McKenzie, Cooper - Saving Chloe (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Cooper McKenzie

  “Okay.” Chloe smiled, relaxed and happy to follow wherever he led.

  Declan guided her through the kitchen and stopped. “Would you like some wine? Another beer? Milk? Soda? I’m not guaranteeing I have all that, but—”

  “Water would be great,” she said with a smile.

  “Water it is.” Declan opened the refrigerator door and pulled out a bottle of water.

  They moved down a hallway at the back of the kitchen. He pointed out the bathroom and pantry as they passed. When they reached the door at the end of the hall, he opened it then stepped back and allowed her to enter first. Flipping a light switch by the doorway turned on several small wall sconces, which illuminated the biggest bedroom Chloe had ever seen.

  The king-size bed looked almost lonely sitting against the far wall, while a pair of leather club chairs sat in an alcove to the left facing a modest-sized flat-screen television. To the right was a small round table with two chairs. Something about the room made Chloe feel this room was rarely used, though she couldn’t put her finger on exactly what.

  Declan opened the low cabinet under the television and looked at her. “What kind of movie are you in the mood for? Romantic? Comedy? Drama? Blood and guts?”

  Chloe shrugged. “Whatever. The way I’m feeling, I’m not sure we’ll be seeing much of it anyway.”

  “Mmmm, you’re probably right. Maybe we should just turn on some music instead.”

  Chloe watched as he picked up a remote, and then turned on the television before hitting several buttons. The room filled with the sound of soft jazz as he laid the remote down and turned to smile at her. All at once she grew nervous. Would he throw her on the bed and claim her without any other foreplay? Or had he changed his mind about making her his mate?

  “Dance with me?” he asked, extending one hand.

  Chapter 10

  “I’d be honored,” Chloe said. She crossed the open space between them and took his hand.

  She wasn’t surprised when he began to slowly waltz her around the room. She felt awkward and stiff, the plug changing her posture and shifting every time she moved. He, on the other hand, danced smoothly. His moves were coordinated and fluid as he led her around the large room. Obviously, he’d done this a time or two.

  Chloe didn’t feel the awkwardness she normally did when dancing with a partner. With Declan, it felt right to be in his arms and follow where he led, which was unusual since she normally resented anyone who tried to boss her around, though inevitably she gave in. But now she submitted to him easily, allowing him to show her the way, both in and out of bed. With a sigh, she shifted close enough to lay her head on his shoulder.

  Declan tightened his hold as their dance steps slowed. Soon they simply swayed back and forth, turning circles in one spot next to the bed.

  “Look at me, Chloe,” he whispered.

  Lifting heavy, relaxed eyelids, Chloe dropped her head back until she met his blue-eyed gaze.

  “I want desperately to claim ye as my mate, but ye have to be sure ye want this. If I do, we will be mates forever. There will be no other man for you in this lifetime.”

  “Will I become a vampire?”

  “No, little one. Vampires are born, not made. When ye become my mate, there will be some changes. Ye will live as long as I do, which, as ye know, is a very, very long time. We will be able to communicate telepathically. Ye may also gain physical strength and develop the ability to sway others to yer way of thinking.”

  “Wow, I’ve never been able to change anyone’s mind before. I usually just give in or shut down when someone starts a fight,” Chloe said with a sigh.

  She stepped back until he released her. As she paced around the room, she tried to think but couldn’t. All she wanted to do was wrap herself around Declan and hold on forever. But she’d just met him. Was this really the right thing to do?

  * * * *

  Declan watched Chloe walk around the room and waited for her decision like a little boy anticipating the last bell on the final day of the school year. As the minutes extended, he was tempted to grab her and demand she agree. Instead, he locked his hands together behind his back, his fingers clenched so tight he caused himself pain and had to relax them.

  Finally, she turned and walked back to stand two feet in front of him. “Yes, Declan, I want to be your mate. Please claim me.”

  Declan released the breath he’d been holding. “Thank you, darlin’. I’ll do anything and everything I can so yer blissfully happy the rest of our days together.”

  He wanted to grab her, tear off every stitch they were both wearing, and claim her immediately but hesitated. She deserved better. She deserved more romance than he’d shown her up to this point.

  Just then a slow, bluesy piece began to play. “Dance again?” he asked with a smile.

  Chloe nodded and stepped into his open arms again. This time, he focused on using the dance as a tool of arousal. He ran his hand down over her ass to cup and fondle her cheeks. He pulled her closer and closer until she could feel his erection against her belly. At the same time, the twin points of her nipples pressed into chest. That small touch built his own sexual fire even higher.

  When she moaned and began to shift her hips sideways against him, he gritted his teeth to keep from exploding right there. He could take no more before he came himself. Running a hand down her spine, he slid one finger down the valley of her ass to shift the end of the plug. He smiled when her breathing hitched.

  His own hesitated a moment later when she pressed her pelvis harder into his cock before arching her hips back into his fingers. Bending his head, Declan found himself looking at a woman who was so excited she was panting. Her eyes sparkled and flashed at him, and he knew it was time to move to the next level.

  He released her and stepped back, earning a whining growl from his beautiful mate. “Strip, darlin’. I’m goin’ ta change out that plug before I make love ta ye until yer senseless, and then I’ll claim you fer me mate.” His accent had grown so thick he barely understood himself.

  Chloe moaned her need as she began to fumble her way out of her clothes. Declan watched for a moment then started working on the buttons of his shirt. His hands were shaking so much he couldn’t work them. Giving up, he jerked his shirt open, sending buttons flying. His pants weren’t so easily dealt with, so he took a deep breath and forced himself to slow down long enough to work the button and zipper.

  Finally they were both naked, and all Declan could do was stand and stare at his beautiful woman. She looked uncomfortable, so he closed the small space between them and hugged her.

  “You are so damn gorgeous,” he murmured as he brushed kisses over the top of her head. “All round and curvy like a woman is supposed to be.”

  She lifted her head and stared into his eyes as if to see if he was serious. “Do you really think so?”

  “Oh, yes, darlin’. Women are supposed to look like women, not like stick figures. You’re perfect. Absolutely perfect.”

  With that, he cupped her ass in his hands and lifted her high against his body, earning a purr as their bodies brushed against one another. “The Fates have chosen the perfect mate for me.”

  Turning, he set her on the bed and gave her a quick kiss. “Get up on your hands and knees so I can change out your plug.”

  * * * *

  Not sure what had gotten into her, Chloe scrambled to do as he’d requested. She then watched as he dumped the rest of the contents of the bag onto the nightstand and picked up the second, larger plug. She began to shiver as he carefully and thoroughly lubed it up before moving behind her.

  She tried to turn and watch what he was doing. She yelped when he pinched her left ass cheek.

  “Hold still, little one. In fact, drop your shoulders to the bed. Then stretch your arms over your head.”

  She did as he demanded and found she could not move away when he blew across the entrance to her pussy. She moaned when his tongue parted the top of her slit then slowly dragged
between her pussy lips. When he reached her clit, he stopped and swirled circles over the knotted flesh. That simple touch sent Chloe dangerously close to the edge of sanity.

  “Declan,” she moaned. “Need more.”

  “Shhh, darlin’,” he said.

  She jolted when he began to play with the plug in her ass, twisting it and easing it out, and then back in. He continued playing with it, pulling it nearly all the way out before pressing it in fully until she began to move in counterpoint to his movements.

  She sucked in a breath when he pulled the plug fully from her. When it returned, feeling colder and slightly different, she sighed. Declan slowly worked the plug back in again, and when her muscles began to burn and protest being stretched farther than before, Chloe realized he had switched plugs, and this was one of the bigger ones.

  Once again she began to move, pushing back against the plug as Declan pushed it into her, wanting, no needing, to feel the fullness of this newer, bigger intruder. She sighed when she felt the base press against her perineum and Declan kiss her back just above the cleft of her ass.

  Chloe’s hips continued to arch up and down, needing just a little more to find the pinnacle of her release. When she felt him move away, she wanted to jump up and tackle him. But her body refused to do her mind’s bidding. It was too wrapped up in trying to fuck air.

  “You deserve a reward for being such a good girl,” he praised as he patted one ass cheek. “Do you want to come on my tongue or on my cock?”

  Chloe’s brain was so far gone that she could only grunt in response. At that moment she didn’t care how. She just needed his touch to drive her the last few inches to the peak of pleasure.

  She didn’t even have it in her to get upset when Declan chuckled, a dark, sexy sound. “Don’t care? Then cock it is. I’m so turned on by this, I don’t know that I’ll be able to go slow.”

  When his cock pressed at her entrance, Chloe heard a high, keening sound drown out the music, but it took a moment to realize it came from her. Then Declan wrapped his hands around her hips and began to move in and out of her fast, hard, and with purpose. The movement dragged her sensitive nipples on the blanket beneath her, adding another layer to the stimulation that was threatening her very sanity.

  When Declan reached around one hip and pinched her clit, Chloe screamed as her orgasm roared over her with the power of ten trains. So caught up in her own completion, she barely felt him thrust a few more times. He leaned over her and bit into the flesh where shoulder met neck. She felt him suck hard as he thrust as deep as he could twice more.

  “Mine,” he roared into her shoulder as his release pulsed into her cunt. The pain in her shoulder and the fullness in her ass combined with Declan’s declaration to roll her into a second, even stronger orgasm, consuming everything in her, including consciousness.

  Chapter 11

  Declan woke to find his arms empty of the woman he’d claimed as his mate just hours before. Sitting up, he looked around and found that not only was Chloe missing from his arms and his bed, but her clothes were gone from the floor. Reaching out with his mind, he felt her distantly and knew she was no longer even in his home.

  “Mate, where are you?” he sent out telepathically, wondering how far apart they could be for their mating bond to work.

  “Declan? Are you talking to me?”

  “Yes, mate, it’s me. Now where is my naughty mate?”

  Remembering her promise of cookies to Jasmine, he knew exactly where she was and what she was doing. When she didn’t answer, he rolled out of bed, grabbed his pants off the floor, and pulled them on. He didn’t bother with a shirt or shoes as he stalked through the house, out the front door, and across the street. It was still dark, but daybreak was not far off.

  When he reached her front door, he wasn’t surprised to find it locked. Thank goodness his mate had some sense of self-protection, even if it was only her body and possessions.

  “Come open the front door, Chloe.”

  It was a full minute before the door opened. “Declan, why aren’t you sleeping?” She did not wait for him to answer, as something in the kitchen had begun to beep.

  Declan followed her inside, wondering how harshly he should spank her for leaving him in the middle of the night.

  “I woke up and found my mate had gone AWOL,” he said grumpily.

  He watched her deftly pull one tray of cookies from the oven and slide the next one in before setting the timer.

  “I’m sorry. I woke up, and you were sleeping so deeply I didn’t want to disturb you. I decided to make these cookies now so you didn’t have to be bothered by my promise to Jasmine,” she explained as she transferred the cookies from the baking tray to a towel on the counter, where a dozen cookies already sat cooling.

  “Why do ye feel ye must honor yer word ta such a woman?”

  “She’s my friend, and I agreed to do this for her,” Chloe explained.

  “And how often does she make such demands?”

  Chloe shrugged without answering.

  “Chloe?”

  “Okay, this is the third time since I’ve moved in. She can’t cook, and I like to, so I really don’t mind.”

  “From now ye’ll say no to the greedy wench. She’s using ye for anything she can get, and I’ll wager she never does anything nice for ye in return, does she?”

  That question stopped Chloe in her tracks. She blinked and turned to look at him. “No, she doesn’t. But she’s always broke and—”

  “It doesn’t matter. She’s not yer friend, little one. She’s a human vampire, who is sucking ye of anything and everything ye have ta offer.” Declan growled the worlds softly. He clenched his fists as he fought the urge to find the female human vampire and slap her silly. “From now on I want ye ta just say no to anything those Porch People demand of ye. Ye don’t have ta explain why, just say no once and stand firm.”

  He watched at Chloe’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t know if I can.”

  Standing, he crossed to stand in front of her and took her in his arms. “Don’t worry, love. I’ll be with ye from now on. If they don’t like yer answer, they can take it up with me and ye can tell them that. Of if need be, jest tell them ye have ta talk it over with me before making any decisions.”

  Declan closed his eyes and sighed as she snuggled closer into his chest, rubbing her cheek back and forth over his chest. They remained like that until the timer beeped again. While she dealt with getting the last batch of cookies ready and into the oven, he returned to the chair he’d been in before.

  “When yer finished here,” he said casually, “we are goin’ in yer bedroom, and I’ll be paddlin’ yer behind.”

  * * * *

  Chloe turned and stared at the man, stunned by his announcement. Shifting her feet apart, she planted her hands on her hips. If he wanted her to start standing up for herself, she’d show him she could do so right now.

  “Do you really think I’m just going to bend over so you can spank me? I don’t think so, buddy. You’re supposed to be keeping people from hurting me. Besides, I don’t get off on pain.”

  Though her words were strong, her tone was timid as always. And a shiver went through her at the thought of being turned ass up over Declan’s lap as he spanked her.

  Her skin grew goose bumps when Declan smiled at her. It wasn’t a friendly, loving smile. No, this was the smile of a predator who’d spotted his prey. Even his eyeteeth were peeking out, telling her he was in full vampire mode. “Darlin’, this is punishment, not pleasure.”

  “Punishment for what?” Her voice quivered with uncertainty. Never before had anyone cared enough to punish her for overextending herself. They just asked her to do more and more instead. Yet here was Declan, a man she felt such a bond to, telling her that he was going to spank her because she had not wanted to bother him with her obligation.

  “Fer leavin’ without wakin’ me ta tell me where ye were goin’,” he replied with the grin of a confident and cocky
male. “I’ll not have ye running around without me at least knowin’ where ye are. It’s for yer own protection, darlin’.”

  “But a spanking? I’m not a child.”

  “Little one, I’m six hundred years older than ye, so yes, yer a child.” He stood and crossed to her, once again wrapping her in his arms. “I’m an important person, and there are people who might want to hurt you if they think they could get away with it. Those Porch People of yours are just mosquitoes compared to some of the enemies I’ve made over the years.”

  Chloe didn’t respond except to stiffen as he shared a little more of his life.

  “If I have ta, I’ll hire bodyguards to keep ye safe, but I’d rather just guard yer delectable body meself,” he said.

  She didn’t fight when he took her arm and pulled her back across the kitchen. When he sat down and pulled her to lie belly down and ass up over his lap, she knew she’d been tricked.

  “Declan, no!” she cried when he flipped her skirt up and rubbed a hand over her bare ass cheeks.

  “Chloe, yes,” he stated simply as he lifted his hand.

  The spanking was fast and harsh, but surprised Chloe by turning her on, even as she cried from the fiery pain of it. Once he’d finished, Declan again rubbed his hand over her ass.

  “There now, yer spankin’s done. From now on, I don’t want ye leavin’ our bed without waking me up. Understand?”

  “Yes, oh high lord and master,” Chloe snarked.

  When the timer sounded, he helped her stand and returned her skirt to its proper position. “Go tend ta yer cookies.”

  She yelped when he slapped her ass one last time. “That one’s fer the back talk.”

  Once she finished baking and cleaning up the kitchen, she gathered enough clothes for a few days. Then Declan led her back across the street to his house and his bed. They had such hot make up sex that when the doorbell sounded two hours later, she woke up but could not gather enough energy to leave the bed.