“Fuckin’ stay down, man! That guy is off the chain … need to let this one go!”
In a fog I hear Alex shouting at me as sweat and blood drip down into my one good eye. I struggle to push up from the concrete, not wanting Mr. T-Rex Dickhead to take tonight’s win from me. The ribs on my right side are pulsating in white hot pain, but I’ll take that shit all day long rather than lose like a total pussy. No, somehow he’s going down. I just have to find a way to do it. Right fucking quick.
His Southern drawl is menacing as he warns, “Get off that floor and I’ll make you regret it.” A wad of his spit lands two inches from my face.
Nobody talks to me like that. Ever.
My entire body burns in agony as I force myself up from the filthy ground. I do my best not to stagger sideways as I get my feet beneath me. Staring at him, I silently wonder where the hell this guy came from. I thought I knew all the toughest fighters in the southeast. It’s not that he’s particularly skilled; the sheer mass of him is a force to be reckoned with. I’m just shy of six and a half feet and he’s got several inches on me and at least eighty pounds of honed muscle. I know that there’s only one thing I can do to fire myself up enough to beat him and I dread going there.
As he stalks toward me, knowing that he’s already put me through the fucking ringer, I force my mind to go back to that night, the night she died, the night he blamed me for it, for everything.
A red wall of rage rises up as I attack, launching myself hard at my opponent.
“Holy shit! Fuck yeah! Lay into him, Brennan!”
Alex’s booming voice is like a distant echo as I go completely crazy, finding the strength I was looking for to savagely beat the man, imagining that he’s my piece of shit father. Using my last reserves of energy, I let my fists go into overdrive, slamming into him over and over without a scrap of mercy. His sporadic hits that come between mine hardly register; I’m too far gone for that. I haven’t a clue how I got him down to the ground and beneath me, but at this point his face is quickly beginning to resemble a large package of hamburger meat.
I have no regrets; he knows the game and would’ve done the same or worse to me, given the chance. He nearly did. He stops resisting and I’m hauled away, still swinging. It’s over, and even though I’ve won, I feel sick. I push viciously past the onlookers to get outside of the warehouse, needing air because I’m about to puke.
The boxing tape hangs in bloody shreds off my swollen, clenched fists held against my filthy Adidas track pants. I’m shaking from the aftershock of the adrenaline spike as I pull out my mouth guard, spitting out saliva and blood in the process. With my tongue, I check my mouth to see if the gigantic bastard knocked loose any teeth.
A hand slaps down on my sweaty back, and I twist my head to see Alex standing there sporting a just-got-a-blowjob grin. “Damn, son! That was fuckin’ epic.” He hikes a thumb over his shoulder. “His pissed-off buddies are still tryin’ to haul him up in there. Scary as shit to see you like that though—possessed psycho motherfucker. I don’t know where you found that rage, my man, but it sure won you the fight of the year, not to mention paying out big time for your best buddy, who always bets double on your crazy ass to win. Hey, you all right, man? You don’t look so good.”
No fucking shit. I was just about annihilated by a freak of nature.
Bent forward and still struggling to breathe normally, I look up at Alex. “You know how to find people, right?” His brow furrows. “There’s a girl I need you to find for me,” I explain. “Tried without any luck for two weeks now.”
“I can try, what do you know about her?”
“Remember that night, down near your bar when the cycle pulled up?”
“Yeah, the one that about gave you a hard on.”
I clutch my throbbing side and grit out through clenched teeth, “Yeah, well it actually was the rider that got me hard, not the bike, smartass.”
“You’re shitting me. That was a chick on that Ducati?”
“Yup.”
“Fuck. That’s so hot. What do you know about her, aside from her expensive taste in exotic cycles?”
I’m only willing to share the basics, not that he would believe the rest of it if his life depended on it.
“Name’s Cosette. No last name that I know of. Cycle’s rare, like I thought, a 1299 Panigale S. I’d be shocked if there were more than five of ’em in the entire state of Georgia. Lives alone, apparently. No address or place of work known.”
“Got a cousin, Josh, works over at the DMV. He might be able to pull somethin’ up on the owner of the bike as a favor. That and I can ask around. Savannah’s not a big enough place to hide in for long, especially not when someone’s looking hard.”
“Appreciate it, man.”
“I’ll let you know. Hey, lemme give you a lift home. You’re in no condition to get on that chopper.”
“Good call. Need to settle up with Mace first.”
“Go get your cash from the little bastard. I’ll wait for you in the truck. I’m parked right around the corner.”
“Thanks.”
“You got it, brother.”
I’m walking back toward the warehouse, peeling the saturated wraps off my hands, when the sexiest voice on the planet says smoothly from behind me, “Next time you might want to have more of a say in your opponents, cowboy. That was a tight win. My call? You got lucky.”
I straighten my shoulders and turn around slowly, a smile on my face. “Yeah, well I’m glad you liked the show, babydoll. And when it comes to fightin’, I always seem to be kind of lucky ’cause I’m that good. Surprised I didn’t see you watchin’—then again, he had me a bit preoccupied. You lookin’ for some company tonight, wildcat? I could definitely use an extra set of hands cleaning up these wounds—that is, if you’re up for it.”
Her eyes track over my wrecked body, following the trail of cuts and multicolored bruises. She sighs, “I don’t know if I should be suspicious or flattered that you’ve been digging for intel on me. What in the world am I going to do with you?”
I give her my best devilish grin. “Anything you like, wildcat, and hopefully it’ll be illegal in most states.”
She laughs and shakes her head. Does she have any clue how gorgeous she is?
“All right, you win, again. I’ll take you home. Go settle up and let your friend know that you have a lift.”
“That’s all good, sugar, but your ride’s only a single seater, remember? Can’t fit a big man like me on there with ya.”
“Who says I brought the motorcycle? I drove a car tonight, and by the way, my bike is registered under a false address. A necessary precaution against nosy cowboys.”
“You’re a handful, you know that, princess?”
“Better that than being dull.”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.”
***
“So I suppose that whatever you’re behind the wheel of has gotta be somethin’ straight outta The Fast and the Furious?”
Whipping the black Audi R-8 to the curb about a hundred yards from his house, I glance over and grin at him. “Bingo.”
“Sweet ride, wildcat. Never been in one of these before. Would ask what you do to be able to afford it, but not sure I wanna go there.” He glances down at the blood stains that his fresh injuries have left on the light-colored seat. “I’ll come back out later and wipe down the leather, promise.”
“Thanks for the offer, but I think your focus right now should be on those nasty gashes of yours. Let’s get you inside and cleaned up so there’s no possibility of infection setting in. That place you fight in is definitely lacking in any concept of hygiene.”
He starts to laugh and suddenly winces, his right hand flying up toward a particularly deep gash above his eye. “Stop making me laugh, woman. It’s fuckin’ cruel.”
I shut the car off, reach back and grab the bag full of items I’ve just picked up for him from the twenty-four-hour convenience store two blocks away. Stepping out, I go around the back of the car, thinking that it’s witty banter like this that draws me perilously closer to him. I’ve had several physical relationships before, but nothing of real depth and never with anyone who made me laugh and feel so desirable. There’s an undeniable connection between us, a unique understanding this brusque, mysterious human offers me that draws me into his seductive web.
I did my best to stay away. I really did.
He tries to stifle a muffled groan of pain while unfolding himself from the low slung sports car. He’s still shirtless and his battered left hand is clutched tightly against his ribs.
“Hand me the keys. Let’s get you inside.”
“They’re in the front zipper of my backpack.”
“Got it.” I snag the keys, hand him the backpack, and step up to his front door.
Once inside I set the bag down on the small island. I take out the Gatorade and Advil and place them on the wood. Within seconds I feel his heat closing in against my back, making me go still with nerves and raw lust.
In his low drawl, he says quietly against my hair, “Don’t matter why you came back, just that you did. I would’ve found you, Cosette. I hope you know that. The time for runnin’ from me is over.”
Ever so slowly, I turn around and stare up at him. The moonlight plays against his features, making him appear both handsome and fierce. For the first time in my life I have no clever response, and apparently he’s not waiting for one because his backpack drops straight down to the floor beside us as his hand moves up gently to caress the left side of my neck.
His stubbled face is calm but his eyes gleam with a hunger that matches my own. He uses his thumb to trail lazy passes back and forth against my jaw line while his fingers curl possessively around the side of my neck. Everything about him—his measured control, his natural, all male scent, and his larger than life presence—overwhelms me with primal desire. I took precautions before seeing him tonight. I fed, hoping that it would help me to stay focused.
His free hand closes around my hip and pulls me closer against his heat. He whispers, not a half inch away from my lips, “Thank you for coming back and for not fighting me. I want you so damn bad that just the thought of you drives me to the edge, you know that, baby? You know how you haunt me each and every sleepless night? Don’t know why, but I’m not gonna relent until I figure you out, and it all starts between us tonight.”
My breath catches in my throat and my body responds, aching in hot need at the delivery of his possessive words.
“Don’t be afraid of me.”
“It’s not you that scares me, Colton.”
“Good. ’Cause I’d never hurt you. But I’d damn near kill anyone who ever did. Any more wolf encounters, while we’re on the topic of your safety? Been worried about you.”
A protector? Be careful, Cosette. He’s human; there’s no future with him. Whatever happens, enjoy it as temporary, but don’t get attached.
“No. Things have been relatively quiet lately. Besides, you know that I’m exceptionally capable of taking care of myself, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I know that. Doesn’t mean I gotta like it though, so from now on, I’m your first line of defense. End of story.”
“That’s chivalrous, but you can’t do that unless you take care of yourself first. Here, drink this and take these, please.” I reach behind me to retrieve the two bottles off the butcher-block island.
“I can do that. See? We’re a good team, lookin’ out for each other like this. Mind putting two of those in my mouth? Sorry, but my hands are filthy, darlin’.”
“Sure.” I open the cap and try not to appear as nervous as I feel. I tip them out and take one between my fingers. “Ready?”
Our eyes collide the same moment his mouth opens and his tongue slides out.
Oh God. He has to know how he’s unraveling me at every turn. Whatever few defenses I had left have disintegrated in his presence. The chemistry between us is so incredibly powerful.
I do my best to steady my hand as I place a pill on his tongue and watch him take a long swig of the orange liquid. We go through the same motions once again, and just watching him swallow leaves me practically shaking with need. I want him to touch me. Anywhere.
He turns, takes a few steps, flips the lock on the deadbolt and crosses back to me. His voice is low and has a gruff edge to it as he says, “Gonna take that mouth of yours now. Can’t wait any longer to taste you.”
His hands wind urgently through my tresses as his face closes in, becoming a blur as those beautiful lips of his collide with mine for the first time. The pleasure of his hot, skilled mouth rolls over me like a warm wave as his eager tongue slips in, seeking mine. My hands twine around his neck, pulling him closer. I need more.
“Oh!”
I gasp as he roughly grabs my ass and hoists me up onto the island without uttering a word or breaking the contact between us. As we face each other eye to eye, things turn frantic. Our tongues lap and devour while our hands roam everywhere in greedy exploration.
A rough, sexy sound like a purr rises up from deep in his chest, so sensual that it causes my fangs to drop. He immediately notices and pulls back a few inches to stare across at me.
He’s breathing hard. In a low, wondering voice, he says, “Holy shit, your … your eyes. They’re black again, just like that first night … Jesus, baby, and those fangs ….”
Damn it! There is nothing I can do about the natural change that happens when I’m either highly aroused or seriously pissed off and ready to draw blood.
Suddenly shy, I look down. “This is what happens when I get really worked up. There’s nothing I can do about it. Do I look ugly to you?”
“Hell no, nothing about you could ever turn me off. It’s really fuckin’ intense, that’s all. Not gonna lie, I didn’t know you, those black eyes would definitely shock the shit outta me. Open your mouth for me; lemme see those sexy fangs.”
I open wide and tilt my neck back a bit as he curiously examines them.
“Now those are hot.”
“Oh yeah? How hot?”
He whispers as if he’s sharing a naughty secret with me, “This hot.”
His mouth claims mine once again and I can’t help but whimper with pleasure at the power of the connection. His hands are still wrapped around the back of my thighs as he grasps tighter, lifting me up into the air, pulling me tight against his strong body.
I break the kiss to gasp, “Wait, what are you doing? Your ribs, Colton!”
He’s moving quickly. My legs are instinctively wrapped around his waist and we’re already at the base of the stairs when he tells me in an all-male, very amused voice, “Hush up, woman. I’m not that injured. Now hold on and gimme those lips again.”
For a human he’s undeniably strong and impossibly demanding. I happen to be turned on by both traits. Highly.
I do as I’m told and seductively lick across the seam of his lips when his eyes flare in hungry interest. Tilting my head to the side I begin to softly explore his mouth with mine, kissing him slowly as we make our way up the staircase and then down the long shadowed hallway leading to his bedroom.
I’m vaguely aware of him slowly releasing me as I slide down his body. Our lips are still connected as my heels touch the floor. His fingers trace across my forehead as he pulls back. “Damn, I’m a gross wreck, angel. Wanna keep me company while I shower?”
I grin. Do I ever.
“Lead the way.”
A pleased look flicks across his face as he guides me through a door in the far corner of the room. Once inside the dark enclosure, he hits the light, revealing a pristine, pale gray and white marble bathroom that is first-rate in its construction. He releases me to turn the dual showerheads to the ‘on’ position as I admire his work.
“You kept this from me on the tour, you know.” My voice sounds different—softer and distinctly nervous.
How can being alone with a man have this effect on me? Get yourself together, lady.
“Yep. I like the thought of constantly surprising you.”
“I am surprised, but so far, I’m quite a fan of your taste and skill. It’s perfect.”
“No.”
I tilt my head, “No?”
He turns around and rests both hands on his hips. His searing gaze begins at my feet and ever so slowly travels up until he’s peering down at me through impossibly long lashes. “Perfection to me isn’t this room or any other, sweetheart, but what’s standin’ right in front of me is.”
My breath hitches. Never has a man ever made me feel so adored, so cherished. Especially in such a short period of time. It’s his honesty and sincerity that are so touching.
“Colton, I ….”
He suddenly seems uncomfortable with his verbal display of affection and turns away again to check the water temperature. Swiftly changing the subject, he says, “Hush. Shower with me now. Thinkin’ I’m definitely gonna need some help cleaning these cuts on my back.”
“Is that the only reason you want me to join you?”
He turns back to face me again, his demeanor all business, “Fuck no.”
“I didn’t think so.”
“That a yes, then?”
Without another word I begin to slowly undo the zipper on the side of my black silk skirt. I keep my eyes locked onto his. I wore the feminine outfit, along with the wicked Bordelle lingerie, just for him, knowing that there was a strong possibility we would wind up like this.
As my skirt flutters gently to the floor right along with my modesty, his lips part slightly, and every muscle in his body tightens till he’s like a drawn bow. I see the outline of his thick cock, which pulses eagerly behind his black track bottoms, and I can’t help but swallow at its size—even more impressive than I had imagined. He looks like a savage whose one last thread of humanity is about to snap.
I want it all.
“Now the rest,” he says.
His voice is gravelly and controlled as he grates out the command. I pull off my top and then kick off my stilettos. Moving slowly, I take a single step closer to him, immediately wondering if I’ve just made a colossal mistake, because now he’s towering over me and I’m left feeling exposed and nearly helpless in only my miniscule bra and panties. How can he make me feel like this, so feminine and delicate? As a vampire I’m aware that I’m exponentially stronger than he is, but that doesn’t change my urge to submit to the dominance that he exudes when we’re alone like this.
“Your turn.” My eyes trail down to his low slung pants and then back up to his face.
His lips press together and then tip up at the corners as both thumbs hook into the waistband on each side of his toned hips. Ever so slowly he slides the shiny black fabric down, revealing a pleasure trail of tanned male flesh while freeing his delicious length in the process. My eyes are riveted on his cock as he carelessly kicks the garment off to one side. He folds his arms across his chest and lets me look my fill. My mouth is already watering as dampness floods my scrap of silk panties. He’s nothing short of magnificent.
His head dips to my torso. “I’m not a patient man, wildcat. Need help with those?”
My mouth snaps shut. I realize that I’ve actually been salivating at the sight of this naked male. Cool and unaffected, Cosette? Long gone.
“I was just taking my time, admiring your impressive assets.”
“Mmm-hmm. You’re about to admire them a helluva lot closer. Now let me see what I’ve been dreaming about for these past couple of weeks.”
His arrogance is incredibly sexy and only ramps up my desire to be ravaged. Reaching back, I unhook the bra first and shimmy out of it, letting the delicate scrap of fabric drop between us. He remains silent, but his gleaming eyes are locked onto my breasts like a starving predator’s. My nipples harden under his blatant stare, and before I lose my nerve, I begin to slowly work my panties down and off of my legs. His deep groan sounds almost inhuman as his fierce gaze consumes me. I hold still as he reaches out, placing his hands on my waist and pulling me in close as he walks us backward into the marble shower. Steam has already filled the enclosure, making everything hazy. His large, callused hands begin running across my bare flesh.
“Damn, you’re a vision, baby. So fuckin’ soft and beautiful. I can’t think straight around you.”
His hands wrap around my shoulders, and he positions me beneath the warm spray. I reach out to touch his chest but he stops me, grabbing onto my wrists with a stern shake of his head. “Nuh-uh. Lemme get clean for you first, then those pretty hands can explore all they want.”
He turns, snags a bar of soap, and steps back under the spray shooting out from the opposing showerhead. I watch him as he washes, all business and efficiency. The grime and dried blood begin to blend with the white bubbles that slide down his wet skin and finally swirl in a pool at the drain. He’s heartbreakingly gorgeous and doesn’t seem to have a clue. Maybe that’s why I’m so enamored. He’s pure and raw and so unlike anyone, human or vampire, I’ve ever met.
And I’m not waiting a second longer.
He’s just turned around. He has his back to me and is scrubbing his palms against his face beneath the water when I meld my body to his, reaching my right hand around to grip his sex. He goes stone still, obviously surprised by my bold move. I begin to stroke him, and his thick cock kicks and jerks hotly against my fingers, eager for more attention. His hands slap high against the slick wall and I watch his head drop low, the water rolling down and across his bruised and cut back as he repeatedly groans in guttural pleasure.
I can’t resist trailing soft kisses along his injuries as I work him from behind. My left hand has just reached around to caress his balls when he grasps hold of my wrists and squeezes—just firmly enough to stop me. I’m about to protest when he lets go and turns around to stare down at me with a look of sheer ferocity on his face.
His voice is nearly unrecognizable as he says, “What you just did, touchin’ me like that, well that’s just like addin’ a gallon of kerosene to an already blazin’ bonfire, darlin’. Back up against that wall now. Do it.”
I’m stunned for a second because I’ve never had a dominant lover before. A couple have made weak attempts to show dominance, but it ended up awkward and nearly laughable. No, this alpha human means exactly what he says and has the wherewithal to back it up. If I refuse his command he would most likely punish me or worse, end it. It’s that black and white. I’m too far gone with pure lust to even consider hesitating, so on unsteady legs I step back and press my backside against the sleek marble, wondering what his next move will be. He surprises me by closing in and wedging both his feet between mine as he works my legs wide open for him. I watch excitedly as he drops down to his knees before me. His scarred hands slowly skim up the length of my legs while his head disappears into the delicate flesh between my thighs. I sigh deeply at the first skilled swipe of his wide, warm tongue.
“Mmm, Colton.”
A throaty growl is his only reply.
He takes his time, lapping ever so slowly as my body relaxes and yields to his touch. With trembling hands I reach out and caress his shoulders, marveling at their massiveness while the water trickles in rivulets through his hair and lower down along his tattooed skin.
“Oh, please … so good. God, don’t ever stop.”
My pleas seem to spur him on because he moves lower to work that wicked tongue of his farther up inside of me. The heat of his mouth against my sensitive folds is so intoxicating that it’s throwing my body headlong into blissful chaos. Without realizing it, I spread my legs as wide as they can go. I pull him closer, desperate for the intense pleasure to last. I’m clinging to him as my hips grind down against his mouth. Close, so close, nearly there … how did I ever live without this? Just a few more swipes of that perfect tongue of yours, cowboy ….
***
I know one thing … if I ever tasted something this sweet and perfect before now I sure as hell would’ve kept a tight rein on it, never lettin’ it get far. Not only is the taste of her beyond belief but she’s so flawless that I’m having trouble focusing on the job at hand. The moment I dropped down to show her how badly I’ve wanted to taste her I nearly became unhinged at the sight of her bare, stunning pussy. I should’ve known it would be like the rest of her, exceptional beyond measure.
Time to tame you, darlin’.
Her eyes flutter open in dazed confusion as I rise to my feet, spinning her around to face the wall at the same time.
“Wha-what?”
Using my right hand I tether both her wrists in my grasp, pinning them high up above her head.
Now she’ll know exactly who’s in charge.
I mold my body against her silken skin and whisper darkly, “Hush, Cosette. In all fairness, you need to be warned, baby.”
“Warned? About what?”
Her delicate voice quivers with excitement on the last word as she tries to turn back to find my eyes.
“That I fuck exactly like my personality, sweetheart: firm, relentless, and completely determined.”
She cries out as I move in, guiding my cock right up to align with her drenched entrance. In one unyielding motion I press into her and have to grind my back molars together because her pussy is impossibly tight and so damn exquisite. I’ve never felt anything even fuckin’ close to this level of perfection. My only goal is to make certain that she feels my passion for her, that once I get her there she’ll have no doubt of my intentions and how deep my emotions already run.
Once I’m seated to the hilt, I give her all my weight so there isn’t an inch of space between us. I drop a lone kiss against the back of her wet hair and whisper in her left ear, “All right?”
She whimpers slightly before answering, “P-please, I need—”
I cut her off, “I know, wildcat. Trust me, I know.”
With that I tighten my hold on her wrists and wrap my left hand around her waist as I pull back and slam right into her. She barely has time to scream before I start up a driving rhythm, fucking her with everything I have, knowing that’s exactly how we’ve both been craving it since our first encounter.
Quickly her desperate shrieks turn wild, close to animalistic, as I pin her gorgeous, wet body against the wall and continue working her relentlessly on my cock. I’m focused on sending her right over the cliff before I follow. The way her pussy is clinging to me is stretching my control to the snapping point. I ramp up my thrusts and at the same time slip my fingers down to play right against that rigid, eager clit of hers.
“Oh, yes. Oh God, please, Colton!”
I grin in satisfaction as she bucks hard against me. Using my index finger I start up a relentless circle as she starts to shake and tighten against my hold. Nearly there … so fuckin’ beautiful.
Against the back of her head I grind out the command, “Let go for me, Cosette. Do it. Give me that orgasm. I want it from you and I’m gonna get it.”
Buried impossibly deep within her, I feel the first clenching waves start up. I pull back out and thrust home, grinding firmly into her tightness as her screams of ecstasy begin bouncing off the shower walls.
Music to my fuckin’ ears.
“That’s it, such a good girl.” I growl low, not able to hold back a second longer. I intensify my pounding thrusts, loving the way she’s cumming for me without holding anything back. I shove deep inside of her one last time before releasing with a raw shout, my cock pulsing so fast and hard from the unbelievable orgasm that I’m seeing black spots and feel like I’m on the verge of passing out.
Holy fuck. Unfiltered perfection.
I’m gasping for breath and feeling like my muscles are suddenly made of Jell-O—most likely the after effects from the fight and the rampant fucking—when I realize that she is perfectly still. Too still.
Oh shit.
Did I hurt her? Was I too rough?
My eyes fly up to see her tiny hands balled into fists, completely trapped in my punishing hold. “Cosette?”
I gently pull out of her pliant body, release her and spin her around to face me, but before I can blink she’s shoved me away and I go flying back four feet to slam against the opposite wall. I wince as my back hits the marble so fucking hard—it’s a wonder the shit didn’t crack under pressure. Pain rolls though me but I mentally push it back.
She stares across at me with the crazed look of a trapped animal, a look I’ve never seen on her face before. Her fangs are bared and the black pupils are just adding to the shocking sight.
With difficulty she rasps, “Get … get away from me.”
She looks scared out of her mind. What changed?
“Cosette, what’s wrong? Talk to me, sweetheart.” I take a step toward her to comfort her but she shrinks away into the corner, yelling, “No! I’m about to bite you! Get away!”
She’s hungry? I’m furious that she’s holding back when she needs something. I lash out, “Then fuckin’ bite me, woman! Take what you need, I don’t give a shit! I just want to give it all to you. Don’t you think that the thought of you drinkin’ my blood hasn’t crossed my mind before now? I’m not that fucking dense. Gimme some damn credit!”
She stares at me for a long, tension-filled moment and finally rasps out, “Please, please, Colton, at least go into the other room. I need time to get my emotions under control. Please … the urge is so strong and I’m worried that I won’t be able to control myself with you. I’m begging you.”
Give and take. You’ve waited this long to get close to her. Don’t piss her off now. The possibility that she would ever harm me is stupid as shit, but I’ll give her what she wants. This time around.
“Fine. You have ten minutes then I’m comin’ back in here to get ya.”
She nods once and I can’t help but think how beautifully vulnerable she looks with her long black hair covering her breasts as she stands drenched and naked before me. My dick starts to harden at the thought of sinking into her once again.
I snap a towel off the rack and stalk into the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind me, reluctantly giving her the privacy she pleaded so desperately for.
I briskly towel off, trying to calm my surging emotions. I had hoped that the shower session would lead right to round two in my bed, where I could make slow, sweet love to her for the next two hours.
What the hell happened?
I toss a Duraflame log into the fireplace and use a Zippo to light each end. Securing the towel tightly around my waist, I cross barefoot to the bed and flop down onto my aching back, the tension and intensity of the past several hours finally taking its toll. I glance over at the bedside clock, which reads 2:17 a.m. Light streams out of the bathroom as she suddenly emerges. I prop myself up on my elbows to watch her. I sigh because she’s dressed and that’s something I’m not fucking happy about in the least.
“C’mere.”
Hesitantly she replies, “I really need to go.”
“I do somethin’ wrong, somethin’ you didn’t like in that shower, babydoll? I can handle it. Tell me.”
Her dark brows draw together and she vigorously shakes her head. “No. No, it was nothing like that. Honestly. It’s just ….”
She trails off and looks away, staring at the leaping flames.
I’m not giving her the chance to keep what’s going on to herself.
I growl, “Look at me. It’s just what?”
Now blue, her eyes fly to mine. “You were right. It’s just that I wanted to taste your blood. Desperately.”
“And that’s a problem how?”
“That’s a problem, Colton, because I crave it so badly that there is a strong probability that I wouldn’t be able to stop myself. I could very well kill you, drain you dry! Does that resonate with you?”
I bark out a laugh. “Shit, girl, you wouldn’t be able to kill me. I can handle you and that situation.”
I only catch a glimpse of her fury as the final word slips past my lips. Before I know it, she’s moving in a blur, pinning me down, straddling me with a vice-like hold on my throat.
“You think you can handle a vampire? Truly? Show me. Show me how strong you are, Colton. Do it.”
I’ve never heard her voice so flat and detached before, and it sends a shiver of discomfort up my spine. I swiftly brush the feeling aside, saying, “All right then.”
One hand closes around her slim wrist and the other latches onto her upper arm. I use my weight in an attempt to flip her beneath me, but nothing happens. Logic tells me that it’s impossible, that there is absolutely no reason for me not to be able to flip a slight female, but the force she is exerting to hold me down is immense, easily equal to that of five men my size. Not possible. I strain harder and try again, using everything I have to move her. Nothing. I am trapped beneath her, completely immobilized and gasping for air.
She leans down to whisper menacingly, “Now do you see how dangerous it is for me to be this close to you? I was on the verge of bleeding you dry in that shower, Colton. The force of the orgasm ignited my unchecked hunger for you. It’s a miracle that you’re still alive.”
She opens her hand and sits back on her haunches.
I push up on my elbows and in a matter-of-fact voice argue, “Lemme tell you somethin’, and I want you to listen close. Instinct has kept me alive all these years, Cosette, and deep down it’s screaming at me to trust you. Completely. Now make up all the fuckin’ excuses you want, woman, but the fact is, we’re right for each other, and if you wanna drink from me, for whatever reason, then do it, because I sure as shit don’t want you going anywhere else from this point on. You’re mine.”
She seems stunned at the gravity of my words.
“I’m serious.”
“Colton … this, all of this between us is so foreign to me. Not only am I trying to figure out what you are coming to mean to me but more importantly, how to keep from harming you. There might be a way for me to drink from you, but I need to give it some more thought. Can you be patient with me?”
“Yeah, yeah I can. Wanna kiss you, though. Get back down here.”
Her vivid eyes soften as she hovers closer. Her still damp hair falls all around us a moment before our lips connect. My hands close around her shoulders, pulling her against me as the tender kiss rapidly turns heated and frantic. I groan into her mouth as our tongues play in eager exploration. Her head tilts to the side as her hand caresses my cheek and then brushes over my hair.
I break the kiss for a moment to whisper, “You’re so damn perfect, you know that?”
“Colton, I’ve never—”
“Hush.”
I claim her mouth once again and savor the intensity, the energy that’s flowing between us. It’s always how I’d imagined and never dared to hope it could be with a lover.
Just when I’m about to take things to the next level she stops to whisper quietly, “I really have to get going.”
“No. I want you to stay the night with me.”
“I can’t.”
“Give me one reason.”
“Dawn.”
“Sunlight messes with you?”
“Immensely.”
“Need to fix that.”
“What?”
“Get some blackout curtains or even more shit in here so you can safely stay with me. I want you close to me.”
Both of her small palms run across my temples, “You’re an exceptional man, Colton.”
I just stare up at the woman who is quickly conquering every one of my well laid defenses.
“When can I see you again? I’m working ’til about two thirty every night this week, but I can come to your place afterward.”
She seems hesitant. “I … I don’t know, Colton. I’ve been trained to be incredibly private about where I live.”
“Fuckin’ blindfold me and take me there then. I want to spend time with you, not harm you or run my mouth to buddies regarding private shit about you. If you don’t know that about me by now then you never will.”
“I know, and you’re right. It’s just … with everything that’s been happening recently, I feel vulnerable. You can understand, right?”
“I want to, baby. I also want to help protect you—that is, if you’ll give me a chance.”
“Fine. I’ll pick you up on River Street tomorrow night. You can come with me to my place, but I’m warning you, the blindfold isn’t a bad idea. I might use it to get you there. I’m a wary kind. It’s the way I’ve been taught. Survival is paramount in my world, Colton.”
I grin at her. “Darlin’, give me a damn roofie if you want. Drug my ass to get me there if you have to. But know this: you can trust me. I’ll always have your back.”
“That means a lot.”
Her body feels so good on my chest that I’m reluctant for her to leave.
“Promise you’ll come.”
“Yes. I promise, Colton. I’ll see you in just about twenty-four hours.”
“Lemme write down my cell in case somethin’ comes up. If you’re running late, just text so I know you’re all right, ’kay?”
She slides off me and stands beside the bed, adjusting her skirt. “My cowboy. So protective.”
I get up and twine my arms around her waist. “You know it, Cosette. One last thing … why did you come to the fight tonight? It’s been two weeks and I was beginning to think we might never see each other again.”
“It’s simple, really. I couldn’t fight the pull anymore. You’ve done things to me, to my emotions, that are difficult to explain and impossible to deny. I tried hard to stay away, but each hour, each second that went by became more of a weight, a discomfort that had only one cure. You, Colton. You.”
My chest tightens as I pull her against me. In that moment I realize that she’s the one I’ve been searching for my entire life.
Now I just have to come up with a solid plan to keep us both alive.