Blood Moon Box Set

by Natalie Aejaz

  He went to his back, taking her with him. “Veronica,” he whispered against her lips.

  As she lay atop him, pressing her tongue into his mouth, she spread her legs so she straddled him. When he deepened the kiss, she rubbed her body against his, her core grinding against his erection. A moan escaped his lips, and he released her mouth as his head fell back. She kissed his lips, his jaw and then moved down, pausing at his neck. A gentle lick and then she kissed him there, at the base, his groans becoming louder. But then her fangs protruded against his neck, and she pulled away, but he held her arms to bring her back down to him. “Let me go,” she said, even as her body ached to be even closer to him.

  He twisted his hand through her hair, forcing her mouth to his neck. “Do it, Veronica.”

  She shook her head, forcing back the tears. “No.”

  She tried to move out of his grasp, but she was weakened, and he…well, he was Leke. He held on to her tight, one hand in her hair, the other pressing her hips against him, lust weakening her resolve. “It is your nature.” His voice was strained. “You can’t fight it.”

  She kissed his neck, first soft and then harder. I won’t do this. But her fangs sank into him. As she drew blood from him, pleasure shot through her, more intense than anything she’d known. His blood was metallic and sweet…so sweet…and she drank, greedy, as if this thirst could never be quenched. He released her hair, and his hand joined the other at her hips. He held her tight, palming her backside and pressing her against him as he moaned. When he spoke, his voice was unbelievably deep. “Yes, Veronica.”

  He was rock hard underneath her, and as she drank, her core pulsed against his erection. He called out her name as she drew even more blood from him. Energy shot through her, strength coursing through her veins. Removing her fangs from his neck, she wiped a drop of blood away from her lips as he stared up at her, his breath coming and going fast and eyes darkened by desire.

  She wanted to hate him for turning her into this, but now she had fed, the lust she’d been holding back since her transformation took the place of the need for blood. She sat up to pull her top off, still straddling him as his hands gripped her hips, his breathing even heavier as his gaze settled on her breasts. And then she lay on top of him, her breasts against his bare chest and nipple ring tangling in thick dark hair, kissing him as pleasure and adrenaline pounded through her.

  Her mind was heavy with desire, and the heat spiked between her legs when his kiss turned rough. His fingers twisted through her hair, holding her in place as his tongue demanding entry between her lips. And then he released her mouth and held her by the shoulders to shove her up so he could pull her nipple between his lips. She cried out as his hot mouth sucked on the erect bud, waves of desire rocking her body. He released her swollen nipple, and she whimpered in frustration before he moved his mouth to her other breast, making her shiver when his tongue trailed a circle around her piercing. His hand moved between them, cupping her other breast in his palm as he took her nipple between his fingers and thumb, stroking and pulling.

  “Leke!” He took her by the hips and flipped her on to her back, his body between her legs as he kissed her. “Leke,” she panted. “Please—” He kissed her even harder, one hand under her hips dragging her against him and the other moving between her breasts, massaging one nipple and then the other. She needed him inside her. Badly. “Leke,” she moaned against his mouth. “Fuck me…”

  He lifted his head to look down at her, his jaw clenched with tension and eyes blazing with desire. The sight of that bite on his neck, just above where his tattoo began, only turned her on more. He kept his eyes locked with hers as his hand went to the waistband of her shorts, slipping inside. He traced his thumb around her clit, teasing and sending spasms through her. Every part of her throbbed with the desire to be touched by him.

  He massaged her clit with his thumb, first gentle and then with more pressure. Her head fell back as she moaned loud, spasms traveling through her body as every muscle inside her tightened. She squirmed underneath him, the pleasure too much to bear…yet not enough. And then he slipped a finger inside her, pushing it as far as it would go. She cried out as he pulled it back. slow, and then pressed it into her again, his thumb not letting up on her clit. He pushed a second finger into her. “So fucking wet,” he murmured. He pressed deeper into her as she cried out his name, but when she was on the verge of coming, he released her. He stood to pull down his trousers, and she gasped at the sight of his massive erect cock. She couldn’t wait to have him inside her.

  He kneeled between her legs, holding her thighs to spread them further apart, and then covered her body with his again. He rubbed the head of his cock against her entrance, making her shiver in anticipation. Come on, Leke…

  As he entered her inch by inch, her head fell back in abandon. And then he pressed with one long thrust so his full length was inside her. Fuck, this felt so good. He pulled out and pushed back in, fast, moaning against her ear. She wrapped her legs around him, her strength returned as she pulled him in deeper.

  “Easy,” he growled. He moved between her thighs in a steady rhythm, going deeper with each stroke. “Veronica,” he managed. “You are so damn perfect.”

  She whimpered at his words as she let go, giving herself up to the pleasure. When he moved faster, she cried out. “Harder, Leke!”

  She lifted her hips, helping him to go further. He kissed her, rough, panting as he pumped into her as if he wanted to possess her.

  WHEN SHE BIT HIM, LEKE knew he was lost. He had never given blood to another, regarding it as an activity below him, but as she fed from him, he had wanted the sensation to continue forever. When lust shot through him, he knew they would not make it through the night without fucking.

  As he slid inside her heat, Leke was losing control. He wanted to be gentle with Veronica—it was her first time with someone like him—but the desire pumping through him was taking over. This was not him. He did not lose control…he could hold back…

  But when she asked him to fuck her harder, he did lose it.

  When he pulled out of her, she swore at him in protest, and he would have smiled with satisfaction if he wasn’t aching with a lust that needed to be sated. He turned her over, pulling her on to her knees so her hips rose before him. He twisted her hair around his fist and held her in place as he pushed into her heat again.

  She screamed out his name as he shoved into her, harder than he should. But she was enjoying it, asking for more. As for him, he was out of control, his desire for her making him lose hold of his senses. Veronica now had her head buried in the sheets to mute her screams, and the muffled sounds sent him over the edge. He’d lived for damn decades but never known pleasure like this…

  What the fuck was it about her?

  He pumped inside her as hard and fast as he could until she screamed out loud. Another strong thrust, and she came around his cock. He fucked her even harder until he released inside her, her muscles clamping tight around him as she moaned into the bed sheets.

  He pulled out of her and fell to his back on the bed, exhausted. When he drew her against him, to his surprise, she did not resist…settling into his arms. Now he had let off steam, concern for her rose. Once his breathing had calmed the fuck down, he asked, “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “No.” She stared up at him, her lips swollen and eyes bright, no sign of the badass who had irritated the shit out of him since she got here. “That was amazing.”

  Her eyes landed on his neck. “It’s all right,” he assured her. “You needed it.” And he had enjoyed it more than he should have…much more than he should have. Fuck, if any of the horde found out he had allowed her to drink from him, he would never hear the end of it.

  She touched his neck. “Did it hurt?”

  “Far from it. In fact, you’re welcome to a bite whenever you feel like it.” Something changed in her expression. Shit, he should know better than this. Just because she drank when she was desperate
did not mean she was all right with it. When she sat up on the bed, he did the same, pulling her back against his chest. “Veronica,” he whispered. “Think of it as sustenance, until you’ve taken out Rasmus.”

  “I won’t do it again.” She looked up at him. “This is not me.” There was something in her eyes, a need for assurance. And it pulled at him, twisted his insides. “I can get by without blood. Can’t I?”

  “You’re right,” he said, his voice soft. “This is not you.” It was the last thing he should do, give her false assurances. He wanted to pull her back into his arms, but she had retreated from him to become the Veronica who wanted nothing to do with him. As if to prove it, she lay down, her back to him. “You don’t want me here, do you? Veronica?”

  “This life. This life is not what I want.” She turned to face him, those hazel eyes hard again, distant. “I can’t wait until Rasmus is dead, and I can get the fuck out of here.”

  He had known that she might leave once Rasmus was out of the way, yet the thought cut through him. “If having me around makes it harder, I’ll stay away from you from now on.”

  “That might be a good idea.”

  He sighed. “As you’ve taken blood from me, it means we’ll share a mental connection—” Before she could panic, “It’s temporary, but just to warn you in case we accidentally connect. You can easily hold it at bay.”

  “Thank you for letting me know.”

  It probably was best for both of them if they kept a distance from each other. He had to get over whatever effect she had on him, because this brand of stupid didn’t suit the leader of a horde. “I’ll stay until you fall asleep.” He lay next to her, taking care to avoid contact. “Only to make sure the nightmares stay away. And after that…it’s strictly business between us.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  * * *

  WHEN VERONICA AWAKENED IN THE morning, Leke was gone. The initial disappointment was followed by a strange feeling, something she had not felt for a long time, not even when she was human.

  Peace…

  Last night had really done it for her. She stood, her energy returned, and opened the curtains. She smiled as she looked out over the forest. Fry was right; she needed to get out more. Maybe today? Yes, she would get dressed and go out to get some sunshine.

  As she showered, she hummed, unable to decide whether her good mood was due to getting blood inside her…or Leke. Or maybe both?

  That thirst for blood had been quenched, but her body still ached for him, her sore nipples a reminder of how he sucked them last night. Last night…it had not been enough…nowhere near enough, but it would have to do, because she could not risk getting any deeper involved. And hadn’t he said that from now on it would be strictly business? She would get her revenge and then get out of here, never looking back.

  She pulled jeans and a tee shirt out of the wardrobe and got dressed, eager to get out in the open. When she left the room, Fry was in the corridor—looked like Leke had put him back on duty—appearing bored as he stared down at his smartphone. When he looked up, his surprised expression was followed by a smile. “Wow, Veronica! You look amazing.” He tilted his head. “You drank, didn’t you?”

  She was glad he did not know what the source of the blood was. “Yes,” she murmured.

  “It’s done you the world of good.” He paused. “Shall I get the fridge stocked up?”

  “There’s no need.” She would never drink that processed stuff. Despite her aversion to the idea, she had to admit she had enjoyed—more than enjoyed—taking blood from Leke, but she had drank enough to regain her strength and was now done with it. Once she was out of here, she would figure out a way to survive without the red stuff. “Anyway, I’m heading out for a bit.”

  “Want company?”

  “No, I’m just going into the garden.”

  “Good for you,” he said, “But don’t go too far…”

  She doubted she would get very far, considering the security that surrounded the mansion. She opened the map on her mobile, walking through corridors and turning corners, and soon reached the entrance. From there, she only had to walk around the side of the mansion to hit the greenery…and then she wandered where her instinct took her.

  Leke’s home was set in acres of land, which in turn was surrounded by fencing, around which endless stretches of forest spread out. It was as if she was in her own world, surrounded by nothing but shrubs and trees. She had never been one for nature—dead concrete walls were always her thing—but right now, she felt as if she was in her own personal paradise. A place where nobody—not her problems, humans or other supernaturals—could touch her.

  She walked faster until she broke into a small run, only stopping when she saw Leke. He was in a fenced-off area, shirtless, an array of swords at his side. She drew a sharp breath, the sight of him sending images from last night flashing through her mind. He was a magnificent vision, resembling an ancient warrior as he held a sword in his hand, swinging it above his head as he turned. He stopped when he saw her. Their eyes locked, and when his darkened, it was obvious he had last night on his mind, too.

  Remembering that they’d agreed to stay away from each other, she turned to walk away, but he called out. “You can come in…if you want.” What harm could it do? She turned back and opened the gate to enter the fenced area. He chucked the sword to the side. “You’re looking better.”

  “I feel a lot better.”

  His eyes did not meet hers. “What are you doing here?”

  “I was just wandering around the grounds…” She paused. “I didn’t come looking for you, if that’s what you think.”

  “I would never make the mistake of thinking you might come looking for me.”

  Okay, so he was pissed at her. Last night, he stayed close until she fell asleep, but today the distance between them was as great as ever. It was for the best.

  She glanced at his neck, where she bit him. The skin was not even broken, even though she drank so greedily. “You’ve healed?”

  “Another perk of being a vampire. We heal fast.”

  She pulled her eyes away from his neck, because memories of biting into him were causing turmoil at her core, not a good idea when he was so close…bare-chested, too. She indicated toward the swords, wanting to pull her focus somewhere else. “You train every day?”

  “Most days. Usually in the underground training area because that’s where the equipment is stored, but today, I needed to clear my head—” He caught his words. “I was about to leave, actually.”

  Strictly business.

  As she ran her gaze over the impressive weapons, she thought of the first day she met Leke, when she was unable to wield the sword. She was good with guns, but it wouldn’t hurt to learn to manipulate other tools. She spoke without thinking. “Could you teach me to fight with swords?”

  His eyes narrowed, and he swallowed before speaking. “It would be useful…if you’re not prepared to bite your way through your enemies or use your supernatural abilities, you should be ready in other ways. And guns aren’t suitable for all missions. But you’ll have to train hard.”

  “That doesn’t scare me.”

  “I don’t doubt it. When do you want to start?”

  “Now?”

  Damn, he almost smiled. “I like your enthusiasm.” He indicated toward the swords. “Choose one.” Her eyes landed on the largest one, but she was experienced enough to know that she should start with a medium size. Time for larger swords later. She picked one with a straight blade, symbols carved into its sheath. “Good choice, Veronica.”

  He came to stand behind her, his body pressing against hers as he held on to both her wrists, lifting her arms into a position to the side of her head. His leg went between hers, guiding them into position. “Start here,” he whispered. “And now swing, toward that post.” She was frozen, motionless, his breath on her neck distracting. Her body pressed back against him of its own accord, and he let go of her arms and stepped back as if
burned. “You need to fucking focus.”

  Damn, his control was infuriating. Yes, they’d agreed to keep a distance, but how could he switch from being hot lover to all business like when he needed to? “So what is it? It’s okay to be all amorous when the time is right, and at other times, I’m supposed to go all cold as if nothing happened between us? Why don’t you give me a timetable, so I know what times of the day you’ll be in asshole mode—”

  He lifted a finger toward her face. “Seriously, Veronica, you’re really—”

  “Pissing you off? Nothing new there, Leke. What is it? You didn’t let off enough steam last night?”

  His lips twitched, and it was obvious he was trying to control his smile. He could go fuck himself. And why the hell was she getting worked up over him? Had she forgotten that he was the one who turned her? From now on, she’d stick to what they agreed and stay away from him, even if only to prove to herself she could.

  He turned his back and moved to the other side of the fencing to pick up his shirt from a pole. After shrugging into it, he pulled his mobile out of a backpack on the floor. As he spoke into it, it was difficult to make out the words, but she presumed he was on the phone to Fry. She tried to ignore him as she went to the middle of the training area with the sword. Holding the weapon as he taught her to, she swung it from side to side, as he had been doing when she arrived here. She got used to the feel of it fast. When she paused, he was staring at her, something close to admiration on his face. She turned away from him and continued to practice.

  Was he still there? Don’t look back. She kept her back to him for what must have been close to an hour. But eventually, sweaty and exhausted, she stopped. And now she could not resist it. She turned and did a double-take. Leke stood with some goateed bloke. What the fuck? How long had the new guy been there, watching her swing the sword like a maniac?

  Leke approached her, followed by the other man…she sensed he was a shifter. “This is Junaid,” Leke said. “He’s your teacher.”