Lured (6 page)

But, as she placed her snifter next to his, she did ask, “How do you control it? Your thirst, or whatever, for human blood?”

“It’s a little like losing weight,” he said, his lips skimming her throat as he spoke in his low, sensuous tone. “You have to be very disciplined and learn what works best for you. Then it becomes second nature—if you choose to make it a lifestyle, not a diet.”

“Do you eat food?” she inquired, her own voice breathy as she responded to his mouth teasing her skin and his hands on her body as they moved forward and he wrapped his strong arms around her.

“I can, but it has no real effect on me. I’ll drink scotch or brandy from time to time, but it takes quite a lot of alcohol for a vampire to get drunk. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever reached that point.”

“A couple glasses of wine make me feel like this,” she told him. “Lightheaded and tingly.”

His mouth moved slowly over her bare shoulder and her nipples tightened from his whisper of a touch.

“I’ve had decades to learn to get used to being around humans. I like mortals and have respect for their lives. I don’t intend to take any.”

“You drink animal blood?”

“For the most part, yes.”

She considered this as his arms around her waist loosened and his hands swept up to her breasts, massaging them with just the right amount of pressure to make her moan. She almost lost her train of thought, but recalled one tidbit she needed to clear up.

“You said you wanted a taste of my blood.”

“A natural compulsion. A sample of something decadent…something I crave.”

She tensed, despite the fire blazing inside her. “You crave my blood?”

“I crave your essence,” he said in a strained tone. “And your body.”

Cass turned to face him. Staring into his glowing blue eyes, she said, “You can make love to me without destroying the bed?” He gave her a quizzical look that made her laugh softly. “Sorry. Pop culture. Something from a vampire movie.”

“I don’t watch vampire movies,” he told her, his mouth lifting at the corners. “But to answer your question, yes, I can be civilized in the throes of passion.”

“Not
too
civilized, I hope.”

He let out a low grunt. Then he scooped her up in his arms and carried her back to the sofa, saying, “I’ll do my best to satisfy you.”

“I highly doubt that’s going to be a problem. You’ve barely touched me and I’m already burning up.”

“Good chemistry,” he muttered as he sank into a cushion, with her in his lap once more. “I’ve never experienced it with a human. You’re unique.”

No one had ever called her that. Cass smiled at him. “I don’t know what you see in me, but I’m glad you find something appealing about me.”

“I find everything appealing about you.”

His head dipped and his lips grazed her mouth, then tangled and teased her own lips with slow, sensual kisses that made her pulse kick up several notches. A prickle of desire along her clit made her squirm in his lap, and a dull throb in her pussy turned her hot and restless.

“I can smell you,” he whispered against her mouth. “I can smell your arousal. I know you’re wet for me.”

“Yes,” she said in a breathless voice.

Cass unbuttoned his shirt and her hand eased over the hard muscles of his chest. A fingertip grazed a small, hard nipple. She scraped it with her nail, soothed it with the pad of her finger. As her palm splayed over the hard ledge of his pectorals, the muscles bunched, thrilling her that he responded to her touch.

She leaned close to him and the tip of her tongue trailed up his neck, then flicked his earlobe. He groaned. She smiled.

Marcus said, “I’ve waited a long time for you.” Her mouth pressed to his, but when her lips parted, he whispered, “Careful.”

She remembered he had fangs that could prick her tongue or her lips—and that might prove detrimental. As though to alleviate that complication, instead of her being the aggressor and kissing him, his tongue delved deep into her mouth. His lips shielded his sharp teeth and their kiss was a scorcher.

He had an arm around her shoulders, and the other draped over her thighs, his fingers caressing the exposed flesh below the hem of her skirt. Heat oozed through her veins and her inner walls clenched at the delicious sensations his kiss and intimate touch incited.

His hand shifted and eased between her legs. His fingers stroked her pussy lips through her thong, making the heat inside her erupt into flames of desire. Tearing her mouth from Marcus’, she gulped in air. His lips were on her throat again as her head fell back on her shoulders. He whisked aside the lace covering her and used the pads of his fingers to rub her clit in a slow, circular motion.

The hand she’d rested on his chest moved to his head and she threaded her fingers through his thick, silky hair. Her free arm slipped around to his back, between his bare skin and the shirt that hung open.

Applying more pressure between her legs, his fingertips massaged her clit as Marcus continued to lick and gently suck the sensitive flesh on her neck, finding myriad erogenous zones she’d never known existed and causing breathy moans to fall from her parted lips.

He quickened his pace on her clit, rubbing a bit more vigorously. Her heart pounded fiercely and her insides blazed.

“Make me come,” she begged on a sharp breath.

Marcus made a sound that bordered on a growl. It was dark and sexy, evoking riotous sensations within her.

His hand moved lower and he pushed two fingers into her wet pussy. Cass cried out.

“Oh God, yes,” she whimpered. “Just like that.”

He stroked her more forcefully than she’d anticipated, but it was exactly what she needed. His thumb found her swollen clit. The pad pressed against the knot of nerves, massaging in a quick motion as he finger-fucked her.

His mouth was still on her neck and she felt the slight scrape of his fangs against her delicate skin. Her body quivered and her pulse raced.

Her orgasm built quickly. “I’m going to come,” she told him.

“Now,” he whispered.

“Yes!” Cass gasped. Erotic sensations converged and erupted, causing wicked beats deep in her cunt. She let out a loud, throaty moan as her inner muscles clenched his fingers, prolonging the pleasure, squeezing tight as her body trembled from the powerful release.

Endless moments passed. Marcus actually let out a heavy sigh against her neck, as though he’d been holding his breath, waiting for her to let go and give in to the climax he’d wanted to give her.

“I felt your breath on my skin,” she told him.

“That’s how strongly I react to you.”

She opened her eyes and their gazes met. The intensity in his ice-blue eyes lit her insides and sparked something raw and carnal low in her belly. That take-charge voice in her head urged her to do things she wouldn’t normally do. Urged her to lose her inhibitions and indulge her fantasies with this man who, she suddenly realized, had an uncanny resemblance to the one she’d conjured in her mind when she’d had cybersex with Darien.

“I want you,” she said. “I’ve always wanted you, even before I knew you existed.”

He nodded, as though he understood the visceral connection. “I caught your scent the second you arrived at the ball. It called to me.”

“You were waiting for me to walk through those streamers.”

“Yes.”

She disentangled her hand from his hair and grazed his tight jaw with a fingertip. Still staring deep into his eyes, she told him, “I wanted you to fuck me in the club.”

He gave a sharp shake of his head.

Cass smiled. “You don’t want to fuck me.”

“No. I want to make love to you.”

Her heart melted as her pulse, conversely, kicked into high gear again.

“I want that too,” she said. “Though I’m feeling a bit…naughty.”

Marcus’ grin was the slow, sexy one that drove her wild. “I have no problem with naughty.”

Cass’ teeth sank into her bottom lip for a moment as a wicked thrill shot down her spine. Then she slipped from his lap and stood, grateful she’d lost her shoes earlier because her legs were a bit wobbly from the erotic effects of Marcus’ grin…and everything he’d done to her thus far.

Sparing a glance at her fishnet stockings, she found them torn in a number of places from her rough evening. She suspected she had a few bruises here and there, but pain was the furthest thing from her mind.

The way her body thrummed and her skin tingled, she was more turned-on than damaged, thanks to Marcus.

She slipped off the thigh-highs and tossed them aside. Marcus reached for her, but she moved away from him, out of his grasp. He settled back against the sofa and she turned to cross the dimly lit room to the fireplace. She faced him and reached for the top of the long line of hook-and-eye closures at the front of her corset. Slowly, she eased every one of the tiny clasps apart until the corset fell open and dropped to the floor. The entire time, her gaze remained locked with his.

Marcus’ body tensed and his eyes deepened in color. He shifted on the cushion, as though needing a more comfortable position. As though his cock strained against the fly of his tight leather pants.

Cass cupped her full breasts, kneading them gently. Then she pinched her hard nipples, rolling them between her fingers and thumbs. She felt her own arousal build again and she was certain she saw Marcus’ arousal mirrored in his heated gaze.

A slow, wicked grin touched her lips, which she knew told Marcus she sensed his desire. She strolled back to where he sat and stood in front of him, wedged between his parted legs. Such powerful thighs. Such a powerful body. She couldn’t wait to feel it on top of her or beneath her. Couldn’t wait to feel his cock in her cunt, stroking her quickly, making love to her with forceful thrusts.

After unzipping her skirt, she pushed the material down her legs, letting it pool at her feet. Then she slipped a forefinger under the thin elastic string that comprised the waistband of her miniscule panties. She stretched it toward him and gave him a mischievous look.

“Rip them off of me,” she said, her voice sounding low and provocative in the quiet room.

His nostrils flared. His dark, heated gaze turned even more smoldering. His jaw clenched briefly, as though her request both thrilled and tormented him. She didn’t have time to process the emotions that flickered across his devastatingly handsome face. He reached a hand out to her and wrapped his fingers around the thin material she offered. One quick tug and the string gave. Without further instruction, he yanked on the other side. Then he slowly pulled the lacy material forward, dragging it along her swollen, sensitive pussy lips and sending a tremor of delight through her.

His eyes never left hers, never wavered for a second. Cass wondered if he could make her come with that searing look alone.

He reached out for her, but she slipped away from him again. As she walked back to the fireplace, she threw him a seductive look over her shoulder. He made her feel sexy and alluring. Something she’d never experienced before. The way he looked at her, as though he were holding on to his sanity by a thin strand, forcing himself to keep from devouring her, spurred her on.

Eyeing the oversized chair that sat by the tall hearth, she wandered over to it and placed a bare foot on the cushion. She leaned forward to rest a hand on the back of the chair for support, then ran the other hand over a breast, down her side and then around to a bare cheek. She slid her fingers along the crevice of her ass cheeks, moving them forward until she was stroking the dewy folds between her legs. Throwing another look over her shoulder, she gauged Marcus’ reaction to her. His smoldering gaze had turned downright sizzling.

As excitement shimmied through her, Cass changed the position of her hand, moving it to the front of her. She rubbed her clit, slowly at first, then with purpose as she inched toward another glorious release, the titillation of Marcus watching her heightening her arousal.

He stood, stripped off his shirt and reached for the button on the waistband of his leather pants. He slid the zipper down the track as he approached her. Cass’ heart picked up a few extra beats. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him. He was magnificent. Tall and muscular, exuding a raw intensity that thrilled her.

Standing behind her, he placed his hands at the curve of her waist, where they lingered for only a moment. His large hands moved over her body. Upward, first, to cup her full breasts. He gave them a rough squeeze before teasing the nipples into tight, puckered points. Then they swept down to her stomach and around to her backside to cup her ass. Cass was close to coming from her own ministrations. Marcus’ hands on her body and the fire in his eyes pushed her even closer to the edge.

He worked a finger into her cunt from behind and stroked her aggressively as a sharp moan of pleasure slipped from her lips.

“I like how you feel inside me,” she said. “So confident and assertive. You want to make me come again.”

He nodded. His jaw was set as he stared at her. He pushed a second finger into her pussy and stroked her quickly, making her hotter and wetter. His other hand splayed along her ass, the thumb of that large hand nestled in the crack, covering the small opening there. It moved in a slow, circular rhythm as his fingers pumped in and out of her cunt. Cass continued to rub her clit, feeling the various sensations mingle and flow through her body.