T. A. Grey Read online

  “Kissing you,” she whispered in his ear.

  And then she pressed her lips to his cheek. He was cool to the touch and smooth. He smelled rich and delicious this close but the scent was subtle and unique to him. She trailed soft kisses along his jaw line then veered up as she neared his mouth.

  She pressed one gentle kiss to the corner of his lips and they parted underneath hers, the hands holding her flexed. Her blood warmed, coming to a slow boil the longer she touched him.

  She wanted to touch more, feel more of him. He was so different from lykaen men, so different from any of the men she knew.

  “Millaya moya, ” he said.

  She didn’t understand what he said but she understood his tone—warning.

  Christine didn’t hold back any longer. She was floating above the earth with the taste of sweet wine on her tongue and the delicious feel of a strong man in her arms. She pressed her lips against his and conquered.

  Her tongue slipped between his lips, felt the sharp points of fangs, and then glided along his tongue. It was smooth and he tasted heady, decadent. She’d kissed many men in her life, but none had she kissed like this. Like she wanted to show him how badly she wanted him, like she was trying to learn more about him.

  She angled her head to the side and coaxed her tongue against his. For a few moments, he didn’t return the motion, as if shocked or unsure. But then he did, and she moaned.

  She thought she was in control, that she’d taken the reins with her need, but she was so wrong. He mastered her with one simple touch. His hands tightened, curling her against him more comfortably, and then he was kissing her.

  This kiss was nothing like the gentle pecks he’d given her before. This kiss stole her breath from her and gave it back. His tongue swept inside her mouth and mated with hers in a sensual rhythm that had her panties growing wet and her nipples hardening as sweet desire warmed her. She never thought it’d be like this.

  His lips moved against hers, tasting her from different angles, sucking her lips into his mouth, and brushing his tongue along it. Christine’s saucy plan had just backfired and now she was losing control.

  She squirmed in his lap. Her pussy throbbed, needing to be touched and as she wiggled, she fell fully against his thighs and felt his massive erection. She gasped against his mouth and he made a sound somewhere between a growl and a purr before capturing it again. His tongue thrust faster inside her mouth and she met it stroke for stroke, each taste, each touch making her hotter and hotter.

  How had she been glad he kept his hand above her dress? She was mad with desire now.

  She needed him to trail that hand up her bare thigh, squeeze her, and move upwards to where she really needed him. She wanted that hand at her back to reach around and squeeze her breast, relieve the ache in her tight nipple. But he didn’t, and she couldn’t stop squirming in his arms.

  A harsh cough brought her up for air. Panting, lips wet and swollen, she looked up to see their waiter standing there with a scowl on his face. She might have blushed with embarrassment but her cheeks were already flushed.

  She moved to stand, but Dmetri tightened his hands on her. She couldn’t bear to look at either man.

  “Can I help you?” Dmetri asked, cold steel in his voice.

  The waiter blinked, hesitation stirring in his eyes. “Um, Sir, you can’t do that here.” Dmetri stood with her in his arms. Now feeling real mortification, she struggled until he let her go.

  “Fine.” Dmetri pulled out his wallet and threw some money on the table, and then he grabbed her hand and pulled her through the restaurant. It was like being pulled on a leash by an impatient dog owner. She tripped in her heels and tried to yank her hand away.

  “Dammit, let me go.”

  He didn’t. He held her hand tighter and led her towards his car.

  “Dmetri, seriously this is completely unnecessary. What is wrong with you?” Desire faded fast in lieu of frustration.

  He stopped at the passenger side door and finally released her hand. It didn’t hurt but she rubbed at it anyways. He had his eyes closed as if he was getting himself under control. She was about to ask what was wrong again when he opened his eyes and nailed her with a look so powerful it took her breath away—and scared the shit out of her.

  “Dmetri...”

  She started to back away even though he hadn’t made a move. Instinct warned her of danger. Her back hit the car and she slid alongside it towards the back of the car, hands held out in front of her, placating.

  He followed her. His long legs ate up the short distance between them and then he pressed his body against hers. She gasped as her nipples, still sensitive from being hard only minutes before, rubbed against the hard plane of his chest. His hands came up to cradle her jaw, arching her face towards his. His expression was almost thunderous.

  “Never kiss me like that again.” His accent was so thick; it ran his words together in a growl.

  She had been staring at his lips, slender, arched perfectly, when he said that. It took a minute for her mind to wrap around the strange words.

  “What? Why?” She knew he wanted her. He couldn’t hide the erection he’d sported inside or hide the way he looked at her. If he dared to say it was because he didn’t want her, she’d knee him in the junk right here and now.

  “Because...” His eyes closed as if in pain.

  “Because...” she said.

  His eyes shot open, leveled on hers. Then he leaned down close, their noses nearly touching. “Because I almost took you…on the table…inside the restaurant.” She shivered at the sound of his voice, his accent so thick she could swim through it. That kiss had unraveled him that badly? Her mind spun. She could easily see him doing that. Pushing her back on the table and taking her in the restaurant with no care for spectators or modesty. The thought was incredibly exciting.

  Her eyes fell to his lips, so close to hers. She wanted to taste them again, feel them moving across hers. So she leaned forward, eyes closing gently. The hands along her jaw stopped her scant centimeters away.

  “Did you not hear what I just said?” His voice was hoarse, dry.

  “I did but what does that have to do with—”

  He cut her off, his body leaning harder into hers. “Then what makes you think I wouldn’t do the same out here in a quiet, empty parking lot, millaya moya? ” Eyes wide, all she could say was, “Oh.”

  He grimaced in pain then gave her a hard fleeting kiss before pulling away. Though he didn’t pull away so much as jump from her as if she were on fire. His eyes lingered on her body in all the places she wanted him to touch—her breasts, her stomach, her legs and in between. He tore his gaze away, jaw clenched, and stalked to the driver’s side.

  “Get in.”

  Christine leaned against his polished car and watched him from over top the roof. He looked...about to lose control. Her curiosity piqued and she couldn’t help but wonder what he’d do if he actually lost control. Hell, he’d still been in control when he kissed her in the restaurant, and when he pulled her outside. Now that he’d gotten his shit together, he was ready to drive her home and say ‘night-night’.

  Would he actually take her out here?

  She was walking around to him before the question finished in her mind. He stiffened but his lips parted in surprise...before falling to her sashaying hips. She didn’t do it on purpose, she just had wide hips and that’s how they swung; it helped too that she wore heels.

  “Well vampire,” she said, curling her hands into the lapels of his jacket, “I think I want another kiss.” She wanted a lot more than that, starting with an orgasm that would make her blind, but this was only a first date and she was still feeling light and fluffy inside.

  His hands curled around hers then started to push her away. “Nyet. Get in the car, Christine.”

  Body growing tight and responsive just being near him, Christine licked her lips then called on her lykaen strength to pull down on his jacket. His eyes widened in sur
prise, but it worked, and his head lowered.

  “You’re so tall,” she mumbled, her eyes fixated on his mouth. Then she stood on her toes and pressed her mouth against his.

  She wanted to lean up and curl her hands around his neck, feel his hair in her hands, but she had to keep her grip on his jacket. She could feel him struggling to pull away. But where he had speed, she had strength. Still the thought wiggled in the back of her mind that he was letting her win. The thought made her smile against his lips.

  She angled her head on a sigh and thrust her tongue inside. The kiss made her warm and fuzzy, body alert and tense, coiled. He never kissed her back. Well if that didn’t just kill the passion. She pulled back with a pout.

  “No fair, vampire. I want a kiss.”

  “And you got it.” His voice was hoarse, strained.

  She knew she was whining but she couldn’t help it. He just kissed so good. “But that’s not the kind of kiss I want.”

  He shut his eyes, his jaw sliding slowly left then right.

  “Then I’m going to show you the kind of kiss I want.”

  She had only a moment to contemplate that before he pushed her back against the car and really kissed her. No bars, no holds, no restraints. He kissed as if he’d die if he didn’t kiss her .

  He thrust his tongue inside and took her mouth with dominating passion that left her body yearning for more.

  His hands grabbed the edge of her dress and pushed it up. Panic and excitement flared inside her. Was he really going to go through with his promise—to take her in the parking lot?

  Before she could even ponder if she was ready for that—he dropped to his knees before her.

  “Oh,” she said dumbly as his hands pushed her legs apart and ran up her hips.

  Bare skin to bare skin, the touch was pure ecstasy. He lifted her dress with a flick of his wrist and found her black silk panties. He made a gruff noise that made her breath catch. Was he really going to—?

  He kissed her over the meager silk barrier and she gasped, head falling back against the car. Her anxious hands bunched against his shoulders for support or else she might slide down into a puddle of mush on the ground.

  In jerky movements, he yanked the scrap of silk down to her thighs and bared her sex to him. A blush crept over her cheeks and she couldn’t look at him as he saw her for the first time.

  The first touch seemed to come forever later. She stood there, tense with anticipation when it finally came.

  “Ti takaya kraslvaya. ”

  She had no idea what the words meant, but they were hoarse and pain-filled.

  His tongue touched her. Hands squeezed her thighs, keeping her open for him, as his tongue tasted her aching sex.

  “Dmetri.”

  She was helpless, left to hold onto him as he found her bud and worked it with soft flicks.

  It wasn’t a slow build, but a quick burn like lighter fluid thrown on a fire. His tongue took her up, made it difficult to breathe as her body tightened almost painfully. Her hips rocked against him and she didn’t know if he groaned or she did. She was going to fly apart and he’d be left to pick up all the pieces.

  Her breath caught as a finger trailed around her wet entrance where she was empty inside.

  He lingered there, his tongue working her, and then slowly started to push in.

  He didn’t make it in far before she was shuddering hard, breathing in harsh gasps as her body coiled hard one last time then exploded. Hot, her body burned like fire as waves shot through her core. She moaned, one long note as he held her suspended in bliss.

  And then she came back down to earth, her body feeling so heavy she wanted to fall to the ground and lie there. But his hands curled around her hips, holding her up.

  She slowly caught her breath and opened her eyes to look at him. His face was buried in her thigh, shoulders hunched. His hands grabbed her panties and she saw them tremble as he pulled them back up her legs. He pulled back and her dress fell back in place.

  He kept his face averted, his long hair masking it.

  “Dmetri...”

  Frowning, she leaned down and parted the hair away from his face. What she saw took her breath away. Agony.

  Eyes squeezed shut, lips planted together; he let out a long shuddering breath, standing slowly as if it pained him to move. Her eyes fell to the bulge in his expensive trousers and she had no doubt that big boy hurt him. She moved to touch him but his eyes shot open and he shook his head hard.

  “Don’t.”

  “I’d be more than happy to—”

  His eyes closed again in agony and he reached down to grasp his cock through his trousers. “Nyet.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to ask why when suddenly he stiffened, eyes going wide and alert, the erection completely forgotten.

  “Get in the car,” he said quietly but with enough force that she looked around the parking lot for some kind of threat. “Now.”

  She hurried around and got in the car. Her heart thundered but as she looked behind the car and around the parking lot, she saw nothing.

  One second he was standing there and in the next, he was flying through the air in a blur.

  She was reaching for the door handle in the next second. Grunts and the sound of flesh hitting flesh beat against her eardrums as she ran to him.

  Another man was on top of him with wide, manic eyes, hands clenched around Dmetri’s throat. Not a man, she realized, a vampire.

  “Stop it!” The scream had the vampire whipping his head around, the grip on Dmetri’s throat tightening.

  “Get out of here,” Dmetri said hoarsely.

  The other vampire grinned but his eyes were wild, crazy. “Do stay. I’d like a dessert when I’m through with him.”

  Dmetri rolled his eyes and then struck the vampire in the face. He lost his grip on Dmetri and they rolled on the ground exchanging hard, powerful blows that left her flinching.

  “Leave!” Dmetri roared.

  Shaking, she ran to the car and got in. Her hands shook as she searched for the keys, though it didn’t help that her eyes couldn’t stay away from the fight. The vampire pulled out a blade and landed it deep in Dmetri’s thigh. Dmetri let out a cry and then threw the vampire off.

  He landed hard against the restaurant, rubble and concrete falling around him as he slid to the ground.

  “Dmetri get in!” she yelled as she found the keys still hanging in the door. She turned the key in the ignition, starting it with a soft purr.

  He looked at her and rolled his eyes—again. “I said get out of here. Now!” When his eyes settled on her, she saw the genuine fear in them...for her. Her heart stuttered in her chest, but she put the car in drive and sped off—without him.

  Her short legs barely reached the peddles but she made it all the way to the pack in one piece. She fell apart when she saw Gerry and told him everything that happened. When she told him he had to send help, he only shook his head.

  “I can’t do that. It’s a vampire fight and we have no business getting in between that.” Christine’s hand shook with the urge to slap him. She curled it into a fist instead. “What if that’s the Justicar business he’s here for. It has to be.” Gerry frowned but slowly shook his head. “Then I hope he kills him and be done with this.”

  Christine growled in frustration and got back in the car. She drove to her house and sat there for a minute before she thought better of it and went to Dmetri’s cabin. She’d wait for him there, that’s what she’d do.

  She turned off the car and waited.

  Chapter 8

  Dmetri took a hit so hard to his head he felt his teeth crack and his brain swish around in his skull.

  “You’re a fucking ass, Claude.”

  The vampire grinned like a fool and came at him with bared fangs. Dmetri landed a solid kick to his chest and then laid into him with a flurry of swift punches and jabs. He heard bone crack and satisfaction filled him like tasty blood.

  Claude hissed then lo
oked in disgust at his arm now dangling uselessly from the socket.

  “You won’t stop me, Dmetri. I know you’re trying to protect the Kategans. I will kill them. I will have their land.”

  Dmetri leaned heavily on his unwounded leg. The blood pouring out from the stab wound made a nice dark puddle around his nice loafers. Damn shame to ruin a good pair of shoes.

  “You don’t need their land and you won’t get it. Do you really think the Kategan pack or the Justicars for that matter will just bow down and let you run in with your people?” Claude’s eyes bulged with rage. “I don’t think I can, I know it.”

  “And how do you plan to do that?”

  Claude gripped his injured shoulder and slammed it back into place with a harsh grunt.

  “Kill the Kategans, then I become their Master. Their pack will answer to me.” Dmetri arched a brow then launched a surprise attack. He let his rage guide his moves.

  Rage at endangering Christine, at having his interlude with her interrupted, and landed a two-footed kick into Claude’s chest. The vampire slammed against the ground just as Dmetri did. But he landed harder, jarring his injured leg and Claude was faster to react. He stood and slammed his foot down on Dmetri’s injured thigh. Dmetri grimaced but didn’t make a sound as he whipped his uninjured leg up and kicked away Claude’s foot.

  The sound of laughter and car doors opening snapped Claude’s head around. He glared down at Dmetri with hate.

  “This isn’t over, Dmetri.”

  Dmetri stood, not about to let him get away and tackled Claude to the ground. Claude landed an elbow to his face that dislodged him off his body. Then he faded back into the night from which he came.

  Dmetri stared after him then slowly came to a sitting position as he reached for his phone.

  Pulling it out, he dialed Brayden’s number. The Elder wasn’t pleased with the news that Claude got away. Hell, neither was he.