“I didn’t know,” she said softly. “I thought…I thought you wanted as little to do with me as I wanted to do with you .”
“Surely you saw how jealous I was of Raoul ?”
“I thought it was because I was your wife. Because you didn’t want him touching your possession .” I caught the hint of bitterness in her tone .
“I don’t possess you, Anna. No one does.” I looked down at her wide eyes, her reddened lips. “But I want to .”
Her fingers went to her throat. “Raoul mentioned…that first night…he said he wanted to taste me. Do you…do you really do that ?”
I felt my whole body ache when she said that. “Only to those who are willing,” I said, fighting to control the desire in my voice. “Sometimes donors, sometimes lovers. It’s not…quite what you’ve probably heard. It’s more…intimate than that .”
She bit her lip. “I don’t know if I’m quite ready for that .”
All I heard in those words was that this wouldn’t be the last time I touched her, and I felt suddenly elated. “That’s okay,” I said softly. “I would never ask more of you than you’re willing to give .”
“You and Raoul,” she said, hesitating. “I know you’re more than friends. But what…exactly? I’ve never asked, and you’ve never really said .”
I raised my eyebrows. I hadn’t expected that question. I sat back on the edge of the chaise, and she drew her knees up, the long skirt of her gown spilling around us. I struggled to organize my thoughts, still distracted from kissing her only moments ago .
“I met Raoul two hundred or so years ago.” I saw her eyes widen. “I know, it’s hard to think of a space of time like that. Before I was…what I am, I could never have imagined it. And it is difficult, to be with one person for so long. It helps that we are not monogamous, so we are able to explore, knowing we will always come back to each other. Over the years, he has become my closest confidante, friend, and partner. About a hundred years ago, we participated in the marriage rituals of vampires, bonding us together for life. He is, for all intents and purposes, my husband .”
“So you’re a bigamist.” Anna laughed, and I relaxed a little, glad that she wasn’t angry or frightened. “What are the rituals?” she asked, her expression curious .
“For vampires and humans, it involves the exchange of blood. Between vampires, since we have very little blood of our own, it is more symbolic .”
“So if you married me according to your rituals, what would happen ?”
“I would drink from you, and then you would drink from me, essentially mingling our blood . ”
Anna raised an eyebrow. “I thought it would be more…I don’t know. Weird, I guess. That doesn’t sound that strange, really.” She shrugged. “Kind of romantic, I suppose. Why didn’t you insist that we do that ?”
I stared at her. “For one, because I’d sworn I wouldn’t touch you without your consent, and the ritual is very intimate, as intimate as sex. And for another, our marriage was meant as an arrangement, to make a statement to the other humans with which I deal, a warning to others. If I made you my wife according to my rituals…it would be different. It would be because we wished to be married…both my choice and yours .”
She nodded. She was silent for a long moment, and then she leaned forward, her warm hand cupping my cheek gently. To my astonishment, she pressed her lips to mine. “I need to think,” she said softly, when she pulled away from the kiss. “Thank you, Dimitri .”
“For what?” I asked, somewhat astonished .
“For being so honest with me. About everything .”
I nodded, and then she was off of the seat, and gone .
I took a deep, shuddering breath. If there was one thing I hadn’t expected from my marriage to Anna, it was that it would be so full of surprises .
7
Anna
W hen I left Dimitri, my mind and heart were a whirl of emotion. Of all the things I’d expected from him, his offer to allow Raoul and I to carry on a relationship was not one of them. I sat on the edge of the seat at my dressing table, staring at the puddle of black satin my evening gown made on the floor, and reached to unclasp the heavy jewels from around my neck, setting them on the table. They glittered in the low light from the fire, and I touched one absent-mindedly. This was my life now. It was a strange life, but it wasn’t as difficult or as lonely as I’d thought it would be. My days were my own, to do whatever I liked, and I’d grown to look forward to the evenings with Raoul and Dimitri .
Raoul . I hadn’t stopped thinking about him since that very first night in the library. I’d clung to the words he’d said to me, and to the dozens of small compliments he’d given and conversations we’d shared in the months since. I’d formed a bond with Raoul, and I knew that we’d only kept it from going farther for fear of angering Dimitri. The offer was tempting .
Dimitri. I’d hated him when I’d first come here. He’d been my jailor, the man forcing me into an unwanted marriage, a tyrant who only cared about his own power. But since then, just as I’d said to him, I’d come to understand the impossible position he’d been placed in, and the fault of my father in all of it, for which I’d paid. I’d realized what a soul-crushing loss he’d endured—the loss of a companion with whom he’d shared the equivalent of lifetimes. And I’d come to care for him, too. He was more reserved than Raoul, his humor drier, his demeanor more stoic. But in unguarded moments, I saw a man that I was beginning to love, just as I’d come to love Raoul. And now I wasn’t sure what I should do. Dimitri would allow Raoul and I to be together, if I asked for it. Our marriage would continue as it was, a figurehead for his empire. And in private, I would be Raoul’s .
But it would mean never kissing Dimitri again as I had tonight. I remembered his hands, pressing me back onto the chaise, the firm press of his lips, the way his hard façade had melted away and he’d gripped me with all the passion I hadn’t thought he possessed. I’d wanted more. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to give that up .
And then, I remembered the conversation I’d had with Dimitri earlier, when I asked him about Raoul, and I knew what the solution was .
* * *
I excused myself early from the sitting room the next evening, feigning tiredness. Raoul and Dimitri were in the midst of a rousing debate about some financial issue. I went upstairs, feeling shaky. I was fairly certain my plan would work, but I was nervous. I’d married Dimitri resolving that it would mean being a virgin for the rest of my life. And now I was planning to sleep with not only one, but two men. I felt both nervous and excited, my fingers shaking as I pulled the short black nightgown out of my wardrobe, and pulled the long black silk robe over it. I sat on the edge of my bed, biting my lip anxiously, until I heard their footsteps come up the stairs and retreat to their room. I waited a couple of minutes, and then padded down the hallway, pausing for a nervous moment in front of the door before knocking .
I heard Dimitri’s voice, surprised, call out: “Come in.” I pushed the door open, and was momentarily frozen by the sight in front of me .
The room was set up much like mine. Raoul was sitting in front of the fire, shirtless, and I stared at him for a moment, taking in the broad swath of his pale shoulders, the lean muscle of his arms. I heard Dimitri clear his throat, and I turned to see him standing next to the bed, clearly in the process of getting undressed. He was wearing only the black trousers he’d had on earlier, the shirt and tie tossed aside. His skin was white, and he was leaner than Raoul, but still heavily muscled, the body of a runner. His dark eyes and hair seemed to stand out even more than usual against the whiteness of his body, and I felt my stomach knot, remembering the night before in the library .
“Anna,” he said, his voice cautious. “What are you doing here ?”
I stepped into the room, letting the door shut behind me. “I thought about what we talked about last night. About how you would let Raoul and I be together, if that’s what we wanted .”
I heard a sma
ll sound of surprise from Raoul, and saw a flash of disappointment cross Dimitri’s face, which he quickly quelled. “But I also thought about last night,” I continued softly, “and how you said you wanted me. About how much I’ve come to care for you, and I think you feel the same way .”
Dimitri seemed frozen in place, as if he wasn’t sure in what direction the conversation would go .
“You told me you and Raoul are together. As married as we are, more so. And so I saw that I have more than two choices. There is a third choice. I don’t want to choose either Raoul or you.” I took a deep breath. “I want both of you .”
I couldn’t have shocked Dimitri more if I tried. His eyes were wide and dark in his face, as if he were trying to process what I’d just said. And then, in a flash, he was standing in front of me, his hands on my upper arms, holding me firmly. “Are you sure?” he breathed. “Anna…” he stopped, swallowing convulsively. “Anna, there is nothing more I could have hoped for in this world. But you must be sure .”
I nodded. “ I’m sure .”
I had barely a moment to breathe before his mouth was on mine, hard and demanding, devouring me. It was as if he’d been holding back all this time, and this was the kiss he’d been desperate to give me, taking me in as if I were all he needed to survive. His fingers dug into my arms and I arched my back, closing what little distance was between us. I grabbed his shoulders as he wrapped one arm around my waist, lifting me up and setting me on the edge of the bed, never breaking the kiss. He pulled away for a moment, panting, and I saw Raoul slowly get up from the chair in front of the fire. He was naked, and so handsome he took my breath away. I watched him walk towards us, his gait slow and rolling, his hips swaying, and I suddenly ached to touch him. I looked from Raoul to Dimitri, feeling suddenly overwhelmingly self-conscious in front of these two men, so handsome I could hardly believe they were real .
“I’ve never…” I stumbled over my words. “I mean…I don’t know …”
“Do you want to watch us at first?” Raoul asked, his accent thickening as he spoke. I nodded speechlessly, unable to form words as I watched Dimitri turn to Raoul, and Raoul took him by the arms, pulling Dimitri to him in a deep and lingering kiss .
I’d never seen two men touch before, never even really thought of it. It was fascinating to watch as I let my gaze drift over Raoul’s body, over the sloping muscles of his chest and abdomen, his chiseled thighs, the rapidly growing cock between them. I wanted to touch him, but I stayed on the bed, watching as Dimitri’s hands drifted over Raoul, fingers trailing down his stomach, and finally resting between his legs, his hands beginning a slow, languorous rhythm there. Raoul was working at the clasp of Dimitri’s trousers, pushing them off him, and I saw that Dimitri was rock-hard already, his cock brushing against Raoul’s as the two men kissed. Raoul reached up, running his fingers through Dimitri’s hair as his mouth drifted to Dimitri’s throat, then brushed over his shoulder, and then Raoul dropped to his knees .
I watched, shocked, as Raoul took Dimitri’s member into his mouth, and Dimitri groaned aloud, and then he turned to look at me, his dark eyes nearly black with lust. “Anna,” he murmured, his voice husky and deep. “ Come here .”
I slid off the bed, feeling vaguely as if I were in some other place, and went to Dimitri. He bent to kiss me, his lips vibrating against mine as he groaned, and I felt Raoul’s hand begin to slide slowly up my leg, and as Raoul touched me, Dimitri’s hand went to the ties of my robe, undoing them and sliding his hand up my waist, his palm cupping my breast, the pad of his thumb trailing over my nipple through the silk. I shuddered, moaning softly into Dimitri’s mouth, and Raoul’s hand slid further up my leg, his fingers brushing across my inner thigh, and then I felt his hand between my legs, and heard him groan when he discovered how wet I already was .
My knees were shaking, my body trembling from the newness of the sensations, and Raoul rose, gathering me up in his arms and laying me back on the bed. He leaned over me, and dipped his head to kiss me, his lips brushing softly over mine. Dimitri was on the bed next to us then, his hands running over Raoul’s body, and I saw Raoul’s back arch as Dimitri reached for his cock again, his hand drifting over him slowly. Raoul touched my cheek, staring into my eyes. “Mon amie ,” he whispered. “Ma petite cherie, ma petite amour .” The French endearments brushed over my skin with his lips, trailing from my cheek to my throat, and I felt, for the barest of a second, his fangs pressing into my skin before he kept going, his mouth stopping at my breast, sucking my nipple into his mouth as his other hand slid through my hair, down my shoulder, and across my other breast. I arched my back, moaning, and I felt Dimitri’s fingers between my legs, brushing over a spot so sensitive that it made me writhe and moan with every touch, as Raoul worked his way down my body .
He brushed his lips over my hipbones as I pressed my head back into the pillow, gasping, and then suddenly his tongue was between my legs, and I cried out with surprise. I glanced to the side, and saw Dimitri leaning down between Raoul’s legs, Raoul’s cock in his mouth, and I felt a shock of lust run through my body at the sight. It was like some fantasy, these two godlike men mad with lust over me and each other, and I felt my stomach knotting tighter and tighter as Raoul spread my legs with his hands, holding them firmly apart as his tongue slid over me, and I heard the cries coming out of my mouth, and was almost embarrassed at how wanton I sounded. And then Raoul pressed his mouth against me, hard, and I forgot to care about anything at all. The pleasure washed over me in waves, leaving me boneless and gasping, my back arched so hard I thought it might break, and then suddenly Dimitri was over me, and I could feel his hard cock pressed against me. I was on fire, hot with lust, and I was surprised at how cold he felt comparatively. “Tell me if this doesn’t feel good,” Dimitri whispered hoarsely. “It’s a bit of a shock, at first, sometimes. I will stop, you only have to say so .”
I nodded, barely able to think, and I caught a glimpse of Raoul, kneeling on the bed, his hand lazily wrapped around his own cock, stroking, as he watched Dimitri press his hips slowly forward, his hand hard on my thigh, holding me in place as he inched forward .
There was a moment of sudden pain as I felt him press into me, hard and thick, the coldness of him a shock, and then I felt myself give way and he sank into me, groaning aloud as he clutched my hip hard with one hand, the pillow above my head with the other .
He began to move slowly, his hips rolling against mine, and I awkwardly tried to meet his rhythm. “Easy, Anna,” he whispered. “Slowly.” I relaxed into him, and a moment later Raoul was next to me, stretched out on the bed beside us, kissing my lips, my throat, my shoulder, his hand drifting over my breasts as Dimitri slowly thrust into me. The pain was still there, a faint ache, but it was slowly replaced with pleasure—not as much as a moment before, but still there. I let my hand slide down Raoul’s body, enjoying the ripple of muscle under my fingertips, and I wrapped my hand around him, feeling him pulse and throb in my hand. Raoul groaned, his head tipping back, clearly enjoying my touch, as inexperienced as it was .
I looked up at Dimitri, his face tense, awash with desire, his eyes nearly glowing as he looked down at me. “Anna,” he whispered hoarsely, and I looked up at him, suddenly full of love for both of them, a sensation of happiness that I hadn’t dreamed I would feel .
“I want you to drink from me,” I whispered, desire racing through my body at the thought. “I want to be yours. Both of you .”
Raoul stared at me, his hands suddenly in my hair, pulling my mouth to his. “Oh,” he whispered, a torrent of French that I barely understood coming from his lips. Dimitri had stilled, and I could feel him throbbing inside of me, his body rigid with control. “Are you sure, Anna?” His voice was shaky. “There is no going back. You will be bonded to us forever, whether you are here or a thousand miles away. You will always be able to feel our presence, and we you. It is stronger than anything you can imagine .”
“I’m sure,” I whispered. Dimitri
swallowed, and then I felt him surge forward, his mouth dropping to my neck, Raoul took my wrist, and a moment later I felt their fangs against me, and there was a moment of sharp, impossible pain, and then I felt only pleasure, like a warm glow suffusing my body, as Dimitri’s lips pressed to my neck and Raoul’s to my wrist. Heat washed over me, my skin prickling in its wake, and settled somewhere in my abdomen, and as Dimitri thrust into me again, harder and faster this time, I felt a sudden explosion of pleasure, even stronger than before, and I felt the vibrations of Dimitri’s groans against my neck as he buried himself in me, his body shuddering against mine .
He pulled me up, sitting astride him, and Raoul moved faster than I thought possible. A moment later, blood was trickling from a shallow cut in Dimitri’s throat, and he was pressing my mouth to his neck. I tasted it, hot and metallic in my mouth, with a sweet tang, and for a moment I was shocked. And then I felt Dimitri’s arm lock around my waist, felt him still buried inside of me, and Raoul’s lips still slowly sucking at my wrist, and I drank from him, swallowing his blood .
Dimitri sighed, a long, shuddering sound, and then he lay me back against the bed slowly, moving aside to lie next to me as Raoul moved over me. He was hard as stone, throbbing as he slid into me, his movements slow and restrained, as if he might explode any moment. I could feel a small trickle at my neck and wrist, but I ignored it as Dimitri did the same to Raoul, opening a small cut at the base of his throat, and Raoul pulled me up, his hips plunging himself up into me as I bent my mouth to his throat, his blood flowing into my mouth. Dimitri’s hand was at my back, his fingers drifting over my spine, and I could feel it—a heightened awareness of every touch, every movement. Raoul was groaning above me, and suddenly his arm was hard around my waist, squeezing me to him as he shuddered, and I felt the hot sensations wash over me again, a sharp juxtaposition to how cold he was inside of me, and then we fell back onto the bed together, the three of us a tangle of limbs .
Wolf Detective (She-Shifters of Hell's Corner Book 2) Page 41