by C. C. Wood
He seemed taken aback by my abrupt question. “Yes, I can handle that.” He leaned forward slightly, engaging with me rather than withdrawing as he seemed prone to do. “But there are other issues.”
I bit back my sarcastic reply and I met the subject head on. “You mean what we discussed this morning?”
He nodded.
“So we’re attracted to each other. We aren’t children. We’ll deal with it.”
“We will?” he asked, his brows arching.
“Are you telling me you can’t?” I challenged.
Asher’s face froze and he began to lean back. I could almost see the air around him drop in temperature. Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed his hand, which was resting on his knee.
“Don’t do that. Don’t freeze me out,” I commanded. “Talk to me.”
He stared at my fingers as if entranced. “About?”
I squeezed his hand. “Don’t you dare shut down on me again, Asher Leroux. Tell me what the problem is. We might be able to work around it.”
His blue eyes lifted to mine, and the bleakness in them made my heart ache. I couldn’t feel his emotions, but seeing the pain in his gaze was enough.
“Since you asked, I’m not sure I can handle it, Shannon. I’m worried I might lose control.”
“Why?” I queried softly. I sensed I needed to tread carefully here. He was on the verge of locking my ass in the bedroom from now on. I could tell.
“Because I have before.”
Shocked, I released his hand. “What?”
His eyes dropped to his knee, where his fingers rested. “I lost control with a human once. I hurt her badly.”
“But I thought you fed from humans all the time.”
He sighed. “Yes, but I never feed from someone I also want to fuck. I haven’t had a human woman since.”
The bluntness of his words took me by surprise. I assumed his use of the word had was a euphemism for sex. Or feeding. Then again, it could mean both.
It didn’t frighten me as much as it should. There was a reason that I’d worked at the security firm for years. I liked the challenge and the rush. Ricki often accused me of being an adrenaline junkie. I never denied it, because it was true.
“When was this?” I asked.
“Three hundred years ago.”
I frowned at him. “Three hundred years ago?”
He nodded.
I hesitated, but decided to speak my mind. My honest words and reactions seemed to be getting through to him better than my attempts to be sensitive.
“That was a long damn time ago, Asher. From what I understand, vampires gain control as they age.”
“That’s true,” he agreed. “But I was almost two hundred when it happened. I wasn’t some newly turned vampire, overtaken by bloodlust. I was born this way, Shannon. I’ve had control since I was fully mature at seventeen.”
That did change things.
“Maybe you should tell me what happened,” I suggested.
“No.” The word snapped between us and I flinched at its strength.
Asher’s face paled at my instinctive response and he started to rise to his feet.
Once again, without thinking, I put my hand on his arm. “Wait.”
He hesitated before settling back on the couch.
I took a moment to choose my words. It seemed Asher did indeed have a lot of issues and it was clear I needed to take a different approach. If we couldn’t work this out, I would end up back in the safe house and we would be no closer to Cornelius. While his admission unnerved me, I wasn’t ready to admit defeat just yet.
“I want you to do something for me.”
“Shannon—”
“Are you ready to call this entire plan off?” I asked. “Because we either try to work this out or I go back to the safe house, let Luca or Duncan turn me, and find another way to end this.”
His eyes flared at my words. “What do you want me to do?” he asked stiffly, anger radiating from his body.
“I want you to take your past out of the equation.”
He scowled at me. “What?”
“I want you to analyze your feelings for me without factoring in what happened with the other woman.”
“Explain,” he demanded.
“You said that you’re worried you’ll lose control if you bite me, right?”
Asher nodded but didn’t speak.
“Well, when do you feel like you’re losing it? When I’m in the room with you? If I touch you?”
He seemed to be pondering my words. After a few moments, he shook his head. “I don’t.”
“Okay, then if you don’t bring your past into it, what makes you think you won’t be able to control yourself around me?”
The blue of his eyes brightened, radiating an unearthly light from within. Seeing it, my blood sang. There was a dangerous undercurrent building between us, one that I liked. It was a strange wildness that made me feel as if all my nerve endings were sparking.
Asher’s voice deepened as he said, “Because I never wanted her the way I want you.”
At his words, more than my blood started to sing. The way he looked at me, as if he were starving and I would provide all the sustenance he needed, made my skin tingle. His mental shields lowered and the force of his desire hit me. I realized that Asher’s desire for me unsettled him much in the same way my intense attraction to him disconcerted me. My emotions weren’t one-sided. Far from it. It was one thing for him to admit it aloud and another for me to experience what he was feeling first hand.
He wanted more from me than sex. He wanted to possess me. My suggestion of having Duncan or Luca turn me enraged him, because in his eyes, I belonged to him.
I licked my suddenly dry lips and tried to ignore how his eyes followed the movement. Somehow our conversation had morphed into a sexually charged walk along a precipice. He wanted me as much as I wanted him. Maybe more. And that changed everything.
I couldn’t think of a single thing to say. My mind was empty, save the arousal rushing through my veins. My entire being was focused on the heat growing between us. I couldn’t even find it in myself to be offended by his possessive thoughts.
“Come here,” he murmured. Clearly, he’d forgotten about his concerns as well.
I moved closer, scooting to the edge of the coffee table so my thighs slotted between his. In a flash of movement, he reached out and pulled me across his lap. My head spun from the sudden motion and the feeling of his body against mine.
I’d never been this close to Asher before and I immediately knew I’d been right to be wary of the feelings he stirred in me. My ability to think clearly disappeared as soon as my torso was plastered against his.
His eyes were locked on mine, burning brightly. Wrapping his arms around me, Asher cradled me close. I held my breath as his gaze traveled down to my mouth and lingered there. I pressed a hand against his chest, shocked to feel his heart pounding against my palm.
“Are you afraid?” he asked softly.
“No.” My response was barely a whisper of sound.
“Maybe you should be.”
My voice was louder this time. “No, I shouldn’t.”
Though he was incredibly aroused, his mind was almost wide open to mine. He was nowhere near losing control.
Before he could argue, I kissed him. I couldn’t resist any longer. Though he feared he couldn’t contain himself, I wasn’t afraid Asher would physically hurt me. Emotionally, he might tear me up, but I didn’t think he would harm my body.
As soon as my lips touched his, Asher made an animalistic sound in his chest, somewhere between a groan and a growl. Then he took control of the kiss.
Every sensation was amplified. I was aware of everything; the way he felt, the way he smelled. It was overwhelming.
His mouth opened over my lips and his tongue tangled with mine. My hands moved to his hair. The strands were silky beneath my fingertips and I could feel the smooth heat of his neck beneath my palm
s. He was burning up.
When he moved his hand to my hip, I moved, straddling his lap in an effort to achieve maximum contact. My breasts were crushed against his chest and my abdomen melded to his. I wanted to be closer, with no barrier of clothing between us. I wanted to see if the flesh of his torso was as hot and sleek as the skin of his neck.
Asher’s hands gripped my hips, pulling me down. I moaned as he ground my body against his. The thin yoga pants I wore allowed me to feel every inch of his length against my center. I rocked against him, shuddering as the movement set fire to my clit.
Asher wrapped my ponytail around his hand and tugged my head back, his mouth moving down my throat. My breath caught as his teeth scraped my neck. I tilted my head back even more, inviting him to bite me. I wanted it and I wanted him.
His lips dragged over my collarbone and he nipped the skin at the base of my throat, teasing me. I undulated against him, moaning louder as tension began to build between my thighs. He was barely touching me but I was more turned on than I’d ever been in my life.
Using his grip on my hair, he pulled my upper body back further and used his tongue to trace the neckline of my shirt. His other hand lifted and he hooked a finger in the vee. I gasped as he tugged the material to the side, taking the cup of my bra with it.
My hands yanked at his hair as his lips closed over my bare nipple and he suckled firmly. The sharp points of his fangs dug into my skin on either side but never broke through.
“Asher!”
He made that sound in his chest again, a low rumble that reminded me of a wild animal, and flicked my nipple with his tongue.
I rolled my pelvis against his harder, grinding my clit down on his cock. I whimpered as his mouth released my breast, but shivered when it was replaced with his fingers, tugging at the sensitive tip.
“You’re close, aren’t you?” he asked hoarsely.
I couldn’t answer. The sensations coursing through my body had stolen my ability to speak.
Ironically, he was the one completely in control of this situation and I was the one falling apart. I could only take what he gave me.
He pinched my nipple sharply and I cried out. “Yes!”
Asher released my hair and moved his hand to my lower back, guiding the desperate movements of my body. As the tension within me coiled tighter, he pulled firmly on my breast, the pleasure skating on the razor’s edge of pain.
I felt his lips open over the inside of my breast, his tongue sweeping up the curve. Then he bit me.
As his fangs sank into my flesh, white light flashed before my eyes as the first waves of my orgasm crashed over me. I heard sobbing breaths as I convulsed and realized the sounds were escaping my own throat.
The pleasure intensified until it nearly ached as my climax swelled. With each pull of his mouth on my skin, another explosion was set off inside me.
After an eternity of ecstasy, Asher withdrew his fangs from my breast, his tongue gliding over the wounds his bite created. It was only then that my orgasm began to wane.
As the last shudders wracked my body, I collapsed against him and the world went black.
Chapter Eight
The darkness receded slowly. I tried to shake it off, but it clung to my mind like molasses. When my eyes finally opened, I saw the ceiling fan in the living room.
My head felt fuzzy and my thighs ached. Asher’s face appeared above me.
“You’re awake.” When I tried to sit up, he placed a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t try to get up yet.”
I sighed when he placed a cool washcloth on my head. I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination, but I immediately felt more clear-headed. “Hmmm, thank you. That feels nice.”
“You’re welcome.”
The tone of his voice set alarm bells off in my head. I opened one eye and peered up at him. “What’s wrong?”
He shook his head. “Nothing.”
Though his emotions were blocked from me again, I could tell that he was lying. Then I realized he was probably freaked out. “Asher, I’m fine.” I paused. “I have it on good authority that a lot of women, uh, pass out in a situation like that.”
Asher’s face relaxed a little. “I know.”
Trying not to dwell on how he obtained that information, I asked, “So what’s the problem?”
He didn’t answer and he wouldn’t meet my eyes. It was obvious he was trapped in the past, reliving it in his memories. Maybe I just needed to jar him out of the circular thinking. The only time I received honest responses from him was when I tossed out a little sass and a few blunt words.
“So when can we do that again?” I asked. “Only with less clothes next time.”
It worked. Immediately, his eyes widened. “What?”
I sat up, removing the cloth from my head. “In case you couldn’t tell by the screaming, I enjoyed myself. I think I’d like to try it again. I believe it would be even more mind-blowing without all the pesky material between us.”
“I—” Asher paused and cleared his throat. “I don’t think that would be wise.”
For the first time since I’d awoken, I took the time to look him over. When I realized he was wearing a different pair of pants than earlier, I bit back a smirk. I wasn’t the only one who’d enjoyed myself. Still, I didn’t think Asher would appreciate me pointing that out.
“Hmmm. I guess we can talk about it later.” He looked so relieved that I couldn’t resist teasing him a little more. “Or I’ll just sneak into your room tonight.”
He frowned at me until he saw the mischievous grin on my face and understood I was giving him a hard time. I saw the corners of his mouth quirk up, though he hid it well. “You forget that I lock your door from the outside.”
“Yeah, but will you tonight?”
* * *
I should have known that Asher wasn’t joking when he said he would lock my door. After keeping his distance for the rest of the day, he’d suggested we go to bed early. I was just glad that he hadn’t reverted back to the aloof vampire he’d been before. We didn’t talk much at dinner, but he didn’t pretend that I didn’t exist.
Eventually, after tossing and turning for several hours due to mental turmoil, I gave up on sleep. If I wasn’t reliving every moment with Asher on the sofa earlier, I was wondering when and if Cornelius would show up to inspect me.
Though I’d never seen him before, the mere thought of him made my skin crawl. The vibes I had about Cornelius were strong and they were terrifying.
Unable to keep still any longer, I climbed out of bed and wrapped my robe around me. Maybe a cup of tea would help me relax. I noticed earlier that the kitchen was fully stocked with both coffee and tea.
I padded to the door and turned the knob. The door didn’t move. My temper flared and I wanted to kick it down, but quashed the urge. I paced the room, telling myself that Asher was doing what I would do in the same situation. If I wanted to present the appearance that someone was my prisoner, I would keep them locked up as well.
The logic behind it didn’t make it any easier to swallow. I thought I’d hated being confined before but this was much worse.
It also didn’t help that I was beginning to freak out about my reaction to Asher when he bit me earlier. I might have teased him about sneaking into his room, but I was no longer sure what to think. I’d never lost control like that before. The entire experience fried my brain. While my hormones were demanding I repeat it again as soon as possible, the rational portion of my brain was insisting I get myself together. No man should have the ability to blow a woman’s mind like that. It was detrimental to females everywhere.
In the back of my mind, I knew it was because I’d never felt this way before and that scared the hell out of me.
I also couldn’t forget Asher’s tendency to freeze me out. Did I really want to go out on an emotional limb for a vampire who shut down any time his feelings moved out of his comfort zone?
As my brain refused to stop working, I continued to pace, movi
ng back and forth across the room.
I had to treat this like an assignment. Like my job. I wanted to beat on the door and tell Asher that I couldn’t stand being locked in my room every night.
I couldn’t do that. This was part of the plan. We had to stick to the plan if we had any hope of returning to life as usual after this was over. I could go back to my townhouse and maybe my job. I could actually leave my house without looking over my shoulder. I wanted that more than I wanted to be able to roam around freely at night if I couldn’t sleep.
As I was making my twenty-fifth trip past the end of the bed, I heard the lock click on the other side of the door. I turned toward it just as Asher entered the room.
“Are you going to stomp around all night?” he asked.
I stopped pacing and stared at him. He was dressed in thin cotton pajama pants and a snug dark grey tee. His golden hair was a tousled mess and his blue eyes were sleepy. I was torn between pouncing on him or wanting to snuggle next to him in bed. He looked like every sexy dream and innocent romantic fantasy I’d ever had rolled into one.
“I couldn’t sleep.” I grabbed the loose ends of my robe belt and wrapped them around my hands to keep myself from reaching for him. As I forced myself to stop thinking about how hot he looked, I remembered that he’d locked me in the bedroom again. That cleared my head immediately. “And I couldn’t leave my room because someone trapped me inside.”
“Shannon—”
I brushed by him and out into the hallway, ignoring the tingles that ran down my arm when it touched him. “Forget it. I understand why you did it. That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”
Asher followed me down the stairs into the kitchen. I could feel him watching me as I grabbed a cup and the tea out of the cabinet.
“You could have called for me,” he stated. “I would have let you out.”
I glanced at him over my shoulder. “Oh yes, that’s exactly the kind of person I am. If I can’t sleep, no one else can! Jesus, do you think I would be that inconsiderate?”