"I think those dimples were made just for me." He nibbled her again then trailed wet kisses along her side, heading toward her breast, lifting her shirt as he went. His hand slipped under her, cupping her below before flipping her on her back.
Her body ached with need. Every spot he touched sent scorching heat pulsing between her thighs. She wanted more of him, feeling like an addict and he was her only cure.
His kisses trailed across her ribs, licking and nibbling. He reached below, cupping her in his hand, rubbing, kneading, warming her to her boiling point. His mouth covered her nipple just over her bra. His damp, hot mouth bit down, playfully, roughly, sending the heat shooting up to her abdomen and back down.
"Still want all these clothes on?"
"No," she breathed. "But Cass—"
"Yes, beautiful?"
"There are a lot of people in this house."
"And?"
"My father is staying here." She could feel her arousal shutting down as soon as the words were spoken.
"Am I to wait even longer for you?"
She reluctantly nodded.
His tongue clicked against his cheek. "Damn."
She smiled at his grimace and the slow burn in his eyes. "All right. I'll wait until we're completely alone, which I'm going to ensure is soon."
He grabbed her thigh, sliding her down the bed next to him. "Will you still let me touch you?" His hand crawled up her thigh.
She nodded as the warmth returned.
"Good," he replied happily. "These jeans are coming off."
She rolled away from him. "Yes, they are. To have shorts put on instead." She slid off the bed, aiming for her duffel bag.
A deep growl came from his belly. "Woman, you’re torturing me."
She giggled. "How about I give you the massage I owe you?"
"Deal, as long as you do it with no clothes on."
She gave him a pointed look. "And we both know where that would lead."
"Can't blame me for trying."
She rummaged through the bag, looking for comfortable pajamas. She found a tank top and soft shorts and tossed them on the bed.
He placed his arms behind his head, a grin on his face, ready for the show.
She gave him what he was waiting for. She undressed slowly so he could savor the view. His eyes filled with lust and his muscles flexed. She could see his jeans stretching over him.
He sat up on the bed, reaching for her before she had a chance to grab the tank and shorts. His hand took her wrist, pulling her gently between his legs. His hands took hold of her hips, bringing her belly toward his mouth. He kissed her belly button and flicked his tongue across it.
"I want to taste all of you, every part of you." His low, rough voice roused her body. He leaned up and took her nipple in his mouth, pulling it between his teeth as he flicked it with his tongue.
"Do you understand what you do to me, Kat?"
Her head tilted back as his mouth ravaged her breast, his hand squeezing what his mouth couldn't take.
She glanced down at his possessive eyes. "Lie down." He guided her to the bed and laid her on it.
"I'll do my best to keep it contained, but your clothes, are staying off."
He pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor. Her eyes glued to his roped arms and rippled abdomen. When he came toward her with his dark hair falling into his dangerous eyes, she nearly begged for mercy.
His hands took hold of her bent knees and drew her toward him and the edge of the bed. His eyes remained on hers as he bent down. She lost all thoughts when his mouth covered her. His tongue dove in, claiming her for himself—twirling, rolling, taking her to the edge of ecstasy.
"Cass…" she begged, her vampire need trolling at the edges of her sanity.
His mouth left her and her knees squeezed in agony, her body painfully in need of release. He spread her legs for him to climb between. He crawled over her, grazing her with his hardened bulge. He held himself there and laid his weight on her, pushing himself against her.
He leaned down, taking her mouth with his, covering the moans escaping her lips. He pulled back from her, tilting his head, giving her access. She leaned her head up and bit into him, eagerly pulling the blood from his neck. She licked her lips as the last bit of euphoria coursed through her veins.
He lay above her, staring into her eyes. His hand brushed along her cheek, landing in her hair. He folded it in his fingers as he looked down at her, his eyes full of ardor and intensity.
"I love you, Kat. I love every part of you. Tomorrow, when Tony and the clans arrive, I want you to stay close to me. Don't leave my side. Understand?"
A part of her wanted to be defiant and demand she could handle herself, but another, greater, part of her wanted to work with him and watch out for one another.
"I'll stay close," she agreed. "And I want you to do the same."
His eyes softened, clearly satisfied with her acceptance. "I will."
He shifted both of their bodies, bringing the comforter over them as he laid on his back. She nuzzled into his chest as his arm wrapped around her, stroking his fingers through her hair.
"Thank you for not fighting me on that."
She ran her fingers over his chest, tracing the indentations. "I want to work together. My intuition tells me the clans will show tomorrow and it isn't going to end politely."
"I don't think it will either, which is why I want you close to me. You're still a target as the Covenant leader and your blood is valuable to them."
She stopped tracing his muscles and looked up at him. She placed her hand on his face and gently turned it toward hers. His tender kiss warmed her body. Her chest swelled with emotion.
"Watch my back and I'll watch yours."
"Always," he promised.
He rubbed along her arm as he laid his head back.
"Cass?"
"Yes, beautiful?" His voice sounded sleepy.
"Is there something special that happens when a werewolf and his mate have sex—when you mark me? Sofia mentioned something about it tonight that sounded like something…special happens."
She glanced up to see his grin. His eyes were still closed. "When I bite you, I'll release a non-toxic chemical into you, similar to an endorphin or serotonin. It'll give you a feeling of intense euphoria. It's a part of the mating process. The chemical will stay with you, become a part of you, linking you to me, like a permanent bond."
"Oh," she said, simultaneously surprised and stimulated by the thought of it.
He glanced down at her, evaluating the, "Oh." His arm reached over his chest, caressing the side of her and along her bare breast, seemingly satisfied with the expression on her face. He laid his head back, closing his eyes, still caressing her ribs and the side of her exposed breast.
"That's why you said I would enjoy it and that it would be erotic and passionate."
"Uh, hum," he murmured.
"Are you falling asleep?"
She caressed his abdomen.
"Uh, hum," he replied sleepily.
She bit her lip. "I'm looking forward to it," she replied, excited.
A deep chuckle came from his belly. His abdomen flexed beneath her fingers. "It's about time."
Chapter 14
She woke to his fingers tracing circles over her abdomen and venturing lower to her thighs.
She gnawed on the corner of her lip, her eyes still closed and sleepy. His fingers trailed over her inner thighs, then over her warmth below. He dipped his fingers into her and she grinned with satisfaction.
"More," she said sleepily.
He responded, giving her more, caressing, kneading, massaging, finding her spot and penetrating it, loving it with his skilled hand. He kissed her abdomen as she fully roused from sleep. She opened her eyes and saw his lusty hazel ones admiring her naked body.
He stopped his caressing and brought himself above her, laying on top of her and pushing his arousal against her. He held her face below him, bringing hi
mself down to kiss her until her lips swelled from his intimate embrace.
She looked up at his loving eyes, her heart pounding anticipatively against her chest. "Now that's how I'd like to wake up every morning."
The corner of his mouth raised, revealing his wolfish grin. "Does that mean you want to wake up in my bed every morning?"
She smirked. "Or you in mine."
"Either is fine with me as long as you never have clothes on. That's my rule. No, negotiating."
She laughed beneath him. "Maybe I want the same rule."
"Done. That way, I can wake up any time of the day or night and have you."
Her belly rolled with laughter.
"If you think I'm kidding, I'm not. Now, come on, beautiful." He raised himself off her, admiring her some more before grasping a thigh and pulling her to the edge of the bed. "Time to get ready and feed before tonight's catastrophe."
She found Vladimir among the Covenant vampires standing outside on the deck. A small fire had been lit in the fire pit. She came to his side and nudged him gently. "Would you like to have breakfast with me?"
"I'd love to," he replied kindly.
She borrowed Cass' truck and drove them to Estes Park. The town had already begun its night of events. Music boomed from the restaurants and bars. People busily walked the streets admiring knickknacks, art, and photography.
She found a parking lot and claimed a spot. They strolled together on the sidewalk, making their way along the streets, attentive to any opportunity to feed.
"We haven't had a chance to spend much time together. I thought it'd be nice for us to have some time tonight."
Vladimir glanced down at her. "I'm pleased you asked me to join you."
"Good," she replied, feeling relieved.
"It's also a pleasure to see you happy again."
Her nerves bunched in her gut. "We should probably talk about it, shouldn't we?"
"Whatever makes you comfortable."
She stopped walking and turned to him. "Vladimir, I haven't stopped loving Adrian, but I…I'm Cass' mate."
Vladimir studied her face. His own expression displayed sympathy. "I know, Katerina. There's no need for you to explain yourself. No need to feel ashamed. Not with me, not with anyone."
His comment took her by surprise. "You mean that? But you're Adrian's friend. I feel like I've betrayed him."
"I expect that when you find a way to free Adrian, you'll be honest with him. I know Adrian will hate it, he'll be angry, he'll be pained by the loss of you for quite some time, but there's nothing either of you can do to change nature."
"I'm at a loss for words. I didn't expect you to be so understanding."
"I'm over five hundred years old. I know love and I know loss. What you have with Cass— anyone with eyes can see it is love."
"What about Adrian? I'm so scared, Vladimir. I don't want to hurt him." She could hear the earnest cry in her own voice.
"It will hurt. There is nothing I can say to you to soothe that pain. It will hurt and it will hurt him, but time does lessen all pain. That pain may never leave you, but it will lessen over time."
She leaned in and hugged him. His body went rigid, clearly surprised by her sudden embrace and then slowly, he folded his arms around her.
"Thank you. You're like the brother I always wanted."
She thought she heard a quiet laugh escape his lips. She realized she'd never heard him laugh, ever. She eased off her hug and smiled at him, then flung her arms around him, giving him another hug. This time, she heard it for sure, a quiet chuckle.
"Katerina, you must let go."
She glanced up to see his eyes transitioning to gold. She was stirring emotions in him and he didn't like it.
She grinned. "I know under that harsh, serious exterior you're a big softy. I've known you long enough to have learned that about you."
His expression grew serious. "I am not soft."
She laughed harder. "I know the truth and that's all that matters."
He turned his body, returning them to their canter along the sidewalk. "I am not soft," he repeated.
She eyed him sideways, humored by his declaration.
"There," he pointed. "Up ahead, the couple stumbling out of the bar."
She saw them and her predator instincts kicked in. Her itching hunger guided her to them. They turned the street, headed away from the public, likely home or to their cars. She and Vladimir slipped in next to them. She wrapped her arm into the man's.
"Looks like you need a little help." She smiled kindly.
Vladimir put his hand on the small of the woman's back.
"Parked nearby?" Vladimir asked in his polite accent.
"Oh my, your accent is beautiful," the woman praised.
"Denise, stop flirting," the drunk man demanded.
She batted her arm at him. "I'm not flirting and why are you complaining? There's a young, attractive woman on your arm."
He glanced at Kayci and grinned. "Yes, there is," he commented, as if suddenly noticing her presence.
"I appreciate your flattery," Vladimir told her.
"You're quite the gentleman." Her flattery continued.
"Your car? Did you drive this evening?" Vladimir asked.
"Oh no. We walked from the hotel."
Vladimir smiled wide. "Wonderful. We'll walk with you."
They'd kept to his promise. After feeding from them, they ensured the couple made it safely to their hotel. They stumbled through the doors, the woman waving farewell and blowing kisses at Vladimir.
Kayci shook her head. "Do you ever feel like we're taking advantage of them? She has no idea you fed from her. She thinks you're some handsome stranger that tickled her neck and got handsy."
They turned away from the hotel, headed toward the truck. "There was a time, yes, when I felt that way. It's been too many years, too many feedings. Those feelings have dissipated."
"What's it like to have lived for so long? Are you still stimulated by your surroundings? Do you get bored? Do you ever think about embracing the dawning?"
She could see the thoughts forming by the changing expressions on his face. "Yes, I am still stimulated by my surroundings. The world is constantly changing as are the people in it. The constant change keeps life interesting, far from boring. Having lived this long has perhaps made me…harsher, as you said earlier. There was a time when I did show more emotion. There has been little reason of late to feel significant emotion. Perhaps a new change will come and I'll have a renewed cause. As for embracing the dawning, every vampire will think of it at some time or another. It's unavoidable to think of death. It's a part of living."
The thought of death made her think of the Southeast and Louisiana clans. "It's foolish of Tony to come here to challenge the McCabe clan. I'm sure he isn't expecting to see the Covenant."
"Certainly not, unless word spread somehow."
"Hopefully, it hasn't. It would give us an advantage."
The lot where she'd parked the truck came into view.
"I appreciate you joining me tonight."
"It was my pleasure."
When she and Vladimir returned, the house seemed to be in a buzz, surely anxious about the possible arrivals from the clans. Concerned for their safety, Kayci's thoughts went to the boys as she stepped into the living room. Just as she thought about where to look for them, Cass and Logan walked into the living room, joining her and Vladimir.
Cass' eyes gleamed brightly as soon as he took sight of her. He came to her, pulling her into him and pressing his lips against hers.
"How was breakfast?"
She took hold of his flannel-covered biceps, her hands barely wrapping around them. "Pleasant."
She turned to look at Logan. "Where are the boys?" she asked. "They shouldn't be here when the clans arrive."
Logan nodded. "Already taken care of. Angie stopped by earlier to pick them up. I called her and arranged for her to pick them up as soon as Cass called to warn me about the clans'
possible arrival."
Kayci's shoulders relaxed. "Good."
Chatter clamored over Logan's radio. Their attention whipped to it. Logan raised it to his lips, pressing the button as he spoke into the mic.
"Report."
"There's movement outside the gates."
"Get everyone outside…in position," he ordered.
Kayci glanced at Vladimir. "Tell the others."
He nodded before dashing off, headed for the stairs.
Cass pulled her into him, his eyes darkening as he stared down at her. "Remember—stay close to me."
She nodded.
She moved out of his vise grip, and headed toward the front door with Logan, Cass just behind them.
They stepped out into the night. An eerie sensation crawled over her skin, sending a shiver over her neck, shoulders, and arms. Her sorcery intuition was warning her. Her eyes transitioned, giving her clearer vision into the darkness. She saw movement in the trees. The small building by the iron gate had its door swung open, its hinges creaking against the breeze.
She smelled their scent thick in the air. She glanced at Logan and Cass, whose tense bodies had already gone into defensive mode. Their predatory wolf eyes gleamed brightly under the outdoor lights. She heard a switch click in the distance and then the massive iron gate began opening.
"They broke into security, took out coms," Logan said aloud.
Kayci glanced at Logan's silent radio. She hadn't noticed until he announced it.
"Was anyone in there?"
Logan nodded, fury filling his usually kind face. "Phillip was working the gate and communications."
"They must've taken him. Tony's games have already started," Cass said, between gritted teeth.
"The others are on their way. Just wait," she told them.
Cass and Logan stood on each side of her. All of them watched their surroundings, scented the air, prepared for anything. She saw movement in the trees on each side of the gate. Then dark bodies moved swiftly along the gate. Werewolves billowed in through the entrance.
Logan stepped forward, his hands in fists and his chest wide, ready for attack. Kayci reached out and stopped him in place. "Wait," she commanded.
Dark and Beautiful Nights (The Vampire Covenant Series Book 3) Page 11
