Phantom Desires (7 page)

“I just came by to advise you we intend to hold a howl over in the woods by the far pasture at full moon. Some of the party might spill over into the pastureland, but I’ll do my best to keep my people in line. Just wanted to let you know we’ll be there, as per our agreement.”

Dmitri seemed to relax just a fraction. “That’s fine. Though it’s Carly who legally owns the land now. You should really ask her.” He let her go a little, so she could stand more freely on her own. She got the sense that it was somehow important that she be seen as a person in her own right rather than a mere extension of him. She followed his lead. After all, he knew these…um…people, better than she did.

“Ma’am?” Jason smiled at her and she nearly forgot the question.

“If I didn’t know you were already mine, I’d be jealous.”
Dmitri’s voice purred through her mind, but luckily she didn’t jump this time. Could it be she was starting to get used to his silent commentary?

“What is he?”

“
Were
wolf.”

“They actually exist? And here I thought vampires were bad enough.”

“Bad? Get rid of the puppy, and I’ll take great pleasure in showing you just how bad I can be.”

“Is that a promise?”

“Send him on his way, and I’ll make it worth your while.”

“As you can see, the pasture isn’t being used, so I have no objection. But thank you for asking. I think I would have been a little alarmed if I saw something and you hadn’t told me you were going to be out there.”

“As would anyone, I reckon.” Jason winked at her, seeming more relaxed now that she’d agreed. “If you’d like to drop in at the party at the pack house as my guests after the hunt, you’re both more than welcome.”

“Thank you, Alpha.” Dmitri took over the conversation again, and Carly was glad. She wasn’t quite sure what Jason meant by a hunt, but she had some wild ideas, considering he could turn into a wolf. “We’d be honored to drop in for a few minutes. It will give your pack a chance to meet Carly, since she will be Mistress here.”

Jason bowed in a very formal way for a man dressed in only a canary yellow towel, but he was so handsome, he could make even that silly towel look like
haute couture
.

“I’ll see you at full moon, then. It was a pleasure meeting you, ma’am.”

“Likewise.”

Carly had barely spoken when the man shifted form again, leaving the yellow towel in a puddle as he landed on four paws, a tawny wolf with gleaming eyes. He barked once, then dashed away faster than anything she’d ever seen.

Dmitri retrieved the towel and ushered her back into the house. She wanted to know all about
were
wolves. But then, there was so much she wanted to know about. She knew the easiest—most tempting—way of getting the information was also the scariest. She could have all the knowledge Dmitri possessed if she would just agree to sharing their minds fully.

She just wasn’t sure she could do it. Not yet. Dmitri was such a powerful personality, she was too afraid of losing herself.

“When is the full moon?” she asked when he led her into the kitchen.

“A couple of days from now. He usually gives me some warning when his pack intends to frolic anywhere near.” Dmitri opened a few of the cupboards, taking down glasses and a bottle of wine. “I brought this up from my wine cellar. Tonight is a celebration.” He poured the wine, giving her a glass of the deep red liquid. “Of course, every night with you is a celebration. But tonight you have taken one step further into the world in which I live. You’ve met and been accepted by the local Alpha. That—whether you realized it or not—was a big step.”

“Why?”

“Let’s just say, as a general rule, our kinds don’t mix much. Because I live way out here, I’ve had to have more contact with the
were
community than most immortals. Bloodletters, they call us, since most of my kind object rather strongly to the term, ‘vampire’. Personally, it’s never bothered me, but if you meet others—and you will—you would do best to remember that.”

“Don’t call them vampires. Check.” She raised her glass to his with a teasing smile, but she was fascinated by what he was telling her. “So bloodletters and
were
wolves don’t get along?”

“It’s not that we don’t get along. It’s more that we prefer to give each other a wide berth. And there are more than just wolves out there, Carly.

Jason is Alpha of the dominant wolf pack, but there are other clans and tribes of
were
folk in this region as well. By comparison, our presence is small. There are many more
weres
in the open places. My kind tend to prefer cities because of the availability of human prey, while the
weres
prefer open space in which to run.”

“It makes sense.” But she didn’t like hearing human beings called
prey
.

“To us,” he toasted. They touched glasses and drank, the excellent vintage warming its way down her throat. It was delicious. Curiosity made her look at the bottle’s label.

“I’ve never had a bottle this old.”

“You’ve never had a lover this old,” he joked, pointing to himself. “But like fine wine, I promise, most things do get better with age.” She laughed, and he moved closer.

“I didn’t know you could drink wine.” She grew breathless as he invaded her personal space in the most delicious way.

“It is my last tie to the sun. It is one of the only things we can ingest besides blood. It is a delicacy. Like you, my love.” He traced down her neck with the fingers of his free hand. “Like the wine, you heal me, Carly. You make me whole.”

“That’s the most beautiful thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

“You have a beautiful soul, Carly. I’ve gotten a glimpse within, and I can say that with certainty. I only hope…” he sat next to her, “…that when the time comes and you see as deeply within my heart, you can forgive me my past. It hasn’t been very pretty.”

She felt the very real trepidation in him at the idea of her seeing his past through his memories. In an odd sort of way, that made her feel better about the whole idea. She hadn’t thought of it from his point of view. She’d been more focused on herself—how he’d be seeing all her memories—

both good and bad. But it went both ways. She would see his long past, and she was sure he probably had several lifetimes worth of experiences waiting for her to view. The idea was tantalizing. The things he’d probably seen in his past and experienced firsthand would be like seeing history unfold.

But it was selfish to think only of what she would gain in knowledge, she realized almost immediately. The things she would see were things he had lived and done, people he had known, now lost to him and lifestyles long gone by the wayside. It would be bittersweet to relive those memories with him and wrong of her to look forward to putting him through it.

“I’m sorry, Dmitri.” She covered his hand with hers. “I’ve been selfish. I’ve only been thinking about myself.”

“No, my love. Don’t think that. We both have reservations about taking such a huge step, I’m sure.”

“You’re being kind, but I can feel how badly you want to share my mind. It hurts you.”

“It’s a delicious sort of hurt, I can assure you. You have no idea how wonderful it is to know that you’re in the world and we will be One. I’m enjoying savoring the moment.”

She climbed onto his lap. “But wouldn’t you rather get right to it?”

Dmitri knew the moment her intentions changed from serious conversation about their predicament to something much more…sinful.

“I like the way your mind works. It’ll be my pleasure to learn it—and you—slowly…steadily…satisfyingly.” He licked his way from her jaw to her neck, nuzzling under her long hair. Her skin tasted divine and smelled like heaven. His own, private paradise.

“Mmm. I think we’re on the same page now.” She tried to stretch back on the couch, but he stopped her with a gentle tug on her shoulders.

Without words, he coaxed her to stand, making short work of her clothing and his own.

“Offer yourself to me, Carly. Push your breasts together and lift them up in your hands like an offering.”

A thrum began in her blood with his stark words as she followed his instructions. She’d never been so bold with a lover before. She’d never had a man who was so commanding, so dominant, so delicious. She’d do just about anything for him…or to him…at his direction.

And he knew it. The knowledge was there in his eyes every time he looked at her in passion. It turned her on and made her wet with anticipation. Never failed.

She lifted her bare breasts up for him and was rewarded when his head dropped—as did his fangs. She felt them scraping along the tender skin, not hurting, but enticing, exciting. She loved the way he treated her body. Strong when the moment called for it, he was also gentle when it counted most. He knew just how to touch her to make her scream with pleasure and writhe in delight.

He licked over her breasts, his fangs teasing the delicate skin before his tongue closed around first one nipple, then the other, swirling and circling and making them even tighter. He feasted on her tender skin for long moments while her excitement level rose. Her knees were close to buckling when he finally drew back.

Almost negligently, he threw a decorative pillow from the couch to his feet. She followed its progress, her mouth going dry in anticipation. She wasn’t to be disappointed.

“Kneel,” came the simple, powerful order. She did as she was told.

The cock he presented her was hard, long and ready for action. She wanted it inside her, but first, she wanted a taste. She wanted to make him writhe as he’d done to her. She wanted to show him how much she appreciated his demands and all that he gave when he made love to her. It was a subtle give and take that brought them both to the ultimate pleasure and it was her turn to give. More than that, it was her pleasure, though she’d never really enjoyed giving head in the past.

With Dmitri, everything was new and exciting. He made things that she hadn’t experienced, or hadn’t really liked before, better than they’d ever been. He made her want to do anything and everything—for him.

“Suck it down, Carly.”

He fisted her hair in one hand, watching her progress as she leaned forward, her eyes straining upward to watch him as she took him into her mouth. She loved the look of nearly painful satisfaction on his face as he watched. She loved that she could bring this pleasure to him. She just plain loved
him
.

“Take it deep, darling. Suck hard now.” He coached her with grunting words as he pushed into her mouth, never giving her more than she could handle, but pushing her limits with each new thrust. She felt his excitement, and it drove her wild too.

“Enough!” He was trembling when he suddenly pulled free.

With impressive strength, he lifted her to her feet and positioned her in front of the couch. He bent her forward, facing the couch, but not on it, much to her surprise. She could see her reflection in the dark window, her gaze rising to capture the rough look of possession on Dmitri’s beloved face as he looked down at her bare bottom.

He kicked her legs apart with gentle shoves of his bare feet against hers, but she got the idea. She leaned forward, resting her arms on the back of the couch, standing in front of it, bent at the waist, her ass up in the air. They hadn’t done it this way yet and the added mirror of the window in front of her was an enticing touch.

She watched the expression on his face as he moved up behind her. He dragged a footstool over by one leg, kneeling on it. The level was just right. His hands went to her ass, spreading and lifting, delving between, seeking the slick wetness of her.

Two fingers thrust up inside her, and she yelped in surprise but soon got the rhythm. She smiled when he raised his eyes to their reflection in the nighttime glass.

“Okay, baby?” he asked.

She nodded, smiling while his fingers created a lovely friction inside her.

“It’s going to be hard and fast, Carly.”

“Do it, Dmitri. Do me hard.” She didn’t know where the words came from but she was glad of her bold reply when she saw the fire leap in his eyes reflected in the window.

His fingers left her core, replaced by that devilishly hard cock. He was thick and long, filling her completely. She moaned when he’d gained full entrance and sank back against him as he started to rock.

One of his hands rested on her ass, squeezing as he powered into her. The other came up and smacked her ass cheek with a crack that sounded through the room, though it didn’t really hurt that much. It shocked her, but by the time his hand rose to do it again, she quivered in anticipation of the small pain that she now knew would bring so much pleasure.

“You like that, my vixen.” He sounded pleased and she suddenly got an image in her mind. Like the Lord of the Manor fucking the scullery maid in the sitting room where anyone could walk in at any moment. The element of danger in the fantasy appealed to her more wicked senses.

She knew the fantasy image had to have come from the place where they joined in their minds. She also knew, though she had no way of understanding exactly how she knew it, that the image was not memory, but pure fantasy. So he wanted to play games, did he?

The thought of it was appealing. She’d never done such a thing with any of her other lovers, but they’d been men utterly lacking in imagination. Dmitri, it seemed, had imagination to spare and she didn’t mind it one bit. She’d play along.

“My lord, someone might hear if you keep spanking me.”

“Let them hear.” He smacked her again, and she could see the wide grin on his face in their reflection. “If I want to fuck you with half the staff in here, you’ll let them hear and let them watch. They might learn something. Now be quiet and move with me, girl.”

“Yes, my lord.” She did as he said, both of them rising to the occasion, spurred on by the naughty fantasy he communicated into her mind.

“You’d like them to watch, my lord?”

“Aye.” He sounded so authentic when his accent slipped into old patterns of speech, and she realized with a start it was because he was the real deal. He’d lived in those times. He’d spoken that way.