In Blood and Worth Loving 3 Kiss Cover (14 page)

He inhaled quickly as his Adam
’
s
apple
bobbed wildly. Finally, he leaned close and spoke with his lips against her ear.
“
I am…
”

“
You
’
re what?
”
she asked when he allowed his voice to trail off.

He stepped away from her and met her gaze. “I am so sorry for what happened the last time we saw each other. I’m sorry for what happened and for the things I said.”

Her heartbeat quickened. “And?” That was a start but surely there was more.

“That’s all I wanted to say.”

She blinked. “What?”

“I’ll let you get back to your party.” He turned and walked quickly away.

She stared after him, rapidly blinking to keep her gaze tear free. He might be sorry but his half-assed apology had come too late to matter to her.

“
Now about that dance,
”
Tyler said, slipping an arm around her shoulders.

She shook her head and drew away.
“
I
’
m sorry I
’
m just not in the mood to dance.
”
She turned away.

Don
’
t you walk away from me or you
’
ll be sorry once we
’
re alone!
He stepped in her path.
“
But I am.
”

Sin-Bad stalked across the room to push him out of Desiree
’
s way.
“
Then you had better find someone else to oblige you because she
’
s clearly not interested.
”

He swung around to face Sin-Bad.
“
Look, Stoner, this is between me and Desiree and
–
”

Sin-Bad reached out and wrapped his fingers around the other male
’
s throat.
“
I suggest you watch your tone, boy and remember where the hell you are or there won
’
t be enough left of you to fill a cup. Now get your ass out of here and don
’
t linger around our grounds or I
’
ll kill you where I find you. Is that clear?
”

Tyler nodded around the hand still on his throat.

Sin-Bad released him and he flashed from the room in silence.

Shocked by the easy violence a practicing attorney had displayed for all to see, Desiree stared at Sin-Bad.

He exhaled and spoke to her in a softened voice.
“
I know you
’
re going to resent my saying this, but stay away from him, Desiree.
”

Even though she had no plans to see him again, she resented being told to stay away from him.
“
Why?
”

“
Because he has an ulterior motive for his interest.
”

Damn. First Conner went out of his way to make her feel unattractive and now him.
“
Are you implying he couldn
’
t possibly just want to get to know me?
”

“
There
’
s an ugly history between him and Conner. He would love nothing better than to get back at Conner by hurting you.
”

“
Then he
’
s wasting his time because in case you
’
ve forgotten, there
’
s no longer anything between Conner and me.
”

“
I wouldn
’
t count on that if I were you.
”

“
Why not?
”

“
You don
’
t think he humbled himself enough to apologize to you in front of a room full of people because he had nothing better to do. Do you?
”

“
He practically whispered the so-called apology. Where was the humiliation in that?
”

Sin-Bad arched a brow.
“
Have you forgotten who you
’
re talking to, Desi? We have excellent hearing. I was on the other side of the room but I heard every word you both said.
”
He glanced around.
“
Trust
me;
apologizing to a human woman in front of a group of full-bloods would be a humbling experience for anyone with vampire blood. That is not something he
’
ll be able to live down for a very long time.
”

“
Then why did he do it?
”

“
Why do you think?
”

She shook her head.
“
I
’
m done thinking I know anything about him except that he
’
s unpredictable.
”

“
And is virtually yours to command. So act wisely and accordingly. Don
’
t date anyone else or you
’
ll bring grief down on us all.
”

“
What do you mean?
”

“
Full-bloods don
’
t generally do friendship any more than we do romantic love. So when we do have someone we count as a friend, we
’
ll go to the wall for them. If Conner ends up doing something he shouldn
’
t because of his relationship with you, it will affect Adrian, Jay
vyn
, Rayna, and his friends as well. I
’
m not excited by the idea of going to war with the Brotherhood now that I
’
m happily married. But my brothers and I wouldn
’
t stand by while the Redwolfes faced th
ose maniacs
alone.

“
So please. Think carefully before you make a major decision that might involve a lot of bloodshed and death.
”

She stared at him and knew he was serious.
“
I will.
”

“
Good. Now, I think it would be safer for you to spend the night.
”

“
Safer? What do you mean
?
”

“
I
’
m fairly certain Hartford was attempting to subvert your will. If Conner hadn
’
t arrived, I would have stepped in.
”

She sucked in a breath. That explained why she
’
d struggled to say no to him.
“
Thank you,
”
she said and then shivered.

He hugged her briefly.
“
You
’
ll be safe here. Sleep with no fear of hi
m
accosting you in the middle of the night. We won
’
t allow that to happen.
”

Brandi had been right. If she were going to go date a vampire, it should be one she knew
and loved.
Like her,
Conner had his faults, but he had never attempted to subvert her will. Yes, he had shaken and frightened her. Had he been inclined, he could have done so much more harm. But he hadn
’
t. And he had finally offered the belated apology she
’
d ached to hear.

Chastened and humbled by Sin-Bad
’
s concern, she squeezed his hand.
“
Thank you.
”

“
You
’
re the blood of one of my friends. No one will harm you while I can prevent it.
”

A tall, pretty woman with long dark hair and skin and well-padded curves crossed the room to smile at her.
“
I
’
ll show you your room when you
’
re ready,
”
Chandra Stoner said.

She
’
d had an eventful night and had a lot to think about.
“
I think I
’
m ready now,
”
she said.

Chandra slipped her arm though hers.
“
This way.
”

Conner was waiting outside the Stoner mainline Philadelphia mansion when Hartford left. Before he could reach his car, Conner flashed behind him, gripped his neck, and swung him around.
“
I
’
m only going to say this once. Stay the fuck away from her or
I’ll kill
you.
”

After easily overcoming Hartford
’
s efforts to peel his fingers away from his neck, he opened his hand.

The other male
’
s eyes glowed and he bared his incisors.
“
The days when you could brush my grievance
s
off as if the life of my sister didn
’
t matter are gone. I
’
ve formed an alliance with the Defense League of the Brotherhood. Come after me and things will not end well for you or your brothers and that lovely so-called niece of yours.
”

The implicit threat against Rayna enraged him.
“
You won
’
t be here to worry about how we fare against The League because I
’
m going to kill you now!
”
He grabbed Hartford by the neck with both hands.
“
I
’
m going to bleed and gut your carcass.
”
He bared his incisors and jerked the struggling Hartford towards him.

He felt a hand descend on his shoulder and an all too familiar and lately increasingly irritating voice sp
oke
.
“
Let him go, Conner.
”

He continued to s
queeze
while attempting to shake the hand on his shoulder off.

“
Let him go, Conner!
”

Retaining his grip on Hartford
’
s throat, he swung around to face Adrian.
“
Stay the fuck out of this!
”

Instead of backing off,
Adrian
bought a clenched fist down on Conner
’
s arm, breaking his hold. When Hartford fell to the ground, Adrian stepped in front of him.
“
Get the fuck out of here now before I help him kill you.
”
Although he spoke to Hartford, he kept his gaze locked on Conner.

Hartford bolted to his feet and disappeared into the night.

Watching, it was difficult for Conner not to turn his rage on the twin he
’
d always been so close to.
“
I won
’
t forget or forgive your interf
erence
or taking sides,
”
he warned.

“
Taking sides? Are you out of your mind? It doesn
’
t matter if you
’
re right or wrong. I am now, always have been, and always will be on your side.
”

“
Forcing me to let him go or fight you is being on my side?
”

“
There
’
s a very good reason for my actions, Conner. I need you to believe and understand that.
”

“
Fine. What
’
s your good reason besides that lame shit about this not being a good time to start a war?
”

“
My reasons are personal.
”

He stared at Adrian.
“
What the fuck could be too personal to share with me? Oh. Let me guess. It
’
s something to do with Brandi. Is she coming between us now?
”

“
No one can come between us, Conner. Our bond is too strong.
”

“
Then tell me this personal reason has nothing to do with her and I
’
ll believe that.
”

Adrian extended a hand.
“
Killing him would have been a bad idea, Conner.
”

“
Why? Because you
’
ve turned into a pussy? Why the fuck don
’
t you go back to Brandi and see if you can muster up a little of the courage you used to have?
”
He shoved past Adrian and stalked back towards the mansion. Had Adrian followed him, there would have been a physical confrontation.

With the rage building inside him nearly impossible to control, he knew he needed to see Desiree. As he neared the terrace, Sin-Bad appeared in his path.

Fuck!
“
Where is she?
”
he demanded.

“
She
’
s spending the night with us for her own safety.
”

“
That
’
s not necessary,
”
he said, stepping around him.
“
I
’
m perfectly capable of protecting her.
”

Sin-Bad gripped his shoulder and spun him around.
“
Let
’
s understand something very clearly, Conner. I know what you
’
re thinking and what you want.
”

“
Then get out of my way!
”

Sin-Bad narrowed his gaze.
“
I have no desire to come between you and what you so clearly need, but there will be no coercion going on under our roof.
”

“
Since when have you been concerned about a small thing like coercion?
”

“
I
’
m not overly concerned about it, but Chandra is.
”

He stared at Sin-Bad.
“
Chandra is? You can
’
t be serious.
”

Sin-Bad tightened his
grip
on his shoulder.
“
Before you give me some shit about being a wuss or a pussy as you so unjustly gave Adrian, refresh my memory. When was the last time Desi wanted something within your power to give that you denied her?
”

“
Yes, I give her things, but she does not control me, as Brandi does Adrian.
”

“
And no doubt you think Chandra controls me?
”

“
Not only you but your brothers as well.
”

“
Think what the fuck you like, Conner. Yes, she influences us all because we all care for her, but she does not and never will control us. No more than Brandi controls Adrian. If you weren
’
t so deep into blood, you
’
d realize that. But this conversation is about Desi. You will not coerce her in any way in our house. If she
’
s doesn
’
t want to see you, your ass is out of here. Is that clear?
”

He shook his head.
“
What the fuck is with you full-bloods turning into pussies once you fall for human women? First Adrian and now you.
”
He shook Sin-Bad
’
s hand off his shoulder.

“
You think he
’
s a wuss because he
’
s not prepared to start a needless war with the Brotherhood?
”

“
Clearly you don
’
t.
”

“
That
’
s rich considering most full-bloods I know consider that all three of you have been pussies since Rayna came into your lives. You
’
ve all been more cautious since then. Is there any mystery that he
’
d also hesitate to do anything that would put Brandi in danger?

“
Once you make things right with Desi, you
’
ll understand our reluctance to act in a reckless way that
would put them in unnecessary danger
. If it becomes necessary, Max, Seb, and I will have your back
along with Adrian and Jayvyn. But please don
’
t make it needlessly necessary for those of us who now have lives that are actually worth living and enjoying.
”

“
Because I haven
’
t been foolish enough to fall for
a silly
human woman, my life isn
’
t worth living?
”

“
Is it?
”

“
I don
’
t have time for this shit.
”
He stalked away.

Sin-Bad swung him around.
“
This is my house and you
’
ll fucking make time to hear what I have to say or get the hell off Stoner property.
”
He bared his incisors.
“
Unlike Adrian, I
’
ll slap your ass around if that
’
s the way you want it.
”

“
You might not find that so easy,
”
he warned, bearing his own incisors.

“
Don
’
t you fucking go there, Conner. I
’
ve waited a very long time to meet Chandra. I don
’
t want to waste time in a war that could be spent with her. If you precipitate one with the Brotherhood, Max, Seb, and I will be there
in support of Adrian and Jayvyn
. But when it’s over, I’ll deal with your
reckless ass. And as I said, you will not coerce Desi under our roof. If she doesn
’
t want to see you, I will enforce her wishes. Do we understand each other?
”

Although infuriated, he inclined his head.

“
She
’
s in the guest room on the second floor. I
’
ll be near
to ensure she
’
s willing. If you value our friendship, don
’
t make it necessary for me to have to confront you about her.
”

He nodded curtly and brushed past Sin-Bad to go into the house. He made his way up the staircase to the room where Desi was. Outside the door, he took several minutes to try to marshal his anger. While part of him considered her responsible for his present predicament, another part regretted that she was now afraid of him.

Just as
he could no longer control his need for full sexual intercourse with her
she was afraid of him
.
You can
’
t project anger or she
’
ll be reluctant and you
’
ll have to deal with the interfering Stoner. You have to calm down or this will be a long, unbearable night.

He walked down the hall, away from the room in an effort to control his rampant temper. At the end of the corridor, he stared out onto the grounds below and narrowed his gaze as he saw Adrian and Sin-Bad standing together talking.

“
You should tell him.
”

Adrian shook his head.
“
I can
’
t. Not yet.
”

“
If you don
’
t tell him, he
’
s going to kill Hartford and I have no interest in participating in a needless war.
”

“
I understand but I need to find the right time to tell him.
”

Infuriated and hurt that Adrian had clearly shared news with Sin-Bad that he was hiding from him, Conner turned and stalked down the hall to the room where the object of his darkest and most uncontrolled desires waited. He needed a comfort and warmth he could find only within her arms. As he opened the door and quietly entered the room, he was aware of Sin-Bad
’
s sudden and unwanted presence nearby.

* * *

On the verge of drifting to sleep, Desiree felt a sudden chill. Gripping the sheet to cover her nude body, she bolted into a seated position, staring around the moonlit room. Noting a figure moving silently towards her, she parted her lips to scream before she realized the person in the room was Conner and not Hartford.

She sensed a cool darkness in him that frightened her. She knew that if she called out, Sin-Bad would come, but remained silent. This was the man she
’
d fallen for the night they met. Yes, he
’
d shown himself capable of scaring and even hurting her. But God help her, she still cared for him. Even after he
’
d shaken her, she couldn
’
t believe he
’
d do any lasting damage.

When he sat on the side of the bed and looked at her with his eyes glowing and his incisors bared, she knew what he wanted.

“
Need,
”
he corrected her in a low, brusque voice so unlike his normal, warm baritone, she shivered and bit her lip.
“
I…need.
”
He drew the sheet away from her body, revealing her large, naked breasts.

After spending over a year longing for this moment when he felt the burning need for her that she felt for him, she knew having him take her would be nothing like she
’
d hoped it would be.
She suspected sex with him was
going to hurt her and be all about his needs.

There was nothing stopping her from calling out for Sin-Bad.

He placed a hand over her lips.
“
Don
’
t call him
unless you
’
re interested in seeing a physical confrontation between him and me. He
’
ll try to stop me and I
’
m way beyond the point where I can stop.
”

She inhaled.
“
So you
’
re going to hurt me again?
”

He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers.
“
Please. I can
’
t control my emotions
or needs
any longer.
”

She drew away from him.
“
So I
’
m just supposed to lie back and let you hurt me again when all I have to do is call out for Sin-Bad to stop you?
”

“
You will if you still love me.
”
He opened his eyes and stared at her.
“
Do you?
”

“
Why would you attempt to use my feelings against me? There were so many times when you could have had me without hurting me. Why would you choose to take me when I
’
m less than willing? That
’
s not fair.
”

“
It
’
s not a choice and in case you haven
’
t noticed, life
’
s not fair!
”
He closed his eyes again.
“
If it were, I wouldn
’
t be drowning in a bottomless pool of despair because of you. If it were fair, I wouldn
’
t feel so lost without you. Don
’
t call him or give him any reason to come in here. Please.
”

If she called out and he and Sin-Bad turned out to be evenly matched…or if he beat him, Max and Sebastian would surely enter the fight. And Conner would end up hurt.

So let him end up hurt. They won
’
t kill him but they just might give him a taste of what it feels like to have someone stronger shake the shit out of him.

“
If that
’
s w
h
at you want, scream and you can have the satisfaction of seeing me get my ass kicked by all three of them because it
’
s going to take all of them to stop me.
”

She stared at him, angry at his attempt to make her feel selfish because she didn
’
t want to be manhandled again
–
this time sexually.
His hurting again should be
enough to get him out of her system once and for all.

She lay on her back and kicked the sheet away from her lower body before spreading her legs.
“
Go ahead, Conner. Do what you do best lately
;
hurt me…kill what little feelings I have left for you and we
’
ll be free of each other for good.
”

He inhaled slowly.
“
You think that
’
s what I want?
”

She shook her head.
“
I no longer care what you want. Do it, get it over with, and then leave me the fuck alone!
”

He stood up and stripped in silence.

She closed her eyes.

He slipped into bed with her.

She could feel his long, thick
cock lying
heav
il
y pressing against her body. Without the tenderness or affection she
’
d always expected to accompany intercourse with him, she felt cold and so sad it was difficult to keep tears at bay. If he
’
d had an ounce of real feelings for her, he wouldn
’
t have allowed
their first and only time to be like this.

He brushed his cool lips against her cheek before touching his mouth to hers.

No. She didn
’
t want and wouldn
’
t tolerate his half-hearted attempt to pretend this was anything but what it was. All he cared about was his own satisfaction.

“
No,
”
she said, turning her head to avoid his lips.
“
Just do it and then leave me in peace to get over you. Don
’
t pretend you care about me or how I feel.
”

He stiffened.

For one crazy moment, she hoped he would relent
, which would
show her that the man she
’
d fallen in love with wasn
’
t gone forever.

Then he made a sound similar to an angry wolf.
“
Have it your way!
”
He curled his fingers in her hair, positioned his cock against her slit, and thrust his hips forward.

She gasped and closed her eyes at the feel of his unyielding cock pressing insistently against her entrance until she felt the hard head of his shaft slipping between her slit and b
u
rrowing slowly but relentlessly into her pussy.

When he stopped pushing, he lay on top of her, crushing her against the mattress. His cold lips nibbled at her neck.

Her pussy felt uncomfortably s
tretched
and her heart broken. With tears squeezing from underneath her closed lids, she curled her fingers into fists at her side when he abruptly and with little finesse started to fuck her. Unaroused and unprepared, she found each stroke painful. Yet even as he hurt her, she felt bound to him and experienced an electric charge the moment his teeth pierced the skin of her neck.

The taste of her blood seemed to soothe him because he started to caress her and gentled his strokes in a belated effort to arouse her. To her dismay, her body responded. Not to having the cock she
’
d spent more than a year longing to
have
inside her body but to the familiar and still exciting feel of her blood flowing out of her body and into his mouth.

Slipping his hands under her body, he cupped her ass and lifted it off the mattress and pumped his cock in and out of her with a steady but gentler rhythm that he matched to the beat of her heart.

The feelings and emotions she’d tried so hard to stifle, well inside her.
God help her, she still loved him; probably always would. No matter what he did. She loved him.

He gentled his strokes even more and beg
a
n to make love to her rather than fuck her.
H
is
caressing hands stroked her passions and emotions. His thrusting cock sen
t
chills of delight through her rather than jolts of pain.

Before long she imagined she could hear her heart pounding in her ears…slowly and
subtly
joined by his. Then they beat together in an erotic and perfect harmony that sent thrill after thrill through her body until she found herself wrapping her arms and legs around him.

Oh God. Oh God. This was how she’d always imagined their first time together would be
–filled with almost perfect joy because he was buried deep inside her body
; loving her and taken complete possession of her
.

With their bodies locked together and moving as one, the heat building in her pussy burst into a perfect flame and she arched her body and curled her toes until she shuddered and moaned her way to the most intense climax of her life.

“Conner…oh…Conner.”

Rolling onto his back, he removed his incisors from her neck, and kissed her.

Feeling and tasting her own blood on his mouth and tongue, sent an almost lecherous jolt through her. She ground her hips against his in a slow, sexy grind.

“Conner…”

Recapturing her lips in a long, hot kiss, he slapped her ass until both cheeks stung.
And they continued to fuck through her orgasm with a renewed lust until one climax exploded into another.

And she completely lost herself in him and the incredible sexual tension they shared. Soon, she lost track of how many times she came and how many times she felt his incisors sinking into her neck as he greedily fed on her.

He fucked and fed on her until she lay limp and exhausted under him. Finally, she released her grip on consciousness
while his big cock slid relentlessly in and out of her flooded and now sore pussy.

Lord. Sweet beyond words.