick before gazing at me, his eyes a soft, golden hazel. “Liese, sweetheart. You had a wonderful time.”
“It was perfect.” I sighed.
“Blotting out the man who hurt you.”
I smiled. How right he was.
Logan whispered directly into my ear. “You didn
’t see fangs.”
Slapping both hands to his chest, I shoved him back. “The hell I didn’t.” I knifed up to glare at him. “You have some serious explaining to do. I definitely saw fangs.”
“Damn. I forgot.” Logan grimaced, still managed to look gorgeous. “You’re so bloody strong-minded.”
I crossed my arms over my breasts. “That’s better than perversely willful.”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “I can explain about the teeth. I had some dental work done as a kid, and the dentist was a charlatan and a crook—”
“You’re a vampire.”
Logan stared at me, actually speechless.
Even now some part of me wanted him to deny it. Hoped he would say no, of course not. But then he’d be lying and I’d hate him for that. Enough with issues. Deal with it, Liese. “Either you’re a vampire or you’re going to upchuck all over my bedspread in about five minutes. Because I know you drank my blood. As thirsty as I am, you drank a goodly amount of my blood. And blood is an emetic.”
“In humans.” Logan’s voice was faint.
“Right. So are you upchucking?”
He shook his head.
“Ergo, not human.”
He blinked a few times, like he was searching for words. “That doesn’t mean I’m a vampire.”
“Oh, come on. Why do I never see you outside during the day? Why don’t you want me to be alone at night? And I’m pretty darned sure you sliced heads off gang guys. If they were humans you’re a serial killer, but if they were vampires…” I let it hang.
“Damned if I do, damned if I don’t.” Logan blew a frustrated breath. “All right. Let’s say you’re correct. What then?”
He’d as good as admitted he was a vampire. But I wasn’t afraid. While we’d made love…had sex…that was because of an emotional reason, a sense of Logan being a good guy. Well, and plain desperation. Now I also realized he’d had plenty of opportunities to jump me and drink all my blood, and he hadn’t. In fact, he’d actually protected me from being a Liese shake of the month. “Then I have a question for you.”
“Just one?” A brief half-smile touched his lips.
Not afraid of him, but definitely scared of the way my heart leaped at that charming smile. “Is the security system at the Blood Center to take control? Or are you really trying to protect it?”
Logan relaxed, his mouth curving fully. “That’s two questions.” He sounded a bit more like himself.
“That’s zero answers.” And he was right, I had plenty more questions. “What will you do to me now that I know? And what have you done to me? Am I going to turn fangy?” Although if it’d help lose those last five pounds…what was I thinking?
“Ah, princess.” Logan pressed a brief kiss to my forehead. “Liese, you’re not going to turn from a few love bites. Only the dead turn, and then only rarely.”
As I released a relieved breath he lay back on the bed. Folding his hands behind his head made his biceps really stand out. Yummy. He caught my hungry look and grinned. “And we’re really trying to protect the Center.”
“Why? Wouldn’t it be like a smorgasbord to you guys?” I wiped away all desire for yummy biceps. Said yumminess was on a self-admitted deadly creature of the night, and besides, I’d just gotten the lay of my life. How could I be lusting after biceps so quickly?
“We’re not all the same, Liese. Like humans, some are good and some are bad. Some are just desperate. The good guys protect blood—and humans—from the rest.”
“Like Maim and the Corny Names Gang?”
Another grin. “And other rogues.”
“For the right to drink Blood Center blood?”
“Of course not.” Logan managed to look offended. “That’s strictly for transfusions. To save human lives.”
“No good-guy vampire would touch it?”
“I’m not saying one of us wouldn’t buy some, if pressed. But we have other ways of supplying our needs.”
“Donors.” I remembered Maim’s accusation.
“Yes. And other ways. Liese, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but it’s not just my secret. The existence of every vampire on the planet is at stake. Um, so to speak.”
I smiled. “You’d pun in your sleep.” Abruptly I sobered. “But now that I know, what are you going to do to me?”
Logan caught me with one hand around my head, hauled me to him. I sucked in a breath. He looked at me with eyes darkening to old gold. “I thought I’d try again to make you forget the fangs.”
“That didn’t work.” My breath started to come faster.
“Maybe I didn’t try hard enough,” he murmured, and kissed me.
I didn’t forget the fangs, although Logan worked like a tiger through the night. But after twenty incredible orgasms I did forget that rat-bastard what’s-his-name completely.
At dawn, as Logan was dressing, a brief spike of fear returned. I’d had night-long bloody sex with a vampire. And I now knew a secret which could threaten them all. “So you never answered me. What are you going to do now that I know?”
Logan paused buttoning his shirt. “Actually, your knowing we exist will simplify some things in the future.”
Which implied there would be a future for me to be alive in. Relief made me incautious. “Like the alien alarm parameters.”
“Alarm param…you hacked our code.”
I started twisting my ring and he immediately covered my hand to stop me. He was too damned smart. Part of his attraction, though, as sexy in its own way as his stun-me smile and cute puns and of course he was such an amazing lover…good lord, I was gaga over a vampire. Store me in Warehouse 13. “I wondered why the respiration and speeds were so weird.”
“If it wasn’t that, it would have been something. You’re too smart not to have figured it out eventually. Makes me proud of you.” He grinned as he finished dressing.
“But other people have figured things out, right? What do you do to them?”
“Hypnosis if we can. Householding if we can’t.”
“I thought hypnosis had to be voluntary.”
“It does. You’d be surprised how many people want to forget seeing a vampire.”
I made a noise of disbelief. “No woman who’s had sex with you would want to forget.”
He kissed me hard and fast. “That’s sweet. But I don’t have blood sex with human women.”
“Blood sex?”
He chomped his teeth. “The bitey kind.”
“Oh.” My whole body heated. “And householding? What’s that?”
Slowly he sat next to me on the bed, ran gentle fingers through my hair. “That’s when a master vampire accepts you into his home. Takes responsibility for supporting you and protecting you in return for the gift of life.”
I swallowed hard. “Sounds like a serious commitment.”
A shadow crossed Logan’s face, so fast I almost didn’t see it. “It is.” He rose. “I have to go. The sun’s coming up and I didn’t get any sleep yesterday. Will I see you tonight?”
“At sunset? Where?”
“The Blood Center first, to show you how to run the security system. And then—would you like to go on a date?”
A date? With Logan Steel, supernaturally gifted bed partner and all-around droolable guy? Whoo-ha! Fan me with a jet engine.
Then I pulled mental reins. He still might be leading me on for some reason. And even if he wasn’t, it wouldn’t do to seem too eager. Women probably fell for him like rain. I wanted to be different. To stand out. To be special.
“Sure,” I exclaimed, and could have smacked myself.
Like the Cheshire Cat, Logan simply grinned and misted out.
I had barely fallen asleep when the “Beer Barrel Polka” blasted me awake.
“Wha…what?”
“Is this Liese Schmearling?”
The Schmearling cued my fuzzy brain that this was Race Gillette. “Yes.” I yawned. Stretched. Realized I had some very sore muscles. I guess I got my money’s worth w
hen I ordered the full Logan workout.
“Nice job on the picture.”
I froze mid-stretch. “What picture?”
“You know. Dungeons of Steel.” Race laughed. “That’ll do the trick. Elias is a note-odorous tight-ass.”
I face-palmed, as if covering my eyes could blind me to my sins—or at least black out Race’s wonky vocabulary. “Um, you mean notorious?”
“And your own Executioner Director,” Race said over me. “Dirkson. Isn’t he Chief of Police? Nobody more civic-minded than that.”
He knew an awful lot. And since he normally was sharp as a hamster ball… “How did you find out?”
“I’ve got my sources.” His rasp dropped to a whisper. “Secret security stuff. Hush-hush.”
“Dolly Barton told you.”
“Well, yeah.” His whisper turned sulky. “But I still have my sources.”
“Super secret, I’m sure. Sub rosa. Honeypot under the table, as it were.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind.” I pushed out of bed. Logan’s scent wafted after me. “Why are you calling?” I padded to the kitchen to start coffee.
“To congratulate you on the quick work. My boss is real pleased.” His voice returned to its normal volume. “And to reward you.”
That stuck in my craw. “My thirty pieces of silver?”
“Don’t got no silver.”
I sighed. “I don’t want any reward.”
“But you deserve one for bringing down Golden-boy Steel. I’ll buy a round tonight at Nieman’s Bar. Six p.m.”
“Race, I can’t. I have a date.” I pulled coffee beans and mug from the cabinet.
“Break it.” His abruptness surprised me.
“I can’t—”
“You want everyone to know what you did?”
My throat dropped into my belly. When I found my voice, I said, “Race, apparently everyone already knows. At least everyone with a T-one into Dolly Central.”
“Sure. Then you don’t care if I tell Steel.”
The bag and mug dropped from my hands. They hit with a crash and splatter of beans and ceramic shards. “You wouldn’t.”
“You owe me, dollface. I’m the one who made you see that Steel is dangerous.”
