by Aubrey Ross
The invisible arm twisted out of his grasp. “I asked you not to touch me until you’re ready to touch me.” Her voice inflection changed. The forced accent disappeared, yet an unusual rhythm remained, old world, definitely not American. He couldn’t quite place the origin.
“Fine.” He backed her against the nearest wall. “Let me touch you. I’d like to feel what you’re offering.”
“Don’t you want to hear the rest of the song?” Her warm breath teased the base of his throat, putting the top of her head about level with his nose.
“I’m not sure. Do you have two heads and four arms? Just how unusual are you?” Her sigh sent tingles dancing across his chest. Was her breath always so warm?
“Go ahead,” she said. “But you will not be allowed to see me under any circumstances.”
She’d said he wouldn’t be allowed to see her, which implied it was possible. He’d never heard of a transparent entity before, but stranger things existed. “All the bedrooms are sealed. Without a light source, the darkness is absolute.”
Invisible fingers closed around his wrist and guided his hand to her breast, a round, delightfully full breast.
“Two breasts. Only one head.”
She let him explore for a moment on his own. Her hair flowed loose and silky almost to her waist. With his fingertips, he traced the arch of her eyebrows, prominent cheekbones, and the slim shape of her nose. High on the bridge of her nose, he detected several small ridges and the upper edge of her ears felt rippled. Other than those small anomalies, her features felt delicate and humanoid.
Closing his eyes, he returned his attention to her body. Her coat hung open from her shoulders. He slipped his hands inside and stroked her breasts. “Do your clothes reappear as soon as you take them off or is this all some sort of spell?”
“Take off my coat and find out,” she whispered, her tone hushed and breathless.
He fanned out the sturdy fabric and she pulled her arms out of the sleeves, revealing the bright red wool. As long as any part of the coat was in contact with her body the garment remained invisible.
“Unbelievable. Is your coloring what people find… I don’t understand why you’re afraid to let me see you.”
“I’m not afraid. It’s just better this way.” She snatched the coat back from him and it disappeared again. “Do we have a bargain or not?”
“Let me hear the rest of the song and I’ll think about it.”
She laughed. “Now you’re trying to screw me without screwing me.”
He put his hands against the wall and moved in close. “Why are you so desperate to get fucked?”
She gasped. “I’m not a bite whore! I just want --”
“Have you been spying on me?” He angled his head to one side and then the other, anxious for a glimpse of her face or a hint of her coloring. “You were there last night weren’t you?” He pushed off the wall and scowled in her general direction.
“Yes, I was at Club Carousel. No, I wasn’t intentionally spying on you. It wasn’t like Julie cornered you in a particularly private place.”
“I can’t do this.” Eric turned toward the practice space and continued down the hall. He didn’t care how good the song was. He was through playing games. “Just let yourself out.”
“Wait.” There was a note of desperation in her tone. “It’s not just one song. I’ve been composing for years.”
He stopped walking and his hands clenched into fists. “I suppose your price will be the same for each song?” She said nothing and a faint echo of pain vibrated through his soul -- isolation, old and desolate. Damn it. What did she expect? She was manipulating him and he didn’t like it. Pivoting on the ball of his foot, he scanned the hall to make sure she was still there. “Why are you doing this?”
“You can blend in with humans when you choose to. I can’t. I’m trapped in a world that has no use for me, surrounded by people I terrify. Is it so hard to understand why I’d be lonely?”
“Why me?” He heard her soft foot falls as she moved closer. Her faintly floral scent teased his nose.
“You were willing to protect someone everyone else would have disregarded, someone who didn’t even appreciate it.”
“You’re talking about Julie again.”
“Most men would have taken advantage of her.”
He shook his head. “You must not have seen the whole thing. I came damn close.”
“As soon as you realized how badly she’d been abused, you made sure she got the help she needed.”
“Listen, I’m nobody’s idea of a hero. Pretending I am will get you hurt.”
“I’m willing to take my chances.” He heard the faint shuffle of her clothing as she shifted position. “How do we do this? If I give you the rest of the song now, what’s your motivation to keep your end of the bargain?”
“Sometimes we crash in the practice room. It’s not quite as dark as the bedrooms, but we could compromise. I’d like to hear you play the portion of the song you sent me already. Then I’ll motivate you to show me more.”
“All right.”
He turned quickly before she could see his smug smile. As soon as she felt secure in the darkness, she’d stop doing whatever was making her invisible. But the tiniest glimmer of light would allow him to see her clearly. She must not know vampires as well as she thought. He closed the double doors to the practice area and shut the blinds. After pulling thick shades down over the windows, he turned off the lights.
Anxiously waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dimness, he searched the room for his guest. She stood beside the piano, a sharply defined shadow against the gray room. Her smile revealed even white teeth for an instant, before the detail was lost in the gloom. He should be able to see her. Confusion and disappointment tumbled through his chest. Why did she still appear out of focus?
“You really do think I’m a fool, don’t you?”
Chapter Three
Mercedes sighed as she decreased the intensity of her shields, displaying her shape without revealing her features. Let him see just enough to drive him crazy, give him just enough to leave him hungry for more. The arrogant jerk thought he could trick her. Her. It was almost funny.
“How are you doing this? I…”
“Should be able to see me?” She took off her coat, tossing it over the back of a chair. “You’ll see me when I’m ready for you to see me, which will probably be never. I’m tired of being nice. Let’s lay our cards on the table, shall we? You’re the creative force behind Pyrite’s music and you haven’t written a word in almost a year. I’m here to help you. Or I was until you turned this into something a lot more complicated than it needed to be.”
“How do you know so much about me?”
“The internet.”
“Right,” he scoffed. “Are you a vampire?” As he stalked toward her, his gaze glowed in the darkness. It didn’t matter. He wouldn’t be able to see more than the outline of her body no matter how hard he tried. Even Faelon couldn’t penetrate her shields. And her uncle was the oldest living organic vampire on earth.
“Depends who you ask,” she muttered. “Can you stay focused, please? I want a few nights diversion with a man who knows his way around the bedroom. I can’t hire an escort. So here’s the deal. You be my sex slave and I’ll be your muse.”
His arms closed around her so suddenly she gasped. “I’m not anyone’s sex slave.” He forced her back against the piano, his knee lodged between her legs. “If you want a good hard fuck, I’ll fuck you. But don’t treat me like a whore.”
She bit back a scathing remark about his lifestyle. How could she explain all she knew without admitting how she’d come by the knowledge? “Why are you so determined to see me?” Anger ebbed and flowed, leaving a different kind of tension lodged in her belly. His hard thigh pressed against her mound and his mouth hovered just out of reach. If she stretched up onto her toes she could reach his mouth. She was tired of talking. She wanted to touch him and be touched by him. Th
is adventure wouldn’t last forever.
“Why are you so determined to hide?” His hold eased. One of his hands skimmed her side, pausing at her waist.
She had to tell him something. All vampires were empathic. Eric had to realize this had little to do with her appearance. “It’s just better if you don’t know who I am.”
He chuckled. “You mean Euterpe isn’t your real name? I’m shocked.”
“My family is old and steeped in traditions that should have been put to rest long ago.”
“This isn’t making me any more comfortable with the activities you’ve proposed.” He kept her pinned between the piano and his knee. His arms caged her. His body crowded her, yet he made no other move to touch her.
“I was born one hundred and ninety years ago. Even by vampire standards that makes me a mature adult.”
“You’re an organic vampire? Do you realize how rare -- of course you do.” He shifted his weight, inadvertently sliding his leg against the apex of her thighs. Desire rippled through her body and she bit back a moan. “Who are your people? Do you have direct ties to the council?”
“I only brought up my family so you’d understand the need for discretion.”
“Your father wouldn’t approve?”
“My father is dead.” They were wandering too close to the truth. She’d only meant to give him enough information to explain the emotions seething within her. He didn’t need to know her entire past, about the cold stone cage or the hag. “Ten months ago an attempt was made on my life. The remaining members of my family have become overzealous in their determination to ensure my safety ever since. The result has been a complete lack of freedom.”
“Who tried to kill you?”
“It doesn’t matter. The man is incarcerated. You’re missing the point.”
“What will your family do if they find out we’re lovers?”
She shrugged, glad he couldn’t see the frustration on her face. “I’m not a child. It’s none of their business if I choose to take a lover.”
“That didn’t answer my question. If the head of your family finds out I’ve taken advantage of you, what will he do to me?”
“He’ll never know. Besides, how have you taken advantage of me? I contacted you. I made the offer. I seduced you.”
“Not yet, but you’re getting closer.” He smiled and her heart fluttered.
It would be so easy to wrap her arms around his neck and press her forehead against his shoulder, to let all the torments in her past come rushing out. He’d rock her in his arms and kiss her temple. He’d ease her suffering. It was his nature. He was a champion, a defender. He couldn’t help himself. She could find passion and pleasure with any vampire. She needed Eric’s unique combination of tenderness and ferocity.
With gentle care, he followed the contour of her face from brow to chin. His expression revealed his resignation. “I’ll stop trying to peek if you stop provoking me. I suspect we’ll accomplish more if we work together.”
“All right.” She turned into his caress, rubbing her cheek against his fingertips.
His eyes drifted closed as he cupped her breast. “Partners?” His thumb stroked her nipple.
“Partners,” she agreed.
Leaning down, he covered her mouth with his and Mercedes trembled. She’d waited over a century for this night, the fulfillment of her dreams. His tongue nudged her lips and she opened for him, offering her mouth and her breath, welcoming him with eagerness and heat.
He felt along the front of her blouse and then the back. “How does this open? Not being able to see creates all sorts of challenges.”
She pulled her silk tee-shirt off over her head and draped it over her coat. Then she reached behind her and unhooked her bra. “You should be able to feel your way through the rest.”
“You can see me perfectly while you’re only an animated shadow.” His gaze swept down her body and back up again. “I think you enjoy the power.”
“I’m careful with what little control I have, if that’s what you mean.”
“That’s not what I mean.” He caught her wrists and brought her hands to the edge of the piano, which forced her back to arch. “You enjoy knowing I can’t see you. There’s power in anonymity.”
“Unless you’re empathic.”
“You’re not intimidated by my empathy.” His fingers trailed down her sides and found the waistband of her jeans. “Each time I’ve scanned your mind, your shields have intensified. Either you’re incredibly sensitive to mental touches or your shielding mechanism is intuitive.”
She didn’t say a word. He unzipped her jeans and pushed them past her hips. Gravity carried them to her calves, but he lost interest much sooner. His fingers encountered her smooth skin and he inhaled deeply.
“So soft,” he murmured, bending to her breasts as his hands continued their leisurely exploration. He licked and suckled her nipples, sending darts of sensation into her chest. A firm pull, a tender lick, a sudden scrape, he bombarded her senses with random combinations.
A clinking sound warned her that he’d found her pendant. “What’s this?” he asked. She felt tension against the chain as he lifted the crystal from between her breasts and examined the shape and size.
“Just a necklace. Sentimental value only.”
“Can I see it?”
She snatched it from his hand. “No. You’re ruining the mood.”
“I’m sorry.” He cupped her breast, his gentle touch echoing the apology. “Any piercings I might encounter?” His mouth worked its way back up her neck as his fingers learned the contours and textures of her torso. From shoulders to thighs, he stroked and caressed until she clasped the edge of the piano, her legs trembling beneath her.
“Kiss me, love,” he whispered. “Know my taste.”
Tilting her head and parting her lips, she waited.
“No. I want you to kiss me.”
With a little growl, she pushed her fingers into his hair and pulled his head down to hers. He neither resisted nor responded to her kiss. She inhaled his scent, letting the rhythm of his energy flow through her. Matching her breathing to his, she slid her lips over his and pressed her breasts against his chest. His lips parted and she slipped her tongue into his mouth.
He pulled her away from the piano and cupped her bottom with both hands, dragging her to her toes as he fit her smaller body more firmly against his. Their tongues stroked and curled as she kicked off her pants.
I’m not usually a talker, but this makes it damn hard for me to judge what pleases you and what…
His thoughts trailed away as she flooded his mind with hunger, sharing her need, her long neglected desire. She had ached for him so long it didn’t matter what he did as long as he touched her and kept on touching her for as long as they were able to stay together.
She tugged his shirt off over his head and pressed herself to him, skin to skin. They both groaned, resuming their kiss with more fervor. His fingers delved into the crack between her bottom cheeks, boldly stroking as he angled her hips.
What would he do first? What did she want him to do? She’d imagined his mouth enjoying her creamy folds as only a vampire could, ravenously, endlessly, while she climaxed again and again. Yet her need for the fullness of his cock was every bit as acute.
Keeping her shoulder tucked against his chest, he rotated her slightly and raised her leg until one of her calves rested against his thigh. His strong arm supported her back and their kiss only deepened as she settled into the new position.
His palm swept down along her leg, curved around her knee, then inched up her inner thigh. Tingles trailed in the wake of his light caress, warning her of his intent and making her pussy ache with anticipation. All the while he kissed her and she kissed him. Their tongues moved smoothly from his mouth to hers and back. He covered her mound, insinuating his fingers between her thighs. Resting her hips against the piano, she made more room for his hand.
“God, you’re wet.” He whispered the
words against her mouth. “I thought your scent was so intoxicating because I’m not allowed to see you.”
She thrust her tongue into his mouth, then reminded him, “The only sense I’ve restricted is sight. You’ve barely begun to explore your others.”
Dropping to his knees, he draped her leg over his shoulder and parted her folds. “Then let’s find out if you taste as good as you smell.”
Chapter Four
Eric swiped his tongue from the entrance to E’s trembling body to her clit and waited for her to moan. He knew she would. The scent of her arousal surrounded him, incited him, and attracted him. How long had it been since a lover touched her? Why was she really so alone?
Her thigh tensed against his shoulder and she tilted her hips, resting more of her weight on the piano. Stubborn little minx. She didn’t want him to realize how desperately she wanted him, but her body didn’t lie. He circled her clit with his tongue, listening carefully for her indrawn breath. Each time his tongue passed over the top of her clit she fought back a gasp. He concentrated on the ultra sensitive spot, passing his tongue tip over and back, over and back, until a strangled cry escaped his willing captive.
“Unless you want to be bitten, you better come for me. I’m hungry.” He hesitated, his mouth hovering over her succulent pussy. “You understand what I need, don’t you? You said you’d been with a vampire before.”
“Oui, I mean yes.” She sounded dazed and they had barely begun. “Vampires enjoy cum almost as much as they crave blood. But I need something to squeeze.”
“After.” He gave her clit a little nip and resumed the teasing rhythm. She groaned and rocked herself against his mouth. He could picture her slender body arched, breasts quivering with each ragged breath, as she rode his face. He wanted to see her, not imagine her. He wanted to watch the glorious changes passion wrought in a woman’s body. Why wouldn’t she allow it?