“Yes, he was.”
“Ah, an old favorite? Dracula?” He teased as he pulled out the book.
I raised my eyebrow, astonished to see a vampire reading a book about a vampire.
Somehow, this was a very humorous moment for me. No one but me would find this amusing, but to see Richard, the most inhumanly beautiful creation I had ever seen, a vampire, reading Bram Stoker"s Dracula… Unbelievable.
“Yes, it was one of my father"s favorites. Have you read it?” I was almost teasing him, a point I couldn"t resist.
“Actually, I have not. I really never liked the scary stuff.” His gaze caught mine. His lips twitched once or twice. “May I?” He gestured with the book.
“Please, be my guest.” I gestured with my hand.
Richard seated himself on the golden trimmed red sofa my father loved so much.
His right leg crossed over his left, poising himself comfortably as he opened the ancient book. Slowly he flipped through the pages. My computer screen blinked as the banking information came up. I wasn"t sure exactly if it was Richard or I who was stalling.
“Richard, you mentioned the werewolves.” I broke the silence.
“Oh yes. I am terribly sorry. Forgive me, please.” He paused and looked up from his book. “I suppose I was somewhat side tracked. It appears there has been more activity in the area of the werewolves. They have been coming in from outside areas.”
My heart froze again. “What are you saying?”
“What I am saying is the werewolves are grouping together. More packs of them are coming into the area.” He closed the book then rose to his feet. With a few steps he was in front of the bookcase again, replacing the book in its rightful place.
“How do you know this?” My eyes widened.
“I have seen them.” He glanced up at me. “They are concentrating around the Fort Mountain area. Do you have any idea why?” He pulled out another book.
I sat back in my chair, clearly annoyed by his seeming lack of concern.
“I have no idea. Daniel and I were out there last night. We ran into two of them.”
“Hmm.” He chimed as he peered up from the book in his hand. “Maybe they were hunting you and Daniel.” His tone was more inferable than I would have liked to hear.
“And you know of this… how?” I leaned forward. My eyes narrowed as I glared in disbelief. “Unless, you were there.” I challenged.
Richard"s gaze met mine. His eyes peered into my soul. A shiver ran through my body. He knew I was challenging him. My senses ran wild, igniting the wolf inside of me. The hair prickled on the back of my neck. I could almost sense the thrill of the hunt.
“Yes, I was there,” he stated firmly. There was no change in his expression. “They were hunting you. I had been following them. Lance and I killed three on the other side of the ridge. At first, we thought they were fleeing from us. I soon realized their attention was somewhere else. I followed them. Lance stayed behind. I caught your scent and immediately followed the two who split from the pack. “
“So you watched as we fought them?”
“Yes.”
“And you didn"t help us?” I was astonished.
“It appeared to me you didn"t need my help.” Tag.
Again, I rested back in my chair. My fingers drummed lightly on the armrests. I wasn"t sure how to take Richard at this point. What if I did need his help? Was he waiting for me to be mortally injured before he stepped in? Worse yet, would he have waited for Daniel to be killed?
I watched his expressionless face turn back to the book in his hand. The pale fingers flipped through a few more pages. He stopped. Apparently, a specific passage caught his attention. The thrill of the hunt escaped me, replaced by my annoyance with his distraction.
“So what"s up at Fort Mountain? Why were they there?” My voice was controlled.
“I was hoping you could tell me. It appears they were searching for something. I thought you might have an idea about this.”
“Nothing, I haven"t a clue.” I was rather exasperated.
Richard"s eyes lifted from the book. He carefully studied my face, then closed the book and replaced it on the shelf.
“Really, I do not understand where these authors acquire their information on vampires.” He turned to me again.
“Richard, you should know by now, a book is simply the imagination of the author.”
“Yes, I suppose you are correct. However, I must say I am a little disappointed.
Long and pointed fangs? Really.” He humorously snorted.
“Well, I suppose you could write one in better form. I mean, after all, you are a vampire. You have, shall we say, firsthand experience,” I challenged.
“Ah, yes. Right again.” He took a few steps toward the desk. “Let me give this a little thought.” He placed his right index finger across his lips.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I feared the moment to come. Again, Richard accepted this challenge and in some small way, I knew better than to challenge him. I couldn"t help myself. Richard was just the kind of beautiful creation a woman couldn"t resist. There was no way I could retract my words. When his lips twitched, fighting back a smile, I knew I was in trouble.
“Hmm,” he purred. “Let"s see how this would work. A beautiful, yet strong, female…” Pausing only for a moment, he contemplated his plot. “Who comes into contact with a handsome, seductive and passionate vampire.” His right eyebrow rose slightly.
“And?” I gestured, pretending to be interested in his story. My heart raced, my hands beaded with moisture.
“She"s captivated by his charm,” he softly purred. “And very curious about his seductive nature.” The words rolled off his tongue with such finesse. It was barely believable how such a man"s words could draw someone in as deeply as he drew me to him.
“I see. Exactly how is she so curious about his seductive nature when they just met?” I couldn"t help myself at this point. The hunt was on.
I actually wondered how far he would take this little game. It seemed like a game worth winning. A sly grin crossed his face. The expression on his face read “Welcome to my web, said the spider to the fly.”
“Well,” he moved closer to me. Richard had the sexiest walk I had ever seen. He moved and walked like a man of confidence. Sturdy and strong. Determined and virile.
Very virile. He moved behind my chair. “He was drawn to her scent.” Richard leaned closer to me. His face slowly moved to my neck. My spine stiffened. I braced myself for the impact of the coming moment.
“He wanted only to taste the blood of this beauty. The tempting fragrance of forbidden desire,” he murmured. His lips were on my neck, moving slowly and gently against my skin. “But the desire that flamed in his cold veins was more than just for her blood alone.”
The coolness of his breath tingled against my skin. His lips moved to my ear. My heart pounded loudly. My breath became hot pants of air. My fingers clutched tightly to the armrests of the chair, attempting to hold onto what sanity I had left.
“Mmm…” he purred again. The deep sultry vibrations of his voice ended in a low growl. “Her scent was a delicate dish. A dish he would savor. No, he did not want to devour this delicacy all at once. This vampire would keep her alive to taste the pleasure of her again another day.”
A small noise escaped my mouth. It strained out as I felt his lips move to my jaw.
Suddenly I found myself immobilized. The web of the spider had trapped me, leaving me unable to free myself from whatever doom waited.
“When he first laid eyes on her, he was captivated by her mere presence. The beauty that emanated from deep within her was as a soft melody. It was the type of melody that tamed his savage soul. To him, only possessing a beauty such as this could put an end to the desires he had. It was that very desire which burned inside his cold body, warming him to the very depth of his loins.”
Richard paused again. His hand gently cupped my chin, tilting my head slightly back. His li
ps lowered to mine. Gently, the coolness of his lips grazed over mine. A warm rush of excitement ran through my body. My pulse quickened with each breath.
The fire which pulsated through my veins sent me into a fevered state.
“As his lips touched hers,” he feathered his fingers against my jaw, “her heart raced wildly. And her racing heart sent more of her perfumed scent coursing through her veins. He inhaled deeply, savoring the scent as if it was a fine wine. His lips traveled from hers, leaving a trail of hot fire down to her throat. He followed the delightful fragrance to where it was the strongest.” He stopped and inhaled a deep breath. The coolness of his lips touched my fevered skin once again.
“Her blood…it called out to him. The vein in her neck arched to his lips, wanting him like a woman yielding herself voluntarily to her lover in their most passionate moment. Yes-s-s,” he hissed. “It was her blood that desired to satisfy the hunger that raged deep within him. But the vampire fought against his own desire so that she might live.”
Confusion flooded my mind. The air I consumed came in heavy pants. The sweaty palms of my hands gripped the chair tightly. Did he really want to kill me? At this point, I couldn"t even concentrate on the thought. Fear ran through me. I couldn"t move! Dear Fate! I was paralyzed. Richard unlocked a tremendous need that welled deep inside of me. A need I feared the most. My animalistic side had been unleashed, the side that needed to be controlled. The dangerous passion which burned and raged inside of me slowly surfaced.
With one swift motion, Richard pulled me from the chair, turning my helpless body around to face him. He eyed me carefully. I was putty in his hands. I watched helplessly as he leaned closer to my neck.
“Mmm-yes,” he growled against my flesh. “He reached around her fevered body, so hot and tempting she was to him. He pressed his lips closer to hers…” He paused when his lips touched mine.
Wearily, I opened my eyes to see the evil grin on his face. Heat burned my checks from the fact he could turn me on like a water faucet, worse yet, a light switch. One word, one touch and I melted into his clutches. It was his spell, the spell of a vampire. I was sure of it. There had to be a way out. Had help eluded me? Had Fate left me to my own demise? I shuddered against the thought.
“Julie,” the deep rich and sultry voice cooed. “You will call out my name before I let you go,” he softly whispered against my ear. A promise I was sure I was going to regret.
Richard pulled my body closer to his. His penetrating gaze deepened. The tinted contacts he wore couldn"t hide the hunger present in those blue diamond gems. His taut muscular body pressed tightly against mine. I could feel the full length of his hardness strapped against the inside of his jeans. A thrill of excitement ran through me. The wonder. The curiosity of whether the rumors were true about vampires. From what I felt, they very well could be true. Richard was, without a doubt, well endowed.
The coolness of his breath lingered against my face again. The soft floral scent drove my mind into a whirlwind. My body weakened. I couldn"t think. I couldn"t move.
I tried hard to regain my will. It was a battle, to say the least. A battle I was losing ever second I remained in his arms.
Gingerly his mouth met my neck again. The soft caress of his lips moved to that sweet spot. The coolness of his tongue ran softly over the erogenous zone. Chills danced up my spine, thrilling nerve endings I never knew existed. Every nerve in my body was a fire tipped flame, even my teeth ached. It was the slow ache of my canines emerging, the wolf emerging. His mouth opened against my neck. The coolness of his teeth grazed over the sweet spot. Fire burned in my soul, and the burning sensation flew across my body. But there was something inside of me willing my body back to reality. Was it strong enough to free itself from the clutches of this inhumanely beautiful vampire? The vampire who was going to adorn himself with my blood, draw from me the beauty inside my veins.
With a quick motion, I grabbed Richard. In a flash, I had him pinned against the wall. I blinked a couple of times, allowing my eyes to adjust to the black and white vision.
Richard seemed taken by surprise at my sudden response. He moved slowly as he backed away from me and pulled my arms down to my side. Our breaths were a series of quick pants. I knew my quick pant was an overactive sex drive. I wasn"t exactly sure if his was the same. His jaw remained tightly clenched for a moment, and his eyes were wild. Richard had lost control. Slowly, he relaxed, allowing his grip to loosen around my arms.
“I suggest,” I growled as my teeth clicked, “you might want to reconsider your advances, my vampire friend.”
Richard studied my eyes for a moment. I could only imagine what he saw, the blackness, and the darkness in my eyes. The things he didn"t know about me, or any Lycan for that matter. It took every ounce of strength I had to control myself. I was already over the edge. The battle raged within me to regain control. Trying to control the animal that wanted to tear into him was almost a futile effort. He had no idea what he had encountered. The burning rage inside of me wanted to devour every inch of him.
Take him like the animal I was. My teeth ached to taste the flesh of this vampire.
“You seemed to have made your point very clear.” He spoke in a controlled manner, still staring cautiously into my eyes.
“Richard. You have no idea the point I"m trying to make.” My teeth clicked again.
“I am sure,” the brown eyebrows met into a frown as his eyes narrowed into tiny slits, “I am well aware of it, now.” He moved.
“DON"T!” I snapped. “I"m not in control of myself!” The rage continued to boil in my veins, burning to the depth of my very soul. The muscles in my body trembled, fighting the urge to lunge for his neck.
“My… what big teeth you have,” he teased. “Are you planning on eating me?” His mouth twitched into a sly grin.
“Don"t tempt me!” A growl erupted deep in my throat as I moved closer to his face, my eyes narrowing as I met his gaze. How could I explain to him that I saw him as my prey?
My heightened senses flamed into torture as I glared into his eyes. I licked my lips, wetting them lightly as I bore down on the rage again trying to gain control. Richard may be fighting the urge to drink my blood, but I was fighting the urge to kill him.
His gaze lowered to my mouth. I thought my canines would be enough to intimidate him, but in one blurring motion, he grabbed the back of my head and pressed his mouth to mine. My breath caught in my throat with surprise. Nope, I was wrong.
This vampire wasn"t going to give up so easily. Ever so quickly, his lips parted mine and his tongue searched the inside of my mouth. With his tongue, he gently stroked it over my extended canines. My body shivered with each gentle stroke.
The sweetness of his tongue caught me off guard. The taste. A brief gasp of air came from me. The flavor was nothing like I had ever indulged in before. My tongue chased his with delight. It was a delightful taste, light and sweet. It was sweet like the finest of gourmet desserts. Delicate like a summer rosebud. Smooth like a fine French wine.
Fresh like the morning air after a first snow. Rich like the finest chocolates in the world.
Nothing in all my years tasted like him. Nothing could compare to the exotic nature of his flavor that tingled against my taste buds. I gave in to the kiss, delighting myself with this newfound flavor. A flavor I wanted to completely devour. To consume and enjoy it as long as I could. If a vampire"s kiss was this good, then I should have kissed one a long time ago. Then again, it may be only Richard who had such an exotic appeal to me.
Slowly he caressed my tongue with his. His hand held me firmly in place as he inhaled a deep breath, intoxicating himself on my scent. He drew my breath deeper inside of his lungs. A low growl rumbled in his throat followed by a husky groan as his tongue wrapped around mine and pulled it into his mouth.
A soft moan escaped me as I explored his mouth to the fullest, tasting more of the desirable flavor. My body ached and trembled inside, as the coolness of his hands slid f
rom the back of my neck down to the small of my back. My body molded itself to his, every part of his body fit against mine with perfection. The muscles in his chest flexed against my breasts as his strong arms wrapped tighter around me. With each stroke of his fingers against my back, I melted into the illusive creation of this vampire.
Tremors overtook me, an impossible thing. Wave after wave, my world slipped away. The coolness of his hand pressed against the side of my face. His fingers feathered the softness of my cheek. Finally, it happened. I fell into an abyss of sensual and erotic pleasure. I released a soft moan as my body quickened under his control. With just one kiss from Richard, I softly and irreverently came. It was one of the gentlest ways I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
The muscles in his arms flexed underneath my fingers as I dug my fingertips into his flesh. He moaned with excitement. Carefully, he released me. I swayed in his arms, my eyelids fluttered as the room around me faded. In all my twenty-four years, no one has ever kissed me like Richard. There was no thought that I could comprehend. No words I could use to describe the moment. My mind was at a loss, with one exception.
“Richard. ” My words were but a whisper before my world swirled into utter darkness.
* * *
My eyes fluttered opened, realizing I was lying on my back on the sofa in the living room. I rose and looked around. Richard was gone. My hand went to my neck, checking for any bite marks, puncture wounds, anything that may have happened to me. After my relief of realizing Richard kept my virtue in tack, I released a long sigh of relief.
I sat up on the sofa and put my head in my hands. I couldn"t believe what happened. I fainted! For Fate"s sake, I fainted! There was something about Richard.
Something about that vampire. He possessed a strange ability to bring out the animal desire in me. Daniel was right. Richard was dangerous. I didn"t know how much more I could take of him. If he had wanted to, he could have bit me, or even worse, raped me. I laughed lightly to myself. Richard was not that kind of vampire. But he still had fangs and he seduced me. What else could he do? I was helpless under his control!
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