“I should go.” The sky would soon lighten. The campers’ singing had died down long ago.
“Sarma, don't you want to know why I watched you?”
“You already told me.”
“No. I didn’t.” He sat up in front of her and leaned in close. Her glistening lips parted.
“This is why. I wanted to give you this.” His lips, firm and gentle, brushed against hers. He lingered for a moment waiting for her response.
She pulled away—afraid to fall into someone’s arms she’d never met.
“We can stop,” he murmured.
“I really should go—”
The heat emanating from her told him she didn't want to stop. “What’s the rush? The night is so young. But we don’t know each other, right? And I'm a real scoundrel. The kind of guy you want to avoid, right?” He rose, took her hand, and helped her stand. “I just have one question for you,” Reinis said.
“Yes?”
“Do you ever just let go?”
Chapter 11
Captivated, Sarma found herself standing dangerously close to Reinis, her breath caught in her throat. He was right. When had she ever let go? For her entire life she did everything by the book, everything her mother and later Derek told her to do. The attraction between Reinis and her was magnetic and brought all her senses alive, made her heart pound and her stomach dance with butterflies. For once she wanted to do something thrilling, let go of what other people thought of her, and follow her heart.
She slid her hands around his waist, solid beneath his shirt. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, his hot breath on her neck. He brushed his cheek against hers. His stubble rasped her cheek, and a surge of desire flushed her neck and breasts; her nipples tightened as his lips grazed behind her ear. Like that first night in the club, the same sensuous thrill engulfed her.
“I don't want things to go wrong,” she whispered. He kissed her neck below her jawline, sucking lightly. Her breath quickened.
Reinis pulled away, lifted her chin with his finger so he could meet her eyes. “Maybe things aren't going wrong. Maybe they are going very, very right.” He traced his finger over a braid that crowned her head then leaned in lingering near her mouth. “I'm not a mistake.”
“Prove it.” She grasped his hand and tugged him against her.
As Reinis kissed her again, it felt measured and deliberate. She didn’t want him to move slowly anymore. Need drove her as she opened her mouth and met him full force.
Aching for him, Sarma arched her head back, allowing him to sweep her neck with passionate kisses. On her forehead, her cheeks, her throat. All she could think of, all she wanted, was his cool hand brushing against her warm skin.
As if he knew what she wanted, Reinis skated his fingers over the bare skin at her waistline. She nudged him closer and smoothed her hand over his chest. Gripping his nape, she sucked his lower lip. Reinis slid his hand inside her blouse, sending tingles over her body. Her breasts heaved with her rapid breathing.
Sarma pressed her chest against his torso, her thigh finding his hardness. She wanted to draw the heat out of him, needed his response. Reinis tipped his head back, groaned, and palmed her breasts. Pressing his hips into her leg, he guided her to the soft pine needles and sand. Swollen and ready, he undulated his hips in a hypnotizing movement that smashed any walls she had in place. Her legs fell open. Her body spoke the words she longed to say. Wet in her panties, she lay back so he could nestle on top of her, her hips answering his movements.
“We can stop if you want,” he gasped in her ear as he stroked between her legs over her jeans, pressing the seam against her core.
She rubbed against his hand and burned for him to find the wetness between her thighs. Slowing for a moment, he removed the jacket and laid it out, lifting her onto it. Reinis kneeled above, as if he awaited her response.
One night stands were never her thing, and never in her wildest dreams did she imagine meeting a stranger as hot and intriguing as Reinis. Even if she wanted to stop, nothing, not fear of the unknown or any consequences could pry her out of Reinis’ arms. The heat between them swept away any hesitation. Nothing mattered except for Reinis’ touch, Reinis’ kisses. Propped on her elbows, she loved the way his dark hair fell over his face.
“I’ve never done something like this before,” she whispered, “but tonight might be the only chance I’ll ever have to . . . Even if I never see you again, it’s the first time I know what I want, and I can’t turn my back on it.”
Sarma sat straight up. Grasping his square jaw in her hand, she took his mouth with hers as if it was the first and last kiss she’d ever have. All of the week’s anxieties flittered away like dandelion seeds carried in the breeze. There were so many moments in her life when she did things out of obligation, but right now, she craved him to the marrow of her bones—it was Reinis that she wanted. Reinis was all that mattered.
She peeled back her blouse, inviting him to look at her, to kiss her. Although she admired how he took his time, she became impatient as he ensured she accepted his advances.
Sarma didn’t notice the full moon. Even the lapping of waves nearby faded as he slid off their shirts and molded his chiseled chest against her breasts. Skin to skin, her heart hammered, and she felt his pounding. Straddling him, she ground against his hips. Swollen and hungry for him, each time she rotated her hips, her jeans rubbed her core. She craved more, ached for more, and tightly pressed her body against his.
Reinis reached around, undid her bra, then traded places with her, lifting her as if she weighed nothing. He caressed her budding nipples, mesmerizing her with his touch. Sarma undulated against him, as his other hand slid down her abdomen toward her sex. Reaching down, he removed her jeans and lace panties, parted her legs with one hand, and smoothed his hand over her moist mound. Her lips ached with the need to be penetrated. As if he knew what she required, he dipped several fingers between her cleft and titillated her rigid pink nub. She raised her hips off the ground, a moan escaping her lips.
He curled his finger inside and massaged her upper ridge, quickening the pace until wetness spilled over her thighs. More groans sweep out of her throat. His mouth slightly open, his breath uneven, he worked her body. He strummed her—her lips, her clit, her opening. The pressure built. She danced on his fingers as he penetrated her again and again. She bucked against him. The release made her legs shake, and her pelvis kick off the ground. He moved away, and his metal belt buckle clinked as he slipped off his jeans.
Should she ask him to wear protection? She still took the pill every day, a habit leftover from her relationship with Derek. What if he didn’t have any? She didn’t want him to slow down, didn’t want him to stop. Her body burned so badly for him to penetrate her, she’d go through with this no matter what. Maybe it was a bad idea, but instead of posing the question, she melted into another kiss as he knelt before her.
As Reinis sunk his weight on top of her, she opened her eyes. A whisper of light danced on the horizon. She closed them again, not wanting the night to end, and focused on Reinis’ mouth closing around her breast. He swept his tongue across her puckered nipple, teasing with light grazes of his teeth. His palm pressed her bare back.
Her abdomen tensed as he brushed the head of his hardness against her inner thighs. She dug her nails into his shoulders. He teased her, touching her wet opening with his smooth, thick tip. Pulling him toward her, she urged him to fill her. He held back a moment more—until she quivered—then plunged inside, stretching her walls.
Reinis directed her body as if he possessed her and she loved it. He shook her with pleasure, and she accepted every thrust. As if he needed her as much as she needed him, he pumped with urgency. Her muscles clenched tighter around his shaft. Wrapping her legs around his hips, she gripped his waist with both hands, pressing his rigid hardness deeper inside. He rocked his hips, riveting her with hard pressure. His skin dampened as a sheen of sweat broke out over his body.
&
nbsp; A charge shot through her body and radiated out from her thickened clit. Her heart pounded against her ribcage. She nudged him toward her again, tonguing his neck, sucking hard on his shoulder, savoring the salty sweat on his skin.
Her insides throbbed, insisting he continue. She arched her back underneath him. A crest of ecstasy washed through her like liquid fire. Her hands gripped his as she tensed into an orgasm that tore through her.
Physical pleasure overflowed every cell of her body. She never felt so emotionally linked with anyone. This wasn’t just sex, Reinis was inside her body, within her emotions, flirting with her soul.
Eyes closed, floating in the afterglow, a soft hum vibrated into her chest. It was as if he delved into her spirit. She didn’t know where Reinis began and where she ended. Her body melded to his like fused iron. For a second, she sensed his enthrallment was beyond what a stranger should feel. Her feelings reflected his.
Sarma thought the murmur of Reinis’ voice passed through her mind, though she couldn’t distinguish the words—they were a distant echo.
~ * ~
The sun threatened to rise. Reinis wished he could stop the world from turning. The future of vampires across the globe depended on him. He could die for his interest beyond duty. But, he was with Sirsniņa.
He never felt like this with anyone, ever. His reasoning departed. Shocked by his need, Reinis broke the seal between them and shifted to the side, pulling her in front of him. He spooned her from the back, spread her thighs, and thrust inside her again. Penetrating into her slick folds, he slapped against her at a wild pace. She moaned and unlocked her legs, pressing her round cheeks into his pelvis so he could sink in deeper. His heartbeat thundered in his ears as her lushness consumed him.
Turning her around, he pulled her underneath his frame. As he penetrated again, he relished her face. Eyes closed. Her perfect mouth, agape. Beads of sweat dappled her cheeks. With each thrust, her head jerked up a little. Sarma was like no one he ever met before. Giving her pleasure made him feel something he hadn’t anticipated—happiness beyond lust.
Her passion and acceptance of him made his heart expand. The interior of her being bore into him. He molded his chest against her breasts, tonguing her neck, finding her mouth again. As he kissed her, he burrowed into her with tentacles of affection. The rush of her blood and rhythm of her moans overwhelmed him. Sarma’s ardor spilled into him. Her heart bloomed like a delicate gardenia. He suddenly felt bare and vulnerable, like the deepest part of him opened, and a rush of desire and reverence poured out of his heart into hers.
Their heartbeats unified.
He shuddered with the fervor coursing through his veins. Her exposed neck and cries made his teeth elongate. He thrust into her until he could take the pulsating, inner muscles of her sex no more. Crashing into a hurricane of fire, he spilled into her. He gripped her tight, rode the ecstatic peak that inundated him, and collapsed on top of her.
Panting, she rested beneath him, extended beneath his powerful body. Her face and hair glowed in the first light of the sun. He sighed, not wanting to glance away from her face. Her eyes were closed, and her breath slowed to a soft, even pace. Two nude bodies, chest to breasts, cradled together.
Though her eyes were still closed, the sun’s rays lit up the darkness beneath her eyelids. She didn’t want it to be the shortest night of the year, didn’t want to leave his embrace. He ran a finger across her forehead and kissed her temple, then slid his hand into her hair. She wanted to open her eyes to take in his face, but seeing the sky lighten would mean admitting daylight had come. What if she asked him for his contact info? No, that would be nuts. She just met him and no one did that sort of thing. Not with a one night stand. Oh geez. She opened her eyes and turned her head to the side. She had slept with a total stranger!
Sarma ripped herself out from under Reinis. “I have to go.” She scooped up her clothing and began to dress. “This was a mistake. A horrible mistake. I’m leaving Latvia and will never see you again.” She quickly buttoned her blouse, furious she enjoyed the experience so much. He invaded every cell of her being. She slid on a shoe and stared at the sandy ground to avoid his eyes.
As he dressed it hit her she just had the best sex of her life with a man she didn’t know. No, not just sex—they had braided into each other.
“It doesn’t have to be that way. At least, I wish it were different, Sirsniņa.” He grasped her hand.
“What did you say?” She recoiled. Sarma didn’t know what the word meant, but his tone expressed a tenderness that indicated more than a one-night stand. It cut into her like a serrated knife.
“Nothing. I’m sorry.”
“Me too. But we don’t know each other. Our paths crossed for one night but there’s nothing either of us can do. Please go.” Sadness highlighted each word and tears rolled down her cheeks. He lifted his eyes off the ground and they reflected the sorrow in her heart.
The sun had risen and warmed the air. Exhaustion hit her like a train. She turned her back on him, settling on the ground, heartbroken this encounter was more than just great sex.
His soft footsteps moved across the sand.
As he left, her heart crushed in the palm of an invisible hand.
Back in the cabin, Reinis removed his clothing and pulled himself under the covers. He didn't care that the room was cold, that he was sandy, or that his teeth ached in misery. He stared at the ceiling and brought the blanket close around him. Heartache and rage seized his heart. How could he do that to her? Having emotions during duty was new to him. He recalled the unmistakable pulse of their heartbeats coalescing. She had cracked him open. Now, he had to forget her . . . forever. His soul had been one with someone for the first time in his life. With Sirsniņa, he threw aside the fact that she was human and dove into her person, putting his entire species on the line. A human may have slain his father, but he was certain, a woman like her would never hurt his kind.
He sprang out of bed and paced the room until his legs burned and twitched with exhaustion. How could he call her Sirsniņa to her face? He didn’t see it coming. The word just slipped out of his mouth. It was an accident . . . no, it was natural. Apparently, she didn’t speak Latvian, but she understood the tone, the heartfelt word. Damn. He called her his little heart.
This was a mistake. A horrible mistake. Her statements impaled his heart and slammed him back to the truth—she was a duty and nothing more. And his reply, that he didn’t want to see her again either, was a lie he was certain slashed her. With those harsh, cold words, agony filled his heart. Sarma wasn't just beautiful; she had an inner magnificence. As special as his mother had said.
Why did it have to be like this? One day, someone from his coven would take the baby. It destroyed him to know how much she would suffer. His coven forbade everything he felt. Vampires in a relationship with humans? Forbidden. Humans couldn't understand the vampire ways. Humans were a duty. A species to be utilized for the propagation of his. Besides, they stopped converting humans to vampires. Most who lived through the ordeal went insane.
Sarma should be in his arms right now, held, caressed, and pampered. He wanted to protect her from the future. He craved having her sleep at his side, against his body, in the warm cabin. Instead, she ended up in the frigid morning air. Alone.
Sarma wasn’t a production device. She had a right to be infuriated. He despised how torn he’d left her and detested himself. He was sorry because she would be pregnant and never see their son. She didn't know how regretful he was that he hurt her, used her for his own ends. Shame thrashed him.
Their conversation was so easy, so innate, even in the awkward moments. Her whole face lit up with laughter. As he left, the sorrow in her voice assailed his ears, punctured his heart.
Their hearts had beat as one.
Did that mean he had imprinted her? That they had exchanged a tiny part of their souls—a sliver of him into her, a piece of her into him. An imprint would mean she would be able to feel him when
ever he neared. That they belonged to each other forever. Imprinting a human was strictly forbidden by the coven. He searched himself to know if he’d changed. He wasn't sure. The misery and torment that they could never be together left him barren.
Chapter 12
Dita crushed a glass of red wine in her hand.
Reinis had reached Sarma.
The wine bit at her wounds, but the excruciating pain didn’t dull the fiery rage inside. She wanted to grab a bow and arrow and target practice with Reinis’ head. Her children were useless idiots. She would kill them if it would improve her life, but they were her last tool to destroy Laima.
Dita belted out a bloodcurdling scream. The blackened veins around her temples throbbed. She hurled a glass against the wall. This wasn’t the end. She would never give up. Not if it cost her everything. She would tear them all down, piece by piece, until nothing remained of their coven.
~ * ~
Sarma jerked awake and lay hot then shivering between the fire and tents. Did she have clothes on? She felt woozy. Marita stared at her like a child who’d wet herself.
“Careful. You have a fever. We need to get you home.” Marita offered her water.
Sarma stared blankly and did not accept it. Her lips parted to speak, but she was slow and foggy. No words came out. Her head pounded, and she was sweating profusely.
Reinis.
She had slept with Reinis.
Weakness forced her to lay down. Her vision went black, but she stayed awake. In a haze, she couldn't decide if last night was a nightmare or the best dream of her life. Marita told her that Laima insisted they drive her back to the Riga apartment. They helped her to the car, and she collapsed in the back seat.
Forbidden Darkness (Immortal Desire Series Book 1) Page 8