Amaury's Hellion (28 page)

“I want to apologize.” Now there was a phrase he hadn’t used much before. It felt strange coming from his lips, but it was the first thing that came to him.

Nina didn’t answer. Instead, she looked at him with her big brown eyes, the hurt sitting deep within. It hit him in the gut, as if she’d punched him.

“I only wanted to protect you,” Amaury tried again. “I was scared I would hurt you.”

“You didn’t want me.”

How could four little words cause such pain? Didn’t want her? That’s what she thought?

“What did I do?”

“Nothing, you did nothing.”

He didn’t understand. Damn, why couldn’t he sense her? Why couldn’t he figure out what was wrong? “Please, Nina, talk to me, tell me what I did wrong.”

She sniffed. “After I told you what I did, you didn’t ...” Her voice broke off.

“I didn’t what?” he probed.

“It doesn’t matter anymore. Please go.”

“The hell I will. I won’t leave. Nina, I’m not moving one inch until you’ve told me what’s going on.”

His statement seemed to get her dander up—good. He preferred it when she was fighting him rather than running away from him.

“What do you want, Amaury? Haven’t you slummed it long enough?”

“Slummed it?” He grabbed her upper arm and pulled her close. “If you’re referring to yourself when you talk about slum, I suggest you stop it right now.”

“Give it up. You don’t have to pretend you care. If you’d cared at all, you wouldn’t have left me alone when I needed you. There, now you know. Now, go.”

Amaury sighed with relief. That little misunderstanding had gotten her all riled up? If only everything was as easy to fix as this one.

“You silly little kitten. Don’t you know that I wouldn’t have wanted anything more than to hold you in my arms?”

“Then why didn’t you?” she barked, clearly not believing him yet.

Despite her resistance he pulled her into his arms. “Because my hands had turned into claws and my fangs itched for a bite. I was angry,
chérie
, and I wanted to hurt the man who did this to you. But I didn’t want to hurt you. I couldn’t hold you—please believe me. I wasn’t in control of myself.”

“I thought you didn’t want me anymore because you know my past. You know I’m trash.”

Amaury pulled back and looked at her face. “You, Nina, are the only good and innocent person in this room. You’re not trash.”

He kissed her softly on the cheek. “I will kill anybody who hurts you.”

“I don’t want you to kill for me. They’re not worth it.”

He shook his head. “You are the most confusing woman I’ve ever met. I need to know something.” Amaury paused, knowing her answer was more important than anything. “Did you mean it when you offered me your blood tonight? Did you want me to bite you?”

He felt his heart lurch into his throat as he waited for her to respond.

“You didn’t want it.” It wasn’t a straight answer, but he could work with that.

“How would you know?”

“Because you said so.”

“I said I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t hurt me.”

“You have that much faith in me?”

She nodded. “You’ve protected me. Why would you hurt me now?”

“A woman’s logic. How can I argue with that?” Amaury paused. “Nina, why do you want me to take your blood?”

She pressed her lips together.

“Why? Please tell me.”

“Promise me first that you’ll take my blood.”

“Believe me, I’m so far gone, I won’t be able to resist. I just want to know why.”

“I don’t want you to touch anybody else.”

She was jealous? His heart skipped a beat. She was jealous! And possessive!

“You … I … oh, God.” He had no words to express what he felt. Instead, he tightened his arms around her and brushed his lips against hers. They molded to him instantly.

“You’re mine.”

Mine.

So utterly right it felt to realize she was his, that no matter what, he wouldn’t let go of her. Amaury took her lips in a fierce kiss, branding her, searing the memory of it into his brain. His lips felt raw when he released her, and Nina breathed as heavily as he did.

“You’d better tell me that you want me too.” He searched her eyes for an answer.

“I do, but—” she started.

His heart leapt. She wanted him. “No buts. If you want me, you’ll have me. All of me. And I take all of you. No reservations.”

He felt her arms wrap around his torso as if she would never let go of him again.

“I’m—” He started to say “blessed,” but he wouldn’t let such profanity pass his lips. “Please tell me you want to be mine.” He needed to hear it, needed to know he wasn’t dreaming, he wasn’t misinterpreting her.

Nina pulled away an inch and looked at him. “Amaury, I want you, but I’m scared you’ll toss me aside when you’ve had enough of me.”

“Silly woman. I might be an idiot, but I’m not stupid enough to let go of the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“Are you hungry now?” There was a wicked glint in her eyes.

He was ravenous. “Yes, hungry for your body and your blood.”

“Does it hurt?”

Amaury smiled. “No. It will be like an orgasm rippling through your body.” He shuddered at the thought of it. Soon, his fangs would dig into her vein and he would drink from her, while he impaled her on his shaft. There would be nothing better than to drink from the woman he desired while he made love to her.

Amaury took in a deep breath and inhaled her scent. She would be his woman. He’d never been so sure of anything else. Nina gave his mind peace and his body pleasure. As for his heart? If he didn’t know any better, he’d say she was defrosting his heart too.

***

Nina felt self-conscious with the way he was devouring her with his eyes. No man had ever looked at her that way. Amaury looked imposing as he stood in her small studio, yet this powerful vampire had just confessed that he wanted her. Her, a nobody.

His hard body pressed against hers, and she could sense every muscle, one in particular. He desired her, and the evidence of it nudged against her stomach, hard and huge, begging for attention.

She knew she’d gone completely crazy, yearning to be with a vampire. Not just any, mind you, but Amaury. As if she had the same fascination with vampires as what she’d recognized in Eddie’s incoherent scribbles. And what had it gotten him? An early grave. Would her fate be the same if she played with fire—that fire being Amaury?

What if he was right and he couldn’t control himself when he bit her? Would he bleed her dry? Yes, she was scared, but she was even more frightened of
not
being with him. Under his touch she’d been alive, and she’d finally felt a connection to somebody. A connection she wasn’t willing to give up no matter what it meant in the long run.

Nina wasn’t thinking of a future. It was dangerous to dream of a future. It created expectations, and she didn’t want that. She didn’t want to expect something and then be disappointed. It only led to more pain.

If Amaury wanted her now, she would take that and hold on as long as she could, but brace herself for when he would realize that this wasn’t meant to last.

She recognized the lust in his eyes and the hunger for her blood, but she didn’t delude herself. He was a vampire, he was gorgeous, and he would remain young forever. She had nothing to offer him, but her body and her blood. Maybe for a few weeks or even a few months, he would be hers. And then he’d move on to another conquest.

But she wouldn’t think of it, not tonight. Tonight she’d make a few memories she could keep for herself for when she was alone again.

“Are you gonna kiss me?” Nina asked him.

“Only if you tell me what’s going on behind that furrowed forehead of yours. Are you having second thoughts? We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I’ll be with you even if you don’t want to give me your blood.”

Nina shook her head. “No. I don’t want you to do this with anybody else.” Her objection came out harsher than she’d anticipated.

A huge grin spread over his entire face. “There’s no need to be jealous.”

“Jealous? Who’s jealous?” She didn’t want to be seen as some needy, nagging girlfriend. Men ran from that first chance they got.

“You,
chérie
. You’re jealous.” Amaury kissed along the edge of her jaw. “It’s lovely.” His lips trailed down her neck, planting feather-light kisses along the way.

She tilted her head to give him better access and held her breath. She would feel his fangs any moment now. Heart racing, her pulse beat a violent
tat-TAT-tat-TAT-tat-TAT
under her ribcage, and blood pounded in her ears.

Suddenly, he chuckled and lifted his head to meet her gaze. “You didn’t think I was going to bite you just now?”

Nina tried to pull herself out of his arms. He was toying with her. “You— ”

“Shh, Nina.” He put his finger on her lips. “When I take your blood, I want to be making love to you. I want to feel your naked body joined with mine. I want you to remember this moment for the rest of your life and think back on it as the most amazing pleasure two people can ever experience together. This will be special for both of us. There’s no way I’d rush this. Trust me, I want this more than you can even imagine.”

Her heart leapt at his admission. She eased back into his embrace and moved her lips over his. “You can’t possibly want this more than I do.”

His soft laugh tickled her mouth. “If you want this only half as much as I do, I’ll die a happy man.”

“But aren’t you immortal?”

“Pretty much. I guess I’ll just have to be the happiest man alive then.”

“You mean this will make you happy?”

“Not this, but
you
,
chérie
. Only you.”

Amaury’s kiss was soft and tender, almost reverent, as if he worshipped her. His mouth fitted to hers, nibbling gently on her lips, teasing and tasting. Nina inhaled his scent, a mixture of earth and leather, and she catalogued it. She would recognize him anywhere just by his lips and his scent.

Her senses were attuned to him, taking in every detail: how his skin felt, how he sounded, even the heartbeat she felt under her hand which she’d rested on his chest. The heartbeat of a vampire. A heart which beat rapidly and unevenly against her hand as if he wanted to tell her of his feelings in Morse Code. Just as lower, his need pulsed against her in a different rhythm. His long, hard cock ground against her with every breath he took, assuredly and evenly.

She felt secure in his arms as he held her, one hand cradling the back of her neck, the other snaked around her waist. Only now she noticed that her feet didn’t touch the ground. He’d lifted her up and kept her suspended in midair as if she weighed nothing.

“Am I dreaming?” she mumbled against his lips.

“If you are, then we’re having the same dream. And I’d rather not ever wake up from it.” His lips claimed hers, and this time he kissed her with more urgency, nudging her lips apart with his probing tongue, until she surrendered to his demand.

Nina felt him move, and moments later he lowered them onto the bed. As Amaury rolled to the side, his hand went underneath her t-shirt. The moment his fingers touched the naked skin on her back, she felt as if she would spontaneously combust. She couldn’t stop a moan from escaping her lips, all the while turning into a puddle of unbridled desire.

His skillful tongue tunneled deeper and coaxed her body to feel more pleasure, while his thumb stroked upwards along her spine. Her trembling hands worked on the buttons of his shirt, but his mouth was too distracting for her to concentrate on anything else. She was unable to make her hands work in a coordinated fashion.

Nina released a frustrated sigh.

He instantly pulled away to look at her. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t get those damn buttons open.”

Amaury’s chuckle sounded like music in her ears. It felt like a drizzle of warmth descended on her, calming her. “Why don’t you just rip them open? I know you’re good at that.”

She didn’t need another invitation. His damaged shirt landed on the floor a few seconds later. Before she could cuddle back into his chest though, he pulled her t-shirt over her head.

“Much better,” he commented, his eyes landing on her naked breasts. Under his hot gaze she felt her nipples turn hard. Nina noticed his wicked smile as he looked back at her face.

“Oh, yeah, much, much better. I hope you have no other plans for tonight,
chérie
, because I have no intention of ever letting you escape from my arms again.”

“Promises, promises.” She ran her fingernail over his chest, drawing a leisurely circle around his nipple. While his muscles were hard, his skin was surprisingly soft.

“You can take that promise to the bank; it’s as good as gold.”

“If I had a nickel for every promise—” She didn’t get any further, but instead found herself pinned down by his body, his warm mouth kissing her lips.

“Be still,
chérie
, and let me love you.” She’d never before heard him speak with such tenderness.

***

Amaury felt Nina’s warm body underneath him, her delectable breasts crushed into his chest. The heat from her body seeped into him and ignited his cells. The draw she had on him was irresistible. Her scent created a cocoon around him, as if to shield him from everything else. She was the only woman he wanted to be with.

His hunger for her was palpable now. With difficulty he pushed it back, not wanting to cheapen this experience with haste. This would be a memory they would both cherish, an event they would look back at with joy.

Had any other woman ever given him such joy, sent such pleasure through his body? Her soft moans and sighs alone stoked the fire burning in him.

Amaury settled between her trusting thighs and let the hard ridge of his cock stroke against her center. Even through the clothes he could feel her wetness and her heat, as she responded to him by undulating her hips. Oh, yes, the little firecracker wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Even without sensing her emotions, he knew this little fact with certainty. And she would have him.