Dark Challenge (20 page)

How had she ever been happy without him? Before him her body had never been restless and hungry as it was now. She had loved her life, her singing, yet now she thought always of him, his strange, solitary life, his loneliness, and his terrible aching need only she could fill. And he seemed to fill her life as nothing had before. She was changed for all time, just as she had feared, yet now, as he walked so quietly beside her, she had no fear whatsoever.

Even as they walked together in perfect harmony, breathing in the fresh mountain air, listening to the forest creatures, the creak of the swaying branches, and a rushing stream nearby, Julian could think of only one thing. Before he went out of his mind, he had to bend down and find Desari’s mouth with his. He wanted the taste of her lingering in his body for all time. He meant to be gentle with her—a caress, no more—but the moment he felt the softness of her perfect mouth, red-hot lava, molten and hungry, flared and consumed him. His muscles tightened to the point of pain. His arms, of their own accord, swept around her to pull her close. He imprinted his hard frame on her softer one, letting her feel his painful need, his body full and demanding, his mouth
fastening on hers as if she were his very breath.

“You are my breath,” he whispered into the softness of her mouth. “You are the only reason I am still living, Desari. I intended to greet the dawn after I had completed my errand and warned you of the impending danger to you.” His tongue explored the heated velvet of her mouth, then moved to the slim column of her neck. As he continued to feed the fire between them, he was moving them deeper into the shadows of the forest. His hands slipped beneath her blouse to rest on her narrow rib cage, taking in as much of her soft skin as he was able to. Julian closed his eyes for a moment, just savoring the feel of her, the rose-petal texture of her skin.

Desari circled his neck with one arm, brushing at the wild strands of golden hair falling around his face before she slowly unbuttoned the tiny pearl buttons down the front of her blouse. As each slipped from its resting place, the blouse parted, and she drew his head down to her bare skin. Only a fine film of lace covered her full, aching breasts. Her nipples were hard and pushing through the lace, her need every bit as great as his own.

He whispered something soft and sexy in Italian, but the sound of it was muffled as he blazed a trail of fire from her throat to the valley between her breasts. She heard her own gasp, a soft cry of need as she arched to meet his wandering mouth. His tongue lapped at her nipples right through the lace, a hot, moist caress that created a hot, moist response between her legs.

“I need you, Desari. I was empty without you. And that kind of emptiness eats away at you, consumes you until your soul is dark and ugly and all that matters is sating your hunger. But nothing fills the void. Nothing. Year after year you endure the emptiness until life itself is a curse hardly to be borne. And all the while the darkness, the beast in you whispers, an insidious whisper
promising power from the kill, promises that wear away your belief in God, in all the things that are right and true and good. The monster inside you, so black and hungry for life, grows and grows until it has consumed everything you ever were. That is the curse borne by Carpathian males, Desari.”

Julian’s arms tightened around her until their strength threatened to crack her bones, but Desari only held him closer, listening to the anguish in his voice. She cradled his head to her, protective, feminine, his refuge and salvation.

“We have lost so many. I have hunted boyhood friends, dared not become too close to anyone in case I was called upon to end his existence.” His hands moved over her skin, tracing each rib. The palms of his hands were hot as they moved to find her waist. Julian lifted his head to allow his eyes to drift slowly, possessively over her. His molten gaze ignited a firestorm of need in Desari. She loved the weight of his eyes on her, the hunger burning so intensely there.

She watched as he slowly lifted one hand, and stared at his perfect nails for a moment before one lengthened into a sharp talon. Very slowly he inserted it between her breasts, just touching the wisp of lace that hugged her body. One downward sweep sliced the material easily, spilling her breasts free.

Desari held her breath, afraid to move or speak, not wanting to shatter the moment, not wanting that look of hunger for her alone to ever leave his face. His hands moved upward, sliding over her skin to cup her breasts. His heated gaze went to her face, studying every detail, every expression, every emotion in her dark eyes.

“I will never deserve you, Desari, no matter how long we live, no matter how hard I try. I do not deserve a
woman such as you.” He whispered the words, meaning every one of them.

She smiled, tilting her head to one side. “Perhaps not, Julian,” she agreed. “But I am not the angel you think me. You have only to ask my brother the trouble you are letting yourself in for. But I promise you, I do plan on showing you.”

Her voice, soft and pure, straight from heaven, slipped over his body like the brush of her fingertips, touching him everywhere, teasing, stroking, promising the very things fantasies were made of. She wanted to end his suffering, take away the centuries of emptiness without hope, the terrible burden of the deaths he carried, forced to hunt his friends and end their lives in order to save mortals and immortals alike. She wanted to play and tease, be as mischievous as possible, teach him the meaning of her kind of “trouble.”

A sound intruded. The others were still far too close to them. The campsite was some distance away, but Carpathians had exceptionally acute hearing. Julian could hear them breaking camp, starting up vehicles. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm the raging storm within. He would not subject the other men, all so close to turning, to the sounds of their lovemaking.

Very tenderly he cupped the creamy fullness of De-sari’s breasts in the palms of his hands. His thumbs caressed her nipples into hard, beckoning peaks. “You are so beautiful, Desari, your skin so warm and soft.” He bent his head to trace the valley between her breasts with his tongue, lingering over the steady beat of her heart. “I want you so badly I feel I might go insane if I do not have you at this moment.”

She lay her head over his, rubbing his thick mane of golden hair with her chin. “But?”

Julian sighed softly. “I will have to be content with
looking at you in adoration.” He reluctantly released her and stepped away. “I think I can manage to wait a short time.” His golden eyes glittered at her dangerously. “If you do something to distract me.”

Desari tilted her head, her long hair sliding like so much silk over her shoulder, partially covering her bare skin from his view. A small, feminine smile curved her soft mouth. Just the sight of it made him groan. “Distract you?” Her voice hummed with promise. “I can think of several interesting things we can try to distract you from thinking of my family.” Her smile was sexy, enticing, a promise.

“You are not helping me,” he scolded, his body an unrelenting ache.

Desari had slowly merged her mind with his. She saw his terrible need of her, the images of them intertwined. She felt the fire rushing in his blood, the heaviness pooling between his legs. The monster roaring for release, inciting him to take his lifemate with heat and passion and damn the strangers he was trying to be considerate of.

It was a measure of her own raging passion that she had not considered the men, their hearing, their ability to smell. The wind would so easily carry to the others what went on in the forest. “You are far more deserving of me than you believe,” she whispered softly, pride for him making her want to throw herself into his arms.

The fire of hunger and need was on her. She wanted his body crushed against hers, filling hers, his blood running in her own veins. She needed the closeness with him to take away her fear of being separated from him.

Julian shook his head, his hand curling around the nape of her neck. “You cannot look at me like that,
piccola
, or I am sure to go up in flames.”

Desari allowed her fingers to tangle in his golden
mane. “Thank you for thinking of my family when I could not.” Her voice was a whisper of seduction, sliding over his hot skin. Just the sound of it made every muscle in his body clench.

Julian made another effort to breathe. Air. It was all around him, yet he couldn’t seem to drag enough into his lungs. He took her hand in his and carried it to the warmth of his mouth. “We need to find a safe subject,
cara mia
, or I will not make it through these next few minutes.”

Desari’s soft laughter was like music in the wind. She perched on a large tree trunk that lay across the forest floor. The breeze tugged at her long hair so that it shifted around her like a veil, one moment hiding the temptation of bare, gleaming skin, the next revealing it. “A safe subject,” she mused aloud. “What would that be?”

The air slammed out of his lungs once again at the sight of her. She looked so much a part of her surroundings. Wild. Sexy. Provocative. “You might try closing your shirt.” His voice sounded hoarse and desperate even to his own ears.

Desari had made no attempt to button her blouse, and her breasts jutted toward him, a temptation he knew he would be unable to resist for long. Her button-fly jeans were partially undone, exposing her tiny waist and narrow rib cage. She continued to smile at him, a blatant seduction, while her fingers fiddled with the third button of her jeans.

His hot golden gaze touched her, then moved quickly away. “You are not helping me, Desari.” His voice was husky with his terrible need. Much more and he might truly go up in flames, spontaneous combustion.

The tip of her tongue darted out to moisten her lush mouth. “A subject that will keep our minds off other things.” She touched his chest gently, hardly more than
a brush of her fingertips, but she felt him jump. “I am thinking, Julian,” she said softly, innocently, her large dark eyes staring up at him. Her fingers slid the buttons of his shirt free so that the palms of her hands could find the heavy muscles of his chest.

Julian gritted his teeth. “You are killing me, Desari. My heart cannot stand much more.”

“I am merely touching you,” she pointed out demurely. Her nails slid lightly over his skin, tracing each well-defined muscle with exquisite care. “I like the way you feel.” She bent her head closer so that her long hair brushed his sensitized skin, and a sound escaped his throat. “I love the way you smell, too. Is that so bad?”

He captured her hands and held them tightly to him. “You are going to get yourself into trouble.”

“I wonder if you would be more comfortable if I just opened the front of your jeans. They seem a bit tight.” Desari slipped her hands out from under his, wickedly tracing the path of golden hair down to his flat belly. Her fingers were already at work, parting the material before he could think to stop her.

“You are a tease, Desari,” he accused, groaning again when his body burst free from the restraint of the denim.

Her eyelashes swept up so that he was staring into her dark eyes. Sexy, mischievous, intriguing. “Mmm, nice,” she whispered, staring at the evidence of his desire. “Very nice.”

He would be lost forever if he continued to look at her. He would never be able to stay in control. As if she could read his mind, her hands slipped even lower, brushing the strong columns of his thighs, moving up again slowly until he was once again unable to breathe. Then she cupped his heavy fullness in her hands, feeling the thickness of him, stroking the velvet tip with knowing fingers.

Julian couldn’t help himself; his head went back as pleasure ripped through him, as fire raced through his veins. His teeth clenched. “What are you doing, woman? Trying to drive me insane?”

Desari’s dark eyes trapped the moon and shone brightly. Her voice purred with innocence and laughter, silvery notes that danced over and caressed him. “I thought I was bringing you a measure of relief.”

Her hands followed the images in his head, became more skillful, more persuasive, teasing and gliding over and around him until he was tempted to beg for mercy. “Is my family gone yet?” she whispered, intrigued by his reactions. She moved her head to brush his stomach with her mouth. Her hair cascaded around her face, fluttering against his skin, until his body was raging for release.

A low growl escaped his throat. “They are just now beginning to move their vehicles,” he said between his teeth.

“Really?” Desari said, distracted by his hot fullness. Her hands slipped around his hips as she dropped even lower, finding the carpet of vegetation with her knees. She heard him gasp and looked up at his face, etched with harsh lines of need. She smiled slowly and once more bent her head to him.

Julian had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. The trees swayed and dipped in the wind. Her face was white and flawless in the moonlight, her long lashes and dark eyes so mysterious, her mouth so erotic he wanted to hold this moment for eternity. Her blouse gaped open so that her breasts were bare and inviting. She looked like a pagan goddess of ancient times.

Then her warm breath effectively knocked out his ability to think. Her mouth, moist and warm, took away all self-control. As her soft lips slid over him, he grabbed
two fistfuls of silky hair and pulled her close. His hips began thrusting almost helplessly into her. Her nails raked up and down his thighs gently, urging him closer still. Her mouth tightened until he wanted to scream with pleasure. Her hands moved over his buttocks, lovingly tracing them, then moved to cup him once again.

“Thank God they are away,” Julian gasped, his body thrusting into her hot mouth. Then he clenched his teeth and began to pull her to her feet. Reluctantly Desari left her erotic exploration and allowed him to tug her up against his rock-hard frame. His mouth fastened itself to hers, devouring her, dominating her, possessing her. His arms threatened to crush her.

Desari reveled in the strength of his arms, in his desire for her, his need of her. He was kicking his jeans away in a frenzy, forgetting in the moment his ability to simply will them away. She loved his wild, uncontrollable need, the fire and hunger in him for her. Only for her. She felt complete, feminine, powerful. She was lost in his arms, giving herself up completely to be whatever he might need or want. She wanted him with the same savage fury and need. Her body was going up in flames. His kiss alone was causing her bones to melt. She allowed her blouse to float to the ground, and her arms slipped around his neck. She pressed herself even closer.