Claws and Fangs

by Laurann Dohner

  Her breathing changed to soft little pants and his thighs tensed. “Ride me, sexy. At least free my legs. Don’t make me just lie here. I’ll give you the best bucking of your life.”

  Her head lowered as she stared at him. “I’m so tempted, but no.” Her hand moved away from the vee of her spread thighs and she leaned up, her hands bracing on his stomach. He tensed as she lifted her hips.

  “Try not to come before I do.” She stared into his eyes. “Please? I’m so close that it’s not asking for much.”

  He wondered if men had left her wanting often. They were fools if they didn’t appreciate her beauty to the fullest. “You can fuck me for hours. I’ll stay hard no matter how many times I come.”

  Interest sparked in her eyes. “Really? So you do get off?”

  “Yes, lass, I sure do.”

  “You have sex with humans?”

  She amused him. “I told you, I’m not dead. I’m still a man.”

  Her hand lifted off his stomach and gently squeezed his cock. She hovered just above him. She lowered a little, rubbing the crown against her very warm, wet pussy. Lethal groaned in anticipation of what she’d feel like once he was buried balls deep.

  “Don’t torture me, Lacey.” He wanted to get inside her.

  She eased down and he ground his teeth together, his fangs lengthening at the sheer ecstasy of how tight and welcoming her body was. Sleek heat constricted around his cock as she took more of him. Her moan of pleasure became the most wonderful sound ever as she began to move up and down. Her hands slid up to his chest, braced against him, and he couldn’t look away from her beautiful eyes when they met his gaze.

  He was tempted to strongly enforce his will and order her to unchain him. She was wide open to him both physically and mentally now as the pleasure between them mounted. He resisted using mind control, not willing to interfere with her actions. She felt too good riding him and he wanted her a bit too much. It was best if he remained restrained. He didn’t trust that he wouldn’t lose all control. She was fragile, and accidentally hurting her was a possibility if he was in charge.

  There were other suggestions he had no qualms about, however.

  You won’t kill me. You no longer have that desire. You want to believe what I say, and deep down you know I’m nothing like the vampire who murdered your sister. You want to figure me out, and shield me from others who will do me harm.

  Lacey rode Lethal frantically, her gaze locked with his, and the glowing beauty of his eyes turned her on more. His cock was large, thick, and incredibly hard. No man had ever felt so good.

  She adjusted her hand, reached between their joined bodies, and her fingertip massaged her clit. She broke eye contact with him as the climax hit, so powerful she cried out and shook from the force of it. The man under her tensed his legs, bucking his hips upward as much as he could with the chains holding him down. He slammed into her hard and furiously, groaning her name as he came.

  She felt it when he did, as her vaginal muscles fluttered from the aftermath of her own release, milking his cock, and his warm semen flooded deep inside her. She panted, stunned by the intense response to his body as she nearly collapsed on top of him. She would have, but knew it would put her in range of his fangs.

  That would be really stupid. She opened her eyes. He looked even sexier after sex. Those white fangs pressed against his lower lip, as if he’d tried to muffle the sounds he made. That was disappointing. She would have loved to hear every one.

  His irises truly glowed, and she wondered if he attempted to take control of her mind. She should look away. Though vampires had never been able to make her brainless with their suggestive abilities, it was possible she just hadn’t come across one who was strong enough. He was a master, and none of her team knew exactly what one was capable of, what powers they possessed. They’d never caught one, and didn’t know anyone who had.

  She just couldn’t look away, despite the risk. Part of her wondered if she’d been compromised but she disregarded it. He’d have forced her to remove the chains, not have sex with him.

  He licked the tips of his fangs. “I’m sorry if I frighten you. I have no intention of biting but they tend to come out when I’m really turned on.”

  She shrugged and brushed her hand over his stomach, tracing the muscles there. Fear wasn’t at the top of her list of things she currently felt. It was a little disheartening that the best lay of her life happened to be with a bloodsucker. It made it ten times worse that it was her duty to kill him. It was a depressing thought.

  “No worries. I’m not going near your mouth so it doesn’t matter.”

  He sighed. “I’ll die a happy man now.” A smile curved his lips. “I’ll close my eyes when death comes, and remember how gorgeous you are...and how amazing that was.”

  His words stunned her. She figured he might try to change her mind about opening the skylight. Most men would be pretty smug about getting a woman off. Not this one. It made her like him a little more. Not good.

  “Do you know anything about the vampire who killed your sister? Do you have a description of him?”

  The question surprised her. “Why do you want to know?”

  “I’d like you to do me one favor after you open that skylight and turn me to ash. Leave a note at that club you took me from, detailing what you know about her killer. My friends will hunt him down.” He paused. “We don’t abide vampires who take lives. It not only increases the danger of our exposure to your kind, but it pisses us off. Just do it quickly. They’ll realize they’ve been compromised when I don’t return and move their location.”

  “Why would you offer me that?”

  “You gifted me with a memorable last evening. It’s a good way to die.”

  She didn’t believe him.

  “Trust me, Lacey. I’ve imagined how I would go out of this life many a time. Most of my kind dies in battle or from the stakes of humans who kill us for sport. Family is important enough to avenge. That is honorable, and I respect that. You have a noble cause.” His gaze lowered to her breasts, a smile playing at his lips. “And a beautiful body. I wish to help you fulfill your quest to take out your sister’s murderer as a way to show my gratitude.”

  She stared at his face, looking for some hint of deception. What was his angle? Maybe he hoped she was dim-witted enough to share details with someone at that club so they could figure out how to find her. They would come seeking revenge for Lethal’s death.

  “I don’t think so.”

  He frowned. “Fine. There’s a rogue vampire out there attacking and killing humans, and he won’t stop until someone takes him out. You have known the loss of a loved one. Why make others experience that same pain?”

  She leaned forward, her hands braced against his chest again in case he lunged up to try to sink his teeth into her. With her arms locked, it would throw her back if he attempted it. She wanted to believe him, but anyone in his situation would say anything to save his own life.

  “What makes you think they could find him?”

  “There aren’t many of us in each city. It’s just a matter of having a description and setting up surveillance of anyone who fits it. They’ll be there to stop him permanently the first time he goes after another woman. We weren’t aware of any murders or we would have already taken care of it. We haven’t been in town long, and only the high-profile cases have caught our attention. With your help, they’ll know who to hunt.”

  He is really good. Long black eyelashes adorned those arresting eyes. He looked at her with such sincerity that, if she didn’t know what he was, she’d have believed him.

  What if he is telling the truth?

  She bit her lip, considering that. The idea of finding Beth’s killer was too tempting to easily dismiss.

  “Her death ruined everything,” she admitted. “I was engaged, had a job I loved and a great life. After she died, this jerk showed up at my apartment to tell me he knew what had killed her. I thought he was insane—until he s
howed me one like you. They’d captured a vamp, and I watched as they let him burn alive in the sun. After that, I became obsessed with finding your kind, to prevent others from knowing my loss. I couldn’t stomach lying to everyone I knew, so I avoided getting close to anyone after I walked away from my old life.”

  “Why did they even tell you?” He frowned. “I mean, what was the point? The truth would only torment you more.”

  “They needed help going after vampires, and my father was a Marine sniper, which was mentioned in Beth’s obituary. Our dad raised us after our mother took off. He taught us how to use guns, and the picture I’d given to the newspaper showed us posing together at the firing range.”

  He sighed. “Did you shoot me or was it your father?”

  “He died a year before I lost Beth. It’s just me now.” It was a roundabout admission. It didn’t sit well with her to admit that she was the one who’d taken him down, now that their relationship had become far more intimate. She couldn’t ignore that.

  “Please leave the note. Don’t make my death meaningless. I always believed I’d die in battle.” His gaze flicked to the ceiling, where the sun awaited him when she opened the skylight. “Give me the peace of knowing my friends will go after that animal who killed your sister. It’s what my friends and I do. We kill the bad ones.”

  She gazed into his pretty eyes, and unless he was the most convincing liar in the world, he honestly seemed to mean every word. She wanted to believe him. She had fried vamps before for the team, a few times actually, and she’d done it without hesitation. Just thinking about watching Lethal burst into flames, the screams of agony that would follow, and him fading into ash, turned her stomach.

  She couldn’t do it.

  Her emotions were in turmoil. He was a killer, a vampire. Everyone on the team had suffered personal loss. For three years, she’d helped take out vamps but had never found the son of a bitch she wanted to kill most. Lethal had the resources to accomplish that, if he was being truthful.

  It wasn’t easy working for her boss. Jeff could be a first-rate jerk whenever anyone disagreed with his orders. He kept the team on a shoestring budget. He always stripped the vamps of their money and used it to fund the team, since it was impossible for most of them to keep full-time jobs with all the assignments he passed out. He didn’t care about tracking Beth’s killer, any vampire would do, and he gave her hell every time she brought up the subject.

  Lethal offered her more help than Jeff ever had, yet he was facing the dawn. Could she trust him? Did he really want to help? If so, that said something about his character that she couldn’t ignore.

  Inexplicably, she’d had mind-blowing sex with Lethal—and she’d never been one to take that lightly. Her body and heart were connected.

  I can’t do it. I can’t watch his destruction. What if he’s telling the truth?

  Some humans were killers, rapists, and worse than rabid animals. Others were good, kind, wonderful people. What if vampires were the same? That question would haunt her if she opened that skylight.

  “Son of a bitch!”

  She rose to her feet and stomped over to the table where she’d dropped her vest. She tore open a pocket and grabbed two darts. She spun, met his gaze, and slowly approached.

  He glanced at her fisted hand. “Thank you, lass. It’s kind of you to knock me out so I don’t suffer an agonizing death.” He paused. “The sex was amazing. You’re a beautiful lass, and I hope you find the one who took your sister from you. If you decide to leave that note, tell them to go after him for Morgan McKay. Tell them it’s an honor debt. Those words will always protect you from my friends.”

  She hesitated. “Why?”

  “We do have honor. The use of my birth name will be proof to them that it’s not a trap when they go after the rogue. They’ll know I want him punished for what he did to your sister. They’ll do it.”

  She wanted to believe that, but she also wasn’t a pushover. The sex had been really hot, the best she’d ever had, but she’d never admit it to him. “I’m going to make the sun seem like a fun, delightful way to die if you’re lying to me.” She straddled his thighs again and leaned forward, planning to jab the darts into his arms.

  A smile lifted the corners of his mouth as his gaze fixed on her cleavage. “I can die happy with your bonny breasts the last thing I see.”

  A charming vampire. Who knew? She almost hated to hurt him, but he didn’t wince when she sank the tips of the darts into the muscles near his elbows. His eyes closed and his head slumped to the side when he lost consciousness.

  Chapter Four

  Lacey experienced a bit of guilt for staring as the washcloth cleaned away the small amount of blood from the naked body stretched across the bed. She’d put a sheet over Lethal’s lap but she’d seen it all when she’d stripped him of his tank top and leather pants. She’d looked plenty.

  A quick glance at the bedside clock assured her that he’d wake soon. She’d run out of drugs to keep him down two hours before. She hadn’t wanted to risk him coming around while she’d run errands. Her worried gaze lifted to the solid wood bedposts, and she prayed he wasn’t strong enough to break them. If so, she’d find out quickly if she’d miscalculated. He’d kill her faster than she could suffer regret.

  The side of her hand brushed warm skin as she washed away the last drops of blood from his extended arm where the dart had broken his skin. The marks from them had already healed. It shocked her that not even a faint scar remained.

  Her vampire had a tattoo on the side of his hip, something beautiful in some strange language she didn’t know. It curved along his hipbone, down to the side of his thigh. Another one graced the back of his shoulder, a sword with more strange writing on the blade. It was stunning, and whoever had inked him was a true artist. Of course the canvas they’d used was perfection. The guy had the best bod she’d ever seen.

  Her cell phone rang but she ignored it. She knew Jeff would call and it didn’t matter anymore. The ashes from the last vampire they’d fried were spread where Lethal would have been if she’d opened that skylight. It might fool the team into thinking she’d completed her job, but she hadn’t been willing to risk it. Whoever got cleanup duty might notice a missing jar of ashes when they added the new one.

  Jeff would see her as the enemy if he even suspected she’d grown softhearted. She wouldn’t put it past him to torture her until he learned Lethal’s location. He could be that much of an asshole. It wasn’t a concern that they could trace her disposable cell. The team feared that law enforcement might discover their operation. Officially, vampires didn’t exist, so her team would be viewed as dangerous crazies with guns.

  The team would go to her place, not find her there, and wouldn’t know where else to search.

  She’d always had a secret place to hide in case one of their group was ever compromised. She hadn’t told anyone about Beth’s life insurance money. Jeff would have wanted the money to fund the team. The basement apartment afforded her privacy, and the auto store above it had gone out of business. She’d bought the building at a steal. No one would hear Lethal if he raised hell.

  The body next to her jerked and Lethal’s sapphire eyes flew open. He frantically peered around the room until he locked gazes with her. Surprise was clearly displayed on his face.

  “You moved me.” He paused. “You didn’t kill me.”

  “Not yet.” She lifted the damp cloth away from his body and dropped it into the bowl of warm water. “I did what you said and left a note for your friends. I guess I’m going to find out how honest you are.”

  She crawled across the big bed to set the bowl on the nightstand and turned to face him. He stared at her bare legs and the nightshirt she wore that fell to mid-thigh.

  “I’ve had a busy day and forgot I needed to do laundry. My nightshirt was the only clean thing I had here.” She sat back on her legs next to him. “I showered and didn’t want to put on my dirty clothes. The load I washed is in the dryer.
”

  He lifted his head and stared down his body before glancing back at her. A black eyebrow arched. “You’re washing my clothes too?”

  “No. I stripped you because I had to leave evidence that you’re dead, back at the warehouse—make it look as if you burned. I called dibs on your jacket, but the pants were leather and probably wouldn’t have totally gone up in flames with you. I torched them and left what remained on the bench with the other ashes. You’re still naked though because I’m hoping it will dissuade you from attempting to escape. I know you can move fast, but someone your size streaking around would draw a lot of attention. Nothing I’ve got will fit you. You’re really tall and big.” She smiled. “I highly doubt you could even wiggle into a pair of my sweats.”

  He let his head drop. “Where are we? How did we get here?”

  “I threw a tarp over you, backed my car into the warehouse, and rolled you from the bench into my trunk. Getting you into my hideaway wasn’t so easy. I dragged you out into a wheelbarrow inside the shop to keep you out of the sun, and threw the tarp back over you. I’m amazed I managed not to dump you down the stairs since you weigh a ton. You can yell but no one will hear you.” She paused. “We’re below ground, there’s steel covering the windows and doors, and only I know the code to unlock them. You’re going to slowly starve if you kill me.”

  “Why didn’t you open the skylight?”

  Hell if I know. She blew out a breath and changed the subject, not willing to discuss her inner turmoil. “Are you hungry?”

  His gaze flicked to her neck and seemed to slightly glow. His lips twitched but didn’t part. She crawled off the bed, opened the cooler, and withdrew one of the bags. She tried to hide her aversion as she stared at him.

  “Will fresh animal blood do it for you?”

  He nodded, refusing to open his mouth.

  “Can you drink cow blood? Sorry but I have no idea how to get human blood. It was hard enough finding this. I don’t even want to tell you the wild story I had to come up with to sweet-talk the butcher into selling me some. Let’s just say he thinks I’m probably the worst ex-girlfriend a guy could have to want to pull such a vicious prank.”