Page 72 of Land of Shadow

“You don’t have a heart.”

He smirks, a cruel twist of his lips that makes my stomach flutter. “I’ve been told that before, but I assure you I do.” His hand slides lower until it’s cupping my breast. “I have desires. Dreams. Nightmares.” He runs his thumb along my nipple, and it hardens at the touch.

My entire body heats, desire fizzing through me in an effervescent haze. Why am I not pushing him away? Because I’m weak. Weak and worn out. I don’t know who I am in this moment. Don’t know what I want.

“My blood calls to you, too,kedves verem.” His fingers twine in my hair, and he pulls my head back until he’s staring down into my eyes. “You feel it.”

“I—”

He claims my mouth. Not gently, not anything except predatory and possessive. It steals my breath, my heart pounding as he swipes his tongue against mine, an animalistic growl in his throat.

I can’t think. Can’t do anything except feel him, his hard body pressing against mine as his mouth takes me over in a searing kiss. He angles my head, deepening it as he tongues me. I grip his shirt, my body tingling, my mind humming with need and nothing else. There’s no room for any other thought.

He holds me tightly and takes, and takes, and takes. And heaven help me, it feels so good. So delicious. I open wider for him, our tongues tasting and teasing. It’s heaven and it’s hell. But I can’t stop.

Laying me back, he doesn’t break our kiss as he lifts my shirt, his hand finding my breast again. When he twists my nipple, I arch against him. Now his growl is deeper, rumbling through his chest and into mine.

Pressing a thigh between my legs, he settles on top of me. When I feel his thick length against my thigh, I moan. He swallows the sound, his hand still at my breast, teasing my nipple until I’m writhing at his touch.

I have no rational thought, no reasoning, nothing but a desperate need that courses through me, tightening a coil inside me until it’s ready to spring free. It’s been so long, so desperately long since I’ve been touched like this. Since I’vewantedto be touched like this. But with him, it’s more than simple want. It’s all-encompassing. It’s the feeling I’ve been fighting for months now. Invited to dance with the devil. Refusing, and refusing, and refusing until it’s all too much, too fucking intriguing to say no.

He moves his other leg between mine. When his hard cock presses against my clit, I buck at the sudden sensation. I’m on fire, blazing from the touch of his skin against mine.

He pulls back, his feline gaze capturing me in the dark. “I’ve wanted this from the moment I saw you.” His voice is gravel, rough and thick.

I run my hands along his chest. He reaches back and grips his shirt, then yanks it over his head and tosses it away. I feel his heartbeat, strong beneath his smooth skin and hard muscle. He’s warm and alive and so beautiful in the dark. He takes my mouth again, his body pressed to mine as I wrap my legs around his waist. With a rough tug, he pulls my shirt up and leans down, his lips fastening to one of my nipples.

I dig my nails into his shoulders as he sucks and licks, his tongue exploring first one breast, then the other. Every touch sends me higher, my body teetering on the edge. I want him, all of him. I don’t care about anything else. Just the pleasure, the release, the respite from all the pain.

He grabs a handful of my hair and pulls, forcing me to arch for him, his mouth at my breast, his cock so hard against my throbbing clit. I moan as he licks the valley between my breasts then fastens his lips to my throat.

“Valen,” I rock my hips against him, desperate for friction. I could come just from this, from his touch, his mouth.

He jolts, then pulls back. His fangs are long now, sharp and deadly, and there’s a smudge of red on his lips. Fear begins to douse the flames, and the reality of blood on his mouth is a cold slap to the face.

What the hell am I doing?

“Valen?” I swipe my fingers along my throat, and they come away bloody. “Get off me!” I yank my shirt down.

“Georgia, I didn’t?—”

“Off!” I scream.

He sighs and gets to his feet. “I didn’t intend to?—”

“You didn’t intend to fucking bite me?” I put a hand to my neck and scoot up until my back is against the headboard. “God, what am I doing?” I close my eyes and take a deep breath. “This was a mistake. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I had the nightmare, and then …”

“You want me.” He stares down at me, his pale skin like perfectly-carved marble in the low light.

I pull my blanket up to my chin. “Please go.” Shame burns me like a brand. I’m so fucking pathetic, so desperate for some sort of affection that I almost let a monster inside me. This isn’t who I am. “Wait, is this you? Did you do this to me? You can make people do things. That’s what Gage said.”

He pulls his shirt on, then gives me a look so icy that I force myself not to flinch. “You think I’ve done something to make you want me?”

I don’t respond, but I suppose that’s answer enough.

He leans down and puts his hands on either side of the headboard. His mouth is so close that my lips tingle from the memory of his kiss. “You want me, Georgia. Not because of something I’ve done, but because of who you are. Don’t fool yourself into thinking this is anything else.” He pushes off and stalks from the room, then slams the door to the stairs on his way out.

“God.” I press my palms to my face and take deep breaths. My mind is finally in charge, but my body still hums at a low level, simmering when I want it to be stone cold.

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