3#Awakened by the Vampire Prince (Thorn) (3 page)

“Come
with me now? I don’t see the princess. Did you say she was here?” The branches
close to where they were standing rustled.

Esral
pursed her lips to keep from making a noise. She could hear Glendril’s soft
leather boots as she moved about. “I do pick up her scent, but…”

“Fine…”
Gideon’s voice sounded unnaturally thick. “I’ll come with you. It’s almost six
o’clock anyway.”

The
male knew that Xavier was with her and that the replacement guard would be at
her front door at six sharp. He was giving them a way out. Not that it was much
of a hardship on him. Two sets of feet began to move away.

“I
can’t wait to feel you deep inside me,” Glendril murmured.

Gideon
made a sound of approval. “I have a feeling your pussy will be snug. I wonder”—he
paused taking a deep breath—“will you taste as sweet as you scent?”

“I
have been told that my nectar is delicious to savor.”

“Make
no mistake, female, I plan to devour your pussy but I was referring to your
blood. You are going to enjoy being taken with cock and fang. It will be the
best orgasm you have ever had.”

Glendril’s
moan was the last thing Esral heard before they moved out of earshot.

She
couldn’t help but to giggle softly into her hand. It was mostly out of sheer
nervousness of nearly being caught. Her armpits actually felt damp.
Unfortunately, so were her inner thighs. Xavier made her forget all rhyme and
reason. He made her forget her future and her past.

His
nostrils flared and his eyes dipped to the juncture at her thighs. She squeezed
her legs together to try and tamp down on the aching need but it only made it
worse. Chewing on her lip, she actually tasted blood as one of her sharp teeth
nicked her flesh.

Xavier
groaned, sounding so needy. “I want to touch you.” He whispered, pulling her
against him.

“There
is no one to stand guard.” As she whispered, she moved closer until she
straddled his thigh.

“We
will need to be quick—” His hand slipped between the folds of her robe closing
on her flower.

Esral
sucked in a deep breath.

“—and
quiet.” His eyes moved to her lips a fraction of a second before he devoured
them. No time to waste, his finger settled on her rosebud in a back and forth
friction that had her arching her back and moaning. Xavier’s hot, demanding
mouth swallowed the noise. His finger dipped to her flower, barely breaching
the opening. The feeling of him there, in such a forbidden place had her
sucking in a breath. It had her heart stopping for a long moment.

Finger
covered in nectar, he continued his assault on her clit. Even saying the word
in her mind had her orgasm coiling in her belly. Her fingers dug into him, her
one leg lifted hooking higher on his thigh.

The
blast of pleasure that tore through her had her knees weakening. If it wasn’t
for his hand at the back of her neck, she would have pulled away on a high
pitched cry. In that moment she didn’t care if all of Pulamor heard her. Xavier
kept his mouth closed over hers, muffling any noises she might make. He slowly
eased the pressure on her rosebud, drawing out her pleasure. Just as he removed
his hand, he broke the kiss, giving her a little peck on the tip of her nose.

“Can
I let you go now?”

She
nodded. Xavier put a hand to her hip as he settled her firmly on her feet.
Feeling weak, yet thoroughly sated, she couldn’t help but to grin at him like a
fool.

Xavier
smiled back. “Feeling a bit better?”

Esral
nodded. “I only wish I could do the same for you.”

His
eyes darkened. “As much as I would love your hands on me, I’m afraid that our
time is up.” He winked at her as he moved away. “Besides, I got all that I
needed from feeling you cum in my arms. Wait here,” Xavier instructed softly as
he began to move away. Esral had to suppress a gasp as she saw him stick his
fingers in his mouth, his eyes drifting shut for a second as he savored her
nectar.

Within
a few seconds he was back. “Coast is clear, let’s go. I’ll take you back to
your chamber and wait for the replacement.”

“What
if someone sees us?”

“No
one knows about us except for Gideon and maybe York.” Xavier stayed a half a
step behind her. He had shoved his hands into his pockets. She glanced back, his
eyes were gunmetal grey and two creases had appeared between his eyes. She
loved the way the shadows played on his face, highlighting the slight cleft in
his…
wait a minute
.

“Did
you just say that York knows about us?” Her voice had a panicked edge.

Xavier
half smiled. “The male is no fool, besides I’m sure he could scent me on you
this morning.”

She
stopped walking. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean—”

“Male
seed is designed to leave a scent marker on a female. Granted, it would’ve left
more of a scent if I had rutted you, but…”

Esral
could feel the blood drain from her face. “I was sure that if I brushed my
teeth, gargled with mouthwash. I sprayed my bedding and my clothes with
rosewater which would mask any scent for sure.”

“You
forget that we have a better sense of smell than elves do. Your species would
be none the wiser…” Xavier’s eyebrows lifted. “I would be very surprised though
if York didn’t know.”

Her
mouth gaped open, but as hard as she tried she couldn’t make it close.

“Don’t
look so shocked, princess.” Xavier smiled. “I told York yesterday that you were
mine and that he had no place claiming you. I’m sorry if this upsets you.”

Esral
sucked in a breath as her brain started working again. She swatted Xavier on
the arm.

He
smiled. “Don’t do that. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I
might be small but I’m strong,” she growled at him. “I can’t believe you let
me”—she lowered her voice while looking up at him through narrowed eyes—“swallow…knowing
York would be able to tell.”

“I
told you not to swallow and with my cock half way down your throat and my balls
in my own throat I couldn’t force myself to make you release me. I’m sorry.” He
paused. “You’re not mated to him and if I have anything to say about it, you
won’t be mating him.”

“He
claimed me. I shouldn’t have…we shouldn’t have…it’s wrong.”

“Bullshit,
princess. Listen to me.” His jaw clenched for a few beats and his eyes darkened
so much that they turned a lighter shade of black. “We belong together. You’re
not mating York and that’s fucking final.” His voice had become a low growl. “I
will talk with him again. He needs to know that I am fighting for us. I don’t
want him to get starry-fucking-eyed over a future with you.”

Esral
squeezed her eyes shut. York had been nothing but kind to her. It would only
make things so much worse if he knew just how deep her feelings for Xavier ran.
Although the male knew there was an attraction between herself and Xavier, she
didn’t think he realized that they were in love with one another. That her
heart would always belong to another male.

What
if she and York did end up mated? It was a strong possibility at this point.
York knowing would drive a wedge between them that could never be taken down.

“Esral,
sweetheart,” Xavier whispered. “He knows already. Apparently everyone knew how
we felt for one another except for us.”

She
had to smile, feeling something inside her ease.

“I
won’t hurt him in any way. I just don’t want him getting his hopes up about a
union with you. It’s best that he knows where we stand.”

She
nodded. “You are right. Do you want me to be with you when you discuss it with
him?”

Xavier
shook his head. “I will handle it. He’ll listen if he knows what’s fucking good
for him.”

Esral
flinched at his foul language. She felt herself frown. “Do you have to keep
using that word?” she whispered.

“Which
word? Fuck?” His eyes were sparkling with amusement.

She
nodded. “It’s unnecessary.”

“I
thought you liked a little bit of dirty talk, princess, and I plan on using the
word fuck very often where you are concerned.”

She
felt her cheeks heat. Xavier knew exactly how to push all of her hot buttons.
She licked her lips. “I do like dirty talk but cursing during general
conversation…” She shook her head.

“I’ll
make a bet with you…” His mouth twitched. “You and I get through this and I’ll
never swear again. I swear.” He touched his heart and looked up to the canopy
above like he was not only making a pact with her but with a higher power.

“That’s
so sweet.” She stopped walking for a few beats and smiled at him. She imagined
that she must have looked all starry-eyed to him. Like if you looked up the
words ‘In Love’ in the dictionary, a picture of her in this moment would be
there. They started walking again and it wasn’t lost on her how slow they were moving.

He
glanced her way and his eyes swirled with silver. “You are so damned beautiful that
it hurts me to look at you.”

She
caught her bottom lip between her teeth, feeling her flesh dent.

His
gaze zoned in on her mouth. “I really want to kiss you right now.” His nostrils
flared. “But…we had better keep walking.” He sighed like it was the biggest
regret.

Esral
sucked on her bottom lip for a few beats more. “I want to do more than just
kiss.” She finally blurted.

Xavier
stumbled but righted himself immediately. “One of these days very soon, I’m
going to kiss you from your head right down to your toes and then back again.”

“More
kissing.” She sighed. “Boring.” She pretended to yawn in her hand.

Xavier
growled and chuckled at the same time. The deep, husky sound did strange things
to her insides.

“Once
I’ve finished kissing you and have made you cum at least half a dozen times, I
will ease myself into your tight…flower.”

“Flower.”
Her own voice sounded a little thick and a lot breathless. “Xavier?”

“Yeah.”

“I
like it when you say pussy,” she said on a whisper. “It sounds really naughty
and makes me feel hot inside. Like I’m burning up.”

Xavier
made a strained noise between clenched teeth. “Your sweet, little pussy. It
will be like finally coming home. I will be able to show you how much you mean
to me. How much I…” Thankfully he let the sentence die as his eyes turned stormy
with determination.

Her
own eyes drifted shut for a half a beat and her breathing turned a little erratic.

“As
much as it will kill me, princess, the first time we make love, I will take you
slowly and with infinite care until you beg me to let you cum.”

She
had to stop breathing to hear what he was saying.

Just
before they rounded the last tree that led to her walkway, he stopped walking.
Neither of them looked at each other. “When I take you for the second time, I
won’t be gentle or soft in any way.” He swallowed thickly, she saw his Adam’s
apple bob out of the corner of her eye. “I will plow into your slick heat. It
will be quick and hard. It might even hurt just a little but I will make you
cum so hard that you may not be able to remember your own name. I will brand
you as mine in every way possible. Every part of your body will know me.”

Her
heart sped out of control. She had to clear her throat before she could speak.
“I can’t wait.” Her knees felt weak and her inner thighs were dripping wet.

“Good,
because it’s going to happen.” Xavier put his hand to her back reminding her to
keep on walking. It was her turn to stumble, he grabbed ahold of her, which
prevented her from falling onto her face.

York’s
stormy gaze narrowed on both of them as they turned the bend. His hard eyes
moved to where Xavier still clutched her elbow. The grip on her arm tightened
for several long seconds before Xavier finally released her.

A
beast of a male stood next to York, who she had always thought of as overly
large. Dark, scary eyes moved her way. Other than that, the male looked
indifferent.

“Where
have you been? Where is Gideon?” York growled, he pursed his lips for a few
beats. Then his nostrils flared and his eyes dipped to her thighs. “I claimed
this female.” York snarled, his arms bunching at his sides. “You can’t do this,
Xavier.”

The
only indication Xavier gave of his anger was when his eyes darkened. They
turned gunmetal gray and cold as steel. “This is Lazarus.” Xavier chose to
ignore York and gestured in the direction of the giant vampire.

The
big male dipped his head. “It is a great pleasure to meet you, princess.”

Esral
nodded back having to use every last bit of her resolve to at least seem calm
and unaffected. It wasn’t lost on her how York looked at Xavier, how his hands
were fisted tightly at his sides.

“Guard
her with your life.” Xavier kept his eyes locked with Lazarus’ for a few beats
before turning to face York. “We need to talk,” he growled.