by Rivi Jacks
“And,” I whisper, “I told a—small lie. A really small one.” I hurriedly add, giving him an apologetic smile. I might as well fess up; he’ll find it all out anyway, and I don’t want the poor guard to be in trouble for letting me leave.
Lucas stoically watches the road, not saying anything else.
I don’t want him mad at me, and as we get close to his house, I unhook my seatbelt. I know it isn’t very safe, but I trust Lucas’ ability to keep me from going through the front windshield.
The car’s moving slowly, and we’ve almost reached the point where he will turn to drive through the front gates as I get up on the seat. Turning to face him I lean over, wrap my arms around his neck and bring my mouth to his throat. He pulls me over onto his lap as I kiss his neck. When I bite lightly, I feel a shudder go through his body, and he pulls me closer. I continue kissing his neck, making my way to his ear.
“I want you,” I breathe.
“I want you too,” he groans as I bite his earlobe.
I lick down his neck and suck firmly on his pulse point. Lucas hits the brakes hard, and his arm tightens, so I stay tight against his chest. He turns the steering wheel, driving through the opened gates, following the driveway up over the hill.
“Sofie,” he rasps as I bite him again, a little harder this time. He brings the Hummer to an abrupt stop at the top of the hill. “Damn it,” he says under his breath.
I pull away to see him staring out the front windshield and turn to look. The house is lit up as if a party is going on inside. Actually, there are enough cars and pickups out front for an actual party.
“What the hell?” I cry in dismay.
I see Emma Rae’s car and various members of my family’s modes of transportation, and a few vehicles I don’t recognize. I crawl off Lucas’ lap back to my side of the Hummer. He pulls into his usual parking spot and glancing over at him, I catch his frown.
Without a word, he exits and opens my door, offering me his hand. When I slide out, he hauls me up against his hard body. I gasp at the suddenness of his move. He lifts me, and I wrap my legs around his waist, his hands cupping my bottom. Bringing his mouth to mine, he kisses me rough and hard, taking my breath. I moan wantonly.
“Let’s leave,” I suggest breathlessly when he ends the kiss, setting me back on my feet. “We can get a motel room—or go to Jake’s. Obviously, no one will be there—since they’re all here.”
Lucas looks at me so intently I blush.
“No. I haven’t slept in my bed for two nights,” he says, pulling me to his side as he moves us toward the house. “I wanted to crawl in last night.”
What? “Last night? What do you mean?” I glance up at him, but the front door opens, drawing my attention back to the house.
Bending his head close to mine Lucas whispers, “Don’t forget your neck.”
I pull my coat up around me, once more irritated. “I better change.”
“Thank you,” he says, and I look at him questioningly. “I think having my men ogle you after you’ve flirted with them, might be my undoing,” he says dryly.
Oh. I bite my lip to hide my smile. I know I shouldn’t be amused, but I am.
“Hey you two,” Emma Rae calls from the front door.
“Hey, what’s going on?” I say as we join her.
“Just a little get-together,” she says. “We’re all in the back.” She looks intently at me. “There are a couple of your friends here from Springfield, Lucas,” she adds.
I catch his surprised expression, and then he’s kissing me on the forehead. “Don’t be long, sweet.”
“I won’t.”
I hear voices and laughter coming from the direction of the kitchen as Lucas heads that way. I make a beeline for the bedroom with Emma Rae on my heels.
“We were worried about you,” she says as I take off my coat and see her look of surprise when she sees the clothes I’m wearing. “Damn, Sofie, you look hot. What have you been up to?”
There is a soft knock at the bedroom door before Diane enters the room. “What happened? We were so worried about you,” she says as soon as the door closes behind her. “Wow,” she exclaims, standing in the middle of the room staring at me.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call you,” I say as I head into the closet, pulling down a black turtleneck sweater, and grabbing up a pair of less tight jeans to change into.
“So what happened?” Diane asks as I kick off my heels.
“Um… we talked and worked things out,” I reveal, and then turn around to go back into the closet to get a bra and panty set. As I re-enter the bedroom, Emma Rae is standing by the door.
“Geez, Sofie, it looks like talking wasn’t the only thing you did,” she says as she makes a motion to move my hair away from my neck.
“Emma Rae!” I slap her hand away.
“Is that a hickey?” Diane asks teasingly.
I give her an exasperated look.
“Honey,” Emma Rae leans down as she tries to get a closer glimpse of my neck. “That almost looks like it hurt.” She straightens and looks me in the eye. “In a good way.” She emphasizes good, drawing the word out.
“Stop it Emma Rae, and please, don’t be telling anyone.” I give Diane a significant look.
“Well,” Emma Rae says as I walk toward the bathroom. “It’s no one’s business if you had obscenely hot sex with Lucas tonight.”
“I—didn’t have sex with Lucas.” And it appears I won’t be having any with him later. Hell no—way too many people around.
“Oh, come on, Sofie—you know what they say about suckin’ and fu—”
“Emma Rae!” I hiss. She’s impossible at times.
Diane giggles.
“I did not have sex with Lucas,” I repeat firmly.
“Uh-huh,” she says, her eyebrows raised in the way that only Emma Rae can do it. Then she smiles brightly. “Sorry, but everyone’s going to think you did when they see your hickey.”
“She’s right,” Diane says, matter-of-factly.
I enter the bathroom and shut the door on their giggling.
I undress quickly and slipping into my clean underwear, I’m surprised to find that I’m sore between my legs. Just thinking about Lucas grinding his erection into me on Dominic’s bed sends a wave of pure lust over me. Closing my eyes, I hold the bustier to my nose and inhale deeply. It smells of Lucas. I open my eyes to see my reflection in the mirror. I barely recognize the girl with the wanton look in her eyes. What is he doing to me?
I check to make sure the turtleneck covers Lucas’ mark before opening the bathroom door.
“Who’s here from Springfield?”
“That girl you met at the party you went to. And her dad,” Emma Rae answers.
“Maryanne?” I exclaim. I head for the bedroom door and then stop and turn back to give them both a hug. “Thank you for your concern. I’m sorry I made you worry.”
“It’s okay since you worked things out with Lucas,” Emma Rae says smugly.
The kitchen and family room area is a busy place as we join the others. There really is a party going on. Some of Lucas’ men—Andy, Christian, and a couple of the Guard I don’t know well, are playing poker at the kitchen table with Sawyer and Sam. Rose is perched on Sam’s lap helping him. She gives me a smile and wave as I walk in. Sam glances up quickly and smiles.
“Hey, Sofe,” Sawyer calls to me in greeting.
Taylor is leaning against the kitchen island talking to Maryanne—flirting? The flush on her face makes me wonder. He straightens to his full height as I walk up to them.
“We were about to come rescue you girls,” he teases.
“Hi, Taylor. Maryanne, it’s so good to see you.” I can’t help but remember the first time we met. “Sorry, it took me so long to c
hange.”
“That’s okay, Taylor’s been catching me up on things,” she says, smiling up at him.
Yep, a definite attraction going on there I decide as he smiles down at her.
I introduce her to Emma Rae and Diane, but they assure me they’ve already met and have been getting to know each other. I look around for Jake. And Lucas.
“Dad and Lucas are in Lucas’ study,” Maryanne informs me. “They had some things to discuss.”
“How about a shot of Tequila, Sofie,” Taylor offers, gesturing toward a couple of bottles and several shot glasses.
“I think I’ll pass. Thanks, though.”
The back door opens, and a couple more of the Guard enter the kitchen. Jake wanders in from the family room to give me a hug.
“I wondered where you were,” I say, squeezing him hard.
“You okay,” he whispers and pulls back so he can look into my eyes.
“I am.”
Diane comes in from the family room excited. “Hey, there’s a scary movie getting ready to come on.”
Jake shakes his head in resignation. Diane is a freak about scary movies. She loves to watch them, but she screams most of the way through and then she’s scared of her own shadow for days after.
Taylor says he is supposed to go to the study, so he leaves. I ask about Max’s whereabouts, and Maryanne says he’s with Lucas.
I’m not really in the mood for a movie, but it looks as if Lucas is going to be busy for a bit, so I join the movie watchers in the family room. The movie is about werewolves, and at the start, I look over at Maryanne, wondering if she knows about Taylor. She turns her head toward me, and I see the answer in her knowing smile.
I glance over at Emma Rae and Andy, who’s joined her. She’s snuggled up against him with his arm around her, cuddling her close. I know she cares deeply for him, and it’s obvious he cares for her, but does she know? As one of Emma Rae’s best friends, should I tell her what I now know?
I hear the low murmur of the guys in the kitchen playing poker and realize that half the people in this house are probably vampires; if my theory that all the Guard is the same as Lucas is correct. I squirm in my chair. This is—confusing. Or maybe—enlightening. Lucas and the Guard have come to our town to help us with the Kihn. Granted, they have a huge stake in controlling the Kihn, but they could do this without helping us. The fact is… they are good people. Even though nothing in our society has ever portrayed a vampire as anything other than a fictional, bloodsucking, ruthless revenant. Everything Lucas and his men are not. Of course, I really don’t know about the bloodsucking. I feel a tingle on my neck where Lucas marked me.
A sudden high-pitched squeak from Diane draws my attention back to the movie, which is a little corny, but there are some good scenes where I actually put my hand over my eyes. I just hate when you know something is about to jump out and eat the unbelievably stupid victim. One scene is particularly suspenseful, and when Lucas walks up behind my chair, laying his hand on my shoulder, I jump and yelp, causing Diane to scream, whereas everyone else laughs.
“Lucas! Don’t do that!”
“Sorry,” he says as he pulls me out of the chair and sits, pulling me onto his lap. He doesn’t sound sorry as his lips twitch suspiciously.
Everyone else in the room, except for Maryanne and Andy, turn to look at us before turning their attention back to the movie. Everyone that is except for my uncle Jake. He continues to stare at us, his expression unreadable. It starts to make me nervous, and then he smiles, pulling Diane over onto his lap.
I snuggle against Lucas and feel him breathe in deeply, his face in my hair. His arm is around my back, his hand resting on my hip as his other hand rests on my thigh. As we sit in the semi-darkened room, he slowly moves his hand farther up my leg. Reaching the top of my thigh, his hand slides toward the inside of my leg. I squirm, afraid someone will notice.
“Relax,” he breathes. I glance nervously at Jake.
His fingers press into my thigh, and I almost moan out loud. Thankfully, he takes pity on me and moves his hand back toward my knee, but he’s already accomplished what he set out to do. I turn more fully into him and rest my face against his shirtfront, breathing in his heady scent. His hand squeezes my hip, and he kisses the top of my head. I bring my hand up to his chest, and he covers it with his own. I look up to see that he’s watching me from under his lashes. He smirks knowingly.
Books and movies portray vampires as being able to entice their victims with their alluring beauty and sensuality, seducing women with perfect ease. Is that what he’s doing to me? I turn my face back against his chest and breathe in deeply. His arm tightens around me, and he laces his fingers with mine. His scent is intoxicating, and I smile. I have the satisfaction of knowing he can’t do that to me—he can’t compel me. He’s tried more than once, so I feel secure in the fact that my love for him is the real thing. It’s important to me to be certain of that.
Everyone leaves when the movie ends. It’s late, and I’m sleepy. Walter and Maryanne are staying for a couple of days and Walter retired earlier to one of the guest rooms upstairs when he and Lucas came out of the study. Maryanne bids us good night and heads upstairs to her room.
Lucas says he needs to talk with Max. “You go on, I’ll be right there.” He gives me a quick kiss.
After brushing my teeth, I change into a cami set and crawl into bed. I want to stay awake, but I feel myself start to drift as Lucas comes into the bedroom. I hear him moving about, and then he’s on the bed beside me, pulling me into his arms.
“Mmmm,” I hum as I wiggle back against him. I smile when I hear his breath hitch.
“You smell so good,” he says, pulling my hair aside, placing his nose against my neck. “I meant to tell you to put your top back on.” His breath is warm against my ear.
“The bustier?” I mumble. “You liked it?” I grin as his arms tighten.
“I loved it,” he growls, nipping my ear.
“Lucas!” I gasp, turning in his arms to face him.
“Shhh.” He laughs low in his chest. “We have guests that hear very well.”
I groan in resignation.
“So” —he leans up and rolls me onto my back— “we are going to be very quiet.” He brings his lips to my smiling mouth and strokes my bottom lip with his tongue as his fingers latch onto one of my nipples. I gasp loudly.
“Quiet,” he whispers firmly.
“Okay.” I breathe.
“I wouldn’t want to have to gag you.”
My breath whooshes out, and I struggle to draw another one. Is he kidding? I look up, and he grins wolfishly at me.
“Let’s take a shower.” What? He rolls over and stands, pulling me off the bed into his arms.
“It’s three in the morning, Lucas!” I’m still whispering.
He grasps my wrist pulling me along behind him to the bathroom.
“I just want sex and sleep. In that order,” I mumble.
“Raise your arms,” he growls softly. My arms shoot up immediately, and he shakes his head in amusement before pulling my cami up and off. I give a soft cry in response when he rips my panties off me.
“You need to stop doing that,” I exclaim. “Those aren’t cheap.”
“I can afford it.” His eyes roam hungrily over me, and my nipples tighten in reaction. “You are so beautiful, my sweet.” His heated gaze warms my skin.
Oh, my. How does he make me want him even more with just a look?
He places his hands on either side of my face and kisses me deeply. His tongue demanding as it tangles with mine. I moan as I reach my hands up to bury them in his hair, pressing my naked body against his fully clothed one. Pulling his mouth from mine, he moves to the side of my neck, placing his mouth right on the spot where he marked me earlier. I gas
p and tilt my head. When he licks the spot, long and wet, I cry out softly at the intense sensation that I feel in my lower region.
“Lucas, please,” I pant, needing more.
“So impatient,” he whispers in my ear. “Take my shirt off, Sofie.” At his words, I look up into his glowing gaze.
He is the sexiest man I have ever seen, and it’s my job to get him naked. How lucky am I?
He holds my gaze as I pull his shirt up over his stomach, his muscles jerking beneath my touch. As I push the shirt up his chest, I lean in and put my mouth on him. Moving to his nipple I lick it, and Lucas moans softly. When I nibble at it, he moves his hands from my hips to cup my bottom, pulling me closer to his hard length.
I look up to find him watching me and swallow visibly as I push his shirt up farther. “You’ll have to help me,” I whisper, my voice unsteady.
He takes a step back, raising his arms as he bends forward, and I pull the shirt off over his head. He moves in close enough that my nipples brush lightly against him, and I gasp. When he reaches to grip both nipples, I moan, closing my eyes as he rolls the turgid peaks between his fingers. My hands seek his upper arms as my legs begin to tremble.
“I never tire of watching you like this,” he rasps as his fingers cease their exquisite torture. I look up into his heated gaze, and his arm encircles my waist pulling me against his hip. He uses his foot to widen my stance as his other hand drops to stroke me firmly between the legs.
“Ahhh—”
“Do you like that, my sweet?” he murmurs as a finger enters me. I moan, my head falling back as my whole body starts to quiver. When he inserts a second finger, stroking them in and out of me, rubbing against that sweet spot, I’m certain that if he weren’t holding me up my legs would let me fall.
“Hmmm?”
“Yes,” I whimper.
He withdraws his fingers abruptly, and I moan at the loss. I need him so badly.
“Please, Lucas,” I beg.
He takes a step back from me. “You need to finish undressing me, Sofie.”