Chapter 9
JAMES
“First impressions of Trace?” Edwin hauled me along to his bedroom and closed the door before he spoke. I guess he didn’t want our visitor overhearing us discuss him.
“I like his familiar.” Edwin grinned. “All right, I know that’s not what you meant.
” I ran my mind over my conversations with Trace.
“I think he’s honest. I mean, I can’t be sure of anything,” my brain stuttered as an involuntary memory of the way I’d initially considered the FWNN trustworthy flashed up, “but he seems excited about the possibility of turning your garden into a working space. He likes plants and animals. How bad can he be?”
“I agree. He’s got a pristine rep with the Council too. Known to be easygoing but nobody’s fool. A hard worker. Good with magic as well, it seems, although I’ve not seen any first hand, but he’s Dalziel’s top pick for anything they need a witch for.”
I worried my bottom lip. “The other carriage isn’t liveable in.
From what he said, I don’t know if he’d have time to make it habitable and to move all his plants before he’s evicted.
Would he expect to stay here? With us?” I could feel a flush riding up the back of my neck as I spoke and clamped a hand over it, hoping to avoid Edwin’s attention.
No such bloody luck. Nothing got past his vampire eyesight.
Unable to entirely stop a smirk, he removed my hand like it was a speck of dust and settled it on his hip, drawing me towards his chest. He nuzzled into my neck, one large hand rubbing soothing circles up and down my spine until I felt like purring.
It was fucking embarrassing how I melted every time he touched me, like he’d been given a secret code to unlock parts of me I wasn’t even sure I knew existed.
“So, if he did happen to end up using our home as his for a while, what part of it would concern you the most?” he said into my ear, his voice silky. “That he’d hear you moan when I feed from you, or that he might be able to smell when you’re aroused, like you are now, when you’re near him.”
“I am not!” I denied hotly, even as I could feel my cheeks burn with the outright lie. It didn’t help that once again I was pressed into Edwin’s chest, his sweet scent flooding my nostrils and making me yearn for things I knew I wasn’t ready for.
Edwin laughed gently. “Oh love, you’re a lot of things I admire, but you’re a terrible liar.
You might not want to act on it, or even be able to explain why you feel the way you do, but something about Trace Dempsey has you seriously hot and bothered.
” His tone changed to one of seduction. “D’you think he’s vers?
Would he be willing to bend over for you, but also be keen to fuck me until I’m a puddle of cum and wrung-out muscles on our sheets? ”
God, how did he do it? Tap into the fantasies I could barely acknowledge, as if he had a direct view into my head.
That was disconcerting, and, I had to admit, hot as fuck.
But it was the fact he said our sheets that did it.
I moaned, then shuddered, my hard-on twitching, trapped in denim as I ground against Edwin’s thigh. “Fuuuck.”
“That’s what I thought.” I could feel him smile, even with my burning face buried in his shirt.
“You’d have to sleep in my room if he had to move in.
We couldn’t let his long legs suffer on the sofa.
But then, it’s not like you use your room at all right now, is it?
” He continued with the back rubbing. “I might need to think about how to get you that private space I promised you. I love this place, but it’s seriously lacking in hidey holes. ”
“I don’t need anywhere else. I like being with you.
” It was true. I had always valued my alone time, but although I loved my strolls in the early evening, I didn’t crave solitude, and if Edwin made even the slightest suggestion of wanting my company, I knew I wouldn’t hesitate to choose to stay inside with him.
“I can tell exactly how much you like being with me.” Now he was the one purring, wriggling his thigh a little higher between my open legs.
“You know, you can just let go and bring yourself off against me. I’m hardly going to complain.
” He swiped his tongue leisurely up from my collarbone to the soft patch at the base of my ear, sending electric signals to all my nerve endings and forcing a groan out of me.
“I know, love, I know. I’m trying so damn hard to keep my hands off you.
” His broad fingers danced patterns over my ribcage as he whispered to me.
“But you make it so hard, all puns intended, to resist when you come to me this way.” He licked me again.
“I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m much too well brought-up to tell lies. ”
“Not a guttersnipe then?” I was amazed I could still form words, I wanted him so badly. And yet I couldn’t quite believe that sex with Edwin would overwrite the ever-present nightmares the FWNN had triggered.
Edwin’s chuckle was a blast of more sweet air against my neck. “You got me,” he murmured. “All guttersnipe. If I’d’ve got caught, that would have been a different matter, but,” he paused for dramatic effect, and God help me, I leaned even closer, “they never did catch me.”
I snorted into smooth cotton. “Stop trying to make me want you more. It’s not humanly possible.
” He sucked in what sounded like a surprised breath.
Before I could change my mind, I begged him, “Bite me, please?” I was so near the edge, I knew it would likely tip me over, but that was a problem for future James to deal with.
“Babe…” Edwin’s sigh was harsh. “If I feed from you now, I’m not sure I can keep from jizzing all over you. I don’t think you’re ready for—”
“Fucking bite me!” I was teetering on the precipice of an orgasm. If it was a choice between Edwin or my own hand in the shower to take me over the edge, I was choosing the hot man holding me.
He sighed again. “Please don’t hate me afterwards.
” He tumbled us backwards, crashing onto the bed with me landing sprawled between his splayed thighs.
Our clothed cocks rubbed together and we both groaned.
“Use me as you will,” Edwin breathed. With the hand not gripping my back, he lifted my wrist to his mouth and said, “Stay still while I bite down, love.”
My orgasm hit like a box of fireworks. As his fangs pierced my skin I was already coming, my cock pulsing wildly in my boxers.
My mind emptied of everything except the man beneath me and the way his blue eyes darkened to pools of midnight as he drank from me.
Not that I was able to keep my eyes open this time.
But I knew how he looked when he fed from me.
It was that blue gaze, that feral, possessive, all-encompassing gaze, that fuelled all the happiest moments I’d had since escaping the FWNN’s clutches.
Something about Edwin himself told me I was safe; wanted; desired.
He never fed for long. As he sealed the puncture marks, he rolled me carefully to lie next to him.
“Sorry, can’t wait,” he muttered, shoving his jeans and underwear down to grasp his cock.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away as his fist flew, the tip leaking precum as he worked it efficiently, his other hand fondling his balls.
At the moment his thighs began to quiver, he turned his head to look at me, catching me watching him.
“Fuck, you’re cute. Oh God…” And he erupted over his fingers.
I flopped back onto the mattress and stared blindly at the ceiling.
Did that count as sex? I guessed it did.
Was I okay with it? Also yes, although only just. Edwin was careful never to startle me, or to crowd me, letting me come to him.
Which is what he’d done this time. I hadn’t been able to help myself from rubbing against him like some kind of sexed-up cat person.
I cleared my throat. “Did you mean that, about Trace having an effect on me?”
The mattress dipped as Edwin got up, then returned. He stroked a finger down my cheek and I opened my eyes to see him frowning.
“Are you okay?” He offered me a handful of tissues. “Not that these will do much for your current state, I imagine.”
I pushed his hand away with a wince. “Yeah, I need to change.” My cheeks burned as I realised how shamelessly I’d been acting. “I’m fine.”
“Wow, the ‘I’m fine’ line. James, come on, it’s me you’re talking to. I don’t want anything less than total honesty from you.” He sat down. “That was fucking hot, but I need to know if I overstepped.”
“You didn’t. I wanted it.” I rubbed the back of my neck again, my gaze sliding to the door. “I really wanted it. I always want you, Edwin. That’s not the problem.”
His sigh was profound in the small room. “I’m so sorry we didn’t find you sooner.”
“Hardly your fault. I’m…I’m dealing with it. I think.” I couldn’t bear his pity. I was broken, but I didn’t want to stay that way. I was damned if that fucker had stolen my right to joy when I had found someone I wanted to be with, and who wanted to be with me.
“You’re amazing.”
I peeked at him, perched on the bed, hobbled by his jeans, dick still hanging out, handful of soggy tissues balled in one fist and his blond hair tousled. He was fucking beautiful. And he wanted to be with me. “I’m really not. But thank you. So, about Trace?”
He glanced towards the garden. “Oops, I’m supposed to be making a phone call.
But yes, I was serious about that. He makes me feel like I could jump his bones, but not in a slutty way, if that makes any sense.
I barely know the guy, but I also feel like he gives off trustworthy fuckabilty in spades.
Maybe I’m projecting ’cause it’s been too long since I got laid, but I don’t know.
Maybe it’s a spell. Who the fuck knows? I must make this bloody phone call. ”
I grabbed clean jeans and underwear and slunk to the bathroom to clean up.
Then I lobbed my sticky clothes into the washing machine to deal with later, returning to hear Edwin say, “I doubt Baxter will mind. You know she’s a party animal.
All right, just call her when you’ve got the numbers and let me know?
Thank you, Dalziel, I really appreciate it. Yeah, okay. Will do. Bye.”
He gave me another of his wide, unfettered smiles. “Good news. We have a solution. It should work. And without alerting the neighbourhood to what we’re up to. Let’s go and tell Trace.”