32. Chapter 32
32
Chapter 32
Rowan
I t feels like he’s going to crush the life from me…but in a good way. His arms wrap around me like steel bands, and for a moment, the world outside his embrace ceases to exist. I’m pulled against the unyielding fortress of his chest, a solid wall of strength that doesn’t give an inch under my hands.
“Darick?” I manage to get the word out past the pressure of his arms. “What’s going on?”
There’s power here in his hold, power enough to crush or protect. Yet, for all his supernatural strength, there’s an unexpected gentleness to his touch. I’m safe here with him, but I’m confused by his unexpected appearance and this strange intensity.
“Darick?” I say again. “Is everything okay?” I can feel the tension radiating through his body.
He doesn’t answer immediately; just holds me tighter. I can feel his breath against my hair, cool and rapid. After a long moment, he loosens his grip slightly, allowing me to step back and look up at him.
His eyes are stormy with some unnamed emotion. “I needed to see you,” he says, his voice rough.
I cross my arms, trying to regain some composure. “You couldn’t have let me know you were coming? Or, I don’t know, knocked?”
A flicker of a smile crosses his face. “When have I ever done that?”
“Good point,” I concede. Now that there’s distance between us, I want to close it again. Which is insane. Everything about this whole damn situation is insane.
“I’m sorry for what I said at the meeting,” he says, abruptly changing the subject. “I was… out of line.”
I narrow my eyes, sensing there’s more to this than a simple apology. “Okay,” I say slowly. “But you already told me that, remember? When you broke my rules the last time. Is there something else?”
Darick rakes his fingers through his thick blond hair, a surprisingly human gesture for someone so ancient and powerful. “You’re right. It’s not just that,” he admits, but doesn’t elaborate.
I wait, but he remains frustratingly silent. “Darick,” I say, exasperated, “you can’t just show up here, crush the air out of my lungs, and then not explain yourself.”
He looks at me intently as if searching for something in my face. Whatever he sees there makes him sigh. “You’re right,” he says. “I owe you more of an explanation. But…” he hesitates, “I’m not sure I can give you one. Not yet.”
I cock my head, scrutinizing him. His usual mask of control has slipped, revealing something raw and vulnerable underneath.
“I’ve been…worried about you,” he admits, his voice low. “But it’s nothing for you to be troubled about.”
I open my mouth to object because how can I not be troubled now that he’s said that? But before I can form the words, Darick moves with that inhuman speed of his. Suddenly, his hands are cradling my face, cool palms against my flushed cheeks. His eyes search mine as if looking for something.
And then he’s kissing me.
It’s not like our first kiss in the grove, all heat and confusion. This is softer, gentler, yet somehow more intense. His lips move against mine with a tenderness I didn’t know he possessed, but there’s an undercurrent of desperation that makes my heart race.
I should push him away. I should demand answers. I should do anything but melt into this kiss.
But I can’t seem to make my body obey. Instead, I find myself pressing into him, my hands coming up to grip the front of his shirt. The world narrows down to just this: the feel of his lips on mine, the solid strength of him against me, the way his thumbs stroke my cheekbones so gently.
There’s a hunger in this kiss, but it’s not the bloodlust I’ve come to associate with vampires. This is something else entirely.
When Darick finally pulls back, I’m breathless. I blink up at him, trying to clear the fog from my mind. His eyes are dark, pupils dilated. There’s a tightness in his jaw that wasn’t there before.
“Darick,” I whisper, not sure what I’m about to say. Ask him why he’s really here? Demand he explain his concerns? Or beg him to kiss me again?
He pauses as if deliberating over something, and then as if he’s made a decision, he moves. I gasp as he suddenly scoops me up into his arms, one arm behind my back and the other under my knees. I find myself instinctively wrapping an arm around his neck for support.
“What are you—?” I start to say, but the words die in my throat as he begins walking purposefully toward my bedroom.
Alarm and excitement courses through me. This is moving in a direction I wasn’t expecting, but I can’t bring myself to object. Would it be so wrong? We’re both adults. How bad could it be to take a little pleasure?
Or maybe a lot.
His strong arms cradle me securely against his chest, and I can feel the taut muscles beneath his shirt. The scent of him envelops me – earth and oak and something ancient, primal.
As we cross the threshold into my bedroom, I become acutely aware of how intimate this moment is. The soft lamplight casts a warm glow over the room, making everything feel dreamlike. My unmade bed looms large in my peripheral vision, and I feel a flutter of nerves in my stomach.
“Darick,” I breathe, my voice barely audible even to myself. I’m not sure if I’m about to ask a question or make a request.
He looks down at me, his ice-blue eyes intense and unreadable. Gently, he sets me down, and I sink into the softness of my bed, my heart thundering as he looms over me. Eyes that have haunted my dreams roam over my body in a way that makes me shiver. I can’t look away, can’t even blink as I drink in the sight of him.
A black tank top clings to his muscular chest, revealing more of him than I’ve ever seen before. My eyes trace the strong lines of his shoulders, down his bare arms that seem carved from marble. His skin isn’t the pale white I’d imagined, but a warm gold that makes me want to reach out and touch him.
My eyes drift lower, taking in the way his black jeans hug his lean hips and long, powerful thighs. He’s like a statue come to life, bold angles and perfect proportions. I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry.
When I finally manage to drag my gaze back up to his face, I find his eyes locked on mine. The look in them is predatory, hungry, but not in the way I’ve come to expect from him. This hunger is different…and it sets my pulse racing.
I’m transfixed, unable to move or speak as his gaze holds me captive. Part of me wants to break this spell, to say something, do something. But a larger part is loving the way he’s looking at me like I’m the most fascinating thing he’s ever seen.
“I need you.” Darick’s voice is throaty. He pauses after the words like he’s expecting me to say something…maybe to ask him to stop. But I don’t. My mouth is too dry. But that’s not the only reason.
I can’t take my eyes off him as he peels his tank top off over his head, revealing his sculpted chest. My breath catches. I’ve been with men before, but never anyone like this. He’s inhumanly beautiful.
Because he’s not human, Ro.
He’s more. So much more.
When he toes off his boots and reaches for the top of his jeans, I find myself watching him hungrily. This is another moment when I could ask him to leave – should ask him to leave – but I don’t. I want this.
God, how I want this.
My heart races as I take in every inch of his exposed skin. His shoulders are broad and rounded, leading to heavily muscled biceps. His chest and abs are exquisitely defined. There’s not an ounce of softness to him; every inch of him is smooth and hard and flawless. I lick my lips as my eyes trace the trail that leads from his navel down beneath the waistband of his jeans, drawing my gaze lower. The bulge there is…unnerving.
Oh, boy… I swallow hard.
As Darick’s fingers work at the button of his jeans, I feel a rush of heat flood through me, watching as he slowly lowers the zipper.
This is really happening.
A thrill of apprehension tightens my chest as he hooks his thumbs into the waistband of his jeans, ready to push them down.
Darick continues his slow strip, sliding his jeans down his legs to reveal muscled thighs and strong calves. And then—
Oh, my God!
My heart literally stops as I take in the sight of his thick, hard cock. He’s perfect all over. My cheeks burn, but somehow, I can’t bring myself to look away. Heat washes over me as I stare, my mouth hanging open.
You’re a grown woman, Rowan! Act like one.
Seeing a man this aroused…it should be scary or intimidating. But somehow, it isn’t.
I lick my lips as I raise my eyes to meet his, my heart hammering in my chest. At this point, there’s no doubt about what he wants from me, and despite the voice in the back of my mind, I know that I want it, too.
Darick must see the acceptance in my eyes because he growls low in his throat and takes a step forward. I don’t realize I’ve spread my thighs until I feel him standing between my splayed knees. My eyes flicker down to take in the way his impressive erection bobs between his legs as he moves.
Holy shit!
I’m not sure I’m up to the challenge of taking that monster. As if sensing my sudden uncertainty, Darick’s expression softens. He bends forward and tugs my sweatshirt off over my head, baring my torso. His eyes rake over my body, and I feel a shiver run through me.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmurs, his eyes never leaving mine. “You have no fucking idea.”
I open my mouth to respond, to try to explain just how flustered and turned on I am, but he cuts me off by climbing onto the bed and sinking between my thighs. I gasp at the feeling of his hardness pressing against my core, even through the barrier of my sweatpants.
“Too many clothes,” he murmurs, his eyes drifting shut for a moment as he savors the sensation. “Definitely getting in the way.”
Before I can respond, his mouth is on mine, kissing me deeply. I moan into the kiss as he slides a hand beneath my back to pull me closer. There’s something almost reverent about the way he kisses me, as if he’s committing my taste and touch to memory.
I wrap my arms around him, eagerly returning the kiss, my fingers combing through his hair. His lips are insistent yet gentle, and his tongue strokes mine in a silent entreaty for entrance. My body seems to melt against his, limbs entwining, fingers threading through hair, my back arching.
As the kiss deepens, I feel Darick shift his weight, pressing me into the mattress. Despite my body’s heated response, my brain kicks in with a warning. There are things we haven’t talked about, like protection, or birth control, or even—
He’s a freaking vampire, Rowan!
None of those things are an issue. My inner monologue abruptly cuts off as he nuzzles my neck, his lips brushing my skin. A shiver runs through me as I realize his face is right over where he bit me that night in the grove. How is it that everything he does, every touch, every kiss, stirs up memories of that night?
And then he sucks gently on the spot, reminding me of the feeling of his fangs sinking into my skin.
“Oh…God!” I groan at the sensation, my head falling back, baring my neck. Somewhere along the line, I’ve lost my glasses, but I really can’t give a damn right now. Darick takes advantage of my exposed skin, trailing kisses down the column of my throat, nipping and sucking gently as he goes.
“Darick,” I whisper, my eyes fluttering shut as his mouth moves lower. “I… I…” For some reason, I feel like I should say something, but for the life of me, I can’t find words.
“Shhhh.” His mouth pauses its delicious journey south long enough to place a gentle kiss on the curve of my shoulder. “Let me take care of you.”
I open my mouth to respond, to try to put into words just how vulnerable this makes me feel, but any coherent thought dissolves as Darick resumes his path down my body. Each touch of his lips has my flesh twitching, my body shuddering. My breath is coming so quickly that I’m getting lightheaded.
His kisses become more insistent, more demanding, as if he’s branding me with his mouth, marking me as his.
When I feel his hand at the waistband of my sweatpants, I realize with a jolt that this is it. But any nervousness melts away as his fingers slip beneath the elastic, stroking my bare skin. He pauses, his breath fluttering against my stomach, and looks up at me.
“Last chance to back out,” he says, his eyes intense.
I search his face, but all I see is a potent combination of desire and something that looks almost like awe. He wants me. All of me. The thought sets off a rush of heat between my legs, and my decision is made.
I shake my head. “I’m not backing out,” I whisper. “I want this.”
His eyes burn into mine, and for a moment, we just stare at each other. Then, slowly, he smiles.
“Then let’s make it good,” he says. “Let’s make it unforgettable.”
Darick’s hands skim my skin, pushing my sweats and underwear down my legs. I feel vulnerable – exposed. But I don’t want to stop. The material pools at my ankles, his fingers cool as they graze my skin.
“Just lie back,” he murmurs when my body tenses. “I need to taste you.” He settles between my thighs, his body broad and hard. At the first touch of his fingers against the heat of my pussy, a sharp pleasure zings through me, and my hips buck involuntarily.
“You’re so wet,” he murmurs, his fingertips sliding through my slick folds. “So sweet.”
I gasp, my head falling back as his thumb finds that bundle of nerves that makes my entire body tremble. He chuckles, the sound warm and wicked.
“Like that?” he asks.
“Yes,” I choke out, my body thrumming with the need to move. “Please…more.”
And then his mouth is on me.
“Yes!” I cry out, my head thrashing on the pillow as pleasure explodes through me. His tongue strokes and teases, his lips sucking, and all I can do is writhe and moan, caught in the sharp pleasure coiling inside me.
Darick’s hands slide beneath my rear, tilting my hips up, allowing him better access as his mouth works its magic. His thumbs stroke, his tongue flicks, and my muscles clench around him. My body feels like it’s on fire, every inch of me alive with need, with sensation.
And then he presses his fingers into me, and I come apart. My back arches, a cry torn from my throat, as pleasure rips through me like a lightning bolt. My inner walls flutter madly, my heels digging into the bed.
“Oh…oh…oh…fuck!” I yell, gasping for air that feels like it’s been sucked from my lungs.
Darick’s mouth never leaves me, his tongue continuing its sensual assault as his fingers pump into me, milking every last delicious pulse of my orgasm. My body shudders, my muscles clenching around his fingers as wave after wave washes over me.
Finally, I sink into the mattress, my breath coming in shallow pants. Darick’s hands smooth over my thighs and up my sides, gently soothing as he slides up my body to hover over me. I feel boneless, sated, and more than a little dazed. I can barely think straight.
“You’re so fucking perfect,” he whispers. He braces himself on his muscled forearms, bracketing my head with his arms as he leans down to capture my mouth with his. I taste myself on his lips, and it sends another thrill racing through me. Without breaking the kiss, he nudges my legs apart with his knee, settling himself between my thighs. I feel the thick weight of his cock pressed against my core, and a rush of wet heat spreads through me. It’s almost too much – this intense physical closeness, his touch, the demanding press of his lips.
“Mmmmm…” I moan. My fingers weave into his hair, holding him to me as I return his kiss with something that feels like desperation. I’m breathless, heady with desire as his tongue strokes mine, silken and persuasive. I can feel the heat of his arousal, the thick ridge of his shaft pressing against my center, and I want more. I want all of him.
I shift beneath him. “Darick. I need…”
“Wait,” he murmurs, “I’m not done yet…” His mouth leaves mine to trail kisses down my neck. His lips brush my pulse point again, and I shiver once more, wanting to feel him there as much as I want him inside me.
“So goddamn beautiful,” he murmurs between kisses.
I want to argue, to say something self-deprecating, but the truth is, in this moment, with him, I do feel beautiful. I feel desired. My fingers trail over his shoulders, his back, drinking in the feel of his skin, the firm muscles beneath my touch.
And then his mouth is on my breasts, laving first one peaked nipple and then the other with his tongue, taking me even higher.
I arch my back. “Oh…God…ohhh…” Wordless sounds of pleasure tumble from my lips as white-hot need pools between my thighs. His mouth, his hands…it feels like he’s everywhere. And when I can’t take it any longer, I tug at him, silently demanding.
I don’t have to ask because somehow, he understands. How could he not?
He lowers himself between my thighs, his erection nudging at my entrance, and then he slowly breaches me. I can feel the stretch and burn as he pushes inside me, but it only adds fuel to my desire. My body greedily welcomes him, clenching around him as he goes deep.
“Fuck! Yes!” he grits out. We both freeze, breathing heavily. Our eyes lock; his are glowing with passion, and in that moment, I see everything I need to know in the depths of his gaze. There’s want, yes, but there’s also something deeper, something that scares me a little.
He pulls back, only to thrust forward again, and my head falls back, my mouth open in a soundless cry. My fingers dig into his arms, my hips meeting his thrusts, frantic and needy.
As our bodies find a frenzied rhythm, I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him impossibly deeper. Our gasps and moans fill the room, the bed creaks beneath us, and I tighten my legs around him, loving the feel of his weight pressing me into the mattress.
Then, with a final, deep thrust, Darick presses his mouth to my neck, and I feel the sharp bite of his fangs. It should hurt, but it doesn’t, it’s perfect – a burst of sensation that somehow amplifies the pleasure until I feel like I’m exploding from within. I come apart around him, my body pulsing with aftershocks even as his mouth works at my throat, drawing my blood into him.
My fingernails rake down his back, and with a final, shuddering release, he sinks onto me, licking the small wounds closed as my blood slides down my neck. He kisses it away.
For long moments, we stay there, our bodies twined together. He rests his forehead against mine, his breath fanning my cheek as we catch our breath.
I’m not sure who moves first, but suddenly, our lips meet, and we’re kissing, slow and languid, as if we have all the time in the world. The kiss is deep and tender, a promise of more to come. And in that moment, with my body still thrumming from his touch, the fierce pull of our connection, I know there’s no going back.