Night's Promise

by Sandy Lynn

  “Give him hell, Mel.”

  Once Gareth was out of the room, she attempted to climb out of the bed again.

  “So, what do you want to wear?”

  “I don’t care, anything. I just want to give that bastard a piece of my mind.”

  *

  Duncan was watching the screens. He kept glancing at a couple near the center of the dance floor who looked like they were either in the middle of a fight or about to fuck on the floor. Concentrating on them, he hadn’t been able to figure out which mode they were in, yet.

  Behind him the door opened.

  “For the last time, I don’t need to be relieved. I’m quite happy with control room duty, so leave me the fuck alone.” He winced as something hit the back of his head, hard. “What the fu—”

  Turning, he saw the small box on the floor. Looking up slowly he devoured the sight of Melissa standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips, only slightly stunned that she’d gotten past him on the monitors. Then again, considering the way that one couple had been acting, maybe it wasn’t such a surprise.

  “Shove that up your ass.”

  “I thought you’d like it. I thought it’d look perfect on you.”

  “Fuck you. You want to give me something then you give it to me. Don’t ask my brother to do it for you.”

  “Mel, I—you deserve to be with someone that’s much better than I’ll ever be.”

  “Fuck you. Don’t boss me around. I’m so glad to know I meant so goddamn much to you.” From the fury in her eyes, he was glad she didn’t have anything else to throw at him. “You’ve had your fun, the least you could do is be a man and break up with me in person. I want to hear you say it. I want to hear you say you were just playing me, just like my brother knew you were.”

  “I wasn’t playing with you.”

  “No, you had to be playing with me. Because if you weren’t…if you weren’t…”

  At that moment nothing could have stopped him from holding her in his arms. Approaching her, his arms open, he was surprised when she slapped him instead of stepping into his embrace.

  “What was that for?” he growled.

  “You are an asshole.”

  He stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her.

  “Don’t touch me. Don’t you ever touch me again! You’re a liar. You’re nothing but a filthy liar and I’m through with you. Get away from me.” She struggled weakly in his arms, kicking and twisting, fighting his embrace.

  “Gods, Angel,” he whispered in her ear before her foot came down on top of his. He had missed her so much.

  Tears shined in her eyes as she slapped him across the face again. “Don’t call me that. You lied to me. You lied.”

  Guilt flooded him. He had promised her that he wouldn’t let Travis touch her, but the bastard had managed to not only slap her, but to stab her. He couldn’t blame her for being mad.

  “You swore you’d always be there for me. You swore you wouldn’t leave me.” She slapped him a third time. “You promised I wouldn’t be alone and then you left me.”

  “Angel, I’m so sorry.” He let her beat her fists against his chest. “If I’d known—if I’d even thought that bastard would be waiting for you, I would have been right there beside you.”

  “No, not then. I woke up and you were gone. I tried to find you, but you were gone. You blocked me from your mind, and had my brother give me something you bought for me. You used me. You lied to me.”

  Her legs began to shake beneath her and he scooped her up, enjoying how she felt so close to him.

  Sitting down with her on his lap, he tried to explain. “I don’t deserve you.”

  “What about me? What do I deserve? Do I deserve to have what I want?”

  “You deserve a man that will make you happy, not one that scares you. I saw the fear in your eyes in that warehouse. You deserve a man that can be everything that you want.”

  “But all I want is you.”

  “Angel…”

  She interrupted him. “Do you love me? Just answer that. Do you love me, Duncan?”

  Looking into her eyes, he knew she would leave if he said no. If he told her no, she’d walk away and find a man that deserved her. But he couldn’t lie to her.

  “I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything.”

  “Then don’t deny me the one thing I want. Don’t tell me I can’t be with the only man I’ve ever loved. Well, the only man other than my brother.”

  She pulled him down to her mouth. “Make me warm again. I want to feel warm and safe again.”

  Her tongue slid over his lips, then into his mouth. He wanted to be strong and push her away so she could find a better man, but the thought made him groan. He could feel her trying to find him through the ice he had placed between them. He could feel her reaching out for him.

  Unable to stand the distance between them, he destroyed the wall, sighing into her mouth as he felt her surrounding him.

  “I can’t do this,” he told her when their kiss ended.

  She looked at him and nodded. Standing up, she stepped away from him.

  Reaching on the floor behind the chair, he picked up the box she’d thrown at him. Before she could walk through the door, he called her.

  “Melissa?”

  “What?” She paused but didn’t turn around.

  “Will you look at me please?”

  “What?” Her voice filled with anger and pain.

  He waited until she was watching him before he approached her. Kneeling in front of her, he opened the small box and lifted it to her.

  “Will you marry me? Will you become a vampire and spend the rest of our lives kicking my ass when I act like an idiot?”

  “Duncan…”

  “I tried to be strong. I tried to let you go so you could find a better man, but all I really want is to spend the rest of my life with you. You have done what no one else in history has ever been able to do. You are the only person to ever bring me to my knees.”

  She sniffed, a single tear rolling down her cheek. “Not the most romantic proposal in the world.”

  “I told you I suck at this shit. But I promise to stay beside you, to love you, and to seriously fuck up anyone who tries to hurt you.”

  She laughed and jumped into his arms, sending them both flying backward. He kissed her greedily, chuckling as he felt her hands tugging on his shirt.

  “Does this mean you accept?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  Duncan pulled the ring from the box and slid it onto her finger. “I knew it would be perfect.” He kissed the back of her hand and tried to pull her down to him.

  “I believe you owe me something else.”

  “I won’t apologize for what happened with Travis,” he told her firmly.

  “No. I believe you taunted me with the fact that you were getting a certain piercing. Now, I want to see it.”

  He chuckled as she climbed off him.

  “I want to see it,” she told him again, sitting down in the chair, waiting for him to move. He removed his jeans, and stood in front of her with his cock in front of her face.

  She ran her finger over the barbells, before rubbing them against her cheek. Her mouth closed over him and she giggled as she slowly pulled back. “That’s going to take a little getting used to. Guess this means I’m going to have to get plenty of practice.”

  He groaned. “Angel, you are killing me.”

  “Not yet. Thank you for saving me Duncan.” She stood up and quickly shed her clothes. “Now, come here so I can thank you properly.”

  He groaned when she pushed him down into the chair. Watching her glide across the room, he smiled when she locked the door then returned to him.

  Climbing onto the chair, she lowered herself onto him. “That feels…nice…” she moaned.

  Kissing her neck, he cupped her ass as she lifted herself until only the tip of his cock was still buried within her then slowly lowered herself again. “It’s definitely nice,�
� she told him huskily.

  “Angel…” He wanted so badly to be buried completely inside her, to taste her blood but was afraid it was too soon for that.

  “Only if I can taste you, too,” she told him as her pace increased slightly. “I want to be a vampire.”

  Nodding, Duncan lifted his wrist to his mouth and pierced through the flesh then presented it to her. He groaned as she drank slowly from him, her tongue swirling over the opening. Her pace increased as she pulled away from him, a little trail dripping down her chin. He closed the wound and kissed her hungrily.

  His mouth trailed over her cheek to her neck. After one hard pull with his mouth, his teeth sank into her. Her pussy began to clench around him as his mouth filled with her blood. Duncan thrust hard up into her, trying to resist the urge to come. Seeing her head thrown back, hearing her moans ripped his control from him.

  Still buried inside of her, Duncan kissed her gently.

  “I love you Melissa. I will always love you.”

  “I love you too, my freaky baby.”

  Melissa looked behind her at the screens. “Looks like there’s another couple in the back room.”

  He looked past her and chuckled. “Yeah, it does.” It was the couple from the floor. Apparently, they had decided after all.

  “Think you can keep up with them?”

  “For you, I could do anything.”

  Sandy Lynn

  To learn more about Sandy Lynn, please visit www.SandyLynn.com. Send an email to Sandy at sandy@sandylynn.com or join her Yahoo. group to join in the fun with other readers as well as Sandy. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Club_Strigoi/

  Will this Elven warlord be conquered by lust?

  Lords of Ch’i

  (c) 2006 Ciar Cullen

  Available Now at Samhain Publishing.

  Cast out by an usurper to her clan’s throne, warrior Silver SanMartin throws herself at the mercy of her compelling enemy, Jet Atraud. The sexy warlord rules his Elven clan with an iron fist, but Silver finds she lords some power of her own. Jet can’t keep his eyes—or his hands—off his lovely captive.

  In a battle to gain self-control and maintain his ten-year oath of celibacy, Jet tries to focus on the task at hand—conquering the enemy clans. Despite his strong will and best intentions, Jet cannot ignore his growing love for Silver. But can a sworn enemy be trusted?

  Enjoy this excerpt:

  Silver looked up again, and a shock of electricity ran through her at Jet’s intense stare. He looked from her eyes to her lips, and let his gaze wander to her breasts, pushed high by her gown. His eyes burned as she he assaulted her senses.

  “You’re rather strong-willed, Silver. I don’t buy your apology for a second. And I think I rather fancy that about you. You’ll make a good bodyguard. What do you think of the gown? It’s been in my family for many generations.”

  “Lord?”

  “Yes?” He continued his sexual appraisal of her and her breathing quickened in longing. She let her gaze wander down his smooth stomach to his rigid cock, straining against the black silk wrap. Surely he can hear my heart, it’s so loud.

  “Do you like what you see, Silver? You can’t seem to pull your gaze away for long. Do you know the whole time we’ve spoken, the whole time you’ve cried over the conflict and your brother, you’ve filled the room with your lust. You’ve stared at my mouth and my chest, my stomach, wondering how it would feel, how it would be between us. Am I wrong?”

  “You are quite wrong, Lord.”

  He laughed a little and motioned her to come closer. “I’d like a closer look at you in my ancestor’s garb. You must admit, it suits your figure, which is…” Jetre took in a quick breath. “Adequate.”

  “Adequate? My figure is adequate? Why are we discussing my body? Your oath, your…”

  “Have I broken my oath, Silver?” He worked his fingertips from her collarbone across the swell of her breasts. His touch blazed a fiery trail across her skin and his energy seeped into her veins. Which burns, she wondered—the touch of an elf or the touch of a lord? He slowly unfastened the clasps of her dress until he exposed her breasts. His calloused fingers and palms brushed across her skin like a kiss as he cupped one breast in each hand. His moan stirred her to quivering. He caressed her as if he’d found a priceless treasure he’d sought for a lifetime. Silver fought the sensations he evoked, but surrendered and cried out when he rubbed his thumbs on her nipples.

  “Jetre.”

  “Yes?” He continued his slow circles. “You find this unpleasant? Should I stop?” Jetre looked at her from beneath his dark lashes as he leaned in to suckle on one breast. His hot mouth assaulted her senses, his tongue darting across her nipple, his lips pulling and pinching. A low groaning sound came from far away, and Silver realized in shock it was her moan, her lust filling the air. She laced her hands in an errant strand of his luxurious hair and pulled it towards her face, smelling his scent—dark spices and male magic. When he moved to her other breast, the new pleasure sent her to the brink of orgasm, and he kept her hovered there for minutes. He broke away suddenly and looked into her eyes.

  Silver panted, aching, throbbing, ready to push him to the ground and assault him. “You’re no virgin.”

  “How dare you. Do you understand how you insult me, Warrior?”

  “I honestly couldn’t tell you what I think right now if my life depended upon it.”

  Jetre arched a brow. “It will come to you.”

  Silver’s hands shook at the conflicting, overwhelming emotions consuming her. This man, this gorgeous man, her sworn enemy, now her master—was he seducing her? No, simply playing with his prisoner. No more, certainly. A tiny dagger of regret pierced her heart. Silver shuddered, the memory of his mouth on her still making her tingle, still making her throb and moist and ready.

  What I wouldn’t give to lay with him, to feel him inside me… She cursed to herself. Too late, he heard it.

  “Tell me, let me hear what you want.” His voice grew low and languid, his eyes nearly hidden beneath his black lashes. “Tell me what kind of lover you imagine me? What draws you? My look? My manner? Or my power?”

  All of those. None of those. Don’t let him hear any more. Thoughts poured out, desire and longing overwhelming her, betraying her.

  You’re the most beautiful creature. Take me now or leave me be. I don’t want to feel this way.

  “Yes you do.” His voice was such a low whisper Silver thought she might have imagined hearing him speak.

  Jet sat up straight, eyes now wide, spell broken. “I’m not one to take advantage of my position with a woman, with anyone. You aren’t required to placate me in a sexual way.” Jetre snorted. “Perhaps that’s only my ego. I couldn’t stand the thought of forcing myself on a woman. I’ve always assumed no woman would reject me, which is quite disturbing. Perhaps you don’t want me?”

  Silver groaned. “Don’t mock me, Lord, you read my thoughts clearly enough. It’s bad enough that I’ve betrayed my kind. Don’t make me betray myself.”

  Jetre ignored her words and stood, pulling the cord from his hair.

  That’s his way? Play with me for a moment, send my world reeling, and dismiss me like a scrap of garbage.

  “You’ll help me dress now, and we will eat and drink with the soldiers and their families. I intend to speak to the crowd of your presence here. Some of it will annoy you, badly, especially when I speak of your brother. Try to show restraint. Understood?”

  “Yes, Lord.”

  He turned and nodded. “Silver, in private, you may call me Jet. I’m a little less formal than most of the lords.” He held out a finger. “In private, mind you.”

  She nodded. “Jet.” She tested the nickname on her tongue.

  “One thing.” Jetre turned away again. His voice was quiet and Silver struggled to hear him. “Was it right? Did it feel right, what I did? When I kissed your breasts?”

  It was the last question she expected from him, the most amazing thing. The
great Lord Jetre, wondering if he had given her any pleasure. How to answer him?

  “Because my ten years end in a matter of days.” He pushed his hand through his hair and laughed at himself. “I don’t want it said the oath made the lord incapable. How embarrassing. Is this your nature—to bring out the inner truths of a person?”

  “How will I protect you from the women who will storm your quarters when your oath is complete? They’ll be more dangerous than Fire and Metal combined against you.” And how will I bear to watch it?

  Jet laughed. “As appealing as that picture might be, I must pick only one. The second part of the deal.” He shrugged.

  “I see.” A small knife poked at her heart unexpectedly. No doubt the woman would be Wood and was probably already betrothed to the lord. An elf, of course.

  “You didn’t answer my question.” Jet toweled down and Silver turned away. From the corner of her eye she saw him step into his dark leather pants and pull on a thin, collarless, long-sleeved, black shirt. He went to the dresser and placed a kohl stick against each eye, blinking and wiping the excess from his cheeks.

  “The woman will be quite fortunate, Jet. I hope that satisfies your ego.”

  He inclined his head and smiled very subtly. “It does. Might I practice on you again some time?”

  Silver closed her eyes. The pain came in very faintly, like the smell of a coming summer rain shower on the breeze. She wanted her sworn enemy, and she meant nothing to him. A plaything, a practice toy. Well, there are worse fates than being the whore of such a man.

  He pointed to his tall boots and Silver brought them to him, helped him push into them.

  “You did something terrible to me when you branded me, Jet. I know you did. You say you wouldn’t force a woman, but you charmed me in some way.”

  Jet looked up at her, puzzled. “Nonsense.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  Jet pointed to the dresser and his heavy, white-gold pendant, the Wu Xing symbol of his clan, the symbol of the Way of Ch’i. Silver brought it to him and fastened it around his neck. She bit back thoughts of Kilé and how she had fastened his pendant many times.