Frustration swelled through her, but she forgot about it as his mouth moved over her neck and down to her collarbone. Her head tipped back; a small moan escaped her as he unhooked the front clasp of her bra and freed her breasts. Warm air flowed over her exposed flesh seconds before his mouth enclosed her right nipple and he began to suckle her breast. A jolt ran through her; her fingers dug into her thighs as she fought the overwhelming urge to grab him.
"Ethan!" she gasped when his mouth took her other nipple.
He seized her hands when they jerked in her lap, and she instinctively went to touch him. Releasing her breast, his emerald eyes came up, and his face hovered inches away from hers.
"Don't make me tie you up," he murmured.
Her heart gave an excited lurch the likes of which she'd never felt before. A thrill went through her, and though she'd never really thought about anything like that, she couldn't help but become more aroused by his words. A small smile curved his mouth while he continued to study her. Emma knew exactly how it felt to be hunted as his hands slid down her arms and his fingers wrapped around her wrists.
"You would like that, wouldn't you?" he asked.
Emma no longer had a voice to respond. He gently clasped her hands behind her back with his right hand. He lifted her bra with his left hand and held it in front of her before moving it behind her back. The lacy material was soft against her skin as he held it to her wrists.
"Wouldn't you, Emma?"
There was a challenging gleam in the eyes as they held hers. It took everything she had to keep breathing as anticipation held her motionless.
"Yes," she finally managed to get out.
A victorious smile curved his mouth as his fingers deftly worked the material into a tight knot around her wrists. His hands clasped her cheeks; he lifted her face and kissed her lips. "I am going to enjoy tormenting you."
She had no doubt as his hands returned to the edge of her panties. His eyes remained on hers as he lifted her ass up to work her underwear down her thighs and drop them on the patio. The night air caressing her exposed flesh did nothing to cool the heat of her skin and the fire sizzling through her veins. He trailed his fingers across her thigh and toward the junction between her legs. Just when she thought he was about to ease some of her misery, he pulled his hand away.
A groan of protest escaped her, but his finger against her lips silenced it. "You're not going to get off that easy."
Emma didn't think she would ever breathe again as his finger slid away from her mouth. Reaching behind her, he dipped his fingers into the glass of water still sitting on the table. His finger slipped away from her lips as he pulled out a piece of ice and moved his hand back toward her body.
Her eyes dilated when he placed the ice against the side of her neck. He loved watching the delight playing across her features as he slid the ice across her collarbone and lower toward her breasts. He held her eyes before bending to lick away the trail of water the ice cube left on her flesh.
A groan escaped her, but it faded when his mouth claimed her hardened nipple. Excitement coiled through her at the exhilarating sensation of the ice sliding over her body and the heat of his mouth as he followed the steady descent of the ice. Her skin was alive with the feel of him, the tension mounting in her body was making it almost impossible for her to stay still; she'd never experienced anything like what he was doing to her.
A moan of protest died on her lips when his mouth left her skin, but then he grabbed her hips and pulled her closer to the edge of the table. His eyes were back on hers; his hands grasped her inner thighs and pushed them apart. She found she couldn't breathe as she waited to see what he would do next. The anticipation growing within her only increased as a mischievous smile curved his mouth before he knelt before her.
The cold of the ice, and the fire of his mouth against her inner thigh, were tortuously exquisite as he moved over her skin. Emma found herself unable to look away as he moved higher up her thigh at a languid pace that almost caused her to fall off the table. A bolt of lightning seemed to go through her as he rubbed the ice over her clit before placing the cube into his mouth.
Then his mouth was on her center, and she forgot about everything else as his tongue slid in and out of her, leaving her boneless and struggling to breathe. Her hands jerked against the bra. The article of clothing was far stronger than she ever suspected it could be as it remained securely wrapped around her wrists. A small gasp escaped her as one of his fingers slid into her, driving deeper as he stroked the blaze of passion growing within her to more epic levels with his hand and tongue.
Ethan savored in her taste as he pulled her firmly against his mouth. Even though the ice had numbed his tongue, he could tell she tasted like honey as he delved deeper into her core. He didn't think he would ever get enough as she moaned and squirmed against him.
He felt the tightening in her muscles and knew she neared release as her breath came faster. Driving in and out of her with his fingers, he pulled slightly back to run his tongue over her clit. A startled cry escaped her, and her muscles contracted fiercely around his fingers as her thighs clenched against him. Satisfaction slid through him; he tasted her climax as tremors continued to rack her body.
He rose to his feet to take in the sight of her. Her eyes were dazed and smoky in color as they met his, she looked sated, but he was far from done with her. He began to unbutton his shirt and slid it off. Her eyes followed his movements; they lingered on his long, thick cock when he finally freed it from the confinement of his pants. His body was pulsing with desire as he stepped closer to her and rubbed the head of his shaft against her wet center.
All his muscles tensed as he watched her lips part and her body arched against his. A smile curved his mouth as she strained against the bra keeping her wrists together. She was completely at his mercy, and yet there was no fear in her gaze as she watched him. Taking her waist, he pressed his head against her center, teasing her with it before driving into her.
"Yes," she breathed as her head dropped against his chest and her legs wrapped around him.
He understood how she felt as a sense of completion stole through his body. The scent of her washed over him, the pulse of her blood caused his fangs to tingle with the urge to taste her, but even as the thought drifted through his mind, it vanished. For now, it was enough to be inside her, feeling her against him, and taking solace in the relief her body gave to him.
He'd enjoyed being in control up to this point, but now he realized he was never in control. She'd always had complete control over him, she just didn't know it, and now all he wanted was to feel her hands on him. Stretching behind her, he released the knot in the bra and pulled it free. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she pressed her mouth against his throat.
The salt of the sweat slicking his skin was pleasant tasting as she kissed his neck. The storm she thought his mouth and fingers so expertly put out was rapidly growing within her again. He was like a hurricane, powerful and all-consuming. She clung to him and rhythmically rode out the storm his passion created.
Joy and love swelled through her, and she almost cried from the force of the emotions swamping her. Love, she was in love with this powerful man who took possession of her heart and body. She lost herself to the demanding rhythm of his movements as he propelled her to higher and higher levels of pleasure. Her fingers dug into the flesh of his back as another splintering orgasm tore through her. She almost screamed out loud, but his mouth was on hers again as he thrust into her one more time and released a growl of pure satisfaction.
Chapter Fifteen
Ethan rolled away from the window and stretched out his hand for Emma, but as he was reaching for her, he knew she wasn't there. He shot up in the bed and tossed the blanket aside. Following her scent, he made his way into the living room and then beyond to the patio where he’d made love to her last night. He spotted her lithe body slicing through the pool seconds before her head popped above the surface. A smile curved he
r mouth when she spotted him standing next to the water.
"Good morning," she greeted as she rested her arms on the edge of the pool and tilted her head to look up at him. "You just like walking around naked, don't you?"
"You're one to talk," he said as he knelt before her. He brushed the wet hair back from her forehead and admired her ass and legs as she treaded water.
She turned her cheek into his hand and kissed his palm. "I was going to make breakfast, but you don't have any food here."
He knew there was no food in the fridge, but he was glad he'd made sure to take the blood out and store it in the garage before she came over last night. "We're not much for shopping."
"So I discovered."
"Are you hungry?"
She shrugged and ran a hand over his thigh. The muscles bunching beneath her palm made her forget all about the rumbling in her stomach as her hunger turned carnal. "Yes," she murmured.
He grinned at her as he slid into the pool. Emma swam backward, but he caught her quickly and pulled her back by her foot. She let out a little squeal as his hands moved steadily up her leg until he grabbed her waist. Her mouth was wet and tasted of chlorine as he kissed her, but he couldn't get enough of her.
Emma arched her hips against his, but he gripped her waist and spun her around. A gasp escaped her; her hands curled around the concrete side of the pool. One of his arms wrapped around her stomach as the other slid up to fondle her breasts.
The water, and his hand sliding over her flesh, made her skin tingle all over. She cried out as his mouth seared over her neck, and his cock slid into her. The pangs in her stomach were completely forgotten as his body enfolded hers and she lost herself to him.
It was sometime later before she drifted back to earth and the pool water around her. Ethan's arms were still wrapped around her; his breath warmed her neck as he held her close.
"You may be the death of me," she murmured.
His chuckle made her smile as she leaned against him. "I could say the same to you. We should get you some food."
"Aren't you hungry?" she asked.
"Not right now."
He reluctantly withdrew from her warmth. As soon he was out of her body all he wanted was to be back inside of her again. The feeling of possession crashing into him, made it so he was unable to move for a minute. He fought to keep his fangs retracted. She was his, and the driving urge to mark her as such caused his vision to blur, and his body shuddered.
"Ethan?"
"Hmm." It was the only sound he could get out as he nuzzled her neck and inhaled her scent. He was playing chicken with the devil right now, but he still couldn't bring himself to pull his mouth away from her neck.
"I've never felt like this about anyone before." She couldn't look at him as she said the words; she couldn't believe she’d uttered them. She felt exposed, vulnerable, and raw as she ducked her head away from him.
"Neither have I." Those words finally brought back his control, finally brought him back to what he wanted to be when he was around her—a good man. A man who didn't think about blood, death, and destruction, but about her and just how happy she made him. His fangs fully retracted when he kissed her neck this time. "Neither have I."
Tears of joy and relief burned her eyes as his hands stroked over her stomach. "Come on, let's get you out of this water. You're starting to resemble a raisin," he teased.
He kept his arm around her as he swam over to the stairs and walked out of the water with her by his side. He retrieved towels from the cabana and gave her one. The massive towel she wrapped around herself nearly encompassed all her small frame.
"I'm leaving in two weeks," she said.
His hands froze on the towel; the strangest sensation shot through him. It took everything he had to suppress the snarl that almost tore from him. He inhaled a shuddery breath as he strained to retain his composure. It wasn't something he wanted to think about, but it had to be addressed, and soon. She didn't know it yet, but he didn't plan to let her go.
"I don't want this to end, Emma."
Her smile lit up her entire face as she looked at him from under spiky, wet lashes. "Neither do I."
He used the towel to pull her close and kissed the tip of her nose. "Then we will figure it out."
Emma grabbed her dress and underwear from where they fell last night and followed him inside. She took a shower and emerged from the bathroom to find him sitting on the bed, also freshly showered. It felt weird to slip the dress back on, but she didn't have any other choice as he rose from the bed and handed her a bag. She tossed her underwear inside.
"A toothbrush would be beautiful," she muttered.
He laughed and looped his arm through hers as they left the house and made their way back to where she was staying. "My brothers are arriving in two days, so my place is going to get a little crowded. Hopefully, Jill and Mandy won't mind my company."
"Jill might be chasing after your brothers."
"I don't think Ian or Aiden would complain."
Emma unlocked the door and pushed it open. The home was unusually silent, but the aroma of maple syrup and bacon wafted from the kitchen. Her stomach grumbled loudly in response to the delicious scents. "They must be at the beach already," she said as she dropped her shoes by the door and hurried to her room.
She changed and joined Ethan in the kitchen where he pushed a note toward her. She recognized Jill's girly handwriting on the piece of paper telling her they were at the beach. Opening the cabinets, she grabbed a box of cereal and two bowls. "I'm not hungry," Ethan told her.
She glanced questioningly at him over her shoulder but put one of the bowls back. Pouring herself a bowl of cereal, she added some milk and walked over to sit next to him at the breakfast bar. The rumbling in her stomach eased as she eagerly filled it with food.
A loud bang outside froze her with the spoon halfway to her mouth. Ethan's head turned, his jaw clenched, and for a second she thought he sniffed the air. Then, he was rising and hurrying so fast toward the door it would be an average person's jog, but he was still only walking.
Emma was coming around the breakfast bar when he pulled the door open. His muffled curse and the abrupt stiffening of his shoulders should have prepared her, but she wasn't prepared for the spectacle of the dead cat on the stoop.
Emma's stomach turned when she saw the unnatural angle of the poor animal's neck. She couldn’t comprehend what she was seeing, or why the cat was there, until Ethan bent to examine it. With his body out of the way, her eyes were drawn to the giant red slut scrawled across the blue door.
It felt like her mind waded through quicksand as it tried to process everything she was seeing. Then, she spotted the paper Ethan pulled away from the cat. "Ethan—"
"Stay back, Emma." She barely heard him, but something about the tone of his voice froze her in place.
His upper lip curled into a sneer; he went to crumple the paper, but she stopped him. "I want to read it."
He glanced at her over his shoulder. "I'm not sure you do."
Emma threw her shoulders back and stretched out her hand. "I'm not backing down from anything he does."
Ethan glanced at the paper and the dead cat before reluctantly handing her the note. Emma hated the shaking in her hand, but she couldn't stop it as she took the paper from him and slowly unfolded it. She recognized Tristan's hastily scrawled writing immediately.
You're still mine, no matter who you fuck. Next time it will be his body on your doorstep. I'm watching you.
Emma's stomach twisted, and she almost threw up the meager contents of her breakfast. She knew Tristan wasn't right in the head, that something malevolent dwelled within him, but she’d never expected this—the poor cat.
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she took in the broken body of the innocent animal. At the same time, rage swelled up within her, but she wasn't sure if she was more infuriated, saddened, or terrified right now.
Ethan rose and stepped toward her, but she held up her hand
to ward him off. "You should stay away...he's not...he can see..." she choked out as her gaze went over his shoulder to the door beyond.
"I don't care," Ethan said and wrapped his arms around her.
Her hands flattened against his chest as she tried to push him away, but he refused to let her go. Despite her good intentions to keep him away, she found her fingers curling into his shirt and pulling him closer.
"You should be running from here. You should be getting as far from this insanity as you can. You're in danger—"
"No, I'm not," he said forcefully. "And I am not going anywhere. No matter what happens, I’m staying by your side, Emma."
"Ethan, he's obviously unstable, look at the cat." She took a shuddery breath as she fought not to fall apart completely. "We should call the police."
His hands flattened on her back. "There's no proof he did any of this, Emma. I know you thought you saw him, but we don't know where he is, or where to start looking for him. The police can’t do much."
She frowned at his words. "But they can start looking for him. With his prior history, if they can find him on the island, they may be able to do something."
Ethan's mind spun as he tried to come up with some way to keep her from going to the police. It was the normal, human reaction to something like this, but he didn’t want human interference. He was determined to find this man and seek his revenge. He'd tried for years to keep his murderous impulses restrained, but he was willing to let the monster inside him feast on the bastard tormenting her. But if humans were involved, and Tristan went missing, they might look to him.
"If I don't report this, and it escalates, they'll question why I waited," she continued.
None of the reasons running through his head sounded like a plausible excuse for her not to go to the police without sounding suspicious or unsupportive. He'd have to make sure Tristan's body was never found.
"Okay, I'll call them. Why don't you sit down and try to relax," he said as he led her over to the couch. "Do you want me to get you anything?"
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