Chapter 19
T hat evening, Tessa awoke with butterflies in her stomach. She forced herself to get ready slowly, patiently. But even after meticulously grooming each individual skin cell and hair follicle on her body, changing her clothes six times, tweaking her winged liner a bit on one side and then the other again and again until she had to wipe it off and start over again, changing her clothes again, and forcing herself to eat a sandwich, the sun still hadn’t set.
She stood at the front door, peering impatiently out at the street. According to her phone, sunset was seven minutes away. It would take Amos another few minutes to cross the city and reach her. Mercifully, Ma was at Rob and Sarah’s house, helping make bomboloni for a school bake sale, so Tessa didn’t have to deal with Ma’s questions and scrutiny. She could stare out at the street like a dog waiting for its owner to come home, and not have to bother being subtle or explaining why.
Each passing minute felt like a new eternity, but at last, a shadow emerged from beneath the tree in front of the house. The details of Amos’s features resolved as he stepped into the glow of the porch light.
Tessa flung the door open, locked it hurriedly behind her, and flew down the steps. Amos met her at the bottom step, pulling her into his arms.
“You seem happy to see me,” he said, smiling wryly, the corners of his eyes creasing. “Can I assume you haven’t changed your mind since this morning?”
She shook her head. “There was never a question of it.”
“You want my claim?” he asked, voice roughening.
“Yes.”
“Tonight?”
“ Yes .”
He let out a slow breath, looking almost shocked. And then, before Tessa could react, he scooped her up and ran. Choking on a laugh, she clutched his jacket and closed her eyes against the dizzying speed. A few minutes later, they stopped. She blinked her eyes open in the soft light in front of Amos’s front door.
Inside, Amos helped her out of her coat. She bent to slide her boots off, but Amos was already kneeling there, one hand clasped behind her knee while the other worked the heel of her boot free. First one, then the other. The hem of her dress rode up as she lifted her foot for him, revealing the tops of her stockings. Amos’s gaze landed there, transfixed, hands frozen. After a long moment, he tore his eyes away, getting back to his feet. He took Tessa’s hand and led her to through the house to the staircase.
Tessa had been expecting a slightly more savage response than the quiet, restrained way Amos was handling her. He didn’t look like a man who was about to get laid for the first time in nearly a century. His shoulders were stiff, his pace almost reluctant. They reached his bedroom door, and he paused with his hand on the handle, frozen.
He was afraid, she suddenly realized. A mixture of exasperation and tenderness overwhelmed her.
“Amos,” she said gently.
His knuckles whitened as his grip tightened on the doorknob. “Hm?”
“Look at me.”
He obeyed, his expression stiff and blank.
“I’m not going to change my mind.”
Something flickered behind his eyes, but the stiffness didn’t ease.
“I want this. I want you. Okay?”
He nodded, looking marginally relieved, but still not exactly bursting with joy. He opened the door and scooped Tessa into his arms, carrying her across the threshold. The shades were open, letting moonlight fill the room with a silvery glow. Tessa cupped Amos’s face as he carried her to the bed, pressing sweet kisses to his lips, his jaw, his cheeks, his nose. As he laid her down, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, keeping him close.
He remained braced over her, his forehead pressed to hers, eyes closed, simply breathing her in. Tessa stroked her fingers slowly up and down the nape of his neck, warmed by his closeness, letting him take his time. It occurred to her that a man who hadn’t had sex in a century might not necessarily be desperate to get his dick wet. He might actually be incredibly anxious about the momentousness of it all.
Amos had always made her feel cherished and safe and cared for, and this moment was no different. Tessa tilted her face up, catching his lips in an undemanding kiss. Her hands slid from the back of his neck to the buttons of his shirt. She worked the first one open as she kissed him. If her sweet vampire was uncertain, then she would take the lead. He made her feel so good all the time, she was happy to focus on making him feel good. To give him the intimacy and comfort and pleasure he’d been missing for so many years.
She got his shirt open and spread her hands over the broad expanse of his chest, dragging her fingernails through coarse blond hair. Amos shuddered, breaking the kiss with a gasp.
“Tessa,” he panted her name, his entire body trembling.
“I’ve got you.” She kissed his neck, his throat, his jaw. “Come closer. I’ll take care of you.”
He laughed, a raw, pained sound. “I have no doubt of that, sweetheart.”
He crawled onto the bed with her, allowing Tessa to roll him onto his back and straddle him. Her dress, a tight, form-fitting sweater dress, slid up her thighs. She grasped the hem and pulled the whole thing up and over her head, flinging it away. She sat atop Amos in nothing but her matching set and thigh-high stockings.
Some of the tension finally faded from his expression. His fingers toyed along the tops of her stockings while his gaze roved over her body, taking in every plush curve. “God, you’re beautiful,” he said hoarsely.
Tessa leaned down, taking his mouth in another kiss. He kissed her back, his hands going still on her thighs, his whole body becoming rigid again.
She drew back. “Amos, if you’re not ready for this yet, we can wait. I don’t—”
His hands clenched on her thighs, his eyes going wide with alarm. “No.” He flipped her onto her back, trapping her beneath him. “Don’t leave. I’m fine. I swear I’m fine.”
Tessa stared up at him, doubtful. “You don’t seem fine.”
He hung his head with a sigh. “I’m terrified of hurting you.”
Oh, god. He was so painfully precious, it made her want to punch him and hug him at the same time. “Amos, you have never once hurt me. Not when you hunted me through the city and attacked me in a dirty alley. Not when you pinned me against the side of my mother’s house and made me scream with pleasure. Not when you—”
He growled, his gaze growing heated. “I know what you’re doing.”
She twinkled mischievously. “Is it working?”
The growl turned into a sigh. He lowered his head, kissing her gently. “We’ll go slowly,” he said. “Very slowly.”
“Alright. You’re in control, you big, dangerous monster.”
Amos gusted out a breath that was half-laugh, half-groan. Before he could chide her, Tessa tipped her face up, kissing him. A purr resonated softly in his chest as the kiss deepened. He let more of his weight sink down on her, let his hands rove over her. He found the clasp of her bra and unfastened it, pulling it free with a grunt and a tug. The bra went sailing out of sight.
Tessa bit her lip, putting a little arch in her spine for Amos’s benefit. Aside from the inconveniences of finding clothes that fit properly, she generally liked the fullness of her breasts—and the glazed, awe-struck look in Amos’s eyes only made her appreciate them more.
“Christ, Tessa, look at you.”
She cupped the weight of her breasts, plumping them up and letting them drop. Her nipples pebbled with the movement, tightening to sensitive little points. “I hope you’re going to do more than look.”
He growled, swooping down to savor one breast with his mouth. The tips of his fangs scraped her skin as his tongue circled the hard peak of her nipple. Her other breast was cupped by his hand, rough and warm as he squeezed and caressed. She clutched the back of his head, fingers curling into his hair, back arching to thrust her breasts into his hands and mouth.
“Ah! Amos—harder!”
He panted against her skin. “Don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t hurt me!” She tugged on his hair, making him growl.
He sat up abruptly and Tessa cried out at the sudden loss of sensation.
Breathing harshly, hair in disarray, Amos stared down at her with hunting eyes. “I thought I was in control here.”
She swallowed, resisting the urge to undulate her hips beneath him. “You are.”
He leaned over her, bracing his hands on either side of her head. “Why’s that?” he demanded.
She almost answered honestly— because you need it. But she realized suddenly that this wasn’t sweet, earnest Amos asking her. This was his inner predator speaking to her now. Whatever switch he’d been afraid to flip, he was on the verge of it now. “Because you’re dangerous,” Tessa answered in a small, fragile voice. “Because I’m helpless against you.”
The purr in his chest sounded like a snarl. “And I take what I want.”
“ Please ,” she breathed.
“Please what ?”
She hesitated—not certain if, in this moment, he wanted the truth or the fantasy. She thought of how much he loved hunting her, feeding from her while she fought him, until her will to resist was stolen by his venom. He would only ever claim her once—she wanted that claiming to be everything he ever fantasized about, deep in the recesses of his own self-contained, wicked soul.
“Please don’t take me,” she begged.
Amos’s pupils narrowed to a pinpoint before flashing wide again. He paused, his gaze searching hers. After a moment, he seemed to read what he needed to, and his features relaxed into a cruel smile. “Beg all you want, sweetheart. It won’t get you anywhere. If I want you, you’re mine.”
She twisted, trying to scramble away from him, but he moved like lightning, snatching her wrists and pinning them to the bed. She stared up at him, breasts heaving with each breath. “Let me go.”
He transferred his hold on her wrists to one hand, his grip verging on painful. His free hand roved down her body, finding the edge of her panties. He traced his finger along the top.
“ No, ” she gasped, hips arching involuntarily towards his touch.
His smile quirked. He curled his fingers into the lace and with one easy movement, ripped them off of her. She was naked except for her stockings, wet and ready for him. His finger slid down her mons, parted the lips of her pussy, and slid through the slick, wet heat there. Her thighs clenched together, but with easy strength, Amos slid one knee between hers, wedging her legs open.
Tessa panted for breath, twisting to escape him, secure in the knowledge that he’d never let her get away. She could fight as hard as she wanted, scream as loud as she wanted, and Amos would still be there, as steady and inexorable as an anchor. He laughed softly as she struggled against him, circling his finger around her entrance.
“Oh god,” she breathed, arching up for him, trying to pretend she was arching away. “No!”
He slipped two fingers inside her.
“ Ah! No! Stop!”
His thumb found her clit, circling lazily. “You don’t want me to stop,” he purred, watching her with the lazy amusement of a cruel emperor. He slid his fingers out, only to push back in with three, spreading them wide inside her.
“Oh, God,” she moaned, eyes falling shut as her hips rocked restlessly.
“He won’t help you,” Amos promised with a growl. His thumb circled her clit moving faster, harder.
“ No ,” Tessa objected weakly, her whole body tensing as pleasure began to coalesce deep in her core.
“You’re going to come for me,” Amos commanded.
“No, please don’t—”
He lowered his head, sucking one of her nipples into his mouth while he strummed her clit with his thumb. The orgasm was instantaneous—a wave crashing over her out of nowhere, almost painful in its intensity.
“I told you you’re mine,” Amos growled, his face close to hers as she came back down from the climax.
She was too limp to fight him. She gasped for breath, her whole body rolling sinuously with the aftershocks of what he’d done to her. For a moment, his expression softened, and he gazed down at her with such open tenderness, Tessa’s heart lurched.
“I love you,” she whispered.
He kissed her, long and deep. “I love you,” he told her, voice deep with emotion. He pulled back slightly. The cruel mask slipped back on. “And I’ll make it so you can never leave.”
Tessa shot him a wicked smile before she fell back into her role. It was so easy to be his victim. “Don’t,” she begged faintly. “Please—”
With Tessa’s wrists still held in one hand, Amos used his free hand to open his jeans. He shoved them down his hips, freeing his jutting cock. Thick and veined, flushed dark, weeping pre-come from the tip, he took it in hand and stroked.
Tessa renewed her fight, pulling at her wrists, trying to squeeze her thighs together. Amos laughed at her struggles, using his knees to spread her thighs wide.
“You’re going to take all of this,” he told her.
“No!” She arched and bucked, twisting desperately. But she was helpless against his strength, subject to his every whim.
Amos aligned the head of his cock with her swollen, glistening folds, swiping through the copious slickness there. “You’re going to take every inch, and you’re going to like it.”
“No I won’t,” she gasped.
He laughed. “I’ll make you.” And then he shoved in deep, one hard, steady plunge that filled her all the way up with his thick cock and buried him to the hilt.
Her thighs fell open wide, back arching, hips tilting to receive him. She moaned as the brutal stretch sent shockwaves of pleasure radiating through her entire body. “Oh god,” she whimpered. “Oh god, oh god…”
Amos bent down low, skimming his lips along her cheekbone. “Let’s see how long you can come on this cock,” he whispered against her ear. His fangs pierced her throat .
Amos nearly blacked out with the pleasure of burying both his fangs and his cock inside of Tessa. She cried out at the pain of his bite and her pussy clenched down on him like a powerful fist. He made an inhuman noise against her throat, drinking deeply. As his venom intoxicated her, her snug, hot pussy squeezed over and over and over on him.
He’d never felt anything so good. The taste of her blood singing across his senses while he fucked her—the one person he loved best in the world—was beyond comprehension. His hand came away from her wrists, gently cupping the side of her face as he drank, thumb stroking soothingly along her cheekbone.
“Amos!” she cried hoarsely, again and again, chanting his name like an involuntary prayer.
He felt himself coming, balls drawing tight against his body, the hot flood of his release spilling into her eager body. It was the most soul-wrenching, physically devastating thing he’d ever felt in his life. His vision whited out, his hearing faded to just the drumbeat of Tessa’s heart. His entire body shook with the power of his climax, and when he thought he was done coming, another debilitating wave of euphoria washed over him.
As the ecstasy faded, he jerked his fangs from Tessa’s throat and sank limply against her still-writhing body. She gasped and moaned and trembled as the last effects of his venom faded from her system. Her eyes blinked open, foggy and dazed.
“Amos?”
“Here, sweetheart.” He kissed her temples, her forehead, her lips. “Are you ready? ”
“Ready? For what?”
“It will hurt when I put my mark on you.”
Tessa slung her arms around his neck, pulling him in close with a lazy, sated smile. “I like the way you hurt me.”
“Good,” he said, cock twitching, still hard inside her. He sucked hard on his teeth, drawing on the venom reservoirs in each fang, pulling it into his mouth and swallowing it away. When he couldn’t pull any more venom, he cupped Tessa’s jaw and tilted her face to the side, revealing the unmarked side of her neck. He’d decided a while ago that he wanted his claim mark to be very visible on her. High on her neck where even the most demure turtleneck wouldn’t totally hide it.
With dry fangs, he bit into her, sinking deep, feeling the tear of skin, tasting the welling blood.
Tessa stiffened and cried out, arms tightening around his neck. He tried to soothe her, gently stroking her hair as he bit down harder, sinking in deeper. He wanted a thick, unmistakable scar on her. He wanted everyone to know exactly who she belonged to with a single glance.
Tessa whimpered, trembling a bit. Amos hummed, still stroking her hair. He wanted to assure her that she was safe, that it would be over soon, but he didn’t dare pull his fangs out before he felt the claim take.
The spot he’d chosen wasn’t arterial, so she didn’t bleed as profusely as when he fed from her, but the blood that filled his mouth still imparted her vibrant flavor. He bit down more, sinking dangerously deep without the healing benefits of his venom. He was starting to wonder if he’d have to heal this bite and try again in a different spot when suddenly, the claim hit him.
A wave of possessive joy suddenly enveloped him as he released his bite. His awareness of her sharpened and magnified until he could faintly sense her mind in a way that didn’t feel invasive or voyeuristic—it just felt right . Like he’d finally come in from the cold, and was only now just realizing how frozen he’d truly been.
“ Amos ,” Tessa breathed his name, awed. “You’re… we’re…” she trailed off, clearly lacking the words to describe what they were experiencing.
“Yes,” he said simply.
It wasn’t mind-reading or telepathy. It was just a gentle awareness. Amos suspected that, even if Tessa were hidden on the other side of the world, in the remotest possible place, he would be able to find his way to her without hesitation.
“Stay,” Amos said, letting it be a command.
“Yes,” she agreed easily.
When they’d recovered somewhat, Amos brought Tessa to the kitchen to feed her the catered meal he’d ordered. They spent the rest of the night wrapped in each other, playing and teasing and exploring, learning what made the other crazed with pleasure. As dawn approached, they returned to the bedroom. Amos shut the door and sealed the lightproof shutters before they both went to the bathroom together to shower away the accumulated sweat and blood and other bodily fluids.
Clean and exhausted, they fell into bed and rolled into each other’s arms. Before the sun had even risen, they were both asleep.