The candles in the room illuminated her curves perfectly, and he eyed her with greed, watching her gracefully step out of the tub. She snatched her over-sized sweater from the sink and threw it over her head.
Damned clothing had to ruin everything. He stood, his body hardening as she approached him. “Show you?” he asked. Even though he’d been needing this since the day they’d escaped the mansion, he wanted to be absolutely positive she knew what she was asking of him.
She nodded. “Yeah. Show me how your fangs can give me pleasure instead of pain.”
“You…you want me to bite you?” His entire body coiled like a snake ready to strike.
“Yes.” There was no mistaking the lust billowing from her body like a heady perfume and his cock responded in kind. She held her wrist out for him, and he smirked at her. Oh, she thought it would be so simple. Think again, baby.
“Follow me,” he said, taking her offered hand in his.
Confusion flitted across her face as he pulled her from the small bathroom. “What? You can’t bite me in there?”
He stopped in front of the fireplace and turned to face her. “I wanted to make sure you were comfortable first.”
She rolled her eyes, shoving her wrist at him again. “I’m comfortable. Now, get on with it.”
His lips curved in a devious grin. “If you insist.”
Grabbing her offered arm, he pulled her against him. He lowered his head to run lips along the side of her neck. She jumped in surprise, but didn’t push him away. Skimming his lips over her shoulder, he grazed his fingers over her peaked nipple through the sweater. He was rewarded with a feminine gasp. He made a quick decision to take advantage of her open mouth, tangling his tongue with hers. Her tongue slid over his fangs, pleasure shooting straight to his groin. The scent of her arousal floated up to him, making his mind fog with lust. He wanted everything, anything she was willing to give. He kept his lower half in check, throwing his desire into the heated kiss.
“I said show me how your fangs can give me pleasure, not your mouth,” she murmured as she broke the kiss, her tone husky and breathless.
“Fangs, mouth, same general area,” he muttered and dove back into her delectable mouth. She kissed him back for a moment before breaking away again.
Her heavy-lidded eyes hardened. “You lied to me, didn’t you?”
That she didn’t believe him made him want to scream. “No, I didn’t.”
If she wanted some fang action, then that was exactly what she would get. With a few tweaks, of course. He tugged her back, lifting her as he took a seat on the couch behind him. With her thighs straddling his, her core brushed over his erection still trapped within his jeans. Damned clothes had to ruin everything!
They both sucked in a sharp breath as he moved his mouth down her jaw, sliding the tips of his fangs over the delicate column of her throat. That’s right. Feel my fangs work. He pressed his tongue to the gland, his fangs lengthening in response to the hormones pouring into them. It made him crave more than just her blood.
Her hands came up, fingers gliding through his hair as she held his head at her throat in a silent plea. She wanted this. Her body was lighting up for him. He smiled against her throat. Mine, he thought as he sank his fangs into the perfection of her skin. She cried softly, pleasure and surprise in her voice.
Her blood poured into his mouth, turning his cock to steel, and the hormones worked their magic. She clung to him, their bodies flush, chest to chest, groin to groin. When she started rocking against him, he nearly came undone right there. Her core slid over the material covering his erection, sweet, sharp pleasure with every movement.
His hands slid up her thighs, finding her bare beneath the sweater. In that moment, it took everything he had not to tear the pesky jeans off himself so he could feel her, wet and warm as she slid over him.
He took one more gentle pull from her throat, then pulled his fangs and slid his tongue over the pricks to close the punctures.
***
This is amazing. Nessie felt Charlie’s tongue slide over the hypersensitive skin at her throat. It seemed her entire body had been electrified, sparks of pleasure setting her on fire. Charlie’s mouth slid up her neck and jaw, finding her mouth and taking possession of it. She rocked against him as her tongue flicked the tip of his fang, drawing a strangled moan from him. She smiled against his mouth. So, fangs were an erogenous zone for him. Good to know.
She did it again. And again. Torturing him with pleasure. His fingers tightened on her hips momentarily before gliding beneath her sweater. She gasped as his fingers rasped over her nipples. She tightened her grip on his hair, pulling gently. A low growl of approval drifted from his throat, and her body flushed with liquid heat in response to the primal, masculine sound.
In a moment, she found herself with her back pressed into the cushions beneath her. Charlie loomed over her, his larger frame pressing into hers. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, and he rubbed himself against her most sensitive place.
She cried out, and realized they were both panting. Her body screamed at her, craving more. More what? More pleasure? With the way her body shook with it, she didn’t know how that was possible.
Charlie broke the kiss, breathing heavily. She had never heard him sound out of breath before.
“I want to touch you so badly,” he croaked, his voice raw and throaty.
“You are touching me,” she countered quickly, wanting his mouth on her again.
She caught a hint of a smile before he opened his eyes, the red completely extinguished by pure, black lust. Black is my new favorite color, she thought as her stomach fluttered.
“No,” he said, his body pulling away, and she wanted to cry at the loss. But he didn’t let her regret the loss long as his fingers skimmed down her torso, making her skin tingle in sweet anticipation. “Like this,” he whispered in her ear as his hand found her core, his fingertip brushing lightly over the tiny bundle of nerves.
Oh, my sweet heaven. Fire licked over her skin at the raw, undeniable pleasure making her body tremble. He was watching her, his dark gaze locked with hers as his expert fingers danced over her. Her voice was lost to her as her body shook violently. It was too much. She was going to explode if he didn’t stop.
“Too…too much,” she managed to croak. Her nails sank into his shoulders and he pulled her down for a scorching kiss.
***
Forever. He needed this forever. This feeling. This body. This woman. Forever.
Every instinct in Charlie’s body told him to take her. To possess her completely. To mark her as his mate. To bring her into his world completely so this would never have to end. That’s what most of his kind did when they found their mates. If they weren’t already immortal, that is. The thought of losing her to old age made him clutch her a little tighter.
She was untouched, and being the only man to do so floored his libido into a possessive rampage. He checked his need to be inside her by gently pushing a single finger into her warmth. A sharp pain lanced through his lip as Nessie released his mouth to let out a strangled, desperate cry. He watched her come apart, her perfect body arching beautifully. He kept one hand on her core, bringing her down from the pleasure high. Gripping the back of her neck, he pulled her down to him and captured her mouth. And tasted the heady mixture of Nessie’s pleasure-fueled blood and his own.
She pulled away, her eyes popping open, flecks of sparkling gold in the hazel. “What…what the hell was that?” she gasped through labored breaths.
He smirked at her. Okay, ego check. But the smile would not leave his face. “Oh, I think you know.”
Her eyes narrowed on him just before she scrambled off him. “What did you do to me?” Fear edged into her voice, making him stand to comfort her, but she backed away, warning him off as her gaze dropped to his groin where his raging hard-on pointed straight at her. Her eyes widened for a moment before flickering back up to his.
“You asked for pleas
ure,” he said. And, oh man, did he deliver.
Her jaw ticked as she clenched her teeth. “From your fangs, I said.”
He felt himself smirk again. “I used those too, didn’t I?”
She closed her eyes as she inhaled deeply. “What did you do to me?” she asked again.
What kind of a stupid question was that? “I gave you an orgasm,” he said, taking a step toward her and holding out his hand. She held her ground this time, watching him warily as her eyes dropped to his hand, which was coated with the evidence of what he’d done to her.
Her body still trembled slightly and realization dawned on him. He knew she had been untouched by another male, and from the fear and confusion that shadowed her face, she had never sought self-gratification either. He had given her her first orgasm. Gods, that was not going to help his hard-on problem.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Her eyes widened in recognition. She knew the word, that was obvious as her cheeks flushed and her kiss-swollen lips parted in surprise, making him want to kiss her senseless all over again. He took another step toward her. Her wide eyes darted down his body again, but she didn't move away from him. As he reached his hand up towards her face, her body stiffened in a silent message: No.
He sighed and dropped his hand to his side.
"I didn't ask you to do that," she snapped at him, her arms wrapping around her body protectively.
He stepped away from her, needing distance from her stinging rejection. "You didn't tell me to stop, and neither did your body."
"And that gives you the right to violate me?" Her voice rose as anger filtered back in.
His molars ground at the insult, his own frustration moving his body forward, stepping into the space he had just created between them. "Let us get one thing clear, Vanessa." She bristled at the name, but he didn't care. "What just happened, we both wanted. And don’t deny it because we both know it's true," he snapped as he saw her mouth open in an attempt to rebut his claim. "You wanted me to bite you, to prove to you that it can be pleasurable. I’m over four centuries old. I know when a woman wants me. And you I happen to be particularly in tune with. You wanted me five minutes ago. Fangs and all. So stop acting like now they’re suddenly a problem.”
She closed the distance between them, anger radiating from her as she got in his face. "They are a problem. Vampires have ruined my life, and you were one of them!"
"How in the fuck did I ruin your life?”
Her face reddened as she clenched her fists, eyes shimmering with tears. “You left!”
He sucked in a shaky breath at her words, shame dousing the flames of his fury.
“You were supposed to be my friend. My best friend. My only friend. And you just…left. No goodbye. No ‘I’ll be back’ or ‘I’ll miss you.’ Just…nothing.” The tears slid from her eyes, sparkling like yellow diamonds. She blinked, more tears overflowing as she sniffled and took a calming breath. When she looked back at him, the anger was gone. Only a deep, raw pain caught his gaze. “Ten years, Charlie. You left me in that god-forsaken mansion for ten years. Now, all of a sudden, you’re back and you expect me to just fall into your waiting arms?”
His shoulder slumped as she threw his biggest regret in his face. “I can’t change the past, Nessie. As much as I wish I could go back and save you from it all, I can’t. I left because Jacques ordered me to. If I hadn’t obeyed him, he would have suspected I was working against him. I had to leave.”
She studied him for a moment, crossing her arms over her chest. “You didn’t mind disobeying him to save me now. What changed over the last decade?”
“You didn’t leave me much choice. Jacques would have killed you.”
“He could have done that at any time during the decade you were gone. You weren’t too worried about it then.”
He had no clue what she would mean to him when he left all those years ago. His heart had been dead and cold, and hell-bent on his vengeful plans. Her blood had broken the icy walls he’d built over the centuries, her wit and determination thawing him out and making him crave a happiness he’d never known. Her gaze a beacon of hope. Her touch calling him home. And he knew she felt the connection. Even if she didn’t understand what it meant. So, why was she clinging to the past?
“I can’t change what happened,” he said, wanting to pull her into his arms and stop her tears. “All I can do is make it up to you now. Getting you out of the mansion was a start, right?”
There was a long silence as they stared at each other before Nessie finally stepped back, shaking her head at him. “You’re ten years too late."
With that, she turned on her heel and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. But the door didn’t stop the soft sounds of her sobbing from reaching him, making him realize that he’d broken her heart without even knowing it. And he needed to find a way back into it.
***
"Nessie," a distant voice called. A gentle hand brushed across her cheek as she heard it call again. "Nessie, wake up."
She groaned and peeled her heavy lids open a moment later. Charlie crouched beside her, his hand still on her face.
"It's time to get going, Ness. The sun’s going to set any minute."
She wrinkled her nose and buried her face in the crook of her arm.
He chuckled. "If you don't wake up, I will be forced to find more creative ways to entice you."
Peeking out from her arm, she glared at him. "Don’t you dare,” she growled, her voice muffled by the soft material of her sweater. His scent was all over it, and her dreams had taken their lusty encounter to a whole new level. She should shred this sweater…but it was the only one she had.
“Alright, I warned you,” he said, coming towards her.
"Fine, I'm up," she snapped, rising from the couch she’d crashed on. After he’d offered her the cooked rabbit meat he’d made for her. Damn his sweetness. She crossed the room and found her other belongings where she'd left them.
As soon as she opened the door to step outside, she knew this was going to be a long night. The wind bit at her exposed skin, and she knew her nose and cheeks would be red and numb within a few minutes. Charlie stepped up behind her. She could feel his body graze her back and her body warmed. Traitorous body of hers always wanting the one person she did not want. She stepped away and started trekking forward.
Charlie fell into step beside her and she glanced over at him. If the cold bothered him, he wasn’t showing it one bit. They walked in silence and she didn’t glance his way again.
A light snow started soon after, but it didn’t last long. The wind picked up, threatening to throw her off balance, and the snow slapped at her face as she tried to press forward. As much as she tried, she couldn’t stop her teeth from chattering and her body from shaking beneath the thick coat and boots she wore.
She halted when Charlie’s fingers grasped her arm, pulling her to a stop. “Can you continue in this?” he asked her, concern turning his lips onto a thin line.
She simply nodded in answer, afraid her voice would be lost in the wind anyway.
“Are you sure?”
Nessie rolled her eyes at him and pulled her arm from his grasp, continuing forward.
As much as she wanted to deny it, her steps were beginning to slow, and pushing against the wind was draining her fast. She held on, refusing to let the weakness stop her. Her body was almost numb, and taking a breath of the cold air felt like icy spikes.
She stumbled on her feet, but caught herself. Another few steps. Stumble. Another step. When she lost her footing the third time, Charlie’s arms wrapped around her.
He came in front of her, one arm holding her up while the other stripped his own jacket off and pulled it over her shoulders. When he lifted her into his arms, cradling her against his body, she shook her head violently. Being this close to him was dangerous, especially in her fragile state.
He glared down at her. “You can barely put one foot in front of the other and your lips are blue.�
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“I…I…I’m……f…fi…fine,” she stuttered through chattering teeth.
He shook his head at her as he turned around and began walking back the direction they came. “Sure you are.”
“R…r…real…really.”
“We’ve barely been out in this for an hour, and I don’t know how long until we come across some kind of shelter. We are better off turning around and going back to the cabin until this blows over.”
“I…I…c…can…walk…my…myself.”
He smirked. “You can barely talk, let alone walk all the way back.” He smiled down at her. “Besides, I don’t mind carrying you.”
Had her cheeks not already been red from the cold, she would have blushed. She did feel herself smile, tried to stop it, and failed miserably.
His smile widened before his eyes went back to the path of tracks that marked their way.
The journey back to the cabin took half the time with the wind pushing them forward. He kicked the door open and deposited her on the small couch before disappearing outside again.
Nessie huddled inside the jackets, cupping her face with her hands in an attempt to warm her bitter cheeks and nose. Charlie returned a few minutes later with a bundle of wood in his arms. He kicked the door shut and dropped the bundle next to the fireplace.
Nessie sighed in relief as the flame sparked and the fire started crackling. She closed her eyes at the beautiful sound, waiting for the heat to reach her.
Suddenly, one jacket was pulled off her and she opened her eyes. Charlie started pulling the other one off her.
Nessie yanked the jacket closer to her. “What are you doing?” she snapped.
His eyes found hers, sadness in the blue depths. “I’m sorry, Ness, but I can’t risk losing you to hypothermia. Your lips are still blue. You need to take these wet clothes off and get in front of the fire with me.”
First Kiss of Freedom: A Vampire Shifter Hybrid Romance (The Whitemoon Warriors Series Book 1) Page 10
