Love Me to Death (Underveil) (16 page)

He looked down into Elena’s eyes and ran his hand from her waist to her thigh and back again. “Kiss me once. That’s all it will take. A real kiss.”

“It’s not going to happen.”

Yes, it was. Nikolai bit the inside of his cheek, just enough to taste the coppery tang of blood. Only a drop, probably, but it might to the trick. “Then, I’ll kiss
you
.”

He kept his hand on her waist and pressed his lips to hers. She remained still as death while he swept the seam of her mouth with his tongue. Then she inhaled sharply though her nose. Her lips parted and her tongue met his.
Yes! Finally.

She growled low in her throat and angled her head to deepen the kiss and then pushed him on his back. Nikolai fought for self-control as he looked into her red eyes. He wanted her and didn’t even care if they had an audience. But, being human, she would. And even that tiny bit of blood had driven her out of control, he realized as she swung her leg over him and climbed on top.

Reaching under the parka, he clamped down on her hips to still her. The woman grinned and reached up for the light. After extinguishing it, her rustles indicated she was finally going to bed.

He could have Elena right now, and he’d never wanted anything more in his life, but he knew that when her blood lust faded, so would her lust for him. She would regret it, and he wanted their first time together to be perfect—not a blood lust–induced quickie in front of an old Romani woman in the back of a cart. “Easy, baby,” he said. “That was sufficient to convince her.”

His cock was straining so hard against his jeans he was sure it would bust the zipper. He had no idea she’d react this aggressively. Imagine if he had really bitten down hard, releasing more than a mere drop of blood. He grinned. That would be the plan later, after she cooled off from what Aleksi had said.

Still straddling him, Elena’s body tensed. “You bastard.”

“Don’t move,” he said, hands holding her immobile. “Just relax against me until she falls asleep.”

“You did that on purpose. You slipped me a roofie!”

He was glad he couldn’t see her face in the darkness. If it matched her tone of voice, it was deadly. “I’m sorry. I did what I had to do.”

She climbed off him, intentionally kneeing him in the chest as she did so. Had she no self-preservation instincts at all? They could be kicked out in the cold. and she wouldn’t last through the night.

The old woman struck a match and lit the lamp.

“I have to pee,” Elena said. “I’m also thirsty and hungry. Just because you’re an immortal, chauvinistic badass doesn’t mean you can ignore my needs. I’m sick of this, Itzov. I’m sick of
you
.”

Chapter Fifteen

E
lena uncurled her aching fingers from fists when they returned to the wagon. Their little visit with Mother Nature had been less than ideal logistically, but at least Nikolai had been a gentleman about it. Maybe he knew how angry she was and didn’t want a scene in front of an audience.

The woman shook her head when Elena tugged off one of the fur-lined boots she had loaned her. Well, at least someone gave a crap about her comfort. “Thank you,” Elena said. The woman nodded and handed her a bottle of clear liquid.

“That’s not a good idea,” Nikolai warned.

“Was it your idea?” Elena asked, pulling the top off the bottle.

His brow furrowed. “No.”

“Then it’s probably a good one.”

He sat back against the wall of the wagon, dark eyebrow arched. “Suit yourself.”

She took a sniff.
Vodka. Good.
She liked vodka. She raised the bottle to her lips and took only a small sip. It tasted nothing like what she’d had on the occasions she’d had vodka before things went all weird. Still, after the burn wore off, it left a warm trail all the way down to her stomach, and right now, after traipsing in the snow, warm was good.

She took a larger sip and glared at Nikolai. Biting his lip had been the lowest blow ever. He’d used her weakness to manipulate her. It was mortifying to think her body snatched the steering wheel away from her and was ready to spin off for a joy ride on its own.

She took another swallow from the bottle and closed her eyes while the warmth spread from beyond her throat into her whole body.

She had to get away from Nikolai. Being helpless sucked beyond anything she’d ever experienced. She was not a possession. This was going to end, and it was going to end now.

She opened her eyes and met his. An electric jolt shot straight through her at his intense gaze, zapping through her body to all those places he’d set on fire in the cabin.
Shit.

Aleksandra’s words ran through her head. “Turn her, fuck her, and get rid of her.”
Like hell
. She took another gulp of vodka. She’d had enough of being manipulated. It was time to turn the tables. She would be in control for once.

The only way to be really safe was to become immortal so these assholes out to kill her would have a harder time of it. Margarita had said she didn’t have to be evil. She had a choice in the matter, just like she had a choice right now. And the choice was pretty appealing. She smiled and Nikolai smiled back.

He took the bottle and drank from it. She watched with fascination as his Adams apple moved with each swallow. The lamplight played across his unshaven face, making his skin gold, like honey.

She would become immortal and free herself. Her smile broadened. He tipped the bottle to her in salute and drank again.

Freeing herself from the cord might be the best part of this whole deal. Two could play this manipulation game. She could do a lot worse than having to screw a hot, talented death angel to free herself, right?

Right.

But then what? She had to get away, and she was in the middle of nowhere. She doubted the people in this camp would help her, but there was always the snowmobile hidden in the trees.

First things first. She’d figure out her escape once she was immortal and free from the cord. Nikolai wasn’t the only one who could make plans. And her plan had six easy steps.

Step one: get rid of the audience. She smiled at the old woman, and her smile was returned. Elena placed a hand over her heart, and the woman nodded. Then, she jerked her head toward the back of the wagon in the universal gesture for
get lost
. The old woman wrapped her shoulders in a quilt and chuckled, then made her way to the back of the wagon. She said something to Nikolai before leaving, but he didn’t respond. He simply stared at Elena until her blood heated and her pulse hammered in her ears. Big, sexy brute of a man. Just his gaze made her wet.

Step two: become immortal. This was trickier and a bit horrifying. She didn’t have the luxury of doubt, though. It had to be done, regardless of her complete and total ignorance of the process and potential discomfort involved in the transition. To be successful, she had to get him to agree to be the blood donor. She crawled over to him, blanket still tied around her waist. His eyes narrowed. “What’s going on in your mind, Elena?”

“Your mouth is on my mind.” Her eyes fell to his lips, and she remembered how soft they were and how good he tasted. As if he were a magnet, she drew closer.

He tilted his head, expression wary.

“And my mouth,” she whispered, only inches away from him. “Together.”

He held her away by the shoulders.

“What?” she asked, enjoying the boldness brought on by the plan and assisted by the vodka. “You don’t like my plan?”

“I approve wholeheartedly of your plan…in execution,” he said, still holding her shoulders. “It’s your motivation that concerns me.” His grip loosened slightly. “And the timing. You’ve gone from cold to hot.”

“Hot, yes.” She reached out and ran her hands over his hard chest. “Very hot.”

The words were true. It was the first time in a while she hadn’t felt cold. The wagon was cozy, and she’d had just enough alcohol to warm her.

“Relax, Nikolai. I won’t bite you,” she whispered. But she would. There was no going back. She could never return to her old life. All she could do was follow her destiny and make wise choices. So far, she’d made
no
choices…until now. She was not going to put her fate in anyone else’s hands again. Even if those hands could make her see stars.

“Kiss me, Nikolai. Not as a show for some woman spying on us. Kiss me for me. For you. For real.”

And the kiss
was
real. Too real. So good, she almost lost her nerve.

“Elena.” Her name from his lips drove her wild, and she pressed even closer.

Step three: get him so aroused he wouldn’t care if she bit him. So far, so good.

She ran her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp.

He groaned and rolled her beneath him.

“You’re not so talkative tonight,” she teased, running her hands down his back and up again.

“I’m slightly overwhelmed.”

“Only slightly?” She slid her hands under his shirt and scraped her nails down his back, and he thrust against her.

“Okay. More than slightly.” His voice was deep and raspy, which caused her lower body to tighten.

She scraped her nails back up to his shoulders. “You want me.”

He placed his forehead against hers. “God, yes.”

She reached between them and unsnapped his jeans. He grabbed her arm and pinned it above her head, then did the same with her other hand. This is not what she had planned. She needed control in order to achieve her plan. But this big, powerful man had a different scenario in mind.

“Not now. Not here,” he said. “Not like this.”

What the hell?
He was saying no? She’d have none of that. She wrapped her legs around him and thrust up, and he groaned. He released her arms and grabbed her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers in a deep, consuming kiss. That mouth. That delicious, talented mouth.

She wrapped her arms around him and reveled in the intimacy. Several times, she almost bit him, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. It would be so sneaky—wrong, like what he had done to her. Yeah…
He
had done it with no thought as to her wishes. So be it.

She took his bottom lip between her teeth and bit down. Hard.

He hissed in pain, but then groaned as she rocked up against him and sucked.

The result was instantaneous and shocking. His blood filled her mouth, and she went crazy.
More.
She needed more of it. Of him.
Now.

“Elena,” he said when she pulled away to swallow. “My God, what you do to me.”

Like super high-octane gas, his blood fueled her. She no longer felt hungry or thirsty or tired. She felt powerful. Strong. Strong enough to push him over onto his back. She straddled him and kissed him again, drawing deep on his lower lip as he cupped her breasts over her parka.

She needed his hands on her. “Clothes off,” she ordered, ripping the parka from her body. Damned Velcro on the sleeve. She couldn’t get it off fast enough. Then she removed the pajama top.

She looked down at Nikolai who gazed up in wonder, blood glistening on his lips. “Beautiful,” he whispered. “Extraordinary.” He reached up and skimmed his fingers over her breasts, causing warmth to pool between her legs. “Perfect.”

“I need you naked.” She unbuttoned the shoulder of his shirt and pulled it down to his waist. She climbed off him and tugged his boots off, then unzipped and yanked his jeans down, shirt right along with them, and tossed them away. Kneeling at his feet, she paused to enjoy the view. He was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. Every inch of him was powerful, and his skin flickered gold in the lamplight. Yes. She wanted this. All of him, and his blood coursing through her made her strong. She needed more.

“I need to bite you,” she said, crawling back over him wearing only the boots, centering her core right over his erection.

“I know.” He placed his warm hands on either side of her face. “Open. Let me see.” She opened her mouth, and his erection pulsed under her. “You’re changing.” He placed his thumb against a tooth. He withdrew, showing her a puncture wound with a drop of blood swelling from it.

Holy shit.
She ran her tongue over her top teeth to find two elongated and very sharp canines. A pang of fear stopped short and melted immediately when he grinned.

“And your eyes are red. Deep, beautiful, passionate red,” he whispered. “I love it.”

Her chest pinched inside. Slayers didn’t believe in love. And there was no way the most distinguishing features of vampires—her red eyes—appealed to him.
Focus on the plan
, she reminded herself.

“Bite me, Elena.” He ran his hands from her throat across her breasts, circling the nipples, then lower, down her belly to where her body met his. “Tell me what you need.” His fingers found just the right spot, and he applied pressure, causing her to grind down on him. “That’s it. Tell me with your body and your words.”

She groaned. The blood had made her strong, but she needed more. She stared down at the beautiful man beneath her. He hated vampires, but he was encouraging her to drink his blood. Desire, fear, and confusion swirled through her in a volatile concoction. She couldn’t back out now. She had to do this to stay safe. To stay alive, she had to become immortal and free herself from him.

“Talk to me,” he said. “Tell me what you need.”

Him. She needed him. More than just his blood or the pleasure he offered with his playground of a body, she needed
him
—and that was far more terrifying than becoming a blood-sucking monster.

Blood still glistened over the bite on his lip. She leaned down and licked it off, and he ran his hands over her back, urging her on.

“Do it,” he whispered, sweeping his hands over her skin, making her body thrum. “You can’t hurt me.”

But he could hurt
her,
and now that she had his blood flowing through her, she felt even more bonded to him. The goal was to escape.
The plan. Return to the plan.

Step four: drink enough blood to become immortal.

Instinctually, her body ground against his, forward and back. It was difficult to focus with his thick erection so hot and hard underneath her. Just a few inches forward, then a shift in angle, and a hard press down, and she could have him inside her. That’s what she wanted. And she’d heard Aleksandra say she couldn’t get pregnant. Diseases didn’t even transfer between different species. Perfect. She threw her head back and continued to rub over him.

No.
She’d gotten off schedule. Blood first, then Step Five.

She kissed his shoulder.

“Yes,” he whispered. “Do it. Make yourself strong and safe. Bite me. Drink from me.”

Running her tongue over his skin, she could feel his pulse. He was alive with what she needed. His blood would save her life and make her immortal. It would enable her to escape.

“Do it, Elena.” He swept his warm hands over her back.

Breaths coming in shuddering gasps, she paused at the area between his neck and shoulder and pressed her lips to him. She could feel the blood right under the surface. So close she could almost taste it.

He thrust up against her. “Yes. There. Now.”

Her teeth cut through the flesh easily, and evidently painlessly, because his body bucked and he moaned with pleasure as she bit down. Rich, sweet blood filled her mouth, and she clutched him in desperation. She needed something else. More. More than his blood. She needed his body. She needed Step Five.

Not withdrawing her mouth, she scooted forward to where the head of his erection pressed against her entrance.

He took himself in hand and rubbed up and down against her. She was slick and so ready.

“Now?” he asked, wrapping an arm around her waist.

Yes, God, yes. Now.
Unwilling to pull away from his neck, she pushed down, and he groaned. Barely there. Just the head of him was inside her now, and she thought she would die from the overwhelming pleasure. She swallowed and lifted her head, power surging through her as her body hummed with change and need.