Blood & Roses: Warriors of the Krieger (16 page)

My number one rule was to never give it up on
the first date, but Dragus was making it very hard for me to resist
him. Although his hands were enormous, his touch was as soft as a
butterfly’s wing. His velvet hands would move across the satin on
my back, to my shoulders and then he would cup the side of my face
when he kissed me.

I kept every square inch of my body pressed
close to his, not wanting to let go. With a heavy sigh, he finally
released me and being the gentleman that he was, he never tried to
pressure me into sex. Most likely because he could read my thoughts
and caught on to the first date rule.

He chuckled lightly and smiled, “Maybe some
other time.”

“Thank you,” I whispered. “This was
wonderful.” I almost cried I was so happy.

After a quick cleanup and an extra fast drive
home, I made it to the house with less than an hour to spare before
sunrise. My body was shutting down but my mind was racing. All I
could do was lay there and smile. Dragus was a complete romantic
and I
loved
it! Other men I have dated over the years had
tried to be romantic, but that was nothing compared to what I’d
experienced tonight. Like I told Dragus, he was going to totally
spoil me. With that thought, I felt the pull of death and fell
asleep thinking of romance.

Charity?
Adam’s voice in my head was
the first thing I heard Monday night when I came back to life.
The Lycans have been attacking innocents, you have to help! I’m
changing and I can’t hold on much longer. I know why they’re
attacking; they want all the blood for themselves. The full bloods
are angry at the vampires and want us all like them. They know how
painful the poison is to us and want us to suffer as they
do.

I sat straight up in the bed and
automatically closed my eyes, reaching out for Adam. The pain had
subsided, for that I was thankful, but the fuzziness of his
thoughts had grown stronger, like listening to a radio station just
on the edge of the service area.

I spoke aloud and channeled all of my
thoughts out toward him, “What do I need to do? The
Krieger
have hired doctors to start looking for a cure. We’re doing what we
can, but I don’t know how long it will take.”

The other hybrids have said there is some
sort of potion that may help. It’s a rumor but I’m hoping it is
true. Find a witch, a powerful one. See if they can help.

The connection was lost as quickly as it
came. Adam believes there’s a potion that may help, but where am I
going to find out what it is. I know a witch who lives over in
Maple Hills, a small community about twenty miles outside of town.
She is one of the most powerful witches I know. If I contact her,
will she know what to do?

My cell rang and to no surprise it was
Dragus. I knew immediately why he was calling and scooped up the
phone.

“Dragus,” I sighed. “I know why you’re
calling. I’m fine.”

The thundering growl from the other end was
backed up by the sound of the Hummer’s engine racing full force to
get to my house. “Don’t go outside. I’m on my way.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Did you hear
everything or do I need to repeat it?” I asked, reluctantly. I hate
repeating myself.

“I heard most of it, but I still don’t want
you to go outside unless I’m there.”

“I’m going to shower, and then Lydia is
meeting me at the R.C. I’m not going outside until then.” I
promised. I’m pretty sure Dragus will be here before I leave, since
it sounded like the cruiser he was driving was moving at warp
speed.

After I stepped out of the shower, I sensed
him in my house. I grabbed my new pastel pink silk robe and tied it
around my waist. After I unbolted the door, I made my way up the
stairs and into the living room.

Dragus was standing by the big bay window
looking out into the front yard. He immediately turned toward me
then smiled. The feeling of his thoughts was more of a deep
yearning to be at my side. I opened my arms inviting him over. He
crossed the room and had me up in his embrace before I could
gasp.

After a few kisses, he sighed and reluctantly
placed me back on my feet. I reached out for his hand and pressed
my lips to the back of his wrist. “I’ve got to get dressed and go
over to the clinic and then I will be right back.”

“Let me feed you tonight,
mi amado
,”
he said, brushing his thumb over my bottom lip. An electric pulse
radiated through my spine at his touch.

“Have you fed?” I was worried about him. He
needed to feed to keep up his strength.

“I haven’t fed tonight, but my strength is
fine,” he assured me. “Come here.” Dragus sat down on the couch and
pulled me down into his lap. I shifted where I was straddling his
waist. Granted I was completely naked under this robe, but I didn’t
care and neither did Dragus. I kissed him a little more then placed
my left hand on his dragon tattoo and leaned in for the bite.

Dragus responded to my attack with a deep
groan, and his hands slid inside the folds of my cover. His
colossal hands gripped the tops of my thighs and I felt his length
harden beneath me. One hand slid up toward the inside of my sex and
the anticipation had me moaning for more. His thumb circled the nub
at my core while his other hand greedily found my breast. My hands
were busy tracing the tight muscles across his broad chest, down
his rippled stomach and I hooked my finger into the waistband of
his tight denim jeans and gave them a little tug.

I wiped my tongue across the wounds and was
immediately flipped over onto my back. Dragus hovered over me
waiting for my invitation to continue. I took a glance and noticed
that his length was bulging, threatening to bust through the
buttons on his pants. (I adore a man in a pair of Levi’s button fly
jeans.) At no time did his hand leave the spot between my thighs
and for that I was grateful. I moaned and arched my back as a
slight electric pulse riveted my body. He pulled back just barely
to keep me from coming too soon.

“Is this considered the second date?” he
begged. The uncontrollable desire in his words made my body ache
more for his touch. The longing in his voice tugged at my heart. I
nodded quite quickly and was scooped up into his massive chest,
moving at vamp speed to my bed. Within seconds, my robe was
unintentionally shredded and tossed to the floor. “I’ll buy you a
new one,” he growled.

I carefully removed his shirt and tossed it
somewhere at the foot of the bed. He was considered on duty
tonight. We didn’t need to be shredding his clothes.

I memorized his wonderfully sculptured chest
with my eyes this time. He was perfect in every single way. The way
the muscles hugged his wide shoulders made my body burn for his
touch. I wanted him like a drowning man wants a life raft.

While he attentively nuzzled one breast, he
rolled the tip of the other one with his fingers. Paying close
attention to each one, not allowing the other to be left wanting.
Occasionally, he would release his hold and blow cold air across my
nipples causing them to harden more. His kisses trailed down across
my stomach and stopped just at the crease in my leg. Strong hands
grasped the back of my thighs and they were lifted up for access to
the hot spot at my core.

My fist grabbed a handful of his hair as he
dipped his tongue lightly over the swollen nub at my center.
Another round of electricity shocked my body straight to the core.
I bucked off the mattress and Dragus had to place his forearm
across my stomach to keep me from wriggling off the bed. He kept
lapping at the heated spot as I exploded. “Oh, Dragus!” I screamed.
He was just
that
good.

Before the first round of ecstasy seized, he
had entered me. I gasped from the welcomed presence as Dragus
filled every inch and then some. I’d found another reason why
Krieger
were larger than most. He was huge in all the right
places too.

My nails dug into the skin on the back of his
arms as I adjusted to him inside me. He moved slowly, at first. I
pulled his face down to mine and kissed him passionately. Our
bodies moved in unison, like they were made to be as one. I never
had to think about what I wanted and neither did he. We knew
exactly what the other wanted.

When I nipped the spot on his neck that I had
fed from, Dragus growled so loud it vibrated the walls. This only
excited me more. His hands came up and gripped the top of my
shoulders as his head dipped down into my neck. His thrust became
harder, more violent and my response was to make sounds that I
couldn’t describe. Just as another round assaulted my core, Dragus
bit into my vein. The sensations were more that I could handle. I
yelped loudly and held on as he thrust harder and harder till we
both collapsed.

He whispered, “
Me estoy enamorando
contigo
.” I have no idea if he meant that for me, so I snuggled
deeper into his embrace.

We stayed in the bed for a little while
longer, touching, kissing. Dragus stared into my eyes drinking in
every inch of my soul. “I have to leave soon,” he whispered. “I
don’t want to, but I must return to work.”

“I know,” I pouted. The last thing I wanted
was to disrupt my little piece of paradise, but I knew he had work
to do. I snuggled closer into the crook in his arm. His sweet,
musky scent enveloped me and I closed my eyes, drinking in every
part of him.

Dragus’ cell phone jolted us out of our post
sex bliss. He sighed and reached for his jeans that had been
discarded at the end of the bed.

I jumped up and stepped into the shower to
give him some privacy. It didn’t take long before I felt cool hands
wrap around my waist when he joined me under the spray of
water.

“There’s been another attack. Bastian found a
male bitten by a Lycan, but he is still alive. The victim has been
rushed to the hospital.” Dragus grabbed the soap, lathered up his
hands and made quick work of washing my back. Then he slid his hand
downward and I groaned. If he kept this up there is no way he’d
make it into work tonight.

“I’m going to call my friend Kai, she’s a
witch. I want to see if she has heard anything about a potion to
cure them.”

“This isn’t your job, Charity,” he
demanded.

I reached up and stopped his panic by placing
two fingers across his lips. “I feel obligated to help. Adam thinks
there is a cure, so I’m going to do what I can. You can’t budge me
on this
Krieger
,” I said through clenched teeth.

“Charity,” he growled. “I don’t want you
involved. This is a
Krieger
issue, not yours. I demand that
you listen to me and stop trying to help him.” He growled. Like
full out animalistic growl!

I turned around, gawking and shoved his chest
hard, “You will
not
take my independence away from me
Dragus. Who the hell do you think you are? You do
not
tell
me what I should or shouldn’t do. No man
demands
me to do
shit!” My total bliss faded and I was mad. With a huff, I stepped
out of the shower and walked to the closet. While, I slung clothes
across my bed and slammed a few drawers, for good measure, Dragus
toweled off and redressed.

It didn’t matter to me what he said, I was
still calling Kai. Instead of waiting for him to leave, I moved to
the nightstand and scooped up my phone.

I pressed speed dial and waited for her to
answer. Damn it! I got her voice mail.

“Kai, this is Charity. I’m going to come see
you in about half an hour. I need to talk to you about a potion.
It’s important.” I looked up and noticed Dragus was gone.

I slumped down on the edge of my bed
clinching my fist. Guilt speared me and tears sprang from eyes, as
I sat there kicking myself for being mean to him. And then I kicked
myself more for crying. Now I had to clean my face, again.

But this was so
not
my fault. I was
torn over patching things up with Dragus or just staying totally
pissed off at him for a day…or three. But I felt the need to
apologize. The last thing I wanted was for him to leave here
angry.

I concentrated my thoughts toward Dragus and
sent out a silent apology.
I’m so sorry.
Then the tears
flowed and I squeezed my eyes tight holding them inside, but one
managed to escape down my cheek.
Damn!!!

A brush of lips touched my forehead and a
cool thumb gently wiped away the stray tear. I gasped and looked
up; no one was there, but Dragus’ musky scent envelope me. How did
he do that? The strength of the
Krieger
is an amazing thing,
I guess.

As sorry as I was for fighting with him, I
was still going to see Kai. I turned off all of the lights in my
room and headed upstairs, wondering if Dragus was still somewhere
on my land.

Ashby was standing at attention by the front
door when I flung it open to see if Dragus was still there. I had
to see him and apologize in person. Of course, his Hummer was
already miles away. Ashby looked at me with compassion and started
to speak, “Charity?”

“Not now Ashby!” I snapped. Obviously Dragus
told him what had happened or he left in such a hurry that Ashby
guessed at our quarrel.

Once in my car, I never looked back at the
congregation of security around my house. A little part of me was
annoyed that I wasn’t asked for permission from the
Krieger
to set up operations in my backyard. But since I was the one being
hounded by a changing hybrid, they felt the obligation to stay
close to me.

Taking Highway 302, I made it to Kai’s in
fifteen minutes. She was waiting for me at the door of her
apartment. The complex was small, maybe twelve units and it was
surrounded by residential homes. Her apartment was very simply
decorated, white walls, and bookshelves loaded with material that
ranged from romance to a few cookbooks. Jasmine incense burned in
the kitchen and the smell blended well into the living room.