“Mean what? That you are quite possibly the most fantastic lover ever?”
I couldn’t help a smile, and I smacked his chest lightly. “Besides that. Did you mean what you said about being mated to me?”
He ran his hand up my arm, to my cheek and turned my face to his. There was no laughter or joking in his expression then. Just raw emotion that brought tears to my eyes.
“Every word. You are my bonded. And I will be faithful to you forever. You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you. Or how well you timed your appearance.”
Something dark moved through the connection between us and my heart pounded. I sat up, ignoring the way his eyes moved to my breasts. “What do you mean?”
He looked away. “It’s done now. Finished. Doesn’t matter.”
“Like hell. You’re going to tell me why my timing was so crucial.”
“This wasn’t just a date for me. It was a last chance.”
My brow furrowed. “Last chance for what?”
“I’m four hundred years old. But I’ve been my brother’s Enforcer in the clan most of that time. It…takes its toll on a vampire.”
I still didn’t see where this was going. I knew the Enforcer was a feared person in any vampire clan. They were the hand of justice, the ones who delivered punishments, minor and major. The ones who killed.
“You’re going to have to explain.”
“At a certain point, a vampire must be mated. The bond between mates keeps them grounded. If love comes with it, all the better. But in vampires, love is rarely felt. It’s more a mutual compassion.”
He was beating around the bush. And the more he did it, the more fear built in my chest. I poked his shoulder. “That wasn’t compassion between us, buddy.”
He chuckled, the hand that had been caressing my arm moving down to pinch my butt. “I’m very aware.”
I moved down his body, distracted by his growing erection. While I shouldn’t have been ready again so quickly, I was. It was like I craved him, body and soul.
“Stop that.”
“What?” I said, looking up into his face. The muscles in his chest jumped as his fists clenched. He definitely liked the view, of that I was certain. To be honest, I was enjoying the thought of taking him in my mouth. Something I never thought I would feel.
“Looking at me like that.”
Butterfly wings fluttered in my stomach. “Like what?” I cocked a brow and looked up. I reached out with my tongue and lapped at the crown of his cock.
His entire body jerked. “While I really, really don’t want to stop you from what you’re doing, I need to hear you say it. I need you to tell me you want this.” He ground the words out like he had a mouth full of marbles.
“I want you, Angus. I want this.”
“On a permanent basis?”
I laughed, raking my fingers up his thighs. “Yes. It’s crazy, but it’s right.”
“Thank God,” he moaned, his fingers digging into my hair.
Without any further delay, I took him into my mouth, my tongue swirling around the head as I sucked gently. He was big enough that I couldn’t take all of him, and I squeezed the rest gently in one hand, setting up a rhythm he appeared to enjoy. The other hand cupped his balls. He groaned, his hips jerking. I continued to move my tongue around the ridges and contours of his flesh, reveling in the feeling of power it gave me.
He grew even stiffer, and then his fingers flexed and he made a garbled noise. When I didn’t stop, he pulled back, his hands roughly pulling me up his body.
“You’re amazing, but I want more than your absolutely fantastic mouth.”
He rolled, his arms cushioning me against the lightning-fast movement. His lips pressed against mine, his tongue sweeping inside my mouth and mimicking what he intended to do.
He scooted to the end of the bed with me, and stood between my legs, pulling me down to the edge of the mattress and then hooked my legs over his shoulders as his fingers stroked my clit.
My head dropped back and it was my turn to moan. Then his fingers were gone and he rolled on protection before thrusting into me so fast my breath caught. He bent forward, his body pushing into mine hard enough that I could hear the sound of his flesh slapping against mine. Each pulse of his body sent pleasure coiling tighter and tighter until I wanted to scream.
With one last grunt, he pushed deep, pressing us together as he came, and it sent me into the stars, his name on my lips.
Chapter Eight
For the first time in my very long life, nerves made my skin clammy and my hands tremble. If Nora refused me, it was done. My stomach churned. She’d said yes before, but in the heat of the moment, people said a lot of things they might regret in the morning. I had to be certain. To make sure that she meant what she’d said. Funny, but I was more afraid of her words than of the prospect of dying. If she chose to walk away, dying would be a relief.
Sunlight streaming through the windows washed her face in gold and amber, her lashes dark crescents on her cheek. Her hair was everywhere, caught in the stubble on my chin, and underneath us in the bed. Like being bound in silk.
This small, delicate creature made me realize I had a heart. Something I thought lost years ago.
“Nora?”
She pressed closer to me, one thigh sliding across mine in her sleep. My cock twitched and I gritted my teeth. None of that until we talked.
“Baby? I need you to open your eyes.”
I slid a hand up her silken skin and gently shook her shoulder. She frowned and blinked, squinting in the morning light.
“I was very comfortable, you know.”
“Not a morning person, are you?”
She grunted and flung an arm around me, nuzzling her face into the crook of my neck. I couldn’t help my smile. She did that for me.
“Please, I have something important to say to you.”
With a sigh, she rolled over, too sleepy to realize she lay bare in the sunlight. Like a goddess basking in the sun.
I shook my head and sat up. Since when did I wax poetic about anything? If I didn’t watch myself, she’d turn me too soft to do my job.
“All right.” She sat up, jerking the sheet up her body and squaring her shoulders. Tears glittered at the corners of her eyes. “You can say it now.”
“Say what?” I jerked my head up at the shame in her voice.
“Whatever excuse you’re going to use to get me out of here. I saw that look.”
I tugged on her hand, coaxed her into my lap. “You misunderstand me.”
“Then why the frown? You looked so annoyed….”
“Because you drive all sensible thought from my head, Nora.” She tilted her head back, her gaze softening. “Because I’ve only just met you, and I’m going to ask you a very important question.”
“Okay….”
I cleared my throat, searching for words. “I’ve told you about the soul bond a vampire needs. I’ve told you I’m close to the end of the line.”
She nodded, quiet, her gaze unreadable.
“You’re it for me, Nora. If you agree to be my bonded, I’ll do my best to make you happy forever. I love you. I know it sounds impossible, but I can’t—”
Her finger pressed to my lips.
“I love you, too.” She shifted, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “I told you before, I accept.”
I cradled her face in my hands, kissing her and pouring everything into it. Her hands tangled in my hair, and when I finally came up for air, she laughed.
“Well, then, the first thing I have to do,” I said, reaching for my cell phone beside the bed. “Is call Callum, admit he wins, and ask him when I can bring you to meet him and the clan. And we can pick a date to complete the whole ritual.”
Nora grinned, her hand sliding down to wrap around my cock. “Oh, I don’t know if that’s the first thing….”
~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~
I am a romance writer who lives in Virginia, and dreams of one day being able to quit my d
ay job and write for a living. Until then, I’ll just continue in my free time. If you’d like to get in touch with me, you can email me at [email protected]
I’d love to hear from you!
www.janerochesterauthor.wordpress.com
Soul Mate Page 3