Breslin smiled, “You’re verra welcome.” His sister leaned close and whispered in her ear. “I hoped it would drive my brathair crazy, and it did,” she said and winked.
Elsie flushed and was once again caught in the trap of Zander’s Sapphire-blues as she reached for her drink.
“I would normally be angry at my puithar’s interference, but this time I couldna be more thankful,” Zander admitted.
“You look fantastic, too. Of course, I’m partial to your leather pants, but these…” she ran her hot gaze over his body. “I’m sure you’re aware how sexy you are.”
“I almost wore my leathers, but I havena been able to think straight when I put them on. I keep recalling what it felt like when you were in the hospital and rubbed my…trews.”
It hadn’t all been a dream. Oh, God, had she actually been rubbing on him? Elsie flushed with embarrassment and buried her face in her hands, wanting to crawl in a hole.
Zander grabbed her hands from her face and kissed each of her fingertips. Her cheeks were hot and she knew they had to be cherry-red. He pulled her against his chest.
“Never fear, my Lady E. I enjoyed every minute of it and your words incited a passion I’ve never experienced. A passion I crave,” his breath whispered hotly against her ear, causing shivers to race through her blood, followed by a burning heat.
“I rather like being called Dr. McYummy. You can eat me up any time you want,” he growled, licking the shell of her ear.
“No fair,” she panted, hoping to regain composure before her panties flooded.
Elsie stepped back and put some space between their bodies. The situation was heading places they couldn’t indulge at a bar.
“I thought that was a dream, but you can eat me up any time you want. If you’re lucky, I may return the favor,” she added.
Elsie met Zander’s eyes and felt the breath leave her body. No one had ever looked at her with such raw yearning and she didn’t know how to respond.
She finally looked away from his unsettling gaze and searched the bar. For what, she didn’t know. She noticed numerous women, far better-looking than her, ready to swoop in and devour Zander. Back off, bitches, he’s off limits.
Her sudden bout of jealousy mystified her. She wasn’t typically so possessive. Truth was, she had no right to be. Zander didn’t belong to her.
“Sorry, I assumed too much. I can see that there will be no shortage of opportunities for you here. There are at least a dozen women vying for your attention as we speak.”
“I’m no’ the one who is wanted. I have counted no less than twenty males who have stripped, tongued, and tupped you in their minds, every which way from Sunday, since you walked in that door,” he muttered so close she felt his warm breath across her lips, causing her mouth to water.
“You couldn’t be more wrong,” she quipped, suddenly needing space. “Excuse me. I need to use the restroom.” She had to collect herself.
He placed his hands on her waist and turned her in his grasp. “Of course, a ghra. The lasses room is over there.” He extended one strong arm over her shoulder and pointed the way before his hands settled back on her hips.
She shivered as he squeezed her possessively and his fingers skimmed her lower back. She forced herself to walk to the bathroom, when every fiber of her being wanted to turn around and ravish him.
Her heart pounded at the walls of her chest in an unfamiliar manner. She wasn’t a virgin, and yet, she’d never experienced such intense arousal. Her inner-sex-fiend was doing a happy dance in anticipation of a night of primal sex with Zander.
Recalling how thick and large his erection had felt beneath her, she entered the bathroom. Her uncontrollable lust was disconcerting, to say the least. Elsie never considered herself wild, but right now, she was anything but civilized. She walked to the sink and washed her hands then used a damp paper towel to wipe the sweat from her décolletage.
A stunning woman entered the bathroom and stood behind her at the mirror. She was tall with long blonde hair, large breasts, and the face of a supermodel. What was it with these women and their big boobs? She even had perfect skin. Elsie couldn’t detect one pore on her lovely face.
Elsie instantly disliked her and it had nothing to do with her beauty. Her instincts were going haywire that this woman was nothing but trouble.
“I couldn’t help but notice you were with the Dark Warriors and my Zander. We haven’t met. I’m Lena,” she said and took out a tube of lipstick, applying the pale-pink color to her bee-stung lips as she looked at Elsie in the mirror. “Mon tressor is quite the specimen, non?”
Now Elsie understood why she hated this woman. She was staking claim on Zander. Her heart fell to her stomach, wondering if Zander had moved on in the past week and that was why he had avoided her. She hadn’t asked if he was seeing anyone new.
“I’m Elsie. I’m afraid I don’t know any Dark Warriors. I’m here with my friends.”
Lena straightened from the mirror and adjusted her skin-tight sweater. “Oh, yes, Elsie. You must be the one Zander started the human charity for. He’s so giving to those of a lesser station.”
The bitch was cray-cray, Elsie thought. She wanted to punch her perfect nose for the salty comment. Anyway, didn’t she know slut-gear was out?
“Not that this is your business, but Zander has been spending a lot of time at my place. Funny, he’s never mentioned you. Is he your boyfriend?” Elsie replied sarcastically.
Lena pasted an innocent smile on her face, but Elsie wasn’t buying it. This bitch was bad news. “Oui, Zander is mine. I’m glad he’s done giving you your two minutes of time. I plan on taking him back to our private room. He can never get enough of me and it will be hours before we return. What he does to me…truly mind-blowing,” she sneered with a smile. “You’re nothing more than a charity case. Certainly not something he’d mate with. Zander would never be attracted to a lowly serf like you.”
Elsie’s hackles went up and she felt a surge of malice. “Oh, he’s far more than attracted. And, something tells me he won’t be up for you anytime soon. My guess is you will have to wait…” she spat, unable to keep the disgust off her face as her gaze roamed Lena from head to foot, “indefinitely.”
Where had this possessiveness come from? She had to leave the restroom before her nails dug into Lena’s flawless face. Turning on her heels, Elsie strutted back to Zander, and the others. Lowly serf, my ass.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Zander sensed the fury rolling from Elsie as she stomped up to the group and snatched Orlando’s drink from his hand.
Downing it in one gulp, she muttered, “I needed that more than you. Psycho-bitch back there wants to mate Zander or some shit. What kind of place did you bring me to? More importantly, can you get me another drink, please?” she asked a speechless Orlando then turned to Zander.
His body rippled with desire. Elsie was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen, and her fury made her even more appealing. Eyes glittering with barely contained anger, irritation flowing beneath her skin. So damn sexy!
“I met your girlfriend, Zander, and I’m afraid I wasn’t nice to her. I don’t know what came over me. The words just flew out of my mouth. When I thought of you inside that thing in there, I lost my mind, and I have no idea why. Why didn’t you tell me you had a girlfriend? We got very intimate the other night,” she hissed as she flailed her hands.
She wasn’t making any sense so he dipped in her mind, and read her scathing thoughts. She believed he belonged to another female and questioned his integrity with all his flirting and sexual innuendos. She was wrong and making incorrect assumptions, but her mind was too chaotic for him to determine who was responsible. Before he could correct her, she continued her litany.
“Go find your woman. I don’t even want to be around you right now.”
She turned her back on Zander, a clear indication she wanted nothing to do with him. Little did she know he was going nowhere. Not when there were things
to set straight.
“Can someone explain who the Dark Warriors are, please? Orlando?” Elsie asked as she kept her back to Zander, ignoring him.
Zander grabbed her by the arm and spun her to face him. He saw her irritation rise. He needed to calm his mate. Between the guilt, anger, lust, grief, and now this jealousy, she no longer knew which way was up. But, he did revel in the fact that she had possessive feelings toward him. There was hope for them, yet.
“Listen to me, a ghra, I doona have a girlfriend.” He lowered his head until their faces were scant inches apart, her heavenly breath falling softly against his lips. “There is no other female for me. ‘Tis you I want. To be verra clear, I want to learn every inch of your alluring body. Explore it with my tongue for hours, before I sink into heaven. I know we are taking it slow, but I have no interest in another female.”
He was pushing the envelope and he knew it, but he couldn’t stop now. It didn’t help that every breath he took brought her honeysuckle scent into his aroused system. She stood staring at him with her mouth open, clearly stunned. The dilation of her pupils, the deepening scent of her arousal, and her racing heart were what ultimately urged him on.
He stepped closer to her and she gasped, her thoughts turning sensual. He smirked when she imagined him feasting on her body. He relished her fantasies about him.
Even though he was ready for full-throttle, he could tell she was not. “Lass, I doona want to make you uncomfortable, but know that when I am around you, I lose all good sense. Never doubt that you are it for me.”
She shook her head and her long, curly, brown hair danced around her shoulders with the movement. “That woman is convinced that you are hers. There is a reason she believes that so ardently. Don’t worry about me.”
She turned to the rest of the group, “Come on, Santi. I know you’re itching for some relief, so go get ‘em. Show me those lady skills you’re always bragging about.” She motioned Santiago to the throng of women nearby, and threw down the second shot of tequila that Orlando handed to her.
Zander understood she was on edge and wanted to alleviate some of the tension, but when she grabbed some hey juice from Rhys and threw it back, he realized she was drinking too much too fast. He tried to read her thoughts again to discover who placed this wedge between them, but heard the same chaos. He wanted to throttle someone for upsetting his mate when the evening had begun with such promise.
“Oh, and Zander, I want you to know, this lowly serf appreciates all you have done,” she spat.
What was this about a lowly serf? She was the Vampire Queen. He may want to change her fragile human state, but he didn’t think her less than him, or, anyone else. He could easily lose her to anything from disease to a car accident if they didn’t mate soon. Just the thought had him breaking out in a sweat.
Elsie had no idea of the grasp she had on his heart. How she controlled him.
“Oh, my Lady E. I love your sharp claws. I doona know where your ideas came from, but from where I stand, you are a queen.” Little did she know the true behind that statement. He reaching out to grasp her hands, “Dance with me.”
She barked out a laugh. “Bad idea. I’ve got two left feet. I’d probably fall and ruin this dress, and I really like it. I’m fine here with the liquor.”
She waved him off, but Zander grabbed her hand before she could down another drink. She had much to learn, his mate. His body would implode if he didn’t get closer to her. Placing the drink on the table, he tugged her close to his chest. Where she was meant to be. Goddess, she felt so right.
He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “I would rather you take hold of me, instead.” He canted his hips so she felt the erection that was itching to get to her. “That, lass, is for you. Now, you will dance with me.”
He smiled at the roll of her eyes, but didn’t pause to allow her to deny him. She pouted as he led her to the dance floor, grumbling about him being Mr. Bossy Pants. His saucy mate began dancing as a path in the crowd opened up for them. She was feeling cocky from the alcohol, letting inhibitions fall. His heart raced as he watched her move sinuously to the pounding beat of the music. He didn’t understand why she felt she had two left feet. She knew exactly how to move her body. In fact, he imagined her writhing beneath him in pleasure.
His mark pulsed painfully at the thought of completing the mating. It was becoming unbearable. He wondered how much worse it could get. He had to believe they would eventually complete the ritual and bind their lives together, but doubt was an insidious creature that wormed its way in and worsened right along with the pain.
His eyes glued to the pulse pounding in her throat, amplifying his needs. His fangs elongated, and his eyes glowed with his desire. Little Zander wanted to play. The little minx turned her back and taunted him. He hardened further when she rubbed her ass against his groin suggestively.
Control lost, Zander spun Elsie to face him, and his lips crashed against hers.
*****
Elsie was on fire. The moment Zander claimed her mouth, her body went up in flames and she melted into his arms. The hard press of his mouth was dominant and skilled, seeking her capitulation. The feel of him licking her lips made her heart race. She opened her mouth and he plundered her depths. Unable to hold back her pleasure, she moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her fingers slid into his hair and she practically climbed his body. She needed more.
She kissed him back with as much fervor as he had kissed her. She nipped and bit at his full, lower lip. The growl that followed was electric. Alcohol had freed any doubt. She wanted this kiss and was going to take it.
She’d suffered enough in her life. It was high time for her to get something out of it, and she wasn’t about to pass up this hot guy. Their tempo changed and became a leisurely exploration. She wanted urgent and crazed, but Zander teased with his slow pace, and Elsie dug her fingernails into his back.
He grabbed her against his body, and her feet left the floor as she rubbed against him. She nearly ripped her dress trying to wrap her legs around his torso and align her core with the massive erection prodding her belly. Apparently, she wasn’t all that attached to the dress.
It was easy to forget they were on a dancefloor of a crowded bar, but somehow modesty got through to the wanton creature she had become. She lowered the leg that had lifted and wound around his hip, wondering if she had flashed the room her panties.
She pushed against his chest, needing space, but he didn’t budge. He was breathing as hard as she was and stared deeply into her eyes. It was as if he saw straight to her soul, causing a warm flutter to spread from her chest outward. The emotion in his eyes seared her to the bone. There was so much there and it frightened her. She didn’t think she could be everything he seemed to want. No woman could.
A flash caught her attention. She cocked her head to the side. His eyes seemed to glow under the dance lights. “You are no’ getting away. We’ve just begun. We’re going to dance. Come here.”
She was coming to like this side of him as she realized his demand settled her chaotic emotions. “I told you, Zander, you can’t—”
He lightly kissed her, cutting off her words, “I can and I will, a ghra.”
One sway of his hips was all it took to coax her back into dancing. He moved against her and she couldn’t help but move to the music with him. She knew she was taunting a tiger, but that didn’t stop her.
She enjoyed the rush of power she felt when she thought of making this big, strong man weak. She had never felt more sexy and sensual, dancing against him. Peeking over her shoulder at his groin, she realized she couldn’t push him too far, or he would be making a rather impressive appearance.
She smiled at him, mesmerized by the way the lights played in his Sapphire-blue eyes. Their bodies continued their sensual dance. They were making love with their movements and it was thrilling. He wanted her, and Elsie could tell he was fighting that desire. With his penchant for expecting to have his orders followed
she imagined this was hard on him.
She was grateful for his restraint because between the jealousy and possessiveness, along with her inexperience with men, she was in over her head. Like a savior, Breslin joined them, ending the possibility of their clothes being removed. Unfortunately, Breslin’s presence did nothing to diminish Elsie’s arousal. She needed to cool down and fanned herself as she met Zander’s eyes.
“You okay?” he asked.
“I’m hot and it’s making me feel nauseous,” she admitted.
“I’m going to drive you home, a ghra. You’ve had too much to drink. At least, that is my excuse, because, I doona want this time with you to end.”
*****
Honeysuckle enveloped Zander as he sat on Elsie’s sofa. He closed his eyes, inhaling slow and deep. He had given up trying to control his body. It was a futile effort. From the moment she walked into the club, his cock and fangs had developed a mind of their own. And, they were in agreement. They wanted to sink deeply into his female’s delectable flesh.
The mating compulsion was drawing her to him, but she was reticent. Her body wanted him, no doubt, and he would push the issue, but he wanted her to come to him. There was so much that could go wrong and cause her to shut him out.
The one thing he was certain of was he needed to tell her the truth of him and his world. Someone with her integrity and intelligence would not respond well to lies or prolonging such an important secret. Besides, she was a member of a vigilante group that battled what they believed were vampires, and he needed her to know the difference.
Could he bare his vulnerabilities? Risk it all?
Yes, he would risk everything to gain the love of his mate. He had no other choice.
Zander looked over and voiced his inner thoughts to Orlando. “I’m going to tell her aboot me, the realm, all of it. I canna keep this from her any longer. I willna have our relationship continue with a lie, she would never forgive or accept me.”
Orlando coughed, spewing beer down the front of his sweater. “Liege, have you lost your mind? One, she is drunk. Two, she still grieves for her husband. And three, she is a human who prowls the night, killing vampires. She will freak the fuck out over this news. You need to give her more time.”
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