Claws and Fangs

by Laurann Dohner

  “Morgan McKay?”

  He nodded. “Though I don’t go by it anymore, everyone knows who I am. You tell them we’re friends.”

  “Why would you offer me the protection of your given name?”

  He glanced down her body. “Let’s just say I’m fond of you.”

  Her nipples grew taut at the husky tone of his voice and the way his gaze lowered, taking in every inch of her. If that wasn’t enough of a clue to where his mind wandered, the way the sheet began to lift over his lap was. She licked her lips and watched as his cock swelled under the thin material.

  “We should have a proper goodbye,” he rasped. “Will you at least unfasten my ankles this time? I won’t hurt you, and I’m happy to be of service if you’re thinking of riding me again.”

  She was torn. Part of her wanted him so much she ached in places, but it was a bad idea. She’d already grown a little too attached to him, and knew that having sex with him a second time would only make it worse. One sweep of her gaze down his sexy body stretched out over her bed was motivation enough though. What the hell.

  Lacey scooted away and dug into her jeans for the handcuff key to release his ankles. “This is crazy but you’re worth a little risk.”

  He grinned. “I’m grateful to hear it.”

  She hoped she was right about him not being dangerous. She glanced at the scratch-free bedposts, which told her he’d meekly lain there without fighting. An evil bastard would have fought hard to break away and kill her. Lethal had given his word and he’d kept it.

  Some of her fear eased and she realized how much she wanted him. Who knew how many years it would be, if ever, before she got the chance to have sex again? Other men sure wouldn’t be as handsome or as well built as Lethal. He wasn’t someone a woman would forget.

  She freed his legs and began to strip. When she stood naked, she gripped the sheet and pulled it off him completely. The raw masculinity of his sculpted, powerful body turned her on more than other men had ever done when they’d kissed her. Seeing Lethal made her ache for him before they even touched.

  “You can climb up here and settle that beautiful femininity over my mouth.” He licked his lips, his fangs extended. “I won’t draw blood. Hurting you is the last thing I want.”

  “Really tempting, I won’t lie, but again...not happening. You might not mean to hurt me, but those fangs look pretty sharp.”

  “Just hold very still while I use my tongue.”

  Passion flared at the idea but she shook her head. “I would wiggle around if you’re any good at it, and if you aren’t, that would disappoint me.”

  “You could release my arms and I could be on top.” He stared at her pussy. “I’ll pin your hips under my mouth and hold you still to enjoy the tongue-lashing I want to give you. I’m very good.”

  Wetness dampened her thighs. “You’re dangerous, Lethal.”

  “Not to you.”

  “Tell it to my body. You keep talking that way and I might just come before we even get started. Damn, you talk a good game. Plus you’re hot, but you know that.”

  He spread his legs, his cock jutting upward, and his muscular arms tensed as he positioned his body higher on the bed. “I won’t bite. Climb on, Lacey. Lean over me until your nipples rub against my chest, and my lower belly can rub you instead of your finger.”

  Lacey was on the bed before she could rethink it, the promise of another amazing bout of sex with Lethal just too much to resist. She hesitated a moment, a little taken aback at her eagerness, before dropping to her hands and knees, her face hovering above his cock.

  “You’re perfect everywhere.” She studied him in great detail. “I never thought I’d admire a guy’s dick, but not only are you big, you’re just pleasing to the eye.”

  He softly groaned. “You’re breathing on me and it’s torture.”

  “I remember how you said you could go hours. Was that true?”

  “I wouldn’t lie to you.”

  “Fast recovery?”

  “I’ll stay hard.”

  “Too bad you’re a vampire. I think I could fall in lust with a man like you, Lethal. I almost wish the circumstances were different.” She smiled and opened her lips.

  She lifted a hand from the bed and gripped his shaft as her tongue circled the outer rim of the crown. His body tensed, and he whispered her name in a sexy way. It incited her to wrap her lips around him and take more of the thick length deeper inside. She moved slowly, testing his girth and swirling her tongue everywhere she could.

  “Fuck,” he groaned. “You’ve got the hottest mouth. It’s pure heaven.”

  She moaned around him, knowing he’d feel the vibrations, and his cock twitched in response. She took him deeper, to the back of her throat, not an easy feat with his size, and moved faster up and down.

  “Swing around and spread those thighs around my face,” he demanded, panting. “Give me what I want, Lacey. I’m dying to taste you. You smell so damn good.”

  She shook her head, letting him know she wasn’t about to become his blood donor, while at the same time trying to bring him closer to the edge. Her fingers stroked his shaft in rhythm with her moving mouth. His groans and the way his hips slowly rocked told her he was close. She kept sucking and licking him until Lethal inhaled loudly and the taste of him filled her mouth as he came.

  Lethal was different in even that. The flavor of his spent passion was something she could easily enjoy. She milked him until he stopped coming, his moans subsided, and she slowly released him from her mouth. She lifted her head and met his glowing eyes. It took her breath away to see the satisfied look she’d put on his face.

  He cleared his throat and lifted his head. “I take it you wouldn’t consider dating a vampire?”

  She smiled. “No. I can’t see that working out long term, but having sex is another matter. That was a little body worshipping. You’ve got one that deserves it.”

  Her gaze dropped to his well-defined abs and she released his cock to splay her hand on his hip, knowing he could take her weight as she put a leg over his and inched up his body. Her lips and tongue found hot skin as she kissed her way over his lower stomach, up to those ridged muscles, and only hesitated at his ribs because his stiff cock dug into her belly as she stretched across his body. She looked down.

  “Damn, you’re perfect.”

  “Not quite. I can be an ass.”

  She chuckled. “That’s just a man trait.”

  She began kissing his body again, intent on straddling his lap to ride his cock, when a noise startled her. The popping sound was close, loud—and her head jerked up in time to see Lethal pull his wrists apart when he snapped the chains.

  Terror engulfed her as her gaze flew to his, locking on his beautiful eyes. Oh god! Her life was over.

  If he could get free that easily, he’d been playing with her since he’d woken that first time, restrained to her bed. He would rip out her throat. She imagined the agony and envisioned herself screaming as she died.

  Lethal softly cursed. “I won’t hurt you but I can’t take any more. You’re torturing me. Don’t look at me that way. Think. I could have gotten free at any time.”

  Lacey was beyond rational thought. She tried to lunge away from him, the gun in the hallway her only chance of survival if she could get to it.

  The vampire had superhuman speed and strength though. She cried out when strong hands grabbed her. She hit the bed hard and then one turned-on vampire had her at his mercy when he pinned her under his big body. Their gazes held.

  “Damn it, lass,” he rasped. “Don’t be afraid.”

  “You were playing with me,” she accused.

  “You were actually the one playing with me.” He smiled. “Now it’s my turn.”

  “Are you going to kill me?” Lacey hated the catch in her voice.

  “No. I’m going to make you scream.” Lethal winked.

  Tears filled her eyes and she wondered how badly it would hurt when he savaged her with h
is fangs.

  He cursed, broke eye contact, and lifted. It surprised her when he released her—but then he dropped back down, shoved her legs apart, and lowered his head.

  His mouth fastened on her clit immediately. The shock of it made her gasp, and she grabbed his long, silky hair.

  She tugged but couldn’t budge him. She felt his fangs against her inner folds and froze. She was terrified he’d sink them into her sensitive flesh and feed from her there.

  Instead, a firm, hot tongue stroked her clit. He lashed it with rapid strokes. Pleasure engulfed her. He sucked, licked and rubbed against her, nuzzling his mouth tight to her pussy. Fear faded quickly into desire.

  “Oh god,” she moaned.

  Lethal’s oral skills were amazing. Ecstasy should be his name. He knew exactly how to work her with his mouth, playing with the bundle of nerves, manipulating them until raw pleasure turned into a screaming orgasm that left her gasping, her head thrown back, her eyes closed.

  He released her clit and blew hot air over it. She shivered.

  “So pretty and pink. So damn tasty.” His tongue brushed her clit again, swiping it as if she were ice cream. “So you could never care for someone so different from you? Is that what you’re saying?”

  Confusion clouded her already hazy mind. “What?” He was playing some kind of cat-and-mouse game with her.

  “You heard me. You said you wished for different circumstances. You could care for me if you allowed yourself to see me as a man.”

  She held still, letting his words sink in. It wasn’t so much what he said, but the tone she heard in his voice that gave her hope that he wasn’t a bad guy after all. Maybe he was as lonely as she was. Maybe he liked the sex enough to want to keep her around for a while without having to hide what he really was.

  It had to be tough to keep a steady girlfriend in his life. The whole biting without someone figuring out he was a vampire would be difficult. They could hypnotize most people with their glowing-eye thing. Did he make women forget him the moment he was done?

  She tilted her head to stare at him. “You’re a vampire and I’m not. It would never work long term.”

  He licked his lips. “You can’t deny the strong attraction we have or the scorching sexual chemistry. You’re attracted to me, and I’m quickly becoming obsessed with you.”

  She was glad to be flat on her back. “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation. You should be eating me right now, and I should be screaming in terror.”

  He chuckled. “The eating and screaming part already happened but you’ve got nothing to fear. For the past few hundred years I’ve not really lived...until I met you. You’re a hunter—and you caught me.” He smiled. “Now I’m the hunter, and I’ve caught you. You know what that means, don’t you?”

  “No clue. We’re both fucked up and confused because we want to have sex together and it’s really good?” His words sank in. “How old are you?”

  “Much older than I look, but it’s just a meaningless number. I feel much younger than I actually am.”

  “You dress modern. I’ve never seen that before from your kind. At least, not in my experience.” It astonished her that he’d been around a few centuries but it explained his mad sex skills. He’d had time to really learn how to please a woman. She knew masters were old, but she’d figured a century at most. The oldest vamp she’d ever captured had been from the nineteen fifties.

  “Some vampires can’t adapt to the changing times, but I have. I’m very attracted to you.” He grinned. “I think it started when you straddled my lap and showed me your pretty breasts.” He stared at them. “I’m going to suck on them soon, and you’re going to love it.” He met her gaze. “I figure it will take a few hundred years or so to do all the things we can think up.”

  “A few hundred years?”

  He chuckled. “It’s a saying.”

  She gaped at him, trying to make sense of his words. He was acting crazy. The drugs should be out of his system by now—vampires shook them off fast—but something was seriously wrong with him. He wasn’t acting the way she thought he would.

  “Are you having a bad reaction to the cow blood?”

  “No. It was kind of nasty tasting but I can survive on it fine.”

  “Maybe you should go home and have some human blood.” She hesitated. “Please don’t take mine. I could have killed you but I didn’t.” Reminding him of that seemed imperative.

  Chapter Six

  Lethal resisted laughing. Lacey was too damn cute. His heart softened even more toward her as she stared at him with concern. It saddened him that she doubted his sincerity. He’d have to teach her that he could be trusted.

  She did make him feel alive. Time tended to blur into monotony at his age. Humans bored him mostly, especially the ones he fed from. It might have something to do with the fact that they were unaware of who he truly was, what he was, but Lacey was aware. He was also highly amused by her in every way.

  She studied him intently, and he could almost see her mind trying to figure out why he’d want to keep her. It made her even more appealing. A woman this attractive usually tended to be vain. Not Lacey. He smiled, knowing she was the one for him. It was just a matter of convincing her of that.

  He crawled up her body and pinned her beneath him. “You’re mine, but you just don’t realize it yet.”

  She hesitated before gently touching his forehead. “You don’t feel feverish. I’m worried, Lethal. You’re talking crazy.”

  “You said you don’t have any kind of life and haven’t for a while.” He paused, watching for any hint to her emotions. “Have one with me. It’ll be fun. You can still kill vampires if you have a mind to, but you will be fighting at my side from now on. I won’t allow you to go out on your own to kill rogues. Nothing is going to happen to you. I’ll protect you and plan to cover you a lot.” He chuckled. “Spread your thighs wider. I plan to cover you for a few hours at least.”

  “You want to fuck me now?”

  “Dying to,” he rasped. “Kiss me.”

  “Not with those teeth you’re sporting. Tongue piercings aren’t as hot on women as men. At least not from my perspective.”

  He laughed, unable to resist her charm. She was feisty and smart, two things he admired. “I didn’t nick that sweet pussy of yours. Kiss me. I’m dying to taste you.”

  She didn’t comply. “I really think you’re having a bad reaction to something. Do vampires have doctors? Maybe we should call one.”

  “Is it so difficult to believe I would want to keep you?” He grinned. “You kept me.”

  “I couldn’t kill you if there was a chance you were good. I’ve known some monsters in my time who were totally human. It just stood to reason that it might be the same in your world. Good and bad bloodsuckers.”

  The last smidgen of doubt left Lethal as to why he was so drawn to her. The lass was ideal for him. “I know the perfect cure for what ails me.”

  “What?”

  “You spreading your thighs and letting me inside.” He softly growled. “I need you, Lacey. Only you. Stop worrying about me harming you and live for the moment.”

  “For the record, this isn’t what I expected if you broke free.”

  “Noted. Now open up for me, lass. I want you, and you want me.”

  “What the hell.” Her fingers slid into his hair. “We’ve done everything else. I still think you’re having a bad reaction to the blood, but I’m just glad it makes you horny instead of violent.”

  “We haven’t quite done everything. Agree to stay with me.” He could think of a hundred things he’d like to do to her, with her, and have her do to him. She would balk at first at some of it but he was certain, once she got over her aversion to blood, she’d see the pleasure in sharing some with him.

  “Tonight?”

  “Every night.”

  “You’re high on drugs or cow blood. You don’t mean that.”

  He laughed. “I’m high on happiness and liv
ing. You’re a breath of fresh air, and you make me content. You live on the edge already as a vampire hunter. Take another risk. What do you have to lose, Lacey, love? Lonely nights with a vibrator? I’m much better, and I don’t need batteries. You’re hanging out with people you don’t trust. You said you can’t speak for your team, which implies you aren’t close to them.” He settled over her, pinning her more firmly under him. “You and I, we’re as close as two can be. It will feel right if you’ll just release your fears. I’d never hurt you.”

  “I barely know you but you’re acting as if you want us to live together. Every night is pretty specific.”

  “We fit together.” He shifted his hips, his cock pressed against her pussy, and he began to stretch her vaginal walls with his thick shaft. She was pure heaven as the tight fit of her pussy squeezed around his dick. “Perfectly.”

  She moaned. “That feels so good.”

  “Say yes.”

  “You’re already halfway in.” Her hips bucked, trying to urge him to drive all the way inside her body. “Give it to me.”

  He planned to. “Lacey?”

  She stared into his eyes. “Lethal?”

  “I won’t let you down. Whoever that human was, he was a fool to let you go. I’d never make such a mistake.”

  He didn’t want to frighten her by explaining what he was about to do. She might fight him. As much as he wanted her trust, keeping her at his side meant more. The two needs conflicted, but a sense of urgency to bind them together had taken hold. Part of it was instinct once he’d decided she was his, combined with his pending loss of control. Lacey had his blood almost boiling with the desire to stake his claim.

  She’d forgive him once she got over her anger. He had to believe that. There was no way he’d risk anyone mistaking her for anything less than what she was—his.

  She wrapped her legs around his waist, hugging his hips with her thighs. “You’re big but I think I can survive. Give me your best.” She squirmed, a pleading look in her gaze, telling him she wanted him as much as he did her.