He dipped his head. She felt his breath, warm against her skin. His tongue stroked once, twice, over the pulse beating so strongly in her neck. She had time for one swift inhale, the comprehension. She was in his mind. The terrible hunger. The craving for her unique taste. For the rich substance she could provide to help heal him. She made a single sound, started to lurch forward, knowing she couldn’t escape. His arms were two steel bands wrapped around her middle.
His teeth sank deep and she cried out at the bite of pain. Instantly it gave way to pure, erotic pleasure. She shared his mind and she felt his body heat. Harden. Need. For her—only for her. There was no other. There could be no other.
She felt her blood go into his body, spread through his starving cells to answer the terrible need. She tasted—exquisite. Perfect. His fingers splayed wide over the bare skin of her abdomen, rubbing gently as he fed. She relaxed into him, gave him more of herself, willingly allowed him to feed from her.
She knew he hadn’t put a compulsion on her, and she saw the memory of the first night with him, that first taking of her blood. She hadn’t remembered and yet she did, right then, that thrill, the same erotic feeling she had right now.
Teagan couldn’t help herself, she reached up to stroke the perfection of his face right where the vampire had torn the long lacerations, so deep they should have scarred. She’d wanted to smooth those faint lines away. She’d wanted to heal him. To be the one who could take away his pain.
You have done so already, avio päläfertiilam. Everything I have done these long centuries has been wiped out by the gift that is you.
He swept his tongue over the two small holes, closing them, and she murmured a protest, not wanting the sensation to end. His mouth continued to move on her neck, tiny kisses and stinging bites followed by his soothing tongue. He turned her easily, using his strength to set her on his lap.
She was deep in an erotic-filled daze, lulled by Andre’s sheer sensuality. She could barely think, feeling so connected to him. Having him in her mind. Being in his. Even the way he took her blood, she could accept that—accept him because he didn’t feel evil at all, not to mention it was the most sensual thing she’d ever experienced.
It was entirely possible that the erotic-filled daze was just Andre and the chemistry between them that seemed to be off the charts. She had nothing to compare him to, because he was the only one she felt anything for.
“It is your turn, Teagan,” he whispered. “You will take my blood.”
That managed to penetrate her sensual fog. She frowned, her eyes searching his for the meaning of that. Because no. He was hot. Gorgeous. Her body was singing and hot and needy, but . . . you will take my blood. Okay. No. No way. No f-ing way. That was not happening no matter how hot he was. No matter how sensual. Even if he was dying.
She took a leap right off his lap and got exactly nowhere. She didn’t move one inch. She planted both hands on his chest, right above where the terrible wound from the vampire had been and tried to shove him back on the bed, so he’d at least lose balance and she could escape.
“You will take my blood for our second exchange.”
Not only was there command in his voice, but she felt the subtle “push.” Her heart went wild. Her mouth went dry and she exploded into action, uncaring that he was injured or that he was hot and gorgeous. Second time? She’d taken his blood once already? And didn’t remember it? He’d kind of left that part out.
She tried for his eyes, and then his throat, but she found she couldn’t move. Not a single muscle. His eyes drifted over her face. There it was again. His anger. It was tangible. She felt his anger like a black cloud surrounding her with heat and if she hadn’t been completely locked down where she couldn’t even lift an arm, she would have gone still anyway.
“You have capabilities that few have, sivamet, and it has become clear to me that you are very headstrong. I cannot protect you during the daylight hours and you insist on leaving my side. There is no other path.”
What path? That didn’t sound good. There was always more than one path. Her mouth went dry when she saw him bend his head toward hers. He turned slightly, presenting the side of his neck the vampire had shredded. His skin she couldn’t help marveling over because there was nothing but perfection there. In spite of everything, she had a strange compulsion to bury her face in his neck, fling her arms around him and seek comfort.
You’re scaring me. She couldn’t speak, but she was still in his mind and it felt intimate and right. You said you would never harm me.
You are the safest person on this planet from me. I would never harm you. I am incapable of harming you. However, csitri, you have taken all choices from me.
There it was again. All choices. She hadn’t taken all of them. There had to be other ways than this, right? She swallowed, but she still wanted to bury her face against his neck, right over the vein where she could feel his heart.
Her gaze was captivated by the pulse beating so strongly in his neck. He had a great neck. Great shoulders. Awesome muscles. She leaned into him. It wouldn’t hurt anything to touch his bare skin, with her lips, right there. To taste him. She wanted his kisses, but he wasn’t giving them out, so she could just get a little whisper of a taste.
Abruptly she pulled herself together. What the hell was wrong with her mind? She had to stay focused if she was going to get out of this.
You will not be getting out of anything, Teagan. Running is not the answer.
Maybe running isn’t the answer for you. She tried to glare to let him know he was being a total jerk. You can fly. She made that an accusation, because really, who could fly? Superman maybe, but Andre wasn’t wearing a big geeky S on his chest so he had no real explanation.