In Blood and Worth Loving 3 Kiss Cover (16 page)

Desiree sighed.
“
I suppose my attraction to him was heightened when I learned he was a full-blood, but only heightened. I was attracted to him when I thought he was just a normal human male-more fool me.
”

“
Do you know where you
’
re headed when you leave Philly? As you might know, Sin and Seb are licensed to practice law in a number of states. If you settle in one of the states where they have offices, you
’
re guaranteed a job. If not, they have contacts in a number of other states and should be able to help.
”

“
Thanks. I
’
ll need all the help I can get.
”

“
How are you?
”

Seated alone with Adrian at a table on the Stoner
’
s terrace later that morning, Desiree sighed.
“
I
’
m a little worse for wear but determined.
”

“
Determined?
”

“
I
’
ve decided I should go away and make a fresh start in another state.
”

He inhaled slowly.
“
You can
’
t do that, Desi.
”

“
It
’
s what I need to do.
”

“
What about Conner?
”

The indignant question pissed her off.
“
What about him, Adrian?
”

He leaned across the table to clutch her hand.
“
He needs you.
”

“
I wish he did but the sad fact is he doesn
’
t.
”

“
I know him better than anyone else and I
’
m telling
you
he
needs you in his life
.
”

She pulled her hand from his.
“
I won
’
t pretend that I know him at all. But I do know that all he
’
s done lately is go out of his way to hurt me.
”

“
He needs your forgiveness.
”

She shook her head.

“
I thought you loved him.
”

“
I did…I do, but
–
”

“
Where the hell does the but come from? Haven
’
t you heard what love is? It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
and endures
all things. It never fails, Desi. Never. Nor does it keep account of injuries.
”

She blinked, shocked to hear a vampire quoting the bible
’
s definition of love and forgiveness.

He reclaimed her hand.
“
I know he fucked up but you have to forgive him, Desi. He
’
ll never need your love and forgiveness more than he does now.
”

She shook her head.
“
I am sick of him hurting me and then sending you to ask for forgiveness.
”

“
He didn
’
t send me! I came to beg you if necessary to forgive him. Please. If you ever loved him, don
’
t desert him when he needs you most. He
’
s lost and confused. I can
’
t reach him. Rayna can
’
t, but you can. Please, Desi. Don
’
t leave him drowning in despair. Help him. Please.
”

If you ever loved him. The problem was she still loved him.
“
He doesn
’
t love me and I
’
m not going to settle for anything less than his love.
”

“
He does love you. He just needs time and encouragement to accept it and then learn to admit it to himself and
more importantly to
you. If you truly love him, surely you can forgive him. He needs you more than you can imagine.
”

She stared at him, struggling to keep her resolve. Why wasn
’
t Conner there asking for forgiveness? Why did he hurt her and then leave her to deal with the aftermath? Despite her questions, her heart ached to forgive him.
“
Where is he?
”

“
I don
’
t know, but I know if you call him, he
’
ll answer.
”

“
He hurt me.
”

“
I know, but you have to understand what he
’
s going through.
”

It bears all things…hopes all things…endures all things…it never fails
.
“
I
’
m not going to call him, but if he contacts me, I
’
ll hear him out.
”

He squeezed her hand.
“
Thank you.
”

“
Do you think he will?
”

“
Yes and you
’
ll forgive him
when he does
?
”

She sighed.
“
I
’
ll hear him out if he contacts me and see how things go from there.
”
But if he blew it again, she would make no more allowances for him.

“
Are you spending another night here or can I take you home?
”

“
I
’
m going home, but I drove.
”

“
Let me drive you home. Sin will make arrangements to have your car returned to you.
”

“
Thanks, but
–
”

“
I
’
d feel better if you allow me to drive you home.
”

Despite his insistence, she moistened her lips.
“
Am I in any danger?
”

He sighed.
“
I don
’
t know, but I wish you
’
d come stay at the mansion until we know for sure.
”

If there was any doubt she shouldn
’
t be alone.
“
Thanks, but you should know that I
’
ve changed my mind.
”

“
About?
”

“
Seeing anyone else
.”

“Does that include Hartfor
d
?”

“E
specially Hartford.
”

“
Thank God.
”
He kissed her fingers.
“
Does Conner know?
”

“
I haven
’
t seen him or talked to him since I decided.
”

“
But you will tell him? It might help avoid problems.
”

“
Telling him would feel like…yes. I
’
ll tell him. Is he in any danger?
”

“
I don
’
t know.
”

“
If he is, would it be my fault for not understanding?
”

“
No, Desi. It wouldn
’
t be your fault. Now will you spend the night at the mansion?
”

She shook her head.
“
I want to go home.
”

“
Desi, I really think
–
”

“
I want to go home.
”

He sighed.
“
Okay. Home it is.
”

When they arrived at her apartment, Jayvyn and C
a
y
e
nne were in the parking lot.

“
We were hoping you
’
d have dinner with us and then maybe we could spend some time together,
”
Cayenne
said, linking her arm through hers.

“
I
’
d love to, but not tonight.
”
She frowned. Why not when her safety
was
uncertain?
“
Tonight I just want to sleep in my own bed and think,
”
she heard herself say.

“
Are you sure?
”

“
Yes. Last night was…I didn
’
t get much sleep last night.
”

“
Feel like some company? We can have a girls
’
night in.
”

She saw Jayvyn stiffen and knew he was opposed to Cayenne
’
s offer to stay with her. So there must be a noticeable risk. And still she wanted to be home alone.

“
Can we do it tomorrow? Tonight I just want to crash.
”

“
Desi
–
”

“
I know you
’
re concerned, but I just want to be alone.
”
Too bad she wasn
’
t sure why.

“
Friends are for hard times
like now, Desi.
”

“
I know and I appreciate it. We can do a girls
’
night tomorrow.
”

“
Okay. Call me if you need me.
”

“
And me, honey,
”
Jayvyn said, embracing her briefly.

Adrian brushed the back of his hand against her cheek.
“
And
you know you can call me
anytime
of the day or night
.
”

“
Thanks.
”

* * *

Half an hour later, she undressed and slipped exhausted into bed. Even bone weary, her thoughts turned to Conner, then inexplicably to Hartford. Annoyed and a little afraid, she struggled to dismiss the thoughts. Unsuccessful, she drifted into one of the more graphic and unsettling dreams she
’
d ever had.

Hartford was in her bedroom! She sat up in bed, clutching her cover over her body. She wanted to cry out, but he flashed across the room and coolly wrapped his fingers around her throat.

She stiffened, her heart racing with fear.

“
Screaming or making any effort to call out to Conner would be unsafe for you and unwise for him because I
’
m not here alone.
”

She saw a hint of movement and realized there were two other males in the room. Both were dressed in all black and looked menacing. Conner might be able to take two of them but all three of them?

“
Understand?
”

She nodded.

He released her throat.

“
Why are you here?
”
she asked.
“
Conner isn
’
t here.
”

“
But you are.
”

She bit her lip.
“
I
’
ve never done anything to you. Why are you here?
”

“
I think you know.
”

“
I don
’
t,
”
she insisted
but the menacing air surrounding him was unmistakable
.

“
Then I
’
ll spell it out for you. I
’
m here to tap your pussy and rock your world.
”

A lump of fear formed in her throat.
“
I
’
m not sleeping with you.
”

He smiled.
“
Then it
’
ll have to be rape. Won
’
t it?
”

“
No. Please.
”

“
Rape it is,
”
he said and slowly removed his clothes.

She looked away and closed her eyes.
God, please. Help me.

“
I
’
m afraid you
’
re past help from anyone.
”

She
opened her eyes to
glance at the other two males in the room and felt a deep regret along with a pulsing fear. There was no way she would survive being raped by three vampires. In the morning she
’
d either be dead or have had her will so subverted she might as well be dead.

He shook his head and seemed to soften a little towards her.
“
They won
’
t touch you.
”

“
Then why are they here?
”

“
They
’
re here to ensure that if Redwolfe shows up, there won
’
t be anything he can do about this except watch.
”

The hate he clearly felt for Conner frightened her. Despite everything that had happened between her and Conner, she knew they
’
d have to kill him to keep him from coming to her assistance. And she didn
’
t want that.

“
Please don
’
t,
”
she begged.

“
It
’
s too late to try to appeal to my reason. Where Redwolfe
’
s concerned, I have none. We can either do this hard or easy. It
’
s up to you.
Now I suggest you cooperate and make this as easy on yourself as possible. Either way, I think I
’
m going to enjoy torpedoing that fragrant pussy of yours.”

As she stared at him, fighting back tears, he removed her nightgown. Then he stood staring down at her naked body.
“
There
’
s a lot more of you than I
’
m used to, but that means I can tunnel deep and fuck the shit out of you.
”

She bit her lip and closed her eyes.

With no attempt to arouse her, he mounted her, forced her trembling legs apart, and rubbed his cock against her entrance.

When she attempted to close her legs, he slapped her cheek.

Her eyes flew open.

“
Don
’
t make me hurt you anymore than I have to,
”
he warned seconds before he pushed into her with one hard, painful stroke.

“
No! Please.
”
She pushed at his shoulders while trying to close her legs and push his cock out of her pussy.

He leisurely drew his hips back before he shoved his entire length back inside her, hurting her.
“
Why would I do that?
”

She struggled.
“
You won
’
t always have them with you and when you don
’
t, Conner will kill you for this!
”

“
If he does, he
’
ll sign his own death warrant
along with
his brothers.
”

Her heart raced with fear, while her body tensed with pain.

“
So if you love him and care for his damned brothers too, you
’
ll shut the fuck up, l
ie
here, and hope I decide not to tear your pussy up so badly it
’
s too loose to entice him ever again.
”

She curled her hands into fists at her side.
“
Why are you doing this to me? I
’
ve never done anything to you.
”

“
But your boyfriend Conner has.
”

“
He
’
s not my boyfriend.
”

“
If that were true, it would be too bad
for you.
”
He thrust deep in and out of the pussy still sore from her encounter with Conner.

“
Why do you hate him?
”

“
Why?
”
He gripped her throat and glared down at her, his eyes glowing.
“
He seduced and then killed the only person whoever loved me; my only sister. He did it when she was pregnant with his baby! That
’
s why. I can
’
t move against him directly without ending up dead myself. My only way to get even with him for killing them both is to hurt someone he cares for. I don
’
t dare kill that fat bitch Rayna or I
’
d have half the full-bloods in the area out for my blood. Unfortunately for you, that rules out everyone but you.
”

While she was still trying to process the full important of his words
that Conner had killed a woman carrying his child
,
he slammed his cock as deep inside as he could get it. She shuddered with pain.
“
Oh God. I had nothing to do with what happened to your sister. Please don
’
t hurt me.
”

He withdrew and pushed back in
harder and deeper.
“
You can cry and moan, if you like. In fact, I
’
d like that, but those are the only sounds you can make. Don
’
t talk to me in a vain attempt to get me to stop. That bastard you love killed my sister and I
’
ll be damned if I
’
m going to let the two of you live happily ever after while she rots in a grave she should never have been in.
”

Desiree closed her eyes and struggled not to cry out
because she knew he wanted her to. But she couldn
’
t stop the tears rolling down her cheeks while he fucked her until she felt raw and battered.

He slipped his hands under her ass and fucked her deeper.
“
Damn. I
’
m starting to enjoy this. No wonder you have Redwolfe by the balls. Your pussy
’
s sweet and hot and tight. Just what a pussy should be. Damn. It
’
s clearly made to take a full-blood
’
s cock.
”
He rutted into her harder.
“
It
’
s fucking delicious. I just might take you from him and make you my woman. Fuck! This is some good pussy. Maybe I
’
ll do something for you that he can
’
t
;
give you the baby you want. You
’
re full of my cum. If we both want it enough, one sperm will find and fertilize your egg.
”

She shook with revision at the thought.
“
No!
”

“
Yes. Feel my sperm tunneling through your sweet pussy to find
its
target. Once you
’
re pregnant, you and I will be bound together for all eternity. I like the idea.
”
He bent and pushed his tongue into her mouth and slammed in an out of her.

She gasped with pain with each thrust until her mind screamed in protest. On the point of losing consciousness, she felt his teeth pierce her neck.

“
No! No! Not that! Please.
”

Oh shit. What sweet hot blood. I think I
’
m in love with your pussy and your blood. Damn you
’
re a sweet fuck.

With him greedily ingesting her blood and fucking her with no consideration for
the pain he inflicted on her,
she surrendered herself into the arms of blessed unconsciousness.