by M. L. Briers
“Let me out and we can talk-”
“Oh, talk. Would that be before or after you used your magic on me to-?” Connor watched her back up a little as he gained ground towards the bed. He knew she was trying to position herself for a run at the door – it was what he’d do.
“It’s not you I want to kill…” she swallowed, crinkled her nose, and regarded the vaulted ceiling.
“Let me finish that sentence for you; it’s not you I want to kill… much?” He offered and she just grunted in reply.
As he bent to place the tray down on the bed she made her escape bid. He had to admit that for a human she was pretty damn fast, even on the gimp leg that he’d noted and had carelessly done nothing to tend to, but he was a vampire…
He placed the tray down on the bed and was behind her in a heartbeat. One strong arm wrapped around her waist and his hand palmed her stomach as he lifted her and yanked her back against his chest before she was out of the door…
Caught.
“Damn it, let go!” Vicky tried squirming, back heeling him in the shin, and using her elbow to try to break a rib… none of it worked.
“Easy there, wildling.” Connor’s melodic tone played against her ear, and she couldn’t control the heat within her that swept through her body as another pang of excitement shot right to her womb. She shivered in response.
“So help me, when I get my magic back-”
“I can imagine. Maybe I should just keep you locked away in this room for a good long while.” His gentle chuckle teased her senses, rubbed over her nerves, but it both settled her anger and unsettled her body.
“Don’t threaten me,” she ground out, shooting him a death glare over one shoulder and watching those dark eyes flare… “What was that?”
“What?” Connor asked, unsure of what she was talking about.
She could feel the hard press of his erection against her backside, and she guessed that was just natural for a damn vampire, but if he wanted her blood and thought she would be an easy lay…
“Your eyes-” her tone sounded accusing.
“Well, I kind of can’t look at my own eyes without the aid of a mirror. I’m a vampire, not omnipotent, but I’m not sure…?”
“They flared…” she sounded even more accusing that time.
“Flared? As in…?”
“Got wider – are you getting off on this, because Morgan didn’t say anything about you being some sort of pervert.”
Connor couldn’t help the laughter that rolled up his chest and escaped his lips. One look at her and he could tell that she wasn’t particularly amused, but his control where she was concerned was lacking boundaries, and her accusation had relieved some of that tension within him.
“Define pervert.” Connor tossed back and she snorted as she snatched her head back and scowled at him.
“Oh – my – Goddess,” she declared. “You want my blood!”
“I’m a vampire, it’s what I do.” Connor shrugged and tried to downplay her accusation.
“No!” She scolded him like he was a bad puppy, and Connor couldn’t help but chuckle again.
“Relax, Princess, I’m in control.” Ish. Maybe not the way I once was…
“Let the hell go of me – I’m not a blood bag.”
“No, you’re not.” Connor tried to make a serious face, but she amused him. “You’re so warm that taking from the vein would be-”
“That last bloody thing you ever did.” She ground out, struggling a little more even though she knew she couldn’t break free without her magic to help her.
“If… you got your magic back. Hence, locked in for perpetuity.” Connor teased and she snorted again.
“You wouldn’t dare.” She didn’t believe him for one moment. She felt as if she knew him too well from the stories that Morgan had told her… but, she had to wonder just how well Morgan actually knew the man. She was certain that Connor wouldn’t have dared to lock Morgan or one of the other witches that she’d been hearing about in his bedroom, it would have been a bloodbath if he’d tried…
“Is that a bet or a challenge?” He asked quietly and saw her bristle. Her eyes narrowed on him.
“Let – me – go.” She said slowly.
“Free range witch or caged bird?” He took a long moment to consider it, and as she tried to elbow him again, it skidded off his ribs.
“I’m not lunch!” She hissed at him.
“Its supper time,” he grinned back, showing just a smidge of his fangs.
“Oh, you can put those the hell away right now.” She bit out, feeling another rush of excitement deep within her.
Vicky’s hand went to the hand of his that rested against her stomach with the intention of trying to sink her fingernails into his flesh and peel his hand away, but the moment that her skin brushed over his – she felt it… that tingle, that sense of something different between them… and she froze in place as that tingling travelled up her arm and over her body.
She guessed some of her more benign magic still remained.
Vicky swallowed down hard and Connor watched her take that information in.
“You – have – got – to – be – kidding – me.” She practically groaned out the words. Connor grinned.
“S-u-r-prise.”
“That’s not…” She shook her head in denial.
“Yes, yes it is-”
“No, because I don’t like vampires…” she took a breath and scowled up at him. He twisted his head on his neck and questioned her with one raised eyebrow. “Not, don’t like… just, that way, the whole fangs and blood thing-”
“I get that a lot.” Connor teased and she snorted.
“I’m not surprised.”
“So you knew?”
“Not knew that…” She ground out. “Don’t wind me up – not now. I may look calm on the outside, but on the inside – my brain just might explode.” She bit out.
“Err, yum?” Connor gave her a grin – it wasn’t a tremendously teasing grin, more smoulderingly hot and sexy with a hint of ha-ha. She rolled her eyes away from him.
“You can let me go now.”
“Now?” She shot him a quick look back over her shoulder and one of his eyebrows was up and the other was frowning downwards… “Now when you just found out that you’re my mate and may possibly rip my head off if I give you back your magic, now? That’s the kind of now that…?”
“Shut up.” Vicky hissed. “Don’t you ever stop?” She demanded and he took a moment to think about it. “You’re like one of those dolls with the pull cord that you want to stop, but once you’ve let loose…” she shook her head again on a groan.
“I’m sorry, am I annoying you?” He gave a small chuckle and she seethed.
“Ya think?”
“Sneaking suspicion-”
Vicky groaned again, but it was cut short by a half squeal when he lifted her up his body and stalked back towards the bed with her. Depositing her down onto her feet and motioning to the tray with his free hand.
“Gruel. Eat.” He didn’t let her go.
“I’d say bite me, but-” she lifted a hand and dropped it in frustration.
“Oh, please do.” Connor teased her again, and again she tried her damnedest to elbow him in the ribs. “Be nice, or next time it will be gruel.”
Vicky didn’t want to know what was under the covered plate. She had a horrible feeling that he was going to serve her worms or something just to make his damn point, and yet, it didn’t smell like worms, and she was hungry… but if she accepted his food then she was accepting him… well, sort of.
Right then; she was as confused as hell. Not only was Vane around and wanting to kill her, but she’d run into a vampire who locked her into his bedroom in an ivory tower and had stolen her magic right from under her stupid nose… That vampire just happened to be her mate. That wasn’t a good day in her book, anyone’s book, and hardly a farytale that she’d want to be a part of.
“I want you to know�
�” she started and stopped when he chuckled.
“Is this where you deny me as your mate again, because if it is I want to record it for our future together… I kind of missed the first one and it’s an I told you so moment-”
“You really are a dick, aren’t you?” Vicky sighed.
“I’m just trying to lighten the load.” He breathed against her ear.
“Well don’t, let me wallow in my misery for a while longer.” She hissed back.
“Only if you promise to eat.”
“I’m really not…” just then her stomach protested her lies and she rolled her eyes to the ceiling and grimaced.
“Liar, liar, bra’s on fire…” he teased and then leaned in and whispered beside her ear. “Now that would be a camera moment, bra on fire, you naked, me-”
“Go ahead, put me completely off my food.” She retorted and he scowled.
“You can’t look that bad naked, surly?” This time her elbow did catch him in the ribs and he bit down on the huff of air that left his lungs.
“Ouch,” she bit out, but it was worth it.
“Point made, pointy elbows, move on.” Connor teased again.
“Just – let me out,” she sighed.
“Kind of defeats the object of keeping you safe-”
“This isn’t keeping me safe, this is keeping you safe from me,” she hissed back.
“No, no it’s not. Because along with witches not being able to use their magic, no other vampire can cross the threshold of that doorway, but me.” Connor assured her. “But sure, there is also the element of you not zapping me every time I say something you don’t like-”
“I don’t think I will ever have enough magic for that.” She folded her arms across her stomach, and his hand where it still rested against her, and pouted her lips. Lips that took his mind off of what he’d been saying with the desire that washed through him to kiss her… less desire, and more of a need, a want, a burning clawing within him the longer that she held that expression.
“Quite possibly. I’m old-”
“Ancient.” She snapped back and he rolled his eyes.
“Everyone’s a critic.” He groaned. “I’m also set in my ways and need to learn to accommodate-”
“Like an old dog learning new tricks?” She grinned then, no more pouty lips for him to swoon over.
“Woof.” His tone was droll but his eyes sparkled with amusement.
“Can you take your hands off me now?” She shot him another look, and no matter how brief it was, it still sent a stabbing shot of excitement right to the heart of him.
“Will you eat?”
“Will you leave?”
“How about I stand at the door?”
“On the other side, yes.”
“Fine.”
“Good.”
He drew a breath; bit down on a flair on annoyance, and then let her go.
“Eat.”
“Go!” She motioned towards the doorway, and Connor duly walked to the other side and started to turn… that was when she reached out and slammed the door in his face.
“Ha-ha.” His tone was droll again, and she knew that wouldn’t keep him out, but her shoulders moved in silent laughter as she strolled back to the bed and heard the door opened once more.
She didn’t need to look at him standing there, she could see it in her mind’s eye.
A vampire mate…
Damn, not just any vampire mate, but the all singing, all dancing, bells and whistles, Connor that I’ve heard so damn much about…
What were the odds?
I wouldn’t have bet on it.
And now I’m stuck in the man’s bedroom…
Trapped in my mate’s bedroom – that shouldn’t have filled me with one part dread and two parts bloody excitement, but it did.
I don’t even like vampires – I’ve never been attracted to them, but then look who my vampire role models were…
Vane. Geez, the man gave Attila the Hun a good name.
And what of Connor? Was he going to have to fight Vane for me?
That’s not right. Connor’s old, but Vane is a mean, nasty piece of crap…
Goddess, why does that fill me with so much dread? The thought of Connor going up against Vane… I should be glad of the chance to get rid of my mate…
No, that’s not right. I like Connor… well, not like… I mean, he intrigued me when Morgan told me stories about his antics… made me laugh, still is, even if I’m having to bite down on it…
He’s different to the vampires that I know. So damn different to Vane…
“Eat.” Connor offered from the doorway and she shot him a look and a frown over her shoulder…
Ok, not so much when he’s all Mr – Bossy – Pants, but…
She reached out and lifted the cover. The heat of the metal felt good against her hand and so did the smell of the food that wafted up at her on a small cloud of steam.
That is not gruel.
Vicky shot him another look back over her shoulder, her eyebrows drawn almost together over her nose.
“Gruel?” she asked and he gave a small chuckle and a big sexy smile.
“How could I feed my mate gruel?” He asked and she narrowed her eyes on him. This was Connor, she was waiting for the punch line. “I have to keep your strength up to feed from you, and so we can have all that mind numbingly great sex-”
She dropped the cover back down on the plate and he chuckled.
“I lost my appetite,” she groaned.
“Just eat the damn food.” Connor shot back.
“I think I might have thrown up a little in my throat,” she sneered, and he started towards her on a fast walk. She spun her whole back towards him and on instinct raised her palms outwards and drew on her magic. Then she let loose and cursed out as it slammed back against her.
“Damn it to bloody hell,” she growled like a she-wolf.
Connor wrapped an arm around her waist and yanked her whole body up against his. The press of his muscles against her softer ones was enough to shoot another jolt of excitement right into her womb again, and it danced for her, for him, as her stomach flopped over and her heart tried to escape through her ribs.
But it was the feel of his damned erection, hard and twitching against her stomach that really caught her attention and sparked her imagination. She wanted to groan at just how annoying the mating pull was becoming, but she didn’t want him to take it the wrong damn way.
“If you’re not going to eat, then we should get to know each other better.”
~
CHAPTER SIX
~
“Better?” Vicky snapped back.
“Get… closer.” He offered, narrowing his eyes on her a little.
“Closer?” She looked positively horrified.
“Like two peas in a pod, two rabbits in spring…”
“Are you fecking nuts?” Now she scowled hard and it just amused the hell out of him.
“Two squirrels in a nut factory.” She scowled at him. “Yes, well, I’m ancient, remember?” Connor grinned and teased and she scowled and glared. “We start to lose our faculties as we age…”
“Then you must be positively brain dead.” She hissed back.
“Then I can’t be held accountable for my actions.” He shrugged.
“ Actions?” She bit out, not liking the sound of that. Her eyebrows dipped so low that she practically obliterated her eyes from his sight…
“Like…?” He dipped his head and tasted her lips.
Her palms slapped down hard against his biceps, and she tensed every single muscle in her body until… she slowly started to melt again as he nibbled, tasted, and teased her…
Damn if that don’t feel good…
A vampire kiss…
The kiss of the vampire… no, wait, that’s bloody fangs… literally!
He felt her tense again, and pressed his tongue against the seam of her lips, running it along as he ran his fingertips down her spine an
d her hips pushed against his as she caught her breath…
Her lips parted and he pressed inside, tasting her tongue on his and practically groaning with the sensation that tore through him. Sandbagged, literally, he could have hit the floor with her and never have come up for air again – not that he needed air, but she would…
Vicky felt his hand run under the fabric of her shirt and the first touch of his fingertips against the smooth skin of her back made her gasp in again. It was spectacular, moreish, a sensation unlike any other that she’d ever experienced.
Her skin tingled from his touch, outwards, over every inch of her body, and she tried to follow it with her mind, but there was so much more than that to try to keep track off.
The way her nipples ached as they pressed against the hard muscles of his chest.
The way that her stomach tossed back and forth inside of her.
The way that her toes curled within her boots, just a little, then a lot.
The way that her heart beat, fast, skipping, running away on faeries wings as she soared higher.
The way that her sex clenched, tingling on the outside, searching on the inside as her inner muscles looked for him. Wanted him.
And the way that her hands felt as they took their own tour of his smooth skin, under his shirt, running their own damn marathon, exploring, feeling those muscles contract and dance against her fingertips, back to front, until she heard him groan when she raked her fingernails over his nipples…
Oh my goddess… what am I doing?
She placed her palms against his chest and eased back… his forehead touched hers and there was a whispered sound that came from his lips, but she couldn’t make it out.
“You don’t have to stop on my account,” His voice was a tease, whispered with a hint of remorse.
“I stopped on mine,” Vicky pushed a little further and he let her go. Not completely, one hand lingered against the curve of her hip as his jet black eyes took her in…
Then he smiled. That smile stretched up to his eyes, made the darkness seem kinder, sexier, and she found herself wishing she hadn’t broken that kiss or put a little distance between them.