Demonstorm: Heart of a Vampire #6 (16 page)

But this was different. Not just the first time a man had ever seen her anywhere near naked, but the first time a man had ever looked at her like this. Not with lust, though that was there in his eyes.

But it was tempered by softness. By emotion.

He bent down, kissing the valley between her breasts. The scruff on his cheeks tickled her skin. When he took one lace-covered, engorged nipple between his teeth and tugged, desire blazed a trail through her.

She whimpered in pleasure, the sound refusing to be contained.

“I see my hell cat likes that.”

“Mmm.” She couldn’t form words as he continued to tease her.

He trailed his hands down her sides to her hips, then up her back to the clasp of the bra. With a quick flick of his fingers, the bra sprung loose. Sean eased the straps over her shoulders, then tugged them down her arms.

All the while, his mouth teased and tantalized her nipples.

He took the lace between his teeth and drew back, pulling it off with his mouth.

Startled, she couldn’t stop the flush of excitement rushing through her at what should have been such a silly thing.

He dropped it to the ground, his gaze locked on her bare breasts. “Beautiful.”

Heat rose to her cheeks once more. A bit embarrassed, she slid his shirt up over his taut abs, his smooth chest, over his head.

His tanned skin, velvety to the touch over such hard strength beneath, beckoned.

Once more copying him, she scooted closer, licking first one dark nipple, then the other. They tightened, springing up into hard little nubs.

He hissed a breath and she glanced up. His jaw was tight, but he seemed to like it. She licked him gently again, following with a nibble, and drew out another hiss. She grinned, nipping his taut skin up to his neck and pressed her naked breasts against his heated skin.

With a groan, Sean grabbed her tight, devouring her mouth. His hardness pressed between her thighs, sending heady sensations flying along her nerves. She’d heard of a toe curling kiss, but had never believed such a thing to be real.

Now she knew it did exist.

She traced her nails down his back, then grabbed his ass.

* * *

This woman was driving him crazy. Each touch made him all the hotter. His every instinct was screaming to rip the rest of their clothes off, push her down and bury himself deep within her wet heat. His blood burned from the fact he was allowed to touch, to taste.

His
, whispered inside him.

He drew back, staring into her blue-green eyes. His chest swelled with every emotion that had been dancing around his heart the past days.

At the thought of how close she’d been to death, he swore to himself it would never happen again. He would protect this woman better next time, protect her with his life.

His
.

He needed to take it slower, get his rampaging hormones—and instincts—under control. Drawing her to her feet above him, he nuzzled her belly.

She giggled.

“You’re ticklish?” he asked, finding it adorable.

He nuzzled her again, grinning at her laugh. Slowly, he unbuttoned her jeans, and pulled them down her slim hips. She wore red lace panties that matched the bra. This time, he wasn’t surprised at the sight, though it still spurred something inside him.

Unexpected layers, though he’d known there were many—were still many—he hadn’t seen.

Her nails dug into his shoulders as she lifted each foot. He tossed her jeans to the side, staring reverently up her long, shapely legs, her generous hips covered by the scrap of lace.

He met her gaze. No longer wearing her protective mask, her face was full of expression. Her eyes blazed with emotion.

Trust.

Desire.

And, dare he hope, something softer from her heart?

She took his breath away. Everything she was, inside and out. Her determination, once she made up her mind to do something, to give fully to whatever the cause might be.

And though he knew that with his actions, he might be losing the key his clan needed, he didn’t care.

Let them call him a failure.

Let them say they’d known a half-breed couldn’t accomplish such an important mission.

Staring up at Mayah, Sean knew that bringing her magic to help the clan wasn’t why Jezamine, why the Fates, had sent him.

It was to claim her heart. To give her his own.

The love overflowing his soul for this woman—slowly helping him come to terms with himself, to feel like a complete man for the first time in his life—was what Fate had meant for him.

He refused to deny it.

She was his, now and forever.

He nibbled her inner thigh, trailing his hands up her legs to cup her ass, just as he’d dreamt of since waking days ago. She fit perfectly against his palm. When he kissed her lace-covered wetness, she gasped, hips jerking toward him as if begging for more.

* * *

Mayah couldn’t believe the sensations spiraling through her from Sean’s touch. The scenes she’d seen while with Brüs were nothing like the gentle, loving way this man touched her. As if she was a banquet and he was starved, yet, at the same time, he needed to savor every bite.

The scruff on his chin rasped deliciously over her sensitive skin once more. He nibbled her flesh through her panties, as he’d done with her breasts. The friction of his teeth and the lace sent shockwaves down her legs, making her knees weak.

She gasped as he tugged the cloth aside and thrummed his tongue over her. The blossoming heat became an inferno that she wasn’t sure would ever be contained again.

“Sean,” she whimpered, needing something, but unsure exactly what. Her grip on his shoulders tightened, as she tried to stay standing on wobbly legs.

He met her gaze, read something on her face. Grabbing her hands, he tugged her down to her knees once more. Sean cupped her face, letting his palm linger on her cheek.

His breath caressed her lips as he stared into her eyes. “Are you certain you want to do this? Everything you would be giving up—”

She cut him off. “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life,” she whispered, kissing him with the fervent urgency building inside her.

He groaned, closing his eyes and kissing her back with the same passion boiling inside her.

With a flick of his wrist, her panties tore, leaving her completely naked. The chilled air hit her heated flesh, sending goosebumps over her skin.

He cupped her mound, his fingers doing wondrous things as they moved over her slickness. When he eased one long finger inside, her entire body quivered with exquisite pleasure.

Her heartbeat doubled, tripled. Her breath came on shallow gasps.

He eased his finger out, slowly slid it back inside. His thumb flicked over her sensitive nub. When he crooked his finger and rubbed in small circles deep inside, pleasure exploded.

Her cry of release escaped as the orgasm tore through her like a storm.

Sean laid her down on the sleeping bags, hurriedly undressing. She watched him, her eyelids heavy.

As he bared his thick hardness, her eyes widened. Long, velvety smooth, the tip was engorged, wet from his desire.

She reached to touch him, then drew her hand back, once more in the strange shy place where she didn’t know quite what to do.

In all the copulations she’d seen, the women basically laid still, forced to take, never participating. She knew this wasn’t like those despicable acts. But she wasn’t sure what Sean wanted from her.

He knelt beside her with a smile. As if, yet again, he could read her mind, he said, “Do whatever you wish, darling. There are no rules.”

She reached out once more, trailing a finger over the tip and along his hardness. His skin was as smooth as it looked, throbbing beneath her touch.

Chapter Sixteen

H
e trailed his hands over her breasts, her belly. Easing her thighs apart, he bent closer, licking the sweetness between her thighs. She shivered beneath his touch, her hands fisting in his hair and urging him not to stop.

He never wanted to stop, but he needed to fill her, to connect with her on the final level.

Rising up, he kissed her belly, then moved over her breasts. He paused to take each nipple into his mouth, sucking deeply.

Her back arched and a moan rumbled up her throat. His little hell cat sounded like a purring kitten.

When he captured her mouth, her nails scraped along his back, sending shockwaves of pleasure straight to his groin. She might be purring, but she hadn’t sheathed her claws.

He ached for the final act of joining, but it had to be completely right for her. She tilted her hips, and he eased inside her wet heat. She was tight, as he’d known she would be. He’d never bedded a virgin before, but he’d heard stories. And he never wanted to cause Mayah pain. Not even for this.

He leaned up, catching her gaze. Opened his mouth to say something, not sure what.

As if reading hesitation in his eyes, Mayah lifted her knees, planted her feet on the ground, then shoved her hips forward. He plunged into her, hating her small squeak of pain.

“What the—”

“It was going to hurt no matter what. Now it is done. Take me back to the place where it feels exquisite.” She smiled, though a fine sheen sparkled in her eyes.

His brave woman. He stayed still, letting her body adjust to him. When she wiggled her hips, he knew the pain had lessened. Slowly, he drew out, then eased back into her tightness.

She moaned, digging her nails into his ass and reaching up to place small kisses over his lips. “This feels so right,” she whispered.

He couldn’t have agreed more as he moved deeper, feeling her quivering around him.

* * *

Mayah had never felt such pleasure. They were connected on a level that, while frightening, made her feel whole at the same time.

With each mewl that escaped her, Sean’s confidence seemed to grow. The silly man, afraid of hurting her. She could see it plain on his face.

She raised her hips, meeting his next thrust, drawing him deep, deeper.

He groaned, moving faster like she wanted him to.

This feeling of completeness filled her with such warmth, with belonging. Trailing her nails over his ass, up his back, she continued to meet his thrusts until her mind clouded with pleasure. Another orgasm built, tossing her back into the storm.

He continued to drive into her.

Nearly mindless from the pleasure, she wrapped her legs around his hips. It allowed him to reach deeper still. As if reaching for her very soul.

She wanted it. Wanted him. Wanted all.

The storm built, lashing her with heat, until she screamed her release. Her body tightened, spasming around his hardness.

It made the orgasm much more intense as it continued to rage inside her.

Sean came with a bellow, spilling his hot seed.

She welcomed it.

As his body shuddered beneath her touch, he slowed. Long moments passed in a haze of pleasure.

He kissed her softly, then laid beside her, wrapping her tight in his arms. “Now I know what heaven is like,” he stated.

“Mmm.” She agreed. “As do I.”

Pressed against him, safe in his embrace, she drifted into a healing sleep.

* * *

Darkness reigned in her dreams.

Light flashed, blindingly.

Mayah cowered in a fog-drenched forest, surrounded by the screams of the dying. She blinked as some strange light pushed back the dark shadows.

The light narrowed, outlining a figure standing in front of her. Warmth washed over Mayah, full of love.

Daughter
, the wind whispered.

Tears sprung to her eyes as she recognized the voice, though she’d never heard it after her birth.

How could that be?

The light disappeared and Mayah once more faced the cliff, fighting Brüs and his men.

Her brother and her lover were both covered in bright crimson blood. They moved slowly, their strength waning.

Faltering.

Above her, Brüs loomed. His boot slammed into her ribs. Pain exploded.

Her heartbeat fluttered, weakening as the two men most important to her fell beneath swords, claws and teeth.

Brüs laughed, his voice booming, shaking the very ground she lay on.

Mayah gasped a breath of cold air as the world around her, full of triumphant demons screaming their success, grew dim.

Darkness reigned.

Mayah woke with another gasping breath. Pain lingered in her chest, her ribs, but it was only a remnant of memory that soon faded.

Sean stared at her, his eyes full of concern, a scowl twisting his mouth. “What is it?”