“So, Gypsy, talk. This was your idea to come up here.” Her tongue darted out, licking the seam of her lips as he wanted to do.
He already knew firsthand the ambrosia her kisses offered. One taste and he had wanted more. He had thought he could possess her, show her she belonged to him. Grayson had been so wrong from day one. Her kisses turned him inside out, left him wanting and hard. It only proved he belonged to her, and not the other way around. It would be a cold day in hell, though, before he ever admitted as much. Grayson could only imagine if he were to fuck her. Christ, it wouldn’t be her that would be ruined for all mankind. It would be him. No woman would ever match the fire in his belly she so easily set with a simple kiss.
Not to mention a taste of her honeyed blood.
He was sure if he ever caved for even a whiff, there would be no turning back. Tamera Cantrell would become the one woman he couldn’t refuse. Should he bow to weakness, Anton would have every right to call him out on his betrayal.
“I’m waiting. Or are you as deaf as you are a fool?”
“I won’t deny I was a fool.”
She raised a brow. “Grayson Gabor? Admitting he had been foolish? What planet did we just arrive on?”
Grayson smirked. “I never claimed to be perfect. Quite the opposite in fact.”
“So what are we doing here, Gypsy?” She placed a hand on his thigh.
A jolt of desire rocketed to his crotch. Grayson had to adjust the way he sat to alleviate some of the discomfort. Much more and he might just ruin the zipper on the front of his now extremely tight leathers.
Running a hand down his beard, he warred with rising and getting as far away as he could. He was a vampire, for the love of God. Vampires were not known for self-restraint when it came to their sexual appetites.
“Leaving.” He took the glass to his lips and downed the liquid. “That’s what we should be doing.”
“Should,” she repeated. “But we aren’t.”
It wasn’t a question. She knew full well she had him by the damn balls. Merda, he was but a hairbreadth away from ripping her cute little tee and skin tight Levis’ from her body. He had already seen nearly everything there was to see, and yet he wanted it all. No bra, no panties. Nothing hiding her from his view so he could take his fill. No longer able to take the pressure, he grabbed his crotch and readjusted his cock. The pleasure-pain was damn near blinding him.
Tamera sucked in the tiniest bit of air, her gaze following the direction of his hand, only intensifying the need to release his hard-on. Grayson didn’t think he had ever been in as much pain. Hell, he was used to getting his fucking way.
Do not touch her.
Tell that to his overenthusiastic cock. Shit! He was in so much trouble. He was a drowning man. The worse of it? He had jumped into the endless pool of temptation himself. He should’ve never suggested coming up there.
He could barely draw a breath. “Look, I need to get the hell out of here.”
“You called this meeting.” He saw the points of her fangs protruding just beneath her upper lip. “You can also be the one to end it.”
Awe, hell. The scent of her desire rendered him damn near immobile. He could hear his excuse to Anton now. “I swear, I couldn’t move, dude.” Surely, Anton already knew the sexual prowess of his mate. Grayson couldn’t be blamed for what he so wanted to do. Right. And monkeys could fly too.
He placed his hand over hers, innocently resting on his thigh, meaning to move it, knew without a doubt he should. She turned her hand and laced their fingers. His palms dampened with sweat. He licked his own lips as his fangs now jutted from his gums. He was so going to hell. Let Kaleb strip his VP patch. Let Vlad take his head for daring to touch another’s mate. He was pretty sure sinking into her would be well worth all he stood to lose.
His free hand cupped the back of her head and brought her forward, his lips crashing against hers. His grip on her tightened, not giving her much of a choice in the matter, though he wouldn’t have needed to. Her hands fisted his tee, holding onto him as if she thought he meant to run. Fat chance. Oh, he wasn’t going to fuck her, no matter what. He could not cross that line. That said, he planned on taking his fill in other ways, which alone would not win him any favors and could get him in trouble in so many ways from his fellow MC brothers. He was sure not one single person would remember Anton had first crossed the line.
Grayson would still be the ass, the louse who shucked his responsibilities, who dared to touch Anton’s mate. Anton, on the other hand, would again be the golden boy. Too bad for them it was the lousy rat Tamera preferred, that much evident in the desperation of her kiss. His fangs scraped the tender flesh of her lower lip, drawing blood. The sweet nectar filled his mouth, fueling his desire for so much more. He slipped his tongue past her lips, reveling in the soft flesh. She stole the very breath from his body, kissed him like there might be no tomorrow. Which there may very well not be if he didn’t keep a tight leash on his penis.
He pushed her down to the sofa, his body aligning with hers, his cock fitting nicely into the V of her thighs. She gasped as he released her mouth, her pelvis arching into him, her legs wrapping his waist. Jesus, much more and he’d come in his fucking pants. His tongue trailed her jaw, down her neck to the soft spot just beneath her ear. His fangs teased the flesh. Her hands gripped the overlong hair at his nape, pulling him forward, begging him to take her. He may not take her body, but he’d damn well drink her blood.
His teeth sank into her neck and drew in his first slice of heaven. Vampires only drank from one another once they were mated. It provided no nutritional sustenance, but it damn well made them horny. Enough so he fought back the wave of ravenousness sluicing through him like whitewater rapids. He continued to suckle her neck as she rode his leather clad cock like a pro. He knew there was no turning back, knew he was about to explode, and damn him for no longer caring. He accomplished keeping his dick in his pants if that meant anything at all.
Tamera tilted her head back on a cry, his name tumbling from her lips just before she sank her fangs into his shoulder. Her orgasm quickly followed, her thigh muscles tightening around him like a vise, right before his own erupted inside his pants. His only regret was not being inside her and feeling her walls tremor about him. His breath left his body and his heart damn near leaped from his chest. He slowly released his fangs, trying damn hard to get his shit together.
“Ah, hell,” he whispered against her neck. “I allowed this to go too fucking far.”
She palmed his cheeks and brought his face up. “I could have stopped you, but I didn’t.”
Grayson braced himself above her, starring at her for several long moments before sitting up. Thank goodness Draven’s room had an en suite bathroom in which they could clean up. He drew in a breath, attempting to calm his beating heart, right before it stopped dead. The scent of primordial wafted to his nose too late. His gaze traveled to the opened door he forgot to close in his haste, and locking on the one person who could make him pay well for nearly fucking the woman who belonged to another. Vlad Tepes stood in the flesh, looking ready to take more than a pound of his.
Chapter 13
Grayson wasn’t sure if his time were up after a couple of decades or not by the leer on Vlad’s face. The ancient ruler knew how to fall a man with a single look. Grayson supposed after five decades he knew well how to instill fear. Which at the moment, he was doing a damn good job. Unfortunately, Vlad’s barbed glare wasn’t aimed at him. That he could have dealt with. No, his gaze pinned Tamera to the sofa, who tried hard to stay in Grayson’s shadow. The ghostly pallor of her skin spoke of her unease.
He wanted to pull her into his embrace and shield her from Vlad’s wrath. The elder vampire was obviously beyond angry. Grayson supposed enraged might better describe his present mood, if the look on his face was any indication.
Squaring his shoulders, he prepared to face off with the primordial. Grayson would take full responsibility for enchanting Tamera
and toying with her emotions. He wasn’t about to let her be punished for something he charmed her into doing. He should’ve had the willpower to send her on her way, instead of seducing her with little or no regard for her mate, Anton.
Vlad stepped farther into the room and slammed the door. The room shook from the force, though, in all likelihood, no one heard the commotion over the loud din of music coming from the first floor of the club. Grayson prayed Ryder kept himself preoccupied for a while longer. He didn’t need the prospect privy to his poor behavior. What a joke. His behavior had been lacking from the moment Tamera dared to drink from his wound. She had tried desperately to make up for her slight, but Grayson had been too much of an ass to forgive her.
Now it was time to make amends. Even if it cost him his head.
“I arrive from Italy to find one grandson moved out of the clubhouse, one to have expanded his family, and you”—one brow arched heavenward—“I was told had made your decision.”
Grayson, not about to cower, stepped in front of Tamera to shield her from further scrutiny. “I had.”
“Past tense, my boy.” He tilted his head to catch a glimpse of Tamera on the sofa behind him. “Looks as though you may have had a change of heart from what I witnessed a moment ago. What does Anton have to say about this? I’m sure he would be disheartened to know the actions of one of his brethren and his newly acquired mate.”
“I’m sure he would.”
Grayson looked to the plush burgundy carpet at his feet, shamed by the famous ruler’s words. His actions could not be taken back, even if he had wanted to—which he didn’t. One thing their lapse in judgment proved, no matter what she shared with Anton, Tamera still desired Grayson. Her short time with Anton hadn’t changed the fact.
He stepped forward, used his hand to push Grayson aside and pinned Tamera with his dark gaze. “You’ve made quite the mess, little girl.”
She merely nodded, in all probability too frightened to offer much of an excuse.
“I will deal with you later. For now, I want you to return to Anton. See that the new vamp making his rounds below sees you safely home. Tell your mate I will summon you both later to the clubhouse.”
He turned, opened the door and expected her to follow his directive without question. When she hesitated, he admitted a small but audible growl. Grayson silently urged her forward. The last thing he needed was to further piss off the old man.
“Be lucky I don’t skin the hide from your body and stake you out front for all to see, my dear.” He pointed a long finger at the stairwell. “Now go.”
Tamera stood and righted her clothing. She laced her fingers with Grayson’s and gave them a quick squeeze. He leaned down to her ear and whispered, “If we make it out of this with our heads intact, we will talk.”
With a quick nod, she looked one last time at Vlad, then scurried from the room. Grayson watched her go, wished like hell he could tell her everything would work out. Having never come up against Vlad before, though, he couldn’t offer her empty promises.
The door closed.
“What do you have to say for yourself?”
Grayson grit his teeth, not about to make lame excuses. “She was mine first.”
Vlad reached for the bottle of whiskey, held it to the light, then brought it to his lips and drank. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, then replaced the bottle on the table, not bothering with the top.
“Tell me something I don’t know. Like why you were damn near fucking her on the sofa?” Vlad’s nostrils flared. “Someone needs to clean up.”
Heat rose up Grayson’s neck and warmed his face. “I’ll only be a minute.”
Walking into the en suite, he closed the door and looked at himself in the mirror. He didn’t much like the reflection staring back. This man was far removed from the one he had been some nine months back. Gone was the carefree man. Now, in his place, he saw only the angry, bitter man he’d become.
Turning on the faucets and grabbing a clean washcloth from the silver dish beside the sink, he made quick work of cleaning up. He tossed the rag into the laundry basket beside the toilet, then left the bathroom to find Vlad reclining on an adjacent chair. In one hand he held a fresh glass of whiskey, in the other a cigar. A white vapor curled upward from his mouth as he slowly released the inhaled smoke.
“I’m sure the barkeep won’t mind that I helped myself.”
“Draven keeps this room well stocked for us.”
“Good man.”
Grayson offered Vlad a hint of a smile before sitting on the soft leather sofa he and Tamera had occupied. The sweet poignant scent of the cigar filled the room. As Vlad sucked on the end, the tip glowed bright red.
“Tell me what you want, Grayson? Do you want to be with this woman who would freely offer herself to not only you but Anton as well?”
“You make her sound like a whore.”
“You would call her otherwise?”
Grayson’s brows met over the bridge of his nose, tamping down the ire trying to take purchase. His anger would not sit well with Vlad, nor gain him any favors. “She came up here on my suggestion. She’s not the one at fault. I drank from her, completely my doing. Tamera did nothing more than react out of nature.”
Vlad took another pull from his cigar, then snubbed it out it in the free standing ashtray next to the chair. “This woman drinks from you without permission, becomes a mate you did not ask for, and yet you defend her.”
“I don’t make excuses for her past. I admit I was plenty pissed when she drank from me, took away my choice—”
“I gave you a choice nine months ago, boy. From what I hear, mere days ago you gave her to Anton. Am I correct?”
Grayson sat forward and clasped his hand between his knees. “Yes.”
“Just moments ago, you were doing everything but fucking her. I get the impression had Anton not been a part of the equation, there would’ve been no clothes separating you. How far off am I?”
Grayson would have buried himself deep in Tamera had she not belonged to Anton. “I won’t deny it.”
Vlad tipped back his whiskey, then leveled Grayson with a glare, daring him to disagree. “If you so much as go within touching distance of that girl, I will see she loses her head for her crimes against Anton.”
Grayson jumped to his feet, his hands fisting at his sides to keep from reaching out. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“I don’t make empty threats, dear boy.” Vlad rose from his chair, towering over Grayson. “Do you challenge me?”
He grit his teeth, his jaw ached. “I won’t allow harm to come to her.”
Vlad’s forefinger jabbed his sternum with enough force to show Grayson he wasn’t to be taken lightly. “Stay away from her, Grayson, and I’ll have no reason to harm that girl.”
Without waiting for a response, the eldest vampire turned and quit the room, leaving Grayson staring in his wake. He let out a mighty roar that shook the walls. Like it or not, Vlad had taken away his decision. There was no taking it back, no way to change the outcome, no righting a wrong. Tamera belonged to Anton for eternity and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. Even if he thought there was a possibility she would choose him over Anton, he couldn’t put Vlad’s threats to a test and play Russian roulette with Tamera’s immortality.
Some might call it poetic justice for the way he had treated Tamera from day one, Grayson, however, thought it sucked.
* * *
The house lay thankfully dark as she drove down the long gravel tree-lined drive, partially shielding the home from view of the road. No lights illuminated the windows, which meant Anton had yet to return from wherever he had gone. Tamera needed to thank her lucky stars that she still had time to make it appear as if she had never left. She’d turn on some light, the television to The Movie Channel and pour herself a glass of wine, all before jumping in the shower. Anton would scent out Grayson the moment he arrived if she didn’t.
Tamera had never been s
o ashamed as when Vlad walked in the room where she had wrapped herself around Grayson and dry-humped him until they both reached their respective orgasms. It had been hot as hell at the time. Now, it seemed somehow dirty. The old guy sure knew how to ruin a mood.
The bright side? Grayson desired her.
With any luck, Anton and she could move on to the second half of their plan with Anton moving her back to the clubhouse. If the last few hours were any indication what sharing Grayson’s bed might be like, she couldn’t wait to get started.
She prayed it would be enough to please everyone.
Fat chance.
The truth of it? She was merely buying time before all hell broke loose and she’d have no one to blame but herself. Tamera had been a fool to think she could walk away unscathed. And all because she desired one man above all others. She couldn’t stop the ball that had been set in motion the night she drank from Grayson.
No matter how she wished to turn back time.
Tamera needed a solid plan. Something that might save her sorry ass. One name came to mind. The only person capable of being any help at all, and he happened to be the same person who seemed pretty put off by her actions moments ago. Vlad Tepes. A shiver of dread ran down her spine. Something told her, she was the last person Vlad would want to offer any kind of assistance to. Sadly, Tamera was completely on her own. Her secrets were hers alone to bare. No one could know her sins, not without irreparably damaging forged friendships and what she hoped to have one day with Grayson.
Damn immortality for being a heady temptation.
She needed to find a way to tell Grayson before it was too late. Pulling around to the back of the house, she rolled to a stop near the back porch, just out of view from the country road. Tamera stepped from the car, shut the door and walked up the steps to the porch. Pointing the key fob behind her, the horn beeped twice and the lights blinked, indicating the car locked. Tamera waved to Ryder who sat astride his bike, making sure she arrived home safely. Unlocking the door, she disappeared inside. His motorcycle rumbled to life as he circled the drive, then headed back down the gravel, the sound fading as he hit the main road.
Gypsy: Sons of Sangue Page 14