Dalakis Passion 4 - Eternal Brothers (39 page)

shuddering as her hot
cunt
reluctantly released him. He turned her over and lifted her
into his arms. Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent. He'd taken more blood
than he'd planned and definitely more than she could afford to give.
Her breasts brushed his chest and he swore again. The nipple clamps were still in
place. Gently he removed each one and tossed them on the coffee table. He laved each
tender bud with his tongue in silent apology. She was too new to them to leave them on
for so long.
Her eyelids fluttered open and she smiled at him, but her smile faded as he
continued to watch her. "What's wrong?"
"I took too much blood. I need to replace yours."
She swallowed hard and shivered. He grabbed the throw from the back of the chair
and wrapped it around her. He'd taken her on the floor with all the finesse and care of a
rutting bull. It was a wonder she wasn't screaming at him to leave her alone.
"Was this just a quick, easy fuck for you?"
Zane stared at her as if she'd lost her mind. "How can you even ask such a thing?"
She shrugged and looked away. He cupped her chin in his strong fingers and tilted it
until she was watching him. "There is nothing remotely easy about this, Sophia. You
know what I am and what that means."
She nodded again, this time more firmly. "I do."
"Then you know that our relationship will not be the same as a regular one. I will
come to you after dark for as long as you wish it."
Her brows came together as she studied him. "You mean you'll drop by at night for
a roll in the sack, or the floor or wherever."
"It's all we can have together."
She tried to push out of his arms, but he tightened his grip. Giving up, she laid her
head against his shoulder. "You know that's not true. The
Dalakis
brothers have more
with their wives."
"You know I will not risk you and you know why." After what she knew about his
past, how could she ask that of him?
"I know that I'm willing to risk it." This time when she pushed out of his arms, he
let her go. She staggered to her feet, wrapping the throw around her shoulders.
"All or
nothing.
Don't bother giving me any more of your blood unless you really mean it." She
padded toward the hallway. "And don't bother coming back for any more quick fucks.
That was the last one. I want a real relationship. If you can't give me that, then it's time
for you to go for good."
Zane knelt on the floor, not knowing what to say or do. He wanted what she was
offering. God only knew how much. But could he selfishly risk her life and sanity to
take what he wanted?
"I'll be in the bedroom." With that, she turned and left him there, and although he
willed her to do so, she never looked back.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Sophia staggered down the hallway with tears in her eyes. Her body was still
humming with pleasure from the incredible orgasms she'd just had, but her heart was
slowly breaking with each step she took away from Zane. She knew what she was
asking of him, but she'd had to do it. For her, there was no other choice. After what
she'd gone through at the hands of a deranged killer and the subsequent aftermath,
she'd come to the conclusion that she wanted a life with Zane.
She loved him. It was as simple and as complicated as that.
Entering her bedroom, she climbed onto the bed and closed her eyes, drifting in a
sensual haze. She felt weak but didn't really care. The time seemed to tick by one slow
second at a time, mocking her. A tear slid from beneath her eyelid and slipped down
her cheek. She ignored it. It was just too much trouble to wipe it away.
She'd gambled and obviously lost. She hadn't heard Zane leave, but then again, she
wouldn't. Not if he didn't want her to. It was harder this time than when they'd parted
before. Back then, she could still dream, still imagine that they had a chance at a life
together. But now she had no such illusions.
The sheets felt cold and she shivered, remembering she was naked except for the
throw still wrapped around her. She knew she should move, and she would, just as
soon as she gathered enough strength.
A rustling sound near the end of the bed made her pry one of her eyelids open.
Zane was standing there, magnificently naked, watching her. She blinked and opened
both her eyes to make certain she wasn't hallucinating.
"Be sure, Sophia. There is no going back once this is begun." He seemed grim,
almost angry. Certainly not happy about what was about to happen.
"Are you sure?" The last thing she wanted was to be in a relationship with a
reluctant man. It was bad enough with a regular guy, but an immortal vampire? They'd
have a long time to learn to resent one another if this wasn't what he wanted.
"How can you even ask me that?"
She shrugged and then sighed, knowing that he needed to know something of her
past. It was only fair, considering how much she knew about him. She patted the
mattress next to her. He eyed her so warily, she almost laughed as he gingerly lowered
himself to sit beside her.
"I didn't have a great childhood." Now that was an understatement.
The change of subject didn't faze him at all. "I know." Those two words made her
frown.
"Just how much do you know?"
Zane shrugged. "I did some basic research before I first approached you."
Of course he had. How could she have missed that? The man was a cop, for crying
out loud. He would never have knocked on her door until he knew everything there
was to know about her.
She licked her dry lips, but plowed forward. "Then you know that my mother was
a prostitute and I have no idea who my father is."
He
nodded,
his eyes almost sad. "I saw a copy of your birth certificate."
Sophia swallowed hard, hating the feeling of vulnerability that slipped over her.
The taunts from her childhood rose up, threatening to choke her. She cleared her throat
and forged onward. "It wasn't so bad. My mom, well, she was never good at managing
money or taking care of details like groceries and bills. That was my job once I got old
enough."
Zane reached out and brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. "You don't have to
tell me any more. I can feel your pain."
"No. You need to hear it and I need to say it." She absently leaned her head into his
caress as he continued to stroke her hair. "I ran away when I was fifteen, almost sixteen.
One of my mother's boyfriends tried to rape me." Her fingers clutched at the blanket.
"I've never told that to another living soul."
Zane's hand froze in mid-stroke. "What happened?" Sophia could feel his growing
rage shimmering just below the surface.
"I told my mother. She told me that it was time for me to grow up and earn my
keep. I packed my stuff and left on the next bus out of town."
"How did you survive?" Zane's hands were clenched into fists in his lap and his
green eyes were dark with pain.
"Food banks, shelters, stuff like that." It had been the most horrible and frightening
time of her life, and one she didn't want to dwell on. "The point is that I survived and
grew stronger. I'm okay with being alone. I've been on my own my entire life." Lifting
her hand, she cupped his face and smiled. "But I don't want to be alone any longer. It's
not that I can't live without you. I can. It's that I want to be with you."
Zane scooped her into his arms, hugging her so tight that she could barely breathe.
There was
a desperation
to his embrace that she didn't quite understand. "I wish I
could change your childhood."
"I don't." She snuggled closer to him, resting her ear over his heart. "The events of
my life brought me to this exact moment and I wouldn't change anything if it meant
that I might not meet you."
He leaned her back against his arm and she shivered, missing his body heat. He
tucked the blanket tighter around her. "You humble me."
She wanted to wipe the worry from his brow, but yawned instead. "I'm sorry."
His smile was filled with tenderness. "Don't be sorry. You're so much stronger than
even you know. You might be able to live without me, but I cannot live without you. I
have learned much of my family history this past month and I know with a certainty
that you are the only woman I will ever love."
Sophia struggled to sit up.
"Truly?"
He nodded. "That's why I am afraid of converting you. At least if you remain
human I can watch out for you and love you for as long as you live. When you die, I
would seek death as well."
"No," she cried, her hands clutching at his shoulders. She couldn't bear to think
about his death.
"Yes." His lips thinned and she could see the muscles working along his jaw as he
clenched it. She sensed that his will was implacable, at least when it came to this. "My
other choice is to leave you, watching you from afar and keeping you from harm."
"I don't like that choice any better," she grumbled.
"No, I didn't think you would." She could hear the underlying humor in his voice
and it irritated her.
"There is another choice."
"There is." He hesitated. "You are willing to risk everything to be with me for
eternity. How can I do any less for you?"
Happiness began to fill her. She could see it in his eyes. He was really going to
attempt it. Now that the moment was at hand, her stomach began to flutter and she
began to sweat, but she was determined on her course of action. "Do it."
"Are you aware of what happens?"
Sophia shrugged. "I might have asked Delight and Laurel Rose about their
experience." She glanced at him, trying to gauge his reaction. She didn't want to say
anything to dissuade him at this point, now that she was so close to getting what she
wanted. "I'll admit that I'm not looking forward to heaving up my guts and writhing
around in pain, but I'll get over it."
His hands framed her face as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "You are
truly a gift and I promise that I will always do my best to make you happy."
"I'll remind you of that when you're pissed off at me about something." He
chuckled, as she'd hoped he would, breaking some of the tension. "Okay, how do we
do this?"
He lifted her away from him and knelt up on the bed. "This is your choice, so you
must come to me." She reached out and caressed the side of his face and his neck,
wanting--no, needing--to touch him. His shaft was hard and ready for her. How she'd
missed that, she didn't know, but there was certainly no mistaking his arousal.
Tossing aside the blanket, she came up onto her knees and crawled toward him. He
was so big and strong, but he looked so alone sitting there. They belonged together and
she had to believe that everything would work out all right. Still, she hesitated. "If
something happens and this doesn't go exactly as planned, promise me that you'll kill
me immediately. That is, if I'm not already dead. I don't want to live if I turn into a
crazed killer."
Zane's face contorted in pain and she knew that he was thinking of his parents and
the years that they'd both lived in torment. "I promise."
Rubbing her damp palms over her thighs, she shifted closer to him, lifting her leg to
straddle his lap. His arms came around her immediately, his hands sliding under her
bottom to support her. Leaning forward, she nuzzled the hair on his chest before
finding his flat nipple and flicking it with her tongue. He groaned, his fingers digging
into her butt as he lifted her higher.
The bulbous head of his cock nudged against her moist slit. She squirmed to try to
take him deeper, but he held her easily, not allowing himself to sink farther. Sophia
raised her head and stared at him.
"You are my heart and my soul. I will protect you with my entire being for as long
as you shall live and beyond. I will love you forever, Sophia." There was a ritualistic
quality to his words. They were a vow to her and one that she knew he would keep.
Sophia had never trusted anyone in her life. In her experience, people let you down
when you needed them.
But not Zane.
She knew he'd die before he'd break his word to
her. He would always be there for her. "I love you, Zane. You are my heart and my
soul," she repeated the vow he'd made to her. "I will protect you for as long as you live
and beyond. Now, take me. Make me yours so we can be together forever."
With a cry, he pulled her down, impaling her with his cock. She arched back as he
filled her almost to the point of pain. He seemed even larger than before. As if sensing
her discomfort, he started to pull back. Sophia forestalled him by wrapping her legs
around him.
"Sophia." Her name was a plea, a promise, a prayer that he continued to chant as he
cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. His lips were gentle as they brushed hers.
He always tasted so good, like a fine brandy. When she parted her lips his tongue
surged inward, staking claim to her mouth.
She lost track of time as he kissed her. His cock throbbed within her and her inner
muscles responded until they were pulsing in rhythm together. Her nipples ached, so
she rubbed them over the hard planes of his chest. Her nails dug into his shoulders as
she clung to him, half afraid that he'd change his mind and leave her.
He dragged his lips from hers and trailed a line of kisses along her cheek and down
her jaw. She tilted her head to one side, offering her neck to him. The tension between
them was palpable--a combination of lust, love and fear that was almost
overwhelming.
"Do it." Gripping his hair, she tugged his mouth toward her neck. She could feel his
hesitation and pulled harder. "If you love me, do it."
A low growl came from deep in his chest as his teeth sank into her flesh. Lightning
flashed through her body, flowing from her neck down to her breasts and settling low
in her pussy. Need flowed, demanding to be satisfied. Lust poured through her veins,
desperate to be sated.
She began to move, unable to stop herself, lifting her hips and lowering them again.
Zane gripped her ass once again and took over, guiding her up and down his shaft,
driving himself impossibly deep with each thrust. He continued to suck at her neck,
drinking in her blood.
He made a sound of frustration and shifted, lifting her and bending forward until
she was flat on her back with him looming over her. His hips began to hammer at her,