Bonds of Blood [Lords of the Expanse] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Honor James

  “Are you sure, my lady?” he asked, rubbing his hand up and down her leg slowly, each movement pulling her skirt up higher. “After all, they do say that a female’s hormones at this time can be quite…explosive,” he whispered against her ear before he nipped lightly at the tender flesh.

  Rubbing her cheek to his, she nodded. “Yes, I’m very sure, my love. I will always need you, Andries. Just because I am with child doesn’t mean that I will ever need you any less.” She did, however, nuzzle at his neck and moaned slightly. “I do know that being with child makes me need you for other reasons more.” She whispered against his neck as she felt her fangs slip free, “I hate that you have to be my donor completely. It leaves you weak and I don’t like it.” But she couldn’t help it. Bagged blood made her incredibly ill.

  “Do not worry about it, Xandra. I have been drinking more and my body replenishes faster than yours will for a great long time. Take whatever you need for you and our child,” he said gently, tipping his head to the side to give her better access to his throat. “I will continue to drink what I need and you will feed from me as is the way it should be.” He was giving to her all he could and working on more. To feed her was an honor, and one day she would realize that.

  She rubbed her lips to his neck and then bit into him without saying anything. She did, however, moan as she rubbed her body against his and slid her hand down his chest and to his cock, gripping him through his uniform even as she fed from him for herself, for their child.

  “Xandra,” he breathed out as his body jerked against her touch. Growling softly, he pulled her closer to him, holding her tightly against his chest as he closed his eyes. The soft suction of her mouth to his skin and her hand in combination had fire racing through his blood.

  When she pulled back from him, her eyes were glowing red. “I need you.” With those words she had him freed of his uniform and pulled up her skirt to straddle him before she took him into her body and slashed her mouth over his at the same time.

  The fullness of him deep inside of her, the way that his hands fisted at her hips had her moving in fast and jerky motions, and as she pulled back, she tossed her head back to moan happily.

  Watching her as she took him over and over again, Andries leaned in and pulled at the bodice of her dress, baring her breasts to his eyes and mouth. Leaning in, he captured a tight nipple and suckled at her, his long incisors on either side, the flats pushing against her.

  “You know what I need,” she demanded and wrapped her hands in his hair, fisting them there and tugging as she rode him hard and fast. “Now, Andries, god, I need you to bite me again now.” She was shivering, shuddering. Her whole body was engorged with the need to climax, but it wasn’t coming. It wouldn’t come until he pushed her over that precipice.

  Smiling faintly, Andries licked at her breast, tracing the pale blue of the vein under her flesh. “As you wish,” he murmured. Breathing over her skin lightly, he carefully pushed his teeth into her flesh and caught her as she jolted against him. Growling softly as he drank, Andries cupped her bottom and massaged the flesh as he encouraged her to keep moving.

  Even though he was barely drawing blood from her, that didn’t matter. All that mattered was him and what he was doing to them. “Andries!” she shouted as her body rippled and roared. “Yes!” she screamed with the shuddering effect of her orgasm.

  Hugging her tighter, he slammed her down onto his body and came hard, his whole frame shuddering as he poured into her body, the faint taste of her blood on his tongue. Everything about her was amazing and spicy. She gave so much and took so little. He only hoped that one day he could give her as much as she gave him. Slowly he lifted his head and licked at her skin lightly to help seal the wounds gently.

  She was gasping for air as she moved to press her forehead to his and smiled. “That is how every meal should begin, Andries. I’m making that our new rule in fact.” She bit her lip as she climaxed a second and then third time just as he held her tightly, close.

  Nuzzling her throat lightly, he smiled faintly. “As my lady wife commands,” he murmured softly against her flesh. “I aim to forever keep my wife happy, and if this will do so, who am I to argue?” he asked with a kiss to her throat.

  She laughed happily as she hugged him close. “Then, my lord husband, I think you need to rise and walk us to our bed where you can continue to take my commands, Andries.”

  “We should also remove all our clothing. It is rather bulky,” he murmured as he stood. Holding her to him, he walked to their sleeping quarters and eased out of her body. Setting her on her feet, he kissed the swell of her breasts. “I need you bare to my touch.”

  She would always give him anything he needed. “And I need to make anything you wish to happen, happen.” Stepping back from him, she tugged at the dress and untied the stays before turning to him and smiling. “Too many clothes.” The dress dropped to her feet. “But so easy to get naked so nice and quickly.”

  Smiling faintly, he pulled at his jacket and tossed it to the chair as he began to remove the rest of his uniform quickly, his eyes roaming freely over her body. “I do appreciate the fact that you never bother with the undergarments,” he told her as he straightened from removing his pants. Walking slowly toward her, he laid a hand over her belly, already beginning to curve just slightly. “You are perfect,” he murmured, lowering his head to kiss her.

  “Why should I bother with undergarments when you shred them as soon as you see them on me?” Not that she particularly cared, truth be told. When he kissed her, she knew that everything would work out. Everything was going to be perfectly fine between the two of them, no, the three of them.

  To that he just smiled faintly. He had no answer to it, and even if he did, she’d likely get upset with whatever he said or jump him again. He wanted just another few moments to talk.

  She touched her belly once more and covered his hand with hers and a smile. “Tomorrow I go to medical and we get to see our child. Do you want come with me to see the holo image of our child?”

  Nodding as he shifted his hand to capture her fingers, he looked into her eyes. “Let me know when you are going and I will foist my duties onto another for the time,” he promised her softly. “You are so unlike our women,” he murmured. “Not in a bad way, Xandra,” he said quickly at the look that came to her face. “You are magnificent and strong, but with our women, when it comes to pregnancy, they tend to be…” How did one put this diplomatically and yet honestly? Licking his lip, he shrugged. “Honestly they are vicious and can cause damage to their male.”

  Snorting, she shook her head. “Why would I want to damage you when I want more than just this first child, Andries? I want you there. I need you there with me every single step of the way, my love.” She placed her hands on his cheeks and smiled. “I love you so very much, Andries. You are everything to me. Our child is everything to me. We are a family, and I demand that you are there with me for every single step of the way.”

  “And so I shall, my lady,” he said softly, leaning closer to kiss her lightly. “For you I would do anything. You know that right?” he asked, brushing his lips across her cheek. “But right now I need you to do something for me, wife,” he murmured with a faint smile as he eyed her naked form. “You need to get into our bed so that I might have my wicked way with your delightful and sexy self.”

  “Now see, all you had to do was simply say that, darling.” She moved back from him and tugged her hair up and twirled it up and knotted it at the nape of her neck, the damaged ear showing, but with him it didn’t bother her. “Come to me, my lord, come and show me what kind of stamina a Vampire has.”

  He growled softly at her as she bared her neck, the mere thought of that driving him into need, but the act making him harder if that was possible. Backing her toward the bed, he waited until she climbed into their bed before following, knowing that he could harm her if he was not careful, something he was ever aware of with her. “I could show you a great many
things, wife, but you would tire out and then the doctors would be having me blocked from our bed chambers,” he teased slightly, running a hand down her front before he slid his fingers between her legs to stroke her.

  “They know better,” she said on a laugh and arced her body to meet his hands. “They wouldn’t dare ban you from my bed chambers because they all know darn good and well that I would tear through them one after another and another.” She placed her hand on his shoulder and moved slightly. “I love you, Andries,” she whispered.

  “I love you as well, Xandra,” he murmured softly, his lips trailing lightly over her shoulder as he stroked her body into an inferno once more. Sliding his tongue over her breast, he teased her tight nipple gently with the tip slowly, his fingers sliding deep into her heat.

  “Oh yes!” she shouted suddenly as his fingers moved into her waiting body. “Andries.” Her body arched up again as she leaned her head to the side. “Please.” He would know what she needed, wanted. She needed to feel him biting into her again, needed to feel his teeth buried into her neck as he entered her body.

  He thoroughly enjoyed when she got so into their lovemaking. She did it with everything she was. His wife held nothing back and gave absolutely everything of herself. It was refreshing and unique. Nothing he had ever known before could compare. Shifting, he settled between her legs, his mouth moving to her throat. Whispering her name softly, he pressed his aching cock into her waiting pussy and slid his teeth into her throat gently.

  Her arms and legs wrapped around him and held him tightly as he rocked his cock in and out of her pussy. Slipping his teeth free of her skin as he felt the change in her body movements, Andries swiped the twin drops of blood free of her skin and shifted his body so she could choose her place.

  Nuzzling at his chest long enough to make his balls tighten, she bit in, hard and deep. Jolting at the shock of her bite, his hips moved in a jerky fashion, his entire body feeling like a live wire.

  Bracing his hands to the mattress under her as he tried for a semblance of softness, Andries growled low in his chest. Pumping into her harder and faster, he knew he could hurt her and yet couldn’t make himself stop trying to forever claim her, mark her as his. It was instinctual, and in the midst of their loving, neither of them could fight instinct.

  Xandra licked at the wounds she’d created on his chest and looked up at him. “Everything, Andries, you won’t hurt me, but please, take me. Claim me, whatever you need to do, but I need to release. Give me all you can.”

  Lowering his head, he kissed her, tasting his essence and very being on her tongue, hers on his until he slid it over hers. He kissed her deeply as he let himself slip free of the careful shackles a little more, his cock driving into her as he felt his orgasm approaching with the force of a tidal wave.

  Her hands tightened on him, one around his neck while the other held onto his back. She buried her face against his chest and screamed as she orgasmed.

  Burying his cock deeper in her body, he let himself loose and shuddered as he came, his seed spilling deep inside of her body. Collapsing over her, Andries kept the majority of his weight off of her as he panted, trying to pull in air.

  She smiled and closed her eyes. Both of their bodies were sweat slickened, but all she felt was the intense pleasure he had given them both. “I love you, my lord colonel.” Pressing a kiss to his neck, she sighed. “I’m ever so glad they cornered you into wedding me.” She ran her teeth lightly over his neck and smiled as he shivered. “So very happy.”

  Sighing softly under her gentle touches, Andries rested his forehead to her shoulder, easing his weight to his elbows. The brush of her belly and breasts to his body as they both took in air was making him harden again already. The softest of touches from her did the same, and he never wished it to change. Pressing a kiss to her throat, he nipped lightly at her salty flesh. “I am grateful that they did, my lady, or we would both have missed out on something truly special.”

  “This is truth, Andries.” She smiled. “I see I’m not the only one who is ready for more.” She pushed slightly at his shoulders. “I need you, my lord husband.” She leaned in and pressed her lips to his as helped her to settle over him. She began to move on him slowly and with definite purpose written on her face.

  “I always need you, my lady wife,” he told her softly as he watched her riding his cock. As she was on top now, he let his hands glide over her curves, reveling in her new shape as it began to form. Rounder curves, fuller through the belly, and absolutely beautiful.

  She grinned down at him and braced her hands on his chest. “I’m not a mind reader.” She leaned in so that her breasts rubbed against his chest. “You like me pregnant. You like how I feel. And you love the sex drive.”

  “You are incorrect, lady wife,” he said and then smiled slightly at her look. “I love you pregnant. I love how you feel and I do indeed love the sex drive that comes with your pregnancy,” he said, pulling her to him for a kiss. “I love you, Xandra. This is just another step in our journey of life and our love. Nothing could mar it, most definitely not something as truly blessed as a child.”

  She grinned and nodded. “I agree,” she said against his lips, her eyes open wide as she watched him watching her. “I love being pregnant with your child.” She stilled on him as she watched him. “I love being pregnant with your child, feeling it growing inside of me. Feeling its needs, hopes, and love.” She guided his hand to her belly. “Can you feel him?”

  Shaking his head, Andries looked up to her. “No, Xandra, that is a bond only the mother and child share. A father must do it the old ways with guidance and care after the birth. You are blessed to have such a connection. Listen to our child. He or she will tell you when you need blood, not just that feeling in your belly, which you won’t notice by the midpoint of your pregnancy.”

  “You have a son.” She grinned. “He talks, a lot.” Why she had stopped their lovemaking to talk about their son, she didn’t know, but she had. “Right now, however, I think that you need to kiss me, Andries. You need to kiss me and hold onto me so that we can come together again please.”

  Pulling her down with a gentle hand at the base of her neck, he smiled faintly. “I was not the one to stop what we were doing, wife,” he murmured. Kissing her softly, he teased her tongue with his as he lifted his hips to drive his cock into her deeper and rekindle her ardor.

  She whimpered and met him thrust for thrust suddenly and felt her fingers curl on his chest. “God, I love it when we come together hard like this.” She bit her lip, her fangs sliding out and piercing her lip. “So good. You always feel so good.”

  Licking at her lip, he took the blood there and nipped at her chin. “You feel divine,” he told her softly. “I love you, Xandra. Anything we do together is marvelous,” he whispered softly against her skin. Kissing her throat gently, he leaned his head back and bared his throat to her. “Take from me, my wife, my love. Take what you and our child need.”

  With that kind of invitation, she couldn’t and wouldn’t refuse. Leaning in to him, she ran her lips over his neck, licking him lightly before she moaned and bit deeply, feeding well from the blood that escaped his body and into her mouth. Her movements became jerky until she felt her hands curl into his chest and her orgasm take her away.

  Her mouth suckling at him always had his brain sizzling into oblivion, and this time was no different. Clutching at her waist, he drove his cock up into her pussy over and over again. “Xandra,” he breathed out, his voice filled with pleasure and need which then, at the very end, became triumphant as he spilled his seed deep into her wet, hot core.

  Xandra sobbed out and then very carefully licked his throat before collapsing on his chest as she panted for air. It was a time later before she spoke, and when she did it was with happiness in her voice. “I love you, husband mine.”

  Hugging her in silent acceptance of her words, Andries nuzzled the top of her head. Rubbing her back gently, he felt himself drifting off to s
leep and, while he tried to resist, he found he just couldn’t. He’d been awake too many hours since their arrival on the ship and his body was now demanding he give in. “Love you,” he breathed in a whisper as he slid into the dark sleep of his people.

  There was a deep sigh from her and she felt the tugging of sleep, too. It was as if her body didn’t want to be awake or without her lover, so with one last kiss to his chest, Xandra followed the man she loved off into the sleep of his people, her people, their people.

  Chapter Twenty

  Sitting at the small desk he had in their quarters, Andries surreptitiously watched Xandra moving around the space. She’d gone into what the doctors termed “nesting mode,” which, to his way of thinking, meant, keep out of her way unless she was trying to do something the doctors had specifically told her not to do. They were almost halfway through the trip, the ambassador was on board and finishing preparing for his new home for the next year, and they’d had no trouble…so far. He wasn’t letting his guard down, especially with his pregnant wife aboard, and neither was the crew, for which he was eternally grateful. They were deep in their own space, but that wouldn’t stop a determined invader from trying to take them on, so they kept constant vigil and just did what they had to do.

  She stood and placed her hand on her slightly rounded belly. “You know, I never dreamed that I would be showing like this at only five weeks, Andries.” She smiled over at him and shrugged. “But I like it. I love being able to touch and feel our child growing. To watch the way that your crew no longer watches me, but my belly.” She laughed and shook her head. “The little colonel will one day take over from his daddy. I think they are trying to figure out now how to deal with him in the future.”

  She looked back at him and frowned. “You’re worried. Talk to me?”

  The fact she realized he was concerned didn’t surprise him. She was very intuitive. “No more than normal, wife,” he said quietly as he lightly tapped the data pad to his knee. “I will be less concerned by everything once the ambassador is safely ensconced on his new world and we can return home to let you use this energy in preparing our country home for our child.” He knew she’d do that, too. One thing Andries knew about his lady wife was that she was a planner and likely had several plans in her mind for the room she’d create for their son. “You do know that your pregnancy will only be four months, yes?” he asked, curious about her first words.