As usual, she looked absolutely stunning, and Mirakel was pretty damn sure it required no effort on her part. She simply was beautiful.
“I’m sorry to bother you,” she said softly, bowing her head slightly. “One of the heurosp said they would be occupying the laundry suite, and I figured after what happened in the infirmary … I thought it more appropriate if I come here.”
Not appropriate, no. Temptation was the word he would use.
“Briony…” He took a deep breath, gripping the hand towel in his fist. “I think it’s best—”
“Please don’t send me away.”
Her urgent tone had his words dying in his throat. “What?”
Those amethyst eyes scanned his face. “I know you don’t like to be alone with me—”
“I like it too much,” he corrected, though he wasn’t sure what the fuck was wrong with him.
“Uh…”
Yeah. Exactly. Uh.
“You like being alone with me?”
Could she seriously be that naive? Part of him had thought her innocence was faked. Similar to the cosrobols he usually fed from. Those females were always pretending, doing whatever was necessary to please the male they were offering themselves to. But Briony … she seemed sincerely confused that he could possibly want to be alone with her.
Because he wasn’t going to let her go until he had explained himself, and hopefully found a way to let her know he couldn’t do this anymore, Mirakel closed the door behind him.
Just call him dumb ass. It was, after all, his new title.
“Mirakel?”
He closed his eyes because the sound of his name from her lips was too much.
“I thought you wanted to find someone else,” she said softly.
Feeling like a resistance band pulled to its maximum, his eyes flew open, and he pinned her with his stare. “Does it look like I want someone else?” he snapped, reaching down and crudely gripping the hard-on that tented his shorts.
Considering how innocent she was, he expected her to shudder, perhaps back away.
When her eyes lowered, it wasn’t to shy away. Oh, no. That female’s gaze raked over his crotch for long seconds. And while she was doing that, someone stole every ounce of oxygen from the room.
Fuck.
“I need a shower,” he rumbled, glaring at her as he stormed across the room to the bathroom, ignoring the steel beam tenting his shorts.
Without bothering to close the door, because, come on, he was a glutton for punishment, Mirakel flipped on the water. He then kicked off his shoes, stripped off his socks, then his shorts, tossed the towel, and stepped into the enormous glass shower, pulling the clear door closed behind him. The water sprayed over his head as he tipped his face up, brushing his hair back. When he brought his head back to level, he opened his eyes to see Briony standing in the doorway.
Watching him.
Like he was a fucking matinee.
Holy. Fuck.
“Turn around, female,” he demanded.
“I’d prefer to watch.”
It was the first time he’d heard anything remotely assertive come out of her mouth. Fuck him, but he liked it.
“Then watch.” With his eyes on her, he gripped his cock in his fist and stroked.
It was enough to capture her attention, her eyes slowly drifting down and lingering as he worked himself with his hand. Her mouth opened slightly and right before his fucking eyes, the female’s little pink tongue darted out to lick her lower lip.
“Briony…” This was not a good idea. Not just not a good idea, it was a royally bad one.
Clearly she’d called his bluff and now he was stuck holding his dick. Literally.
“For fuck’s sake,” he grumbled, releasing himself and grabbing the shampoo.
With his eyes closed so as to limit the temptation, Mirakel went through the motions. He washed his hair, his body, then rinsed himself off, all while his cock pulled a bob and throb between his legs.
He flipped off the water, snagged one of the thick towels from the warmer just outside the shower stall, then wrapped it around his hips.
“I think we need to postpone this,” he informed her as he strolled back into the bathroom, doing his best not to breathe in her sweet strawberry scent.
“Why do I bother you so much?” she asked, her voice trailing behind him.
“I don’t know.” Total lie. Not like he could tell her he’d bonded with her in the way only a male vampire could: with total abandon and absolute disregard for all others who existed within his orbit.
Mirakel paused at the door. He’d come over here intending to open it and usher her out. Now he couldn’t seem to lift his arm to grip the knob.
He inhaled sharply when soft hands came to rest on his back. His body drew up tight, that single touch nearly enough to set him off.
“Briony … I’m warning you, love.”
“Warning me about what?” Those hands moved over his skin, as though she was memorizing every muscle.
“Keep that up and you’ll find out.”
His heart was pounding, the sound magnified in his ears as his blood hummed in his veins. The need to touch her, kiss her … fucking claim her … was more than he could stand. And if she didn’t stop…
Heaven help him, if she didn’t stop, Mirakel was terrified he was seconds away from letting his dumb handle take over.
Mirakel was the absolute most stunning male she’d ever laid eyes on.
And in all her years, Briony had seen quite a few males.
Well, parts of them, at least.
Most wouldn’t believe that she had never been with a male before. Not in a romantic sense, anyway. Oh, wow. And now her naiveté was showing. Romantic sense? Briony didn’t think males and females tended to think along those lines these days. Everything had gone … casual as of late. Yes, that was a good word for it. Friends with benefits, no strings attached, casual sex. All terms used by the populace who was having sex before marriage.
Regardless, Briony was still a virgin, and she doubted anyone would’ve guessed that about her. Then again, if they knew nearly all males reacted similarly to the way Mirakel did around her, perhaps it was a bit more believable.
Briony wasn’t sure what it was about her, but males tended to view her as something fragile, innocent. Untouchable. Likely the reason she was untouched. They didn’t mind feeding her when necessary, nor did they have a problem drinking from her vein. However, not a single one had ever wanted her … that way. Not the way she knew Mirakel wanted her.
Truth be told, she’d never wanted a male before him, either. Not like this, with a deep-seated desire that remained even when she wasn’t near him. None had ever stirred such crazy things inside her, made her do things such as have an orgasm while feeding. Yet, with him, she’d done so on more than one occasion.
As for the reason she was here in Mirakel’s room … well, that was entirely selfish on her part. She remembered vividly how difficult he’d found being around her, and she knew it wasn’t because she repulsed him. No, quite the opposite. According to the healer, the vampire had imprinted, and while she didn’t know what that entailed, nor what it might lead to, Briony found she was intrigued by the notion.
Hence the reason she was here. She’d come to Mirakel’s room this morning in an attempt to push him, to see if he would give in to what was plaguing them both.
And here she was, taunting the beast because she knew deep down that was the only way he was going to give in. He was a noble male, far too polite to take her the way he wanted. But she’d seen it in his beautiful eyes. The heat, the need, the passion. And perhaps she was out of her mind, but she wanted to experience it.
“Briony, what are you doing?”
His voice was dark thunder, rasped out of his lungs as though he was hanging by a thread.
“Wanting you,” she admitted, leaning in and pressing her lips to his back.
His sharp inhale spurred her on. Without fear, she trail
ed her lips up his long spinal column, loving the way the muscles in his back flexed as though he could hardly contain himself. Because of the drastic difference in their heights, she couldn’t reach all that high, but the broad expanse of his back left plenty for her to linger over.
“Briony … you don’t want this. Trust me, love. You—”
An animalistic growl sounded when she nipped him with her teeth.
Before she knew what had happened, Briony found herself pinned to the bedroom door, Mirakel’s enormous body surrounding her, those neon blue eyes brightly lit as he stared down at her.
“I want this,” she assured him, reaching up and brushing his jaw with her fingertips. “More than you know.”
“We can’t.”
“Why?” She was tired of the evasion. If Mirakel didn’t want her, he was going to have to tell her as much.
His head lowered and she felt his warm breath fan her cheek. Briony turned her head to the side, bringing her lips closer to his.
“Tell me,” she urged.
As was his nature, Mirakel didn’t respond. She’d gotten familiar with the strong, silent vampire over the past few weeks since she’d started feeding him. He was a male of few words, but those he did speak were more than enough to send that desire pulsing through her.
Her hands trailed down to his neck, lower to his chest. She pressed her palms against him, felt the rapid thump of his heart.
“You don’t know what you’re asking for.”
Briony met his eyes. “Then show me.”
Once again, he moved so fast Briony was barely aware of it until her hands were lifted above her head, pinned to the door in one of his big fists, the other cupping her face, his thumb tilting her head back. It was an aggressive move, but there was such gentleness in his touch. As much as he was trying to scare her, she sensed he didn’t want to hurt her.
“Do you know how old I am?” she prompted.
His head pulled back slightly, eyes narrowed as though she’d just asked him to solve for pi.
“One thousand, two hundred forty-seven.” She held his stare. “Do you know how many males I’ve been with?”
The look in his eyes said he didn’t want to know the answer to that.
“Zero, Mirakel. I have never taken a male inside my body.”
The dark growl that sounded was so deep Briony felt it resonate through her.
“I want to be with you. I want to know what it feels like to have your hands on me, your lips. Your tongue. I want to feel you move inside me.”
Another tortured sound escaped him.
“If you don’t want me, I understand,” she said quickly. “But if you’re holding off for another reason … please don’t.”
She could feel the tension coiling in his body, could sense he was struggling with what he wanted and what he thought was right.
“If nothing else, let me feel your mouth on mine,” she told him, the words barely a breath of sound between them.
His gaze bounced over her face, then settled on her lips. Briony was still pinned to the door, his hand banded around her wrists, his knee pressing between her thighs, his chest so close, but not quite touching.
It felt like forever as he battled whatever war plagued him, but when Mirakel’s head lowered, his lips brushing so lightly against hers, Briony couldn’t help but moan as she tried to lean into him.
His grip on her chin tightened. “Let me be in control. It’s the only way I’ll survive this.”
She tried to nod but her head wouldn’t move, so she whispered her acquiescence.
Mirakel’s lips were softer than she’d imagined they would be, yet firm at the same time. They were like a feather at first, but then he leaned in, his head tilting slightly as he pressed them against hers. Not sure what he wanted her to do, Briony remained still, shifting to align their mouths. When she felt his tongue slide over her lower lip, she opened to accept him. When he licked his way inside, she met his tongue with her own, sliding lightly against his, her insides coiling tightly as she let him teach her what was necessary to please him.
What started out slow and gentle grew wings and took flight when Mirakel released her hands and cupped both sides of her face as he sealed his mouth to hers and thrust his tongue inside, an insistent exploration. Her body grew warm, a distinct heat building between her legs as her arousal peaked. It was a heady sensation that threatened to weaken her knees, but Briony managed to remain upright, not wanting to do anything that would cause him to stop.
Unfortunately, that was exactly what he did, jerking away from her as he stumbled back.
“What’s wrong?”
It was then she realized his eyes were glowing, a brilliant light emerging as though he was lit from within. She didn’t know much about vampires, but she’d never heard of this before. It intrigued her but also made her hesitant.
“If you know what’s good for you, you will leave. Right now.”
His guttural tone had her staying right where she was.
As much as she wanted him, Briony wasn’t about to push him in a direction he didn’t want to go.
Nor would she cave because, Heaven help her, she wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anything.
Which meant Mirakel was going to have to make a final decision. And she wasn’t leaving until he did.
Chapter Twenty-One
Oliver couldn’t sleep.
He knew that on the other side of those closed shutters the sun was rising in the sky, brightening and heating the Earth, but he was trapped inside, all the exits sealed and locked to ensure the safety of those who would be rendered to ash by the sun’s deadly rays.
Honestly, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen the sun. Months, for sure. Did he miss it? No, not really. Then again, he’d been living in Vegas before he relocated here, and he’d been drawn to the nightlife there. He hadn’t been avoiding the sun, per se, he’d simply grown accustomed to sleeping during the day. He couldn’t help but wonder if Penelope missed it. Because she was now an angel, his sister could no longer slip out to watch it rising or setting simply because she wanted to.
That instantly made him think about his niece. Could Ari’el go out in the sunlight? Since she was the offspring of two angels, he assumed not. He smiled as he thought about the precious child. Having never been around a baby before, Oliver found it both awkward and awe-inspiring to be in her tiny presence.
Oliver glanced at the clock. Maybe Penelope was down in the sunroom with Ari’el. For the last couple of weeks, she would bring the baby down after everyone had gone to bed, sitting in the dimly lit room. Probably wanting some peace and quiet as well as to get out of the confines of her private quarters. He understood the need to move around, to be out in the open. Sometimes he felt as though he was trapped, unable to go forward or back, stuck in one place both physically and mentally.
Yes, getting out of this room was ideal.
Pushing himself off his bed, Oliver snagged a robe, pulling it on over the cotton pants and T-shirt he wore, slid his feet into moccasins, and headed out. From below he could hear the sounds of the heurosp cleaning up after the morning meal. It wouldn’t take them long and then the day shift would move on to cleaning the floors, dusting, and polishing the furniture. It was their routine. The night shift tended to the glass on the windows as well as taking care of the things that needed tending to outside while catering to all who lived beneath the roof, which required a significant amount of effort, hence the reason there were so many of them.
Oliver headed for the back of the house, past Bijou’s room, beyond Elizabeth’s to the stairwell that led down.
When he hit the main floor, he heard the whisper of voices as the heurosp diligently worked.
And as he’d expected, Penelope was sitting in the sunroom, Obsidian at her side, his big arm stretched along the cushions at her back. They were both peering down at Ari’el, so much love shining on their faces. He briefly wondered if his parents had ever looked at him and
Penelope like that. Probably Penelope if he had to guess. She would claim otherwise, but Oliver knew the truth. He hadn’t been their blood child, but rather one they’d adopted. He’d often wondered why they’d even bothered, because they had never seemed all that interested in him.
Not to mention the timing of it. They’d attempted to pass him off as Penelope’s twin, for fuck’s sake. His sister still believed that was the case, and Oliver had never felt the need to tell her otherwise. It wouldn’t change a damn thing, so what was the point? He’d caused her enough pain and frustration over the years. And though he was responsible for most of that pain, the majority of that frustration, he’d never truly wanted to hurt her. So he kept that secret, pretended as his parents did that he was part of their family.
But what Oliver never understood was why they wanted two babies when they could’ve easily given one all their love and attention. Perhaps good ol’ Mom and Dad were as selfish back then as they were now. Made sense that they’d want more than they already had.
“Hey.”
His head shot up at the sound of Penelope’s voice.
Oliver smiled, moving up the few steps leading into the oversized room. “Hey back. I thought maybe I’d catch you down here.”
Obsidian leaned in, pressed a kiss to Penelope’s cheek, then ran one finger over Ari’el’s before he got to his feet. When he passed Oliver, he gave his shoulder a firm squeeze.
“Can’t sleep?” Penelope asked, patting the cushion beside her.
“It’s becoming a trend,” he admitted.
“Want to hold her? If nothing else, it’ll help you relax.”
Though he still found it awkward, Oliver welcomed the opportunity. He wasn’t sure why that was, either. He’d never been fond of kids, didn’t matter their age. But from the moment Ari’el had been born, he’d been drawn to her.
It took him a minute to get situated, but then Penelope passed the sleeping baby to him, positioning her in his arms so she was secure all while making sure Penelope didn’t accidentally brush him so as not to cause herself undue pain. Evidently, when an angel mated, there was all sorts of weird shit that went on, including making the touch of the opposite sex painful. Oliver hadn’t known that little fact when he’d practically assaulted his sister months ago, his anger having been prevalent at that time. Since he’d learned of the strange phenomenon, he’d made a point to ensure he didn’t hurt her.
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