“Betsy Stenwood is an expert. She loves a challenge.” Max drank down his blood.
“Hmm.” Donovan sipped his blood. “I guess I should get a tux.”
“I have several. Use one of mine.”
“Problem solved.” David chuckled.
“Since you will be walking down the aisle with Noble,” he said to Max, “David, would you be my best man?”
“Absolutely.”
“How many groomsmen should I have?”
“Six,” Max answered.
“What? Six?”
“That’s what Evie just told me,” Max said.
Donovan ran his fingers through his hair. “Where am I coming up with that many?”
“I’ll take care of it,” David said. “Problem solved.”
Hatcher sat down on a stool on the other side of David. “Barkeep, a vodka blood, please.”
“Donovan, how is the change suiting you?” David asked.
“I feel great. I think Noble is having a hard time getting used to me though.”
Max shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. She did say she would marry you?”
“She did.”
Mina walked up to Donovan. “Here’s some Shuma Moot to take to Noble when you go upstairs.” She handed him the bottle and walked away.
The three of them laughed.
“Really,” Max said, “don’t worry about Noble. But if she acts strangely know it’s the pregnancy and not you.”
“Is Evie acting strangely?”
“When we were in Paris she started eating human food. I even had to go into a kosher supermarket to get these special pickles she wanted.”
“I thought that vampires younger than a hundred do not eat human food, because the body won’t digest it,” Donovan said.
“Not if they’re pregnant. Evie eats human food, drinks blood and Shuma Moot. It’s not just her eating food that’s strange. Her moods are all over the place. She randomly cries and giggles for all kinds of weird reasons.”
“Wow. Pregnancy really does a lot to a vampiress,” David said. “I hope Laura doesn’t want to do that for a while longer.”
Donovan stood up from his stool, clutching the bottle of Shuma Moot. “Wish me luck. Noble has just asked me to come upstairs.”
“Good luck,” they both said.
When he got upstairs, he passed Betsy, Evie, and Laura on their way down. “Good night,” they called after him.
He rapped softly on the door. Noble?
She opened the door for him and reached for his hand. He barely got inside when she took off her robe, revealing a shimmering blue, very transparent gown. His mouth fell open.
“Do you like it?”
He thought about the door and the lock clicked. “Of course, Sha. The gown is beautiful, but the woman wearing it is gorgeous. Before I have my way with you, you must drink this. Mina sent it.”
Noble took the bottle, opened it, and downed it in one gulp.
“Are you all right, my Noble?”
“I’m wonderful.” She smiled and rubbed her body against his in such a way that he moaned.
“Oh, God, have mercy. Noble.” He picked her up and took her into the bathroom.
“The bed is that way.”
“No, I’m going to wash you. You have so many delicious, dirty thoughts in your mind, it will take me some time to get you clean. But you’re worth the effort.”
“So it’s the usual in the shower?” she teased.
“No, the bath. A champagne bath.”
“That’s my father’s private stock.”
“He said I should use it. He can always get more.”
“So you and Max are good friends now?” She gasped as her gown disappeared and reappeared on the little hook on the door. Donovan’s clothes reappeared on the little chair in the bathroom.
Still carrying her, he knelt in the bathtub and lay her on the bottom. Then he reached into the cabinet and took out a champagne bottle.
“I cannot drink because of the baby,” she said.
“You won’t be drinking it.” He pulled out the cork with his fangs and spit it across the room. Then straddling her thighs, he poured the chilled champagne over her breasts.
“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,” she screamed. Her instant chill, excitement, raw primal need roared through him. He gulped for air, bathing in her sensations that now were his too.
“More champagne.” He reached for another bottle and poured it over her.
She laughed and took the bottle away from him, pouring it on him for a change.
“That tickles.”
“Does it?” She dropped the bottle over the side and tackled him. Somehow the tickling ended and touching became caresses, rubbing, grasping, and gasping.
Noble swooned as Donovan seated her on him, filling her, her legs around his waist. They sat together in a tight embrace as one.
He held her so tightly she couldn’t move, but he could and did, rocking her sensually back and forth, whispering words of love in her ear. “My only love, my goddess, I am yours forever and more, so much more.”
She whispered back, “I cannot move. I cannot pleasure you.”
He laughed. “I’ve got you where I want you, ultimate Arnhem Knight.” He growled in her ear.
Noble laughed. “I am not.”
“Yeah, Sha. And that’s why your father is having you train all of us how to teleport.” He kissed her and every part of her melted. Champagne bubbles tickled her skin with cool nibbles, while Donovan made their point of joining so hot she felt his encompassing heat in her every part and wanted more. His lips took hers, and in that moment, she smiled. In a battle of tongues, she caressed his fang and heard him moan, elevating the heat between them. Noble stroked the other fang with one long lick and embraced it nicking her tongue. Blood filled his mouth, and he sucked her tongue. Releasing her, he breathed, “Careful, Sha.”
“You are not in control of yourself?”
“I don’t want to be. You are mine.” His kiss grew demanding now. His tongue coaxed open her lips and mercilessly touched her fangs like a tease. She cried and whimpered and wanted to move, but he held her tight.
Please, she thought to him.
He loosened his embrace, and she wiggled on his lap. Donovan gasped. You’re wicked. I leave you to your devices and what will you do to me?
I will make you a very happy man. She bounced and wiggled, until he reached to pull her in. Ecstasy poured through her in unrelenting waves. She sat hard on him and swayed and sighed and did a little dance on his lap that drove him through the roof.
“Noble?”
Donovan had her firmly in his arms holding her under a warm shower, then shutting it off and wrapping her in a towel.
She looked at him blurry-eyed. “What happened?”
He lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the bathroom to the bed. “You were having too much of a good time. We both got carried away. It was rather intense, great, but intense. You passed out. I caught you. Then I laid down with you in the bubbles.
“Oh.”
Pulling down the covers, Donovan tenderly placed her in the bed. A nightgown fluttered over her body, forming around her.
“You’re getting very good at that.”
He grinned. “Thank you. I think being able to dress in a flash will be of good use.”
She leaned her head back against the pillow, and he covered her. Then he climbed in from the other side and reclaimed her in his arms. “Now I’m really ready to sleep. Funny I didn’t think I would need sleep as a vampire.”
“Most don’t. They just enjoy the habit.” She smiled and played with a lock of his hair. “You know we don’t need to get married.”
; He laughed. “Now you don’t want to marry me?”
“I do. You are my forever.” She kissed him. “I just don’t want you to think you have to, if you don’t want to.”
He kissed her back. “I want to Noble. Are you nervous?”
She caressed his neck. “A little. I don’t know this priest of yours.”
“You will like him. I promise.”
“What about us being vampires?”
“He knows Max. He gave me the spear to fight the demon. Frank is not what you’d expect. He’s more. I told him I wanted to be a vampire.”
She rested her head on his chest. “I can hear your barely beating heart, Sha.” Noble felt his hand caress her back and rub her as if she were a worried child. She loved everything about this man.
Donovan laughed and together they drifted off to dreaming.
Chapter 20
A loud pounding on the door had Donovan climbing out of bed and reaching for his robe. “All right, I’m coming.” He tied the belt and opened the door to a procession of women with Betsy Stenwood and Mina in the lead.
“We need the bride.”
Noble sat up in bed. She was glad she was wearing the nightgown Donovan had put on her. “What’s all this?”
“We have very little time,” Betsy exclaimed.
“The wedding is tonight.” Noble rubbed her eyes.
“Exactly,” Mina added. “You need to take your Shuma Moot and blood. Then we’re off to the seamstress to get your dress perfected.”
“There are just a few embellishments I would like to add to the dress to make it unique,” Betsy said.
“Embellishments?”
Laura and Evie helped her out of bed and put her robe on her. “Come on. There’s lots to do,” Evie added.
“When will I see her again?” Donovan asked.
“At the altar,” Betsy replied.
“Wait.” The group paused while Donovan walked up to Noble and kissed her. “See you tonight, Sha.”
Then in a flurry of talking, they hustled Noble out of the room.
Hurrying into Max’s limo, they were off.
The store opened at five in the morning only for them. While the bridesmaids found matching gowns and wiggled into them, Noble put on her gown, stood on the pedestal, and watched the action behind her through the floor length mirrors. Ruffles were added as a train to the dress.
Women brought out different veils and tiaras. A courier arrived from Tiffany’s with a box and presented it to Noble. She opened it to applause. Next to the diamond tiara was a note from Max. “For my princess. May your day be blessed.”
Evelyn set it on Noble’s head, while a veil matching the ruffles in her gown was attached to the back.
“Evie, what do you think? Is it too frilly?”
“I think it’s lovely, but it’s up to you.”
Noble shook her head, and the veil was removed. Another woman gave her long white lace gloves that matched the applique in her French gown. She shook her head again and stepped down from the pedestal.
“Stop.” She sat down on a tufted hassock.
“What’s wrong?” Betsy asked.
“Okay, the little bit added to the back of the gown is fine, but no veil, no gloves. I’m not going to be able to manage the rings with gloves. I feel weird with the veil.”
Laura sat down on a hassock beside her. “It’s okay. You want what you want.”
The bridesmaids paraded out of the fitting room in pale blue gowns, strapless in full ruffled skirts. All except Loreli, who wore her gown pinned up on one side with a large pale blue gem holding it. It looked very punk rock. Noble laughed in a good way, relieving all the tension.
“You can’t wear it like that,” Betsy said.
“I like it that way,” Noble interrupted. “I want Loreli to wear it the way that will make her happy.”
“Can I wear this matching headpiece with extra blue feathers?”
“Yes, I want you to.” Finally Noble was feeling good about being the bride.
“But she doesn’t match the other bridesmaids,” Betsy said.
“I don’t care.”
Loreli kissed her and went to talk to one of the women about adding feathers.
Evelyn walked out in her gown which had a low ruffled skirt, and Noble nodded. That too would be perfect.
Getting a feel for the experience, Noble stepped up onto the pedestal again and let them finish the train. Two hidden buttons were added so it could be lifted and held when necessary.
Then they all stood together in their finery before the mirrors. Noble the bride with Evie by her side. Laura came next, then Betsy, Cassandra, Mina, and Loreli.
“Where are we going next?” She yawned.
Donovan followed where David and Max and the groomsmen led. First they went to a stylist for hair. He didn’t let them cut much. Then they went for massages. Somewhere in the spa, he felt Noble’s presence.
While the guys were talking, he focused on where she could be.
“Excuse me,” he said. Putting on his robe, he walked down the halls until he sensed her close by. Noble?
Carefully, holding her towel, Noble got up. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” First, she headed for the rest rooms but made a turn toward where she felt Donovan was. She opened a door, and there he stood in a spa robe with a widening grin.
Noble rushed into his arms, and his kiss. Minutes later, they ran down the hall hand in hand and into a closet. Donovan made sure the door was locked. He opened his robe. She winked, dropping her towel.
They became an irresistible force of nature, his arms around her, her mouth on his. The kissing and moaning. She gasped as he lifted her up. He nibbled her shoulder, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Noble bit her lip, when he pushed into her. Then he put his hand against her mouth.
Sha, you cannot scream here, okay?
She nodded, and he replaced his hand with his lips.
They swayed and rubbed against each other, at times panting, at times laughing.
Growing quiet, the force became more urgent, more demanding. Noble threw back her head, when he nibbled her breasts. In the next moment, they writhed in pleasure on the floor on a pile of towels. Heat raced through every part of her consuming her entirely. They sighed in contentment.
Donovan saw Noble safely back to her part of the spa, then went off to rejoin the guys. He entered the massage room, removed his robe, and lay face down on the massage table again with a towel wrapped around his hips. They were strangely quiet. The masseuse started on his shoulders.
“How is Bless?” Max asked. The other men snickered.
Donovan signaled the masseuse to stop. He put a hand on his towel to stay covered and sat up. “Thank you. I’m done now.”
After the masseuse left, the men gathered around him.
Donovan smiled. “How did you know?”
Max stood up with the towel on his hips and put on his robe. “Next time don’t use a closet. Ask to use the Vander Meer Suite upstairs.”
“There’s a Vander Meer Suite?”
“I own the place.” Max smiled and shook his head. “Come on.”
After showering and dressing, they met the ladies in the hall, and Max led everyone up to the very exclusive and private Vander Meer Suite. David played bartender for everyone, pouring out goblets of blood. Mina, always the doctor, gave Shuma Moot to Evie and Noble.
What started out as the two of them sitting side by side talking became kissing with Noble in his lap.
She nuzzled his neck. I’m so glad to see you. I didn’t like being parted from you.
He pulled her in closer. Me neither. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Worrying where you were. I was happy when I felt you in the building
.
He kissed her. She kissed him back. To them the world was measured by touch and kiss, thoughts exchanged and a happy silence of their bodied entwined, even clothed didn’t matter as long as they were together.
At some point, the voices in the room happily chatting away about the ceremony grew quiet.
Donovan lifted his head. “Noble, they’re gone.”
She looked up.
On the table nearest them was a folded piece of paper with their names on it.
He reached over, picked it up, and read, “‘Dear ones, It appears to us that you truly need this time together. We leave you to enjoy the rest of the day as you wish. Vincent will return at seven p.m. to take you to the church. Everything will be prepared. The gown, tuxedo, and accessories will await you at the church as well as Donovan’s spear. In my long life, I have learned that every single second of love is a gift. I am happy for you, my daughter, my Bless. I am honored by you, Donovan.’” It was signed Max. He folded the paper and put it in his pocket.
“Sometimes Father’s speech is a little antiquated, but he has a way with words.”
“He does. This is truly a new life for me, Noble. I hope to make you and Max proud.”
She smiled and hugged him. “Mon chéri, you are an extraordinary man, whether human or vampire, it doesn’t matter. You are who you are. Was Father annoyed with you for leaving the men’s group?”
Donovan chuckled. “He was amused. He knew exactly what was up.”
Noble laughed. “So what do we want to do with this time alone?”
He looked up at her. “Oh oh.”
“What?”
“In our passion, we’ve wrecked your hairstyle, Sha.”
She laughed and shook her head. “I just paid a lot to put it up.” Walking up to a little mirror in the room, she tried repinning.
Donovan came up behind her. Gently, his fingers combed through her hair, catching each diamond or sapphire pin, each cloisonné flower and put them all safely in the bowl on the side table beneath the mirror. The feel of her satiny black hair in his fingers, so soft, so like night embracing him, aroused him. He peered at her over her shoulder in the mirror.
Vampire Princess of New York (Arnhem Knights of New York) Page 15