Here Be Sexist Vampires (30 page)

No, I’m not comfortable with having you out of my sight.

I pressed myself up against him, seizing his gaze. Instantly his irises began to glow.

Don’t even try seduction to get your way, Sam.

Just give me five minutes.

Hell. No.

With my tongue, I drew a circle on the patch of skin that was exposed by the V of his shirt. He shuddered. I scraped my teeth over the patch the way I knew he liked.
Jared, you know this is a good idea.

Sam, will you quit the teasing.

Oh this isn’t teasing, I’ve got every intention of biting you tonight. So let’s get the business crap out of the way and then we can get out of here. Don’t you want that?

He shuddered again.
You’re evil.

Five minutes, Jared.

He sighed, half surrender half frustration.
Three minutes.
He swatted my arse and then pointed a finger at me. Making a show for anyone who might be watching, he sternly said, “Stay here. I’ll be back in a minute.” I nodded.
If anyone hurts you I swear to God I’ll kill the pair of you for it
.

I mentally rolled my eyes. I suspected that it wouldn’t be long before Bennington came over; he wouldn’t want to chance Jared getting back before he’d had a chance to get whatever it was he had to say out of his system. I was right. Something like thirty seconds later I heard: 

“Well hello, Samantha. It’s been a while.”

I nodded and smiled a little. “Yep, it has.”

“I take it that Victor had a price for you after all.”

“Oh he didn’t sell me, he’s dead.”

Bennington’s thick black brows rose. “Dead? How?”

“I killed him.”

“You killed your own Sire?”

“I’d kill anyone who tried to hurt Antonio. And if Victor really thought he could attack Antonio and live to tell the tale he was a daft sod who was just begging for an immediate death.” I saw Bennington’s head working away. He probably didn’t like that I was clearly very loyal to Antonio.

“It is little wonder, then, that Jared has you as his consort. For now, I should say.”

I could guess Bennington’s game. He wanted to turn me against Jared. “So he’s a bit of a slut?”

“I’ve never seen him with the same consort twice. It strikes me that he gets bored most easily.”

“That works out well for me then; I’m pretty much the same.”

He didn’t seem to like that answer. “Don’t you miss your days as an assassin?”

“What’s there to miss? Blood and gore?” I shook my head, my face scrunched up in repugnance. “Don’t get me wrong, if Antonio asked me to work for him as an assassin then I’d do it, but I’m quite content as I am.”

His expression said he wasn’t convinced. “You’re a most spirited individual, Samantha. I cannot imagine you being satisfied being nothing more than a consort, even if it is to the Heir of The Hollow. The offer for you to join my team is still open. Then you can exercise that spirit of yours, end your consort days.” It wasn’t a question. He had every intention of consulting Jared about it and was letting me know in advance, giving me incentives to be cooperative.

“I can’t say I’ve any need to complain. Jared’s a good shag. But by all means ask him.”

“Ask me what?” I’d already known Jared was approaching; I’d felt it in my bones. He laid a hand on the small of the back and greeted Bennington. To his credit, he was as civil and relaxed as he had been to the other vampires; giving nothing away about his hatred of him.

Bennington spoke, “I was just saying to Samantha that my interest in her is still great. Victor was never open to negotiations about selling her. I wondered about your own willingness to do so.” His facial expression and cunning smile told me that he was confident that Jared wouldn’t be possessive over a consort.

“I’m afraid my interest in her is just as great,” replied Jared as his arm snaked around my waist once again.

“Oh I didn’t mean my interest in her is as a consort, no. But if the idea of losing a consort bothers you much, I’m sure we can come to some arrangement.” He gestured at his own consort; a blonde Keja vampire who was gazing at Jared like he was a Christmas treat. I had to fight against the urge to cook up a gust of wind that would get her away from Jared and out of my sight.

“No disrespect to you or your consort, but my answer is a resounding ‘no’. I’m nowhere near finished with this woman yet,” he added in a cheeky voice. “Enjoy your evening.” With that, he guided me back into the mansion.
I almost punched the sleazy sod of a bitch.

You’re not the only one.

What did he say while I was gone?

Just trying to entice me to become part of his little collection. Typically he’d set up a fight-off between his best assassin and yours, me being the prize. But he hasn’t got his team with him so had to use a different tactic. He probably reasoned that I could take you on with my gift and thought that if he could make me want to leave you I could fight for my freedom or something.

My brows arched as we entered the dining room to find plenty of vamps chomping on their consorts. It seemed that they were making a ‘toast’ to Connelly for his hospitality. I knew what Jared would say next, and instead of it unnerving me, the idea excited me.

“It would be rude not to join in toasting our good host, don’t you think?” Before I could say a word he’d spun me around and was grazing his teeth over the pulse in my neck.
Sam?

I couldn’t believe that he was actually asking my permission and keeping to his word that he wouldn’t do it unless I wanted him to. As his teeth grazed my skin again I quivered.
Do it.

I’ve wanted to taste you for so fucking long.
He fisted a hand in my hair, yanked my head back slightly and sank his teeth down hard. As he took a long, greedy gulp he moaned against my skin. The moan vibrated through every fibre of me. Instantly desire began to coil low in my stomach and tingly sensations overtook my body which he kept crushed to his as he continued to drink greedily.
You taste so good, baby.

The tingling intensified when he called me that, which was dumb really because it wasn’t like I hadn’t been called that before. And it wasn’t as if I hadn’t been told that my blood tasted good before now, and yet hearing Jared say those words had a primal, raw desire like nothing I’d ever felt before coursing through me.

I was a little light-headed by the time he had ceased his gluttonous drinking. When he looked up at me his irises were glowing like they’d never glowed before, making me hitch in a breath. What I really, really, really wanted to do was bite down on his neck and have my own little party, but I knew that was against consort etiquette. Instead, I grabbed the index finger of his left hand and brought it up to my mouth slowly, giving him time to object. He didn’t. I sank my teeth into the tip of his finger and sucked eagerly, making him moan and shudder. God the taste of his blood was amazing; wild and potent with a male spice to it. Conscious that a little too much of my saliva could have him emptying into his pants, I took only a little before stopping.

“It is
so
time to leave.” He gripped my hips tightly and then we were gone. I barely noticed the queasy sensation in my stomach this time; I was too hyped up on anticipation and excitement. And on Jared’s blood. I definitely had to taste that again sometime soon. He didn’t ease his tight hold on my hips even as we arrived at his apartment. His gaze was serious and penetrating and searching mine. “Tell me,” he breathed against my lips. “Say it.”

“I want you.”

And then he was kissing me. Kissing me so hard and so desperately and clutching me to him as though he was half-expecting me to disappear. The very second that those lips touched mine there was that familiar
bang
; an explosion in my veins and the sensation of a hot raging fire spreading through me,
just as I knew there would be. I fisted my hands in his shirt, pulling him to me, refusing to accept that there wasn’t a way of getting any closer.

His hungry, greedy kisses more or less devoured my lips and overwhelmed my tongue. As I pulled at his shirt with such force that I involuntarily took backward steps, he stalked me predatorily and slid his hands all over me, never parting our lips. We stumbled and staggered and swayed and then my back slammed against something hard, smooth and cold.

Opening my eyes, I realised with surprise that rather than being halfway through his apartment we had at one point somehow spun around and now I was crammed against the front door.

Jared, too, opened his eyes and was equally surprised. He braced his hands against the door, forming his own little prison around me, grinning. “I hope you’re not trying to escape. But I guess restraining you might be fun.”

“I hope this isn’t your idea of caging me in. Because if it is, your cage is kind of” – I wiggled his outstretched arms – “flimsy.”

He slammed his body against mine, crushing me. I could feel his heart hammering in his chest. I could see those red Pagori irises glowing. “Better?”

I pursed my lips. “Yes. But I could still get away.”

“Not a chance.” He kissed me so hard and with such intensity that it was as though he meant to back up his words; that he was letting me know that he wouldn’t let me pull back this time, that he wouldn’t allow me to pretend any longer that I didn’t want this as much as he did.

Still, that didn’t mean I couldn’t play with him a little, did it?

While his hands were preoccupied with scrunching and tugging my hair I slid my hands down his chest to his waistline and bunched up the bottom of his shirt – which I’d noticed did not button all the way down and so could only be removed by being pulled over his head. Perfect for what I had in mind. I slowly slid it up and up and then, just as I’d hoped, he raised his arms for me to slide it over his head. God he was all muscle and sinew! Instead of tugging the shirt off, however, I left it covering his face and trapping his arms slightly as I used the opportunity to escape.

I squeezed out from between his gorgeous body and the door, and bolted, calling over my shoulder, “That was just too easy!”

I heard him mumble something in surprise and then he was pursuing me as I nimbly dashed at human speed around the living area, hopping from the floor to the coffee table to the sofa to the –

Arms seized me abruptly. I was twisted around in those arms, and lips found mine as my legs were simultaneously wrapped around his hips. Again my back collided into something hard and the wind was literally knocked out of me.

Jared chuckled. “I can’t believe you just did that.” As he resumed kissing me wildly his hands, fingers splayed, skimmed up my thighs and under my dress. “You won’t get away again.”

I smiled against his lips. “You have this habit of underestimating me.”

He grinded his hips against mine, making me moan and tighten my arms around his neck. “Same goes for you if you still really think you won’t be calling out my name.”

“Like I said, it’s nothing personal. I don’t call out anyone’s name.”

“We’ll see.” Jared’s eyes bore into mine as he let his hands journey further, cupping my arse. While one hand lightly ran over my breast he slid his other hand, fingers splayed again, further underneath my thigh. It was almost painful when his fingers stopped on reaching on my thong, refusing to go any further. Unable to help it, I twisted my hips toward his hand but he only drew his fingers back, smirking.

Fine. Let’s play some more, shall we.

It was a squeeze seen as he was pressed tightly to me, but my hands soon slid down his naked chest and reached the waistline of his trousers and slowly tackled his belt, my eyes still meeting his. With the belt gone, I took the button and zip out of the equation. Then I tried lowering my legs. He let me, anticipating what I had in mind. I pushed slightly against his chest, creating just enough room for me to slide down the wall. I placed my mouth against the tip of the erection that was straining against his trousers and exhaled heavily, making him groan.

As I planned, he was now off-guard. I tugged on both his trousers and his underwear, pulling them all the way to his ankles. A horse would be envious of what I was looking at right now. I met his eyes and smiled...and then I dived to the side, sprung to my feet and bolted again. “Typical male – the slightest chance of getting sucked off and your mind went blank.”

Still at human speed, I rushed passed the conference table. I could hear him struggling behind me; obviously a little delayed by the fact that his ankles were more or less bound by his own pants. Soon, though, he was chasing me again. I leaped onto the counter in the kitchen and ran along the length of it, hopping over the hob and other appliances. Cheating, he came after me at vampire speed and caught me just as I reached the end of the counter. It was a good tackle, I’ll give him that. Suddenly we were diving toward the floor. He twisted his naked body to break my fall and then immediately rolled on top of me, grinning evilly.

“Bitch,” he said endearingly. His lips came down onto mine, almost teasing in the way that they moved now. “Seen as it hardly seems fair that I’m naked and you’re fully clothed...” He ripped open my dress, tearing the entire length of it. He moaned at the view he then had of my body.

“I liked that dress.”

“I’ll buy you a new one,” he murmured against the column of my throat. Starting there, his lips began working their way down in an almost precisely straight line, kissing the hollow of my throat and between my breasts and along my abdomen until he reached my navel. Then he gazed up at me wearing a knowing smile. He was perfectly aware that I was desperate for him to go further, to remove my thong, to use more than just his lips, but again he seemed intent on teasing the life out of me. Teasing really wasn’t my thing, but neither was begging for what I wanted.

Fine. Let the games continue.

I pulled my leg toward my chest and swiftly untied the straps of my shoe before flinging it to the side of me. Jared’s eyes had followed the movement closely, sliding a hand along my leg. Correctly anticipating that I would do the same with the other leg, he elevated his body a little to allow me better access to my shoe. That was all I needed. The second my shoe was off I pushed him backwards with my foot, rolled from beneath him and scrambled to my feet. He grabbed an ankle but I wrestled free and bolted again.