Amaury's Hellion (20 page)

“You’ve been looking at every man who’s come here in the last half hour. Looks to me like you’re expecting someone. Can’t be worth it though if he keeps a pretty girl like you waiting for so long. What if someone else staked his claim instead?”

Now the man had just crossed the threshold from annoying to creepy. She cast him an icy look. “Nobody is gonna stake a claim on me, not that it’s any of your business.”

Nina turned away from him.

“I’d say somebody already has.” A second later she felt his hand on her arm. Nina jerked her head back to him and yanked her arm out from his grip. She caught how he inhaled sharply, as if he was sniffing her.

“You’d better move along before I kick your ass!”

Instead of being offended by her outburst, he answered with a broad grin. That’s when she looked at him for the first time and really noticed him.

Oh God, no!

He was one of them. She’d been sitting next to a vampire without noticing because she’d been too preoccupied with finding the guy Benny had described.

“Ah, so you’re finally catching on. I was starting to get bored with this little game.”

This night was a bust. She had to get out while she could. Good thing was there were too many people around for him to really harm her. She could use the cover of the innocent humans around her to get away. If he was smart, he wouldn’t want to risk exposure in such a public place.

“I don’t know what you mean.” It was best to stick with denial for as long as she could. Maybe he would give up.

“I disagree – for my liking you know far too much. So why don’t you and I have a little chat?” He put his hand on her arm again, this time gripping harder. She tried to shake him off, but he pulled her toward him, sniffing again.

A second later she felt herself being ripped away from him by strong hands. She was pressed against a hard chest, one she recognized instantly. While she couldn’t see Amaury behind her, Nina saw the reaction on the face of the vampire in front of her. He was pissed to say the least.

“Luther.” Amaury’s rumble of a voice soothed her nerves more than she’d expected. She let her back relax into him.

“Amaury. Long time no see.”

The two of them knew each other? Figured, both being vampires and all. It was probably a small world. She should have guessed.

“Didn’t know you were back in town.” Amaury’s statement sounded like an accusation.

“What, no welcoming committee for an old friend? At least your little girlfriend here was friendly. And I’m sure she would have gotten even friendlier.” He gave her a suggestive look.

In his dreams!

Instantly Amaury’s arms tightened around her, and his growl rang in her ears. “You touch her again, you won’t be walking away alive.”

She’d never heard such menace in Amaury’s voice.

“Still screwing humans I see. I could smell you on her.”

“Nina, we’re leaving.” He shifted her, pulling her off the barstool and pushed her behind him where she couldn’t see what was going on. The noise in the club prevented her from hearing whether any more niceties were being exchanged.

Seeing Amaury’s enraged face when he turned to her got rid of that uncertainty. Maybe it was better she hadn’t heard what else was said. She didn’t need to add any more choice words to her vocabulary.

Amaury was less than gentle when he pulled her through the sea of people toward the back of the club. If she’d read his face correctly, she was probably in for the spanking he’d promised her. Now that he’d left Luther behind, it seemed he’d transferred his anger onto her. His fingers dug into her wrist as he dragged her behind him, apparently on a mission.

“Where are we going?”

The corridor he hurried her along was dark and led to a flight of stairs. Without answering her question, he motioned her along until they reached a door on the upper level. He pushed it open. She saw the writing on the door, EMPLOYEES ONLY, before he yanked her inside and slammed the door shut behind them.

The room seemed to serve as a locker room for staff. There was an old couch, several chairs and a table. Shelving on the walls held supplies and various items of clothing.

A lock clicked shut.

“What the fuck were you doing out there?” Amaury’s voice could have put any thunder to shame.

“None of your business.” She wasn’t going to cave in. He had no right to tell her what to do, just because she’d let him touch her intimately. Nina lifted her chin and looked at him. His eyes were glaring red. Oh, yeah, he was definitely mad at her.

His nostrils flared, his chest heaved with every breath he took. If she hadn’t seen what gentleness was hidden beneath his rough exterior, she would have truly seen him as a monster. His imposing frame loomed over her, as if he was trying to intimidate her.

“I told you to stay at my place and wait for me.”

“You can’t order me around. I can do as I please.”

“Not if it means you’re putting yourself in danger.”

“I was in no danger.”

He blew out a puff of air, then took a step closer and backed her against the wall. “Oh, no? Then let me tell you something about Luther. They don’t come any more dangerous than him. From now on you will not go out there on your own. Your days of investigating your brother’s death are over.”

“You have no right—”

He pressed his body against hers, pinning her hands against the wall. “You’re listening to me now. I’ll be doing the investigating from now on. I’ll help you, but you’ll no longer put yourself in the path of every damn vampire in this city. Is that clear?”

“Make me.” If he thought he could just intimidate her with a few harsh words, he’d have to do better than that. She wasn’t afraid of him.

“Watch me.”

Amaury ground his cock against her. Damn it—did all vampires constantly have hard-ons, or was this one an anomaly?

“What? That’s your solution to everything, isn’t it? Make the little woman submit.”

He was enormous. Getting angry had obviously aroused him. She wasn’t far behind. The sheer power he had over her made her insides melt. That, and the intoxicating male scent that was purely Amaury, and if bottled would sell for a fortune.

“That’s right.” He inhaled sharply. “And it’s apparently working.”

Did he have to notice that her body was so acutely attuned to him? That all he needed to do was press his taut muscles against her to elicit a purely wanton reaction from her?

He released one of her wrists and dropped his hand to her breast where her nipple had already pebbled at the mere suggestion he was going to touch her.

“I won’t stop what I’m doing. Not for you or anybody else.” Just because her body was crumbling didn’t mean her mind was weak too.

Amaury greeted her defiance with a rakish smile. “I wasn’t expecting anything less from you. But I’m not letting you do it alone anymore. You,
chérie
, won’t leave my side until this is over.”

“What are you trying to do? Imprison me?” Nina lifted her chin in defiance.

“Sounds like an interesting idea. I could chain you to my bed. As we already know, you’re no stranger to bondage.”

His lewd suggestion sent a twinge of anticipation through her stomach. She felt a trickle of moisture ooze from her core and pool in her panties. He
had
looked yummy when he’d been all tied up. She licked her dry lips.

“You have to do more than chain me to your bed if you want me to give in.” At least he’d first have to get her to scream with pleasure, before she’d even consider such a thing as surrender.

“Like what?”

I could think of a few positions off hand.

Instead she said, “Make me a promise.”

The spot between his eyebrows twisted into a deep crease.

“I’m not the promise kind of guy, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

Had he truly misunderstood her, or was he yanking her chain?

“Oh, please, don’t even insinuate that I’m interested in you for anything more than a quick fuck,” she said.

Or two, or three.

“I want a promise that you will do anything to clear my brother’s name.”

She looked into his eyes. They were deep blue again, beautiful and sinful.

“Fine. You have my promise. I’ll help you. Under one condition.”

“What condition?” She held her breath. There was something about the smoldering way he looked at her that made her heart skip a beat or two.

“We’ll seal the deal now.”

Eighteen

Amaury looked into Nina’s apprehensive face. She knew what was coming—she was all woman. He wouldn’t disappoint her.

“Every promise needs a token. Here’s mine.” He led her hand to his impatient cock, pressing her open palm against his hard flesh. Even through the fabric of his pants he felt her warmth and softness. Her touch sent his heart racing again.

The woman was driving him insane, and if vampires could have heart attacks, she would surely cause him one. Seeing her in Luther’s hold—no, he had to wipe the image from his mind.

“Is that the only thing you can think of?” Her sweet voice was softer now.

He allowed himself to inhale her feminine scent. Was she using vanilla-scented soap or was this her own unique smell her body produced? Just a whiff catapulted his senses into overdrive.

“Apparently when I’m with you, that’s what’s on my mind.” And that wasn’t even a lie.

“Can’t you wait until we’re back at your place?”

“Evidently not.” His cock strained against her hand as she tortured him by squeezing. Vixen. Minx. Seductress.

When he’d dragged her into this room, he’d planned on having angry sex with her, but now, he didn’t feel that angry anymore. Well, he could always have angry sex with her some other time, since for sure she’d make him mad about something else soon enough. Her compliance never lasted long.

But as long as Nina purred like the sweet kitten which she surely wasn’t, he would take advantage of taking her without fear of her claws injuring him. Not that his pleasure wouldn’t be heightened by a few scratches. Or a few bites.

“Do you prefer the table or the couch?” He should at least give her a choice of where he’d finally ravish her. After all, he was old-school and French.

She cast a look at the table, then the couch, then back at him. There was a wicked glint in her eyes, sending a shockwave through his loins. God, she was actually contemplating the table, wasn’t she?

“What’ll feel better?”

He couldn’t suppress a grin. “
Chérie
, no matter how—or where—I take you, it’ll be the best you’ve ever had.” He would make absolutely sure of that.

“Amaury, you’re so full of shit!”

Now he had to prove something. He wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. “Why don’t we settle this little argument when you have all the facts?” Oh yes: he’d drive those facts home inch by inch, stroke by stroke.

Amaury lifted her off the floor and carried her to the couch, swiping a clean table cloth off one of the shelves. Before he dropped her onto the couch, he spread the white cloth over it. He caught her surprised look. Had she thought he was going to fuck her on the filthy couch, subjecting her to God-knows what germs?

“Nina, you have a lot to learn about me.”

“Then let’s start with the lesson right now.” She pulled him down to her, her arms locking behind his neck. Now she spoke his language.

“What would you like to learn?” He brushed his lips against her cheek then nibbled his way along her jaw. Nina was softer than a vampire woman, her fragrance tantalizing, drawing him in. The aroma of her blood drifted into his awareness and drugged him. He remembered the taste of it from when he’d licked her wounds. How he wanted to experience the same moment again, over and over until he would feel drunk on her blood.

“Everything,” she said.

Amaury looked into her eyes, and her rich brown irises sparkled like fire. Nobody had ever looked at him like that, captivating him so easily, stealing his sanity. As he noticed her gaze drop to his mouth, he couldn’t help but lick his lips. He was salivating for a taste of her.

Deliberately slowly he moved his head closer to hers, until his lips all but touched hers. Her breath mingled with his, and he inhaled her scent. Nudging his lips at hers he made contact and felt her sigh. How so light a touch could create such heat in his body. No woman had ever had this effect on him, as if he was burning up just touching her skin.

What would happen when he finally took her, buried himself in her? Would the heat destroy him? Would his blood boil?

Her lips parted underneath his, asking, no, begging for his invasion. There was no need to conquer what was freely given. It didn’t make the victory any less sweet; on the contrary, when he allowed his tongue to dive into her mouth and tangle with hers, he felt the value of it increase tenfold. A kiss so openly given was a gift to cherish. A gift he rarely ever got.

Amaury ran his tongue along her teeth, traced the inside of her cheeks and dueled with her. With long and deep strokes he teased those endearing sounds of pleasure out of her. How he welcomed them, knowing that each was a direct response to his touch, an encouragement to continue, a confirmation of what she wanted.

He gave her no reprieve, but angled his head for a deeper penetration, unable to get enough of her taste. Rarely had he found kissing alone this satisfying. But the little minx had a way of kissing him back that knocked him out of his boots. Kissing had always been only a precursor to sex, but with her it could easily turn into the main event.

Nina pressed her body against his, her hands clamped together behind his neck, forcing him closer. Was she afraid he’d stop, when he would find it impossible to let go of her silken tongue and her smooth lips? Silly little kitten. Like Cyrano would let go of Roxanne. When lips fit so perfectly together, tongues danced in perfect harmony, and breaths mixed to become the most intoxicating French perfume, complementing each other, there was no letting go of that.

Amaury let himself drop flat back onto the couch and took her with him, bringing her on top. His hands went to her back, then slipped lower, resting on the swells of her enticing derrière. Squeezing her firm ass in his hands, he elicited a loud moan from her. How he liked a woman who responded so freely.