He sat in the chair opposite of hers and explained the last few weeks. The room was quiet, and no one interrupted him throughout the entire telling. Even his bride. He was surprised she did not, but he could watch her taking in all the information.
"So, he had to be taken care of. He is somewhat recovered, and Malik will help him through the next few months."
She glanced at Malik. "You are Made?"
He nodded.
"From Egypt?"
Malik's eyebrows shot up, and he gave Nico a warning look. He was right. Cordelia was extremely intelligent. He had not told her everything, but she would find it out if they were not careful.
"Yes, Malik is from Egypt," Nico said.
She barely spared him a glance then turned to Gray. "All the Dukes of Queensbury have been vampires?"
Gray gave her a smile. "We prefer the word Borns."
His voice was solicitous enough to irritate Nico. In fact, his teeth started to descend, but not because of lust. Anger and possessiveness wound through him, heating his blood. He was an inch away from attacking Gray when his father said, "Settle, Nico. Gray is not after your bride."
Cordelia turned her head, and her eyes widened then narrowed. "Really, Nico. I am not in the mood to have one vampire in my life let alone a second, and a titled one at that. I really do not have time for such foolishness."
His father chuckled, but Nico ignored him. He did pull his possessive instincts into check.
"Is there anything else you need answered?" he asked.
"Is this normal? The making of vampires?"
"Why do you ask?"
She didn't like his question. He knew she was smart enough to understand he had not answered hers.
"I think if there had been a group of Made vampires running the London streets, I would know. I have never heard anything of the like. Add to the fact there is a sense of urgency whenever you talk to Malik, and I assumed there were problems."
"I told you she was smart," his mother announced with a wide, satisfied smile.
"There are some problems, but they are not truly anything you need to worry about."
In that moment, he felt her shift away from him. "But of course. Now that I know all of this, what am I expected to do?"
"Expected to do?"
"There must be some kind of duty I have."
"What your wife is asking you is if you have any duties for her," his mother said.
He had something he wanted from her, but he didn't think he should mention that in front of the others. Cordelia must have sensed which way his thoughts went because she blushed.
"What I am asking is what kind of social duties do I have?"
"None."
She rolled her eyes. "I know that normally you live in the country, but here in town, we will need to make the rounds. And I can help with the investigation."
"Absolutely not."
He said it so adamantly, he knew the others caught on to him. He could not have her investigating his past, the things he had done. She would be appalled at the assassinations he had carried out in the last few months. Cordelia was a strong woman, but knowing her husband was a murderer might be a bit much to handle.
"I just suggest that because I know a bit more about society than anyone here."
"I doubt you know more than I," Gray said, smiling again.
She sniffed. "But of course, Your Grace. I do know that you like brunettes with green eyes, but then, I am sure most do. Oh, and remember, I know that you are a member of the Cock and Bull."
Gray's mouth dropped open. "Bloody hell."
"I am assuming your mother is alive, even though they say your father is dead?"
Gray nodded.
"She would probably not be happy to know that you play such dangerous games." Cordelia’s expression never changed as she threatened the duke.
Nico smiled. He couldn't help it. His mate was intelligent and didn't mind letting people know it. It made him like her even more.
She turned to him again. “I want to know what I am getting into when I go about in society. I don’t know who is one of our kind. I do not want to make any mistakes.”
He was captured by the comment of being “their kind.” She did not say “your.” The fact that she was already thinking that way was good.
“Mother will help you through society for that. You will be recognized by many of them without telling them.”
She nodded.
“If you do not mind, I would like to talk to Nico alone.”
The request caught him unaware.
“We can go to your room.”
She rolled her eyes. “I think not. We won’t get any discussion done there.”
His father chuckled again and stood. “Rightly so. We have other matters to address, and we can do that in mother’s parlor.”
Within moments, they were alone.
“What is it you want to discuss?”
She sighed. “I need to know everything. I sense you are holding things back from me.”
He was, but he could not let her know that. The baser side of their kind was not pleasant. “I cannot tell you everything.”
“No, I need to know.”
“What?”
“My sister, she is a Carrier? My mother was one, too? But what of my brother?”
“You did not have the same father. He was born of a human father, but you were not.”
He thought she would be embarrassed about her mother, but she was not. “I don’t know who my father was. But does that make Diana…”
He nodded. “If Diana doesn’t not mate with a Born, it does not matter.”
She sighed and nodded. He hated that she looked so dejected. “What is it, Cordelia?”
She shrugged. “It is just a lot to take in.”
“Your problem is that you think too much, my love.”
She shot him a narrowed look, her blue eyes sparking fire. “I do not like you using that name for me.”
“You don’t?”
“I am not your love. I do much better living in reality. You did not marry me because of love, and I do not love you.”
He rather doubted that, at least on her part. A woman like her could not give herself as freely as she had the night before if she did not care for him a little. She had not been able to hide her feelings when he was touching her. So open, so generous. Need pounded through him as the memories of their lovemaking washed over him.
She was still talking but he did not hear it. He saw her mouth moving, but the words did not register. Instead, he rose from the couch, walked to the door, and turned the lock. When he turned around, Cordelia was staring at him as if he had lost his mind. He had. He couldn’t think straight. Not here alone in the room with her. He could still taste her passion as if he had just taken her moments before. His teeth descended. His body felt more alive than it ever had. He needed her. Now.
“Nico?”
Her voice had deepened, and the sound of it danced over every blasted nerve ending in his body. It was painful and arousing at the same time. He said nothing, but pulled her up off the chair and into his arms.
Before she could say anything else, he tumbled them both to the floor. He took the brunt of the fall, pulling her down on top of him. Then he quickly rolled them over the thick Aubusson rug so that she lay beneath him.
Her eyes were wide, her face flushed, and her mouth parted. Nico could not resist, even if he wanted to. And why would he want to? She was his mate, his to take, to feed from.
“I know it is madness and at the moment, you are not that happy with me. But, Cordelia, I want you.”
He held his breath, waiting for her to deny him. She was aroused. The scent of her teased his senses. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, allowing it to fill him. His teeth were completely descended. When he opened his eyes, he found her smiling at him.
“Cordelia?”
She slipped her hands up over his shoulders then wound her fingers through his hair. She pulled
his mouth down to hers. “If you want me, then take me, Nico.”
Chapter Fourteen
Cordelia did not know if Nico was happy or not with her brazenness. For mere seconds, she held her breath. She could not deny the craving she had for him. It was insane, but the urge to mate, to have him take her, took over every instinct she had. Then, his lips curved, and he dropped his mouth on top of hers. There was a sense of urgency but not as frantic as the time before.
At least not from him. Passion was already pounding through her, and he had barely touched her. Was this what he spoke of? The primal need to be his mate? It was consuming her every thought. Joining with him was all that mattered. Her body hummed with the need to have him ravish her. If she took time to think about it, she would be frightened, but he stopped all thought when she felt his lips on her jawline.
He kissed his way down her neck then slid his mouth over her pulse point.
He huffed against her skin. His breath feathered over her hot flesh, and she swallowed a moan. She wanted nothing more than to be taken, every nerve in her body sensitive to his every move. It hurt just to lie there and feel his breath on her skin.
"Bloody hell, you drive me insane, Cordelia." Every word was ground out as if the admission was hard for him to say. It was even harder for her to hear. It called to everything she had suppressed for years. So many times she had denied being like her mother, but at the moment, she understood her mother’s predilections. If she ever felt like this with any of her suitors, Cordelia understood her mother’s actions now.
He traced his tongue over the vein as if trying to sense where it was, as if he could taste her blood through her flesh. She felt the graze of teeth, and she could not help but stiffen.
He paused.
"I'm sorry. I am not accustomed to that."
He continued on.
She tried to relax but she could not. Even with her body telling her this was right, that it was no different than the night before, she had to ask, "Will it hurt?"
He shook his head and looked up at her. What she saw had her heart almost stopping. This was the feral man of the darkened room their first night together, the man who had taken her last night. He was speaking the truth when he said he needed her. His eyes shown with need and were almost otherworldly looking.
"I drank from you last night. There is a serum that is injected first that will help with the pain. But I can wait if you need me to."
Of course he would. Nico might have lost his head around her once or twice, but he was first and foremost a gentleman. He was her husband, and she wanted the full treatment.
"No, do it."
He shuddered as if he had been released from a bond and bent his head. He licked her skin again, and she felt it go slightly numb. But instead of drinking from her he worked his way down her body and shoved her skirts up. He tugged her drawers off and tossed them behind him. Without a word, he pressed her thighs wide and put his mouth on her sex.
Cordelia jolted at the touch of his mouth against her. She was wet, so wet she was embarrassed by it, but she easily forgot about it when he slipped his tongue between her folds. Pleasure spiraled through her as she shivered against his mouth. Each time his tongue thrust into her core, her hunger deepened. Again and again, he took her to the edge, but before she could experience her release, he would pull back, teasing her with his teeth and mouth.
She was barely able to think by the time he rose to his knees. She wanted—no needed—release so badly, she physically hurt. Every fiber of her being ached. He undid his britches and lifted her hips.
“Cordelia, love.”
She raised her gaze to his and in his eyes saw the need that filled her reflected back. Then, with one hard thrust, he was inside of her. She came apart right then, unable to hold back, not wanting to. She convulsed as her release burst through her. Nico continued to move within her and bent his head to feed.
He licked her flesh, then she felt the tiniest of pricks against her neck. The moment he began drinking from her, she exploded again. She screamed his name, bucking up against him so hard he growled against her neck. Ecstasy flooded her body, claimed her senses. The feel of her blood being drawn into him was at first strange. Then, in the next instant, she felt the connection to him, the pleasure of giving him nourishment, and another level of arousal shifted through her. Before she could prepare herself, a second release was upon her. It left her gasping, her body rearing up against his, and she lost herself in the pleasure he gave her. Nico thrust into her one more time and moaned her name as he poured himself into her.
He pulled his fangs out of her neck, and she winced at the feel. It wasn’t so much that it hurt, but just the odd feel of teeth beneath her skin. He licked her neck again and the flesh there numbed. With a sigh, he pulled out of her, then collapsed beside her on the rug. He slipped a hand over her waist and tugged her closer to him. His body felt as if he were on fire.
"I do not think I can keep up with you," he said, his words muffled against the carpet. She looked around. The drapes were closed, but there was a bit of light peeking through. Just beyond the door, she heard people walking down the hall and the murmur of voices.
"Bloody hell, what am I doing?" she asked.
He chuckled. "Making love with your husband in the middle of the day."
He pulled himself up to look down at her. The feral look had faded, but there was something else there, something that left her oddly confused.
"I think that everyone will allow us time for fun like this in the middle of the day. We are newly wed."
He said it with such sincerity, she almost laughed.
"I guess so. I don't think they know what we were doing in here."
He chuckled. "My sweet, you are exceedingly loud when you make love. I have no doubt everyone heard you in the house...possibly all of London."
She felt her face heat. “I was not that loud.”
“You were. I am convinced you are a temptress, weaving some kind of spell on me. ’Tis as if I am not five centuries old. Like I said, you might be too much for my old heart.”
“And you do have hearts?” she asked before she could stop herself.
He nodded as he pulled one of her hands into his then kissed her knuckles. “Yes, we have everything you do.”
“I felt it beat before, and I wondered.” Then she hesitated. Her family had never been happy with her endless questions. In fact, she remembered spending most of the afternoon locked in a closet after asking Alex too many.
“No, ask.”
She glanced up. “What?”
“Ask me what you want to.”
“I am not sure where to start.”
“We are built like humans. We all are born the same way, live the same way.”
“But you never die unless you are killed.”
“That is not entirely true. There is a time when we can choose to go into the afterlife, but the timing depends on the couple.”
“According to the gothic novels, vampires cannot be out during the day.”
He rolled his eyes. “Please, do not believe that nonsense. We can be out in sunlight, although too much of it might leave us with a rash and it does drain our energy.”
“Will I…” she paused. How could she put into words what she wanted to say?
“I told you to ask me anything.”
The sincerity in his eyes had her looking away. A lump had formed in her throat, and for the barest of moments, she wanted to believe her fantasies. Cordelia was always a woman who dealt better with reality. She knew this was a marriage forced by conditions they had no control over, and falling for a man like Nico Blackburn was a mistake. She barely knew the man…and even an eternity would teach her little.
She pushed away those thoughts and looked at him.
“Cordelia, ask.” There was an edge to his voice now, even as he tried to keep his tone mild.
“I feel like I am in the dark, and I do not like it. It is one of the reasons I read when I was a chi
ld. After Father fired my tutor—”
“Your father fired your tutor?”
She nodded. “After that, I had to teach myself. So I read anything I could get my hands on.”
He was frowning at her.
“This is a little disturbing.”
“There is so much to learn and usually people learn from birth. Since your mother did not know apparently, she told you nothing.”
“My mother died in childbirth.”
“Ah. Do you have any idea who your father was?”
She shook her head. “Father used to call me his Scottish bastard, so I am assuming he was from Scotland.”
His eyes sparked with anger but before he could respond, a knock at the door interrupted him.
“I am sorry, my lord, but Malik has told me to interrupt. There has been another attack.”
Nico glanced toward the drapes and saw what she did. It was still light out. If someone was this brazen, it was not a good sign. Still, he hesitated. It made her feel better that he thought twice about leaving her. They may not have married for love, but respect and passion were good enough for her.
“Go,” she said.
He leaned down to kiss her, but he did not close his eyes. Instead he stared into her as he brushed his mouth over hers. The gentle kiss had tears burning the back of her eyes. Then he rested his forehead on hers.
“We need a real honeymoon,” he said, his voice ragged.
“You cannot mean you want to…” she trailed off at his knowing look. She cleared her throat. “I may not know much about your world, but this seems slightly more important.”
He stood, a smile curving his lips. He helped her up off the floor. “After this is over, I will take you away, and we will spend three weeks in bed.”
She felt her face heat and he laughed. He waited for her to right her clothes then opened the door. A footman stood there.
“Sir, Malik is in the dining room with your father, the duke, and your relation.”
She bit her bottom lip, trying not to laugh. She knew Saint was the only one who could probably bring out such open animosity from a servant.
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