by Sabrina York
The speaker’s hair appeared silver in the moonlight, his face etched with angry creases. “Hand over the female, Wyman.”
Wyman? They knew him. Damn. Just her luck. He would turn her over to the hunters for vamp politics or something. For all she knew, this whole date was a set up for their council to capture her, as if she were some kind of threat to their kind. She tried to back up, but Darian’s grip tightened on her arms.
“I’ll take responsibility for the female.”
She froze. What does that mean?
“Have you claimed her?”
“Not yet, but the night is young. I like to seduce my conquests first.”
Rumbles of laughter erupted from the hunters. “Very well. But be warned that if you don’t, she will be turned over to the council.”
“Don’t worry. Before morning, she will be mine.”
Oh, no way she was going along with that. The date was for one night, not a lifelong commitment! He had no right to promise something that would never happen. He would get them both killed, even if it did appease the others for now.
With a nod, the hunters dematerialized.
Darian’s silence said enough. He wouldn’t look at her. Was he serious? She backed up and sent him her best death stare, her arms crossed. “I’m not a piece of property. You can’t just stake a claim on me. You don’t know me.”
He reached for her. She jerked away, pivoted on her heel, and strode back the way they’d come. At least she hoped it was. His essence followed her, warning her of his presence. She broke into a run, not wanting to be claimed by anyone.
He materialized in front of her. She skidded to a halt and stepped back. She should have known she couldn’t outrun a vampire. Darian took hold of her upper arms and pulled her to his chest. She struggled not to feel his warmth, the power that encircled her, the sense of belonging.
“You have nothing to fear from me.”
“I’m not afraid,” she whispered.
He pressed his lips to hers. She melted into him. Surges of electricity raced through her body and fired off every buried sexual need she possessed. When his tongue dipped inside her mouth, raw desire overtook reason.
She laced her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer, anxious to taste more of him. His power flowed into her and she drew it in, welcoming the erotic rush of his magic possessing every inch of her body, inside and out.
He pulled away in a rush and distanced himself from her, blue eyes widened and accusing.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, startled.
“Succubus.” He spat the word like rancid meat.
Ema gasped and shook her head. “A what? No, I’m not.”
“You’re a succubus and you tried to kill me.”
He flashed away while she stood dumbfounded. Not possible. She couldn’t be a succubus. What the hell is going on?
***
A succubus. Fuck.
Distancing himself to clear his head, he came to a fallen tree a hundred yards from where he’d left Ema. He sat down on the trunk and let sounds of the wind rustling leaves on the forest floor help clear his thoughts. He’d told the hunters he would claim her. She was his responsibility now.
The drugging effect she had on him pushed him further into insanity. The need to penetrate her with cock and fangs overrode common sense.
When he first saw her, he’d been intrigued. Sparks of life ignited inside his broken heart. He’d watched from the shadows as she wandered. Her soft muttering and silent curses amused him, something that hadn’t happened in a very long time.
Her dark hair, pulled back in a ponytail, had shimmers of crimson that reflected in the moonlight. He longed to free it from the rubber band to watch it fall around her shoulders and make it easy to twine the silky strands through his fingers.
When she’d marked the surrounding foliage with her blood, he’d instantly hardened and lost almost every ounce of self-control. The coppery scent flowed in the air and beckoned him like a siren’s call. He’d held his breath and tried to suppress the need to ravish and pleasure her until she screamed his name.
The only other time he’d felt a pull that strong was when he’d met his late wife. Confusion filled him at the possibility that he’d met a second bride. Her scent teased him and made his heart beat for the first time since his beloved Alexis died. Just one sign of meeting a mate. He didn’t know of another vampire lucky enough to find a second love. Most never lived past the first decade after losing a partner. And few shared the depth, the connection he and Alexis had. If not for Kat....
A thought that plagued him on multiple occasions.
And his one-night stand turned out to be an unknowing half-breed. Damn, why did this shit always happened to him? He wasn’t prejudiced against succubi, but they were dangerous creatures. Other supernatural clans didn’t like them, seductive killers able to kill with one kiss.
That kiss. He blew out a long sigh. He couldn’t resist her. She would end his life before the night was over.
To add more fuel to the flames, she was his mate. He couldn’t deny it.
***
Ema followed his energy. She found Darian sitting on a fallen tree trunk with his hands clenched into fists. He stared into the forest. She cast a nervous glance around to make sure they were alone.
His head snapped up and his glowing eyes searched hers. “Don’t.”
The command was less harsh than his earlier accusation of being a sex demon, but she despised being hushed. Especially when she didn’t understand what the hell was going on. “I’m not a succubus.”
“You are,” he sighed and stood to face her.
“How? My parents are human. And why would I kill you?”
“Because it’s your nature.”
She winced.
His shoulders fell. “You didn’t know?” She shook her head, but before she could respond, he continued. “An incubus could have impregnated your mother. It’s what they do.”
Ema sat down on the log. “I still don’t understand. Wouldn’t I need sex, all the time?”
Darian sat beside her, hands fisted in his lap. “Do people around you tire easily or appear tense? Do partners seem weak after sex?”
Her few sexual partners hadn’t hung around too long. One boyfriend had told her she exhausted him. The models she used for her sculptures couldn’t do long casting sessions. She’d had to schedule several shorter appointments and create her plaster molds one body part at a time. She was fairly sure that was unusual.
“And I can see the paranormal. Not just vampires and witches, but I can sense the animal spirit living inside shifters. I can feel their energy and see their transformation in my mind, if I concentrate hard enough.”
He covered her hand with his and squeezed. She stood and edged away from him. “I’m sorry. If you want to call this date off, I won’t be offended.” She pivoted and rushed away from him. The whole night was ruined. Her chest tightened, and she struggled to swallow the lump in her throat.
Strong arms wrapped around her waist. “You are a potential mate for me.”
She froze. A mate? Confusion clouded her mind. At the same time, excitement rose and filled her with hope. She’d lived her life with the idea she would die alone and tried to be content with that. Damn Darian for giving her hope again. She twisted in his arms and shook her head. “I didn’t come here to find a husband.”
“Neither did I.” She raised an eyebrow at him and he laughed. The sound rumbled from his chest to hers. “I wasn’t searching for a mate, either.
“I don’t know you.”
“It doesn’t matter. We have a very long time to get to know each other.” He tightened his hold, crushing their bodies together and capturing her mouth in a sensual possession. His firm lips moved against hers and his tongue slipped inside.
She moaned when he broke the kiss to move down her jaw and nip her chin. Prickles of desire soared straight to her core, causing her to ache with need.
“Let’s get
out of the cold. I’ll explain.”
Chapter Three
Back in the hotel room, Ema’s stomach tightened. Fear of the unknown along with the knowledge of what she could have done to those she loved overrode her ability to think straight. She put her friends in danger just being around them.
“I’ll call room service while you change.” Darian’s voice lacked any emotion.
She nodded, grabbed her bag, and went to the bathroom. After removing her cargo pants and black knit top, she changed into an oversized button-down shirt and leggings. She slid the rubber band from her hair and let the red waves cascade around her shoulders and down her back. A new woman stared back at her in the mirror. A woman with knowledge that all the weirdness in her life had been caused by the fact she was half sex demon.
“Stop it, Ema. You came here for a one-night stand.” A gorgeous man waited for her on the other side of that door.
After she brushed her teeth, she rifled through her personals and pulled out lavender jasmine body spray. Remembering vamps’ sensitive sense of smell, she decided he wouldn’t appreciate it, so she set it back inside her bag.
A light knock made her jump.
“Is everything okay?”
She opened the door to Darian’s gorgeous ice blue eyes, midnight black hair framing his handsome face, and square jawline.
He took her hand, and led her to the small table next to the French doors. Since she’d left the room, it had been set with two covered dishes, glasses, and a bottle of red wine. A single red rose and two lit tapers completed the image—an intimate dinner for two.
“How long was I in the bathroom?” she asked. “That’s pretty fast service.”
“About twenty minutes.”
“Really?”
A chuckle and shake of his head gave her pause. “Kidding. You weren’t in there that long, and yes, it does seem the service here is fast.”
She stared out the glass doors at the moonlight-silvered mountain peaks. “Forgive me if I don’t find that funny.” Turning back, she searched his face “My world as I know it has just been turned upside down. How am I supposed to react?”
Her chair propelled forward so her knees touched his, startling her. He grasped her face in a gentle hold, his thumb caressing her cheek. “Your eyes have been opened to a whole new world. I want to help you explore your abilities.”
“Explore them? I’m not opening that door.” Nope. She wanted no part in awakening her demon half. What did that even mean? Would she have to hunt?
“You already have, when I first kissed you.”
The erotic feeling of his magical essence mingling with hers made her yearn to reach out to him for another taste. “All the more reason not to poke the demon.”
“If you don’t learn to control the urges, she will take over.”
Fangs showed with each word. Desire heated her blood. She wanted them to pierce her skin when he claimed her for his own. Reality was a bitch, though. “Your essence is too strong. What if I can’t stop?”
“You will.”
“But in the forest. It overpowered me and I almost….”
His thumb smoothed over her bottom lip, halting her speech. “I wasn’t prepared. Now that I know what I’m dealing with, I can help.”
“I don’t understand.”
He released her and picked up the fork, scooped up a bite of mashed potatoes, and held it in front of her. The smell of fresh herbs and butter tantalized her nose and made her mouth water. Darian laid the creamy goodness on her tongue. She savored the favors.
When he refilled the fork, she placed a hand on his. “I can feed myself.”
A flash of hurt crossed his face, but was gone in an instant. “Let me. It pleasures me to do so.”
“The mating thing?”
He nodded and offered her another bite. “Yes. For my kind, to find two in one lifetime is rare.”
She choked. “A second? Whoa, wait a minute. I don’t date married men.” She scooted her chair back, but he latched onto the seat.
“I’m widowed. Alexis died when our daughter was ten….” His shoulders slumped and she longed to comfort him.
Still she needed to know. “How long ago?”
“One hundred and forty-two years.”
Ema opened her mouth, and then closed it. She shouldn’t be surprised. Vampires lived a very long time. Besides, this was a one-night stand, despite his claims of being her mate. She didn’t have the right to be jealous, so she changed the subject. “What do you know about sex demons?”
He cut a piece of steak, topped with a creamy mushroom sauce. “Full blooded succubi live off life energy much like vampires do blood. There are many ways they can drain their host, sex being the most effective. Other ways are through touch and kissing.”
“What about half-breeds?”
He met her gaze. “I’m not sure. I’ve never met one until now. Have any of your partners fallen ill from an unknown ailment?”
“No, not that I know of.” She thought about it for a moment and recalled a guy who left and never called again or answered his phone. What if….
Darian’s hands closed around her face. “Stop it.”
“Stop what?”
“Worrying. I can smell fear on you.”
“Is it possible I killed someone and didn’t know it?”
A slow smile stretched across his lips. “No. There is a point of no return. Once you reach it during feeding, you won’t be able to stop. Your host would have died then, and not later. At the very least, I believe your partners would feel sick or weak.”
“You believe?”
He shrugged. “You aren’t strong enough, yet.” He placed the steak in her mouth before she could ask another question. “I presume your past lovers were human. They wouldn’t possess energy strong enough to trigger your demon’s awakening.”
Her demon. She let it go. Getting upset wouldn’t help matters. “Why?”
“Many hybrids live normal lives never knowing anything about their ancestry. For others, the demon wakes and consumes their humanity.”
“But you can help me?”
Nodding he kissed the tip of her nose and her cheek. “Vampires are cousins to the succubi. We can live off life essence instead of depending on blood all the time.”
“Don’t you need blood for nutrition?”
Darian gave her a sideways smirk. “Over the centuries, vampires have learned to adapt to fit in. We eat food and can go outside during the day for short periods of time as long as we’re careful about being in the direct sunlight. If you’re interested, I can show you how to feed on life essence without taking too much.”
“How?” His lips traveled over her cheek to her ear. When he nipped at the lobe, her pulse increased.
Instead of responding to her question, his mouth covered hers in a searing kiss. Closing her eyes, she melted into him and welcomed his tongue. The pull of his life energy enticed her, teased her to draw it in, to take over. His hot, moist lips trailed down her jaw to her throat. Her blood boiled in anticipation. Would he bite? She hoped so. A shiver ran through her when his tongue touched the vein in her neck and his lips closed over it.
“Darian.” She didn’t care if she sounded needy.
She opened her eyes and met his, now glowing. “I want to be inside you when I take your blood.”
She’d like that, very much. Leaning forward, she captured his bottom lip in her teeth and sucked. A deep moan rumbled from his chest, and she smiled. He lifted her, toppling the chairs backward.
Darian laid her on the bed and rose above her, arms braced on either side of her and a wicked grin on his handsome face. She ran her fingers down his torso and tugged at the hem of his shirt. He gripped her hands and pulled them above her head to hold them in one of his.
“Not yet.” He said, brushing his lips over her earlobe.
A flicker of excitement flared inside her. He unbuttoned her blouse and brushed the cotton material aside to reveal her purple bra. When
he dropped soft kisses over the lace, she arched into his touch.
She twisted her wrists and squirmed to get free, but he tightened his hold and abandoned her breast. “Let go, Ema. Give control to me.”
Anxiety churned in her gut at the thought. She’d always prided herself on her independence. The idea of handing over the reins to someone else frightened her. But what was the alternative? Even now, her sexual hunger grew beyond anything she’d experienced. That scared her more than letting him take charge.
He pressed his body into hers, rubbing his hard erection over her pussy. Desire flooded her and she let out a soft cry of passion.
“You must let go and trust me.”
She wasn’t sure she could. All her life she’d been made fun of, laughed at, called a freak. He understood that humans weren’t alone in their world. She wasn’t alone anymore.
Drawing in a breath, she buried her fear deep inside and let go. She wanted to trust him. He had, after all, put himself in harm’s way to save her from the real hunters. For one night, she would give her perfect control up and let the sexy-as-hell vamp have his way with her.
“Okay, take me.” She released a nervous laugh.
Darian chuckled, his pupils dilating. He kissed her forehead, nose, cheeks, and continued down her throat to her breast. His fangs skimmed over her skin to the clasp on her bra. The lacey undergarment sprang open and fell to the side. He lapped around her nipple before he took it inside his mouth, gently biting the hard nub. Need rippled down her spine, straight to her sex.
He released her breast and trailed petal-like kisses down her belly to the top of her pants. He peeled her leggings over her hips and down her legs, then repeated the act with her panties. He stood, removed his shirt and jeans.
Dear. God.
If perfection existed, this man was it. Her gaze ran over his body and came to a stop at his hard cock. She beckoned him closer.
He didn’t move and she let out a soft growl. “It’s not nice to tease the succubus.”
A wicked grin spread across his face and he grabbed her ankles and pulled her to the edge of the bed. She gasped at the sudden rush of adrenaline. Her vampire knelt between her legs and nipped at her right ankle. The tickling touch of his teeth and lips moved up her calf to her inner thigh. He lifted his head and met her stare with glowing eyes and smiled with gleaming fangs.