by Grosso, Kym
He hadn’t had sex in a long time; well, not for a few weeks anyway. What had happened with Kade and Sydney earlier couldn’t exactly be called sex. He’d felt out of control with them. He still couldn’t believe Kade had let him feed from Sydney, let alone kiss her, touch her. She was a beautiful woman and a seriously toughened warrior, one whom he respected immensely, but she was not his. Nor did he want her. Sydney had been a means to health, no more, no less. And he was grateful to both of them for bringing him back from the brink.
Samantha shifted on the bed, turning away from him. He inwardly groaned as he admired her perfectly shaped ass; she was killing him. Adjusting himself, he tried to relieve some of the strain of his erection. Repeat to self, ‘Samantha is human’. Luca was happy that he planned on stopping at Tristan’s club on the way back to the airport. He’d pick a donor who’d satisfy his appetite for blood and sex. If he got it out of his system, he’d be able to control himself around Samantha. He relaxed slightly, knowing he’d devised a plan to get the devilish little witch out of his system.
Naked. Pounding music. Slapped across the face. Blinding pain. A pool of blood on a cold stone floor. Samantha gasped for air, jolting herself upright in bed. Another nightmare. She threw herself backward, focusing on the cedar ceiling beams. She was safe. Away from New Orleans and away from vampires. She closed her eyes, practicing the deep breathing she’d learned from Ilsbeth. Tense shoulders, breathe deeply, release breath, shoulders relax. By the time she got to her toes, her heartbeat had slowed, and she considered going back to sleep. Her thoughts began to race once again as she remembered the nightmare. She’d been naked in a nightclub and later had been imprisoned in a cell. What did I do in New Orleans? I want my life back.
Thinking she’d go for a run and take a nap later, she decided to get up. Then she remembered that Tristan would be sitting in her living room. Why couldn’t they all just leave her alone? Why did they think someone was after her? The attack could have been meant for Ilsbeth, not her. She decided that no matter what Tristan had to say, she wasn’t going to agree to return to New Orleans with him. She’d taken a leave of absence from her job so she could get herself together and return to work and her life. And that was what she was going to do.
As she sat up, her heart caught in her chest. A large male sat in the darkened corner of her bedroom. For a minute she relaxed, believing Tristan had come into her room, but then she noticed his hair wasn’t blonde. No, not Tristan. Someone was here for her already. Her heart beat wildly as the adrenaline pumped. She would not go without a fight.
Silently, she reached under her pillow and curled her hands around the hilt of the knife she’d taken to bed with her for protection. The man wasn’t moving, his feet propped up on the ottoman. In the darkness of dawn, she couldn’t see his face. Samantha didn’t want to be a victim. No, this time she’d be the aggressor. She couldn’t survive being taken hostage again. She’d kill before being taken again. She dragged her legs across the bed in one smooth motion and leapt at the stranger with the knife.
Luca had heard Samantha gasp, watching her sit straight up out of a dead sleep. He’d wanted to go to her, to calm her. But as she lay back again, he heard her heart slow. So he decided to watch and protect. He could not risk touching her while she was barely dressed and in bed. After his arousal earlier in the night, he didn’t trust himself to merely comfort her. Her sweet scent called to him like no other human’s blood ever had before, yet he swore to not get involved with the witch.
As soon as he lay his head back on the chair, confident she was going back to sleep, he sensed movement. Samantha had spied him and was coming at him with a sharp knife. He grabbed both her wrists and pulled her towards him, so she straddled him. Gently, he applied pressure to her thumb and was relieved that she dropped the knife without incident. Smelling her fear, he sought to assure her of her safety. “Samantha, it’s me, Luca.”
“Luca…you’re alive!” she exclaimed. Samantha was overcome with relief. That day at the coven, she was convinced she’d never see him again. Seeing him brought forth a rush of emotions. He’d been so caring and gentle with her at Kade’s house and then had fought valiantly to save her and Ilsbeth when they were attacked.
Wide eyed and shaking, Samantha extended her fingertips and placed them on Luca’s cheeks. She couldn’t believe he was with her in the cabin and alive. As Samantha adjusted to the dim light, she was captivated by Luca’s piercing dark green eyes. His jet-black, shoulder-length hair hung loosely around his handsome, chiseled face. Feeling his strong jawline tense in her small hands, the stubble prickled her fingers.
Luca froze as Samantha reached to touch him. Her hands burned his skin, and he felt as if he was on fire as desire built deep within him. As soon as her skin touched his, he instantly released her wrists, freeing her. Why was he having this visceral reaction to her? He’d hoped she’d jump away from him, and was regretting his action of pulling her onto him. His hands nearly crushed the arms of the chair as he held on for dear life. Blood rushed towards his groin. He breathed deeply, trying to control the rise of his erection. Christ, I have got to get back to New Orleans.
“What are you doing here, Luca?” Samantha asked. Instead of releasing him, she moved closer and pressed her forehead to his.
With her lips inches from his, he sucked in a breath and struggled to answer. “Samantha, I’ve come for you. You aren’t safe. I’ve come to take you home.”
Samantha searched his eyes for truth in his statement. Sensing he was entirely serious, she leaned closer still, feathered his lips with a small kiss, then stood up and walked away. She turned to look at him as she entered the bathroom. “Luca, as much as I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, there is no way in hell I’m goin’ back to New Orleans.” With that, she shut the bathroom door.
Stunned from her kiss, Luca threw his head back in frustration. He placed two fingers on his lips; how was he going to get her back to New Orleans without fucking her senseless? He cursed his erection and adjusted himself yet again as he pushed out of the chair and walked out of the room. He didn’t want to be there when Samantha was finished in the bathroom. His so-called ‘protecting’ her from her bedroom had officially ended. He could not trust himself. He’d wait for her in the safety of the living room and talk to her there.
Samantha laid the back of her head against the bathroom door and sighed. After being beaten and imprisoned, she thought she’d never think about sex again. Yet seeing Luca right now, she’d kissed him and was most definitely thinking of sex. Maybe she was attracted to him because he’d rescued her from the mage and then again from the attack. Maybe she had some kind of hero complex? No, it was something else. He’d been kind to her on the night at the mansion and later at the coven, had valiantly fought their attackers. It was as if there was some small part of Luca that understood what she’d been through. She could tell he cared by his words and his touch. And even now, instead of waking her and dragging her out of the cabin, which she knew he was capable of doing, he silently waited, protecting her. It was obvious to her that he’d been watching her sleep, waiting for her to agree to go willingly.
Looking deep into his eyes, she’d sensed sadness, hesitation, but also lust. From the second she’d touched his face, she’d felt the chemistry and soon after, she’d felt him grow physically hard beneath her. But then he said he really just wanted her to return to New Orleans, and she just could not do that. She understood from Tristan that she was in danger, but she wanted time to figure out another way to escape it. Any way to do that would satisfy her, as long as she didn’t have to return to New Orleans.
Samantha huffed and stared at herself in the mirror as she brushed her teeth. She wondered if her nightmare would ever end. For a split second, she contemplated sneaking out of the cabin but knew her effort would be a futile attempt at freedom. She’d learned that vampires could sense the tiniest sound or scent. Even if she somehow managed to get out of the house without Luca hearing her
, he’d soon realize her scent was gone and would just follow her.
Samantha pulled on a pair of black spandex yoga pants, and topped it off with a royal-blue tank top. As she looked at herself in the mirror once again, she decided to stay and deal with Luca. She refused to run. Contrary to whatever he thought, he wasn’t the boss of her. She’d calmly explain that she was staying in Pennsylvania and convince him to leave her alone.
Luca was staring at the lake when Samantha walked into the living room. He sensed her enter but chose not to look at her; what he needed to say would be better said if he wasn’t distracted.
“Samantha, we need to have a serious talk. Perhaps when I told you we needed to return to New Orleans, you thought it was a request. However, I assure you it’s not. Quite the opposite, in fact.” Luca turned to face her; his face hardened. “It’s simply a matter of fact. We’ll leave tomorrow morning to return to New Orleans. You can come willingly or not, but you’ll be returning with me.”
Samantha’s eyes flashed angrily at him as she grabbed an apple out of a bag on the counter. “What the hell is that supposed to mean, Luca? How exactly do you intend to get me on a plane if I don’t go willingly? Are you going to kidnap me just like Asgear did? Bespell me?” As she continued to rant, she paced back and forth in the kitchen.
“Oh, I know what you vampires do. What do they call it? Enthrall me? No way, Luca, no one is going to mess with my mind. I thought you were different from the others.” She stood and hung her head in despair. She was barely getting her thoughts back in order and now he was threatening her too. He was just like the rest of them.
Samantha’s words cut to his core. Maybe he didn’t care for humans, but he was not as cold-hearted as she’d just described. Why couldn’t she be reasonable and see the danger? Regardless, he felt he owed her the truth.
“I am vampire, Samantha. Nothing more, nothing less. I won’t lie to you. If given the choice between leaving you here unprotected or bringing you back to safety, I will enthrall you to get you back on that plane. I’m sorry if you’re angry with me, but this is how it must be. When the danger has passed, you can return to this area and Tristan will help you get settled, living as a supernatural.” Luca felt bad about having to be so strict with her, but he needed to keep her from danger.
He approached her slowly and placed a finger under her chin, tilting her face upward. His eyes met hers. “Trust me, Samantha. It will work out for the best. Please, just come back to New Orleans, willingly, until we figure out who attacked you. I promise to make this as pleasant as possible. I don’t want to enthrall you. I just need you to be safe.”
A tear fell from Samantha’s eye as she looked up at Luca. “Okay, Luca. I’ll go. But I don’t want to go back to the coven. Maybe no one told you, but I can’t do anything remotely witchy. The witches don’t even like me there, and frankly, I don’t want to be there. Ilsbeth is fine but I’m just not comfortable staying with the coven. Can I return to Kade and Sydney’s? Maybe I could stay with them until we get this figured out?”
Luca did not think it was a good idea for her to return to Kade’s house with Dominique milling about the place. When Samantha had been bespelled, she’d silvered Dominique to a table in Sangre Dulce. Dominique could have cared less that Samantha had no control, and she wanted very much to tear into her throat and drain her dry for what she’d done to her. She was incredulous that Kade had saved her and taken her to the coven. If Dominique saw Samantha, it was likely blood would be shed.
“No, there’s no way you can safely stay at the mansion with Kade and Sydney. As much as Sydney would love to have another human visit, Dominique is at their place way too often, and she’s looking for payback. She probably won’t kill you, since Kade has made it clear you’re off limits, but I’m afraid I couldn’t trust her not to at least attack you,” Luca continued, knowing he was going to regret his next words. “You’re welcome at my home, however. I live next door to Kade within his compound. There’s plenty of room, and I have a spare bedroom.”
Samantha nodded in relief. “Thank you, Luca.” She toyed with the apple in her hands and broke eye contact. “You have to realize that things are so out of control for me. I just need to have a few things I can control, like where I live.” She rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe this is happening to me. You know, I haven’t even told my family. My mom and dad live outside of Baltimore, and I haven’t even gone to see them since I got back. I just called my sister, Jess, to tell her I was the unfortunate victim of a ‘mugging’ per the story Sydney set up with the police and my employer. I told her to tell mom and dad I was staying in New Orleans on a consulting job and would call them when I got a chance. I’m lying to her…I’m lying to everyone. What am I supposed to tell them?”
She walked away from Luca, looking around the floor for her shoes. “Luca, you don’t need to say anything. I know you didn’t cause this to happen. I’m just frustrated. I need to think.”
Luca couldn’t resist her any longer. She reminded him of a wounded puppy, albeit a very sexy one. He confidently strode over towards Samantha and put his arms around her, raking his hands through her hair as he brought her face against his chest. Settling his lips into her mane of hair, he kissed the top of her head. He wrapped his other hand around the small of her waist as he spoke gently to her. “Samantha darlin’, it’s goin’ to be all right. We’ll find who’s responsible for this attack and you’ll get your life back. I promise you.”
Surprised by Luca’s tender embrace, Samantha hugged him back, enjoying the feel of the sinewy muscles of his back. Somehow within his arms, she knew she could trust him. He made her want to feel again: desire, lust, love. But he was vampire. Strong and lethal. At six foot five, he could easily overpower her and drag her to New Orleans, bend her to his will. But instead, he was comforting her in the best way he knew how…with words, with an embrace.
The growing desire within her chest frightened her. How could she be so attracted to Luca? She inwardly laughed, knowing that it was not so hard to be physically attracted to him. He was ruggedly gorgeous but not a pretty boy. No, nothing boy-like about him; he was pure virile male. Samantha could feel his tight abdomen against her own and longed to see the hard planes of his chest without clothing hindering her view. Whilst he was muscular, he was also lean, with a spectacularly athletic build.
Reluctantly, she stepped out of his arms, and sat on the ottoman, struggling to understand what was happening to her when she was around him. She blushed as she scrambled to put on her running shoes.
“Thank you, Luca. Um…for comforting me,” she stammered, trying to tie her shoes as quickly as possible.
“And where do you think you’re going? It seemed just a minute ago that we’d come to an understanding,” he said, raising a questioning eyebrow at her.
“Going for a walk around the lake,” she replied as she walked back to the sliding glass door leading to the back deck. “Our deal is that we leave tomorrow. So for today, I’m going to do my best to relax. You’re welcome to come with me. If not, you could stay here or meet me down at the pier when I’m done. I promise to yell should I see any bears,” she teased.
“I’ll watch you from the deck. I don’t sense any supernaturals in the area right now, so you’ll be okay. But stick close to the lake and I’ll meet you down at the pier in ten minutes. I just have to make a few calls. I want to let Kade and Sydney know when we’ll be arriving. I have to call Tristan too.”
“Okay, meet you down there.” Samantha bit into her apple, walked outside, closed the door and headed down the path towards the lake.
Watching Samantha like a hawk, Luca took a deep breath, grabbed his cell and called Kade. He explained to him that he’d be back down tomorrow and purposefully left out the part about Samantha staying with him. He couldn’t believe that he’d offered to let her stay with him, but at the same time, he secretly wanted to spend more time with his little witch.
After calling Tristan to let him know they
’d be stopping by his place early in the morning, he opened the door and headed towards the water. He didn’t relish having to stop at Eden, Tristan’s club, but he needed to feed and Tristan had promised to keep a blood donor waiting for him. He wasn’t about to feed on Samantha; she’d been through far too much trauma over the past weeks. His fangs elongated at the thought of tasting her sweet, magical blood. Goddammit. I have to keep it together. He retracted his razor sharp teeth, not wanting to risk Samantha seeing them.
As he got halfway down the path, he watched her stretch on the dock. He halted, admiring her firm ass as she bent forward to grab her right calf. His cock jerked to attention as he fantasized about ripping off her clothes and taking her from behind on her hands and knees right out in the open on the wooden pier. No one would see, he surmised, looking around at the isolated woods. Shaking himself from his thoughts, he sighed. He could not get involved with this human. He knew how fragile they were, how easily they could die. Luca refused to let that happen again.
Just as he thought he’d regained control of himself, his mouth dropped wide open. With her back facing Luca, Samantha crossed her arms in front of her and removed her flimsy, stretchy tank top. Jesus, what was she doing? He continued to watch in awe as she kicked off her sneakers, hooked her thumbs on the waist of her pants and stripped them off until she was standing on the end of the dock stark naked. She reached a hand up into her ponytail and freed her fiery mane; the soft tendrils scattered over her creamy pale shoulders, teasing the small of her back. The perfectly-formed globes of her buttocks called to him; his erection pressed tightly against his zipper.