by Emily Bex
He stepped out of the leathers and let his hands slide down her back, cupping her sweet, tight ass in his own large, calloused, and roughened hands. Dropping to his knees, he kissed the inside of her thighs, licking and playing as he went, her scent sweet and alluring. He felt her hands as they slid into his curls and she gripped his hair softly in her fingers and it fired his blood. Nuzzling into the soft patch of crimson that surrounded her honey, he moaned loud and felt his eyes flare into their fiery red, lighting the room in a soft hue. He raised his eyes to hers and flicked his tongue across that sweet nub between her legs and felt her shiver in anticipation.
"Do not be afraid, mi amore."
She felt the heat of his tongue between her legs and her knees buckled, his hands steadying her as he stood and lifted her and laid her down on the bed. She watched as he crawled over her, his eyes glowing red. There was a part of her brain that still sent out signals she should fear him, however, it wasn’t fear she felt but desire. She wanted him, needed him. She felt safe with him, protected, taken care of. She lay on her back beneath him and watched as he lowered his mouth to hers, his fangs already exposed. His kiss was hard, urgent, demanding, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, clinging to him. She slid her tongue into his mouth, across one of those fangs, and felt his body go rigid before he moaned into her mouth.
***
With each movement she made under him, his body felt lit up by flames, she fired his blood and his passion, he ached to take her hard, feed until he had his fill, but he must have patience and lead her to a sexual bliss that would take away the sting of his fangs sinking into her skin. He felt her tongue graze his fangs and his whole body went into overload. Touching or licking a vampire’s fangs created the most erotic sensation, it was why the feeding was always accompanied by sex, and she did it without even knowing. How in the hell did she know, how did she push him into this state so fast?
To Shade, it was another sign, bright and clear, that she was his chosen mate. Using his knee, he parted her legs and felt her respond by wrapping her legs around his hips. He drove into her hard and deep and maintained a slow rhythm of riding her, letting her body adjust to him. His tongue explored, sliding over the sweat sheened white skin of her collar bone, leaving a trail of soft light kisses as he went. He slid his tongue over the vein in her neck and could feel her pulse under his tongue and his cock pulsed inside her.
He increased the rhythm of his hips, taking her slowly to heights she couldn’t imagine. He felt her body respond, her hips matching his rhythm, lifting to meet him. Her soft gasps and moans and the urgent response of her body told him she wanted release and he intended to make it last as long as he could. No easy task in his position.
Nibbling her ear, he whispered, "What do you want mi amore, show me, tell me."
Her hands slid down his back, gripping his hips. She pulled him toward her. "Don't stop, lover...don't stop." She nipped at his shoulder, unaware of how dangerously close she pushed his beast. "I need you!"
He felt his body shake with the restraint of holding the beast at bay and only one thing would satisfy him now. She’d pushed that caged beast too far. He drove into her, thrusting hard. Her body moved with him in perfect rhythm and he nuzzled into her neck.
He wanted to taste her, feel her cum around him. He grazed his fangs along her neck, not breaking the skin but letting her feel their sharpness. His fangs ached, and he was in pain from the aching need of her.
"Cum with me, mi amore."
He sank his fangs into the soft flesh of her neck and drew deep, moaning like a wild beast at the taste of her. He held her body down with his own and continued to drive deep, feeling her explode into a glorious orgasm as he drank deep from her vein. Her blood bursts across his tongue and down his throat and he guzzled it like fragrant intoxicating liquor. His head spun, she was his cocaine, his addiction, and he’d never tasted anything so pure and sensual and erotic, and it belonged to only him.
***
She felt his fangs at her neck, and she’d forgotten he was here to feed. She was distracted by the sweet sensations between her legs as he begged her to cum with him. She felt herself letting go just as she felt the sharp but sensuous sting of his teeth sinking into her neck. And with it came an explosion of heat between her legs unlike anything she’d felt before. She cried out as she clawed at him, pulling him deep as he thrust hard into her. They both rode the waves of the orgasm together, and she gave herself up to the sensation of his feeding, the erotic and sensual sounds of his mouth at her neck, the fire released in her blood and between her legs that only he could now quench. This is feeding? He makes women feel like this when he feeds from them? Oh hell no, I will not be sharing!
As their bodies united in more ways than one now, he could sense her, feel her flowing in his veins, and he was careful not to take too much, but fuck, she tasted like heaven. He broke from her vein and retracted his fangs, licking the wound so it would heal.
Looking down at her, his eyes had returned to their normal piercing blue color and he kissed her gently. Cradling her head in his hands, he rolled onto his back and pulled her onto his chest, letting his hands caress her softly, tangled in that beautiful tousled mass of crimson.
"I love you. I will love you forever. Are you all right? Talk to me, Kate."
She giggled out loud. “All right? Lover, I passed all right a long time ago.” She rose on her elbows so she could look at him. "So that...that feeling. What happened to me when you fed from me, is that...does that...happen every time?”
"Oh si, my sweet bel rosso, every time. As I feed more often, you will have a scent that is noticeable to other vampires. They will know a vampire is feeding from you. " He smiled at her. "You have me, bel, you have my heart and soul. I am yours. And I will never feed from another. Do you hear me?”
She placed her hands on either side of his face and went nose to nose with him. "So other women...the women you fed from...they felt that?"
He sighed heavily. "They do feel the sexual sensations that come with feeding. It is part of my world. Feeding is sensual to me, it comes with the territory.”
“I understand. Just make sure no one else feels that from you ever again. And I don't understand the scent part. Will you smell different to me? Because, right now, you smell delicious.”
“No, I will smell the same to you, but to other vampires, they will pick up your scent on me as well. The scent will be detectable on both of us. It is meant as a warning and becomes stronger with each feeding. It lets other vampires know you are claimed. But enough of that, I need to apologize to you. I have been gone too many nights and left you alone, unattended, and I do not like that, but sometimes it cannot be helped. I want to make it up to you. What would you wish for mi amore? What would make you happy, anything you want. Tell me.”
“What? Make it up to me?”
“Si, I have been gone for several days, so I am asking, how might I make it up to you? I can take you anywhere. We can do anything you desire.”
“Anywhere, lover? You can take me anywhere?”
“Si, bel rosso, anywhere.”
He could see the mischievousness in her eyes and knew she was teasing when she answered, “Then take me to Paris. You asked what my most favorite city was, and Paris is my most favorite city in the world. I want you to make love to me on a Paris rooftop, overlooking the City of Lights. I want a bed covered in rose petals, and champagne and strawberries. Can you give me that?”
“Si, you have made a simple request.”
“Simple? Wow, really?”
“Are you ready, bel? Are you ready for me to take you to Paris?”
She looked at him with surprise. “Now? We’re going now?”
“Is that not what you asked of me? And do not forget, they are six hours ahead of us, so it is well into the night there. If you wish for me to make love to you under the stars in Paris, we must leave now.”
She looked down at her naked body. “I need to dress. I nee
d to pack.”
He chuckled as he lifted her from the bed, pulling the nightgown back over her head and putting his leathers back on.
“No time for changing and packing, bel rosso. Now come here, place your arms around me and hold tight. I will teleport us. You may feel dizzy, but you will be completely safe.”
Wait? He’s going to teleport me to Paris? Is that even possible? Her heart was racing as she clung to him for dear life. She felt his arms around her when suddenly they were surrounded by the darkness. She felt like they were moving at warp speed, but it was completely dark and very disorienting. She had no concept of time passing, but she could guess only a few minutes had passed and he was setting her down. Still holding her, he gently turned her around so she was facing away from him.
“Tell me what you see.”
She looked out across the rooftop and blinked her eyes in amazement. “I see...I see a mattress draped in white satin sheets, and covered in red rose petals and champagne...and strawberries.”
“What else, mi amore? Tell me everything you see.”
“I can see the city spread out below us, and I can hear the traffic and the voices of the people below. I can see the Eiffel Tower, and over there, I can see La Sacra Coeur on the hill in Montmartre.”
He took her hand and lead her to the bed. As they stood there together, he slowly undressed her, dropping her gown to the rooftop.
“You are beautiful Kate, your crimson hair and your fair skin. You are my lily-white. Now lay down for me.”
He held her hand as she lowered herself to the mattress and stretched out on the satin sheets, feeling the cool silkiness against her skin. She watched him as he disrobed, removing his leathers. He crawled onto the bed, his dark hair hanging forward, his blue eyes locked on hers. He was suspended over her, his weight on his arms, as he leaned down and kissed her; little kisses, teasing kisses, followed by deep kisses. He broke the kiss and sat back on his knees, reaching for the champagne.
“Is this real?”
“Si. Quite real.”
He popped the cork and poured the cold liquid on her breasts and down her abdomen. She gasped as the cold hit her skin, and she could feel the tingling sensation of the bubbles. She felt his tongue, like fire against the cold of the champagne, as he licked at her breasts, flicked each nipple, and then ran his tongue down to her naval, where he drank the champagne from her skin. She placed her hand in his hair, and moaned with the sensations he was sending through her body.
“Is this the Paris you had in mind for tonight?”
“Yes, lover,” she managed in a strangled whisper.
He picked up a strawberry and held it to her mouth, rubbed it across her lips, before slowly running it down her chin, her neck, and between her breasts, across her belly and through her patch of tight red curls.
“Open your legs, bel.”
Her breathing was ragged, and her heart was racing, she wanted his touch and not this teasing, but she slowly parted her legs for him. He ran the strawberry across her thigh, and then placed the tip of the strawberry inside her wet, swollen sex. She gasped with the sensation and the unexpectedness. The desire to have him inside her was unbearable.
“Cazzo!” He jumped to his feet. “My brothers summon me. I must return. I am so sorry, bel. There is trouble and I must respond.” He was putting his clothes back on as she lifted herself to her elbows.
“What? We just got here.” He’s leaving me?
“Get dressed. I must take you back home.”
He reached down and helped her to her feet. She was still reeling from the sensations of champagne and strawberries on her skin, and he was helping her put on her gown and dragging her barefoot across the rooftop.
“Hold on to me, bel rosso.”
Before she could even contemplate what was happening, they were once again surrounded by the darkness, and the speed, and then they were back, back in her bedroom. She was looking around like she’d never seen this place before. What the fuck just happened?
“I am sorry, bel. This is not what I planned for us this night. Now it appears as if I have something else to make up to you. I must leave now. My brothers are in danger. Ti amo, mi amore.” And with that, he was gone.
She looked at the clock by the bed. Two hours had passed since they teleported from the bedroom. She looked down at her nightgown. Am I fucking insane? Did this even happen? She started to undress and felt the sticky champagne on her skin, the tell-tale trail of a light pink stain from the strawberry down her torso, and the taste of the strawberry on her lips.
She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror, her hair was tousled. “What are you doing, Kate Reese?” she asked her reflection. “What path of madness are you following?” But she knew if he showed up again right this minute, she’d go to him.
She reluctantly climbed in the shower and washed away the memories of this night that clung to her skin. She put on a clean gown and slid between her sheets, alone. And all she could think about was him. I love you, my savage lover. She knew she’d follow him into the madness.
19
Walking through the empty rooms of his Virginia house, Shade took stock of all the needed repairs. He’d brought in Luciano, his vintner, to survey both the Virginia and California vineyards, and oversee whatever changes necessary to get the properties at full production. He and Luciano had spent the night planning and talking, walking the vineyards, checking out the wineries, looking at production history, and tasting the yield from previous harvests. It was clear that to make both properties fully functional it would take some time.
Luciano oversaw all his vineyards worldwide; Italy, France, Greece, and now in the States, including hiring and managing the vineyard staff. After their assessment of the Virginia property, Luciano had put some things in motion, and moved on to inspect California.
Alone again, Shade casually walked from room to room. He felt such emptiness here. It was a shell of a building, it wasn’t a home. He wanted to move here, live here. He felt like he’d found the mate he’d been searching a lifetime for. She’d fill this place with love and laughter, and together, they could reside here.
He hated that she lived in that damn city alone, especially during the daylight hours when he was in his death slumber. He wanted her away from the hustle of the city, away from the dangers there. That lone episode with the mugger at the metro station was enough for him to want her out of that condo, and living here with him.
There were warriors to train and the D.C. area to protect, along with Alec and Rissa. It was his job. But now, he had something much more important to him. It was Kate he wanted to protect and love, and he wanted her here. He already knew deep inside she was his mate. She was the one. There was no doubt. His body craved her in a way he’d not felt before, the taste of her, to feed from her only, and enjoy their eternal life together. The fact she was mortal would be enough to put his ass in one fucking hellish heap of controversy. Immortals of his station were forbidden to mate with mortals. He wasn’t just a master, but the Medici King, royal blood. He’d ruled his coven for centuries in Europe, and now, expansion was well within his grasp in the States, and along with it, his mate. To hell with the European Council of Ruling Vampires, he was the Medici and he’d make them see she was worth her weight in gold to him and his coven.
He’d lived his life by the centuries-old customs established by the Council, with strict rules and old ways, as had his father, and grandfather, and all the Medici before him. But the old values didn’t always fit the modern times, and he needed to straddle both cultures, juggling and molding them to meet the changing times.
He could almost see Kate here, taking over this house, making a home for them both. He had staff in Florence, and he could easily transfer some of them here. He wanted her to make this a dream house, something she could only have imagined for herself, a place she loved, felt comfortable and safe in. This house could be something they shared right from the start of their relationship. That damn pent
house was nothing but a torture chamber for him, only able to view her from a distance. He wanted bel to come here, plan with him, make a life for them here and his mind went to work on how to pull this off.
He didn’t want to push her too fast. So far, she’d been responsive to him. She was no longer frightened of who and what he was, and was willing to explore this life of immortality. There was still much for her to learn, in particular the violence of being a warrior, but that knowledge would come in time. He needed to take this slow, control her exposure to his immortal world. He’d have to turn her into an immortal if she was to be his mate, but that was something far in her future.
He could see the sky lighten as the sun began its slow rise across the landscape that held forests, mountains, and vineyards. It was so beautiful here, so peaceful and isolated from mortal view, yet close enough for him to continue his work for Alec in D.C.
She definitely needed to be here, permanently, and no doubt, she would be. He refused to have it any other way. He wanted to come home to her at the end of every night and have her in his arms, protect her, and feel surrounded by love as he entered his death slumber. He’d have Luciano and some other staff here shortly, they’d be able to protect her during the daylight hours. The house would be a bustle of activity with the remodeling, and the property landscaped, the vineyards fruitful and productive, and Kate at the center of it all, making it home.
There were staff quarters already established on the premises. The building was in fair shape but needed a female’s touch. Hell, everything around him needed a female’s touch, including him. He could bring her here for a visit, a date, show her the place, tell her his long-term plans for expansion, and ask her to help him. He’d find a way to get her to leave the city and her job and live here while she made this place a home. He had endless funds, he could give her the world, and he needed for her to discover that. All he knew was she belonged here, he belonged here, and the sooner the better for them both.