by Unknown
He growled at her statement. She had him there. They had once given each other the comfort they needed, but a long time ago. He no longer fed from her, just as she’d stopped feeding from him.
“I want her, Carissa.” His voice was low. “And I’ve never wanted anyone like I do her.”
She touched his arm. Dimitri looked down at her hand. It was a contact, a gesture Carissa hadn’t made towards him in two years. He looked up at her, and she smiled. He didn’t need to see her eyes right then to know she cared about the friendship they still had between them.
He kept his mouth shut, nodded, put the car back in gear, and floored it. They made it back to the house an hour before dawn. He was tired, irritable, moody, and what pissed him off the most, horny.
Dimitri knew without a doubt in his soul that he was on the edge of a sexual hunger that was about to rid him of his sanity. He’d known it the second he kissed Claudia. Something about her triggered the need he’d pushed down and kept hidden for so long. And it wasn’t just the need to have sex with her or protect her. The way she looked at him made him feel normal.
He wasn’t stupid either. He knew if he fed from her again, he was going to have sex with her. Once that happened, there would be a good fucking chance he would take it even further and seal a bond with his blood. It didn’t take much to seal it. When someone was on the edge of control as he was, he was pretty damn certain there would be no holding back.
But could he do that to her?
Dimitri couldn’t answer the question. He didn’t know. Yes, he was very attracted to her, but he didn’t know her. She didn’t know him. What if they bonded, then she woke up one day and didn’t want to be bonded to a Guardian any longer? The uncertainty of the future held him back. Just thinking about Claudia gave him the chills, and he didn’t have the answer when they reached the house.
“I’ll check in with Ambrose,” Carissa said, as she walked off in a different direction.
He kept walking, going straight for his room instead of Shadow’s to unload the weapons. Walking into his quarters, Dimitri was hit with a shock.
Claudia was in his room, or better yet, in his bed. She was sleeping on top of the covers, curled up in a silky robe that ended at her knees, open just enough for him to make out the top of her gown under it. Pure white, with tiny pink flowers sewn into the thin material, hugged her breasts to perfection. He wouldn’t mind seeing more of her and her baby doll gown. On his lamp table sat another tray of food that held very little interest for him.
Swallowing hard, he closed the door silently, slipped out of his coat, and with his eyes still fixed, he bent over to remove his boots. Unloading his weapons and undressing, he put everything on the chair and walked into the bathroom.
He stepped into a shower of cool water and hoped like hell the need surfacing too damn fast could be held back a little bit longer. He really had to talk to her before things got out of hand.
“Oh, brother, I’ve got a problem,” he groaned in his hands, the water beating on his head. “One big ass problem.”
Chapter Six
Rage walked quietly down the dark stairs to the basement of the old farmhouse he’d taken over. Renzo killed the vampires who had lived there some time ago, but Rage kept the young daughter for himself. In other words, he saved her from Renzo. Renzo, of course, would never know the real reason. Rage had need of her in more ways than one.
The house looked deserted from the outside, and he kept it that way. Everything he needed was below as it was in all vampire homes for them to be able to move around during the daylight hours—a bedroom, kitchen, bath, and one special room he turned into his personal playground. He had a couple of breeds who worked for him; men stuck in transition between being human and vampire, not quite a breed yet. Rage managed to keep the breed part of their transition at bay and turned them into his slaves instead. They did what he said, when he said it, without question.
He pushed open the door at the bottom of the stairs and stepped into his living quarters. The bloodmate kept it neat and very tidy for him. He spotted her right away, fixing something in the kitchen. Rage didn’t acknowledge her. He walked through the living space back to his desk.
Sitting down, he rubbed his leg like he always did—since her! Rage took the camera out of his pocket, flipped it open, and took out the memory chip. He pushed the chip into the side of his computer and brought up the photos he’d taken, quickly flipping through them until he got to the last one. Sitting back in his chair, he stared at the woman covered from head to toes in black leather. She was the only one to ever put a mark on him.
The little bloodmate came up to him, head lowered, eyes to the floor. She offered her wrist to drink from. Rage wasn’t in the mood to feed, at least, not from her any longer. He touched the point of his fangs with his tongue, thinking of another woman. Those fangs—who would have ever believed the vampire genes his mother carried would have been enough to make him a fucking half-breed. He needed the whole thing, the other half from a male vampire in order to be full blood. Unfortunately, his true father wasn’t a vampire, but a human. By the time his transition came, he had the fangs and understood clearly what kind of freak he was.
After all the years, thinking of himself as a freak, he finally came to terms with it once he met her. Coming face to face with another, he understood the role he needed to play and understood the game and new rules.
Even with the demands Renzo constantly put on him, his sole desire was the woman on the screen and those bright silver eyes. Rage had a strong desire to be with her and no one else. He wanted her blood and knew she was the only one who could still his hunger. He would have her and somehow come to terms with the demons inside while he struggled to keep them hidden from Renzo.
Rage learned who he was just before his mother died. The man he knew as his father had treated him viciously like dirt for as long as he could remember. He never understood why, until he listened to a death bed confession from his mother. The simple words passing his mother’s lips changed his life. His father wasn’t his father. He wasn’t one of the few born of a vampire bloodmate who wasn’t a vampire. No, he was even a worse freak. His Uncle Renzo, his mother’s sister’s husband, was his father. Once Rage understood, how he’d been treated by his supposed father, all his life made sense, even why he didn’t have all the vampire genes.
He was unique, as unique as the woman he wanted. If Renzo had been a vampire, then Rage would be also, one hundred percent.
He was born Ranieri Greco. After the death of his mother, he dropped the name and became just Rage. He learned a month, after his mother’s funeral that Renzo had killed the man everyone believed to be his father. No loss as far as Rage was concerned, but Renzo thought his secret was safe then. Rage had his own. Renzo believed Rage had no idea he was his father or that his conception had been the result of rape.
Rage had the vampire’s thirst and incisors. He kept the fangs hidden when needed by using fake teeth over his own. Those fangs were a constant reminder of what and who he was. He could remain satisfied for up to a week after he fed, sometimes longer. He had no difficulties going out in the daylight as a purebred vampire would, but he had their strength and was strong as hell. Because of his fangs, he was forced to keep his false teeth in whenever he was around Renzo or be careful not to smile. He wasn’t stupid. If Renzo found out he had any of the traits of a vampire in him, Rage would be dead man.
A glass of red liquid was placed in front of him; the bloodmate serving him her blood in a glass when he hadn’t take her wrist. Rage moved his eyes from the screen to stare at it a moment before he shifted his gaze to her. She shook in fear.
Rage grabbed her by the wrist, yanking her closer. She gasped, but didn’t struggle. She’d cut herself, draining her blood into that glass probably with the hope he wouldn’t come for her later. Rage lived up to his name when he took her, took her because it could never be called making love.
He sighed and told her, “Maybe it�
��s time for us to part ways.”
“The room’s ready,” a voice said.
Rage looked up at the man, if it could be called that. He stood in a deliberate slow pace, let go of the girl, and walked to the center of the next room. Stopping there, he inspected the chains. They were strong. They would hold the strongest vampire, keeping his guest standing in the middle of the room or chained to the ceiling and floor if he so desired. He fingered a small bottle of clear liquid in his pocket. The container held a formula he’d been working on for a long time; one Renzo would love to get his hands on.
“How many?” Rage asked.
“We have ten so far, with twenty more brewing.”
“Perfect,” he whispered, a grin tugging at his lips. “Just perfect. Now call Renzo, tell him I want two humans here—no make that three. One can be our tester. Set the girl free too. I’m done with her.” He looked around the room again. “Get a bed in here. We want our guest to be comfortable after all.”
* * * *
Claudia woke up slowly, looked around, and groaned when she looked at the clock. She’d been asleep for maybe an hour. She rolled off the bed, preparing to leave, when she thought she heard something and stopped to listen. Someone was taking a shower.
Biting her lower lip, she walked to the bathroom door and peeked inside. Her mouth dropped opened, and her pupils widened to take in the sight before her.
Dimitri stood in a shower stall with no door or curtain. She had a perfect view of his body. It scared the hell out of her while exciting her at the same time. She was instantly wet with need and knew what it was even though she had never experienced it before. She desired him. She wanted him to feed off her and more.
He was a brick, one, large, solid muscular brick. His thick legs reminded her of a picture she’d once seen of a Viking. They were huge. He had a narrow waist and a well rounded rear. She had a quick vision of grabbing him there and squeezing. Washboard abs, wide chest, strong shoulders and arms, and what a handsome man he was. The mere sight of him had her trembling. His head was tipped back, water beating down on his face. The long wet locks of his hair stuck to his shoulders and neck. His Adam’s apple strained, and his mouth was open, a mouth she would never forget even though they had only shared one memorable kiss.
Dimitri’s profile appeared dark, but to her he was kind. He had a wide forehead, a straight nose, full lips, dark, sexy eyes, and narrow cheekbones. If calling a man beautiful was acceptable, Claudia would do it. He was perfect in every way. On the flipside, he scared the crap out of her.
When he turned, she got a real good view of his cock hanging between his legs. The sight of that had her mouth go dry. Being inexperienced was really a major drag. Claudia had always dreamed of the first time being with her vampire. He would come in and sweep her off her feet. Make sweet love to her all night, bond with her, and just cherish everything they had together.
The fairy tale quickly crashed into a wall as she stared at the size of Dimitri’s thing. Man, he was big, and he wasn’t even hard. How bad would it hurt, having something like that push into her? Just the thought of it had her shivering. It had to be almost seven inches long just hanging down between his legs. So did it mean maybe nine hard? And how much bigger around? If she was guessing right, how would he fit where he was supposed to go? Claudia really wished she had more knowledge about what happened between men and women.
She didn’t hear the water turn off. Didn’t even realize he watched her watching him until he turned full around. He gave her a perfect view of his front side, with his cock getting thicker and longer, and standing up straight right before her eyes. Claudia’s mouth went even drier, her clit started to throb, and when she forced her eyes to move up to his face, the air felt like it had been sucked right out of her lungs.
Dimitri stared back at her.
He stepped out of the shower, grabbed a towel, and dried that gorgeous body of his. The whole time his eyes were locked with hers, never looking away. He tossed the towel aside and moved forward, toward her. Claudia took a step backward for each one he made. He didn’t try to hide his nakedness or mask the intent in his eyes.
She stopped the second the back of her knees touched the foot of the bed. Glancing behind her, Claudia was lost as to what to do or say. “I—I—I” she stuttered.
Dimitri touched her lips with his finger. “Shhh.”
She trembled under his touch and fisted her hands. He moved his finger down her lips to her chin and didn’t stop. Further down her throat, his finger traced her to the top swell of her breasts. Claudia breathed fast, but managed to stay still for him.
His hand stopped at her waist. She gasped when he pulled on her tie, undoing the bow that wasn’t doing a very good job holding the robe closed anyway. He pushed the material off her shoulders, and Claudia stood in front of him in her baby doll nightgown, breathing quickly and shivering. Fear or excitement, she wasn’t sure.
The back of his hand moved around one breast. She thought she was going to lose what little sanity she had left. She shook more, fidgeted, and was about to cross her arms over her breasts but stopped when he spoke, his voice was thick, low, and husky.
“You frightened?”
“Yes—no,” she rushed out.
He ran a finger up to her left strap of her gown and pulled it down over her shoulder. With a tug downward one breast came into his view. “Maybe you should be.” He did the same to the other side, and her gown fell to the floor, pooling at her feet. “Tell me no. Tell me to stop and I will.”
Standing in only her thin white panties, Claudia swallowed hard. She took another step back and fell on the bed. She scooted back and he followed.
The intense expression in his eyes, on his face did frighten her. It also thrilled her. She felt like he stalked her, as if she was the prey and he the hunter. Dimitri stopped only when he hovered over her body on his hands and knees. On instinct she raised her hands up. The motion looked like she was trying to fend him off, the furthest thing from her mind, though she wasn’t sure.
He stayed over her, and those dark eyes roamed over her body. He kept his head lowered longer than what felt comfortable, but what could she really do. She was after all, under him and that meant at his mercy.
Dimitri leaned to the left on one arm, freeing a hand so he could stroke her leg all the way up. Claudia jumped at his touch, moving her own arms up to cover her breasts. He glanced up at her before shifting his position, parted her legs with one foot, and sat back up on his heels between her calves. He pulled her by her thighs until her lower half was just about up on his lap.
“I don’t see your mark,” he said, rubbing his hands up and down her legs. “Where’s it hiding, Claudia?”
She shook her head, and his hands stopped at her hips. The air stuck in her lungs when he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her panties. Time felt like it was standing still as those panties began a very slow descent down her hips. Her legs went up to free the panties from her feet, and the material went flying over his shoulder. Dimitri slid backwards to lie between her legs.
She lay naked before him, her strong vampire. When did I start thinking of him as mine?
He kissed her hip. The reaction from that simple touch seemed to burn a path down her leg in sensual pleasure, and the air she held rushed out. The tip of his tongue touched the spot where his lips had and moved to the left.
“Ahhhh, there it is,” he cooed, putting a kiss to her mark in the middle of her pelvic bone, barely an inch above her clit. The bottom pointed right down to her pussy like an arrow, and Dimitri touched it. He started at the top of her birthmark and followed it down to her wetness. She arched when his finger teased her clit, her eyes closing from his erotic touch.
A moan left her lips when he kissed and then licked the mark, teasing, to drive her nuts. Claudia fisted her hands into his hair. The silky locks were thick and just as soft as they appeared, still wet from his shower.
Dimitri struck fast, startling her, mak
ing her jump. She most probably would have jumped anyway when he sank his fangs into her pelvis right over her mark. The pain of the bite was enough to have her gasping and coming at the same time. A small orgasm gripped her for a short ride, the same duration of the time he drank from her.
She shivered at the feel of his raspy tongue closing the mark. He looked up at her, and she swallowed hard. The intent, the darkness in his eyes, both frightened and thrilled her. She’d never seen a man who looked so out of control, yet held on to his rational self. She really did get the impression she was a meal for the beast.
Once more his tongue came out. Dimitri gave a swipe to her pussy. She sucked in a breath, not knowing what else to do or what to say.
“It’s been a very long time, Claudia,” he said, his breathing coming faster. “I don’t know how to be the gentle lover I know you need right now.”
He caressed her legs again, licking his lips, and looking over her body. “God, you taste so good and feel like heaven,” he said, his voice sounding like a purr.
He moved like a dream to her, pulling himself up to hover over her with his weight on his arms, slowly lowering himself down between her legs. He felt good, so strong, powerful, and hard as any rock she’d ever touched. She moved her legs up, surrounding him, and rubbed his body with hers. He moaned against her throat. Putting her hands above her head, he weaved his fingers through hers. The burning tip of his cock touched her heated pussy. Claudia couldn’t keep from wiggling to position the head just right. He gave a nudge, and her breathe hitched in anticipation. He was hot, thick, and swollen, and she was wet in need of something without knowing exactly what. Her body did.