Léopold's Wicked Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans) (30 page)

She opened her mouth to speak but Léopold popped a bite-sized finger sandwich into her mouth. She rolled her eyes in response, but soon made a subtle noise of contentment as she chewed it.

“So before we go any further, we should have a discussion. And I thought…what better way than to use food to demonstrate to you what it is like to be food?” Spreading a small amount of brie on her other bare breast, he smiled. Léopold snatched a couple of grapes and placed them down her belly in a line, clear to her pelvis. Then he lifted a glass of champagne, and brought it to her lips, careful not to spill any on her skin. “I believe in full disclosure. There haven’t been many people in my life that I can trust. I need to be able to trust you…to know this is really what you want.”

Laryssa swallowed and looked at the food covering her body.

“You’re unbelievable, you do know that?”

“So I’ve been told.” He fed her a slice of apple, smiling as she ate it.

“Leo, I do want this. I want to give us a chance. I know normal people…they take months, years to make these kind of decisions. But I also know I’m not normal. And you? Well, just look at me. Far from normal. You helped me to accept myself…to admit it…to be free. And even this,” her eyes fell to her brie-covered nipples, “it’s a little unconventional, but I know I’m gonna like being dinner.”

She wagged her eyebrows at him and laughed.

Like a panther, Léopold stalked around the bed, carefully climbing up her body on his hands and knees until his face was inches from hers.

“You’re certain?” he asked, looking into her eyes.

Laryssa nodded as her heart began to pound in her chest. The sight of Léopold, devastating and commanding, made her shiver in excitement. Like a dark prince, he cloaked her in his erotic shadow. As his lips descended on her breast, she sighed in relief that he’d finally touched her. The sweet pain of his teeth caused her to give a ragged gasp. Arching her back, she pressed herself up into his mouth.

“Goddess, woman, you have the most delicious skin.” Using his tongue, he cleaned her rose-colored areola of the creamy white cheese. “My hunger for you is insatiable.” Capturing her other pink tip, he sucked and laved until it was rigid with need. “Your magical essence is like no other blood I’ve had. I’ve never tasted anyone like you.” Léopold crawled downward, placing his lips over each grape, replacing it with his tongue.

“Oh my God, please, Leo,” she pleaded. Each time he kissed her flesh, the wetness between her legs increased, aching for his attention. As her core pulsated, her bottom tightened around the plug she’d forgotten was there, causing a vicious cycle of arousal to ensue. She attempted to clench her legs together but was unable to move. The cuffs on her ankles held her thighs far apart.

“One must take his time when eating. Savor the flavor,” he mused. Rising above her, he reached for the bottle of champagne, letting the ice cold water drip across her chest.

Laryssa thrashed at the sensation, biting her lip. Her body was on fire and the contrast of the icy splash only surged the energy she’d held at bay. She knew that if she wanted to she could release her bindings, yet she resisted. Being at Léopold’s mercy was immeasurably erotic and addictive. Being unable to anticipate his actions only added to the excitement of being under his spell.

Settling his knees between her legs, Léopold took his time licking her full peaks, making sure he’d eaten all the cheese and fruit from her body. His tongue glided downward, and he laughed as she bucked beneath him, trying to get him to move faster. Kissing below her belly button, his fingers separated her folds.

“Patience, pet.” His lips touched her mound ever so lightly as he spoke. His voice vibrated against her soft flesh, but he didn’t go any further.

“Please, Leo. I can’t take it…I need you to touch me,” she cried. He was torturing her with his lips, she thought.

“Did you know that champagne goes well with just about everything?” he commented blithely, spilling it over her clitoris. He heard her moan in sheer bliss as he licked over her swollen nub, sucking the effervescent delight. Letting the bottle drop to the floor, he plunged two fingers into her satiny core.

Laryssa felt as if she would fly out of the bed as Léopold took to her pussy, making love to her with his mouth. As his fingers pumped in and out of her, she stiffened as her climax splintered throughout every cell of her body. Driving her hips against his mouth, she cried his name out loud, seized by the orgasm. As she tipped the scales, her wrists and ankles wrenched at the unyielding straps.

Léopold held her hip tightly with his hand as she reared up into him. Forever lost in the taste of her, he knew he’d never again drink from another woman. As she tightened upon his fingers, he relished the pleasure he could bring her. The thirst for her heightened and he could no longer deny himself of her heavenly blood. He reared his head up, his fangs distending from his gums. With a savage cry, he pierced the soft skin of her inner thigh,

A scream tore from her lips as she felt him slice into her soft flesh, biting her. A profound wave of ecstasy ripped through her as another orgasm slammed into her. As she gasped for air, she felt her legs and arms release from their bindings.

“Laryssa,” Léopold grunted, relinquishing his bite.

Pushing up to his knees, he hooked his arms underneath her legs. With his eyes locked on hers, he fully sheathed himself in her warmth. He watched as Laryssa balled the sheets up in her hands, bracing herself as he retreated and then slammed into her heated channel. Feral with passion, he held onto her hips, pounding into her over and over again. As he felt her contract in climax around his swollen shaft, he screamed her name. Succumbing to his own release, Léopold willingly submitted to the unfathomable rapture, his seed erupting deep inside her.

As the last spasm tore through him, Léopold fell forward onto his forearms, careful not to crush Laryssa. Her flushed face smiled back at him, and he tried to hide the vulnerability that crept into his chest. So many years alone had kept him impervious to heartache. In a few short days, his entire life had evolved. She’d be his weakness, but also his strength. Given no choice but to come to terms with his emotions, he’d protect and cherish her. Laryssa was a gift he’d never expected, a dark horse who’d tame the monster inside.

He eased himself out of her, rolled onto his back and brought her with him so she lay upon his chest. Pulling the comforter up over them, he felt his body meld into hers as they snuggled together. Léopold and Laryssa quietly held each other not saying a word. They’d just committed to each other, all the while knowing they needed to find the artifact. With or without it, she could be dead by the end of the week.

It had been nearly a thousand years since Léopold had last prayed. But as he stroked his thumb along her wrist, he found himself asking for forgiveness and mercy, appealing to the Goddess to give him the power to save Laryssa. It may have been too little too late, he knew, but he’d move heaven and hell to keep her in his life….forever.

The demon’s hot breath singed the hairs on the back of Laryssa’s neck. Its talons dug into her arms and its acrid stench filled her nostrils. Struggling, she tried to move, but couldn’t. Her sticky eyelids blurred her vision. She blinked as tears began to clear her eyes. Red scorched earth cracked beneath her feet, and she knew she’d been taken somewhere far from New Orleans. A bloodcurdling scream tore from her lips. The terror gripped her mind, seizing her muscles. The echo of her voice filled the barren terrain, leaving no doubt she was in hell.

“Welcome home, princess,” it growled into her ear.

Hysterical, Laryssa gasped for breath. Dizzy with panic, her knees buckled but the creature held her upright. The hardness of it pressed into her back and the bile in her stomach rose.
Oh God, how did I get here?

“Tell me, did you find it yet?” Its claws moved from her arms to encircle her waist, reaching under her breasts.

“I don’t…I don’t have it. Let me go,” she yelled. Jabbing an elbow towards its gut, she attempted to wrench free of its hold. Fear boiled over to anger as she realized it’d somehow taken her from her bed. All too real for a dream, her senses told her she was no longer on Earth. It’d somehow managed to extricate her from the warmth of Léopold’s arms.

“You’ll never escape me now, Laryssa. I broke through your wards…into your mind. Once I have the Tecpatl, I’ll travel to the other plane whenever I want. But you,” it extended its tongue and gave a hiss, “you shall remain here with me…forever.”

“I’m going to kill you,” she stated calmly. Numb to her terror, she had no other choice but to fight it. If death was inevitable, she’d face it like a warrior. “I’m going to find that Tecpatl and destroy you.”

The demon’s dark laughter filled the cavernous space.

“You just do that, princess. Just remember that your king is waiting on you. Tic toc. Tic toc. Do it or the baby will die. Perhaps I’ll take a few others if I get the chance to leave here before it’s found,” it threatened.

“You’re nothing to me,” she snapped.

“Rylion. My name’s Rylion. Say my name, because I’m your master. Soon it’s my blood you’ll crave. Because I’m generous, I’m going to give you a little gift…something to remember me by.” It squeezed her tightly and dragged its claws deep into the smooth skin of her belly until her blood spurted onto the ground.

Laryssa cringed as its long forked tongue wrapped around her neck and traveled down her chest. A new surge of horror speared through her psyche. Thrashing wildly, she screamed and kicked to get away from the barbed fingers that eviscerated her abdomen. Her feet cut into the sharp gravel, tearing up the flesh. She bit it with her teeth and dug her fingernails into its scaly arms. All at once, the ground broke and she tumbled into oblivion.
Falling. Falling. Falling.
Her deafening screams went unanswered.

The ear-piercing sound of Laryssa’s voice launched Léopold into action. Sprinting out of the shower, he found her tangled in the sheets. Her eyes were closed into reddened circles, her whitened face stained in tears.

“Laryssa,” he whispered. Gently, he rubbed her arm, and lifted her body into his embrace so that he cradled her like a child. She continued to flail her arms and legs as if she were fighting an invisible enemy. “It’s okay, ma chérie. Come now, it’s just a dream.”

A final scream escaped her lips before her eyes flew open. Seeing Léopold, she clutched at him, gasping for breath.

“Leo,” she wept. “It was here.”

“No, it was just a nightmare. See, look around you. No one’s here. Just us.”

Footsteps grew louder and Laryssa jumped as Dimitri flung open the door to the bedroom.

“What’s wrong?” Confused, Dimitri looked around the room, finding only Léopold and Laryssa in each other’s arms. “What the hell just happened up here? I could hear the screaming all the way downstairs…and it wasn’t the good kind, either.”

“A nightmare,” Léopold told him. But as he adjusted Laryssa on his lap, he noticed a bright red stain blossoming in the linens. “What the…”

“Ow!” Laryssa cried out. Coming down out of her shock, a searing pain pierced her abdomen. “Something’s wrong.”

“Help me cut this off her. Use your claws,” Léopold told him, tearing at the fabric.

Dimitri helped to rip away the fibers until they reached her skin.

“Careful,” he said. Her belly, fully exposed, was covered in blood.

“Jesus Christ,” Léopold exclaimed. He shot Dimitri a look of concern and then kissed Laryssa’s head. “How did this happen?”

“I don’t know…somehow…it was here. No, I was there. It…it had me, touched me.” She shivered, remembering the feel of its scaly skin upon hers, the smell of it, the wetness of its tongue.

“Dimitri, come here. Take her,” Léopold insisted.

“No, don’t leave me. Please, Leo.”

“The lake. Let me get water. If I take you with me, it’ll hurt too much. I’ll just be a few seconds,” he promised. Remembering how Ilsbeth had used it to heal her wound the day before, he reasoned it would work again.

“Okay,” Laryssa grunted as Léopold lifted her into Dimitri’s arms. “You promise?”

“I promise.” Léopold grabbed the ice bucket and instantly disappeared.

“Hey cher, we’re gonna find this son of a bitch. Don’t you worry.” Dimitri stroked her hair and gently patted the five-inch incisions that dotted her tummy, trying to clot the blood. “Just listen to me…Leo’s got this, okay?”

“It hurts.” She sucked a breath, trying to focus on Dimitri’s voice

Léopold appeared within minutes, and knelt before them. Cupping his hands, he drew up the liquid into his palms.

“The water healed you before. This’ll work. Here we go…” Léopold let the water dribble over her open wounds, wishing he could be the one to take her pain. To his relief, his assumption was correct. As it hit her skin, it began stitching her back together. “Look, it’s working”

“Oh God,” she sighed as the pain began to subside. “We’ve got to find it.”

“The Tecpatl?” Dimitri asked.

“Oui.” Léopold knew what she’d meant. He couldn’t agree more considering the demon had almost killed her in his own house. If it’d come to her here, it’d be able to find her anywhere.