Pursued

by Evangeline Anderson

Elise couldn’t wait either. She slid naked under his arm and pressed her cheek to his bare chest with a little sigh of pure happiness. Then she held perfectly still for a long moment, trying to assess what was going on.

  To her relief, the door of the vault didn’t so much as rattle. She wasn’t sure if the hunger inside her was so great it was overcoming any bad memories or if she was beginning to move past the fear that had been stirred inside her that night he came to the door of her darkened bedroom. She only knew it felt good—right—to be near him again. To feel the hard, warm wall of his chest against her cheek and breathe in his familiar smoke, fur, and leather musk. It was the scent of safety…the scent of home.

  “Gods, baby,” Merrick murmured, stroking her back gently with one large hand. “Feels so damn good to have you in my arms again.”

  “I like it too,” Elise admitted shyly. “It…it feels right, somehow.”

  “More than right…perfect,” he corrected her. “I love the way you fit against me. It’s like you’re a part of me that’s been missing—a part I’ve been looking for without even knowing it. And now you’re back where you belong.”

  Elise couldn’t have put it any better herself. “Yes.” She nodded, her cheek brushing his chest. “Yes, exactly.” She could feel the hunger curling inside her, stretching like a cat being stroked. This skin to skin contact was giving her exactly what she so desperately needed. But it was also changing the hunger, turning it into something else…lust.

  She bit her lip and shifted against Merrick uneasily as her nipples suddenly stiffened into tight, achy peaks and her pussy began to feel hot and wet. The feeling of heat and need grew stronger and stronger until she had the sudden urge to tear herself away from Merrick’s side and somehow fix the problem.

  She started to move away from the shelter of his muscular arm but Merrick murmured, “Stay.”

  “Um, what?” Elise looked up at him uncertainly to see that he was looking down at her, an unreadable look on his face.

  “Stay,” he repeated. “It’s all right to feel this way, Elise. It’s all right to need what you need and want what you want. Just stay with me and let it flow. Let yourself feel. Give in to it.”

  She bit her bottom lip nervously. “I don’t know if I can.”

  “You did once before,” he said softly. “Remember how you let me touch you—how you let me stroke you and pet your soft little pussy? Remember how wet and hot you got for me?”

  “I…yes,” Elise admitted breathlessly. “I remember.”

  “That’s good, baby,” he rumbled. “Because I wanna do it again…only this time with my tongue.”

  Elise shivered at the thought of being so open for him, so helpless and vulnerable. She wanted it, but at the same time, she was frightened. Scared that the act would somehow bring a monster from her past she didn’t even know about roaring out of the vault to devour her.

  Merrick seemed to catch her anxiety because he softened the urgency in his voice and stroked her arm again. “Don’t worry, we’re not going to do the same things that freaked you out last time. This time it’s going to be different.”

  “Different? How?” Elise asked uncertainly.

  “For one thing, I can hardly move right now so you’re going to be completely in control. You’re literally going to be on top.”

  “What? But how?” she protested.

  “Straddle me and I’ll show you what I mean.”

  Elise rose to her knees, feeling self conscious, and did as he said—or tried to, anyway. But his chest was so broad she found she was more sitting on him than straddling him. She started to get up but he shook his head and touched her thighs lightly.

  “No, stay. And don’t worry—you’re not ‘squashing’ me.” He gave her a lopsided smile she couldn’t help but return. Still, she felt nervous.

  “I’m just, uh, I feel kind of…of open here.” She nodded down to her spread thighs. Her pussy was opened wide by the position—so wide the tender, slippery pink inside was fully visible. The lust inside her was growing by the moment, making her hotter and wetter than she’d ever been before. So wet that… “Oh God, I’m, uh, leaking on you.” Elise couldn’t control her mortification. Already her outer pussy lips and inner thighs were slick with her juices but it seemed like her body just didn’t know when to stop. Without meaning to, she had made a small but very obvious wet spot in the center of Merrick’s chest. “I’m so sorry! I’ll get something to clean you up.”

  She started to get up but once again his light touch on her thighs stopped her.

  “Don’t.” His deep voice was hoarse with emotion. “Don’t worry about it, baby. It’s just your body telling you how much you need this—how much we need each other. Besides, I love it.”

  “You…you do?” Elise looked at him uncertainly.

  In answer, Merrick reached between her thighs and swiped two thick fingers gently up the length of her pussy. His light touch sent a bolt of pure pleasure through her body and she gasped and jumped. But Merrick wasn’t done yet. Slowly and deliberately, his eyes never leaving hers, he brought his fingers, slick with her juices, to his mouth, and sucked them clean with obvious enjoyment.

  “Delicious,” he growled softly. “Come here and let me show you.”

  “Show me? How?”

  “I want to kiss you. Kiss you right.” Merrick motioned for her and Elise leaned forward to meet his lips. He was so tall she found herself lying on him in much the same way she had during their last sexual encounter. It felt good though…familiar and right. She loved the feel of her breasts pressing against the hard planes of his chest, her nipples made stiff and sensitive by the stimulation.

  When she reached him, Merrick threaded one hand through her long hair and pulled her close. “Taste yourself,” he murmured. “See how delicious you are.” Then he took her lips in a long, hot, open-mouthed kiss that left Elise breathless. She moaned softly as he thrust his tongue between her lips, sharing the honey he’d sucked from his fingers earlier. God, she did taste good on his mouth. More than good—incredibly hot and delicious.

  Merrick moved his tongue slowly and deliberately, showing her exactly how he was going to taste her, Elise was sure. She couldn’t help responding, giving herself completely to the kiss, opening her mouth for him as she knew she would soon be opening her pussy. She could feel herself getting wetter and more slippery by the minute as she rubbed against his broad chest but Merrick obviously didn’t mind. He growled low in his throat and Elise thought she could almost feel his impatient, unquenchable lust for her. But that was crazy, wasn’t it? After all, she didn’t feel Merrick’s emotions through the bond the way he felt hers—or at least she never had before.

  At last Merrick broke the kiss and looked her in the eyes. “See?” he murmured, his voice thick with desire. “Fucking delicious. Can’t wait to taste it straight from the source. Come here, baby…let me eat your pussy.”

  Part of Elise wanted to hold back, but the hunger and lust inside wouldn’t let her. Carefully, she crawled up his big, muscular body until she was straddling his face, her thighs open around his head. “Like this?” she asked, looking down uncertainly.

  “Yeah…exactly like that.” His eyes were hot and half-lidded with lust as he looked up at her, his lips parted as though in anticipation. “Just lower yourself down,” he instructed. “Lower yourself down and let me taste that sweet little cunt.”

  His hot, dirty words excited her almost as much as the vulnerable sexual position she found herself in. Gripping the headboard of the bed, which seemed to be made of some rough wood, she let herself come down just as he had asked, positioning her pussy just above his mouth.

  Merrick licked up, his hot tongue swiping across her heated slit from bottom to top, tickling her clit and making her gasp and jump. He did it again and Elise grasped the headboard harder, trying not to cry out. God, his mouth was so hot and his tongue was so talented. It felt amazing, but she still needed more somehow.

  Apparently Merr
ick felt the same way. Abruptly, he put his hands on her hips and tilted her pelvis out of the way so he could see her.

  “Baby,” he said softly. “Look at me.”

  “Yes?” Elise looked down uncertainly.

  “You have to give me more,” Merrick told her. “For this to work, I need to drink from you—need to lap your sweet cunt honey straight from the source.”

  “But…I thought that was what you were doing,” Elise protested, her cheeks hot with embarrassment at the awkward position she was in.

  “I’m trying,” Merrick growled. “But you’re not coming low enough. In order to do this right I need complete and total access to your pussy. That means you have to trust me enough to come all the way down. That’s the only way I can suck your clit and tonguefuck your little cunt.”

  “Tongue….?”

  “Tonguefuck,” Merrick said impatiently. “Need to get my tongue all the way inside you for this to work. So I can drink your honey straight from the source.”

  “Oh,” Elise whispered faintly. “And you don’t think you’ll feel…smothered?”

  He laughed. “No, of course I won’t. And even if I did, I can’t think of a better way to go.”

  He likes this, Elise thought, still feeling a little surprised at the idea. He really does want to do it.

  “Elise, I need to do it,” he murmured and she wasn’t sure if he was answering her emotion or if he’d somehow heard her thought through their bond. Was the connection between them growing stronger? “Not just to heal myself,” he continued. “But because of the Kindred thing I told you about. I’ve been waiting for this moment from the first time I met you—please, baby, don’t make me wait anymore.”

  “All right.” Elise nodded, biting her lip. “I…I’ll come down further.”

  “Come down all the way,” Merrick instructed. “I want to taste your pussy until you come all over my face.”

  A shiver of pure lust went through her and at that moment, Elise wasn’t sure if the emotions were his, hers, or a combination of the two. She only knew she wanted this as much as Merrick wanted to give it to her. Wanted the feel of his hot mouth on her open pussy. With a little moan of pure desire, she settled herself firmly on his mouth, determined to give them both what they needed so desperately.

  Merrick didn’t disappoint her. He opened his mouth at once, lapping and sucking the tender bud of her clit, lashing it with the tip of his tongue until Elise cried out with pleasure. Then, just as she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, he suddenly stopped.

  “What…?” She looked down at him uncertainly. Their eyes met and she saw the lust in his—the hungry need to taste her until she lost control and came for him. But she more than saw it—this time she was sure she felt it as well. A deep, fiercely intense emotion that came from the very bottom of his Kindred soul, a thirst that only she could slake.

  Then, with a low, possessive growl, he gripped her hips and plunged his tongue deep into her channel.

  Elise gasped and bucked against him, both surprised and overwhelmed with pleasure. His tongue was hot and firm and surprisingly long, filling her much more than she’d expected. At the same time, one of his hands slipped over to where they were joined and she felt the broad pad of his thumb rubbing gently but firmly against her swollen clit.

  She cried out and bucked again, one hand slipping from the headboard down to grip his broad shoulder. Merrick responded by redoubling his assault. She felt his tongue thrusting deep inside her to harvest her honey as his thumb slipped over her clit, urging her to make more. Urging her to come, to let herself go as she rode his mouth and gave in to him completely.

  “Oh God,” she heard herself gasp. “Oh God, Merrick…so good…too much…”

  He growled in response and she felt the vibrations of his deep voice echo through the center of her being. It only heightened the pleasure she felt, added another layer to the increasingly intense sensations he was giving her until Elise wondered if she could stand much more.

  When she’d first taken this strangely vulnerable and exposed position, sitting astride his face, she hadn’t been at all sure she would be able to lose control enough to come. But now she felt her pleasure cresting and knew her orgasm was coming, bearing down on her like a tidal wave.

  Remembering what had happened the last time she’d given in and let herself go made her a little hesitant. But the pleasure of Merrick’s hot mouth on her open, vulnerable pussy, the feeling of his tongue thrusting deep in her channel, was too strong to deny. Also, she thought she could almost feel him urging her to let go—willing her to give in completely and let her pleasure peak. Elise wasn’t sure if the feeling was real or completely imaginary but she decided to let go—to go with the urging and risk everything one more time.

  As though he’d felt her make the decision, she sensed a rush of triumph from Merrick and then he suddenly withdrew his tongue. Elise started to moan in protest and then she felt him suck the heated button of her clit between his lips and begin tracing it with the tip of his tongue. At the same time, two long, strong fingers thrust deep in her pussy and began to pump, giving her a deep, thorough fucking that made her arch her back and throw back her head with pleasure.

  “Yes!” she moaned. “Oh God, Merrick, yes…yes!”

  It was too much and exactly enough. As he lashed her clit with his tongue and thrust deep in her pussy, Elise felt herself coming, felt her inner muscles contracting, spasming around his invading fingers as a thousand sparks of fire jumped through her body, igniting every nerve ending until she thought she might explode with the intense sensation. She rocked against him, pressing shamelessly against his mouth, giving herself completely both to Merrick and the pleasure he was giving her. Losing all control.

  Through it all she felt his emotions as well, the deep, solid satisfaction he got from pushing her to the edge and beyond. His own intense pleasure and excitement as he watched her come, felt her spasm around his fingers and tongue. It was good, it was right, it was perfect…somehow completely perfect at that instant in time. And the best thing about it was that it triggered no flashbacks, raised no dark specters from the vault, as she had half-feared it would.

  The instant spun out into infinity like a golden thread of honey stretched thin between them…and then Elise collapsed, panting, on the leafy blue pillow beside Merrick.

  “Oh my God, that was amazing,” she gasped, turning her head to look at him. Her heart was still beating so hard she felt like she’d just run a marathon but her body felt boneless and limp—completely worn out.

  “You’re telling me,” Merrick growled. His mouth was shiny with her juices and he licked his lips deliberately and raised an eyebrow at her. “Fucking amazing. Your pussy tastes delicious, baby.”

  “Thank you.” Elise felt her cheeks heating at the intimate compliment. “I’m, uh, glad you liked it. But did it work?”

  “Hmm…” Merrick flexed his arms and back experimentally. Then he sat up in bed and rolled his shoulders before turning to face Elise, a smile on his face. “Good as new.”

  “Oh good! I’m so glad.” Elise wanted to go to him at once and hug him but now she felt shy again. The venom in his system had been neutralized and her hunger was completely satiated—at least for now—so she really didn’t have an excuse to cuddle with the big Kindred.

  Merrick seemed to sense her anxiety. “C’mere,” he said, motioning for her. “Just because we’re both good for now doesn’t mean we have to act like strangers again.”

  “I guess not.” Elise went to him and snuggled under his muscular arm with a little sigh of pure contentment. “This is so nice.”

  “It’s more than nice…it’s right.” Still holding her against him, Merrick lay back on the bed. “Love the feel of you against me, baby. Are you over the fear now?”

  “I think so,” Elise said cautiously. And indeed, the terror which had been triggered, on that awful night when she’d seen his dark silhouette in her bedroom doorway, seemed to have
at last been vanquished. The last traces of it had blown away with the mind-numbing orgasm Merrick had given her. Suddenly she realized that while she had experienced the ultimate pleasure, Merrick hadn’t. “Um…” She sat up a little and looked at him. “Do you want me to, uh, return the favor?”

  “Not necessary.” He gave a low, growling chuckle. “I shot off in my pants like a kid when I felt you finally letting go.”

  “Oh!” She remembered the strange way she’d seemed to feel his pleasure as well as her own—not to mention all his other emotions. “Merrick,” she said carefully. “I, uh, would it be weird if I told you that while we were…while you were…”

  “While I was tasting your sweet, wet pussy?” he said, grinning at her.

  Elise felt her cheeks get hot again. “Um, yes. Anyway, while you were doing that, I could feel you through the bond—feel your emotions—the same way you can feel mine.”

  “Really?” He pushed up on one elbow and looked down at her, frowning with concern. “You felt what I was feeling?”

  “I thought I did,” Elise said cautiously. “I felt you wanting me to…to let go. To trust you and give in to the pleasure you were giving me. And when I finally did, I felt your pleasure as well. I mean, I didn’t know that you, uh, finished, but I definitely felt something. What does that mean?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe that the bond is growing, which in our case, isn’t good.”

  “Oh dear.” Elise felt a sudden rush of despair. She’d been feeling so good, so light and happy and free for once…and now she came crashing down to reality like a bird soaring in the sky that’s been pierced by a hunter’s arrow.

  “Hey, baby, don’t cry.” Merrick pulled her closer and pressed her face to his chest. “It’s going to be all right. We’ll get it worked out in the end.”

  “But how are we going to work it out, Merrick?” she demanded, pulling away and wiping the tears from her eyes angrily. “By breaking the bond,” she continued, answering her own question. “And then what?”

  “Then whatever you want,” he said, looking at her steadily. “Tell me something, do you really want to go back home and get joined to that idiot, James?”