He hadn’t touched her yet. Not the places she most wanted him to.
Her hand went down, grabbed one of his, and placed it on her breast.
He broke off with a shaky laugh. “Something you want?”
“Touch me.”
“Oh, I’ll touch you all right. I’ll touch you everywhere.” His fingers located her straining nipple under her shirt. He slid his palm against it and then pinched it roughly.
“Oh, yes.” She panted, unable to get enough oxygen in to satisfy her need. The need for him grew exponentially.
He lowered his mouth. Breathed hot air around her pebbled nipple.
She shook. A little sauna. Hot from heat. From desire.
His wet tongue traced around through the cotton. Sparks centered along her chest.
Wanted his mouth on her bare nipple. Wanted nakedness. Now.
She gripped the hem to take it off. He grabbed her hands in his.
She tried to toss them off. His mouth continued to lave her nipple through the wet fabric.
As he removed his mouth, he puffed air, instantly cooling it off. His ragged breath matched hers. A shudder wracked her entire body.
“I want to take off my shirt.” She’d never heard herself sound so needy.
“No.”
“Bastian! I want to ...”
“If we make love now, no matter how much I want to, or you want to, we’ll both regret it. You take off any more clothes, I will take you, Copper.”
The words dulled her desire. He was right. Dammit, he was right. What was she doing? She’d planned to keep her distance from him. This was not distance. This was closeness.
“When I take you, Copper Daly, you’ll be mine. Mine alone. And I will do what I please to your body. To please you.”
His words ignited something in her soul. The flicker moved through her. He bowed to her, pulled her hand up, and kissed it.
“Did you make a pledge to me?” She couldn’t keep the husky note of desire nor the catch of bemusement from her voice. She’d never had a man play a knight. Role playing. He’d look so fine in armor. She shook her head to clear it.
“I did.” He bowed his head to her in a nod.
“Well, I expect you to damn well keep it.”
He chuckled. “I will.”
“This is killing me.”
He lowered his head and placed his forehead on hers. “Me too.”
They had finally admitted what lay between them. Attraction. Lust. Something so strong neither could deny the cord, the link between them. Copper wanted to stop time for this moment. Stay in it forever, and pretend their problems didn’t exist.
She’d never felt this way about a man.
She closed her eyes, resting against him. Her heart pounded. She was falling in love with him. She’d resolved long ago never to do that. She’d seen her mother’s and Crimson’s versions of love. Neither appealed to her. She had to get away from him.
She pushed away from him, opening her eyes. “You’d better go. I ... need to work tomorrow.”
Bastian frowned, trying to keep his hands on her even with her pulling away. “You don’t have to work anymore.”
“No one else knows I’m not Crim but you and Tad. You’re hoping Evangeline will come out because she thinks I’m Crimson. For that to happen, I have to keep up the façade.” She pulled free of him. “That means working.”
Bastian’s frown deepened. “I don’t like it.”
“It has to be done.” Copper crossed her arms in front of her.
“Tomorrow, Tad will take you and stay until I come to pick you up.”
“It will be daylight.”
He nodded. “I know.”
“Well, that’s stupid to come pick me up. Evangeline won’t come after me in the daytime.”
“She can walk in daylight the same as I can. And she has humans who help her, same as I do. That’s why Tad stays with you. To protect you. Jake and Barb know not to let you leave with anyone but Tad or me.”
“Still ...”
“Copper.” One word. With finality. Her arguments would make no difference. And he was probably right. She’d never met a man who didn’t waver from his decisions. Her pussy tingled again. Turned on by a strong man. She certainly never imagined she would be.
Bastian straightened, taking a deep breath. “I’d better go. Let you sleep.” He leaned down, giving her a gentle kiss on her lips. “Good night, Copper.”
He left her room. She watched his rear, muscles clenching as he walked. She gulped. Her lips tingled. Why did he have to feel so good? Look so fine?
She curled up in a ball in Crimson’s bed. Steeled herself against the emotions. She couldn’t let herself love him. Too strong. He was too strong for her. She’d lose herself to him. She’d seen Crim and her mother do it one too many times. And he was a vampire. And the pesky problem of him being her sister’s boyfriend hadn’t been eliminated.
Copper drifted off to sleep, resolving to stay strong against Bastian De Luca. For her own survival.
Chapter Nine
Lucy pulled out her cell phone. Her body ached after a night of sexual play. She touched a bite on her shoulder. Etien had marked her several times and fed, despite her instructions to the contrary. She’d need to be cautious around Bastian. He could spot those things a mile away. She’d begun showering with bath soap she’d seen Crimson use and would soak herself in it before the day was through. That way he wouldn’t catch any scent of Etien. Blood could be explained away from a cut shaving.
“Tad? Tad? Is that you?”
“Who else would be answering my cell phone? What’s up, Lucy?” Tad’s flippant tone quickly switched to serious. He hated it when there was angst or trouble.
“I know I didn’t come home last night. I’m in trouble. Please, Tad, come and get me.” She made her voice a mix of desperation and regret.
“Lucy, you’re a mess. Where are you? And it’s not exactly a good time to come get you. I’m babysitting Crimson.”
“Oh, God, please, Tad, I made a mistake. You’re the only one I can turn to. The only one I have left. I need to get away. Before he comes back.”
Tad sighed. “You found the old pimp again? Give me the address, and I’ll come. But you have to come sit with Crim afterwards.”
“Thank you, Tad. I will do anything for you. Please don’t tell anyone. You’re a lifesaver.”
She gave him the address to an abandoned, graffiti-covered warehouse. He’d investigate to make sure she wasn’t in there. That would buy her some time.
Lucy watched from her position across the street from Lucky’s Bar. Two minutes later, Tad sauntered out of the bar. He was so predictable and helpful. And good thing none of their cell phones had GPS locators. She’d handle not being where Tad thought she was later. Find an explanation. The pimp had come and taken her home. Where she tragically found Bastian in a stupor and thought he was injured.
She dialed her phone again.
“Crimson! You have to hurry. You have to come home. Bastian’s been wounded. He needs you. You and Tad need to come home now. Not much time.”
“What? What happened?” The panic settled into Crimson’s voice. Good. The more emotion hit her, the less she’d use what little brain she had.
“A lady vampire came, and he fought. It was bad.” Lucy smirked, twisting her hair. “He’s been hurt. He asked me to call you. He lost a lot of blood. Vampire blood. It’s precious. He lost consciousness. I think ... I think he might be dying.” She let out another sob. “I had to call you. It was the last thing he asked.”
“Oh, god. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Crimson snapped off the phone. Lucy shook her head. Dumb bitch. Time to put the next part into play.
* * * * *
Jake moved in front of Copper. She handed Diane her tray. “Crim, I don’t know about this.”
“Get out of my way, Jake. I need to go to Bastian.” Her voice rose octaves.
“I’m not supposed to let
you leave ...”
“I don’t give a damn. I’m going. I need to get to Bastian. That was Lucy. You know Lucy! He’s been wounded.” Her voice screeched. Her heart pounded in her chest. No, she wouldn’t lose him. Not now. Could vampires die? The legends said they could, but they had so much wrong. She should have asked him when she had the chance.
“I could order Barb to hold you while I call Bastian. Or Tad.”
“And I can kick him in the balls until he lets me go. Tad had an emergency errand to go run. This is about Bastian, and we are wasting time. Lucy said he was unconscious. I have to go. Now.”
Jake frowned, lines drawing up all along his face. Worry lines. His worry fed her own until she nearly burst at the seams with it. “I’ll go with you.”
Barb snorted, coming out from behind the bar. “Like you could do anything, Mr. Monkey Suit. I’ll take you to Bastian’s.”
“We need to hurry.”
“We will.” Barb’s tone left no doubt he meant it.
They pulled up outside Bastian’s fifteen minutes later. They’d broken the sound barrier and all the speed limit laws getting there. Barb had been true to his word.
Lucy rushed out of the house. “Oh good, Crimson ...” She drew back, seeing Barb’s bulk getting out of the car. “What are you doing here?”
“Escorting Crimson here. For safekeeping. Hello, Lucy.”
Lucy smirked. “Hello, Barb. Ah. She’s safe now on Bastian’s estate. You can run along back to the bar.”
“How is Bastian? Maybe I can help ...”
Copper headed for Bastian’s room while they talked. She had to see him. Make sure he was okay.
“No. You can’t help with anything. Crimson, hang on a minute.”
Copper turned to face them.
Barb frowned, his mouth drawing down to his chin. “Are you sure? I can ...”
“No. Go on back to the bar. I haven’t gotten a hold of Tad yet, he’s supposed to be picking me up, and I’m not where he thinks I am. He’ll go back to the bar to pick her up. Go catch him. Tell him I’m back.” She made shooing motions with her hands. “Crimson and I can handle Bastian. Nothing you can do here.”
“Lucy,” Copper started walking again, “I want to go ...”
“Wait a minute. I need to go with you.”
Copper’s eyes narrowed. Odd things going on. “Barb, go on back. I’ll let you know how Bastian is as soon as I can.” Barb needed to leave so she could find out what Lucy was up to. Because she was sure up to something. Tad’s emergency call had been Lucy? That cinched it. The witch. What was she up to?
“Are you sure, Crim?” The man flexed his meaty arms.
“Yeah. I’m sure.” She nodded. “It’s best if you go on back.” She had to find out what Lucy was up to, and Lucy wouldn’t act with the big man here. That was obvious.
Barb strode out the door and back to his car.
Copper turned to Lucy, her eyes taking in the woman clad in jeans and a T-shirt. She saw the dark purple hickey on the side of her neck, the shirt not quite covering it. She should have worn a high-necked one. While a momentary shot of jealousy hit low in the pit of her stomach, her heart dismissed it. No way Bastian would screw the little witch. “Bastian’s not hurt, is he?”
Lucy turned stunned eyes toward her. “No. How did you figure that out?” She sidled close to Copper.
“A guess. What do you want? Why did you bring me here?”
Lucy’s laughter trilled. “I want you dead. And I brought you here to take you to people who’ll do that.”
“You’re going to take me somewhere? How? You and how many army men?” Copper backed up a step.
“I’ll take you, Crimson.” Lucy’s voice lifted and shifted. She retook the step of distance Copper had gained. “Off to see the wizard. Or in this case, a vampiress.”
Copper stilled, her whole body going slack. “To see Evangeline?”
Lucy’s eyes simmered with hurt. “Yesss.” She hissed like an angry snake. “Bastian told you about her? Like he never told me?”
Copper shrugged her shoulder, moving around Lucy. “I guess he likes me better.” Take her to Evangeline? And that meant to Crimson. She’d have to think of a way for Bastian to find her, though. She’d need help getting her sister out of there.
Lucy balled her fists up at her side. “You’re trying to make me angry. I won’t strike you again. It’s not worth it. You’ll be dead soon. And Bastian will be mine. All mine.”
“Let’s go then.”
“What?” Lucy put her hand behind her back. Copper saw something clutched in it. But didn’t get a good enough look to identify it.
“Let’s go to Evangeline. Come on. Chop-chop.” Copper shook back her hair. Maybe if she made Lucy think she was cooperating she could find a way to leave Bastian a sign. She had to take this chance and go to Crimson. “Where is she, anyway? Long trip? Before we leave, I do have to pee. Especially for a long car ride. I would hate to make you have to stop or piss on your seats. I’ll go now.”
Lucy shook her head, stepping in front of her. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing. But I’m not telling you jack about where we’re going.”
She grabbed Copper’s arm, the hand behind her back coming up, jabbing a needle into her skin.
“Ow.” It stung, and burned. The numbness started at the needle insertion and drifted quickly up her arm. Oh shit, Lucy had drugged her. She’d never get a message to Bastian now. Unless ... Even as she fell to the ground, the intoxicant taking over, her mind screamed for the vampire.
* * * * *
Bastian jerked awake. Every cell fired. Every neuron snapped. His skin prickled. Heart pounded.
He sat up, rubbing his face. He’d been having a sensual dream of Copper.
She’d kneeled before him, taking his cock in her mouth. Laved all around it, sucking it like a stick of candy, slurping in her eagerness to take all of him. She’d taken him to the brink, then backed off. Had wrapped those nimble legs around him, positioned, and thrust him inside of her with a whoosh. He’d pounded into her, again and again. She’d screamed his name, raking her fingernails down his back. He’d lifted his head and shoved fangs deep into her shoulder, feasting on the powerful liquid she carried within her veins. She called his name again, louder and desperate. Screamed it.
So real. So intense.
Such a dream.
It had all been in his mind, obviously, as Copper didn’t lie beside him. And as his cock remained so hard it stung. Even another hand job hadn’t taken any edge off. He needed to sink it into her willing flesh soon. She’d been hot and primed for him earlier.
His head came up. What time was it? What had torn him out of this dream?
Copper’s scream. The last thing he remembered.
But that meant nothing. It had only been a dream. Where’d he’d taken her. All it was. He’d even fed again. Only in a dream.
But the niggling feeling wouldn’t go away. He lay down and tried to slumber again. He couldn’t stop thinking. His hard-on wouldn’t go away and he couldn’t stop imagining what it would be like to sink into her.
Perhaps he’d check on her. See how her day of work was going.
He pulled the phone closer to him and dialed.
“Hey Jake. Is everything OK there?”
“Oh man, I’m glad to hear your voice. What happened? Not hurt as much as Lucy thought? She scared us.”
Bastian stared at the receiver. What? “Hurt? What the hell are you talking about?”
“Lucy called. Told us how you’d been hurt. And wanted Crimson.”
“I was never hurt. I was asleep.” Bastian’s breath caught. Oh, shit. “Put Tad on.”
Jake didn’t say anything, and then spoke, “You weren’t hurt? Tad’s not here. He got an emergency call and had to go.”
“No, I wasn’t hurt. Where is Crimson? Tell me everything.”
“Bastian, Lucy called here. Said you wanted Crimson there urgently. You were hurt. We let her go
. Barb got back right as you called. He dropped her off.”
“Damn. Here? With Lucy?”
“Yeah. Did we do something wrong, Bas? I know you said no one but Tad and you, but Lucy ... she’s been with you a long time.”
“It’s OK, Jake. Don’t worry about it.” He’d do all the worrying for both of them. Lucy wouldn’t do anything to Copper. She’d know the consequences. But it wouldn’t leave his mind.
“Bas, Barb did say when he got back, Lucy was in a hurry to get him to leave. She told him about a dozen times to go before he finally did.”
Lucy had called, lying to friends of theirs to get Copper alone. Had been in a hurry to ensure she’d have Copper alone.
It stank. Reeked of something not kosher, and he wasn’t even Jewish.
“I need to go, Jake. I’m going to look for Crim and Lucy.”
He hung the phone up and bounded out of bed, naked. Yanking the door open, he charged into the hallway. No time to stop for clothes. He wanted to be overreacting. But the nauseating feel to his gut told him he wasn’t.
If Lucy had hurt her ...
He searched the whole house. Nothing. No Copper, no Lucy. No answers to the yells. Barb said he had dropped them off here. Where could they be?
He called Jake back. “Did Barb come inside the house? You said he saw Lucy. Where did he drop off Cop-- Crimson?”
Jake talked for a minute, away from the receiver. Bastian heard the muffled voices. “She kept him outside in the driveway. Never let him inside the house. Bas, he said she was real nervous, too. He thought she was afraid because you were hurt. Lucy didn’t hurt Crim, did she? What is she doing?”
“I don’t know.” Bastian hung up.
His phone rang again. “Copper?”
“No, it’s Tad. I walked in the bar, and they said call you. What’s up?”
“I’m not exactly sure. What was your emergency?”
“I ...” He could hear the hesitation, and the mind working on a cover story.
“I need the truth. It’s important. Too much is going on for a lie.” Tad never lied to him, anyway. He might not tell the whole truth. But he didn’t lie.
“Lucy called me to come get her. She sounded upset.”
Blood Lines: Conduit Page 11