Knight Edition (14 page)

Sidney popped the
last corner of the pizza crust into her mouth and moaned. “I’m stuffed!”

Emmy giggled. “Don’t say that around my Dylan. It doesn’t have quite the same connotation for the Irish. He’ll think you’re preggers!”

“Fat chance of that! I’ve been on the pill for ten years. Besides, vamps can’t reproduce, can they?”

Emmy’s usually open expression shuttered instantly.

Sidney’s acute olfactory sense smelled a story. “They can?”

Emmy shook her head. “Only in the rarest circumstances.”

Sidney wasn’t letting loose of this bone. “But they can, right?”

“Unless you’re from a long line of breeders,” Emmy said in a rush, “you can’t get pregnant by Navarro.” When she was finished, she looked a little green.

“Good thing, too,” Sidney said, to lighten the conversation. “Can you imagine living with two broody vampires?”

“Try four,” Emmy said, with a wide grin.

“You live with four vampires?”

“And all guys! All that testosterone in the air can get pretty stinky!”

When Emmy laughed, Sidney realized her mouth must have been agape.

“It’s not what you think!” Emmy chortled. “We have like this huge mansion, and four couples are sharing it at the moment. It’s safer for everyone that we all stick together.”

Sidney shook her head, trying to follow the woman’s new tangent. “Why safer?”

Emmy clapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh lord, the guys are right. I can’t keep a secret to save my life. It’s not even as though you’re holding me down and shoving bamboo under my nails, but my mouth opens and it just comes rushing out.”

“So you have four couples living together? You and Dylan—”

Emmy shrugged. “Jeez, you must have been Gestapo in a previous incarnation—you could coax a secret out of a priest!”

Since Sidney knew she hadn’t really been prying in the first place, she just kept quiet and let the woman ramble.

“Let’s see, there’s me and Dylan, Lily and Joe, Darcy and Quentin, and Max and Pia. Only Max is still kinda the odd man out on account he’s of the furry persuasion.”

“Furry persuasion?”

Emmy leaned toward her and whispered, “A werewolf.”

“A werewolf?” Sidney straightened. This was something new. “They really exist?”

“Sure! I was floored too when I first saw him morph. Hell, I didn’t even know vampires existed until Dylan went all fangy on me! But Max is as cuddly as a Rottweiler around Pia, so we tolerate him. He has special skills—that’s why he’s still part of the Special Unit.”

“You’d discriminate against werewolves? I mean, aren’t you all kind of ghouly?”

“They’re our mortal enemies—except for Max. He’s kind of going through an identity crisis.”

“So Max is a werewolf?” came the silky voice from the doorway.

Sidney’s gaze swung to the open door. Navarro filled the space with his smoldering presence. She hadn’t realized she’d missed waking up next to him. Now she wondered how fast he could clear the room so they could give each other improper greetings.

“Emmy…” Dylan’s voice rose in warning from behind Navarro as they crossed the room.

Navarro glared over his shoulder at Dylan, and then turned back to Emmy, pasting on a feral smile. “Emmy, any more secrets abounding in your home?”

“I think that about sums it up,” she said, her eyes wide.

“A werewolf in your SU?” Navarro’s glinting stare drilled Dylan, whose shuttered expression revealed nothing. “And a breeder impregnated with the first vampires to be born of a woman’s womb in a millennium? I think I need to pay a visit once our current problem is laid to rest.”

“Of course. You’d be very welcome,” Dylan said stiffly. “Emmy?” He held out his hand to assist her from the bed.

“I’ll just leave the pizza in case you’re hungry, Navarro,” Emmy said softly, her face downcast.

Navarro stopped her with a hand on her arm. “I don’t blame you. But there can be no secrets among us. We’re entering dangerous territory and must trust one another.” He glared over her head at Dylan.

Dylan nodded, and tucking Emmy’s hand in the crook of his elbow, he led her from the room. The door closed shut behind them.

The silence following their departure was palpable. Just how much of her conversation with Emmy had he heard?

Navarro’s hooded gaze made her nervous. Sidney cleaned her fingers with her napkin and just resisted blowing breath into her cupped hand. She knew she stank of anchovies and pepperoni.

His hands made quick work of the buttons on his cotton shirt. “Did you find out enough about our little subculture to hold your curiosity at bay for a while?” he asked, his voice deadly and low. He dropped the shirt to the floor.

A nod seemed an appropriate response. She couldn’t have pushed a word past her dry mouth anyway. So, she dipped her chin while her gaze ate up that broad plane of olive skin and lean muscle. Navarro’s barely reined anger had her pulse thumping.

“Emmy’s a trusting creature. Never seems to meet a stranger.” He opened his belt and slid down his zipper, shoving his pants down his muscled thighs.

His cock was already engorged—Sidney couldn’t help noticing that fact. She cleared her throat. “She’s nice.”

“And informative.”

“It was just…girl talk.” When one of his brows rose, she searched for something else to say, he had her so rattled. “Pizza?”

He shook his head. “Put it on the floor then get on your knees.”

Sidney’s vagina flooded with excitement at his taut face and strained voice.
Lord, I’m gonna get it now!
She shoved the closed box to the floor with her toes and came up on her knees, clenching the bedding in her hands.

The bed dipped behind her, and her buttocks tensed.

His hands curved over her bottom. “Are you too sore to take me?”

“I’m aching,” she murmured, pressing into his hand, “but for another reason entirely.” She bit back a moan when his fingers dipped into her pussy.

“You’re already aroused. Was it all that talk about a male vampire’s
attributes
?” he bit out.

Sidney frowned and glanced over her shoulder. “Were you eavesdropping at the door?”

Again, he lifted one mocking brow. “My hearing is quite superior.”

She turned back around and groused, “Remind me to run the water the next time I go to the bathroom.”

His fingers pressed into her. “If it was just ‘girl talk’, what has you primed for sex already?”

Sidney huffed. It just wasn’t fair. He wouldn’t allow her even the smallest measure of privacy—not even her own thoughts. “It was that look on your face, when you came into the room.”

“What look?” he asked, while his fingers swirled, encouraging her body to gush more liquid arousal.

Sidney lowered her head and shut her eyes, fighting to hold her train of thought. He wanted to talk. She didn’t want him to know how quickly she was losing her mind. “All angry…with your fists clenched…and your jaw tight as a pit bull’s.”

“Why weren’t you afraid?” He pushed deeper and squeezed her ass.

“I was,” she moaned. “But I love that…intensity. I imagined all your anger letting loose on me…on my body…when you’re inside me.”

“You shouldn’t tempt me.”

His cock brushed her bottom, and Sidney trembled.
Soon, he’d slide inside…
“Why, Navarro? Why shouldn’t I tempt your beast?”

“
Damn you
. Leave it alone.” His fingers withdrew. Then his body came closer, his thighs sliding against the back of hers, his cock gliding along her moist folds.

Sidney tilted her hips back, tempting him to press inside. “How am I supposed to understand if you won’t explain why I can’t have all of you?”

Navarro pressed his lips to her shoulder and shuddered. “Once, a long time ago. I hurt someone I loved.” His cock nudged her portal gently and pushed inside. As he drove forward, crowding into her, he leaned over her back and whispered into her ear. “I killed her.”

He’d said it so softly, that at first she wasn’t sure she’d heard right.

Then her eyes filled with unshed tears. No wonder he held himself aloof, afraid to connect with a woman. She cried for him, even as he thrust into her, stroking her passion higher. She’d heard the pain in his voice—and the guilt. “How long…after you were made a vampire…did that happen?” Tears fell, but let her body soar.

“One day,” he said, his voice hoarse. “She was my wife.” He thrust into her harder this time, deeper.

So matter-of-fact, those four words. But she could imagine how long he’d striven for dispassion to say it just like that. She knew he was considered ancient, even for a vampire. How many centuries had he suffered with the knowledge?

Tears dropped to the sheet beneath her, shaken free with each hard stroke. But as sorrowful as her heart felt for the strong, lonely man behind her, her body craved the joining, welcomed his sweet violence. “Fuck me, Navarro. Make it hard…I can take it!”

“
Damn you!
” he said again, only this time, there was an edge of emotion she hadn’t heard before.

It was enough to tell Sidney now was the time to push. If she wanted him—and she knew now that she did—she had to punch through his reserve. “Stop!” She reached back and pressed on his thighs. “Stop!”

He halted his thrusts, his breaths harsh behind her.

Sidney pulled away and rolled to her back, lifting one leg, then the other, from between his. Then she opened her arms. “Please.”

Navarro’s expression was stony, but his eyes glittered like hot, dark coals. His hands clenched his knees.

She knew he debated leaving her now. Reaching deep inside herself, Sidney let her mask of bravura slip, exposing her heart to his gaze. She, who had never expected to love or be loved, offered this man,
this vampire
, everything she was.

How do I tell him I love him? How can I make him believe he can love me?
“I’m not fragile, Navarro,” she whispered, letting her arms fall to her sides, feeling cold, hoping she hadn’t misread his longing.

His stare, so penetrating, so frightening in its intensity, bore into her. He shook his head, and then his jaw tensed. “I won’t make promises, Sidney.”

She crushed down a stab of disappointment, and said, “I’m not asking for forever.”

“But you will.”

“I promise you I won’t.” And she meant it. If tonight was all she had, she wanted to know that for at least these few hours his heart belonged to her.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, his expression softened, and he leaned over her, his thumbs brushing forgotten tears from her cheeks. “Then just for tonight.”

She lifted her hands and bracketed his face. “I’d kiss you, but I have pizza breath,” she said, gifting him with a watery smile.

The corners of his mouth quirked upward. “I’ve survived worse.” He came down then, stretching over her like a warm blanket.

“I always thought vampires were cold creatures,” she murmured, rubbing her cheek into his palm.

“The blood drinking keeps us warm, but we don’t retain heat very well.”

Sidney knew their conversation wasn’t really the important thing happening here. She smiled. “Seems like you’d want a warmer climate.”

“A warm partner does just as well.”

“Then you’re in luck.” She wrapped her arms around his back and undulated her hips. “I’m on fire, Navarro. For you,” she said, hoping he’d see the love in her eyes.

He kissed her then, his lips caressing hers, his tongue lapping at her closed mouth. “Mmmm. Anchovies. My favorite.”

She felt a smile firm his lips against hers, and she opened her eyes and grinned. “I’m awfully glad you didn’t assume that was me.”

“I have a discerning palate.” His expression grew solemn, and his hand threaded through her hair. “Have I mentioned how lovely you are?”

She blinked away more tears at the tenderness in his voice. “Never.”

“Then I’ve been remiss.”

“Yes, you have.” She smiled. “But you still haven’t said it.”

“You’re lovely.” He kissed her lips again. “Forgive me?”

“Make love to me,” she whispered.

He nodded and reached for her legs, urging her to wrap herself around him. Then he surged inside, filling her as no other had before or ever would again.

As he stroked inside her, building their passion higher, Sidney pressed kisses to his shoulders and neck and clung tightly to his body. She had a lifetime of loving to squeeze into the remains of this night.

‡

A
t the urgent
knock on the bedroom door, Navarro pressed a kiss to Sidney’s forehead and slipped from the bed. He padded on bare feet to the door and flung it open.

Inigo and Moses crowded through the doorway.

“Master, they’re here!” Inigo said, his face lined with worry.

Navarro shared a charged glance with Moses who was armed with a crossbow. He tossed a robe at Sidney. “Get dressed!”

“What’s happening?” Sidney asked, rising from the bed to shrug into the robe.

“We have visitors.” Navarro stepped into his trousers and strode barefoot to the door. “Moses,” he barked over his shoulder, “Get her to the basement.”

“Moses?” He heard the question in Sidney’s quavering voice and regretted he hadn’t told her. Now, he didn’t have time. He crossed to the doorway and left without looking back.