Of A Darker Nature

by Clay, Michelle

  She sucked in a breath as she tried to reign in her growing panic. “I was worried about you.”

  His lips brushed against her ear.

  She broke loose and bolted toward the thin shaft of light in the hallway. The door clicked shut before she reached it.

  Emily jiggled the knob and pulled, but it wouldn’t open. She felt for the light switch and flicked it on, knowing full well what she’d find in the bulb’s glow.

  “So quickly you've changed your mind? Just last night you gave your blood to me.”

  “I thought you were going to die.” The words caught in her throat. God, she’d felt so helpless and afraid at the idea of losing him.

  Marcus’s hand rested against the door, preventing her from leaving.

  Emily fought the urge to finger the necklace. “I think I should leave now.”

  “I think it’s a little too late to play coy.” He stood so close, but didn’t press his body against hers. His breath shifted a stray hair over her ear. “I’ve already had you, Emily. I want more.”

  At some point, he must have turned her to face him. She found herself looking into his light blue eyes. He reached out, and his expression was cautious. His hand cupped the back of her head, and he gently pulled her forward. His mouth grazed her throat.

  Tension sang through her. Her breath came out in a raw gasp. The words that tumbled from her mouth were not expected. “I thought I lost you, that I’d never see you again.”

  “You saved me, Emily.” His lips moved against her flesh, causing awareness to spread through her.

  “I’m scared, Marcus.” Not of him, but of her own emotions. She feared it was too late to turn back now. She had already fallen.

  “Stop trying to get away.” His voice sounded firm yet soothing at the same time. Hadn’t he learned by now that the power of suggestion didn’t work on her? Still, there was no bloodlust in those words, only promise. “What has you so scared, baby?”

  “I’m scared of how I feel.” She squeezed her eyes shut, no longer able to look him in the eyes. “I don’t want to be hurt.”

  His fingers stroked against her cheek, urging her to relax. “I just want to touch you, make you feel good.”

  This entire thing was stupid. She didn’t need a one-sided romance. Marcus would use her then leave. He wasn’t hers to keep.

  He thumbed away the tear resting on her cheek. “You can’t just shut down your emotions, Emily.” His voice softened. “Talk to me, tell me how to fix it.”

  “Maybe what we’ve done together was a mistake. It should never have happened. Isabella won’t…”

  His hand slammed against the door, and Emily cringed. “To hell with her. She isn’t my master.”

  “But she sired you.”

  If he noticed her slip, he didn’t comment. His hands brushed across her back then came to rest on her hips. Her shoulders eased, and she dropped her head against his chest. Her arms twined around his neck and pulled him closer.

  “You're going to leave.” And that inevitably was the problem. After this was all over, and he wasn’t forced to be here anymore, why would he stay?

  Marcus allowed his arms to relax around her. Burying his nose in her hair, he breathed her scent and sighed. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Yeah, but…”

  He hushed her with a soft, questioning kiss.

  Emily blinked, not sure how to tell him how she felt or even if she should. She did feel something, damn it, and it scared the wits out of her. It all happened so fast. She'd gotten accustomed to having him around. She found him so interesting. He was drop dead gorgeous and sexy as hell. The very idea of Marcus leaving or not feeling the same way about her tore at her heart. Last night, when he was dying, she believed she might do the same. She never wanted to feel that way again.

  “What we have doesn’t have to be about blood or possession.” His voice sounded dangerously seductive, but he’d put her in the position of control. She could still say no.

  Emily looked into his eyes, searching for truth. Her grip around his waist faltered. “No blood?”

  The band of blue in his eyes never wavered though his embrace tightened. His breath came and went, expression darkening with the promise of what was to come. He leaned closer until his mouth only inches from hers. “Let’s.” He dropped a kiss at the corner of her mouth. “Take this.” He kissed the other side then nibbled her bottom lip. “One step at a time.”

  Marcus traced tiny circles on her back before moving to the front. His fingers tickled against her navel before dipping lower. He tugged at her waistband, hinting. “I promise not to break the skin.”

  He grinned and the band of light blue in his eyes shrank slightly. “But you can bite and scratch me all you want.”

  Liquid heat pooled between her legs and awareness sizzled through her. His openness and honesty sent a surge of desire through her. When he led her toward the bed, she didn’t hesitate. By the time they reached it, he’d stripped her bare.

  Her body’s reaction to his touch and kisses was disquieting. She was beyond help when he gently nuzzled the hollow of her shoulder, nibbling and kissing her collarbone. He trailed down her body, past her navel. "I want to taste you, baby."

  She abandoned herself and let the pleasure take over—let Marcus take her over.

  His lips tickled across her thigh, and she shuddered. Lifting her head, she peered down at him. Surely he wouldn't bite her there. Marcus's gaze met hers as he ran his tongue along the crease between her leg and hip. Emily held her breath, waiting in anticipation.

  Marcus didn't disappoint. The next long lick ran along the outer edge of her labia. When her legs tensed, he flicked her clit with the tip of his tongue. She gripped handfuls of the sheet and squirmed against his tongue as he began to lap at her juices.

  Emily's head fell back against the pillows as Marcus ran his hands up her thighs. His thumb traced lazy patterns over her clit. The combination of his tongue and pressure on her clit drove her mad. She couldn't control her hips. They rocked against him, the pleasure she received was just too much.

  Her legs tensed, and lightning bolts of pleasure ripped through her. "Oh god…"

  Emily's body sang like a fine tuned instrument. Her legs clamped around his shoulders, and her hips pushed themselves toward him. She tore at the sheets and cried out as Marcus's tongue dragged across her clit. His hands gripped her hips, refusing to allow her to escape.

  The most spectacular, mind blowing orgasm rocketed through her. Her legs clamped around his head and shoulders as she gripped handfuls of his hair. Her pussy pushed against his mouth and tongue as she rode the intense bliss to the very end.

  Finally, when she released him, he moved back up her body. Marcus snatched her wrists and pinned them above her head. His eyes were the darkest, most intense blue she'd ever seen them.

  He said, "Think you can handle more?"

  Emily could barely breathe or think so she nodded. "I need you inside me."

  "That's my girl." He nipped at the underside of her jaw and pressed his hard cock against her.

  Emily arched her back, reaching, straining to touch him. He stretched his body across hers, rubbing the head of his cock against her hyper-sensitive clit until Emily was begging for more. She gripped his shoulders and her legs tightened around his waist. He suckled the softest skin at her throat, and a tingling sense of ecstasy encompassed her. He tasted, but true to his word, he still didn’t bite.

  Emily’s teeth clamped down on his shoulder, and he growled with pleasure. An ache rose within her again. The yearning so great, only Marcus could fill the void. Together, they moved and found the perfect rhythm. Hunger crept up from within her. She felt it swell and grow inside her to the point of bursting.

  “Marcus…” Emily moaned, biting down on him again.

  “Harder.” He gritted his teeth, an intense expression on his face. "Bite me harder."

  His need pushed her over the edge. She bit down without question. He burie
d his face against her shoulder and growled her name. Emily cried out and used her legs to help him strike the deepest part of her. Gratification crashed over her. Wave after wave rose, each growing stronger than the one before it. Marcus shuddered atop her, his release coming only seconds after hers.

  Muscles trembling with fatigue, Emily fell back onto the pillow and took in their mingled scents. Hers was soft and floral while his smelled of raw masculinity and soap.

  He rested on an elbow beside her with eyes half closed. His fingers traced across her hip and stomach.

  Spying the already fading bruise on his left shoulder, she raised tentative fingers to her neck. The skin felt tender and raw beneath her touch. He had bitten her, but not punctured the skin. She cracked an eye, realizing just how dangerous – how foolish this had been.

  “Holy crap, I must be some kind of stupid.”

  Marcus opened his eyes. They were light blue. “I told you I can control myself.”

  His gaze lingered on her throat, a fond smile curving his lips. He mimicked her movement and touched where she’d bitten his shoulder. The mark had already faded away. “You don’t know what you’re missing, Freckles. You have no idea how arousing it is to be bitten at the same time.”

  Emily felt no embarrassment lying naked beside him in the aftermath of the best sex she’d ever had. Or probably ever would have.

  “Last night, you said my blood is yours. What exactly does that mean?”

  “You belong to me.” His voice was quiet and reflective. “Your blood belongs to me.”

  “Is that all I am to you, a possession?” Emily drew her knees up and tucked herself under the sheets. Suddenly she felt cold and exposed.

  “Is it so wrong that I want to possess you? I want you for myself, Emily, in all ways possible.” His fingers gently stroked her cheek. “I want your body, your blood, all of you.”

  She was silent, considering what he’d said. What did she expect? Marcus was a one hundred and twenty-year old vampire. It would always be about blood for him.

  Unwilling to allow her too much time to think, Marcus found a ticklish spot and made her jump with laughter. He chuckled along with her, kissing the tip of her nose. “Are you going to tell me what you saw when you read me?”

  Emily’s mind whirled in search of a believable answer. She couldn’t look him in the eyes, afraid he’d see her for the liar she had become.

  “Read you? Why would I want to read you?” Her words sounded unconvincing, even to her own ears.

  “Then what were you doing in here?”

  She swirled a fingertip around his hard nipple. “Seducing you, of course.”

  He still looked unconvinced, but didn’t get a chance to question further because she kissed him. Her lips kissed a trail down his abdomen toward the light dusting of hair that led to more delectable places.

  Emily's naked body lay across his, their limbs tangled on the sofa. Her cheek against his chest, she lay quiet and unmoving in the aftermath of their lovemaking. The television was on mute, an old black and white flick playing. He smirked, remembering when it was brand new.

  “Who were you talking to earlier?” His fingers ran down her back to trace her spine.

  She’d gone into the other room after receiving the call and had talked in a hushed voice. At first, he’d thought it was just her sister or Scott and hadn’t paid much attention. She came back into the room looking guilty and nervous. Now he reconsidered the notion. Come to think of it, he'd awoken to her in his bed again this afternoon. He'd taken advantage of it, but now he had to wonder just what was going on.

  “No one of importance,” she answered.

  Emily's fingers tickled across his thigh. Marcus swelled with desire once more. It seemed they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. He wasn't complaining.

  By the time they reached climax, her skin was dewy with a fine sheen of sweat. Emily flopped across his chest. She buried her face in his shoulder and mumbled something that sounded an awful lot like, “I love you.”

  Marcus didn't have much time to contemplate or question it. His new cell phone vibrated and hummed against the wood floor. He dug through the pile of discarded clothes at the end of the couch.

  Emily untangled herself from him then headed toward the back of the house. There was a suggestive smile on her face. “I'm going to take a shower.”

  Finding the phone tucked away in his jeans pocket, he cursed beneath his breath. He had to take it. He pulled his jeans on then answered. Flopping back onto the couch, he listened to Scott Hall’s voice on the other end.

  Scott said, “I spoke with the local pack leader today. Degas is very concerned about the well-being of the shifter community. He agrees that we may have to put our differences aside and wants to meet with you.”

  “I've been saying that all along.”

  Several minutes into the conversation, he was distracted when Emily returned from the shower. She wore one of his t-shirts and nothing else. It allowed him a fantastic view of those fabulously long legs.

  Emily leaned against his shoulder and smiled up at him. Her wet hair was fragrant against his skin. He became inattentive to everything but Emily.

  Scott’s sharp voice brought him back to the matter at hand. “Plus, he's lost some of his pack to her. The ones who don't join her are injured or killed.”

  He smoothed a hand down one of Emily’s legs and tickled the sensitive area behind her knee. “Too bad it took this to get his attention.”

  “Who will watch over Emily if you go to this meeting?” Scott’s voice became insistent. “Degas probably won’t want her tagging along.”

  “It doesn’t matter if Degas wants her there. Emily is part of this, like it or not.” His redheaded vixen looked up in question. In return, he dropped a kiss on her nose. “Degas will want to meet on neutral territory. We haven’t been on speaking terms for a while. If it’s okay with you, we could meet at your place.”

  Scott made an irritated noise. “There’s a slight problem. Someone broke in last night.”

  “Was anyone hurt? Did they take anything important?”

  “No. They tossed the place and destroyed some of the equipment, but other than that, there wasn't much they could do. No one was here at the time.” Scott growled in frustration. “It's obvious who did it.”

  “Talk to Degas and let me know what he has to say. We can meet tonight.” He stole a glance at his watch. “I’d like to put our differences aside and get this resolved.”

  “No problem. I'll let you know.”

  Marcus cocked his head, and his gaze slid to the window. His body stiffened, awareness prickling. “I’ve gotta go, Scott.”

  The living room door burst open and banged against the wall. A man stood in the doorway. His dark hair was pressed flat against his head, and blood smeared his face.

  Emily scrambled to her feet, eyes wide with alarm.

  Marcus caught Corey before he hit the floor. His hands clutched at Marcus, and he babbled incoherently. A deep gash and several small lacerations marred his face and forehead. One of the rings in his eyebrow had torn away, and blood trickled into his left eye.

  He held his right arm tight against his side. The sleeve of his shirt was ripped away, and there were chunks of flesh missing.

  “We're under attack.” He stammered. “I couldn't get you on the phone, so I ran here.”

  Emily's eyebrows lifted to her hairline. “You ran?”

  “Very fast,” he said proudly but sobered quickly. “They took him. They took Evan. They must have been watching, waiting for the Tulsa Master to leave before striking.”

  Marcus pushed past him. Corey was right on his heels, prompting him to say, “Stay with Emily.”

  “I'm coming with you!” Emily swooped down to grab her shorts from the floor. She barely managed to crawl into the car before Marcus started it and rolled down the driveway. She had to sit on Corey's lap since the Corvette didn't offer a whole lot of room.

  “They waite
d for the shift change and ambushed us,” Corey said quietly, unable to meet Marcus's gaze. The car skidded through a red light. Fortunately, he had enough sense to hook an arm around Emily's waist.

  “What about Isabella?”

  Corey dropped his head against Emily's back. “When we realized what was happening, I stashed her in a safe place. She ordered Evan to put on a wig and wait in her bedroom. They must've bought it, 'cause they stormed the room and took him. I tried to protect him, I swear.”

  Marcus said nothing. The car rolled past the broken, lopsided gates. Bodies lay strewn across the lawn and driveway. Some were shifters, others the witch's people. A couple piles of dark matter were all that remained of the vampires on duty.

  “Where's Jai Li?” Marcus demanded.

  Corey bit his bottom lip. “With Isabella. They were safe when I left them.”

  Within moments, Marcus was out of the car and moving toward the house. Corey and Emily followed.

  Marcus gripped Emily's shoulders. “Stay right with me. I don't want anything happening to you too.”

  They passed shifters and humans who had been shot. Others who didn't seem to have anything wrong with them lay stunned and unmoving.

  Emily's face was pale and frightened as she stepped over another body lying in the mansion’s doorway. She darted past Marcus into the foyer. “Chad?”

  Corey turned to Marcus, a worried frown darkening his features. “It looks like he shot Watts before he went down. Why would he do that?”

  Marcus knelt beside the human and surveyed him. There wasn't a mark on him aside from what looked like soot on his face, hands, and front of his shirt. It looked like he'd been holding something, and it had exploded in a cloud of dust. His gun was on the ground, only inches away from his hand. His partner Watts was missing half his head.

  Emily felt for a pulse. “He's alive. Someone call an ambulance.”