With all-consuming hunger, she wanted Ethan to move, to fuck her.
He gripped her plastered arm, ripping it under his vampiric strength; she no longer felt the pain in her arm, realizing it was completely healed. Yet now was not the time to wonder about such things.
“Fuck me, Ethan, now!” Her legs were clutching at his waist, and she was trying to claw at his skin.
Ethan withdrew, grabbed her hips, and flipped her over onto her hands and knees. Without any preamble, he plunged back in.
Aria cried out at the sheer pleasure of it, but she was hungry for more, for a strong, hard fucking. He understood her hunger and need, grabbing her wrists to pull them behind her back, keeping them shackled in his strong grip.
Aria’s face was pushed into the mattress, anchored by her wrists.
Ethan fucked her hard and fast. She screamed his name into the mattress as the fast friction of his deep pounding pushed her over the edge. The intense climax ripped through every cell and atom of her body. Her head spun as Ethan kept her coming hard, his thrusts becoming shorter until he gave a heavy groan. His body shook as she felt his seed shooting deep into her body. His hold released, and he collapsed to the side, taking her with him.
When she had regained some breath, she also felt the euphoria of Ethan’s blood starting to fade. “God, what a rush.” She snuggled deeply
into Ethan’s arms. “You are a very addictive man.” She felt the rumble of his chuckle run through his chest. She glanced up to see the love and admiration shining in his emerald depths.
He gently brushed her mussed hair out of her face. “You can have me as much as you wish, ma petite.”
Aria waggled her eyebrows at him. “I just may have to keep you to your word.”
He chuckled again.
“You know, I think there are some people downstairs waiting for you to rise and shine.”
“This is my fortress, ma petite. Grateful as I am to be home, it pleases me more to be here with you.”
Aria couldn’t have kept the grin from her face if she tried. “Why you’re a romantic softie,” she teased, pulling out of his arms and climbing off the bed while giving him her best come-hither look. “Don’t worry.
Your secret is safe with me. C’mon, big boy, let’s have a shower before we go downstairs. I’m feeling very, very dirty.” She loved the sound of Ethan’s laughter; he gracefully leapt from the bed, making her squeal as he scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the bathroom.
*
They showered and dressed from a large selection of clothes they had found in a wardrobe in the room.
“This used to be my room; I did not recognize it due to the changes.” Ethan sat on a large, reclining day bed, pulling on socks and polished, expensive Italian shoes. They were all in his size.
“It’s a nice mix of the modern and old.” Aria had smiled as Ethan stood up to glance over the selection of ties with a frown. She had selected a simple cream silk top and soft-flowing black skirt. There were several pairs of heels, and she had chosen a flattering pair of matte black. There had even been a large range of beautiful and sexy lingerie, and she had chosen to wear a black lace bra and panties. Her light brown hair was neatly brushed, hanging loose around her shoulders. She walked over,
took the ties from his hand, and placed them back. She reached up and opened his collar over the jacket; damn, the man was drop dead sexy…and all hers. “You look good enough to eat,” she whispered, raising her head to gaze into his emerald depths. His eyes held the same heat and passion that made her feel wanted, desired and, most of all, loved.
“You are more beauty than I deserve, ma petite.” He lifted her chin and lowered his head, tenderly brushing his lips over hers in the sweetest kiss that made Aria want to cry.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
Ethan lingered a moment longer before pulling back. “We will finish this later.”
His tone left her with no doubt that they would.
“Ready?”
She nodded. With her hand securely in his, they went to the door.
Lucas was there, waiting to escort them downstairs. Lucas made no comment at Aria’s healed arm, as if he had expected nothing less. He introduced himself to Ethan, telling them everyone was waiting downstairs.
*
Aria wanted to weep, watching the emotional reunion between the three Archalonian men. They were victims of circumstance, turned into creatures of modern legend and myth. They stood in a huge room of the castle that had been remodeled into a comfortably modern living area.
Lucas had stayed with her while they had X-rayed and set and plastered her arm before setting off to Ethan’s castle. She had fallen asleep in the car thanks to the injection of pain drugs they had given her; she had been barely aware of being carried up a flight of stairs and placed next to Ethan’s sleeping form.
“Thank you,” she had murmured, grabbing hold of his arm for a moment.
“My pleasure, sweetheart. Welcome home.”
Lucas had told her where the bathroom was located, pressed a soft
kiss on her forehead, and left. She shifted around just enough to undress.
Strangely, she had grown accustomed to sleeping naked next to Ethan, and once she was snuggled in, she had fallen asleep.
Aria pulled her attention back to the room, the people and vampires present. Lucas gave her a wink as he stood with his father and mother. A tall, beautiful, willowy, golden blond woman with lovely, wide blue eyes, pale skin and full, red lips seemed to be staring at her. Her expression was one of curiosity, making Aria feel rather uncomfortable.
Aria was quite apt now at spotting a vampire when she saw one, and this woman was clearly one. Luc of Archalon had the appearance of a blond surfer you would find on the beaches of sunny California, but the green eyes were unmistakable. The other Archalonian, Blair, was half an inch shorter than Ethan and Luc with short, dark hair; his tailored suit was stylish and expensive, giving a very debonair appearance.
Ethan turned, taking her hand, and tugged her into their tight, little circle before placing an arm around her waist and pulling her in tightly to his side. “If not for Aria, then none of this would have been possible.”
Aria felt the heat of a blush rise into her cheeks.
“We owe you a great debt, Miss Tempest,” Luc said with a charming smile. “Thank you for saving Ethan.”
“I think it was more of a mutual rescue,” Aria said, her blush deepening, hoping she hadn’t revealed too much.
Ethan smiled, giving her a gentle squeeze of reassurance.
“We have caught the American vampire and his assistants; they are at present guests in our dungeon,” Luc said.
Ethan’s arm tensed around her. “I will take great pleasure in watching him die.”
“I understand your need for revenge, but please hold off for a little while until we extract the information we need. Much has changed in your absence, Ethan. Ever since the first coup, there has been two sets of vampire clans; the American vampires have formed quite a society of their own, but they do not set foot on European soil, for they know we will take out any of them without express permission from us. It is an uneasy truce but a truce nonetheless.”
“I do not give a damn about any truce. The American vampires will fall into line or face my wrath. I want Formont; this is not just about me.
Justice must be served for the murder of Marc, mine and the others’
imprisonment, for the suffering they have caused for over two hundred years. They will be made to reveal the whereabouts of Armond, Ricard and Bella.” Ethan spoke with such a firm, commanding tone, it wasn’t a wonder he was once a prince among his people.
Luc nodded. “With you back, Ethan, I now believe it is achievable. I know the whole clan will be behind you.”
Ethan glanced down at Aria. She was startled by the vulnerability and worry in his expression. Despite the strength of his words, she sensed he waited for her permission and acce
ptance.
She squeezed his hand. “Those bastards deserve to pay for what they did to you alone,” she whispered. “Time to kick some vamp butt, Buffy-style.” The laugher that sparkled into Ethan’s eyes warmed her heart. She would stand by his side and support him no matter what he chose to do.
The other men chuckled in amusement.
“My lady is a strong believer in ass kicking,” Ethan said with fond amusement. “I have no wish to disappoint her.”
“Soon, we shall discuss this later; let us not cloud this reunion with talk of war just yet. Come. Many others have a desire to see you again.”
Blair broke their circle to lead them to the others in the room.
Chapter Seventeen
Luc proudly introduced the members of his family, including the original blue blood and now vampire, Claudia, the beautiful blond woman who hung on Luc’s arm. They walked into a huge hall that was filled with people waiting for Ethan to appear. Not everyone in the room was a vampire; many others were blue bloods, the majority of them women. They had damn well better stay away from her Ethan. She was unable to contain the thought ramping around in her brain as she stood by Ethan’s side. Watching him, not once did he seem interested in any other woman in the room, making Aria feel more secure.
Far from the peasant girl that Aria had first imagined when Ethan had talked about her, Claudia was quite the graceful lady. She greeted Ethan with great affection; Aria suppressed a surge of jealousy that ripped through her. She was Luc’s wife. Any jealousy was unfounded. Claudia turned her attention to her, smiling a warm welcome.
“May I borrow your lady, Ethan?” she asked in a beautifully light, musical voice with a cultured French accent. Not waiting to hear a reply, she took Aria’s arm to lead her away.
Ethan had given her a brief nod as his focus was on the people who wanted his attention.
“You will have to forgive my staring earlier, but I confess you remind me of someone I once knew. Do you know your family history well, Aria?”
“I’m sorry; I know nothing about my family. I was in an accident
when I was young and suffered damage to the part of my brain that stored my memories, and I can’t remember anything past waking up in a hospital.”
Claudia was genuinely distressed by this information. She laid her hand on Aria’s shoulder in comfort. “Oh, my dear, I am so sorry. You do not even remember your mother or father? Did not anyone try to show you who they were or help you remember?”
“I was orphaned and placed in foster care. No one did anything or even showed me who my parents were. All I have is their names and an old newspaper article about the crash. I did bring them with me, but they must have been left at the place we were, um, captured.”
Claudia straightened, her blue eyes scanning the room for a moment before waving someone over.
Lucas was talking with three beautiful blond women with lovely green eyes; he broke away from them to saunter up to his great grandmother’s side, placing an affectionate kiss on her cheek.
“Grandmamma, mademoiselle.” He flashed a sexy smile.
Aria couldn’t help but smile back.
“It seems we have a little mystery to solve, and if anyone can solve mysteries, it’s my Lucas.” Claudia beamed proudly.
“You have a mystery, Grandmamma?”
Claudia quickly relayed the information Aria had just told her about her blank past, car accident and missing bag.
His gaze held Aria’s as Claudia spoke. “Any belongings are now stored down below. I’ll have them brought up for you. I am deeply sorry for your loss, Aria.”
For the first time in Aria’s life, since she had woken up from the accident, she felt as if someone other than Ethan actually cared about her, like a sense of belonging. It seemed she had truly come home.
“I would be delighted to help you find out about your past, if that is what you want, Aria.” Lucas brought her out of her thoughts. “To know who you are, who your family was.”
“Yes, I would like that, very much.”
The blond women who had been with Lucas bustled in on the
small party. Aria found herself surrounded by these women, who were Lucas’ sisters. They talked about taking Aria shopping in Paris and getting her hair and nails done. Aria was quite overwhelmed by the attentive kindness everyone was showing her.
“Girls, save it for tomorrow,” Claudia warned; they all gave their great grandmother fond smiles.
“We’ll hook up tomorrow, okay, Aria?” Sophie said, linking her arm with Belle’s—her sister.
“We’ll have fun; we promise.” Adell smiled before they moved away, still discussing which shops they should take her to.
Lucas laughed. “You must forgive and indulge my sisters, Aria; they won’t rest until an obscene amount of money has been spent on your behalf.”
“I wouldn’t… I couldn’t. I don’t have…” Aria suddenly felt out of her depth.
“Ethan is very wealthy; several hundred years can accumulate to a lot of treasure, and our families have invested well over the centuries,”
Lucas said. “So don’t ever feel bad about spending money.”
“Oh,” was all Aria could croak out in response, overcome with unfamiliar, confusing emotions.
She felt him behind her before his strong arms wrapped around her waist. Ethan placed a kiss on the top of her head, and she leaned into his protective embrace.
“Have they upset you, my lady?” His tone was calm but laced with warning.
“They haven’t,” she said in a small voice. “Sorry, I’m not used to people being so nice to me.” She hated the way her voice sounded small and weak.
“You are family, Aria. We would do the same for anyone here,”
Claudia said with a genuinely warm smile.
Aria was suddenly overwhelmed. It had been hard enough accepting that she was deeply in love with Ethan. Now she had a whole barrage of people being overly kind to her. She was struggling to keep her emotional turmoil under control; she glanced to Ethan for help, hoping he
would understand, and to her relief, he did.
“I need a word in private with Aria, if you do not mind,” he swiftly told them before leading her out of the crowded hall, ignoring the attempts from those who wanted his attention.
The whole world could wait for all he cared. What he did care about was Aria and her well-being. At the end of the hall were two large double doors that were open to let in a cooling breeze; he guided her out down a small path into the garden, away from the thrum of people.
The moment they were alone, she burst into tears, genuine heart-wrenching sobs that tore at his heart. He held her in the circle of his arms, not caring if her tears soaked though his evening shirt. He guided them to a stone bench, lifting Aria onto his lap as she clung to him and sobbed.
Ethan felt helpless; all he could do was hold her and let her weep.
He wanted to take away her distress, solve all her problems, and battle any demon that haunted her. He had lived long enough to realize that when something had to be overcome and battled by a person, all you could do was be a supporting pillar and wipe away the tears that fell.
“I’m sorry, Ethan. I didn’t mean to embarrass you in front of your friends,” she said after a while, her sobs calming. “I’m not used to people being nice to me.” She swiped at her tears with the back of her hand.
Such a hard, cold life had been hers. Ethan wished he could change her past, but he could not. He could only give her a better future. He hugged her close. “You had best get used to it, Aria. You are going to have nothing but kindness from now on. I guarantee it. Do you feel better?”
She nodded, giving him a small smile. “I’m sorry, Ethan. I’m keeping you from your friends and family.”
“You apologize one more time, ma petite, and I shall have to give you that punishment I keep promising. You keep me from nothing I want to be doing, other than be here with you.”
She glanced up at
him through wet, spiked lashes, the tears making her eyes bright in the soft light of the moon. He watched as the corner of her lips twitched up in a provocative smile.
“And I thought you were a man who kept his promises. I do
understand if you don’t keep that one.”
Her soft, teasing voice fired his blood. Ethan felt the feral growl rise in his chest at her challenge. “You play with fire, ma petite.” His tone was already husky and laced with need.
She shifted on his lap, wiggling her ass against his straining cock.
Ethan gave a low groan. He could see the desire in her hazel depths; she wanted this. How blessed was he to have found such a strong and fiery woman, who accepted his need to dominate and control, who could take and enjoy his strength without fear he would ever overstep the boundaries and hurt her.
“I can handle it,” she whispered then shook her head. “I’m being selfish and greedy; you shouldn’t be away from your friends after so long.
This is your reunion.”
“That would have never happened without you. I want this as much as you do, Aria.” Ethan had already decided. Gripping the back of Aria’s head tightly, he jerked her forward to kiss her, leaving no part of her silken mouth un-tasted.
She was panting for breath when he broke the kiss, lifted her, and sat her on the bench facing away from him. Then he pulled several neckties from his pockets that he had stuffed in before they had come downstairs.
“I am going to bind you, blindfold you, remove all your clothing, then spank your soft, creamy ass until it glows rosy red,” he whispered into her ear. He loved the way her body responded, the strong smell of her arousal sending twin spikes of pain and pleasure into his cock. “I will tie you to a tree, helpless but to let me take my pleasure in your body, drive you to the brink of release then deny you, again and again, until you beg me to let you come.”
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