HeatintheNight Read online

  “Blunt your claws, tigress. I felt you coming too,” he purred. “I see from your aura that you’re well fed.”

  She nodded. After her feeding on the previous night she wouldn’t need live human prey for at least a couple of days. She sensed Bron had fueled up too. “I drank a unit of bagged blood this afternoon, so I won’t get hungry even for that until tomorrow night.”

  His palms skimmed along her flanks. “Fine, we can go nonstop until morning. Ready for another round?” Nuzzling her neck to sample her scent, he said, “As if I couldn’t tell.”

  With his cock still half erect inside her, she felt a twinge of renewed arousal. After squeezing him with her inner muscles once, though, she climbed off him and stood up. “We might as well move someplace more comfortable.”

  He stood, curved both arms around her and scooped her off the floor. A squeak of surprise escaped her but she relaxed, wrapped her arms around his neck and let him carry her along the short hall. On the way she glimpsed the kitchen they wouldn’t use and a screened deck with a hot tub, which had interesting possibilities for later. The bedroom had a king-sized bed with satin sheets already turned down. When Bron placed her there, Ingrid stretched her arms above her head and wiggled invitingly.

  Having made it through the first “round”, she felt less apprehensive about having him for a mate. He could sense her emotions, of course, as long as she made no effort to shield them, just as she could pick up his. Fortunately, though, he hadn’t caught anything from her except raw lust. The unsuitable feelings she’d been afraid he would notice could remain hidden.

  His next words shook her confidence in that assumption. “My fierce tigress, were you completely satisfied? Or was there something else you wanted from me?”

  She squashed a spike of alarm. “What are you talking about? It was totally ravishing. You’re an excellent ravisher.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” He bared his teeth in a wry grin. “Yet I sense that even if your body is sated, you aren’t content for some reason. What is it?”

  If she could have blushed like a human female, she would have. Instead, she avoided his eyes and murmured, “Nothing. It’s silly.” More than that, it was positively idiotic for her to judge his technique by the descriptions of sex in the romance novels she’d read out of curiosity. “Falling in love” the way humans claimed to do had no place in the mating behavior of her kind.

  He cupped her chin and tilted her head up. “Nonsense. I won’t think that about anything you desire. My mission is to please you completely.” When she hesitated, he tightened his grip and his voice roughened. “Tell me.”

  “Okay, if you insist.” She’d probably never have another night with him, so why not take full advantage of this chance? “Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve wondered about lovemaking the way books and movies show it. It would be interesting to try some of those, uh, embellishments.”

  “Oh you want foreplay?” He ran a finger down her torso between her breasts to her navel.

  Chapter Three

  She couldn’t help squirming. A fresh trickle of wetness seeped from her slit. “Yes, I guess that’s what you’d call it.”

  “My wish is your command.” He leaned over her, almost caging her with an arm on each side. “What shall we do first?”

  “How about kissing?” Aside from a few pecks on the cheek from her foster grandparents, she had never experienced that.

  “Intriguing notion. All this will be new to me too. You must bear with my amateur efforts.”

  A laugh bubbled from her. He silenced it with the kiss she’d demanded. With a gasp, she parted her lips and clutched his shoulders. His tongue teased the edges of her mouth. Her tongue darted to meet it. Lust made all parts of her body as sensitive as thirst did, making her lips tingle as he sampled them from every angle. His lips felt like fire and ice in dizzying alternation and tasted like ruby port. The tingle radiated along her nerves. When she stroked the silken pelt on his chest, the tiny hairs in her palm bristled. She arched her back to press her mound against his growing erection.

  Breaking off the kiss, he nipped her neck with a growl that vibrated through her, scraping but not piercing the skin. “Are you sure we need more foreplay? I have another cockstand already.”

  “Just a little more.” She could hardly speak for panting. “It’s very—interesting.”

  “That it is. What next?”

  “My breasts. Touch, lick.”

  “Very well, touch first.” Leaning on one elbow, he skimmed his fingertips over both taut nipples.

  They pebbled up even firmer. “More.”

  Cupping one breast, he swirled his thumb around the nipple. “Like this, perhaps?”

  “Exactly,” she breathed.

  He shifted to the opposite side. At the same time, he flicked his tongue over the other nipple. His fingers and tongue seared her, while his legs on either side of her thighs felt cool. No wonder, since her flesh felt ready to go up in flames.

  Her hips undulated as her nails dug into his shoulders in a desperate attempt to anchor herself.

  “Shall I touch you somewhere else? Lower, maybe?”

  She gasped out a wordless reply that he took for agreement. His fingers trailed down the front of her body to her mound. A fiery track seemed to follow in their wake. When her legs involuntarily spread wide, he slipped his hand between them.

  “My clitoris,” she whispered. “It needs rubbing.”

  He swirled around her clit. It tightened and her inner muscles rippled. He flicked that burning spot with torturously light touches, wrenching a groan from her. He dipped into her channel, only to withdraw and return to fondling the swollen bud. Sparks ignited deep inside her, half delight and half torture.

  Unlike a human female, she wasn’t wired to reach orgasm that way. She needed penetration. “Enough,” she whimpered. “Come in.”

  “Not quite yet. I like driving you into a frenzy, even if my cock does feel about to burst.”

  Snarling, she lunged upward to bite his arm. The metallic tang of his blood sizzled in her mouth.

  She pulled back and froze. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. No vampire drank from another without permission, for that act amounted to treating one of their own kind like prey.

  He stopped caressing her to stroke her hair instead. His eyes glowed as red as his aura. “Don’t be, little tigress. I rather like the feel of your teeth. Sip all you want. In fact, I admit I’m also curious about how you would taste.”

  Her heart raced at the thought. Yes, she had to admit similar curiosity. She wondered whether another vampire’s blood would enhance sex the same way a victim’s passion enhanced feeding. She lapped the wound she’d made while his hand wandered back to the aching cavity between her legs. His blood burned down her throat and warmed her core.

  The tip of his cock eased into her channel but paused in spite of her eager writhing. “May I drink from you also?” he prompted. “It’s only fair.”

  She would agree to anything if only he would thrust deep into her and quench her need. But she grasped at a shred of sanity and protested, “Then we’d be bonded.” She had bonded with her adviser, of course, trading sips of blood in a mere formality for teaching purposes. Forging the same tie with Bron would be much more intimate, far beyond one night of sexual frolic.

  “Well, yes, friends sometimes do that.” He glided into her and slowly pulled almost completely out.

  She hooked her legs around his to force him deeper. Mutual blood-sharing would let them read each other’s thoughts, not just emotions. Her mind would lie bare to his except when she purposely blocked him. He’ll find out I’m in love with him.

  What was she thinking? Vampires didn’t fall in love. That was a sentimental human illusion. Granted, she knew of a few members of her species who’d taken human lovers in exclusive relationships but she’d never heard of two vampires entering such a union.

  “What’s wrong?” Bron’s voice turned gentle as he smoothed her hair b
ack from her forehead and rocked his pelvis against hers.

  Waves of excitement rushed through her, almost drowning her dismay at her own bizarre thoughts. “Nothing. Bonding is a serious choice. Should we make it at a time like this?”

  His arousal surged along with hers, pouring over her like a tsunami. “Maybe not right this second.”

  Her hips lifted from the bed as he pounded into her. Her sheath contracted around his shaft and she soared to the peak, carrying him with her.

  When her vision cleared, his head was resting on her shoulder, their bodies still joined. “Now we can decide,” he said. “I want to bond with you. Here, you go first.” He slashed his wrist with his own teeth and pressed it to her mouth.

  His blood sparkled on her tongue. His lips grazed her throat above the pulse point. “Your heart is still racing,” he murmured. “I’m going to drink from you now unless you stop me.”

  She almost spoke up. How could she reject him, though? Their friendship would never be the same. Still, it wouldn’t be the same if he learned her feelings, either. Then let me enjoy this moment while we have it.

  His teeth pierced her skin. She breathed a long sigh as electricity zapped from that spot to every nerve in her body. While still savoring the taste of his blood, she caught the flavor of hers on his tongue as well. Along with the fullness of his cock inside her, she also felt his pleasure in being sheathed there. Her skin prickled with his sensations and hers mingled in delirious confusion.

  This is incredible. His voice reverberated in her head. So much more intense than I imagined.

  Echoing his thoughts, she wrapped her arms and legs tighter around him and rocked her hips for the thrill of feeling each movement and contraction from both sides.

  Your mind feels so soft and welcoming. I wish I could nestle in it forever. The joy in his mental voice would have brought tears to her eyes if vampires could cry.

  So do I. But our kind don’t do that, do we? She suppressed the next thought. She couldn’t form the words “I love you”. That human sentiment would surely repel him.

  Do what? The tone of his question held apprehension as well as curiosity.

  Stay together permanently.

  Would you want that? When she recoiled, he probed more sharply. Why are you withdrawing from me?

  Too late to hide her weakness. Because I don’t want to ruin our friendship. I have feelings you’d find distasteful. That’s why I didn’t want you in my mind.

  He lifted his head from her throat, eased his wrist away from her mouth and gazed into her eyes. “Nothing you could feel would be distasteful to me.”

  “All right, you might as well hear it now as later. I wouldn’t be able to hide it forever anyway. I’m in love with you.” She pushed him off and rolled on her side, hugging her knees to her chest. “Like a starry-eyed human female.”

  “Oh.” Stunned, he didn’t broadcast any other emotion she could read. Instead, he infiltrated her brain and sifted her thoughts as if shuffling through an old-fashioned card file. She had to steel herself to keep from slamming her mind shut. “You didn’t want to mate with me because you wanted it too much? What kind of logic is that, for hell’s sake?”

  “Do you blame me? It’s changed things already. We’re fighting over it.”

  “We’re fighting because you’re acting like an idiot—and I don’t mean by talking about love.” He placed a hand on her shoulder.

  She flinched. “Love is a human illusion.”

  “More of the wisdom of the elders?” Scorn laced the words. “Don’t swallow it whole. Are the way Doris and Allen took care of you or the love you’ve seen them share all these years illusions?”

  “It’s different for them. They’re human, not solitary predators.”

  “Exactly, so why should we submit to the party line? If I want to make a long-term commitment with you, I’ll damn well do it.” He draped an arm and leg over her, his half-erect organ nudging her bottom.

  “I’m in an abnormal condition and my pheromones are clouding your mind. How can we trust anything we think or feel at this moment?”

  His hand roamed over her flanks, then wandered up to her breasts, making her shiver. “I hated the thought of any other male touching you long before your pheromones confused me. And now I can’t imagine wanting any other female. Who else would let me indulge in all that kissing and caressing?”

  Surprise distracted her from her anxiety. “You liked the kissing and caressing?”

  With a soft laugh, he fondled her nipples before trailing his fingers lower. “Remember, this is my first mating too. I’ve already imprinted on that style of dalliance. Nothing else would fully satisfy me.” The warmth emanating from him left no doubt of his sincerity. His arm tightened around her waist. “I already feel you belong to me and I can’t stand the idea of sharing you.”

  As much as she wanted to believe that claim, Ingrid couldn’t shake the fear that they were both deluded by lust. “Again, pheromones talking.” She undulated against his erection.

  He sighed and cupped her mound, grazing her clit and making her insides quiver. “Stubborn, aren’t you? Where’s the logic in arguing against what you want? Yes, I’m hard again. That’s easy to fix.” Without warning, he parted her slick folds and thrust in.

  She arched her back with a cry of startled pleasure while he plunged to the hilt. Their minds merging in the whirlwind of passion, she felt pressure mounting in his loins at the same time her own need built to its peak and she sensed him immersed in her sensations. Within seconds they spiraled upward together and lost themselves in ecstasy.

  Long minutes later, their pulses calmed and their nerves stopped vibrating. “Now that we’re both sated for the moment,” he said, “will you listen to me? I think I love you.”

  She wiggled against him and dug her nails into the arm wrapped around her. “Some romantic declaration! You think?”

  “The evidence points that way.” His lips skimmed her hair. “I’ve cared for you ever since I found you and restored you to our world. I don’t want any other mate and can’t accept the idea of any other male having you. I want us to spend our lives together, no more of this intermittent friendship thing.”

  “They’ll be awfully long lives.” As Bron had mentioned, he was still considered young at a century and a half.

  “Even ephemerals, with all their vast experience in romance and marriage, can’t guarantee how long their unions will last. Each hour, night and year is the same length no matter what our lifespans.”

  She turned toward him and snuggled into his embrace. “Now you’re spouting wisdom of the elders?”

  He laughed. “Wisdom of some members of our species who’ve fallen in love with ephemerals. If they can form permanent ties across species, the two of us should be able to forge a lasting bond.”

  “You realize there won’t be any more sex for years after tonight. Not like this, anyhow.”

  “We can still share touching and tasting. With luck, we’ll discover pleasures we never suspected were possible. Considering how sensual feeding from human prey can be, think how intense two of our kind could make it for each other. I look forward to the experiment.”

  “What if I get pregnant?” Very unlikely at her first estrus, but possible.

  “Then we’ll shatter convention and raise the child together until he or she transfers into the care of a mentor. If we’re going to shock Morella and our entire race, let’s do it thoroughly.”

  She stretched, rubbing against him. “Now what?”

  “Now we take a quick shower—very quick, I’m stiffening again—and I resume ravishing you. Tomorrow night we begin our life together.”

  Enveloped in the swirling crimson cloud of his aura blended with hers, she sealed the pact with a kiss.

  About Margaret L. Carter

  Marked for life by reading Dracula at the age of twelve, Margaret L. Carter specializes in the literature of fantasy and the supernatural, particularly vampires. She’s received
degrees in English from the College of William and Mary, the University of Hawaii and the University of California. She is a 2000 Eppie Award winner in horror and, with her husband, retired Navy Captain Leslie Roy Carter, she coauthored a fantasy novel.

  Margaret welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

  Tell Us What You Think

  We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email the author directly or you can email us at [email protected] (when contacting Customer Service, be sure to state the book title and author).

  Also by Margaret L. Carter

  Bear Hugs

  Calling Back Love

  Dragon’s Tribute

  Ellora’s Cavemen: Legendary Tails II anthology

  Foxfire

  Heart Diamond

  Lion’s Bower

  Love Unleashed

  New Flame

  Night Flight

  Prince of the Hollow Hills

  Song from the Abyss

  Sweeter Than Wine

  Tall, Dark and Deadly

  Tentacles of Love

  Virgin Blood

  Weird Wedding Guest

  Wizard’s Trap

  Print Books by Margaret L. Carter

  Ellora’s Cavemen: Legendary Tails II anthology

  Even Naughtier Nuptials anthology

  Love Notes anthology

  Love Unleashed

  Maiden Flights Midnight Treat anthology

  Night Flames

  Prince of the Hollow Hills

  Succulent anthology

  Transformations anthology

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing

  www.ellorascave.com

  Heat in the Night

  ISBN 9781419949197

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Heat in the Night Copyright © 2014 Margaret L. Carter