Undeniable (25 page)

Come to me.

She turned her head and stared the other way toward the
doors to the east parking lot. The familiar cacophony of butterflies that
always warned of Sebastian’s arrival took up residence in her chest. She
started to walk toward the doors, her steps speeding up as the heat coiling
tightly deep in her pussy grew more and more intense.

“Di? Where are you going? Di!” Terry grabbed her arm.

Diana glared at her and yanked her arm away. “Let go.”

Terry gasped. “Great, you broke a nail. I just had them done
too.”

“Oh, God, I’m so sorry, Terry.” Her eyes darted between her
friend and the dark exit.

“Shit, Di. What’s gotten into you? You know the east lot is
virtually empty at night. You do not want to go out there.”

“Didn’t you hear him? Sebastian. I have to go, Terry,” she
whispered, “Don’t tell anyone I left. He’s waiting for me.

“I didn’t hear anything.” Terry’s eyes focused on the
darkness beyond the glass. “Look, I don’t like this, not one bit. You sure
that’s him?”

Diana could barely hear over the pounding of her heart. “I
have to go to him, Terry. I’m so hot for him I can barely wait.”

“You mean you’re finally going to do it? With this Sebastian
guy?” Terry stared at her a moment, then held up her hand. “No, don’t tell me.
If this turns into an all-nighter, the less I know, the less I can tell.”

“Promise me, Terry, if anybody asks, I spent the night at
your apartment. Better yet, leave your phone off the hook.”

Sebastian watched Diana turn away from her friend. Before
taking a step in his direction, she wrung her hands. Her pounding heart
resounded in his head. Lines of worry furrowed her brow. And still, she came to
him.

His soul mate, the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen,
strode toward him in a wisp of a dress that clung to her every curve. Closing
his eyes, he saw her without that dress, saw her dancing in the moonlight for
wishes, for stars. He longed to kiss her full lips, skim his teeth along her
slender neck.

Last night, he had nearly lost control each time her lips
rose to his, each time she had moaned and pressed her softness against his
cock.

Peering through the glass, he could see her steps falter,
then stop. She raised her wrist and glanced at her watch. He’d wasted too much
time already, had no time to deal with her anger, and reluctantly used his
power to pluck it from her mind. Merging their minds, he compelled her to join
him.

When Diana came through the doors, he stepped out of the
shadows and silently called to her.

She turned and smiled. As he took a step closer, the light
from inside the mall lit his face. Her hand trembled as it rose to her neck.
She glanced back at the doors.

“I…last night…” Eyes filled with fear met his.

Don’t fear me, Diana. I will never hurt you. Never.

She tilted her head. “Did you say something?”

He didn’t answer, merely held out his hand.

Diana stared at it. “Where are we going?”

Sebastian smiled. He knew exactly what she expected from
this night. What she’d expected every night. What he, up ‘til now, had
withheld.

He doubted she’d come with him if he told her where he
intended to take her, doubted, after the incident with the worms, that unless
she were overpowered by her passion she’d willingly lie naked with him upon the
sacred ground.

But tonight he couldn’t take her, couldn’t compel her to
leave with him. Tonight she had to come willingly. They could not leave until
she placed her hand in his.

She crossed her arms under her breasts and glared at him.
“You don’t bother to call and let me know that you’re going to be late and now
I’m supposed to just go off with you? Maybe I was wrong about you. Maybe I
don’t know you as well as I thought I did.”

His eyes fell to her chest and the small bumps from her
erect nipples. He had to have her tonight, couldn’t waste any more time.
Reluctantly, he blocked every thought in her mind except the desire he could
smell racing through her veins. The more aroused he became, the more the blood
she’d taken in boiled in response, inciting her to once again merge the two.

She fought back with a mental shove that nearly succeeded in
releasing her from his hold. He grinned, proud that she did not give in so
easily. But the night was short and, unfortunately, he did not have the time to
give her what he knew she needed, time to be sure that he should be her first.

I will win, you know.
He grinned smugly.

Diana’s eyes opened wide. Her hand rose to grasp the locket
that now hung from Luna’s neck.

He took a step closer.

Stop right there, buster!

He obeyed with a bow.

“You heard me,” she whispered, awe filling her voice. Her
cheeks flushed. “You’ve heard me all along.”

He chuckled and ran his knuckles down both sides of her
neck, down over the swells of her heaving breasts. He stopped just short of
touching her nipples. “Our souls were once one, goddess. We do not need words
to know what the other desires.”

He felt Diana’s valiant battle for control, but her mind
welcomed his touch, her body craved it. “You know? About us being soul mates?”

“Don’t you?”

They stared into each other’s eyes.

Submerged in her mind, Sebastian was shocked by the extent
of her arousal. All of her nerve endings converged beneath his hands, waiting
for them to continue. Her nipples throbbed painfully as they tightened. Her
clit pulsed, her inner muscles tensed, and her body wept.

A cloud passed over the moon, casting them in darkness. A
cool breeze lifted the wisps of her curls. Diana shivered. Without a thought,
he warmed the air surrounding them.

“One night,” she murmured and reached out until her fingers
left the cocoon of warmth, “by the lake. The air around me grew warm. And other
nights…a warm breeze…” Her fingers trembled as she raised her hands to his
face. “You?”

Unable to speak, fearing her reaction, he nodded, inching
his knuckles lower, closer to where she longed to feel their touch.

“The breeze,” she breathed and glanced down at his hands
resting on her breasts.

Still unable to voice his confession, he whispered into her
mind.
Your breeze, goddess. Your phantom.
Merging their memories of that
first week, he watched her expression soften, then flush.
And tonight…your
lover.

Blinking, Diana whimpered, “I’m dreaming aren’t I? You’re…I…I
can’t handle this.”

“Say the word and I’ll leave and never bother you again,
Diana. Or take my hand, take me.”

He thumped his knuckles, one by one, over her sensitive
nipples. She swayed, then grabbed his hand.

Before she could change her mind, before her hand could
slide free and change the course of the night, Sebastian moved. He brought his
mouth down upon hers. Opening up a small nick on the inside of the corner of
his mouth, he gathered a few droplets of blood onto his tongue. When her lips
opened beneath his assault, his tongue and life’s essence delved in.

Still kissing her, he lifted her into his arms and took to
the sky. Soaring over the treetops, he headed to the clearing where the elders
waited.

Look up at the stars, Diana. Make a thousand wishes, my
goddess, and I’ll grant each and every one.

She tore her mouth from his. Instead of looking up at the
sky, she gazed into his eyes and blessed him with another glimpse of the dawn
that dwelled in hers. Doubts and fears he’d harbored since meeting her turned
to ash beneath the radiance of her gaze.

Wind lifted her hair as they descended. This time, shielded
by the silken curtain of her hair, she brought her lips to his. Heedless of the
late hour, of the elders waiting below, Sebastian slowed their descent and lost
himself in their kiss.

When their feet touched the blanket of grass in the
clearing, he ended the kiss.

Backing away, he started to unbutton his jeans.

Looking dazed, she silently watched him remove his clothes.
Still merged, he saw himself through her eyes, followed the path of her gaze.
She took in the muscles on his arms and legs. Her eyes widened as they focused
on the curls at the base of his cock. Her tongue darted out to moisten her
lips. His cock jerked, growing longer then he thought it ever had. Blinking,
she sent her gaze back up the length of his torso.

“Your tattoo,” she said on a gasp. A smile swept across her
face, lit her eyes.

Touching the black raven tattooed across his chest, he
grinned. “I take it you like tattoos?”

“My grandmother said my soul mate would have one. A raven,
just like yours.” Reaching out, she ran her fingers over the tattoo. Over his
heart.

The feel of her fingers burning a path across his skin never
failed to amaze him. Tonight he would feel her searing touch over his entire
body. Hissing from her fingertips grazing over his nipple, he stepped back.
“Tonight, I please you.”

Compelling her to remain where she was, he walked to the
edge of the clearing and sat with his back against a tree. As he bent one leg, he
nonchalantly rested his arm on his knee.

Proving that his blood strengthened her, as he knew it
would, she followed. Sebastian burned with desire as he watched her approach.
When only a few feet separated them, he remembered that they were not alone. That
the elders surrounded them as witnesses. They would remain until his union with
Diana was consummated, until she offered her body and blood up to him.

“Undress for me, Diana. Let the greedy creatures of the
night dwell upon your beauty. Show them that you are giving yourself to me of
your own free will.”

Diana peered into the shadows surrounding them. She jumped
back when an owl hooted from a nearby tree. After a few agonizing moments, she
met his gaze and untied the straps holding up her dress. As the dress slithered
down her body, the collective gasp of the elders set his blood boiling. Still
holding his gaze, she untied the sides of her thong. Completely exposed, her
eyes once again darted to the shadows.

“You’re beautiful, Diana. Any goddess would envy you.”

“I’m afraid I’ll wake up and realize this was just another
dream.”

Taking her hands, he pulled her down onto his lap, turning
her so his body shielded hers from the elders. He wanted to spread her legs and
taste her sweet juices mixed with the essence of her life as he had that night
in her bedroom, but he refused to expose her to the elders any more than was
necessary.

Sliding his hand down her belly to her silken curls, he
spared a moment enjoying the pleasure of their touch upon his skin before delving
further down. He caressed her swollen lips, spreading her moisture over them
while his tongue imitated his movements on her mouth. When a warm drop landed
on his thigh, he gave her what she had been silently begging for and plunged
his fingers into her moist pussy. Her guttural moan sent a jolt of exquisite
pain to his already engorged cock.

Diana spread her legs wider and wider, covered his hand with
both of hers and pushed his fingers deeper. With a growl, Sebastian took
possession of her mouth and merged their minds. Her cries filled his head. The
slick muscles surrounding his fingers convulsed as she shattered in his arms.

Standing, supping on lips he dreamt of every day, he carried
her to the center of the clearing. He laid her upon the damp ground, compelling
her to feel the touch of satin. Opening her eyes when his lips released hers,
she reached out.

And screamed.

Through her eyes, Sebastian saw himself kneeling between her
legs, his blood-red eyes fixed on her terrified face. His fangs, so damn long
from wanting her, so damn sharp. His heart shattered when she continued to
scream and scrambled back. Tears filled her eyes.

“Diana, please…” Sebastian inched closer, realizing too late
that moving forward on his hands and knees made him look even more animalistic,
more dangerous.

“Oh, no, no, no.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Oh,
Sebastian, no.” She hugged her knees and began to rock back and forth.

Consumed with grief over her loss, he rent the night with a
roar that ripped free of his throat. Nothing compared to the pain of her
rejection.

With a yelp, Diana covered her ears.

An argument amongst the elders filtered into Sebastian’s
mind a moment before he felt them open his mind and heart to Diana. Shocked by
their intrusion, he watched her face as his emotions crashed down upon her
head. She winced when she felt the pain of her rejection. Exposed to his
torment over his existence as a night creature, she buried her face in her
knees.

“Do you want me to take you home?”

When she shook her head, he silently thanked the elders. “If
it meant winning your heart, I’d sell my soul to be a normal man.”

“A normal man with no soul?” Raising her head, she peered
out from her lashes. Her lips turned up into a sad smile. “Not very appealing.”

Smiling back, he bared his fangs. “This is better?”

Diana laughed on a stray sob. “I don’t seem to have a
choice.”

“Yes, you do, Diana. You can leave.”

She held out her hand. “No… I can’t.”

He crept up to her, lowered his head and rested his cheek in
her warm palm.

“Will you drink my blood, Sebastian?” Her voice quivered.

He closed his eyes. “Exchanging blood is inseparable from
our passion.”

“Is one bite enough to change someone into a vampire?”

Sebastian stilled. Lifting his head, he steeled himself for
her reaction to the fact that it was too late, that she’d already started to
change. “Diana, I—”

“Will it hurt?”

Closing the gap between them, he ran the pad of his thumb
over her trembling lips. “When you scream, Diana, it will be from infinite
pleasure. Not pain. You have my word.”