Shifting direction, the vampire steered clear of her neck and instead nuzzled her ear. A part of Ella itched to remind him of the danger in toying with a Fire Witch. The still-insane-with-lust side of her wanted to jump in his lap and say ‘pretty please with a side of whipped cream.’
She did neither and he continued on with a husky reprimand, “Shhh…do not make a scene. We are amongst humans.” He dropped back, abruptly releasing his intimate hold and invited, “Call me Cole.” The look he gave her dared her to accept his offer.
Her whisper crossed the space between them and would have gone unheard over the din of the crowd if not for his keen senses, “I’ll burn you from the inside out and be content to toast your demise as I do…Vamp.” Her blatant rejection of the use of his name had his brow raising, the light in his eyes reflecting his excitement over the challenge she presented. Cole loved stalking prey and the stunning make of this one would make his conquest all the more satisfying.
Ella deposited her glass on the bar and made move to rise but his hand met her shoulder and stopped her exit. His unnatural strength was controlled, but evident in his hold. He issued a simple command that seemed more an invitation when coupled with the warmth in his tone and a sensuous smile, “Stay.”
As much as she might wish this stunning male was harmless, he was a very real and very deadly threat. Her instincts had recognized it long before and the Fire had apparently grown impatient with pleading to be unleashed. The swell of magic resulting from his touch this time caused her to visibly sway under its force. Grasping at the edge of the bar, her knuckles whitened and Ella almost doubled over while she fought for control. She was panting, as much from the pain it caused her to harness a magical surge of this magnitude as from the panicked fear that she might be unable to keep her magic concealed from the throng of humans surrounding them. A quick glance at her unwanted companion confirmed that he knew exactly what was happening to her and exactly how vulnerable she was in her present condition.
Cole had sensed the shift in her internal energies and was pleased by it. He had hoped his high-handed treatment might draw her power to the surface. Seemingly nonplussed by her condition, he pried her one hand free and captured it in his. Entwining their fingers, he stroked his thumb over the back of her hand. His dwarfed hers. Ella swallowed hard. The quick change in him from aggressive male to soothing comforter had her as off balance as her internal fight with her magic.
Retrieving her glass, he pressed the rim to her lower lip. His stare was calm and unwavering, “That green sparkle in your eyes is most enchanting but you need to calm yourself, Witch. I am not your enemy tonight.” Cole inched closer, keeping the eerie glow emitting from her gaze completely shielded from any onlookers. His easy grin followed and he tipped the wineglass against her lip, inviting her to sip.
Apparently even her inherent, Vampire-loathing Witch nature was not immune to his charm. Ella could feel the magic begin to ebb as he fed her a few sips of the liquid. His demeanor remained unruffled, no concern or hostility evident in him. That should have made Ella more wary but it eased her instead. Allowing her eyes to slip closed, over the space of the next few minutes she was able to pull her power in completely. He continued with his attentions and she allowed it even after she knew she had gained control once more.
Cole felt the energy level off and had her eyes been open, Ella would have witnessed a flash of triumph cross his face. She was no longer a threat to anyone, yet she was allowing his touch to continue. He was enjoying the chance to study the witchling up close. Her sooty lashes curled up where they dusted the tops of her cheeks and her creamy complexion was perfection. He had long been tempted by that fiery hair and he was barely controlling the urge to wrap his hands in the thick strands and drag her against him.
When Ella at last lifted her eyes to his, there was no spark to greet him, only suspicion. The vampire could have done any number of things to her in those moments when she had been indisposed, but there had been not one hint of evil in his handling of her. Ella did not know quite what to make of him.
Despite that every inch of her attention-starved body was screaming otherwise, Ella lifted her hand to push his and the wine glass away. Cole obliged her by returning it to the bar and straightening, moving back to give her space. She hadn’t remembered to release his hand though and he pointedly looked at their locked fingers before extracting his. Ella might likely have kicked him over the smirk that followed if her vision had not lit on her friend across the room at that same moment.
The frantic waving in her direction would have been impossible to ignore. Hilary flashed the ‘two thumbs up’ in her direction as soon as their gazes met. Ella knew that the other girl assumed she had landed a hot hook-up for the evening. Hilary, whom she adored, was a bit of blonde fluff that fell in love with a new guy every weekend.
Her friend did not realize that Ella was not just super-secretive about her flings but that Ella had yet to rack up a single one in her twenty-six years. As an immortal, she saw no need to rush; she literally had forever. She also had the benefit of learning from her mother’s mistake, so she doubted that she would ever hop into the bed of a male that was not her mate.
Cole followed her gaze towards the petite blonde and murmured, “Mmmm…snack.” When he had the audacity to lick his lips, Ella did give him that blow to his shin with the sharp point of her boot. His only response to her abuse was the narrowing of his eyes on hers and a taunt, “Wicked little witch.”
She looked at him as though he was daft. In a huff, Ella tapped his chest with her forefinger, “You decide my friend is an hors d'oeuvre and then claim that I am the wicked one?”
He laughed richly at that before leaning in and fixing her with his gaze, “I do not want an appetizer, Princess. The question is…will you sacrifice yourself to the big bad Vamp to save your friend?”
Ella knew just from the look in his eyes that he was flirting with her, that there was no evil intent behind the words. Her friend would be safe, just as she would be were she to decline. She could also tell, however, by the level of heat in his stare that were she to accept his terms, her ‘sacrifice’ would entail much more than staving off his midnight craving. His proposition did not strike her as repulsive as it should have.
Watching the internal debate play out over her face, his next proposal was more outrageous, “If you do not stay with me all night, how will you make certain I do not change my mind and give Blondie a nibble?” He could tell by shot of green sparkle that flashed in her eyes that his emphasis was duly noted. Cole was enjoying this game and her reactions much more than he had anticipated. Raking his gaze down her, taking in every delicious curve, his eyes were full of sinful promises and a hint of teasing laughter when he repeated meaningfully, “All night.”
Her next move caught him by surprise. The witch stepped in to him until only a hairbreadth separated them. The flat of her palm met the taut plane of his lower abdomen and her fingertips played there before sliding up, caressing along the way. Cole wasn’t quick enough to stop the reactive tensing of his muscles in response to her touch and she gave him a gloating look. His eyes shimmered with Vampire darkness when she continued on in a slow exploration of the breadth of his chest muscles and eventually finished by draping her arm over his shoulder.
Ella enjoyed the silken feel of his dark hair, twirling her fingers in the strands that lay against his collar. Finally she pressed her lips to his ear, letting them graze lightly there, while she molded herself to him. Her whisper was every bit as hot as the desire now burning through him, “I could stay with you all night…and watch you roast slowly.” She let Cole feel a bit of warmth radiating from her fingertips at his neck.
Damn if she hadn’t been delightfully sexy when she threatened his life. Cole couldn’t control his appreciative chuckle. He was drawn to her because she was a beautiful immortal, but he might actually be capable of liking this little being. Too bad she was of the Light and he had purely selfish reasons for p
ursuing her.
Cole thought he witnessed a bit of answering humor lurking in the depths of green so he acted on it. There were only a few inches separating their mouths and he removed them. His lips moved over hers for a whisper of a second, but before she could react he released her. When he peered down to gauge her response, her lips were parted and her tongue was just darting over the lower. She was probably unaware of how telling that action was.
Ella had given herself a bit more than she could handle with her teasing exploration of his body. Still reeling from her desire and the conflicting emotions that came along with it, when he had given her his mouth, she had been nearly overcome with a fiery wave of the less than magical variety. The need radiating through her was appalling. Despite them being sworn enemies, Ella was intrigued. His dark looks had her thinking not the purest of thoughts and now that she had an idea of what was hidden beneath his fine clothes, she wanted to forget to remember what he was. He had only a few times straightened enough that she could determine his height. As tall as she was, even with the additional four inches of her heels, she estimated that Cole towered a good three more above her.
A quick glance up at the vampire told her that her conflicting needs were understood and she expected him to press his advantage. Rather than reaching for her, Cole instead broke the contact between them by turning to top off her glass. He appeared relaxed when he extended it back to her. The heat in his stare was the only thing that gave any indication that his level of desire matched hers, “Fiery little witch, we can wage a battle of insults until dawn, wasting good drink and a wonderful spring night…or we can call a truce and enjoy this bottle of wine together.”
He was pleasantly surprised when she actually appeared to be weighing the offer, so this time Cole did press, “We are far removed from the Realm, Princess. I will offer you my vow not to harm you if you will return the same. Let us forget the war that separates our breeds, at least for tonight.”
Ella considered his words carefully. The inviting smile was tipping the scales in his favor, as was the sincerity in his tone and the fact that her magic was no longer firing. She reasoned with herself that she was not engaged in the conflicts of the Realm and never intended to be. She felt little real connection with that world. How much harm could there be in letting Cole entertain her? It was not as though she would be defenseless if he turned all blood-sucky at the stroke of midnight. If both she and Cole were swearing off any allegiance to either Light or Dark tonight, it really could be just two immortals passing some time together.
All those thoughts rambled around in her brain while he patiently gazed down at her. That cocky grin tugging at the corner of his mouth while she did made her want to nibble him…right there. Decision made – she was in celebratory mode tonight, not in the Realm.
Returning her eyes to his, Ella inclined her head to indicate her acceptance and raised her glass, “I am Ella.” Just because she could, she stepped into him again, this time sliding her palm over the muscled bicep before it found home on his shoulder. Rising up on her toes, she rubbed her lips against his jawline as she spoke, “I accept your terms, Cole.”
CHAPTER 3
Cole was arrogantly pleased by her easy acceptance and in response to her teasing caress, he slid his arm around her hips and pulled her flush against him. Dropping his lips, he spoke softly against her ear, “I will bring your wine, Ella. Go find a more comfortable spot where I can enjoy you.” She only nodded her answer and he saw the faint hint of a blush coloring her cheeks when he let her draw away. His effect on her was confirmed by the slight wobble in her first few steps.
Motioning for the bartender to settle up, he kept his eyes trained on her in the dark recesses of the club, his acute vision serving him well. Her curves in that tight sheath of a skirt had been driving him to distraction all night. Cole appreciated the evidence of the extent to which he had rattled her, watching with great interest as the exquisite witch smoothed her palms down her clothes. When she had moved a good distance away, she fluffed her hair before pressing the backs of her hands to her face, as though trying to ease a heated flush.
Ella appeared to be carrying on a conversation with herself and that amused him. Distracted by the bartender momentarily, the one-sided debate had concluded by the time he gathered their drinks. When he located her, Ella had gone to a much less populated space in the far back of the bar. She was sliding into a booth in a dark alcove.
Before he dropped down next to her, Cole set both glasses and bottle on the table. Ella was obviously distressed, her eyes were wide and she wasn’t really paying him much heed. The pulse at her gorgeous throat was beating in a rhythm that hinted at an emotion well beyond arousal. Tearing his eyes from it, he dropped next to her. Her lips were parted by the rapid little breaths she exhaled and he wanted nothing more than to bite that lush lower lip and force her thoughts to a more pleasurable place. Instead he guided her back until she was pressed between his large frame and the wall that butted into the end of the booth. The look she gave him told him that she was wrestling with something and Cole was certain Ella had talked herself into a panic.
Her behavior was opposite that of their flirtation from moments before and he frowned down at her with concern. Cole pressed his own glass of wine to her lips, “Relax Ella, I will not bite unless you beg.” He heard her hard swallow when she took a gulp from the glass and wondered at her sudden anxiety. Lowering his lips at her ear, Cole whispered soothingly, “Tell me why you are so bothered…do you want me to leave you alone?”
Ella gripped his arm and managed a strangled ‘no’ before she finished his glass. Making move toward her own, she offered him a rueful smile with her explanation, “The dark makes me anxious, Vam…Cole.” She blushed with the admission. When she continued, he realized she referred to their surroundings, not his nature, “It is ridiculous, unreasonable, especially given what I am…but dark places overwhelm me. I shouldn’t have come back here alone…I knew better, but I...”
Slipping his arm around her shoulders, Cole shifted her position on the plush upholstery of the bench so that her back was positioned against the wall. Mentally berating himself that she had needed to remind him, he was highly irritated over his misstep. He knew the dark spooked her, just as he knew the reason for her fear of it.
Instead of mocking her as she anticipated, Cole tilted her head back by grasping her chin, “Close your eyes and you will not know it is dark.” Ella pursed her lips; the look she gave him said his suggestion was seven shades of ridiculous. Cole did not speak again, but his expression told her he had not been merely suggesting a solution, he expected her to do as she’d been told. She rolled her eyes heavenward before she complied. Her reward was his lips pressed lightly to her brow, “Good lass.” His praise brought an involuntary smile to her lips and Cole dropped another soft kiss on her brow before whispering, “Now…let me distract you.”
Her lashes fluttered against the brush of his lips to her closed lids. From there he wasted no time capturing her mouth. Cole kept his movements light until he felt her tension begin to ease. His hand cupped the side of her face and an increase in the pressure of his lips accompanied the firm press of his other hand sliding over her knee. His fingertips teased the short span of exposed skin between the top of her boot and the hem of her skirt before pressing on up. Flattening his hand, his palm took a languid journey over the black material that encased her upper leg.
The sensuality in his unhurried caresses was definitely distracting. With all the other feelings he was rousing, there was no room left for her phobia. Cole stayed his hand on her thigh and murmured against her mouth, “Gorgeous witch…” Ella resented the interruption; her whispered demand told him that she preferred that he stop talking immediately. He responded with his tongue edging her lower lip, right before his mouth settled back on hers.
This time his kiss was more insistent. Ella’s parted at his unspoken demand, her soft moan captured by his mouth just as her hips rocked forward.
Such a tiny motion, but he felt every little bit of it, loving the tell-tale sign of her arousal. Seizing the opportunity, he slipped his tongue between her lips to stroke hers.
Ella sighed her liking of his intimate play, pressing closer. The Dark vampire was going to drive her insane. Of their own volition, her hands crept up and took time to explore the muscled breadth of his chest before settling on his shoulders. Her thoughts took a dangerous course, imagining how exquisite it would feel to have his skin pressed to hers. In less than an hour’s time this one had caused her to want him more than she had ever wanted any Witch or mortal. That brought a niggling of fear into her consciousness. Just as it set in and might have caused her to bolt, Cole shattered her ability to hang on to any rational thought.
Clasping her lower lip firmly in his teeth, a not-too-hard – not-too-gentle tug followed. Cole did not break the skin but let her experience the graze of fang for the very first time. The instant heat and tight clench deep inside her center had her going limp against him, his whispered name slipping between their mouths. Cole gripped her hip in a tight hold while his other hand snaked back from her face to tangle in those tempting red tresses. His desire ratcheted up several notches when he wound the heavy mass around his hand. The Fire Witch was ecstasy and Cole understood then that he wouldn’t be sated until he had touched her in a thousand different ways.
His fingers flexed tightly on her hip before sliding on around to stroke the curve of her backside and jerk her closer. Using his hold on her hair, he tugged her head back and pillaged her mouth with hot strokes of his tongue. Ella was enjoying the unrestrained demand in his kiss, if judged by the little sounds she was making. His hand trekked back around to the front and upwards, feeling each rib beneath the fitted sweater. With a needy growl, Cole broke his lips from hers only long enough to order, “Kiss me back Ella.”
Forsaken (Ancients of Light #1) Page 2
