Delarossa (The Hadley Caro Series Book 1)

by R M Taylor

  “You can’t stay here, they will be tracking your movements. You need a new phone. You need to get off the grid until you can figure things out. I am fluent in Italian, I’m a translator for vampire regional meetings so I know it well. I can translate the book for you. My home is safe, you’re welcome to stay with me until things get resolved. I promise I won’t get handsy, I have a spare room” he winked in jest and smiled at her answering laugh. They were more than tipsy now.

  “I can get access to my money, I can pay you. But I would feel better if I was staying somewhere secret. Vampires seem to excel at that. No offense, it’s a good thing, I also wanted to know if you could connect me with some bodyguards. My dragon is fierce and able to defend herself, but she is very conspicuous. I can hardly change in the street, someone would get hurt or at the very least freaked out. I’m physically small as my human, so likely easily kidnapped by a couple of shifters. I can defend myself against a human, but shifters and vampires are another matter entirely. Urgh my head is full of awful scenarios” she huffed a frustrated breath and looked at him, waiting for his response.

  “You don’t need to pay me at all. Yes, we are very secretive, we must be. Plus, I’m a generally nice guy, and you make me laugh, I like your company. It won’t be a hardship for you to be my roomie for a while. But you need to know my coven is going through some challenging times too, there's a lot going on with us. Nothing that will affect you directly, but I’m thinking it would be wise to tell you the background” he finished his glass and refilled both, emptying the bottle.

  He described briefly the issues around the coven, and she was surprised at his openness, but realised that regardless of the brief time they had known each other, the copious amounts of champagne weren’t the reasons they were being so honest. They had clicked big time, it was effortless talking, they had the same sense of humour and way of thinking. They had exchanged hundreds of texts, spent hours talking, weirdly he was easy to open up to, which was very unusual for her. Her dragon nodded her head in agreement in her mind, she needed help and no-one else could be there, she couldn’t bring trouble to her friend’s doors, and as she listened she realised that even if she had that option, it would still be Aris she would turn to. The idea was terrifying, she did not share herself easily, and she held back so many details. Not one person on the planet knew the “real” Lucy. She had never really learned how to open up and confide. It seemed so uncomfortable and dangerous to do that, but with Aris it was so different. She had no idea why and kept doubting herself and the wisdom of trusting him but decided in the end that she had to trust someone, she just wished it was someone she could read with her senses, so she could have reassurances that they were trustworthy.

  A shifter or human would be easy, she could sense duplicity and deceit a mile off. Vampires were a blank slate, so she was completely on a limb with no way of knowing if she was safe. She realised that was how regular humans experienced it and wondered how they coped not knowing if others were being truthful or not. Reality must feel very uncertain and unpredictable to them. No wonder people had trust issues when everyone distrusted each other and had no way to know the truth. Suddenly her gift seemed even more ironic given the situation.

  Chapter 22

  Her inner alarm was quietly chiming again, and her gaze was drawn to the window and the world outside, the streetlights and traffic lights brighter now that darkness had set. She stared across the street at the cafe and the restaurant opposite. Figures wound their way around each other, blending in but standing out at the same time. Her eyes landed on a man who looked familiar. Recognition flashed through her as he returned her look. The guy from the forest, he knew where she was. Panic slashed through her, the burst of adrenaline speeding her heart rate. Aris noticed immediately.

  “What’s wrong?” Aris followed her gaze to the man across the street. “That’s one of the guys who followed you?”

  “Yes, how the hell….?” she couldn’t believe he had followed her here.

  “He must have followed you or tracked your card or phone. It’s easy to do with the right technology and know-how” Aris stood and indicated to the door. Lucy quickly followed on wobbly legs, looking around for the second guy as they walked towards the reception area. Just as they reached the lobby Aris pulled her through the door leading to the stairwell and lifted her in his arms.

  “What floor?” he asked. She told him and braced herself as he raced up the stairs faster that anyone could see. He reached her room in seconds.

  “Pack your stuff, we need to leave” he moved to the window to look out onto the street as she raced around to pack her case.

  “He will probably follow us, I could bring more trouble to your coven” Lucy said.

  “That is why we’re going for that flight. Our coven building has a helipad on the roof. You can use the roof here to change. You can fly despite being tipsy?” Aris asked.

  “Yeah, although I once flew when I was hammered and fell on my friend’s car. Left a lovely dragon shaped butt dint in the roof” She laughed despite the situation. She hoped she would be ok, it wasn’t far, it was pretty much a straight line from here to there.

  “Let’s go then, we try the roof. You will have to tell me where to fly with plenty of notice” Lucy was nervous, few people had seen her dragon, and within her, her dragon felt shy. Ridiculous animal.

  “Ok, come on, on you get” He grabbed her case and bent slightly so she could climb his back easier.

  “Giddy up, giddy up!” She laughed as he made a neighing horse sound. Men following her, attempted murder, enemies unknown, and she was carrying on like a kid. Having fun, which was long overdue for her but completely inappropriate right now, she was almost bordering on hysterical laughter at this point. They sped upstairs until they found the exit to the roof. They flew through the doors and stopped just before hitting the penthouse suite patio door. She hoped to god no one was in, the windows were expansive, almost spanning the width of the top floor. Thank goodness there was a wraparound terrace, although she was unsure if she could launch herself without damaging one of the windows.

  “Ok, that door was probably alarmed we need to hurry” He said.

  “On it” She replied, stripping out of her clothes, then handing them to him while he ogled her chest. He was still staring unashamedly as she turned and moved to the balustrade, where she called her dragon forward. She changed quickly, her body expanding and reforming in a breath, and with a swift jump, she carefully grabbed the luggage in one claw and him in another. Gaining height, she climbed until she guessed the cloud cover protected her from sight but was not too high Aris would be literally freezing. Vampires could cope with a lot, but she was not sure it included a deep freeze. She imagined extremes affected him as much as her.

  He called out directions to her and a few minutes later she dropped him and the luggage down onto the roof of a beautiful old building as gently as possible, then she circled and seconds later dropped onto the helipad which was waiting, changing back to her human as she did, the last metre or so becoming fully human. She landed on her feet but promptly fell backwards onto her ass. Aris’s laugh sounded around her as she stood up.

  “I can see how you sat on your friend’s car now” His smile lit up, eyes dancing as he reached his hand out to help her up. She grabbed it and pulled herself up, wiping the stones and dirt off her ass once she was on her feet.

  “Not the most elegant landing, granted. But at least I didn’t crash into your building or land on your head” She laughed back, holding her hand out for her clothes.

  She dressed quickly, highly aware his eyes didn’t leave her body while she did so, then he reached for her hand again and Aris led her to the door to the building. She was turned on, just by him looking at her. Ordinarily she hated that kind of scrutiny of her body, but with Aris it was clear in his eyes it was awe not criticism there. Her arousal increased as she followed him, damn he was gorgeous. They made their way to his apartment in silence, th
e heavy chemistry in the air feeling promising. By the time the door to his apartment shut, her heart rate was fast, and she was tingling with the anticipation. He leaned the suitcase against the wall, and within a breath he was kissing her. His arms enclosed her, and his hands held her lower back tight as they kissed hard, breath coming fast and hands moving up her back grasping her tight. Her breasts were flush against his chest and she threaded her hands through his hair. He pushed her against the wall and his hands moved to her breasts, cupping them firmly, his thumbs grazing her nipples, which hardened quickly in response. She pulled his hair lightly and bit his lower lip gently, communicating she liked what he was doing. He gave a low growl in response and lifted her, his hands holding her ass where it met her upper thighs as he raised her to his eye level, he kissed her hungrily, his hands on her outer thighs tightening to almost painful.

  She could feel his fangs lengthening, the tips catching her lips, but not enough to hurt, much to her surprised disappointment. He kissed along her jaw and down her neck as she raised her legs higher, trying to make contact with his hard length. Her nails digged into his shoulders as he ground into her, her gasps getting louder. She leaned her head back giving him better access to her neck, but his kisses stayed gentle, fangs lightly grazing her but never breaking her skin. She was getting impatient for more, and as their kisses and touch grew frantic, he picked her up and took her to his bedroom. Clothes were torn off in a hurry and he threw her onto his massive bed, covering her body with his, the weight of it pinning her to the bed as he settled between her legs. She fisted his hair again, as he worshipped her breasts with his mouth. His fingers found her sweet spot and as her breaths came in short bursts he continued kissing her deep. She moved her hands to his broad shoulders, raking her nails as she did, coaxing another approving low growl from him.

  She loved his arms, the tattoo ink began at his forearm and curled up around his shoulder, then crept down his back. She was loving his chest, he had hair, she hadn’t realised how much she liked hair on a man's chest till then. She usually wasn’t too bothered, Connor had hardly any, but Aris was totally different, he was perfect.

  She was close already, and he could sense it, he picked up his pace and she could not stay still as he bit her breasts and neck playfully, again never breaking her skin. As her orgasm hit, he entered her in one smooth thrust, increasing the wave of pleasure that rocked through her. She could hardly catch her breath as he began thrusting into her, his mouth continued his exploration as she attempted to raise and cross her legs higher, her heels digging into his lower back, desperate for the closeness. He took her hint and raised her left leg, hooking it over the crook of his arm as he pushed deep. Sex had never been like this for her, her orgasms were elusive, and half the time felt like a race to the finishing line, inevitably with the man winning.

  Her best orgasms up till now had been with a battery-operated device. Fuck that, and fuck them, she would never go back now. After a while he withdrew abruptly, flipped her over quickly and pulled her hips up so she was sprawled on her front, ass in the air. She had just enough time to raise herself to her elbows before he entered her again, he picked up the pace and she felt herself relax into it, pushing back and meeting his thrusts. He fell over her back, holding himself up with his arms as he bit her neck low where it met her shoulder, one hand moving to grasp her breast and squeeze her nipple. She was begging him to bite her, her body so sensitive now that she needed something to push her over the edge again. His hand moved lower as if he knew what she needed, and he circled her clit as he kept up the pace.

  She could feel when he was close, and she needed his bite. His teeth had yet to break her skin, his thrusts were becoming faster and deeper, and in frustration she bit his upper arm. She didn’t know why she wanted his bite so much, but she needed it, needed him to take her blood like that woman in her dream. He growled, and he bit down hard, and she felt his fangs break her skin. She felt as he came, the sensations hitting somewhere sweet inside, and her eyes rolled as his fangs left her neck, his mouth replacing them, sucking on the wound as they came back down to earth.

  They rocked back and forward as they did, every pull he took from her shot a jolt to her centre, the pleasure was so intense. How could pain make pleasure better? She was out of breath, flushed and felt thoroughly sated, it felt like something important had shifted in her, and sex with anyone else would never compete with this. She could see her and Aris doing this every day for the rest of her life, and the thought didn’t scare her.

  Chapter 23

  Her blood tasted amazing, absolutely intoxicating, and it was hard to stop swallowing down the sweet gulps of what Aris could only describe as the best taste he had ever experienced. It was euphoric, and only the memory of going too far in the past had him backing up and stopping before he lost it. He had never felt anything like that, never knew sex could be like that. His legs and arms had turned to jelly, and he had to turn them both to their sides before he collapsed on top of her. Colours swam before his eyes and he felt like he was floating. He was breathing so hard, recovering from what was hands down one of the best experiences of his life. He was in trouble here, there was no way he could let her go, she was too important and the idea of her in someone else’s arms made him irrationally angry. As their breathing returned to normal, he realised he was reacting to her blood, like a drug it was making him high. He shouldn’t be surprised, she was a dragon shifter, the largest shifter you could get. No wonder her blood was potent, he should have expected that, but he honestly had had no intention of taking her blood. His bites had started off playful and soft, and they were meant to stay that way but when she had screamed out and demanded it he just forgot the reason why he shouldn’t and just went with it. When his breathing was normal again he rose, and went to the bathroom, coming back with a towel to clean them both.

  “Are you ok? I bit you” Aris asked, nervous she would be angry after the fact despite her consent during. He cleaned them both and flung the towel into the wash basket.

  “Are you kidding? That was amazing, you can do that to me anytime you want” Lucy laughed lightly, grabbing his hand to pull him down, melting into his arms and snuggling her head under his chin, leaning in close to smell his delicious scent.

  “Thank god for that, I thought you would be annoyed, we didn’t exactly talk about that stuff beforehand, some women hate being bitten. Even if they want it in the moment sometimes they can regret it after” Aris stroked her hair affectionately, trailing his thumb across her cheek and down to trace her neck, shoulder and upper arm. Goosebumps rose on her skin and he smiled.

  “I begged you to bite me Aris, even in the heat of the moment I was still in control I could have told you to stop if I wanted. But I didn’t want you to stop. It was good, really, really good. I’ve never had that many orgasms in a row before. I think you broke me” He smiled at that and kissed the top of her head as he continued to run his hand up and down her back slowly.

  “I’m really stoned from your blood, you have very delicious potent blood Lucy, I could easily get addicted to you” He was so relaxed he felt boneless, like he was sinking into the bed.

  “Does that happen with any other shifter’s blood?” She asked, curious but not accusing, despite in her head dragon being jealous he had fed from another shifter. Silly jealous dragon, he’s a vampire, of course he’s fed from others.

  “I’ve had a mild buzz from bear blood before, but nothing on this level. I feel like I can taste colours” He laughed lightly.

  “I wouldn’t know I’ve never tried many drugs. I tried marijuana once in college, oh, and some foul-tasting mushroom things. They were nasty. Nowadays alcohol is the closest I get to being high” She said, all sleepy and stifling a yawn.

  “We should sleep. We have a lot to figure out tomorrow, and we’re meeting David at 1” He said, kissing a line down her hair to her neck. Her eyes were already closed and her breathing getting slower, her heart beat settling into the steady rat
e of sleep. Aris gently rolled and tucked the duvet in, so she was cuddling the quilt, and then got up carefully to retrieve his phone. Any guests had to be reported to Lina, so she knew who was in the building. It was protocol and it was mandatory, she would be pissed if he didn’t and being drunk was no excuse for forgetting.

  Lina, I have a visitor, her name Lucrezia Delarossa and she’s a dragon shifter. She’s staying with me until further notice, I’ll explain why in detail later. She’s special to me

  He had added the second part, so she would know that Lucy was significant and not just a one-night stand. She would probably be surprised that he had a woman over at all. He usually hooked up with other vampires or shifters he met at his club, and always at their place, this was the first time he brought a woman home. The only people who had ever been in his personal space were good friends and Isla, oh, and Isobel. But she had a category all her own, she was definitely no friend. Aside from Isla sleeping over, and Will or Joseph crashing on his sofa occasionally, no-one saw the inside of his apartment. No-one had ever slept with him in his bed. When he left Isobel, he had bought everything new, whatever she wanted she took and anything else was donated to charity as he wanted a fresh start, and he got rid of pretty much anything she had touched. He kept only items of sentimental value. Lucy felt good in his bed, like she was meant to be there.