that they were together.
Her leather briefcase was lying abandoned in the middle of the dusty road. "I can't
believe I forgot it," she murmured under her breath. Cris said nothing, but waited as she
bent down and picked it up. They continued on in silence, back up the path, across the
courtyard, and into the castle.
It was only when the door slammed shut behind them that she found the courage to begin
seeking the answers to her many questions. "Please explain to me how our relationship
has been possible all these years? There are so many things that I need to understand."
Cris pried the briefcase out of her clenched hand and dropped it to the floor. He nodded,
but continued to guide her past the study to a set of worn stone stairs. At the bottom, he
scooped her up in his arms and carried her up the long flight of steps. She snuggled closer
as his familiar shape and scent filled her senses. His face showed no emotion, but his
muscles were tight as he walked. She could sense his emotional turmoil, but now that the
crisis had passed, his mind was closed to her once again.
Taking a deep breath, she continued her line of thought. "How is it that you can read my
mind? It's not fair, you know." Looping her arms around his neck, she placed her head on
his shoulder and nuzzled his neck. "You know my thoughts all the time, but I catch only
rare glimpses of yours."
"Be thankful that you cannot read my mind." His words made her shiver, but now what
she felt was desire, and not fear.
At the top of the stairs he turned right and walked down a dimly lit hallway. The walls
looked as if they were covered in artwork, but she couldn't quite make out what they
were. "I'll give you a tour tomorrow," he told her as he strode into a large room and
pushed the door closed with his booted heel.
"See what I mean?" she complained. A moment later, that thought was forgotten as she
peered around the room, unable to contain her natural curiosity.
The huge bed in the center of one wall made it obvious that this was his bedroom. It was
a study in masculine opulence and suited him well. All the furniture was large, obviously
hand-carved, and quite old. The bed was draped with yards of rich burgundy velvets and
brocades. A set of bed curtains was pushed back so she could see the piles of overstuffed
pillows that lay there. The stone walls were covered with a variety of tapestries and
artifacts, including an enormous jewel-encrusted sword that was mounted directly over
the fireplace. A low, lacquered table sat in front of the roaring fire, which was the only
light in the room, and on it sat a bottle of wine and two crystal glasses.
Cris carried her to the far side of the room where she noticed another door. It was a small
room with an old-fashioned bathtub that was steaming with hot water, the smell of
lavender tickling her senses. Plush white towels sat on a low stool next to the tub, and a
heavy brocade robe hung on a hook by the door. He stood her next to the tub and began
to unbutton her blouse. Peeling it down over her arms, he dropped it to the floor at her
feet.
Cris surprised her by falling to his knees in front of her, wrapping his arms around her
waist, and burying his face between her breasts. His tongue was moist and hot as he wove
a path around both breasts before licking her nipples into hard points. Johanna felt the
familiar heat rise within her.
It was the night of the full moon and they'd just had sex outside under the moonlight
sky. It had felt like the first time, which was ridiculous, considering how many times
they'd made love in her dreams over the years. But the truth was that she was thirty years
old, and she'd never had sex with a man except Cris. No other man in her day-to-day life
had ever been able to measure up to him and what he gave her. Her legs shook as she
stood half naked in front of him.
He rubbed his face over her breasts and belly, tickling them and making her laugh.
"What am I to do with you?" Cris asked, his tone tender and playful all at once. "I have
known you as no other man has. There is no need to be nervous of me." He continued to
work as he talked, untying the sleeves of the jacket from around her waist and peeling it
away from her body. She stood naked in front of him. Even kneeling on the floor, he was
overwhelming.
His hands trailed up the back of her legs from her ankles to her thighs, making her sway
with desire. Everywhere he touched, she felt the flames of desire licking her. His large
palms covered her bottom and he squeezed both globes tight, massaging them. Moving
closer, he nuzzled through her pubic hair, his tongue stroking the hot, moist folds of her
sex. She grasped his shoulders for balance as her blood began to sizzle. The need to have
him grew deep inside her.
He growled and sat back on his heels, his eyes glowing hot with desire. He shook
himself and lowered his head. "Bath," he hissed from between his clenched teeth.
Turning her, he pushed her towards the tub.
For a moment she almost protested, but it looked so good, and she felt sore and dirty
after her ordeal. Gingerly, she climbed over the side of the tub and sank down in the
fragrant water. The hipbath curved up behind her back and she leaned back against the
cool porcelain and closed her eyes. The picture of Cris kneeling on the floor was still
burned into her mind. Her knees bent slightly as the tub was not long, but it was
extremely comfortable, and she felt the hot water relaxing her aching muscles.
She sensed him leaning over her and parted her lips in anticipation. His tongue dipped
inside, tasting and teasing hers. Wrapping one hand around her head so she couldn't
escape him, he laid claim to her very soul with his hot carnal embrace.
She sucked his tongue and kissed him with abandon. "I want you," she moaned, when he
began to nibble on her lips. The sound of her voice seemed to jolt him and he pulled back
and stood by the tub.
"Bathe first. Then if you still want me, come to me." He was gone before she could think
to reply to his outrageous statement.
"If I still want him," she muttered before she held her breath and sank beneath the water.
Gasping as she surfaced, she grabbed a cloth and began to scrub. All thoughts of a
leisurely bath were gone now as she quickly finished washing the dust from her body.
"What does the man want? A gilded invitation? I should have just pulled him into the tub
with me." She glanced at the small tub. "On second thought, maybe not."
Standing, the water cascaded down her body. She grabbed one of the towels as her body
shivered. Carefully, she stepped out of the tub, dried herself off, and grabbed the robe off
the hook, stuffing her arms into the sleeves. She didn't bother to belt it, so it flowed
behind her as she stalked into the other room.
Chapter Seven
Johanna strode across the room and stood beside the bed with her arms folded under her
breasts, which pushed them up slightly. She wasn't overly large in that department, so
she figured it couldn't hurt, and she knew Cris agreed when his eyes seemed to devour
them.
The heat from his gaze evaporated any water drops left on her body, and her whole body
softened as a lethargic heat filled
her. She shook her head to try and break away from his
sensual snare.
Cris was sprawled naked across the crisp white sheets with his hands crossed behind his
head, his large body taking up most of the space. Even in repose, the muscles of his chest
and arms were sleek and hard. The tufts of soft hair under his arms and across his chest
should have made him look softer, more vulnerable. Instead, with the trappings of
civilization removed, he appeared even more dangerous. He seemed to be totally relaxed,
but she wasn't buying it. She stared pointedly at his erect cock and it twitched slightly in
response. "Well?"
He didn't even pretend to misunderstand. "You know what I am." He waited until she
nodded before he continued. "But you need to know how it will affect you." Patting the
covers next to him, he urged her to sit. Not bothering to close the robe, she climbed onto
the bed and sat cross-legged facing him, waiting.
"I am a Dalakis." His eyes glowed red as he stared right into her very soul. "We are
different. My family have always been vampires and have lived here for thousands of
years. I have heard of other families of vampires, but like us, they keep to themselves,
struggling for their own survival. Now there is only myself and my two brothers, Stefan
and Lucian."
He held up his hand to stop her before she could speak. "Let me finish first, then I will
answer all your questions." She nodded and he continued.
"I am immortal. I need blood to sustain me. But," he hurriedly reassured her, "I do not
kill others to live, but take only what I need to survive. It is different from the old days.
Centuries ago, we killed often to protect ourselves and our people." His features
hardened, "And I would kill again in a heartbeat if you were threatened." With an
obvious effort he forced himself to relax. "Today, we even store blood for emergencies,
much like a blood bank."
He rolled to his side and propped himself up on one arm. His other hand reached out to
tease the flesh on the inside of her thigh. The up and down motion of his fingers was
making it extremely hard for her to pay attention to his words.
"Prolonged exposure to sunlight, a stake through the heart, or beheading will kill me.
Nothing else. Well, nothing except perhaps love."
That comment had her full attention. "What do you mean?"
"Dalakis men love only once in their lifetime. It is their gift and their curse." His smile
was tender as his hand caressed her cheek. "You were a gift from the heavens when I
found you, but you were so young. I could not take you or ask you to join me then. So, I
lived but did not fully live. To find you and not have you was a torture beyond what you
can imagine. After six hundred years of living, to have you so close--" he broke off and
sighed deeply, shaking his head at the dark memories, "--but yet not to have you."
Johanna opened her mouth to speak, but Cris placed a finger over her lips. "Many have
given up in despair and faced the killing midday sun rather than live any longer without
finding their true love. Others have done the same after being rejected. Now it is your
turn to choose."
He sat up in bed and took both her hands in his, squeezing them gently. "Whatever your
choice, I will honor it. I give you my word as a Dalakis."
Leaning forward, he kissed her forehead, her cheeks and then her lips. She clung to his
hands, half-fearful now. She sensed that his word was not something he gave lightly and
that he would die before dishonoring it.
"You are right, little one." He laughed, and it was a bitter sound. "I would choose death
before dishonor, but that is not your concern. If you wish to stay with me, you can live
out your normal life here at the castle and I will cherish and protect you for as long as
you live. And when the time of your death is upon us, I will join you."
"No!" she gasped, squeezing his hands so tight that her knuckles turned white. Her heart
pounded with grief at the mere thought of his death.
"Or," he continued as if she hadn't spoken, "I can change you so you become as I am.
You would be vampire, but your life would be linked with mine. If I die, then you too
will die. You would be susceptible to the other dangers as well. But I would be by your
side for eternity, and no other man living or yet to be born will love you as I will. Your
happiness and protection are my life's work and my life's joy."
Johanna was speechless when he finished. She could feel the tears tracking down her
cheeks, but she could not tear her gaze from his beloved face. His features were
impassive as he sat there, a beautiful bronze nude statue, waiting for her to decide his
future.
In the light glowing from the fireplace, his harsh countenance and glistening muscles
made it easy to picture him wielding the massive sword that hung over the mantle. She
could easily imagine him astride a horse in the fourteenth century, defending his home
against all enemies. He was a warrior without equal. Yet he had laid his heart bare before
her and now stoically awaited her decision.
Coming to her knees in front of him, she slipped the robe from her shoulders before
wrapping her arms around his neck and gently kissing his lips. The muscles stood out on
his arms and chest with the effort it took to keep himself still. "I know there is still so
much I have to learn and understand. But I know what is in my heart." Taking one of his
hands in hers, she placed it gently over her heart. "You're a part of me and we belong
together. Forever."
Johanna paused for a moment and then uttered the words that would change her life
eternally. "Make me like you."
As if unleashing a tethered beast, he pounced on her. Before she could take a breath, she
was flat on her back and his mouth covered hers in an all-consuming kiss. Wrapping her
arms around his broad shoulders, she gave herself into his keeping, not knowing what
was coming, but trusting him with her very life.
His hands were everywhere as he ran them up and down her entire body as if committing
every inch of it to memory. They traveled up her arms, teasing the sensitive skin on the
underside. The skin on his hands was slightly rough and made her shiver as she imagined
them on other parts of her body. He didn't linger, but traced the veins in her neck and
leaned over and nipped at the fluttering pulse at its base.
From there, he continued down her torso, outlining her breasts and every single rib as he
made his way to her hipbones. She moaned and eagerly parted her legs when he grazed
her pubic bone, but he ignored the invitation and continued to trace a path down both legs
to her feet. Her hips rolled on the bed and she could feel the aching need for him inside
her.
"Cris." His name was both a command and a plea. Her whole body felt like liquid fire,
raging out of control.
"Shhh," he whispered as he sat up in bed and pulled her feet into his lap. She wasn't sure
what he was going to do until he leaned over and began to nibble on her toes. His large
hand held her foot steady as he made his way from her little toe to her large one, first
licking and then sucking on each one.
Johanna collapsed back against the pillows and let the pleasure take her. Nev
er in her life
would she have thought of her feet as an erogenous zone. Obviously, she had a lot to
learn.
"Oh my god," she panted as he moved up her ankle and calf. Her chest was heaving as
she gasped for breath. Meanwhile, he was nibbling his way past her knee and up towards
her inner thigh.
Reaching down, she grabbed him by the hair and tugged him towards her moist, eager
pussy. His laughter was wicked as he ignored her efforts and instead ran his tongue in the
crease at the top of her leg. She almost shot off the bed.
Cris gripped her inner thighs in his hands and held her wide open for his inspection
before lowering his head and tasting her hot, wet flesh. Johanna grabbed the covers in her
hands, trying to anchor herself as pleasure washed over her in waves. His sharp teeth
carefully nipped her clitoris as his tongue flicked over the distending nub.
For a moment, every muscle in her body was clenched tight as she was poised on the
edge. He knew it too, as he looked straight at her before pressing his tongue hard against
her clit and showing his teeth in a feral smile.
She shot over the edge and could hear herself screaming as pure fire shot through her
entire body. Her body jerked and heaved as her orgasm consumed her. When it finally
subsided, she felt as if she didn't have a bone in her body, she was so relaxed.
Cris shifted until he was lying beside her and pulled her into his arms. Rubbing her nose
against the hair on his chest, she snuggled tight in his embrace. Contented, she nuzzled
Dalakis Passion 1 Harker's Journey Page 6
