He couldn’t even answer me. Instead, he tried to fight me off to continue up the stairs. The second wave hit, and my dick thickened even more. Every muscle in my body tensed as my mouth watered and my skin tingled. Holy shit. It was Ilaria. She was going into her heat. And every unmated male vampire in this place was about to give into their sexual instincts as predators and try to be the one to satisfy her needs. A possessive and furious roar shocked the mansion, shocking the males’ bodies into slight submission when they realised it came from me. In a split second, I had shoved myself through the crowds and found myself at the top step of the second floor. Fuck. What was she doing on the enchanted floor?
I realised I didn’t have time to think when I saw two male vampires fighting each other to gain access to one of the rooms. I stepped over the threshold of magic, my clawed hand plunging into one of their chests before they noticed me and ripped out his heart while I catapulted the other over the bannister. Another assault of pheromones and my knees buckled as I grabbed the handle of the door, ripping it off with my strength by accident. A pained moan followed by a whimper came from the other side of it and my own instincts to claim what was mine powered through my body. I kicked the door in with my boot and stepped into the room. The scent of her was so powerful and beautiful, I almost came in my trousers. My eyes widened when I saw her body thrashing on the bed, her hand between her legs and her back arched as she wrestled to satisfy herself. But it would be futile. A female vampire in her needing phase could only ever be satisfied by a male fucking her.
Another male vampire came out of nowhere, attempting to bulldoze past me to get to her and I grabbed his hair, yanking him back into my chest as I pulled out my knife from my boot to slit his throat.
“MINE!” I bellowed before casting his body aside and diving towards her. With her eyes squeezed shut and her fangs digging into her plump bottom lip, sweat covered every inch of her skin. Fighting my need to take her right there, my possessiveness and determination to protect what was only meant for me took charge as I lifted her in my arms.
“Luka,” she moaned in her delusional state as her hands found their way into my hair, attempting to pull my lips to hers. “I need you! It hurts so much. Please,” she cried and my heart thundered.
“I’ve got you,” I growled, barely able to speak through the thickness of my throat. Knowing I had no other way out, I opened the sliding doors to the balcony and jumped off it, landing in the garden with her writhing body in my arms. Using my vampire speed, I ran for miles down the road but the urge to stop and fuck her into the dirt was affecting my agility and balance. But I couldn’t risk it. I needed her as far away from that event as possible. I saw a car speeding towards us and stood in the middle of the road as the headlights flashed. The car screeched to a halt. Racing to the driver’s door, I yanked it open with one hand and grabbed the human by the front of his shirt as he screamed. I chucked him out. He scrambled away from me at the sight of my face and I practically threw Ilaria over to the passenger seat before diving in and slamming the door shut.
Ilaria whimpered next to me, her hands gripping my bicep as my grip tightened on the steering wheel and I slammed my foot on the accelerator, causing the engine to roar to life.
“Luka,” she pleaded, clawing at my skin and her own as she panted. She ripped the wig off her head, allowing her blonde hair to spill out over her shoulder. “What’s happening?”
I turned to stare at her with surprise. She didn’t know? Which meant this must be her first one. Of course it was. Pure-blooded females only went into their needing once a year and normally only after they had met their soulmate. It was the only time a female vampire was fertile. I swore loudly, hitting my hand against the leather steering wheel.
“You’re in your heat, Ilaria.”
“What?” She groaned as another wave of pain and arousal crashed through her, projecting her scent and need into the contained space of the car. I growled, pressing the buttons to lower all the windows so I could try to think clearly. “No. This can’t be happening.”
“Well, it fucking is.”
“No. We can’t do this, Luka. Don’t you dare fuck me! I don’t want to get pregnant,” she whimpered, squeezing her thighs together as she kicked off her shoes.
I groaned, feeling my cock throbbing.
“Which is why I’m taking you back to your grandparents’ castle,” I hissed, feeling the words stabbing at me like knives. If we were separated now, I would suffer withdrawal pains that would be a living nightmare. But she would be in horrendous agony until it passed, which could be days if she wasn’t satisfied. But what choice did I have? I wouldn’t fuck her after her telling me that.
“No!” she screamed, rolling on the seat as her face scrunched in pain and I growled through my fangs. “I need you! I need you to fuck me!”
“Fucking hell, Ilaria! Make up your mind, woman!”
“Where has Heathen gone?”
My head whipped around to stare at her in shock. “What?”
“Heathen. He was there. In that room with us. He was—” Her voice choked on a gasp as her fingers slid between her legs and her back arched. I nearly crashed the damn car as I forgot to look back at the road for far too long.
My nostrils flared and my grip tightened on the steering wheel as I realised it was the magic creating the illusion of him when I found her pleasuring herself on that bed. “He wasn’t real, Ilaria. The enchantment on the floor made you believe you were living out your darkest fantasies.”
“That’s so cruel! You were both going to fuck me!” she cried out in pure frustration, and I let out a grunt of disbelief. Now definitely wasn’t the time to have this conversation. She practically cried in response as she wrestled with her body to create more friction. I closed my eyes briefly to hold on to my fucking sanity and not pull the car over to pound into her on the bonnet. I felt her tug one of my arms away from the steering wheel and she moved at the speed of light, forcing herself onto my lap.
“What are you—” My words choked on a groan as she started rocking herself against my steel cock, grinding on me over my leather trousers as I tried to keep control.
“I need to come,” was all she kept saying as she moved faster, creating more friction and moaning and shaking on top of me. I bit the inside of my cheeks, drawing blood into my mouth as I tried to keep my focus on driving but allowing her to dry hump the fuck out of me. “Oh, Luka!” she moaned as her orgasm had her trembling, her nails sinking into my shoulders and drawing blood as I growled through the pleasurable pain. As the orgasm subsided, her body slumped against mine, falling still as she rested her head against my shoulder.
“It’s over,” she whispered with relief and a small, evil chuckle rumbled from me.
“It’s not. After every orgasm, you’ll feel a bit better until it starts again, but it will come back even stronger,” I explained, lifting my hips to pull out the phone from my pocket. I called her Grandma’s number and put it on speakerphone as Ilaria closed her eyes, falling into a light, exhausted sleep.
“Hello?” Maddy’s voice came through a little unsure, knowing it was me.
“Ilaria is in her heat,” I said quickly, cutting straight to the point.
“What?” she whisper-yelled and I heard her walking away and then closing a door. “Where is she?”
“With me now. I am driving her back to you.”