To Love a Shifter: A Paranormal Romance Boxed Set (77 page)

He lowered me gently to the bed. “If I take you now,” he said harshly, looking into my eyes, “there will be no going back. You
will
be mine and the betrothal can’t be cancelled.”

“I’ll always be yours,” I whispered even as I knew I meant it in a way that Luka didn’t yet comprehend. If I ever turned vampire, I hoped, oh God of Caros I hoped this memory would be with me.

Luka gently turned me over and started on the row of hooks of my gown, expertly unhooking them all in seconds. And then he was peeling it down my body, leaving me in my lacy underwear and garters.

“Did you fucking wear this for me?”

“Only for you,” I promised as I flipped around, raising myself up to kneel in front him while I started to undress him. The jacket went off, followed by the tie, the shirt, the belt, and finally the pants. I swallowed when it was time to pull his briefs down, revealing his already enormous cock, its head glistening with pre-cum.

I reached for it but Luka shook his head, a cruel masterful smile on his lips that made me want him more. “No.” He gently lifted me up to my feet. He settled against the headboard and looked up at me. One word left his beautifully thin lips. “Dance.”

The command made me burn, goosebumps popping all over my skin as I felt Luka’s smoldering gaze roam my body. I started to dance, cupping my breasts as I did, running my hands on my belly before letting my fingers flutter against the lace-covered triangle before my legs.

“Shake it for me.”

I bent halfway down, legs apart and shook my breasts, close enough for the tips of my nipples to tease his lips. “Like this, Your Highness?”

He growled and I laughed. I started to pull away, but his hands settled on my hips, keeping me in place. “Bend down,” Luka ordered.

I did so with a spine-tingling shiver.

“Shake it.”

I did and Luka immediately captured one nipple into his mouth.

“Luka.” I moaned his name over and over as he gave me no respite, sucking hard and fast then slow and long the next moment, switching from one breast to another.

When he finally let go I was gasping. “Strip slowly.”

My fingers shook as I did as ordered.

“Come here.”

I went back to him, the bed dipping with every step I took.

“Offer yourself to me.”

I froze, not knowing what to do.

His smile became crueler. “Scared,
mi vavli
?”

I shook my head. “Tell me what to do,” I pleaded.

“Part the folds open…” He let out a guttural sound of pleasure when I slowly parted the folds, one hand for each side. “Wider, more, yes…” Luka looked up. “Keep it like this. If you ever let it close, I won’t fuck you. Do you understand?”

“Y-yes.”

And then he was there, kissing me like I had always dreamt he would since the night he had “helped” me sleep. He possessed me ruthlessly with his kiss, tongue thrusting in and out before moving up to suck my clit.

My legs started to shake. “I’m…close.”

Luka responded by biting hard enough to draw blood.

I spiraled out of control, the world giving out along with my legs but Luka was there to catch me, sucking blood and cum as I reached an orgasm against his mouth. As the waves of pleasure died, he gently but firmly pulled me down, settling me on his hips in a straddling position.

And then he started to push up.

My eyes flew wide open at the thickness and length of him. “Ooomph…” I could feel myself stretching to accommodate his impossibly large and long cock, and I couldn’t help moan when he pushed all the way in, breaking into the barrier.

“Caylie.” He said it in agony.

I trembled at the need in his voice, wishing it was something he used only with me.

“Caylie.”

The sound thrilled me, and I found myself slowly pushing down to take more of him in.

“It doesn’t hurt?” he rasped out.

I shook my head.

Luka fisted my hair. “Good,” he muttered before kissing me the same time he started to move. In seconds we found a rhythm, my pussy automatically closing and squeezing his cock every time it went in. Deeper, harder, faster until the thrusts were all I lived for, my eyes rolling back under my eyelids and my body falling against his arm, completely reliant on his strength.

“Luka, Luka, Luka.”

“Yes,” he hissed. “Say you want me more than anything.”

“I do,” I cried out.

Luka groaned the same time he reached for my clit and started flicking.

“Luka!” My orgasm took me completely by surprise and I writhed hopelessly against him as the pleasure took over. He groaned, hands clamping firmly around my waist as he lifted me up and down his cock, pummeling into me in the most agonizingly blissful way. He let out a growl when he came and it triggered my own orgasm once more, and I sobbed, shattering all over again.

Please God of Caros, please let me remember this if I turn vampire.

* * * *

I woke up in my bed, remembering faintly how Luka had taken me home in the wee hours of the morning. My body was heavy and ached in the most beautiful way. I went back to sleep, deliberately pushing every thought away, hoping I could dream of being in Luka’s arms again because it was my last chance to be happy.

The intercom woke me up the second time, and a glance at the tinted windows told me it was already early in the evening. I answered the call.

“Miss Sonora, Luka Georgiades and your parents request your presence.”

“I will be right down, thank you.”

It has started.

Luka was smiling at me ever so gently, but it faded when I didn’t return his smile. Questions burned in his eyes, but Luka being his usual courteous self, he waited for my parents and his grandfather to greet me properly before bowing down to kiss my hand.

Oh, no, no, no. A Caro kissing a woman’s hand in front of witnesses was a declaration of courtship. This had to stop. Even if it broke both our hearts, it had to stop.

My parents engaged Luka’s grandfather in conversation, giving us privacy.

Luka swiftly took advantage of it, leading me to the cushions, sitting next to me and asking, “What’s wrong?”

I said nothing.

“You know why I’m here, don’t you?” His voice was silk-laced steel, cold, polite, but uncompromising.

“Yes, and I’m telling you, it’s not necessary.”

Luka frowned. “Caylie—”

I didn’t want to beat around the bush. I didn’t want to prolong the agony. So I looked up, told myself not to cry, and said very clearly, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, “I don’t want to marry you.”

Silence.

William recovered first, and he abruptly dismissed all the servants in the room with a nod.

Luka didn’t even blink. There was no sign that he was affected by my words. “I want to.”

Oh, if only that were true. But it wasn’t. Luka didn’t want to marry me. He just felt like he had to. I shook my head. “This discussion is pointless.”

“Caylie,” Catherine entreated.

I avoided her eyes. “It’s not what I want.”

“But you did what you did,” my father snapped. “And now, you have to pay the consequences.”

Luka cupped my face, making me look at him. He was so, so beautiful. I would never tire of looking at his face. “Why, Caylie?” His voice was as tender as the softest wind. “Don’t you believe I can make you happy?”

I choked back a sob. “I just don’t want to. Why can’t you accept that?”

Luka looked at me, saw the pain I was in and pulled me up with him from the cushions. “We need a private moment,” he said. Without waiting for the others’ agreement, he took me to the balcony, closing the doors so that this time only the dark starless skies would be our witness.

Everything seemed too silent
, I thought numbly. Normally, you would hear noise…but not tonight. Even the humans seemed to have instinctively recognized the dangers that surrounded them, no matter if they were unseen.

Luka said quietly, “Give me a good reason why I shouldn’t insist on the marriage. If I deem it valid, I’ll let you go.”

“It’s not just your call to make, Luka.”

“It is in this case.” He paused. “I can make you happy, Caylie—”

But I can’
t, I thought. I shook my head. “That’s not the issue.”

“I think it is and you just don’t want to admit it.” Luka took a step closer, cupping my face again. He lowered his head. “Caylie—”

I tried to pull away but it was a half-hearted effort. He tried to kiss me but I twisted my head away. “No, Luka!” But it was too late. Luka captured my face again and this time his lips touched mine. It was a feather-soft touch, but it reached the deepest core in me, making my body shake.

“Why are you pushing me away?” he asked hoarsely.

I hated being the one to cause the hurt in his eyes, but I would hate myself more if I were the cause of his destruction. Our race needed him far more than they needed me, and I would never forgive myself if I became the reason Luka’s ambition didn’t come true.

My head bowed as I prepared to twist the sharpest knife into Luka’s heart. Vengeance was going to be mine, after all. It just so happened that I didn’t want it any longer.

“Let go of me.” I said it so coldly Luka’s hands fell away. I felt bereft and scolded myself for feeling so. It was a feeling I had to be used to from now on. “What I did yesterday…” I took a deep breath. “It’s like a goodbye thing, you know?” My throat ached.

Luka’s eyes flashed. “Why would you say goodbye?”

“Because…” I gestured to the night as if he’d understand everything I wanted to but couldn’t say with just that move. “Because I don’t believe you’re going to live past the upcoming war. And I can’t be married to you because you’ll put my family in danger.” I wanted to cry when I saw the naked hurt in Luka’s face, the flash of betrayal.