In spite of his roiling emotions, Jesse bit back a groan of want. His cock, still fully hard, tingled.
St. Cyr’s rugged face lit with a smile. “I can see you like this room. I know it’s quite a contrast to the bedroom, but I’ve always believed the bath is the most important room of the house.” His tone sounded almost apologetic. “However, that aside, the shower is perfect for you because there’s a place to sit down.” He opened the large glass door and indicated the cool marble interior of the shower where a marble bench of sorts, wide enough for a man to lie down on, ran the length of the back wall.
The vampire’s blue-eyed gaze fell to Jesse’s wrists and his smile faded. “I can see that the shackles are hurting you.” A deep sigh caused his chest to rise and fall enticingly under the white shirt he wore.
Jesse’s heart quickened. Was it possible St. Cyr ... Christian ... was truly kind? In that moment, glad for his empathic ability to discern the vampire’s real motives, his long-abused faith in love experienced a flutter of hope. “In truth, they do chafe a bit.”
A pained look marred St. Cyr’s handsome features. One large hand went to the pocket with the key. “Please forgive me.” He produced the key and worked open the manacles, letting them fall from Jesse’s wrists.
The rush of air against his liberated skin was glorious and Jesse moved his hands around, relishing the freedom from lead. At the same time, an ache tugged his heart. How bitterly ironic that the vampire ... that ... Christian ... should apologize for having shackled a man who’d come to murder him. “Nothing to forgive,” Jesse mumbled. “You ... had good reason.” His own voice sounded strange to his ears, infused with an emotion he’d reserved only for Hannah ... and one other time for Sondra.
Damn! For the first time in hundreds of years, he heard tenderness seep into his voice. True tenderness. As much as his soul screamed out in protest, he had to admit to himself he’d met its missing half.
Christian let the manacles fall to the fluffy rug, which absorbed the sound of the metal’s clinking. His gaze rested on Jesse’s face, obviously continuing the graceful act of ignoring Jesse’s now throbbing hard on. “I suppose if you’re going to kill me, weak or not, a few chains won’t stop you.”
Jesse stared back at him, helplessly trapped in the war between overwhelming desire for Christian and the need to fulfill his mission. With his heart careening into love, his body aching mercilessly for this vampire’s touch, and his sister’s life hanging by a thread, what the hell was he going to do? “No, it won’t stop me.” The words slipped out before he realized what he was saying. A sharp twinge of guilt stabbed him for letting Christian believe he still intended to kill him.
Christian reached out, and before Jesse knew what was happening, took one of Jesse’s irritated wrists between his own large hands. Gently, in soft rubbing motions, Christian chafed the flesh, bringing back the circulation, his healing touch easing the discomfort the lead had caused.
Against his will, Jesse’s eyes fluttered closed. He could no longer suppress the groan that now vibrated deep in his throat.
“That feels good, I take it?” Christian’s voice had fallen several notches, its smooth tenor broken with a slight rasp.
Jesse nodded, unable to speak. Christian’s touch rippled through his whole body, almost feeling as if the vampire’s palm were lightly skating up and down the length of his erection.
“Good. I hate to think that I harmed you.” Christian’s voice oozed regret. He released that hand and picked up the other one, giving it the same tender caressing treatment. His blue eyes glowed, a sheen of desire coating their azure depths. He paused with Jesse’s hand flat between his palms, looking as if he wanted to turn Jesse’s hand over and kiss the wrist.
He didn’t. Wordlessly, Christian released Jesse’s hand and reached into the shower, turning the gold faucet. After several moments, steam began to billow through the open shower door. Christian gently leaned Jesse against the glass wall, steadied him and began to work open the buttons on his own shirt.
Jesse froze, his body pulsing with heated need. “What are you doing?” he breathed.
The blue of Christian’s eyes blazed. “Well, I’m going in with you. If you’re still injured, you’ll need help getting washed off.”
Chapter Six
Jesse watched Christian remove his clothing. The vampire slid the white shirt off, revealing his broad chest in all its glory, his tawny nipples already tight with his obvious arousal. Jesse’s gaze traveled from the heavier thatch of golden hair between his large pectoral muscles to the dark smooth trail it funneled into down his stomach. He tried not to look too obvious as the vampire unbuckled his trousers and let them slide down the strong columns of muscled legs, more golden hairs glinting off the sloping thighs and calves.
Christian, too, was erect, the veined reddish shaft of his cock thick and heavy, the lobes of the circumcised head taut and smooth. He turned slightly as he stepped out of his fallen trousers and tugged off his socks, giving Jesse an eyeful of the full ruddy sac below his cock and the nest of dark golden hair around the whole beautiful package. Christian’s pale round buttocks flexed with tensed power, as did the sleek, chiseled muscles of his back, the upper portion partially hidden by his long wheat-colored hair.
Jesse swallowed hard. He knew a fellow warrior when he saw one, and Christian had obviously spent much time in this occupation before having been sired. No other way could he have developed such a god-like physique.
Christian straightened and stilled, evidently caught by the appreciation that must have showed in Jesse’s gaze. His softly sculpted lips, dusky pink, quirked. The glint of gold stubble on his upper lips and jaw only heightened the supple, erotic curve of those lips. “Thank you,” he breathed, “but your admiration is only a mirror for what you are.”
Jesse didn’t know how to respond. Even “thank you” was difficult to say. He’d spent so long on his own, staying away from other living beings, both kith, kin and human, that he felt completely divided. Part of him was soaking up Christian’s kindness and reveling in the potent erotic attraction between them. The other part of him remembered a world devoid of any other trustworthy companion than his sister. The two parts warred with each other even as his erection tightened painfully under Christian’s heated gaze.
For the moment, the erotic, love-starved part was winning.
Christian’s hands closed gently on Jesse’s upper arms again and for a brief, blood-warming moment, Jesse thought the vampire was going to kiss him. He realized with a stab of disappointment that he was wrong.
Christian gently drew him away from the support of the wall and guided him into the decadently enormous shower to the bench along the wall. The vampire lowered Jesse onto the seat, the marble already warm from the hot water and steam, and positioned him with his back against the wall.
The vampire then reached for the showerhead, detached it and lowered the force of the spray before gently turning it onto Jesse’s hair and body.
In spite of the arousal coursing through every nerve ending, Jesse closed his eyes and let his body sag against the tiles, the massage of the water dappling his skin in the most pleasant way. The rinsing made him feel renewed and when he opened his eyes a tiny bit, he saw the dried blood washing off his skin, running into the drain in the center.
Jesse’s eye fell on the magnificent vampire standing before him. He watched droplets of water stream off Christian’s muscles, beading from the tiny nipples on his chest. His blond hair had darkened, on his head, chest, on his legs, and around his thick cock, plastered to his pale skin, emphasizing the bulges of muscle. Those same muscles flexed with his movements as he replaced the showerhead and reached for a bottle of shampoo.
The scent of heated sandalwood filled the shower as Christian squeezed out the content of the bottle into one large hand. He set the bottle down, rubbed his palms together and then took a step closer to Jesse. Christian’s cock, still erect, hovered that much closer to Jesse’s fa
ce.
Jesse stared, his entire being trapped in an erotic haze. Christian’s large fingers worked Jesse’s hair and scalp, making a lather with the richly scented shampoo. Jesse’s body went languid with the delicious massage. Christian’s cock bobbed lightly with the movements of his body as he shampooed Jesse’s hair, his hands gently tilting Jesse’s head back so that the soap wouldn’t go into his eyes.
“Close your eyes, Jesse.” The vampire’s smooth voice made his entire body tingle.
Jesse obeyed and heard the showerhead being detached again, followed by the gentle stream of water on his head, rinsing the suds from Jesse’s hair.
“Your hair is magnificent,” Christian said, smoothing Jesse’s wet hair back as he rinsed out the shampoo. Jesse opened his eyes again and watched as Christian replaced the showerhead and reached for a washcloth.
Jesse’s body hummed in anticipation of the next part of his bath and he almost forgot to respond to the praise. “Thanks,” he murmured.
Christian poured the contents of another bottle into the wet washcloth. This time the scent of something spicy, like cloves and frankincense diffused into the steamy air. In the next moment, Christian knelt on the marble floor directly in front of Jesse, his blue eyes glowing with a mixture of amusement and dusky need. “You’re welcome.” He leaned his brawny torso over Jesse, the hand holding the washcloth coming toward him.
Jesse sucked in a breath at the heated invasion of masculine energy. His cock twitched and tightened beyond pain. His balls practically vibrated from the vampire’s closeness.
The wet soapy cloth landed gently on his throat. Christian swished it around, reaching up behind Jesse’s ears and swiping the back of his neck. Their gazes locked. Christian paused, the energy humming between them practically palpable in its force. Christian visibly gathered himself and stayed where he was, running the cloth down to Jesse’s chest.
In swirling motions, Christian wiped over each shoulder, gently lifting Jesse’s arms, one at a time, to wash his armpits. Jesse’s erection strained, wanting nothing more than Christian’s hand wrapped around it, bringing him release. Or better yet, his mouth. His lips, too, tingled wildly, wanting only kisses, instinctively craving the light scrape of those incisors against his skin.
Christian trailed the cloth down the center of Jesse’s chest to his belly, stopping at his navel. The vampire’s gaze rested on Jesse’s straining cock, the skin of which registered the heat of Christian’s breath. When Christian finally lifted his eyes to Jesse’s, the blue pools glowed with hunger. “You’re free to tell me to stop,” he rasped.
The husky voice sent shimmers of heat through Jesse’s body. His gaze fell on Christian’s broad chest, the soft hair over the iron muscles plastered down from the water. Water beaded on Christian’s collarbone, making Jesse itch to lick it off.
“Don’t stop. Please.” Jesse watched him, his eyelids heavy, his chest heaving.
Christian nodded, his own gaze almost disappearing under his hooded eyes. Water beaded off his nose and lips and chin as he moved the cloth lower, past Jesse’s navel, into his pubic hair.
Jesse groaned. His body sagged languidly against the marble wall. He was completely helpless under the mind-blowingly erotic rasp of the wet, soapy cloth where it sloshed against the base of his cock.
Christian’s other hand came out, the thick, strong fingers wrapping lightly around the base. The contact made Jesse thrust his hips upward, wanting more, needing release. Christian lifted the shaft and wiped the washcloth around Jesse’s balls, anointing them with a reverent touch.
Jesse’s eyes began to flutter closed, but he forced them to remain open, wanting to watch what Christian was doing to him. He rolled his hips upward, giving the vampire more access to his bottom, his effort immediately rewarded with the slide of the warm soapy cloth past his balls, toward his tight, wanting hole.
Christian paused on the little space of flesh between his balls and ass, rasping the cloth in tiny movements over the sensitive skin. Each tiny movement sent sparks of heat through Jesse’s balls, straight up into his shaft. His wet hands gripped the edge of the marble bench, his fingers pressing into the stone, bracing himself as he absorbed the onslaught of pleasure.
Christian moved the cloth in a torturously slow trail toward Jesse’s ass, the material teasing the exposed undersides of his buttocks, brushing the sensitive skin just enough to make him moan. “Please ... Christian.” His plea came out in a panting groan and his fevered gaze caught the flash of a mischievous grin on the vampire’s lips.
“Whatever you desire, mon amour.” Christian slid the cloth directly down to Jesse’s throbbing hole, teasing the puckered opening with several more gentle swipes.
Jesse hissed in pleasure, then heard the wet cloth hit the shower floor, the material touch replaced with the heated probe of fingertips on his bare flesh. He responded by pulling his legs back further, wanting Christian’s fingers deep inside him.
He didn’t have to wait long. The soap had made his opening slippery and one thick finger pushed its way in with a searing jolt of pleasure.
Instinctively, Jesse threw his head back, his mouth open, panting.
Christian pulsed his finger in slow slick motions, stretching Jesse open, coaxing from him his complete surrender.
“Yes,” Jesse rasped, feeling the pressure build swiftly in his cock.
Christian’s thumb caressed Jesse’s perineum while his finger moved in Jesse’s hole. In the next moment, the moist warmth of Christian’s mouth engulfed Jesse’s cock.
Jesse’s eyes flew open to see the blond water-darkened head bobbing up and down. Those soft lips slid in a fevered rhythmic motion up and down Jesse’s aching shaft, the vampire’s hot tongue sliding over his veins and muscle while Christian’s fingers worked Jesse’s bottom, overwhelming him with bliss.
Jesse watched Christian’s mouth slide up to the head of his cock, then plunge back down again, taking him almost to the base. The suction pulled a groan from Jesse’s throat each time, and he squeezed his eyes shut again, all his consciousness trapped by the hot suction on his cock and the delicious pressure in his ass.
Christian pulled back, sucking hard, sliding down again, obviously taking care not to scrape Jesse’s cock with his incisors. The glide of Christian’s hot tongue on the sensitive skin brought Jesse closer to the edge ... closer ....closer ... the pressure building, aided by the tiny sparks of heat from Christian’s skilled fingers.
Christian sucked. Jesse exploded, his cum squirting in hot jolts into Christian’s mouth. Christian’s throat muscles worked visibly as he swallowed, taking Jesse’s essence into his own body, not letting Jesse’s cock slip from his mouth until he’d sucked down the last drop.
Christian’s palm caught Jesse’s softening, relieved cock and brought it gently to rest against his upper thigh. That hand slid over Jesse hip and upward, until he’d reached Jesse’s shoulder and rested, as his blue gaze rested on Jesse’s face.
Jesse stared back at him, unable to speak right away. The spirals of pleasure still whispered through his body. He’d received pleasure and given pleasure many times over the centuries, but never before had he felt so worshiped, so adored in the act.
One thing was absolutely unmistakable. Christian loved him.
Years of lonely torment broke Jesse open and he pushed his back away from the wall, reaching for Christian. His hands closed on the vampire’s brawny shoulders, the wet muscles quivering from his touch.
Christian’s lips parted, his eyes widening at Jesse’s unexpected advance. He moved closer, leaning into him, one hand coming to rest on Jesse’s cheek.
Jesse stared at him, lost in the tenderness in Christian’s eyes. You really did bring me back to life. The words rose in his mind before he remembered their mind link.
“So did you,” Christian murmured. His other hand laced into Jesse’s wet hair, the large palm cradling the back of his head as his other hand slipped down Jesse’s chest, across his upper arm
, around his back.
Jesse sighed, the tiny sound captured by the sudden press of Christian’s lips onto his. The vampire was gentle, tenderly prodding the seam of Jesse’s lips with the tip of his tongue. Jesse parted for the moist warm invasion of Christian’s spicy flavor filling his taste buds. He weakened languidly in the vampire’s embrace, falling backward to the support of the marble wall, bringing Christian with him, their mouths pressed together, tongues mated.
Their wet chests fused together, the warm skin melded from the dampness. Jesse parted his legs and Christian’s muscled body slipped between them, his hard cock sliding against Jesse’s with a soul-searing glide of pleasure.
Jesse’s hands slipped from Christian’s shoulders, fingertips skating over his wet collarbone, up his throat to cup his cheeks, drawing their faces closer together. Their kiss deepened with the movement, Jesse’s tongue sliding against Christian’s, the tip exploring the smooth ridges of his palate and teeth, returning to the lightly rough moistness of his lover’s tongue.
Jesse pulled his mouth away. “Please, let me pleasure you in return.”
Christian’s gaze smoldered and his lips were swollen from their kiss. He reached up, pushing Jesse’s wet hair back. “Not yet,” he murmured. “You still need food and a bit more rest.”
Without another word, Christian stood up, his thick hard cock still straining from lack of release. He turned off the shower and then gently helped Jesse to his feet. He opened the shower door and pulled a towel from the bar, opening it up and drying Jesse’s back.
The Bite Before Christmas Page 10
