Embrace the Dark (The Blood Rose #1)(14)
Author: Caris Roane

I feel your vibration, she said, tapping his telepathic frequency.

How does it feel?

Wonderful. It’s made my lips and tongue tingle.

Her mouth began to close around him and this time when he withdrew she suckled him. His back arched and he almost came.

He withdrew and took a series of strong breaths.

She didn’t move. He believed she understood his dilemma.

“Imagine,” she said at last.

He looked down at her. “Imagine what?”

“Imagine, I just had so much to eat, and yet I’m still hungry.”

He chuckled.

“Now, why don’t you stretch out on your side and let me feed you bits of fruit and cheese.”

He ended up curling his large body around hers. She took her time and placed a slice of strawberry on his tongue. Then a little jack cheese. Apple and cheddar. Figs and gorgonzola. She handed him his glass of wine.

He drank.

She ate as well and drank.

He touched her waist and slid his hand down to caress her bottom. She arched as though it gave her pleasure so he kept his hand low.

When moisture collected at the tips and threatened to drip down her back, he wiped at her hair.

She did the same for him.

He was surprised how hungry he was, even more so when the plate of food was finally gone.

He stared at the barren grape cluster. He had long-forgotten his wish to sit in his chair and drink whisky. This was better. He was feeling stronger.

He slipped off the bed, and took the tray to the stand near the door. He headed back but almost stumbled.

She was on her knees now, still on the bed, still very naked, and one hand rubbing between her thighs. Her gaze raked his body. So he moved slower, letting her look. He understood what the sight of his Guard body could do to a woman, the heavy muscles, his c**k partially erect and growing.

Her gaze slipped over his pecs. Her lips parted. They were nearly ruby red as she licked them. Her gaze fell, dropping down his abs. She leaned forward slightly still fondling herself.

It appeared she was still hungry.

He rounded the bed and she knee-walked over to the side. Fortunately, the bed wasn’t too tall, which meant she didn’t have far to go. She planted her hands on his hips and lowered her head.

He was pretty sure that for any man, this was one of the most beautiful sights in the world, in any world, vampire, fae, troll, elven or human. Yes, any world.

She sucked him, licked him, swirled her tongue. He was upright now, hard as a rock. The food had been a good idea. He’d needed nourishment especially since his blood-starvation was reaching a critical point. He would need blood within twenty-four hours or he would become too weak to do anything, even to take blood. This could mean a quick slide toward death for any vampire.

For now, though, he was safe, but barely.

Her hands drifted down the sides of his legs, back up, around his bu**ocks. She squeezed. He groaned.

He couldn’t believe this was happening, a woman in his room after all these decades. But this was what he’d needed, food and sex, and she’d delivered for no other reason than that she’d perceived his need and appreciated what he did for his people.

She leaned back on her heels and looked up at him. “There’s something I want to tell you.”

“What’s that?” He stroked her cheek, thumbed the lips that had been suckling him.

“I’ve been seeing a doctor for the past year, since about the time I started coming to Merhaine.”

He frowned. “Are you ill?”

“Not exactly. I have a blood condition none of the Arizona specialists can figure out. But I’ve wondered if my coming to Merhaine has had something to do with it.”

His mouth quirked. “So, because you’ve been around vampires and other folk who need and enjoy the sharing of blood, you think your blood condition has something to do with that?”

“Maybe. But for the past year I’ve had what feels to me like lumpish blood.”

He chuckled. “What do you mean ‘lumpish’?”

“I suppose it’s a strange word choice. Maybe more like sluggish. And my heart would pound as well. Both sensations, however, made me wonder what was going on, so I got checked out and that’s when the doctor started taking my blood.”

“You mean to have it tested?”

She shook her head. “To drain me of excess. It would seem I create excess blood for a human.”

He jerked forward. He couldn’t have heard right. “You produce too much blood and your medical doctor drains you of it?”

She nodded. “Yes, at certain times, especially after I’ve been to Merhaine. And it really feels that way right now.” She took his hand and pressed it against the center of her chest between her br**sts.

Her heart was pounding. He frowned. “I don’t understand. Exactly how much blood would he take at any given time?” He thought maybe an ounce or two.

She drew a deep breath and said, “A pint.”

He really couldn’t have heard right. His balls tingled and his c**k got even a little harder. She swept her hair away from the side of her neck. He weaved on his feet.

“I’m thinking maybe you could relieve me of some of that blood now.”

A pint of blood, her lumpish blood, her pounding heart, his f**king blood-starvation.

Oh, damn all wraiths to hell, he needed this. “Are you sure?” His voice was hoarse like it had been shredded.

“Gerrod, is it normal for a specie different from vampires to create extra blood?”

He shook his head very slowly. “I’ve never heard of it before.”

She scooted back on the bed, then stretched out, her damp hair still shoved away from her neck. She turned her head slightly. “I can feel the vein thumping away. Gerrod, will you try an experiment with me? Will you take some of my blood? I know you need some right now.”

“Gus told you.”

“I saw the tremor in your hand.”

“Shit.”

She met his gaze. “It is what it is, and I have weird blood. Would you at least try? Maybe right now I’m what you need and I really think you’re what I need.” It didn’t help that she slowly parted her legs.

He chuffed a hoarse sound, something like a growl, then crawled over her body, lying between her legs. “You’ve had experience?”

She smiled. “I had a boyfriend a few years ago. We enjoyed each other. A lot.”

He wasn’t as satisfied with this response as perhaps he should have been. He didn’t like the idea of her with another man, any man, ever, not in the past, not in the future. He was being ridiculous since essentially, based on what she had said to him, this was what the humans called a one-night stand.