Dark Mate (MATE series)

by Kristen, Natalie

  He read the hard resolve in her eyes.

  In a flash, he was on the bed, his hands locked around her bare arms. He grabbed her so hard he could feel his nails digging into her flesh, and he saw the sudden glint of tears in her eyes.

  He released her with a hiss. She turned away, and he felt the sudden urge to grab her and hold her. Hold her forever.

  “You will sleep with me tonight,” he gritted out. “Just...sleep.”

  He saw her bite her bottom lip to stop it from trembling, but she kicked up her chin to meet his gaze unflinchingly. She tensed, waiting for him to make a grab for her again. And force himself on her.

  “Sleep, Eva,” he growled.

  When she didn't move a muscle, he blew out a sigh and pulled the covers up over her shoulders. She stiffened when he tucked her into his side so that her head rested on his chest. He put his hand on her waist and held her, feeling her body press against his.

  “Go to sleep,” he said gruffly. “I'll just hold you, and...” He sighed deeply. “...sleep here beside you.”

  She held herself perfectly still for a long time, but finally he felt her hand curl up under her chin. He didn't move at all, not wanting to spook her further. His hand rested on the sheets, quavering slightly on the curve of her waist.

  “Where did you go tonight, Gabriel?” she asked softly.

  He froze as she lifted her head to squint at him. Her gaze was firm and steady, but the hardness was gone. She was looking at him with curiosity and concern, and a small furrow had appeared in the middle of her forehead as she studied him quietly.

  “Were you out looking for something? Something important?” she said. Her gaze was appraising, astute. “You...don't seem happy.”

  “I...” His throat felt too dry and tight.

  “That makes two of us,” she muttered and shrugged. Looking up, she smirked at him. “Well, misery loves company.”

  “Why did you...” he began, gesturing vaguely at her body. “Why did you get naked?” he blurted out.

  She looked down and swallowed. She suddenly seemed self-conscious and angry as she tried to inch away from him. His arms instinctively tightened around her. He would not let her get away from him.

  Her face reddened and she looked away. She seemed to be regretting her actions.

  Finally, she said very softly, “I wanted to seduce you.”

  Before he could respond, she rushed on, “I thought...I'd use sex as a weapon. Since you've taken away all my weapons, I have only...” Her voice trailed off. “I'll just use what I have, to get out of here alive. But...you're not going to let me live, are you?” She laughed bitterly. “You're going to kill me, or turn me. As a human, I'm just your toy and your food. And after you've turned me, I'm your slave. Isn't that your plan for me?”

  She looked straight at him, and he read the fierce promise in her eyes. But I will seek the sun, Gabriel. I will rather burn for eternity than be your slave for the rest of my pathetic, immortal life!

  “I'm not going to turn you, Eva,” he said, the words falling from his lips even before he was aware of them. I'm not going to hurt you.

  She let out a shuddering breath. “Thank...” She clamped her mouth shut and swallowed. Finally, she asked without looking at him, “Is it...going to hurt?”

  “What?”

  She squeezed her eyes shut. “Your bite,” she whispered. “When you drain my blood, will it...hurt much?”

  Gabriel reeled back almost as if she had sucker punched him in the gut. Her words were like knives, twisting and burrowing into his core. He shook his head hard.

  “No.”

  He saw her attempt a small smile, but it looked too much like a wince.

  “I mean, no, I won't...hurt you.”

  Slowly, she pulled her knees up and tucked them tightly under her chin. It was clear that she didn't believe him.

  “Then why won't you let me go?” she whispered.

  “I...can't.”

  She turned back to face him. “You mean you won't,” she said flatly.

  “I...”

  She turned away sharply to stare stoically at the far wall. She seemed to have frozen to stone, and he just couldn't stand it. He wanted her to turn back to him, to look at him, talk to him, smile at him. Now...why would he want that? His own strange, inexplicable reaction to this human woman was highly frustrating and completely out of reason and character. But he just had to talk to her, and...touch her.

  But he wouldn't force her.

  Inhaling deeply, Gabriel began to speak, letting his voice float out into the darkness, “I was out looking for someone tonight.”

  “You were out hunting? For another prey, another prisoner?” she sniffed sarcastically over her shoulder.

  “You're not my...”

  “Yeah, I know. I'm not your prisoner. I'm...a guest, right? A guest who can't leave,” she snorted.

  He let her finish mumbling some choice swear words, then continued gruffly, “I wasn't out hunting. I was searching for...my fiancee.”

  The pronouncement seemed to catch her interest.

  She turned to stare at him. “You have a fiancee? Isn't she dead by now? I mean...oh. She's like you.” She laughed suddenly. “I'm sure she wouldn't be too happy to find a naked woman in your bed! You should let me go, you know, before she finds out,” she added in a conspiratorial tone. “I won't tell, I promise.”

  Gabriel glared at her. She shrugged. “Or maybe I'm the engagement ring.” She made her voice low, mimicking him no doubt. “Here's a nice, tasty human for you, my love. Now will you be my vampire bride?”

  “Eva.”

  “What?” She widened her eyes at his sharp tone.

  “I'm trying to...”

  “Fine. Go on. Tell me about your vampire fiancee. But I still think you should let me go. Women can be so jealous and emotional. She might jump to conclusions, seeing us like this, even though we haven't...”

  “Will you...”

  “Shut up?” She smiled sadly. “Yeah, I will. I'll be dead soon, won't I? The dead can't talk, so I'd have shut up for good then.”

  Gabriel opened his mouth to speak, then snapped it shut furiously. How could he tell her that he wouldn't hurt her? But...why wouldn't he hurt her? She was just a disposable, little human. She was just his food and his plaything. She'd said it herself.

  She was, wasn't she?

  His body was acutely aware of her naked heat under the covers. She was just inches away from him, her body warm and soft in his bed.

  She turned suddenly and saw him staring at her.

  “Gabriel?”

  She gasped at the look in his eyes. He knew that his eyes were glowing a deep golden red. The air around him swirled with her intoxicating, feminine scent, drowning him, crushing him, pushing him right over the edge.

  She began to scrabble away, and in her frenzy, the covers slid down and he glimpsed her beautiful, bare body. Her face was flushed, and the air was suddenly filled with a rich, unmistakable scent.

  Fear and lust, hunger and desire.

  His and hers.

  With a roar, he lunged for her and caught her writhing body in his arms.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  There wasn't time to scream.

  Gabriel's grip was crushing, possessive, and it was clear he wasn't going to let her go. He held her naked body to him and even as she twisted frantically in his arms, Eva felt his lips on her neck.

  “No...” she gasped.

  He drew back, and she glared up at him. She was angry, yes, crazy mad. But beneath that anger was something else.

  Something she wasn't quite prepared to accept.

  She was jealous.

  When Gabriel mentioned his fiancee, there was the sharp flash of jealousy. Eva had recognized her own emotion, and had tried to disguise it. Shocked at her own seething jealousy, she tried to work herself up into a rage. Better mad then jealous.

  “Eva, stop struggling. Stop fighting me. Stop fighting...this!”

 
“What? Argh!” She squirmed against him, her nails digging into his back. She struggled weakly, her breath coming hard and fast.

  “Let me...”

  “No!”

  “Eva, I can scent and feel your arousal, your need. Your need, your want...is driving both of us insane,” he snarled. “Let me ease you, Eva.”

  “No.” She closed her eyes. Yes, yes please...

  “I won't take your blood. And I won't take your body.”

  “Y-you won't?” She blinked, and frowned at the note of disappointment in her voice. She shook her head quickly when she saw the corners of his lips curve up.

  “I won't enter your body. I won't thrust my fingers, or my cock deep inside you. I won't even push my tongue into you.”

  “Gabriel...” she began in a tremulous whisper.

  “Lie back,” he commanded. “You will do this—to save your life. And my sanity,” he growled.

  He put his large hand on her stomach and pressed her down on the mattress. Eva lay absolutely still and pressed her thighs tightly together. She squeezed her eyes shut both in fear and mortification. He was right. Her body was hungry and aching, and his nearness, his voice, his touch seemed to add fuel to the fire burning in her belly.

  He could read her body, scent her desire. There was no way she could lie to him. Her lips might lie, but her body could not.

  “I'm going to spread your legs, Eva,” Gabriel said, his voice sounded ragged. “I need to spread you wide, for my mouth to reach you.”

  She gasped at the image his words evoked. She suddenly imagined his mouth all over her. She wanted to feel his tongue, his hands, all of him, pressing against her, pushing into her...

  “Eva...” Gabriel's voice sounded strained.

  He put his hands under her knees and spread her wide open for him. The heat of his gaze made her clench her muscles, and she felt her moisture trickling down the inside of her thigh.

  “You are wet, Eva,” he breathed. “So wet.” For me.

  She looked up at him, and saw the burning passion and hunger in his glowing eyes. Gabriel dipped his head, and kissed her belly button. His lips trailed lower until he was kissing the insides of her thighs.

  Eva moaned, and raised her hips. She was going to go mad, if he didn't put his mouth on her core, right now.

  She dug her nails into the mattress when she felt his tongue licking slowly up her thigh. When his lips pressed against her wet, quivering pussy, her back arched off the mattress.

  “G-Gabriel...” she stammered. The pleasure was electrifying and shocking. She suddenly felt betrayed by her own body. Why was she feeling so good, so aroused and so hungry for his touch, his kiss?

  A part of her brain that was still functioning was screaming at her to push him away, claw his eyes out and kick him where it mattered. But her body wasn't listening to her brain. Even her heart was in cahoots with her traitorous body.

  Give him. Give yourself to him.

  Gabriel licked her again and she lost all ability to think.

  Panting hard, she raised her head and met his piercing gaze. The raw hunger in his glowing eyes drove all rational thought from her mind. She felt the same crazed hunger, the want, the overpowering desire.

  He's playing with my mind.

  But she was too far gone to care.

  Play away.

  Gabriel's jaw was tightly clenched and his breathing was ragged. He seemed to be fighting to control himself.

  “Eva...” he gritted out.

  His eyes look tortured, full of lust and longing. He raised himself, his arms straight and rigid on either side of her body.

  Tentatively, Eva moved her hands up his arms. His t-shirt was stretched tight over his broad chest, and she let her fingers explore his hard, toned muscles under his shirt. He actually shivered at her touch and closed his eyes. Her name fell from his lips as she traced her nails along his shoulders and biceps.

  Eva dug her nails into his back and felt a perverse sense of victory. She actually liked seeing the powerful vampire like this—helpless, tormented, and completely at her mercy. He was consumed with hunger and want, and he was helpless to fight it.

  He wants me, she thought deliriously. Me!

  She touched his jaw, and pressed her palm against the hard wall of his chest. His heartbeat was strong and powerful, and she no longer thought of him as a vampire. All she knew was that here in her arms was a powerful, virile male. But however powerful he was, he was powerless to resist her.

  The realization made her irrationally, inexplicably proud and happy.

  She arched her back and raised her aching nipples to him. Eva squirmed and panted, her own need throbbing painfully low in her belly. Gabriel closed his eyes and let out a strangled sound as she tugged him down to her.

  He was almost out of his mind with lust for her, and Eva smiled drunkenly. She couldn't understand what she was doing. But what she was doing felt so good, and she didn't want to stop.

  She curled her hand round his nape and urged him down to her. Gabriel stared down at her, his lips parting to reveal smooth, deadly fangs. Eva's eyelids lowered and her core began to pulse. She wasn't afraid. In fact, she was anticipating it, waiting for it.

  In a flash, Gabriel's mouth was on her breast, his lips hungrily kissing and sucking. She felt the sharp point of his fangs press against the swell of her breast as he suckled her hard. Eva gasped at the sharp pain and pleasure. It felt so, so good, and she raked her fingers through his hair as her need mounted. She cried out as he flicked his tongue against her erect nipple, and she pressed his head against her breast, urging him to suck and bite her harder.

  “More...” she begged. She wanted more, needed more. Her head began to toss from side to side as she struggled against her painful, desperate need. “Please, Gabriel...”

  At her cry, Gabriel fastened his mouth on her clit and began to suck and lick her throbbing, engorged clit. His tongue moved in hard, tight circles, teasing and torturing her. He kept licking and sucking her, harder and faster until she came completely undone. She shattered under his mouth with a keening cry, her pleasure wrecking her body in pounding, crushing waves.

  Eva shuddered and sobbed, letting those fierce ripples of pleasure slowly recede from her body.

  When she was finally aware of her body and her surroundings again, she sucked in a ragged breath and blinked hard.

  Gabriel was holding her against his chest, his chin on the top of her head.

  Through the rough fabric of his cargo pants, she could feel his rigid erection against her thigh. She turned her head a little, and realized that he was still fully clothed. He hadn't even taken off his combat boots.

  He hadn't tried to take her, hadn't forced himself on her. Even when she was half crazed and mindless with lust, he hadn't pushed himself into her body. He had licked her, kissed her, suckled her, but he hadn't penetrated her at all.

  Even though she had begged him, he had not thrust his tongue nor his fingers into her.

  He had honored his word. And by so doing, he had honored her.

  Eva exhaled slowly, and murmured, “Thank you.”

  “Hmm.”

  She moved a little, and her leg brushed against his crotch. Gabriel let out a sharp hiss and rolled out of bed with a jerky motion.

  She scooted to the corner and tugged the sheets up around her. There was only so much a man could bear. He had pleasured her, eased her, taken care of her need. But he hadn't taken his own release.

  Eva stared at his back as he started towards the door.

  What would he do? Where would he go?

  Would he find another female to ease him?

  She bit the inside of her cheek. Why was the thought so repugnant to her?

  “Gabriel,” she called out just as he reached the door.

  He turned slowly to face her, his expression unreadable.

  “I...” She gulped. “You need blood, don't you?” Her words rushed out in a torrent. Better to say it quickly before she lost her
nerve.

  “I...I don't want to owe you, so...” Eva winced and tilted her neck to the side, baring her neck for him.

  “Just don't drain me, or turn me. P-please,” she whispered, closing her eyes.

  There was a long silence. At last, she heard him say very quietly, “You are offering me your blood.”

  She nodded without opening her eyes.

  “Why.”

  At his tone, Eva opened her eyes and immediately shrank back. Gabriel looked...utterly mad. His eyes blazed with fury, but beneath that anger, she glimpsed his stark pain and hurt.

  She shook her head mutely, her face twisting.

  “This is a bargain to you. You don't want to owe me. You just want to return the favor, the debt, and leave. You want to make it such that if and when you leave, I'd have no reason to come after you, to hunt you down and call in the favor. Is this what it is to you, Eva, a favor, a debt?” he sneered.

  She watched him prowl towards her, his look murderous and predatory.

  He was going to kill her.

  Silently, she slid her hand under her pillow. Her fingers closed around the jagged shard, the weapon she had fashioned out of that dainty china plate.

  This was her plan anyway. Tempt him, then kill him.

  Always stick to the plan. Deal with the distraction, but stick to the plan.

  She had gotten distracted. Way distracted. And the distraction had felt too damn good.

  Eva felt her face heat up.

  Part of the plan had been to seduce him, to make him lose control, lose himself. But instead, he had reduced her to a panting, writhing, boneless mess.

  Vampires were highly skilled in the dark art of seduction and deceit. Most of their victims couldn't even remember the attack. All they remembered was the pleasure.

  Eva bit her lip hard. No, she wasn't a victim. She was a survivor. She would forget the pleasure, and focus on the attack.

  Tightening her grip on the shard, she waited for Gabriel to come closer to her.

  Eva held her breath and waited for the chance to strike.