Kiss of the Dragon (26 page)

It was the most intimate coupling I had every experienced with him. My body on fire for the man above me. His reacting to mine. Our desires equal in magnitude. Our rhythm hypnotic. The sensations utterly beautiful, addictive. Out of this world. But it was the way he looked at me, as though I was his everything. As though he was the luckiest man alive. We fed off the look in each other's eyes. We floated in the bliss of our bodies joining. We rejoiced in the sensations we created in the other person.

We shared. We loved.

I began to close my eyes, the orgasm building too intense not to.

"Don't" he whispered above me, not altering his pace. "Look at me when you come."

I shook my head. "Can't. It's too much. Too intense."

"I know, but don't leave."

My eyes sprang open at the ache in his voice. My hand shifted from where I'd been digging my fingers into his back, to cup his cheek.

"Never," I promised and then somehow - Goddess alone knows how - kept my eyes open, tethered to his, as the most exquisite, mind blowing, body shattering, orgasm stole over me.

"Ah,
ma douce
," he groaned above me. "So beautiful." And then keeping his eyes trained on me he followed, releasing a hot burst of his seed inside. I felt all of it, every drop as it shot hard and long. His muscles straining, his shaft swelling and throbbing, sending me into another orgasm, which made us both cry out in blissful surprise.

He continued to rock gently into me long after we were both spent, unable to break the connection, our eyes still trapped by the other. Finally his movements slowed, until we lay together; sweat soaked bodies interlocked.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met," he whispered adoringly above me. "I have long known, none compares to you. But for some reason, you seem even more beautiful to me right now." He shook his head in wonder. "I did not think that was possible. But it is as if you shine."

I smiled up at him, feeling loved and worshipped and safe in his arms.

"Kiss me," I demanded softly.

"With pleasure," he replied and slanted his mouth across mine for a deep and delicious kiss.

Several minutes later we both came up for air. A little breathless, but smiling like lunatics, unable to keep the joy off our faces, even if we tried.

"I'm starving," I announced out of nowhere, and Goddess was I ever. Famished would be a better description. What the hell had they fed me while I was out. I couldn't feel any puncture wounds from feeding tubes or IV lines, but they must have been there before I awoke. Maybe Michel had healed me. It didn't matter, I wanted food. Hot chips and tomato ketchup. Sausage dipped in batter and slathered with sauce. Maybe some fried onion rings or, I know! A pineapple ring fried in batter and dipped in sugar. Yeah, that's it.

Michel looked at me strangely as he pulled away from my body.

"You never eat fried foods, Lucinda," he reminded me, and he was right. Besides the fact that he always made sure only healthy alternatives were in the house. Other than the occasional pizza or baked cake from Kathleen, I usually steered clear of the deep fried calorie loaded sogginess that can be found at the local fish and chip shop.

I shrugged as I sat up from the bed, preparing to stand. "It's what I want," I declared, with a toss of my hair over my shoulder.

Then stood to my feet and watched the world turn immediately black.

"You fainted," Michel said with obvious concern, kneeling beside the bed I was flat out on when I woke for the second time that night. "I am worried about you. I think this is why my vampyre-within has been acting so protectively. He has seen, what I have missed. You are not well."

"I've just been flat on my back for almost three days, Michel," I said placatingly. I didn't feel unwell, I felt hungry. "Plus you just rocked my socks off, I need a little time to get my feet beneath me, that's all."

He didn't look convinced.

"Amisi said she noticed a change in your aura. She is concerned too," he commented.

"Is Amisi here?"

"Yes. She and Gregor arrived yesterday. They are both downstairs."

The elation I felt over having Amisi in the same house as me was almost overwhelming. Amisi here. In our home. I tried to sit up again and Michel growled, gently placing pressure on my shoulder to keep me flat.

"You are staying in bed."

Oh, hell no. "I've just been
in
bed for
almost three days
. I am not staying in bed." I growled. Michel just growled right back. His was better than mine.

"Michel!" I said frustratingly. "I'm fine."

"People who are fine do not faint."

"Oh, come on! I got up too quickly. Here, let's try it slowly. If I faint, you have permission to shackle me to the bed." Hmm, kind of liked that imagery.

"Lucinda," Michel chastised, clearly inside my head and seeing what delicious imaginings I had going on. "How can you think of sex when this is so serious?"

Gee, normally he was the one with his head in the gutter - or up my skirt, down my top, on my butt. A growl interrupted my musings.

"You are impossible."

"Go on!" I said with a smirk. "You love it."

He stared at me for a moment, several warring emotions flickering across his façade. Frustration. Amusement. Disbelief. My smile widened.

"You love me just the way I am," I said tauntingly.

His eyebrows rose, but the rest of him remained immobile. I huffed out a breath and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Well, can I at least have my chips and sausage?" Hmm, sausage.

"Bloody hell," Michel cursed, throwing his hands up in the air and getting to his feet. "You are incorrigible."

"If you don't like my thoughts, stay out of my mind," I remarked, snottily.

"I rather like your thoughts, actually," he admitted quietly. My smirk returned.

Michel sighed long and loud. I held my breath, but I knew I had him. I could be downright annoying if I didn't get my way. And I saw no reason not to tonight. I was fine. Just hungry and the fainting was due to lying down too long and then standing up after fantastic, earth shattering sex.

"Earth shattering, huh?" Michel asked, looking down at me. His eyes roamed over my still naked body. I noticed he had dressed while I was out of it.

"You know it was," I shot back, shifting to sit on the side of the bed. I'd take this slowly, there was no way I was going to allow myself to faint. Then I'd never hear the end of it. Michel could be annoying too.

He took a few steps back, determined not to help me. Did he want me to faint?

"Just proving a point,
ma douce
," he said, crossing his arms over his broad chest and leaning back against the wall to watch. He'd reach me before I hit the floor. But I wasn't going to hit the floor.

I stood upright, waited a beat and when nothing happened poked my tongue out at him. He shook his head and sighed.

"Why can't you be compliant? Why is everything a battle with you?" He didn't sound overly disappointed by any of that, I think he was just complaining for the sake of it.

I ignored the statements completely, as they should be ignored.

"I'm going to shower and dress, can you order in some takeaways for me?" I crossed to the attached bathroom.

"You are determined to clog your arteries, I see," Michel observed. Clog my arteries.
Pfft
. I was a Nosferatin, I'd burn it off just thinking of sex. Hmm, sex.

I heard him mutter something behind me, but I ignored that too and got to work getting cleaned up to face the horde downstairs. I'd freshen up, get dressed for any eventuality, and eat. Then I'd be ready to hear all about this war we were currently undertaking. It was going to be a long night.

When I climbed out of the shower the door to the bedroom was still open and I could see Michel sitting on an armchair watching me. He really wasn't going to let me out of his sight, was he? I dried off and finished my bathroom routine then sauntered into the bedroom, swaying my hips a little more than I usually would. Michel's eyes never strayed. Not that it was due to my hip swaying as such, he'd be watching me like a hawk - or like a possessive and protective vampire - for the duration. The hip swaying was for me. I'd like to think his attention was due to my hips, and not because he thought I was sick.

Still, I continued with the little show while I dressed. Bending at the waist to fish through drawers, lifting one foot to the bed seductively, while I slipped my leg into my lacy, barely there, underwear. He blinked slowly at me, but otherwise made no comment. By the time I was complete with short skirt, T-shirt, jacket, stakes and knife, I was a little disappointed in his lack of response. I mean, beautiful girl doing a reverse striptease for him, surely something perked up.

I leaned over and tried to ascertain if something did indeed perk up. The beautiful bulge in his trousers made my day. Heh. Reverse stripteases rock.

"Need a hand with that?" I inquired, as I sashayed towards him. Before he had a chance to respond or shift to hide the evidence, I straddled his lap and settled myself against that impressive and beautiful reaction to my striptease. I rubbed myself against him, watching amethyst seep into his eyes.

"You are determined to make me crazy, are you not?" he said, his hands already on my hips and kneading gently. He roughly pulled me closer and ground himself back against my crotch. I moaned, unable to stop my response. "You are a minx," Michel whispered, licking across my collar bone and suckling the skin on the side of my neck. His hand came up and fisted my hair, pulling my head back and exposing more of my neck. "You really do feel all right?" he confirmed, nuzzling my throat and following that up with another hot lick.

"Fine," I breathed out, rocking my hips again, needing that friction.

"Then, allow me to help you with this unquenchable desire you seem to have tonight." His fangs slid into the skin beneath his lips. The sting quickly being replaced with his lust. I groaned against him, feeling his arm wrap around my back and settle above my hips.

He then began a seductive rock of his pelvis, a tempting thrust of his erection against my increasingly sensitive centre. I moaned with every change of position. He growled with each swallow of my blood. We soon found a rhythm; suck, grind, moan. Mix and repeat. I was coming before I even realised it, my breaths uneven, my cries pleas for more.

His bite drew my orgasm out longer than it should have been. He gave me everything my body needed, while my blood fuelled his. We were perfect together. There was no doubt.

Eventually the orgasm waned and he withdrew his fangs and sealed the bite wound.

"You are a right tinderbox this evening," Michel commented against my skin, his voice rasping with his own unspent release. I slipped my hand down between us and cupped his erection, stroking the length of it with my palm. He threw his head back and closed his eyes.

"Let me help
you
," I whispered, and reached for his belt.

His hand wrapped around my wrist and returned my palm to his erection.

"No, like this. It is... naughty. Illicit. I like it."

Oh, Goddess this man did things to me. I returned to my ministrations, feeling his shaft throb beneath the fabric of his pants. It didn't take long. My reverse striptease, the blood, just witnessing me come on his lap, all of it coupled with my firm hold of him through his trousers, brought him the release his body craved in a matter of mere minutes.

He cried out my name, his face wanton with ecstasy, hips rocking up to my touch, head thrown back and mouth open. He was the most beautiful sight I had ever laid eyes on and I was stunned immobile for a moment as I watched.

Finally he opened his eyes again and stared at me. For several seconds neither of us said a thing. What was there to say? We both knew how special this was. How special we were.

"We could stay here all night," I suggested, breaking the silence and thinking to hell with wars.

"I couldn't think of anything better," he replied. But we both knew responsibility called. No doubt he'd already been fielding telepathic inquiries into where he was. He'd never let me know, but he was the Champion and the
Iunctio
was at war. He didn't need to say the words for me to know his time was not his own.

"Come on," I said, slipping off him and offering my hand for him to stand. "I'll help you clean up in the shower."

He laughed out loud. "And take another hour to leave this room? I'll change into something clean, but no shower. I want everyone to smell what I do to you and what you do to me."

Naughty man
, I sent the thought at him.

You have no idea
, he threw back.

I watched as he flashed to the dresser and redressed in less than ten seconds flat. Then he was beside me, hand out, palm up. I clasped his hand and walked with him onto the landing. Our bedroom had been recently refurbished. Soundproofed from the rest of the house. It was now officially the only room in the Victorian mansion that was modern. The rest was vampire chic; dark and dreary and entirely clichéd. As soon as we stepped foot on the landing I heard the cacophony of noise.

The house was full to brimming. I'd sensed them all, couldn't help it. It's what I am. But to hear the varied conversations, rumbles of voices, from different locations throughout the building was surreal. This house had never been so full of life. Even undead life.

"Who's here?" I asked, as we began the descent from the upper most floor. Our floor.

"Alain and my shadows. As well as some additional guards of my line. Your guards; all four, as well as Amisi and Sophie. The Enforcer, the Ambrosia, the Keeper and the Scribe, with their various guards and entourages."

"So, basically those on our side."

"Yes, although with so many Councillors here, stay on guard. Vampyres are fickle and although we all have one aligned goal right now, never forget a vampyre will do anything to survive."

A sound warning. My skin crawled with the
Sanguis Vitam
in the house. And not just your average
Sanguis Vitam
either. This was powerful, ancient to varying degrees, and commanding. Each
Iunctio
Councillor is an Alpha in their own right. So many leaders under one roof. This house had ceased to be our home and now was a minefield as dangerous as any battle we would surely face in this war.

I will need to have you near me,
Michel said softly, switching to speaking in my mind as we neared other vampires who could eavesdrop on our conversation. I knew the Ambrosia could still read our thoughts should he desire, but I hoped he was the only other vampire here with that particular talent. Gregor could always read my thoughts too, but not Michel's. And Gregor was family, the Ambrosia was not.

OK, I'll stay near
, I replied, squeezing his hand for emphasis.

I cannot show this weakness, but it is a weakness right now, ma douce. My need, or more precisely, my vampyre-within's need to protect. If I cannot see you or sense you, my control will slip.

Is it that precarious?
I asked, breathing deeply through a deep seated fear on his behalf.

My control is not, but any indication I am weak is to those we will be with.

I nodded and bit my bottom lip.

This is politics at its most cut-throat. I am...
he hesitated, searching for the right words. In the end he surprised me with his choice.
I am compromised right now, no one must suspect.

They won't
, I vowed, and it was his hand that squeezed mine.

And then we were there. At the bottom floor of the house, standing outside the doors to the parlour. Two of Michel's vampires stood on either side of the door. Two more could be seen guarding the front door, while another couple stood at the rear of the hallway, guarding the kitchen. I had known we'd also passed several unseen on each of the floors. All of them with Michel's signature. The house was overflowing with his guards, and still I hadn't seen Antonio or Ricardo. But then, I probably wouldn't. They had, no doubt, been on our floor, but hidden in shadows. And I was guessing they were still with us now, and wouldn't leave Michel's side until he and I returned to our private room.

The Champion stood beside me, and for the first time I really understood that. For the first time, I felt a little awed.