Belong To The Night

by Shelly Laurenston

  But, damn, he sure could have used Sadie right then.

  Sadie…

  Flowers. Woman. A racing heart.

  “Liam!”

  Her voice. His gaze rose. She ran through the doorway, other armed agents following on her heels.

  The real backup.

  He could have kissed her.

  Two agents dressed in op black took the woman from him.

  Sadie’s eyes were wide as she stared at him. “Liam.” A breath of sound. Her gaze raked his body. “Liam.”

  He stiffened. He didn’t want to be weak in front of her and the others. His arms snaked out. Caught Sadie and pulled her close.

  His kiss was wild, and more than a little desperate.

  He could hear the drumming of her heart, the soft flow of her blood.

  He needed to drink.

  But, even more, he needed her.

  Pity he couldn’t have her.

  His arms dropped. “He…got away.” His tongue felt thick. His teeth too sharp.

  Sadie reached for his hand. Her soft fingertips brushed across his skin. “Are you…Liam, dammit, you’re bleeding out. Let me help you, let me—”

  “Other guy…worse than me.” True, that. The shifter had retreated because he’d been badly wounded. Maybe they’d all get lucky and find his carcass with the coming of dawn.

  The agents were spreading out, some searching the room behind them, some carrying the woman out into the hall and toward the stairs.

  “You need help.” Worry in her voice. Fear in her eyes. “What can I do?”

  His gaze lazered in on Sadie’s sweet throat. “Let me drink.” A stark demand.

  She knew about vampires. Knew that he couldn’t afford this level of loss. If he didn’t feed, soon, he’d weaken too much.

  Blood loss—one surefire way to kill a vampire.

  If he didn’t feed, he’d fall at her feet.

  “Let me drink.”

  Her breath whispered out, and she nodded.

  Chapter Five

  Liam was in trouble, and Sadie was afraid. So afraid that her knees shook and her hands were sweating and she felt like her heart was going to burst from her chest.

  I can’t lose him again.

  He had so many wounds. His chest. His arms. His shoulders. Even his legs. The shifter had savaged him.

  “Don’t die on me.” She gave the order as she kicked in the door to her left. They were far away from the rest of the team. They’d managed to sneak up to a higher floor while the other agents fanned out below. Liam needed safety, but she didn’t have time to get him back to her place. He needed to feed.

  Now.

  “Too late, love.” A ghost of a smile feathered his lips and the ache in his tone made her hands clench. “I died two years ago.”

  Her jaw locked. “Do it, Liam. Go ahead, just—”

  Drink from me.

  He couldn’t afford to be so weak. Liam had his share of enemies, she knew that. All vampires had enemies—there were too many folks, both human and Other, running around out there with a Van Helsing complex.

  She’d been one of them.

  No longer. She didn’t care that he was a vamp. He was hers, and she hated to see him like this.

  Sadie was going to kill that shifter.

  She wrapped her arms around Liam and felt the wet touch of his blood.

  His wounds weren’t closing.

  There wasn’t any time to spare.

  “Sadie…” Hunger. Fear?

  She shut her eyes. She’d been taught vampire feeding was a degradation. The worst insult to her kind.

  The hunter, becoming prey.

  Screw that.

  Liam needed her. Pride could take a hike.

  Tilting back her head, she bared her throat and waited.

  She expected the hot flash of pain that came from his teeth. At the bar, the sting of his bite had been brief. Then there had been such unexpected pleasure.

  Yeah, she expected the sharp press of his teeth.

  Instead, she felt the soft brush of his lips and the wet slide of his tongue on her flesh.

  Her mouth parted on a sigh. Her breasts tightened against him, and heat bloomed between her thighs.

  Sadie’s hands rose and tunneled into the thick strands of his hair. “Liam.”

  Her Liam.

  His teeth pierced her flesh. A split second of sharp pain and then—

  The pleasure. The fast, hard rush of sensual energy heated her blood. Her thighs shifted as she strained to get closer to him.

  His mouth moved on her. Lips. Tongue. Teeth. And it felt so good. As if she’d climax, with just the press of those teeth.

  Her hands tightened in his hair, forcing him closer.

  Her panties were getting wet.

  She wanted him inside of her, thrusting and drinking.

  No one had ever told her that a vampire’s bite could be so amazing. Pain. Fear. That’s all the whispers said.

  But what about the rush of pleasure? The wild heat of hunger and lust? She rubbed against him, her breasts aching, her sex yearning.

  More.

  She wanted—

  Liam.

  His hands slipped between them. Caught her breasts, stroked and teased through the thin blouse she wore. His thumbs raked over her nipples and a growl burst from her lips.

  And still he drank from her.

  Every nerve in her body seemed electrified. Her skin too sensitive, her lust too fierce.

  The beast snarled inside, demanding release. A release the woman wanted just as badly.

  But part of her was afraid. Liam was hurt so badly, she didn’t want to injure him, didn’t want to make it worse.

  So she bit back her hunger. And let him take.

  Mouth.

  Tongue.

  Teeth.

  And his hands—cradling her flesh. Tugging her nipples. Feeding the sensual need. Those long, strong fingers knew just how to touch her.

  The scent of her arousal filled the air. Whimpers slipped from her lips. Hungry growls.

  Her hands dropped to his shoulders. Curled tight. Held on for the ride.

  Still he drank.

  An explosion of lights appeared behind her closed lids. Her sex throbbed. Her knees shook.

  Sadie licked her lips and swore that she tasted him. He hadn’t kissed her, but he was all around her.

  She could feel him. Inside.

  Heart.

  Spirit.

  Everywhere.

  The blood link. She knew it was getting stronger. The more he took, the deeper the bond.

  Forever.

  His teeth withdrew. A wet swipe of his tongue.

  Her eyes opened.

  A tender kiss on her neck. Right over the mark he’d left.

  Soon, she’d be marking him.

  Liam’s head lifted, and when his eyes met hers, there was no blue in his gaze.

  Only darkness.

  Those black eyes narrowed. “You know…what happens now.”

  No, she really didn’t have a damn clue. She wanted him. Naked. But the guy was injured and, even with her blood, it would take hours for him to heal completely.

  Already, though, his voice was stronger. And the wounds were starting to close—she could tell by the smaller scratches on his face. They were shrinking before her eyes.

  The relief sweeping through her body made Sadie almost dizzy.

  Losing him again—not an option.

  Shit.

  Realization had her eyes widening.

  She still loved the Irish bastard.

  “We need…to get out of here.”

  A nod.

  “Your blood—it’s damn strong, but I’m goin’ to crash soon. To heal, I’ll have to sleep.”

  Another nod. Her blood would give him the strength to get past the other officers and to make it back to her place.

  Then she’d keep him safe while he slept.

  His fingers caught her chin. “When I wake, I’m goin’ to hav
e you.”

  A dark promise.

  She smiled. “No, Liam, when you wake…” She paused, just long enough to have his brows lowering, “I’ll have you.”

  Vampires dreamed. Some folks thought they didn’t, but, then again, some folks also thought his kind didn’t have souls.

  Vamps had souls, some were just blacker than the night they loved so much. Evil was a choice, not a punishment for his kind.

  Free will.

  Everyone—everything had it.

  Just as creatures like him, well, they had dreams.

  But sometimes, those dreams weren’t fantasies. They were memories. The vampire’s. His prey.

  Shared visions given by the blood.

  When Liam slept, the visions came to him. He saw a girl, smiling, long black hair around her shoulders. She was laughing, pointing.

  Beside her, he saw his Sadie. Younger. With eyes not so hard and with a curving mouth.

  Innocence.

  Youth.

  A beautiful dream. Happy.

  At first.

  Then the woods around the girls grew darker. Laughter reached his ears. Cold. Insidious.

  And he wanted to wake up.

  But he couldn’t. The sleep was too deep.

  The vampire attacked the dark-haired girl. Jasmine.

  “Change, Sadie, change! Help me!”

  The snap of bones. The rolling cry of the leopard.

  The vampire had a tight lock on little Jasmine. Blood dripped down her neck and her cries grew weaker.

  Sadie attacked. Biting. Clawing. Fighting as fiercely as she could.

  But her leopard wasn’t fully grown. The leopard aged as the girl did. Still young. Still weak.

  The vampire dropped Jasmine onto the ground. Her eyes were wide open, terrified.

  The vampire was going after Sadie.

  “You’ll taste so good.”

  Another roar filled the forest. Shook the earth.

  Not from Sadie. From another. Coming closer.

  The vampire glanced over his shoulder.

  Too late.

  Blood covered the ground.

  And Jasmine—her eyes closed.

  Liam’s body stiffened against her. Sadie frowned, stroking her hands over his chest. He’d been out for almost twelve hours. The sun was setting.

  His night was coming.

  The wounds on his body had healed. Not even a scratch marred his flesh.

  She leaned over him, her gaze on the shadows cast by his lashes. He was almost beautiful in sleep. Damn too-good looks of his. No man should be so sexy.

  Her hand lifted. Traced the curve of his lips.

  He woke instantly, his eyelids flying open. Liam’s right hand snapped around her wrist in a steely grip.

  “Who was the other leopard?” Gruff.

  Sadie blinked. “What?” Was he talking about the asshole who’d attacked him? Unfortunately, the team still hadn’t tracked him, but she knew they would, it was only a matter of time, especially once she and Liam went hunting.

  “In the woods that day…”

  Chill bumps rose on her flesh.

  “Who killed the vampire?”

  Her gaze held his as her breath rushed out. “The link’s that strong, huh?” The blood link was one of the few real mysteries still in existence. Just how strong, how deep, it really depended on the vampire and his victim.

  She swallowed. “My brother, Jacob.” Thank God he’d decided to come looking for her and Jasmine. If he hadn’t—

  She would have died that night, too. Because their attacker…“He’d been watching us. For days.” Hiding his scent—the tricky bastard. “Waiting for that one moment when we were vulnerable.” They’d been having so much fun. Running. Laughing. Enjoying the wild woods.

  His lips tightened. “How can…” He stopped, jaw clenching.

  “Liam?”

  His gaze was stark and his brogue thick as he asked, “How can you let me touch you, knowin’ what he did?”

  “Because you aren’t him.” Liam had fought like hell to save the woman in that building. He wouldn’t attack innocents.

  Not his style.

  Never had been.

  Never would be.

  She was an idiot for ever thinking otherwise.

  “Let go of my hand,” she told him quietly.

  The body beneath hers—delicious naked flesh—tautened even more.

  But he let her go.

  “I shouldn’t have—” He shook his head. “That first night, I-I needed the blood, but I should never have taken—”

  She snorted. Probably not her sexiest moment. “Please, vampire. If I’d wanted free of your hold, it would have been too easy.” Not a youth anymore, her beast was fully grown and more than a match for a vampire.

  The stark truth: She’d wanted to be in his arms again. If she hadn’t wanted to feel him, flesh to flesh, she could have put up one hell of a fight.

  Her fingers brushed down his cheek. “I’m touching you,” she told him clearly, “because I want to.”

  Liam’s nostrils flared.

  “Because I have to.” Softer.

  She kissed him. An open-mouthed, I’m-starving-for-you kiss. Lips. Tongues. Heat.

  Sadie felt the surprise ripple through him.

  Crazy vamp. Didn’t he remember what she’d told him?

  It was her turn to have him.

  She nipped his lower lip. Vampires weren’t the only ones who liked to bite. Liam should have remembered that about her.

  She smiled at him, then caught the bottom of her T-shirt and jerked it over her head. It hit the floor after she threw it, but Sadie didn’t care.

  No bra. She’d stripped down to shirt and panties after she’d gotten him in bed.

  And she’d stripped him completely.

  His eyes were on her breasts. The blue began to darken.

  She caught his hands. Brought them to her flesh. Enjoyed the strong weight of his hands over her. He knew just how to stroke her nipples. Just how to play and torment.

  But then, so did she.

  Sadie’s fingers trailed down his chest. Over the nubs of his nipples. Liam was so sensitive. Always had been. And when she put her tongue on him—

  Leaning forward, her tongue swiped over his left nipple.

  Liam hissed out a breath and nearly came off the bed.

  “Ah, not the way we play tonight.” She pushed him back, deliberately injecting extra strength into the move. “Tonight, it’s my game.”

  And she intended to enjoy herself fully.

  Rising onto her knees, she shoved the sheets out of her way. Liam was aroused. The hard flesh of his sex rose toward her, long and thick.

  The cat inside purred.

  Time to get wild.

  Her lover had healed, no need to go easy on him.

  Her nails scored the flesh of his stomach. Not deep enough to cut the skin, certainly not enough to hurt.

  Just enough to have him sucking in a sharp breath and to have those blue eyes turning completely black.

  Fear didn’t shoot through her at the sight of his eyes and his sharpening fangs.

  This was Liam.

  “No pretendin’ this time?” He grated the words.

  Her fingers wrapped around his aroused flesh. Felt the jerk of his sex.

  She knew what he meant, and part of her felt a flash of shame. “No pretending,” she agreed, her voice a whisper. The present was all that mattered.

  Not the past—no way to go back.

  And not the future—because, really, what future could they have? She’d age, slip away one day, while he stayed forever young.

  No past, no future.

  But they could sure enjoy the present.

  Her fingers tightened.

  Liam’s teeth snapped together.

  Then she lowered her head.

  “Sadie!”

  Her lips feathered over his aroused length. Soft as silk, but so hard and strong. Her tongue snaked out, licked the head
of his shaft and tasted the tang of his flesh.

  She took him in her mouth.

  “Fuck! Sadie!”

  She knew what he liked, oh, yeah, she knew. Licking. Sucking. Swirling her tongue over his aching flesh.

  His hands clamped over her hips. She felt him rip away her panties. Then he touched her. Slid those long fingers between her thighs and pressed against her sex.

  Pushed against her sensitive core, found her wet and ready.

  He knew what she liked, too. He’d levered his upper body up to touch her better.

  One finger drove inside of her.

  Yes.

  She looked up at him, into those dark eyes.

  A second finger.

  Her sex tightened.

  Not wild enough, not yet.

  Sadie gave him one long, last lick, from root to tip. She kissed away the moisture on the head of his cock. Wanted more.

  “In…side.” A grated demand. “Put me…”

  His fingers felt fantastic in her sex, but she wanted his cock in her—just as badly as he wanted to be there.

  Liam’s thumb stroked her clit, making her cream even more for him.

  His fingers withdrew, thrust, withdrew—

  Sadie moaned, then moved, fast. She pinned his hands to the mattress. Shifted her hips so that his shaft brushed against her open core.

  Her cream coated the head of his cock. Damn, but he was beautiful.

  Sadie arched her hips, then drove down onto him, taking that wonderful, thick flesh deep inside.

  They both gasped.

  So full. Her sex felt stretched, tight.

  Her knees dug into the mattress as she flexed. “Ready?” she whispered.

  His hungry snarl was her answer.

  Sadie started moving. Rising, falling. Faster and faster. Her breath left her in hard pants, her heart drummed against her ribs and sweat slickened her flesh.

  And she kept riding him. His thighs were like steel beneath her. His cock her perfect fantasy.

  Again, again, again.

  His lips were parted, those teeth gleaming.

  His gaze was on her throat.

  Sadie rose, fell. She tightened her grip on his wrists.

  Release bore down on her. Just a few seconds away—

  Her cry filled the room. Her sex clenched around him and ripples of pleasure rolled through her body.

  But she didn’t stop moving. Rising, falling. No, she didn’t stop—

  Because Sadie was just getting started.