Zane’s husky voice had a note of clinical detachment to it, as if he were holding back. “Say the word and we’ll quit now-because if we go any further, I’m not going to be able to stop.”
He paused to press soft, fluttery kisses across my flat belly. “If you tell me no, I’ll walk away right now. But if you don’t, I’m going to sink my teeth”-he nipped lower, his mouth grazing the underwear covering the curls at the juncture of my thighs-“into your sweet flesh, and then I’m going to spread your legs and sink my cock between them.”
He lifted my legs wide into the air, laying me out before him, open and exposed. My ribbon of underwear was a pitiful barrier against the blazing heat of his body. “So tell me now, Jackie, what you want.” His teeth scraped against the triangle of silk.
His words started a fire deep inside my belly and I clenched my thighs, tightening them around his face, letting him know he was exactly where I wanted him.
He groaned against my hot flesh, then he gently spred my legs again. “I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do, Jackie. Ever.”
“I want to do this,” I finally admitted, squirming in his hands.
His hands gripped my damp panties, pulling them taut against my skin, outlining my most sensitive parts. His tongue stroked my nub through the material, hard-
And I came off the bed with the force of my orgasm.
Before my body even unclenched in relief, Zane ripped my panties off, the head of his cock thrust into my tingling flesh, and the world shattered again.
Bliss swam through me and I wrapped my legs around his waist, careful of the wings that shuddered above us like a dark canopy. Zane ground his hips against mine and I felt pleasure rise again, the tension building as he slowly began to piston me.
My eyes slid open to watch him over me, my hands clenched in helpless fists in the bonds that were so very exciting and not at all frightening. As he stroked into me Zane leaned forward, his lips almost touching one of my breasts as they bounced from the force of his pumping. I arched my back, teasing my nipple against his lips.
His hands slid along my back, arching me up higher against his mouth, and I felt like a cat being stroked. Zane’s mouth closed around my nipple and sucked hard, sending a bolt of startled pleasure through my body. My soft cry turned into a surprised gasp when I felt his fangs break through the skin, and a sear of pain mingled with the pleasure as he began to suck.
It was the most erotic thing I’d ever felt, having him suck at my breast as he drove into me relentlessly, and my third orgasm rolled hard over my body. Zane’s body clenched hard over mine, and I felt the hot spill of his seed deep inside me as he reached his own climax with a groan.
My mind spinning with delirious pleasure, I looked at Zane, his mouth still fastened to my breast. When my eyes met his and I watched him suck, his tongue rasping against my sensitive nipple, it didn’t disgust or revolt me. A sleepy smile slid over my face.
He lifted his face and grinned at me. “What’s that look for?”
I yawned, flexing my hands in the bonds. “Just that I didn’t expect this. Sleeping with a vampire and all.” I blinked a few times, feeling exhausted. My body must have been tired from the constant stress of repressing the Itch. I was glad I wouldn’t have to worry about that anymore.
“I wonder,” I mused, replete.
“Wonder what?” Zane slid up the bed to press a kiss on my mouth.
Momentarily distracted, it took a moment for my thoughts to reschedule themselves. “I wonder why I was chosen. Out of all the girls in New City-heck, in the world-someone picked
Zane chuckled and propped up on one elbow, regarding me. “Why do you say that?”
I tried to shrug, but the scarves binding my wrists prevented it. “I looked like a dork. I was dumpy, I had these huge, thick glasses, and I worked in a museum. Nothing that I’d think would attract a vampire.”
His hand slid down my naked torso, stroking my skin, a warm reminder of what we’d just shared. “Maybe … maybe he liked girls with glasses. Maybe he liked your innocence.” He brushed a sweaty red lock off my forehead. “Maybe he saw the potential inside of you and thought you deserved more than wasting away in a bland mortal life.”
How very romanticized. “Or maybe I just looked like an easy, desperate lay.”
“And maybe you looked really cute with a bean burrito hanging out of your mouth.”
My brow wrinkled. “What are you talking about?”
Zane just smiled, waiting, and it took a minute before it clicked. “That was you at the mall?” I said, incredulous. How long had he been following me? “You must be really hard up for a date.”
He laughed. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
“Yeah, that’s what I hear,” I agreed, yawning again. I couldn’t seem to keep my eyes open.
“I hope you can look past my nature to see the real me someday, Jackie.” His finger traced my jawline softly.
I kinda liked the Zane I’d seen so far, despite my first impressions. I leaned into his touch sleepily, my thoughts becoming disjointed. “You’re not like the other vampires.”
“No, I’m not.”
All this talk of vampires reminded me of my daunting task. I sighed, sadness overwhelming me for a moment. “I don’t know if I can do it, Zane. I don’t know if I can give her that halo. It’ll be really bad if she gets it, won’t it?”
His thumb rubbed against my lips. “Yeah.” There was a long pause in which neither of us said anything. Then Zane leaned in and kissed my mouth. “I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do, Jackie. Ever. Remember that.”
My eyes slid shut again, and my last conscious thought was that I should have asked him to untie me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
H
At least, I was pretty sure I was asleep. Since I hadn’t gone to sleep in at least a week, the concept was a difficult one.
It wasn’t a normal sleep, but I must have had a few moments of true REM action because the scene in my dream wasn’t the one I’d just left.
Zane stood over the bed in my dream, shrugging on his jacket. He was fully clothed again, much to my disappointment-the man had a sweet body-but his hair was still tousled from sex, his mouth still as thrillingly moist as when I’d last kissed it. His eyes had cooled back to their normal dark shade, and as I watched, he stuffed my gun into his waistband.
That made my dream-self pause. What was he doing with my gun? The blue one?
He stared down at the bed, remorse flicking across his face. “Sorry, Jackie. I imagine you’ll be quite mad when you wake up.” His hand reached down to brush my cheek.
Hell, I was already getting pretty steamed. Nobody had to wait for me to wake up.
Zane left, solicitously hung the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the doorknob, and shut the door behind him. To my surprise, my mind’s-eye followed him as he walked down the hall of the hotel, whistling.
He paused outside of Remy’s door and knocked, still whistling a cheerful little tune. He wiggled his fingers at the peephole, and then the door slid open.
It was Stan, his hair tousled, dressed only in pajama bottoms. He looked at Zane with irritation. “What do you want?”
The stolen derringer pointed at Stan’s forehead, and the human froze. A cocky smile crossed Zane’s face.
