Interesting.
Annoying.
She choked back a fourth yawn. “Goddamnit, are you doing this to me so you can rip me off?”
“No, darlin’. This is your body’s way of telling you you’re pushing it too hard.”
“How the fuck would you know? You’re not Fae.”
“And you’re not a full Fae. I fed from one of the Firebrand Fae and the magically enhanced blood gave me a bit of a boost, a high so to speak.”
“So it wasn’t just lust.”
“You’re cute.” He chuckled. “No, the lust was inspired only by you, babe. And knowing I earned a reward for making sure you didn’t get shot in the back by a Fae with a shotgun.”
He had a point. “You’re still an ass.”
“You still taste divine.”
“Ugh.” She threw her hands up, then slapped the steering wheel. Blinking, her eyes felt even heavier. Night was coming to an end and with it, the sun would rise and weaken her, thanks to all the action she’d had.
“We’re going the same way. I can send Cristin ahead to make sure the path is clear once we’re on the main road.”
“And when we get near your clubhouse, what’s to stop you from tossing my ass out and hijacking the truck? Why do you need those bikes so badly?”
“I wasn’t lying when I said the MC wants to return to the Shadowlands. I don’t even know how far we are from the main road. You know no one can cross through realms without special devices that enable that. Any idea why that is?”
She shrugged. “Nope. I’ve always used Fae magic, but—” She stopped herself from admitting that the device on the truck was the same as the bikes. Maybe that was a play though. Perhaps if she convinced the Undead Souls MC to pile in the back of her truck, she could get them to the Shadowlands, then continue on her path.
“But what?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Babe?”
Her eyes closed and for a second, she didn’t feel anything.
Then something jolted her and her eyes flew open and she heard a slight squeal. She glanced down and saw Jonas’ hand on the steering wheel.
“I will compel you if I have to, but don’t make me do that, Tempest. I’d rather you listen to reason.”
Another yawn spilled forth. “Damnit.”
“Tempest.”
His commanding tone only made her skin itch more. Slamming one hand on the steering wheel, she lifted the gun with her other and shoved it into his chest. “You’d better not double cross me, Jonas. Or I will kill you and I’ll deal with the Queen’s consequences of being late after I bury you and your fucking bloodsucker friend. We clear?”
Using two fingers, Jonas brushed the barrel out of the way and nodded. “My word.”
To the Fae, that was a binding agreement, a legal contract. To vampires? What was it? She didn’t know.
Guiding the truck to the side of the road, she pressed the brake until they came to a full stop, about a quarter mile later.
The truck hissed, signaling the release of air and restoring the air pressure to the proper levels. When she was satisfied, she shifted slightly, her back against the door, and stared at Jonas.
He looked bemused. “No tricks.” He held up a hand. “Swear on my sister’s life, no tricks.”
“Show me your other hand and repeat that.”
“What?”
“I’ve been to Earth, seen the TV shows. You know, where the asshole bad guy, that’d be you in this case, has his other hand behind his back and his fingers are crossed?”
“Oh for fuck’s sake, Tempest.” He scowled.
“Repeat it, and show me that other hand.”
Sighing in that old vampire manner she’d always hated, he lifted his other hand, spread his fingers apart. “I swear on my ailing sister’s life that I won’t pull any shit. We will find the main road and drive south.”
Satisfied as best she could be, Tempest slid out of the driver’s seat and started for the back bunk, gun still in hand. Before she’d reached the tiny kitchen sink, she glanced over her shoulder. “Just had a thought.”
“Yeah?”
He hadn’t moved but his lips curled up in a smile. She liked the way he looked when he was smiling.
“You’re both full blooded vampires. Neither of you can drive during the daytime. So, what’s going on, Jonas?”
He moved from the passenger seat and suddenly stood before her. Grabbing her by the shoulders, he spun her around and pressed at the small of her back, shoving her toward the bed.
“Hey, what gives?” Yawning again, Tempest walked reluctantly to the top bunk and set a hand on the wood paneling.
“Nothing is going on. Cristin will drive until he cannot.”
“But,” she spun around slowly, “I have windows.”
Then we shall occupy your lower bunk and draw the curtain. He can sleep on one of the motorcycles.”
She started to protest but found her energy sapped. “Fine. Fuck it. I’m going to bed with a damn vampire.”
“A damn fine vampire.”
“You fed on me,” she tried to sound aggressive, but found her voice waning before Jonas guided her to sit on the lower bunk. He knelt before her, undid her boots and tugged them off, one at a time before setting them gently aside.
She kept fumbling with the gun. When he tried to take it, she jerked.
Jonas moved the barrel away from him before lifting her legs up and helping her get comfortable.
“No funny stuff.”
He nodded, watched her pull the covers over herself. He started to leave.
She set the gun under her pillow and reached absently for him. “Where are you going?”
“To get my brother, of course. I’ll be back.”
The next thing she knew, the weight of sleep along with the stress, the fighting and her earlier panic attack had kicked her ass. When she closed her eyes, the world went away, along with her cares.
Tempest woke with something hard and thick pressing against her ass. Opening her eyes partially, she tried to shift but felt a heavy weight around her waist.
“What the—”
Jonas.
The bastard had crawled into bed beside her and draped an arm around her waist. That meant…
She was still in her bra and panties from earlier and he’d remained clothed. How noble of him.
Except that the length of his erection pressing against her ass stirred an uncontrollable desire she fought to refuse.
Then Jonas shifted slightly, arching his hips up just a touch and pressing his body harder against hers, pulling her tighter against him.
She couldn’t stop herself from arching her hips into his delicious length. Sighing, she closed her eyes and flopped her head back down on the pillow.
Looking up at the mirror, she saw her reflection and his lack thereof, but more importantly, a sliver of sunlight sinking below the horizon.
That meant he wouldn’t wake if she got up to sleep on the couch.
His body beside hers felt so comforting. She hadn’t had that in a long while.
Closing her eyes, Tempest let out another heavy sigh and shifted, trying to put distance between them but every inch toward the edge she moved, he seemed to follow.
“Asshole?”
He didn’t so much as stir.
“Jonas.”
Ugh.
She pushed, rather shoved, him back against the wall, though that took extra effort, then made sure to press her ass against his swollen groin. Maybe vampires dreamed.
She didn’t actually know.
If he did dream, she’d want him to feel tortured the way she was.
Even now, she couldn’t wake him up and fuck him.
Flipping over, she reached for his neck, set two fingers on his artery and waited.
Nothing.
How the fuck could he have no pulse yet, she couldn’t mistake his erection for anything but maybe a steel rod.
She waited a beat, felt cold
breath slowly caress her bare arm.
Tempest pushed back from him and blinked, letting her eyes adjust to the increasing darkness in the cab. Looking at him, she saw the soft angles in his face. They didn’t match the hard planes of his friend’s visage. When he was animated, alive, whatever, his lips were plump and kissable. She wondered what he tasted like now.
Shaking her head, she tried to force that thought away. It didn’t help that her body had grown aware of male company so close to her.
The way his pale skin looked against her dark sheets only added to her arousal, but her mind started working on scenarios to lose him and make her delivery on time.
She couldn’t ignore what he’d said earlier about needing her blood and trying to cure a disease but he’d left out important details. Why had they needed the bikes? Why had he needed her blood specifically?
And why hadn’t he just used compulsion to take it from her if he could send her to bed? Why not just overpower her with his compulsion and steal the bikes if that’s what he wanted?
He said he was a thief in his human life.
Maybe he wasn’t such an asshole after all.
A quick listen told her the truck was still running, so Cristin must still be driving. Great.
Thank the Lord and Lady for small favors.
Rolling back to her other side, she closed her eyes and settled into her pillow, feeling sleep overcome her once again.
Life slowly seeped back into his body, waking up his every nerve and all five senses. Jonas opened his eyes halfway, saw a mane’s amount of hair in his face and inhaled. The scent of cherry blossom joined the vanilla scent he’d grown fond of from Tempest and it made him wonder where he was.
His eyes adjusted and he pushed the curtain back just a touch.
Satisfied that it was approaching dusk, he let the curtain fall shut when he realized the dark-haired beauty of whom he thought of currently had her ass pressed against his hips.
Moving against her, Jonas carefully pushed her hair from beside her neck and pressed his lips against her neck.
She moaned and rocked her hips up and down against his groin, hardening him.
He wanted her. He needed to drink from her, but he needed a sample of her blood, too. He couldn’t take from her and have it synthesized in a lab from a combined sample of his and her blood.
It had to be straight from the source.
He’d kept that secret to himself—the visit to the doctor on Earth who had experience with his sister’s illness had been killed shortly after Jonas’ visit, but she’d told him what he needed to hear.
If you want to save your sister, you need the blood of a half-breed. Only that can reverse the issue since the disease is born of Fae blood.
He’d lied about the Faery doctor. He didn’t trust them as far as he could throw them.
When he’d seen one, said doctor played word games until Jonas was forced to kill her.
What the fuck was that doctor’s name? Jo’ElAnne?
Fucked up name for a Faery, but Jonas’ knowledge didn’t lie in Celtic tradition.
Gods, her blood even tasted sour.
His club didn’t need the extra personal baggage.
Soft, feminine flesh pressed harder against his groin.
His cock stirred and Jonas couldn’t help himself. He moved forward, pressed another kiss against her skin, the sweet cherry blossom and vanilla combination dancing across his tongue.
He’d spooked her earlier. Not sure how, but he wanted to move carefully. His cock ached for her to cradle him between her thighs until he took them both to ecstasy.
Caressing her belly with one hand made her jump against him.
Tempest’s breath hitched when she moved.
Jonas moved his hand up her smooth skin until he’d cupped a breast and gave it a squeeze.
She let out another moan.
“I won’t do anything you don’t want, if you let me satisfy the undeniable attraction between us, Tempest.” He kept his voice low. “But I really want you.”
He felt it then. The energy that animated the undead part of her stirred, coursing through her body with enough force that Jonas felt it.
She turned around in his arms. Eyes open, her tri-color irises were now a shade of deep red.
“Tempest?”
“Kiss me.”
He smiled at the request she’d made in such a husky voice, then moved to do just that.
Capturing her lips with his, he thought he was the predator when his instinct kicked in, but Tempest pushed him onto his back and straddled him. She braced her hands on his chest and pushed him into the bed, hard.
He looked up, saw her eyes glowing through the mass of curls blocking out all other features, save her face.
His gaze trailed down her body over her slender neck, pale skin and ample breasts, covered with a dark bra.
“Kiss me, Jonas.” Her voice dripped with lust.
Sitting up, or trying to, Jonas had to use his vampire strength to force himself to a sitting position before cupping the back of her head and claiming her mouth with his.
This time when he kissed her, she didn’t open up or succumb, but instead, kissed him back, sucking in a deep breath that pressed her breasts against his chest.
His heart beat loudly, once, twice, then he ignored it while her tongue thrust into his mouth, caressing, exploring, wrestling with his tongue.
She circled her arms around his neck and continued her assault on his mouth, sucking at his lower lip before biting him and drawing blood.
“Ouch!”
Tempest pulled back, an obviously feigned pout on her perfect, ruby red lips. She chewed her lower lip, her tongue flicking over it to capture the drop of blood sliding down. “What’s the matter? Never been bitten before?”
Actually, not to the point that had ever drawn blood. “Just didn’t realize you were quite the sex kitten.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Oh, this pussy has claws.”
Before he could respond, she shoved him down against the mattress and tore his shirt, exposing his neck and chest.
Jonas didn’t ride bitch on motorcycles, he certainly wouldn’t play bitch in bed, either.
Growling, he captured her shoulders and rolled her onto her side before sealing his mouth over hers.
She slid a hand between them and cupped his cock.
She wanted to play rough? He could do that.
Keeping the thought about her paranoia in the back of his mind, Jonas held her down and reversed the straddle, dipping his head to her breasts and using his teeth to drag her bra down and expose her.
Tempest snarled and struggled against him.
Sitting up, he held her gaze. “Such a feisty creature, are we not?”
“You haven’t seen anything yet, baby.”
“Oh.” He quirked a brow. “Now I’m baby?” Chortling, he dipped his head back and flicked open the clasp of her bra before capturing a nipple between his lips.
Sucking hard, he flicked his tongue over the taut bead while her hips writhed in rhythm with his sucking motions.
She captured his head in her hands, dragging her fingers through his hair while he continued sucking.
He slid a hand beneath her and hold her against him while sucking harder.
She cried when he teased the nipple with his teeth and scraped a fang over her plump flesh.
Chuckling low, Jonas slid the hand at her back to beneath her ass and gave her a gentle squeeze. “I want these off,” he murmured against her flesh.
“You’re going to have to strip too, Jonas. It’s not fair that I have to imagine what’s beneath.”
“Oh, you can touch all you want, honey.” He gave her nipple one last flick with his tongue.
She yelled, that breathy sound more a cry than a moan.
Popping her nipple out of his mouth with a loud smacking sound, Jonas slid off her, still holding her gaze.
Her eyes had grown an even brighter shade of red.
So
mething was off but he didn’t know what.
Looking at her lying stretched out on the bed in black bra and panties made him forget to care as he ripped his shirt over his head and tossed it before gripping his belt, undoing it, yanking down the zipper, and popping the snap of his jeans.
He’d kicked off his boots earlier and left them on the chair beneath his cut.
“Your turn.”
In an instant, Tempest had shucked her bra and kicked out of her panties. “Are you going to come here or am I going to force you inside of me?”
“Woah.” He put his hands up in joking surrender. “Not even dinner and drinks first?”
“I have an idea. You be drinks and I’ll be dinner.” Her lips curled into a wicked smile. The glint in her eyes spoke volumes about intent. If he didn’t act on his body’s natural desire, she’d make the decision for him.
Life was hard sometimes.
Shaking his head, Jonas fell on top of her, his cock pressing against the warmth of her flesh. He caught her lips again.
The press of soft skin against his hard body made his vampire desires kick in, fueling his lust. Reaching between them, she grabbed his cock and gave him a solid pump.
He groaned into another kiss, dueling with her for control while she had him in her hand.
Spreading her legs beneath him, she helped position him at the entrance to her heat.
“God damn you’re so hot, Tempest.”
“You ain’t felt nothing yet, outlaw.”
“No I—” She cut him off with a pair of fangs clamped around his throat while her hips arched up, pushing him past her entrance.
Unable to control himself, Jonas jerked into her heat, groaning louder at the tightness clamping around his cock.
Tempest scraped her fangs over his flesh without sinking in.
Baring his own fangs, Jonas freed himself from her grip and claimed her mouth once more, surrounding her with his arms and holding her in place while he drove into her.
She moaned, her legs wrapping around his waist.
Moving a hand to cup her ass, Jonas tilted her hips up slightly, improving the angle and driving deeper inside.
Crying louder with each thrust, Tempest’s head lolled back, eyes wide and glowing the brightest shade of red he’d ever seen.
20 Shades of Shifters_A Paranormal Romance Collection Page 134