Vampire Claim: Real Men of Othercross

by Kyle, Celia

  “Does it hurt?” he asked, his tone amazed.

  She smiled. “Not really. Unless I have to pee, then it’s torture. And I always have to pee. But it’s what I’m made to do.”

  “You’re made to worship, mi amada.”

  The wonder in his eyes morphed back into heat, and this time as he looked at her, he was nothing more than a man staring at a woman he wanted for altogether unwholesome purposes. She moistened her lips. Vivid memories pinged inside her head, confusing her.

  Was she ready to trust him again, ready to open up her heart? All she knew was that she wasn’t ready for him to leave, but she needed a nap.

  “Do you… would you lie down with me for a bit?”

  He lifted her hand to his lips, filling her with all of the feels Brodie had never been able to.

  “I would love to, mi amada. You must be very tired.”

  She was and she wasn’t. Her body ached to rest, but her mind swirled with all of the possibilities for the future. Iris put those questions aside and led him to her room. She couldn’t stop herself from casting a longing glance at her bathroom, wishing for a hot soak, but now wasn’t the time.

  “Would you like me to run you a bath?” he asked, reading her mind a little too clearly.

  It was an offer she couldn’t refuse. She took her time undressing and shrugging into her robe as Rafe created plumes of lavender-scented steam.

  “Do you need help?” he asked as he waved her into the bathroom, his tone more than a little naughty.

  “I think I can handle taking a bath,” she said, trying not to laugh. Encouraging him wouldn’t do either of them any good.

  “Shame.”

  She left the door cracked open a little and shed the robe before lowering herself into the hot, bubble-covered water. Her aching muscles relaxed, and she sighed, leaning back and letting her eyes fall closed. Just for a minute, then she’d get up and tell Rafe he had to go.

  * * *

  The bright light of morning woke Iris with a start. Panic filled her heart, then she realized her blinds had been pulled closed at some point. An arm lay draped across her bump, and she patted it, relief almost drowning her when she found the skin smooth, not extra-crispy.

  “Buenas dias, mi amada,” Rafe murmured in her ear.

  She groaned as she stretched. “Morning. What happened? Last thing I remember is taking a bath.”

  Laughter in his voice as he pulled her tight to him, the not-so-little spoon to his big-and-strong-and-sexy-as-hell spoon. “You fell asleep. I carried you in here.”

  A vague memory of being held by strong arms warmed her, and that’s when she realized she was naked. Strangely, she didn’t feel the least bit shy or awkward. His warmth at her back felt so natural, his arm draped carefully over the top of her belly, nestled right under her breasts. His touch wasn’t sexual, or hadn’t been at first, but his body seemed to be responding to her own arousal, hardening against her back.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “I’m pleased to serve,” he said, voice deep and husky as he kissed her bare shoulder.

  His caresses, his kisses, the desire stirring in her body and his, all of it was leading to one inevitable conclusion.

  And she didn’t want to fight it anymore.

  Chapter Seven

  “Why can't I resist you?” Iris whispered, and turned so she faced him. He remained perfectly still, his eyes locked on hers, and a hint of a smile dawned on his lips. Before he could say anything, she pressed her index finger over his mouth. “No, don't bother answering. Just kiss me.”

  He seemed surprised by her words, almost as if he hadn't been expecting her to surrender so willingly, but that surprise soon gave way to lust. She could see it flare in his eyes, bright flames of desire that contrasted with his dark nature. Slowly, he closed the distance between their bodies and leaned in, his mouth crashing against hers hungrily.

  “I've missed this mouth of yours,” he whispered softly, his hand running down the side of her body. “I've missed this skin.” His fingers dug deep into her thighs, and a scorching heat spread all over her body. “I've missed your warmth.”

  “Is there anything you haven't missed?” she asked him, immediately regretting her sassy tone. Even though he had disappeared, there was nothing but kindness to the way he treated her now. Thankfully, he didn't seem to care one bit about her sassiness.

  “No, there isn't.” Taking his other hand to her face, he brushed a stray lock of hair away and cupped her cheek. “I've missed everything about you, mi amada. Absolutely everything. It's been hell without you.”

  “Yes, it has,” she found herself admitting. Even though she didn't want to seem vulnerable, it was almost impossible to hide how she truly felt. Even though she hated the fact he had preferred to disappear than to let her decide her own fate, she had spent every single one of these seven months craving his presence. Sometimes, she felt his absence even more than she felt the magic coursing through her body.

  “I'm here now.” Gently stroking her cheek with his thumb, he leaned in once more. He kissed her forehead, her nose, and only then did his lips find hers. She melted into his embrace willingly, his strong body forcing the memories of long ago to return in full force. “And I'm not leaving.”

  Not even if I want you to, she thought to herself, fully aware that someone like Rafe would never let his child grow up without a father. For better or worse, their lives were now forever interwoven. She didn't find that to be a bad thing.

  In fact, she thought it was the best.

  Prying Iris's lips open, Rafe slid his tongue into the warmth of her mouth. She placed both her hands on his naked chest, feeling his steady heartbeat under her palm, and allowed her tongue to dance with his. It didn't take long before that dance became a wrestling match, the lust pulling their strings becoming more overpowering with each passing second.

  Allowing his fingers to move down her face, Rafe threaded them into her hair. He yanked on it, his gesture a blend of tenderness and savagery, and forced her to look into his eyes.

  “You have no idea how much I want you,” he told her, his words almost a growl. She wasn't used to seeing someone as powerful and poised as Rafe lose control, but she could see that that was exactly what was happening. The vampire was allowing his instincts to take over, and she couldn't be any gladder. She knew exactly how much fun it was when Rafe lost control in bed.

  “Then why don't you show me?” she threw right back at him, her heart rate picking up the pace and turning into a war drum inside her chest. She could hear its furious thump against her eardrums, the blood coursing through her veins now a cocktail of adrenaline and lust. She had issued a challenge, and she was certain that Rafe would rise to meet it.

  “Oh, I'll show you.” He flashed her a grin and, at the same time, she felt his erection press into her inner thigh. Even though he was still wearing his boxer briefs, to feel him so incredibly hard against her body was almost too much for her to take. Her mind spun, throat turning dry, and she ran her tongue over her lips in anticipation.

  “Oh, by the Goddess,” she breathed out, her skin burning as Rafe lay his mouth against her neck. Using nothing but the tip of his tongue, he made the hike down to her breasts, and only stopped when he had his lips wrapped around her left nipple. Deftly, he sucked it into his mouth and used his tongue to trace delicate circles around the hardening nub.

  Pleasure shot up Iris's spine, fireworks going off inside her head and replacing whatever rationality still lived there. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to surrender to the vampire lying next to her, offer him her body, and let him do as he pleased.

  When he cupped her right breast with one hand, his tongue still busy with her left, she knew there'd be no stopping him now. His body burned for hers and, by everything that was magical and sacred, so was her own. Seven months after the best sex of her life and now she had finally bought her tickets for a second show. She wouldn't let the opportunity go to waste, no
matter how complicated things remained between the two of them.

  “Delicious.” Rafe’s mouth climbed down the curve of her left breast, his lips brushing against her skin, and he looked up at her. “Every inch of your body is maddening.” Without waiting for her to say anything, he returned all of his focus to her body, taking his time as he kissed her overgrown belly. More than just lust, there was a certain devotion and fascination to the way he kissed her skin, almost as if he revered the fact that she was the mother of his unborn child.

  No, she was wrong about that.

  There was no as if.

  “You've become even more beautiful,” Rafe continued, the solemnity hiding behind his words sending a shiver up her spine. She had no idea how he could be so kind while, at the same time, keeping that aura of power about him. “It shouldn’t have been possible, but it has happened.”

  With that, he finally continued the climb down her belly, his lips softly tracing a downward line toward the heat between her legs. He took his time, though, focusing on her inner thighs before moving in for the kill. Laying gentle kisses on the tender skin around her wetness, he kept on teasing her until she couldn’t take it anymore.

  Pushing her heels against the mattress, she forced her backside off the bed, eager to have him between her legs, but he responded by draping his forearm over her waist. He did it cautiously, mindful of the tiny creature growing inside her body, but the strength he used was enough to pin her down against the mattress.

  “Patience, mi amada,” he said, and the way his lips moved against her skin was enough to make her delirious. She ran her fingers through his hair, eager to force his mouth where she needed it to be, but he didn’t budge. He kept on teasing her, his tongue slowly approaching her wetness before the inevitable retreat. After almost a minute of that, she was swaying her hips in a state of pure desperation. Only then did he finally strike.

  Moving fast, he pressed his mouth against her wetness, wrapping his lips around her clit and pressing down on it with the tip of his tongue. He did it in the most delightful of ways, his touch sending a thunderstorm of ecstasy up her spine. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, his mouth felt like heaven.

  “So good,” she moaned, her voice trembling. Threading her fingers into his hair once more, this time she succeeded in guiding his movements, the sway of her hips dictating the rhythm which he used to punish her clit. Using his tongue like a whip, he didn’t let up for a couple of minutes. Only after ensuring she was as wet as she had ever been, did he change gears.

  He did it by opening his mouth wide and finally allowing his tongue to roam down to her inner lips. He took his time savoring her, licking her up as if she was the most delicious thing in the universe, and then drew another quivering moan out from between her lips when he pushed one finger deep inside her. Turning it around, he felt the inviting tightness of her inner walls before he pushed another finger in. He curled the two of them upward and, using them like a hook, drove them in until he had his fingertips pressed against that sweet hidden spot inside her. She responded with a mighty scream, her voice flexing to its absolute limits, and it didn’t take long before her entire body was as tense as a nocked arrow.

  Ecstasy coursed through her veins like the most powerful of drugs and, as her eyes rolled in their orbits, she arched her back and finally let pleasure take over her. The sweetest of sensations shot up her spine like a rocket, and it all exploded inside her head like a thermonuclear detonation, her inner walls tightening around his fingers as she exploded.

  “That was amazing,” she found herself saying, her voice like something foreign and distant. Using her elbows to prop herself up, she looked down to see Rafe pulling back from her, her fluids glistening on his lips. The moment their eyes found each other, a grin lit up his face and he knelt between her legs, his hard member straining against the fabric of his boxer briefs.

  “It was far better than amazing,” he responded, “but the best is yet to come.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.”

  Without a moment’s hesitation, she reached between his legs and flattened her right hand over his bulging shape. She purred softly as she felt him throb against her fingers and held her breath as she used her free hand to pull his boxers down. She did it slowly, hooking her fingers on the waistband and slowly pushing the fabric down until his erection finally sprung free.

  Even though his naked body had haunted her dreams these past few months, her heart still did a somersault inside her chest when she saw his hard member. He remained bigger and better than anyone else, almost as if his hardness was the final confirmation that Rafe was superior to everyone else around him.

  Before she even knew what she was doing, she moved and opened her mouth wide. With her lips wrapped around his warm flesh, his hardness weighing on her tongue, she rolled her mouth down until she felt him against the back of her throat. She held her position there for a couple of seconds, using her right hand to massage his balls, and then started moving her head back and forth. Using gentle movements, she started building up her rhythm until the sound of her lips on his flesh filled the entirety of the room.

  “Fuck,” he groaned, both his hands now resting on her head. “That feels—”

  He didn’t get to finish his sentence. Doing it fast and mercilessly, she allowed his cock to pop out from her mouth and then moved her tongue around his tip, the salty taste of his pre-cum taking over her taste buds. She had always been the kind of woman that believed going down on a man was solely done for his own pleasure, but that was a straight-up falsehood when it came to Rafe. She was more than happy to use her mouth to pleasure him, and that was because it felt absolutely amazing. The man was freaking delicious.

  “You keep on doing that, I don’t know if I’ll be able to restrain myself,” Rafe told her, his voice brimming with lustful tension. He didn’t have to tell her—judging by how labored his breathing had become, and the way his cock throbbed against her tongue, Iris knew that he was mere seconds away from exploding inside her mouth. And, by the Goddess, the thought of him spilling his seed inside her mouth was enough to make her even wetter than she already was.

  Before that could happen, though, he put a stop to it.

  “I need more from you,” he whispered, two fingers on her chin as he pulled his hard member back from her mouth. His eyes roamed down her body, taking in her figure, and he clenched his jaw so tightly that she could see his bones hardening up underneath his flesh. “So much fucking more.”

  “Then why don’t you come and take it?” She dared him, her heart beating so fast that she wouldn’t have been surprised to feel it burst inside her chest. Had their first time been as good as this? She wasn’t exactly sure, but she sure as hell was enjoying it right now. After months of loneliness, the thirst that had taken over her body was finally going to be sated. “Make me yours, Rafe.”

  “But you already are mine,” he threw back at her, smiling as he placed his hands on the back of her knees. Dragging her across the mattress toward him, he closed the distance between them until her breasts were mashed against his hard pectorals. She could feel his eagerness in the way his fingers dug into her flesh, but he was also careful with everything he did, the gentleness of his hands whenever he moved them closer to her belly a reminder of how protective he felt toward her and the child.

  “You are always going to be mine, Iris,” he continued, gently pushing her down onto the mattress. Laying down on top of her, he gripped his hard member with one hand and angled it down, pressing its tip against her aching entrance. She pursed her lips, anticipation falling over like a blanket, and then placed both her hands on his backside. She buried her fingernails in his flesh, reeling him in, and this time he offered no resistance.

  One thrust and he was in.

  She arched her back and moaned as his thickness pushed her inner walls back, forcing her body to accommodate his massive size, and every single nerve ending she had was woken up by a storm of pleasure. Sear
ing white light blinded her, her brain struggling to process all the sensations Rafe was unleashing upon her, and for a moment it felt as if her soul was drifting away from her own body.

  It should have been impossible, but it wasn’t.

  Rafe was that good.

  “I could remain like this for all of eternity,” he whispered into her ear as he started to thrust, the coming and going motion of his hard member turning all of her nerve endings into ash. They were not fucking, and they were not making love—the connection they were forging in that moment went beyond concepts like that, the union of their bodies something magical and undeniable. “There’s nothing better than this.”

  “No, there isn’t,” she agreed, her voice frail as she felt her magic swirling inside her. With all of her thoughts scattered, no order to them, she surrendered to that magical avalanche that demanded more of Rafe. She could feel it crackling under her skin, tendrils of magic reaching for the vampire that had stolen her heart, and she let it happen without hesitating. There was absolutely no doubt about what he was—her Resonate.

  As her magic wrapped itself around the two of them, like a neat bow on a perfectly wrapped gift, she looked straight into his eyes and uttered the words that she knew would seal the deal. They scared her, as they would make their bond a permanent one, but she was tired of fighting against what she knew to be truth: they belonged together.

  “I want you to bite me,” she told him, her words escaping from between her lips like birds taking flight. “Not a little scratch like before. This time I want you to really do it.” She didn’t want a repeat of last time, when he had tasted her blood through a small cut. This time she wanted him to go all the way.

  “Are you sure?” His eyes widened, surprise flashing there, but he regained his composure a mere fraction of a second later. “If I bite you, we’ll be tied forever, Iris.”