Much Ado About Vampires

I don’t live. I merely exist. Christ, you are so sweet, he murmured, wanting to claim those luscious lips. So good. I want you, mi corazon. I want your heat. I want the sweetness that resides within you.

Go ahead , she told him, her body moving against him in a way that he knew would spell disaster. If she rubbed her belly against him just one more time, he was going to disappoint them both. Take it, Alec. I want you to.

He nipped at the skin of her shoulder, wanting more than anything in the world to drink from her, to join himself to her in the most elemental way a Dark One could experience, the hunger chewing him up inside, a fresh torment added to an already miserable existence.

You’ve lost too much blood, he said, his mouth moving along her shoulder to her neck, moaning to himself at the temptation the beat of her pulse posed. I want it like I’ve never wanted anything, but I will not harm you again.

She made a wordless noise of protest, her body twining against his as she clutched his back, clearly offering herself to him.

No, mi querida, I cannot allow you to do this.

She tensed for a moment, and he knew she misinterpreted him. Mi querida . . . “my beloved.”

Does that word bother you? he asked. I did not mean it as you believe.

No, it’s just . . . no. I don’t mind.

He was mildly puzzled by the shadow of something she kept hidden from him, but the scent and feel and taste of her claimed his full attention. Christ, how I want you. You are so smooth; you taste so sweet.... God give me strength, I can’t resist you unless you make me stop.

She hesitated but, after a moment of struggling with herself, admitted, I don’t want you to stop.

Alec couldn’t keep from kissing her, his mouth brushing against her lips in a way that he could feel made her mindless with pleasure. Her fingers dug into the cloth of his jacket as his tongue traced her lower lip.

“Cielito,” he said, and she melted against him, her damned hips grinding against him with urgent little movements. Mi cielito lindo, let me in. If I cannot have your blood, I must taste you again.

I’m hardly heaven, and definitely not beautiful, she told him, but parted her lips nonetheless. He reveled in the taste of her as his tongue swept in, finding all her secrets, tasting her sweetness. Her breasts strained against him, her hips moving restlessly now, and when she touched his tongue with hers, he thought it was all over.

I want you, she told him with a sense of wonder that had him believing she didn’t know she was projecting again. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted another man. I physically ache to have you inside me. I want to kiss you forever. I want to feed you, to give you life, and none of that makes sense! You are a vampire, but oh, how I want you.

Christ, woman , if you keep thinking things like that . . . he moaned into her mind, so close to taking what she offered. By the saints, I want you, too. You’re making me mad with need. And if you touch me there just one more time, I won’t be able to stop.

She wiggled against him, stroking her hand boldly down his chest.

That’s it! You are more than any man can bear. You have no one but yourself to blame for this.

She sucked his tongue, drawing a groan deep from his throat. His hands moved around from caressing her delicious ass to the front of her jeans, tugging the zipper and sliding his hands over those wickedly wanton hips.

I shouldn’t be doing this. It’s wrong, so very wrong. I should stop you . Oh Mother Mary, right there! She clutched his shoulders as his fingers slid beneath her underwear, pushing it out of the way, discovering all her warm secrets.

It may not be wise, but it certainly isn’t wrong, he said, groaning when she reached for his belt buckle, her hands stroking his fly before releasing him into her hands.

It is wrong . . . but I really don’t care at this moment. My god, you’re hot.

Only for you , mi corazon. His hips moved impulsively as she stroked him. Do you know what you are doing to me?

I can feel it, she said, panting into his mind. I can feel what you feel. This is amazing. This is wonderful. This is . . . oh, you really like this, don’t you?

His eyes rolled back in his head for a few seconds before he growled at her, deep from his chest.

“And what of you, temptress? Do you like this?” he asked, his fingers parting her, finding areas with gentle brushes of his fingertips that he knew were driving her mad with ecstasy. Her mouth burned on his, her tongue twining around his in a way that almost pushed him beyond control. Tell me what you want, mi cielito.

More, she demanded, I want more.

He broke off the kiss, her eyes glazed with passion. “Do you know what you are asking? ” His voice was rough with emotion, the erotic images in her mind mirroring his.

“Yes. I don’t care. I just want you. Right here. Right now.”

She found a rhythm that made him grit his teeth with the need to not end it all in her hands, his pleasure spiraling wildly out of control until he could bear it no longer. He pressed her against the rock, lifting her hips to him, the hot center of her beckoning to him. He slid into her with a groan of purest pleasure, one that was echoed by her as she shifted her hips, taking him even deeper.

Please tell me you’re close, he all but begged as she bucked against him, her legs wrapped around his thighs. I won’t last long. And if you don’t stop thinking things like that, I’m not going to last, period.

Now! she yelled into his mind. Do it now!

He thrust hard against her, mindless to everything but the need for completion, the burning hunger that roared out of control when her muscles grabbed him, spasming around him as she found her pleasure.

Feed! she demanded, her fingers digging into his shoulders, her back arched against him as the tremors of her orgasm locked her muscles tight.

He couldn’t have stopped himself if the world were ending. He bit the spot behind her ear that seemed to beckon to him, feeling her jerk against him for a second before relaxing with a sigh of rapture as he drank. He shared the sensation with her, so she could feel the power of feeding, and that fulfillment joined with his arousal until he thrust deep within her, his climax so powerful, it left him drained of every emotion but one.

And that he refused to acknowledge.

Chapter Four

The moment Alec’s orgasm claimed him was the moment the truly reprehensible part of my mind pointed out two things that it felt were important—the first was that I had just had mind-blowingly fabulous sex with a murderous vampire, and the second was that I’d just had mind-blowingly fabulous sex with a murderous vampire . . . right out in the middle of the Akasha. That last point was driven home when in the distance I heard a scream of anger.

Alec pulled back, his breath as rough as mine, the sense of shared fulfillment fading as we stared at each other.

“Good lord. I had sex with you. Right here. Where anyone could have seen us.” The taste of him lingered in my mouth, a sweet taste, one I doubted I’d ever get enough of.