Vampire Blood (Vampire Bite #2)

Chapter Sixteen

Lucas

Annika stood there, staring after them, her arms wrapped tight around herself. She looked small like that… too small for the weight she carried, too fragile for what was coming.

But I knew better. She wasn’t fragile. She was the strongest damn person I’d ever met.

Even so, I couldn’t stop myself. I crossed the space between us and pulled her into my arms. She didn’t resist. Just sank into me, her face pressing against my chest.

For a moment, neither of us spoke. I only held her, letting her trembling breaths even out against me. My hand traced lazy circles along her back, trying to soothe what I couldn’t fix.

I brushed my thumb along her cheek, catching the tear that threatened to fall. “I hate this,” I admitted. “I hate that you have to bleed for this. For them.”

Her lips curved faintly. Not a smile. It was more like a sad acknowledgment.

“You’d do it, wouldn’t you?”

I didn’t answer. She already knew.

“You’d bleed yourself dry if it meant keeping me safe.” Her voice cracked, and my arms tightened around her.

“Yes,” I whispered. “And I’d burn the world down before I let it take you.”

Her breath hitched, and I bent my head, pressing my forehead against hers. Her skin was warm, her scent familiar. Grounding.

“I’m scared, Lucas,” she said.

It wasn’t something she admitted often, and it damn near broke me.

“I know,” I whispered. “I am too.”

She leaned up then, her lips brushing against mine, soft and hesitant. I kissed her back, pouring everything I couldn’t say into it, my fear, my desperation, my love.

I couldn’t stop myself.

The moment her lips brushed mine, something inside me snapped. The fear, the anger, the unbearable ache of nearly losing her, it all poured out, raw and unrestrained. I crushed her against me, my hands tangling in her hair, tilting her head back as I kissed her deeper.

She didn’t pull away. Didn’t hesitate. She melted into me, her fingers curling into my shirt like she needed me as much as I needed her. And God, I needed her.

Her lips parted, and I took advantage, tasting her, devouring her. She gasped softly against my mouth, and the sound unraveled me. My hands slid down, gripping her waist, desperate to feel every inch of her, to remind myself she was real, here, alive.

I pulled her closer, as if I could fuse us together, as if holding her like this would keep the world and all its horrors at bay.

Her hands moved to my face, cupping it as she kissed me back just as fiercely, her breath warm and shallow. She wasn’t holding back either. Not this time.

I broke the kiss just long enough to look at her, my forehead pressed to hers, my chest heaving.

“Annika,” I rasped, her name like a prayer on my lips.

Her eyes were wide, glassy, and she looked at me like I was the only thing keeping her standing. Maybe I was.

“I love you,” she whispered, her voice trembling but sure.

My heart lurched, and I kissed her again, slower this time, savoring her. She tasted like hope and desperation and everything I couldn’t put into words.

“I love you too,” I breathed against her mouth. “More than anything.”

I wanted her bad. I wanted her so much that it hurt my entire body. She had always been too much for me… too wonderful, too sexy, and far too innocent.

Her beautiful eyes were open, staring at my lips, almost as if she herself wanted to devour me, while it was the other way around.

I gripped her more tightly, my hands around her body. When she kissed me again, I growled against her lips, but I kept control. My hand was on her neck, guiding her, holding her.

Then, her kiss took on a blazing heat, almost as if she were attacking me with the sheer strength of her yearning. It was hotter than I had seen her before, as she climbed onto me, her hands pressed to my chest, exploring the depths of my mouth with her tongue.

“I want you,” she murmured with that animalistic tone of voice I loved so much, when she was so crazy about me that she couldn’t wait a moment longer for me to claim her. It drove me mad.

She quickly took off her pants, working her way around mine as well. I still had no idea when she had gotten so good at taking our clothes off so quickly, but I knew I loved that. She liked it hard. She liked it fast. And that was how she wanted it now.

“I need you to fuck me, to forget about everything but the sensation of you filling me,” she whispered again right into my ear, and my cock was more than ready to make her wish come true.

“Fuck, Annika…” I groaned, the animal in me completely crazy.

She adjusted herself in my lap, grinding against me. She knew that could make me cum in seconds. But I wanted to feel her slick, wet heat around me first. I had to.

I grabbed a fistful of her hair, licking her neck. She arched it, her eyes closed, allowing me clear access to her pale skin.

God, she was so fucking beautiful. And she was all mine.

The thought drove me even wilder than before.

She slid her panties to the side, her fingers fumbling with the thin strip of fabric that was still preventing me from claiming her. She grinned as she locked her gaze with mine.

“Impatient?” she asked devilishly.

“You have no idea,” I smiled back, trying to kiss her, but she playfully pulled away, allowing her fingers to graze my cock.

“I love it when you’re so hard for me,” she purred seductively, and I couldn’t get enough of her voice, of her skin, of her scent.

I pulled her close to me and sank my teeth gently into her neck, biting her but without drawing blood. With her, it was always a game.

Sinking her nails into my chest, she lowered herself only a little onto me, taking in only the tip. Heat exploded around me instantly. I gazed at her. Tempting me, she bit her lower lip.

Slowly, she started to swirl her hips, making circles, sinking more and more each time, until finally, she took all of me into herself. She arched her back, moving only her hips. I grabbed her breasts, still hiding under the thin fabric of her t-shirt. She never wore a bra. And she made sure I knew that.

“Yes, fuck me…” I urged, and she listened.

“Look at me,” she ordered, grabbing me by the throat. I allowed her… as always.

She didn’t take her eyes off of me even for a second. I loved seeing the fire in her eyes when she was being the dominant one, taking possession of me, instead of it being the other way around.

My cock threatened to explode and I knew I wouldn’t last long. Not when we were both this hot.

“You feel so good,” I told her, our eyes promising everything to each other.

A tidal wave of pleasure washed over her a moment later. I always knew when she was close, but this time, it took us both by surprise. Her nails sunk into my skin even deeper, and she moaned louder than before, screamed almost, as pleasure took hold of her. She was still fucking me, taking all of me, until I followed her, releasing myself deeply into her.

Her forehead dipped to mine. She was still breathing heavily as I felt her juices leaking out of her, making us both soaking wet.

She kissed me gently, with just the tip of her lips. A butterfly kiss, as she liked to call it. A kiss of pleasure and satisfaction.

I smiled as she lowered herself next to me. I watched her chest rise then fall. We remained silent for a long time. Everything was silent, except for the soft rhythm of her breathing. Moonlight spilled through the small window, casting silver patterns across the bed. She lay beside me, her body curled slightly, one arm draped over my chest as if she didn’t want to let go even in sleep.

I couldn’t stop looking at her.

Her hair was a mess against the pillow, wild and tangled, and her lips were still swollen from my kisses. She looked peaceful like this. She looked softer than the fierce, determined woman who had stood against shifters and vampires and powers far older than either of us.

But I knew the truth. She wasn’t soft. Not really. She was strong, stronger than anyone gave her credit for, stronger than even she realized.

And yet, in this moment, she looked fragile. Breakable.

I reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She didn’t stir, just let out a quiet sigh and burrowed closer.

My chest tightened.

I didn’t deserve her. I knew that. I’d known it from the start. But I’d take every second she gave me and fight like hell to keep her safe.

Even now, the weight of what lay ahead pressed down on me. Aurelius. The blood rituals. The enemies circling closer. And Annika, tangled up in the middle of it all because of who she was… what she was.

I hated it. Hated that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t protect her from this.

But I’d try. I’d give everything.

I traced my fingers along her shoulder, over the faint scars that marred her skin. Proof of what she’d already survived. Proof of what she could endure.

My warrior. My mate.

She stirred slightly, her breath hitching before settling again. I pressed my lips to her temple, letting the warmth of her body seep into mine, grounding me.

I didn’t know what the future held, but I knew this… whatever came next, I wouldn’t face it alone.

I had her. And I’d never let her go.