When the big bad wolf approaches, Red Riding Hood should feel frightened. However, the wolf, or in this case sexy-as-sin vampire that approached Olivia caused her to tremble in the most delectable way. She did not feel frightened when he stood before her.
A light gray button down dress shirt strained over his thick pecs, tapered at his waist before leading to pressed midnight-black trousers and polished Testoni Italian leather dress shoes. The shirt sleeves were halfway rolled to the elbows, a gold Armani watch graced his wrist. She felt like the devil himself stepped into the room, home to claim his prize for the evening. The thought sent a delicious shiver snaking up her spine and a heat to build in her core.
She motioned to the fountain. “I have never been in a home with a fountain on the inside. It is truly beautiful.”
“Ahh, yes, Marie,” Ethan called her. “We had her installed a few years ago. She brings a sound to the silence that most days envelops our home.”
Olivia nodded and lowered her gaze. “You named her Marie?”
He nodded. “Have you toured much of the home?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I found the kitchen and Jake cooked for me.”
“Oh good. I was hoping you had food. How was your meal?”
“It was great.”
He offered his arm to her and she grasped it. She felt the muscle in his bicep and it flexed a few times. She wondered what he would look like with no shirt. Hell, naked. The idea sent a rush of heat to her core. The fit of his clothes did not leave much to the imagination, in the best way possible.
He cleared his throat and she blushed.
Right, emotions.
“So, Jake likes to cook. What do you do for fun?”
“Well,” He turned toward a room for entertainment. “I wouldn’t call it fun, but I’m a lawyer. Our family lawyer.”
“Oh,” she said and looked up at him. “Just for your brothers here?”
“Mostly, and I do some work with the coven when needed. I don’t think any of that will interest you, though, contracts and such.”
She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “No, sorry. No offense intended.”
He smiled. “None taken. Tell me about you?” Ethan said. They walked into the room and inside was the billiard table Jake spoke of. Were they going to play pool? There was a bar with many bottles of liquor. She grew curious.
“Ethan?”
He turned to her and raised his brows.
“Do vampires drink liquor?”
“Sometimes. It tastes like it did as a human, but it has no effects on us.”
“Wow, well, that’s no fun.”
He chuckled. “Well, I should say that’s partly true. If you were inebriated, and we drank from you, the alcohol in your blood would cause us to become drunk with you. But, it would take a large quantity of blood to do so.”
Blood?
A lot of her blood?
She let go of his arm and took a step back, nausea boiling up from her belly, a lump lodging in her throat. She felt sick.
“Olivia,” Ethan started. “I’m not going to suggest you drink and we take your blood. I would never do such a thing. That is barbaric. Also, when you’re ready to feed us, we’ll take it slow, easy, baby steps.”
She met his gaze and shook her head. “I hate needles.”
He raised a brow. “Well, that was random but understandable. I hate needles, too. I could never stand being pierced, poked, or any of the sort. Hated it.” He held his hand open for her. “Please, join me. I’d like to show you something.”
She hesitated for a moment, then decided to slip her hand into his. Like Jake’s, Ethan’s hand was soft. He brought her hand up and brushed his lips across the back of it. “Please, do not fear what you do not know,” he whispered. “You’re safe here.”
She nodded and lowered her gaze. “I… I have trust issues.”
He touched under her chin and tilted her head up. She met his gaze, his eyes a piercing blue. “I would think something off about you if you didn’t.”
She didn’t expect that, and it caught her off guard. She laughed. “Well, it didn’t help growing up an only child, my mother being an only child, not knowing who my father was except he’s an incubus, and no cousins. When my mother died, I became an orphan in this world. I have no one.”
“Not true,” he whispered. “You have all five of us.”
Her heart melted a little bit. Her hard resolve began to weaken, and soon the fortress that surrounded her would come crumbling down. She hoped her five men would be there to catch her when she fell.
Ethan reached for the door in the room and turned the knob. What would be on the other side?
A dungeon full of whips and chains?
A movie theater?
A dark room?
He pulled the door open and stepped inside. She remained outside until the lights flickered on. She gasped and her mouth opened wide.
It was a private study filled with books, a desk, and a computer.
An actual computer.
She did not have any way of reaching out through email, social media, anything, until now.
“Oh, Ethan, is this yours or does everyone have access?” She stepped further in and admired the books on the dark wooden shelves. She could not tell what order they were in. Not alphabetical by title or by author. Maybe in order of when they were acquired?
“Everyone has access. I do most of my work in here. Behind the desk are my law books. Other than that, we’ve all collected things here and there, and store the artifacts here.”
She tugged on a spine that read, ‘And Then There Were None,’ by Agatha Christie. She opened it and gasped.
“A signed copy?” She turned to face Ethan and he grinned.
“Yes, I was able to secure a signed copy. I did not meet her, but this copy she had signed. I felt it a piece of history and wanted it.”
“Understandable,” she whispered and slipped it back on the shelf. “Do I have free reign to this room as well?” she dared ask, glancing over her shoulder at the vampire in the room.
He took a few steps closer to her and stood just next to her. “Yes, of course. Everything we have is now yours.”
“I can use the computer as well?”
He nodded. “Of course.”
She felt a weight lift off her shoulders. Maybe she would not be alone after all. “Am I able to invite friends over to visit?”
“Only a few trusted associates know where our home is. Unfortunately, we do not cater to many people. However, I’ll bring the topic up to the brothers.”
“Is it like a majority vote kind of thing?”
He shook his head. “No, not quite. If we decide it is safe for you to see your friends, we’ll arrange a location for you to meet. It would not be here. However, we have associates we do trust who have companions. I’m happy to arrange a meeting if you may have questions you’d like to ask a fellow concubine?”
She considered this for a moment. Turning back to the books, she walked along the length of the wall, lightly touching the books on the shelves. Some old, some newer, so many ready to be read. She paused, then turned to face him. He had not followed her. She raised her brow and as if a cue had been given, he crossed the room and stood at her side.
Hmm, interesting.
“I would like to meet with your friends and their…err…person.”
He nodded. “Then I’ll arrange it.” Ethan took another step closer to her and raised a hand to touch her cheek, but hesitated. “May I?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear, then trailed his finger gently over her ear, to her throat, and jaw line.
She closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy this intimacy between them. “Jake told me about the emotions you’re able to pick up on.”
“Did he?” he asked, his heated breath caressing her neck.
She gasped, not realizing Ethan had leaned in.
His breath fanned over her ear and he cupped the other side of her face. “I would love to kiss you, seduce you, touch the most intimate parts of your body until you’re begging for me to enter you.”
She swallowed and tightened her fingers, digging her fingers into his forearms. She had not realized she grabbed him until the pressure shot through her hands. A soft mewling sounded between them. When her lips parted, she realized it was her who made the sound.
“May I kiss you, Olivia?” he asked. “I would love to taste your lips.”
“Oh my,” she whispered. She turned her face toward his and before she could say yes, his lips were on hers. His kiss alone made her wet, her panties drenched with need. She pressed her thighs together in hopes to keep herself from catching fire. Heat coursed through her body and Ethan pressed her back to the bookcase.
He growled against her lips and moved his lips to her jaw line, then nibbled on her ear.
She panted, pressing her body against his. She wanted him, needed him, more than she realized. She wanted him to consume her.
“Ethan,” she whispered. “Please, we need to stop.”
Ethan did not push her. He stopped as she asked and rested his forehead on her shoulder. As a vampire, he did not need air to breathe, or so she thought, but that did not stop Ethan from panting.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“No, don’t be. I’m not… I’m afraid to… I don’t think…” She could not finish her thought.
“It’s okay,” he said and pulled away from her. “Once you’re here for a while, and know there is nothing to fear, letting go will be complete liberation, freeing, euphoric.”
She nodded and lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry,” she said again. “I’m not quite ready for this, but in time, I’m sure I will be.” Her heart told her this was a lie. Her mind and body wanted her to move forward, full throttle.
She sucked in a deep breath then let it go in a rush. “Ethan, tell me about yourself. Let me get to know you, outside of being a lawyer.”
He nodded, turned away from her, and crossed the room to his desk. He turned and sat on the edge of it. Crossing his arms over his chest, he raised his brows. “Where to begin?”
“How about how you met Jared, Jake, and the others?”
He remained silent for a stretch. Olivia walked over to where he sat and took a seat in one of the visitor chairs. She crossed her legs and stared up at the man before her.
He seemed focused and Olivia wondered what memories he may share with her. What would she find out about this man?
“Well, during World War II, we met on the field. We were under a storm of fire. We were on the losing side. One of the trucks used as a barricade had exploded. Men were running left and right to escape the fire of the vehicle and the gunshots. Jared was a few feet from me and he tripped, falling in front of me. The enemy ran up and pointed his rifle at Jared’s head. He never saw me and did not see the bullet coming for his head. The enemy soldier fell backward, a hole in the back of his head. Jared turned over and saw me hunched over him. He thanked me and stuck by my side the rest of the time there. We had each other's backs from that point forward.
“Years later, I retired from the service, but we kept in touch. I had not realized it at the time, but after I retired, post-traumatic stress disorder caught up to me. I was in a bad place for a long time. Lots of booze, sex, women… I’m surprised I didn’t kill myself with alcohol poisoning.”
Olivia reached for his hand and held it in hers.
He met her gaze and continued. “Not too long after that, I was at a bachelor party. My friend was getting married. I had too much to drink and caused a fight. Someone pulled a gun and aimed it my way. I was immediately back in the war, enemies surrounding me. You could say I lost my mind, temporarily.
“Jared showed at up at the hospital. The bullet was centimeters from my heart. I was in a coma. I was dying. I don’t think I would have made it through the night. Jared allowed me to die, so he could give me eternal life.”
Olivia did not blink, breathe or move the entire duration of his story. She stood when he finished his story and wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
He hugged her back and buried his face in her shoulder. “There’s nothing to be sorry about,” he whispered.
She held onto him for a long moment. No fear of him biting her, seducing her, wanting to get into her panties. Just a man, holding onto a woman. A vulnerable man who opened his heart, his mind, his very being to someone he barely knew. Ethan was the bravest person she had ever met.
She pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. “Thank you for sharing this with me. I feel like I know you much better.”
He smirked. “You know my background. I could be a serial killer.”
She laughed. “Only if it contains milk and you spoil it for everyone else.”
He blinked, then realized what she meant, and chuckled. “Gotcha. I’ll make sure everyone knows I’m a cereal killer then, and the Rice Krispies will be done for.”
She laughed softly. “Good to know.” This time, Olivia leaned in and swept her lips across Ethan’s. He quickly took over. He was soft and gentle. Not demanding and seduction driven.
The more she learned about the men in this house, the more she wanted them with her, on her, and in her. She pondered all five of them feeding on her, licking and sucking on her body. She shivered.
“Pray tell what are you thinking? Because you shivered, and your aura shifted quite dramatically. It pulled to me, and damned if it didn't feel like a wall of pheromones.”
“Oh shit,” she whispered. “I keep forgetting about that.” She bit her lip and Ethan chuckled.
“I would love to hear what’s on your mind right now.”
She blushed, and Ethan grinned once more. “I was picturing in my head all five of you feeding on me at once.” She hid her face and giggled. Like a schoolgirl, giggled.
Ethan tilted her head up once more and stared into her eyes. “When this happens, and trust me, Olivia, it will happen, you will want each of us on you, and you will ask for us. I would not be surprised if you were begging.”
She guffawed, her mouth wide open. She shook her head and pulled away from him. “You’re unbelievable,” she teased with a laugh.
He shrugged. “I would say, let’s make a bet, but I don’t gamble.”
“I do, though,” came another male’s voice.
Olivia and Ethan turned to find Landon entering the study.
“I would love to take that bet and prove you wrong, Olivia,” Landon teased.
She grinned and leaned against the desk. Behind her, Ethan placed his hands on her waist. Landon closed the distance to her and met her gaze. He shifted his sight past her, most likely looking at Ethan. He then redirected his gaze to her, and grinned.
Olivia glanced at Ethan, then at Landon. She had two men surrounding her and felt her body temperature rise. “What just happened? What just passed between you two?”
“Nothing,” Landon said with a slight accent. “Well, nothing you don’t want to happen.” He stepped closer and brushed his fingertips across her cheeks, then tilted her head up with a finger under her chin.
His eyes were a dark brown with hazel specs. His hair curled slightly around his face, touching his shoulders. Landon was the epitome of a sex god.
She was sandwiched between Landon and Ethan. A part of her wanted this, but her heart screamed at her to move before it became too much.
She felt Ethan brush his lips across her shoulder. A sensation flitted through her body and her clit throbbed. Landon smirked and leaned in. He tilted her head and pressed his lips to her cheek.
She closed her eyes and her pussy tingled, needing both of them inside her, their fangs in her skin. Her lips parted and she sighed. Olivia pressed her palms to Landon’s chest, then pushed against him. She then sidestepped away from the men.
“I’m going to combust soon if I don’t get air,” she said as she fanned her face. She glanced between the two men. Both were polar opposites in features but were twins with the Cheshire grins they wore.
“While you cool down,” Landon offered, “why not take a walk with me? I’ll show you my studio.”
She grinned. “I would love that.” She turned to Ethan. “Thank you for sharing your story.”
He bowed his head with a smile. “You’re welcome, and same to you.”
She slipped her hand into the crook of Landon’s arm. The two left the confines of the study and headed toward his studio.
What would she be in for now? Did he paint canvas or did he paint nudes? She would not mind being the centerpiece for his art if it meant his hands on her. She grinned at the possibilities.