by Hope Welsh
Making love to a human was intoxicating. Making love to one of the Chosen was even more so. Her scent filled his nostrils, the beat of her heart pulsed in her throat, and he lowered his head, teasing them both by nipping her neck where the pulse beat steadily. It would be so easy to take just a taste, but he didn’t—not yet. There would be time later for that.
For now, he just needed to make love to her and with her.
Sarah felt a jolt of electricity when she felt his teeth on her neck. She arched her head, giving him better access. She’d have sworn in that instant that there was an actual string from the pulse in her neck to the heated flesh between her thighs when she felt the almost painful pull of need. She felt herself growing hotter and hotter as his lips and teeth moved on her.
She’d never been touched like this before; had never been wanted like this before—had never wanted like this before. Would it always be like this? Would the gentlest nips of his teeth always make her heart beat a little faster?
When she felt his fingers move to her breasts, she arched her back, loving the feel of his fingers on her skin. She gave a sound of denial when he lifted his mouth, only to groan in pleasure as his mouth found her breast. She felt him bite her nipple gently and once more arched against him. Her fingers moved into his black hair, holding his head against her breast. When he drew the pointed nipple into his mouth, she sighed with pleasure.
One hand smoothed down her chest to her stomach. He lingered a moment, drawing light circles around her navel and she wiggled, silently willing him to touch her where she so needed it.
Devlin didn’t disappoint. His fingers found her clitoris and rubbed it for a long moment, before gently flicking it with his thumb and forefinger. The dual sensations of his mouth on her breast and his fingers on her clitoris drove her over the edge with a hard, fast orgasm. She cried out, mindless with the blinding pleasure of her release.
When she’d slumped back against the pillows, Devlin lifted his head and looked down at her. Her face was flushed and damp with perspiration. Her body was shuddering with the aftermath of her quick release and he smiled. “Tell me you want me, Sarah,” he growled low. “Tell me that you want this,” he demanded, driving two fingers into the warm folds of her labia, driving her relentlessly toward a second climax.
Sarah met his eyes and said only one word.
“Yes.”
Devlin needed no further urging. He removed his clothes quickly.
Sarah watched in dazed pleasure as his hands moved first to his waist, as he stripped out of the dark black jeans and his boxers. In her dreams she’d seen him naked, but nothing could have prepared her for the reality of his body. His chest was broad and wide and the muscles rippled as the navy silk shirt followed the jeans. There was a dark line of hair going from his waist to the thick length of his penis. He eased onto the bed and moved over her, bracing his weight on his forearms, and taking her hands.
He held her hands in his, lacing their fingers together and looking into her eyes. “Tell me you want me,” he demanded again, his voice low.
Sarah arched her hips, feeling the broad tip of his penis against her soft folds. “I want you,” she said instantly. “Please. Now.”
Devlin moved, driving inside her to the hilt in a powerful stroke of his hips, hitting her womb with the force of it. She felt the fullness, loving the feel of him so deeply inside her and began to move under him.
Sarah felt free; more free than she’d ever felt before. She should have felt exposed to have him doing these things to her, but she didn’t. This was something she’d always fantasized about, but had never expected in her life. Each powerful thrust of his hips drove him deeper, making her gasp and still she wanted more.
When he moved harder and faster, his fingers still holding hers, she shuddered, unable to do more than feel. She used her inner muscles now, clenching around him and driving him over the edge with her as she came with a shout of pure pleasure.
When it was over, she felt his weight collapse over her. She smoothed the damp skin of his back, loving the feel of him. His breathing was quick as he held her close.
Finally, Devlin lifted his head. “Do you want this?” he demanded, giving her a thrust.
“I’ve told you I do,” she said, looking into those bottomless green eyes.
“No, I mean do you want this forever? Do you want me to change you so you can have this whenever you want?” he asked, carefully not using any of his considerable mind control abilities. It had to be her free choice.
Her brow furrowed. “I just don’t know,” she said shakily. “I would never be the same again.”
He eased his weight off her and rolled to his side, bringing her with him, still deep inside her. “No, it would never be the same. But you’d be as you are now—forever.”
Chapter Two
Could she do it? Could she let herself become what he was? How was it really possible? Would he bite her, and then have her drink from him? She only knew what she’d read in books. “What about my friends?” she whispered.
His eyes narrowed in frustration. “You’d be with me, Sarah. For all time. I promise I’d keep you too busy for regrets.” It was both a threat and a promise.
“And I’d look like this?” she asked, touching the smoothness of her face.
“Yes,” he promised. “You’d look just like you looked before the fire. Beautiful and stronger than you can possibly imagine.”
“What would happen?” she asked now, needing to know exactly what she was getting herself into if she accepted his offer. “What if I changed my mind?”
“You couldn’t change your mind. The change is permanent. But I promise you, you wouldn’t want to change it.” He paused a moment. “As to the how. Likely what you’re read in your books—that much is true. I would drink from you, and then you would drink from me.”
Sarah arched against him helplessly as he moved gently within her. She knew he was trying to show her how wonderful it would be with him; but she was still afraid. “I just can’t decide.”
“There’s no reason to decide tonight,” he soothed. “We’ll talk again soon. Sleep, love.”
He’d used his voice to force her to sleep. It would be a peaceful sleep, even though he was feeling anything but peaceful himself. Her hesitation frustrated him, even if he did understand it.
Devlin climbed from the bed and paced. He wanted more from her, damn it. He considered transforming her even without her consent.
But he didn’t want her like that—even if it hadn’t been forbidden, it went against everything he believed. The choice had to be hers. He wanted her to want to be with him. He looked at her as she slept. The scars hurt him; which was surprising in itself. He thought he’d long ago shed emotions like empathy. Admittedly, he was jaded.
But with her, those feelings came to the surface. He’d wanted to make her life wonderful. He closed his eyes. If it were within his power, he’d simply take the scars from her. But, with all the powers he possessed, that wasn’t one of them. The only way he could remove the scars was to transform her.
He remembered when he’d been transformed. He’d been hurt in a carriage accident over a hundred and fifty years before. One of the Elders had changed him. He’d awakened whole again.
But, he also remembered that Carina hadn’t asked him. She’d transformed him when he’d been unconscious. He’d been livid and had sworn vengeance on Carina. It had taken him a decade to adjust to what he’d become. Of course, he’d changed his mind about revenge—he liked what he’d become. He was stronger in every sense of the word. His powers were numerous. All of his senses were heightened at least ten-fold.
He could transform her without her consent; but he wouldn’t. He didn’t want her to have those years of doubt and bitter rage. He’d thought the dreams would help. He’d been giving her the erotic dreams almost from the first. They had made her receptive to him, but he wanted her when she was fully cognizant of what she was doing.
Tonight, he’d given her
the illusion of her previous beauty, and that hadn’t been enough either. What more could he do to convince her? He was frustrated beyond belief. Part of him wanted to take the choice from her hands, but that kind of act was what the Hunters looked for. Even if he had been willing to change her without the consent of the Elders—and Sarah herself. Never had he been so torn. The Hunters were a serious concern—one he knew he needed to take into consideration.
He didn’t want to put her in the path of those evil creatures; humans that didn’t understand their ways would hunt them down like animals. He’d managed to stay off their radar and he planned to keep it that way. The transformation was forbidden by the Elders, though, for just that reason.
The Hunters were hoping that the vampire race would die out. Open hostilities were rare today, though they did occur once in a great while. He sighed. Carina would have the answer. He silently called her to come to him. He waited for her to materialize before him. A vampire could ignore the calling, but he knew she wouldn’t—as an Elder, she’d come. Humans weren’t able to ignore the will of a vampire, but another vampire could.
“You rang?” she said, her voice silky. She was dressed in all black. Her black hair was flowing nearly to her waist. Her blue eyes were cool and missed nothing, taking in the scene before her.
He nodded once. “I need your advice,” he said. “But keep your other comments to yourself.”
She tilted her head, and a smile played on her red lips. “What was I going to say?” she asked, her voice sultry.
Devlin simply remained quiet until she chuckled. “All right, Devlin. What is it? You want this woman?”
“I want her,” he admitted quietly.
Carina studied him. “And she resists?” she guessed.
“She is unable to make up her mind,” he said stiffly, pacing again.
Carina sighed. “So, you convince her, Devlin.” She looked at the woman. “Surely she doesn’t want to remain like that?” she asked with a flick of her wrist.
Devlin’s eyes followed Carina’s movement. “No, she doesn’t. But she doesn’t want to become one of us, either.”
Carina put her hands on her hips impatiently. “What is it you want of me, Devlin? If you can’t convince her, your only two options are to forget her or to transform her.”
Devlin turned to Carina again. “She’d never forgive me,” he said quietly.
“No, she likely would not,” she agreed.
Devlin didn’t miss the flash of pain in her eyes. “I forgave you long ago, Carina,” he said softly.
“No matter,” she said firmly, brushing away the concerned tone. “So, what are you going to do?”
He sighed. “Give her more time, I suppose.”
Carina softened. “Make her love you, Devlin. It is all you can do. If she loves you enough, then perhaps she’ll agree.”
Dare he risk it? Carina was an Elder. If she condoned his changing her, perhaps there would be no repercussion from that arena.
Yet, when a vampire loved, it was for all eternity. Did he dare let himself love this woman?
He sighed. It was very likely that he already did. “You’re right. Thanks.”
Carina smiled sadly. “Call if you need anything,” she whispered and then disappeared, leaving him to his thoughts.
Devlin sat on the edge of the bed and watched her sleep. There would be time for him to convince her.
Chapter Three
When Sarah awakened, she was alone. She touched her face again and almost cried to feel the scars still there, not that she’d really expected anything different. She climbed from the bed, angrily swiping at the tears on her face. She wasn’t going to cry. It had just been a dream. She walked into her bathroom, and avoided the mirror.
As she stripped for her shower, she felt the hot tears that refused to be contained. She turned the water on and stepped inside the large cubicle. It didn’t matter, she told herself. It wasn’t going to matter.
Her life was different now, but it was far from hopeless. She had a good career as a web designer and graphic artist, so it wasn’t like she had to go out and face the public each and every day. She’d never really cared for sex, so she told herself it didn’t matter that she’d be alone forever. Of course, no man had ever done the things to her that Devlin did in her dreams.
“I don’t care!” she shouted, the sound muffled by the blast of the hot water shooting from the showerhead.
With a whimper, she slid down the wall to the floor. It did matter, she admitted finally. It was the damn dreams, she thought angrily. If not for the dreams, she’d have been content. Even as she had the thought, she knew she was lying to herself. She did want a life. She wanted love—wanted to love…or…at least she wanted sex. But who in their right mind would take a woman to bed that looked like something out of a horror movie?
She could hear the headlines now for Maury. “Women too scarred to find love”
Devlin could feel her turmoil and was torn. He could go to her now. She was in the shower so there was no danger of sunlight. He closed his eyes. If he went to her, he didn’t think he’d be able to not change her; even if she hated him as a result. Was he willing to give her up to see her happy once again?
Hell, would she even be happy as a vampire? She’d never see daylight again. That myth was true, though many of the myths were not. It would be cruel to give her the illusion again. He knew that it had been the cause of this emotional crisis. He didn’t want to cause her pain.
He stiffened then.
No, he was tired of being alone, and she was the one he wanted. He’d do whatever it took to make her his. Damn it, he’d become a part of her life and make sure she wanted to be with him.
His mind made up, he closed his eyes and thought of her bathroom. Instantly, he was there.
Devlin could hear her sobbing in the small shower stall. “Sarah?” he whispered. To hell with it. He couldn’t stand her pain and angrily pulled open the glass door. “Enough!”
Sarah looked up at him, her blue eyes dark and frightened. “I know I’m not dreaming. Why are you doing this to me?” she asked brokenly. “Why are you tormenting me?”
The broken look on her ruined face tore at him, but he shoved the thoughts aside. “I am not tormenting you, Sarah. I’m here to give you a choice.”
She stiffened. “What choice?” she demanded bitterly.
He kept his eyes on her face; not letting them linger on her wet naked body. “I can take away the pain, Sarah. I can make you whole again,” he said quietly, silently willing her to at least consider the idea.
She shook her head. “I can’t,” she cried. “I don’t want to be—what you are.”
Devlin sighed. “How do you know? Spend the day with me. Travel with me. See what my life is really like,” he prodded, keeping his voice soft and hypnotic. “Let me take you away—just for today.”
Sarah looked at him for a long moment before answering. “Where?” She didn’t bother covering herself. He’d already seen her—touched her.
Devlin shrugged his shoulders. “Australia, perhaps,” he said quietly. “It’s dark there.”
“Let me finish in here. I’ll be out in a few minutes,” she said with a calmness she was far from feeling.
“I’ll have to wait in here, Sarah. I can’t go into your room; not if your blinds are open.”
She sighed. Of course he couldn’t. It was almost sunrise. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
His smile was full of promise as he looked at her, letting his eyes rake her from head to toe. “I could wash your back,” he offered huskily. Her ruined face wasn’t at all a deterrent for him. It was her spirit he’d fallen for, and that hadn’t diminished from the fire.
“No, not when I’m like this,” she said brokenly.
He smiled and kicked off his shoes and moved his hands to the buttons on his white shirt. “You’re beautiful,” he said huskily. “Touch your face,” he ordered, making it a command she was helpless to disobey. In the blink
of an eye she was as she’d been. It was what she needed from him now after all. “Let me in,” he repeated. He would be with her and that should prevent another emotional storm. His error had been in letting her awake alone.
“Yes,” she said, touching her face and upper chest, letting her hands trail to her breasts.
He tossed aside the shirt and moved his hands to the buckle of his belt. He wanted her to watch him. He moved slowly, knowing he was intensifying her desire as he did so. “Do you like what you see?” he asked, his voice deep and low.
“You know I do,” she whispered. She stepped aside for him to enter the shower stall. There wasn’t really enough room for two people inside it, but she backed against the wall.
Devlin smiled as he walked into the shower. He knew that she didn’t yet realize that he didn’t see her with the beautiful face. He was immune to his own illusions. Still, he found her the most intoxicating woman he’d ever known. His eyes trailed down from her head to her soft breasts and flat stomach and to the light curls beyond. He hardened instantly.
He stepped inside the small space and drew her into his arms, letting her feel the long hard length of his penis against her belly. “Tell me you want me,” he demanded again, though he didn’t compel her to answer. He wanted this to be her choice.
“I want you,” she said readily. She groaned as his hands found her breasts, and tilted her head up for his kiss.
He kept his eyes on hers and lifted her. “Put your legs around me,” he said huskily. When she’d complied, he drove inside her in one powerful thrust. Her inner muscles clenched around him almost immediately and he groaned, moving forward so her back was against the shower stall wall. “Yes, like that,” he growled. “Just like that.” Lowering his head, he kissed her hard, driving his tongue inside and drinking in her essence.
Devlin lifted his head and saw nothing but those beautiful eyes, dark with passion now. He lowered his head and nipped her neck gently. He felt the pulse beating there and wanted desperately to sink his teeth in and taste her. But he didn’t. Not now. He felt the hot rush of his blood as she moaned her pleasure.