Page 36 of The Vampire Always Rises
“And I want to help you with it! Don’t give me that look—you’re not thinking things through properly.” I clutched the elevator doors tightly. “Who knows Carlo? I do. Who would recognize him if she saw him in a crowd? I would. Who can help you find him? That’s right, me.”
“How?” he asked, his expression wary.
I waved my hands around in an attempt to distract him from the fact that I really hadn’t a clue what I was talking about. “He’s ... he’s family. That will help me find him.”
Merrick gave a disbelieving snort and pried one of my hands from the door.
Desperately, I grabbed at the first thing I could think of. “What about eating? If you’re going to be gone longer than a few hours, you’re going to need to eat, aren’t you? C. J. Dante says that now that we’ve hooked up, you can’t feed elsewhere.”
His eyes narrowed, and I could feel him thinking that through. I braced for him to deny again that we had a physical connection, but instead, he said, “There are other sources of food.”
“Such as?” I asked, a spike of jealousy zinging through me.
“Animals. We can feed from them if we have to.”
“Ew.” I wrinkled my nose. “That sounds unpleasant, and can I point out how insulting it is that you’d rather eat from some cow or horse or whatever you find to guzzle in order to avoid me?”
“It’s not ideal, but if it’s what has to be done, then so be it.” He pried my other hand off the door, but rather than pushing me out of the elevator, he wrapped both hands around me and pulled me up against his chest, his mouth on mine before I could even gasp in joy. Instantly, my body went into pure celebration mode, sending off little fireworks and starting up the brass band of welcome.
You sure do know how to kiss,I moaned into his mind at the same time I pulled his shirt out of his pants, running my hands all over the lovely planes of his back.I’d like to thank each and every one of those women who you’ve had relationships with over all the centuries, because the work they did has paid off.
Normally women are jealous of any past partners,he pointed out, a sense of amusement in the back of his head.Trust you to turn that upside down and want to thank them.
Why shouldn’t I? It’s not like you’re cheating on me to go learn how to kiss. Also, could you please do that thing with your left hand again?
His hand, which had slipped down into the bodice of my dress, was currently engaged in tormenting my right breast, his thumb gently stroking my nipple while his fingertips grazed the underside of my breast.
“You must stay here,” he said, his mouth hot on my jaw and neck. “I’ll know you’re safe if you’re here.”
“But I can help you. Oh, grape juice, not the spot behind my ear. That’s ... it’s like kryptonite. My knees go weak when you nibble there.”
He nibbled, his arms strong around me when my legs gave way. He turned so that my back was up against the wall of the elevator, the cold of the metal on my back a stark contrast to the hot man pressing against me.
I won’t be able to do my job if I’m worried about your safety,he said.
I don’t know why you’re so convinced that someone is going to want to harm me, but I appreciate it. I also dispute it. Let me help you, Merrick. Let me help find my dad’s cousin so he can be locked away where he can’t hurt anyone. Let me do something good. Let me into your life.
You are in my life,he said with a growl, and instantly, I was filled with hunger, a need for him, for us to be joined together, for the life to flow between us.
You say that like it’s a problem. Bite me!
His teeth pierced the flesh of my neck, that fraction of a second’s pain fading instantly away to a heat that flowed down my neck and settled deep in my belly.
I squirmed against him, both hands now desperate to touch all of him. His hands left my breasts, and slid down my hips to my thighs, where they found their way under my dress.
“You don’t—we’re not—you can’t—oh, merciful joy of all beings, yes! You won’t hurt your back doing this?”
I writhed against him as his clever, clever fingers managed to divest me of my underwear. His mouth moved around to my shoulder, where he bit a second time, pushing me almost to an orgasm just by the pleasure that he was feeling from the act.
Luckily, he managed to get his fly undone, because I was a mindless ball of erogenous putty in his hands.
Wrap your legs around me,he instructed, lifting me up a few inches.
I’ve never done this standing up,I managed to babble into his mind, locking my feet together around his back.This is so ... so wicked! Can I bite you?
His eyes flashed a pale icy blue at the moment he slid into my body.Bite me where?
I don’t care. I want to do the blood exchange, Merrick. I want to be your Beloved properly. I want all the steps.
