Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

Dawn Montgomery

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Copyright ©2009 Dawn Montgomery

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Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

Dawn Montgomery

The un-life sucks when you’re the only female vampire in the world allergic to
chocolate.

When a wizard with a penchant for kitchen magic comes to town, however, things
take a delicious and sinful turn. Especially when he puts himself on the menu.

Chocolate goes well with… everything.

Chapter One

Raine flipped over the menu and shoved the paper in front of my view. “Why

are you torturing yourself?”

I flashed fang at her and she rolled her eyes. “Vamp someone else, honey. You

know you can’t have chocolate.”

I sighed and pushed the paper out of the way. The display case was full of

chocolate decadence of every grade and color. I moaned and scratched my nails against

the glass. If someone would have told me becoming a vampire would have caused a

recessive food allergy to develop, I would have chosen staying alive over being undead.

Not that I had much choice in the first place. My mouth watered. Just one bite. I could

take a nibble.

“Forget about it. The last time you did that you scared off my customers with

your undead… death.” Raine shooed me away, but my eyes remained fixated on my

goal.

“It really sucks having a psychic friend.”

“Seriously, you’re going to make me quit my job if you don’t stop drooling over

my glass displays. Besides, you’re creeping out my customers.”

I sighed. She was probably right. I licked my lips and dragged my gaze away

from the chocolates I’d never get to enjoy again. “I’d do just about anything to be able to

eat chocolate again.”

Raine shook her head, and her eyes took on that unfocused glaze I’d come to

know so well. “You shouldn’t have said that. Slapped fate in the face with your vow.

You should be careful what you wish for.”

I tucked a stray bit of hair behind my ear, unnerved by Raine’s sudden loss of

focus. “I really hate it when you get that creepy mystical voice thing going.”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 6 -

Raine’s eyes refocused and she sighed. “You’re going to have a visitor soon. I

hope you’re ready for him.”

“Him?” I perked up considerably. Then a thought occurred to me. “This isn’t a

visited by three ghosts thing, is it?”

Raine rolled her eyes. “No. Make fun all you want, but you’ll owe me for this

one. Trust me.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Like I owed you for the tall, dark, and dangerous man who

would change my life?”

“He did! I was right, but you know how this stuff works. I couldn’t see

everything.”

“He was a vampire, Raine.”

She shushed me. “Keep your voice down and stop pretending like you’re

unhappy being undead. I know better.”

I sighed. “Yes. I enjoy being a vampire. I just want to be able to eat chocolate. I

even took Erin’s suggestion and contacted the Kitchen Witch Society for help.”

“Oh, that’s desperate. She always talks about how much she hates her boss. Why

would she suggest the society?”

“An unlifetime without chocolate is hell for this Hershey girl. She got tired of my

whining.” I leaned over the counter and gave her a bit of a hug. “I’ll see you later

tonight.”

Raine hesitated a moment before holding up a finger. “Wait a second.” She

ducked behind the counter. I rose to my tiptoes trying to see what she was doing, but

she came back up again. A burgundy bag was in her hand.

“What is this?”

“Chocolate. I’ve got a good feeling about this chocolate thing, so make sure you

don’t eat anything from this bag until you get your cure.”

The edge of doubt crept into the back of my mind. “What if there is no cure?”

Raine handed me the bag. “There is. If you’re willing to try for it.” Raine gave me

a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 7 -

I grinned, bag in hand, and gave another longing look toward the candy

displays. “I hope it’s some of the chocolate and peanut butter truffles.”

Her smile told me she was up to something. “Let’s just say, it might be fun to

find out. Don’t open it until you’re given the cure.”

I wasn’t kidding. I’d do just about anything to be able to eat chocolate again. But

a promise was a promise. “I won’t open it until then.” My heart ached with the

likelihood of never being able to open the bag.

I put on my sunglasses and walked out of Sinful Treats. Yeah, I wear sunglasses

at night. So what? Light sensitivity is big on my list of downers about this whole

vampire thing.

I’d sent a message to the Kitchen Witch Society for help. How long would it take

for one of their people to show up? This bag smelled delicious!

Chapter Two

Well, another long night on third shift. My sensible flats weren’t enough to

cushion my feet. The nice part about the whole living forever thing is that I have

eternity to get a degree or two. The bad thing? Even with the new Vampire scholarship,

I needed to save up for the next semester. My phone vibrated against my hip and I

sighed. What now? I slid the screen open and a text message flashed at me.

Your wish is our command. A wizard will meet with you in five minutes or less. Thank

you for your business. --The Kitchen Witch Society

I shook my head. Why couldn’t they do things the easy way? Give an actual

meeting location or something? I ignored the text. What would he be able to do for me

with less than an hour to go until sunrise?

I strolled across the street to my home sweet home. The loft apartment was the

only place I could just relax without hearing the pulse of the city. Literally. I needed a

break from the fang lovers and dark princes of the daylight club scene. I tugged my bag

up on my shoulder. A nice comfortable bed beckoned.

And so did the delicious tall, dark, and handsome man leaning against my

doorframe.

“Can I help you?” Please?

His eyes narrowed in such a way as to make me suddenly aware of the fact that

my hair was pulled back in just a ponytail, and all my makeup had worn off.

“Rachel Kerrin?”

That sent my sirens blaring. “Who are you again?”

“Ryan Shepard. You contacted the Kitchen Witch Society. They did tell you I was

coming?”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 9 -

My brain dropped several IQ points with the sudden image of him coming.

Frequently. Preferably with me. Damn. Maybe I should have gone to a day club after

all.

“I received a text.” I shooed him away from my door and opened it. My heart

pounded with an adrenaline rush I normally felt only when on the hunt for blood.

Could he do it? If he were bound to the society, then he would have to wait to be

invited before entering. It was in their policy agreement. I needed the breather. Damn

he was hot. He waited while I strolled to my living area.

I sat on the edge of my well-loved and used chaise and slipped my shoes off.

“Look, no offense to your society or anything, but I’m kind of surprised they sent you to

my home. I didn’t leave an address with them.”

Ryan leaned against my doorframe. I had to admit he was an incredibly sexy

addition to my home. Would the society object to me keeping him?

“I’m here, so they got it somehow. Look, if this is a problem, I could leave right

now.” He made no move to leave.

I sighed and leaned back against the cushion. My fantasies were nice while they

lasted. “You can’t do it, can you?”

“Do what?”

“Fix my chocolate allergy. It’s okay. A dozen specialists have tried.”

“There are thousands of people with chocolate allergies. Any witch or wizard

can help you, so why’d they call me?”

I grinned. He was arrogant. I liked that. “You make it sound like you’re

something special.” Taunting was my specialty.

“Baby, they only call me when no one else can do it.”

I shrugged. “My allergy didn’t come about until I became a vampire. Before then

I was a chocoholic.”

I saw the change in his demeanor instantly. It wasn’t a good reaction, but his full

attention was like a wake up call to my libido. He walked through my doorway.

I jerked up. “Hey!” He shouldn’t be able to do that!

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 10 -

“You don’t understand.”

A bell chimed and a shimmering wall appeared behind him.

He turned back. “No! I didn’t agree.” He slammed his fist against the

shimmering wall and it shot sparks.

“Hey! Don’t burn down my apartment.”

Ryan shook his hand as though it hurt. “It won’t burn. It was a warning to me.”

I gestured toward the shimmering barrier. “Why are you in my home? And what

is that thing doing in my apartment?” I winced at the ache in my feet, but I didn’t want

a stranger in my living room. No matter how attractive he might be. No, flirting was

much safer with him outside my apartment.

“No. I don’t do the walking dead.” A line formed above the bridge of his nose.

He was kind of cute, in a brooding arrogant ass kind of way.

“Undead.”

“What?” Ryan turned that electric gaze on me again and I could swear my entire

body lit up. That wasn’t a good thing.

“I’m undead, not walking dead. That would be a zombie. You’d think a witch

would know the difference.” I tapped a nail on the wooden table and watched him

push against the barrier.

“Wizard.”

“What?” I don’t know if I sounded innocent, but from the glare Ryan shot me, I’d

assume not.

“I’m not a witch. I’m a wizard. There is a difference.”

Both witches and wizards used magic. Zombies and vampires both reanimated a

corpse. Huge difference, though, in application. “Mislabeling seems to be a common

issue in this room. Why don’t we do something about that?”

“Okay.” He clasped his hands in front of him and took a deep breath. “I

apologize for being insensitive.”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 11 -

“Apology accepted.” I smiled. There was something about a man who could

grind his teeth and still pull off humble. A rarity in the wizard world, I’m sure. “I

apologize for calling you a witch.”

“Thank you.”

I gestured toward the barrier. “How long does that stay in effect?”

“Until we solve your issue.”

My vampirism beast rose up in my chest like an explosion. Before I could blink I

was at Ryan’s side. “I don’t think so.” I put my hand against the barrier. A tingle went

up my arm but no sparks. Interesting. I was trapped in my own apartment. That didn’t

make me happy. Not at all.

Wariness settled in his expression, a reaction I welcomed. Let him think he was

dealing with a murderer, a beast.

“You don’t want our assistance?”

“Not if it means being stuck with you.” A lie. From my heart to my lips, a

complete lie. This close I could taste the rush of blood under his skin and the flavor of

his sweat. The pounding of his heart tugged at the beast enough to make my pussy

slicken with desire. Yes, I was lying through my pearly white fangs about not wanting

to be stuck with Ryan.

“You don’t like me?”

I laughed at the outraged expression on his face. This one’s ego was too much.

“Don’t take it so hard, baby.” I lowered my lashes and touched my tongue to my teeth.

His gaze followed my movement. I heard his heart kick up a notch or two. Was it

fear? I was never very good at reading adrenal responses, so I had no idea.

“I never play with my food.” I had the satisfaction of watching Ryan turn that

thought over in his mind. The insistent throbbing of my feet took all the fun out of my

play so I sighed and waved toward the couch. “Make yourself at home. I need to

change since I just got off work.”

“Work?”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 12 -

I tugged at the clip holding my hair up. My hair tumbled free and I groaned in

relief at the pleasure/pain on my scalp. “Yeah. Work. You know, what most people do

in their lives.”

“You’re a vampire.” He was following me. Why did that kick my heartbeat up a

notch or two?

“Yes. Vampire, not zombie. We covered that already.” I turned in the doorway to

my bedroom and held up my arm up to block him following. “I work third shift. Please,

for the love of all that is holy, let me change clothes before you kill me. I need my work

clothes.”

Ryan’s gaze shifted to something darker. “I won’t kill you, Rachel.”

My lip lifted in a slight smile. “If you’re here to help me eat chocolate, you will.”

“What do you mean by that?” He looked genuinely perplexed.

“Didn’t they tell you? My allergy is fatal. My heart stops beating, my body stops

working, and it’s as though I were a corpse.”

He tilted his head and a spark of that earlier arrogance chased itself across his

face. “I can help you.”

“No offense, baby, but I think this job may just be out of your league.”

I shut the door in his face when it looked like he wanted to say something else. It

had to be the overwhelming dislike for dying that had my fingertips tingling and my

heart pounding. Wasn’t it?

Chapter Three

I stepped out of the bedroom in a comfortable tunic and sleek pants. Yeah, I

should have gone for sweats, but I found comfort in the silken texture of the outfit. It

would give me something to fidget with while I figured out what to do.

Five phone calls to the Kitchen Witch Society help desk resulted in a digital

recording that told me my case was currently being handled. I snorted. Handled my

ass. What the hell was I supposed to do with a stuck up wizard? I’d already left him

alone too long. He was probably cursing my laptop with an ant invasion or something.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I made myself something to eat.”

I did mind, but whatever. “Make yourself at home, I guess.”

“Can vampires eat?”

“You mean besides intestines and gushing blood?”

Ryan’s sensual lips thinned in irritation. “Food.”

“My kitchen is stocked because I like food. Real food. I just have to have blood in

order to survive. Food is now a pleasure and no longer a fuel for my body.”

“It digests like normal?”

I sat at the table and crossed my arms on the top. “Yes. Digestion is normal. All

my previous allergies are gone. I am faster, stronger, quicker to react and move. If I get

hit by the sun, my skin blisters and cracks and it takes three days to recover. I sleep

during a majority of the day and work at night.”

Ryan tilted his head again. I wondered why he did that. “You had no allergy to

chocolate before you were turned?”

“According to my sire, I have a rare allergy. I’m the only vampiric female in the

history of the North American vampirism strain to have this problem. All others, less

than a dozen, were male, and none of them are currently alive.”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 14 -

“Undead.”

“Right. Much better word.”

He grunted in that noncommittal way again. “Would you like some? I made

soup and I hate eating by myself.”

You know, normally vampires are an untrusting lot. There are reasons for it and

most involve really pointy objects and painful death. So why I agreed to try his soup,

I’ll never know.

“Sure.” It was very nice to have a man in my kitchen.

He ladled some of the pale soup in a bowl.

“You sure whipped this up quickly.”

He gave me a look that was all male deliciousness. “I am a wizard.”

“Right.” There went that blushing thing again.

He waved his hands and the bowls levitated. The bowls swirled around and up

until they gently landed in front of me on the table. I grinned like a kid. On the cool

scale of one to ten, that definitely ranked a twelve. “You must be a hit at parties, Ryan.”

His smile widened until a tiny dimple appeared in his cheek. “I’m in high

demand.”

“I bet.” I cleared my throat at the husky timbre in my voice. Maybe he didn’t

notice the suggestive way I’d said that?

He cleared his throat as well. The temperature in the room increased a few

degrees.

I picked up my spoon and smiled. “This looks delicious.” Without another

thought I took a small taste. Now, there’s something you need to know about my

chocolate allergy. It’s an immediate response. I had a moment to taste bittersweet

chocolate with the cool soup. So when the burn started at the back of my throat, I

launched at Ryan. It was instinct. The beast knew who had tried to kill us. My claws

extended and I wanted to scream but my throat closed.

My eyes rolled and I dropped mid-lunge. I’m going to kick his ass when I wake up.

Chapter Four

My head pounded with the worst hangover I’d ever had. I rolled over and

retched, but there was nothing in my stomach. A muffled voice pierced my

consciousness and I begged the gods to let me die. Again. Anything was better than this

pain.

“I don’t know what to do.” His voice sounded worried. Good. Maybe I wasn’t

alone in the hell of overindulgence. How much whiskey had it been this time? My mind

seemed to be moving through sludge.

“Wait, she’s awake. You son of a bitch. When this is over I’m going to break your

jaw. You don’t fuck with people’s lives. That’s not what we do.” There was a pause.

“Yeah, next time I might just run for president of the society, you arrogant prick.”

He sounded very angry. An arrogant smile on a handsome face floated through

my memory, but his name was a haze.

Gentle hands turned me over and I groaned. Every muscle in my body hurt.

“You’re back with us, huh?” His voice was tender and lovely to listen to. I

cracked open an eye and winced at the light piercing the back of my skull.

“I feel hung over.” My voice croaked.

“Can vampires have hangovers?” His expression was curious and contrite,

completely at odds with the irritable person I remembered.

Then it hit me. Fuck, I was a vamp. Whiskey didn’t affect me anymore unless the

blood I drank was intoxicated. No, the only thing that affected me was…

I jerked away from him. “You asshole. Wasn’t it enough for me to tell you I was

allergic to chocolate? Didn’t you believe me?”

He sighed and reached for me again. This time I let him help me sit up. “I can

usually stop an allergic response while it happens. There are metaphysical triggers and

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 16 -

changes in the body chemistry I can sense. As they happen I can slow them down until I

can analyze the exact cause.”

The world stopped spinning and I leaned back against the headboard,

wondering how I’d ended up in my bed.

“Obviously that didn’t happen this time.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Obviously.” The pounding in the back of my

skull was lessening. “So what happened then?”

The mattress dipped under his weight. “Your reaction was so intense, so quick, I

couldn’t pinpoint the trigger response. This is more complicated than anything I’ve ever

done before.”

I laughed and tried to ignore the pang of disappointment in my chest. “Maybe

someone else can do it. Does the society have another kitchen witch representative with

more expertise?”

That arrogant look was back. “There is no one with more skill than me.”

“Whatever.” At least he hadn’t staked me while I was sleeping. That was a plus.

“Okay, so now what?”

“I ask you some questions, and you be as honest as possible so we can see what

happens.”

Sounded easy enough. I nodded.

“How many times have you died, redied, or whatever that was, from eating

chocolate?”

I shrugged. “Four or five times.”

“And how many times did it take for you to figure out chocolate was the

culprit?”

“The first time.”

Ryan tilted his head and regarded me like I was insane. “And you ate chocolate

again?”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 17 -

Could a vampire blush? Apparently it was possible. My cheeks heated with

embarrassment. “What? Nothing has ever tempted you? Don’t tell me there is nothing

out there you’d do almost anything for. You seem too full of life for me to believe that.”

He nodded his head once and made a noncommittal noise. I hated clinical

responses.

“Talk me through how you were turned.”

I shrugged. “There’s not much to tell really. I ran into a tall, dark, and handsome

stranger who whisked me off my feet. Fell for the eternity together song and dance and

then he bit me.” I shrugged. It didn’t hurt much anymore. My heart squeezed painfully.

Okay, maybe a little. “I changed and that was that.”

That line formed between his brows and I wanted to brush my thumb against it

to smooth the skin. “What do you mean that was that?”

“I wasn’t under his glamour anymore and he left me alone when he realized I

didn’t come with any special powers.”

“You never age and you’ll live forever.”

“Live longer.” I slid my fingertips against his hand. “That’s it, baby. Outside of a

wicked need for blood and a libido that won’t quit, there’s not much else to me. I can’t

even do a decent glamour at this point. As far as vampiric coolness goes, I rate below

average.” My fingers warmed at the touch of his skin to mine. This was my magic. The

only magic I possessed. Sex.

“So he abandoned you?” He looked down at my hand, and I watched him

swallow. Hard.

I turned his hand over and ran my fingers in slow whorls on his palm. “Yeah, I

think he had this need to be worshipped or something. Never been my thing.”

He leaned closer. I could taste his hunger on my tongue like a liquid aphrodisiac.

“Free thinkers. How dare they?” His voice lowered to a husky drawl in an accent

I couldn’t quite place.

I licked my lips and watched the frantic jump of his pulse beneath the pale skin

of his throat. “Yes. How dare they?”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 18 -

His gaze followed my lips. I felt them lift in a dark smile.

“I thought you didn’t do vampires.” I emphasized the do. Yes, I was bad. I knew

it.

“Who said I was interested?”

“I can taste you in the air.” My mouth watered for just a bite. One nibble. “My

body doesn’t respond to those who are unwilling, sweetheart.”

“Really?” His gaze jerked back to my face. A slow stain of color darkened his

throat and cheeks.

“Yes.” I brushed my fingertips along the sensitive pulse point of his wrist. The

beat of his heart was a temptation I wanted to test. My mouth salivated. “Really.”

He cleared his throat but gave me a wicked look, one that had my slow moving

heart thudding in excitement. “I’ll remember that.”

Was it bad of me to hope so?

Chapter Five

I pulled away with no little regret and leaned back. “What do we do about the

assignment? I need to get to work eventually and you don’t want to spend eternity with

me in this apartment.” No matter how much I wanted him to.

“Well we have to slow the reaction down so I can try and counter the effects of

the chocolate.” He took on this intense look that actually had me relaxing. “Does it

hurt?”

I raised my eyebrows. “Dying?”

He nodded.

“Yes, but I don’t get hurt much these days so it’s novel in its own way. I’m still

fledgling enough that it terrifies me when it happens.”

“Ah.”

“Is it standard protocol for your organization to trap you with your case?”

“No.” He suddenly looked very uncomfortable. “I made a few calls while you

were asleep.” He licked his lips.

“It’s okay. I know it creeped you out. My best friend calls it my undead death.” I

sighed at my inner vixen wanting to still jump him despite the way his skin turned that

odd shade of green.

“I was deemed a flight risk, so they sealed me with you.”

“Why would you run?”

“I don’t work with vampires.” There was that smoky gleam in his eye and the

way his pulse kicked again. What was going on inside that gorgeous head of his?

“You seem to be working fine with me.”

Humor lightened his expression. “I killed you within the first hour of meeting

you.”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 20 -

I waved my hand. “These things happen. The chocolate was good though.”

He grinned. “Good enough to try again?”

My stomach turned. “Can we wait? I’m not in a hurry to die again so soon.” I ran

a fingernail along his jawline. The light scrape of his stubble tickled. My mind instantly

jumped to all the wicked places he could nibble on. The additional friction might just

drive me to the end of sanity.

“What else did you have in mind?”

I ran my tongue against my teeth. The sharp edge of my fangs usually stopped

me from doing anything I might regret. But there was just something about Ryan that

threw all my well-meaning intentions out the window.

His gaze dropped to my mouth and it was all I could do to keep from dragging

him to me. A nibble wouldn’t hurt. Just a taste. I wanted to rub my legs together to ease

the pressure building in my clit. My mouth watered at the thought of his flesh, his

blood.

“If you don’t stop looking at me like that, I’m going to do something we both

might regret.” It was the last bit of warning I could give.

“Look at you like what?”

I smiled, showing him my fangs. “Like you want to eat me.”

He blinked slowly and a sexy smile tugged at his lips. “I like your choice in

words.”

I didn’t fang out like most of my brethren, but I was definitely getting there. “My

appetites are a bit more feral after a sudden undeath.” I clenched my fists until my nails

dug into my palms

“You seem perfectly restrained to me.”

I had the sudden image of me tied to a bed pop in my head. My pussy creamed

at the thought. “While you restraining me does sound tempting, let’s try something

else, instead.” Would I regret this decision? Fuck it. He’d already killed me once. That

brought a smile to my lips.

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 21 -

I hooked a finger in his shirt and dragged him close. My lips nipped at his, a

teasing touch, nothing more. I tasted an interesting mix of flavors I’d never imagined.

Some of my kind called wizards addicting. A quick flick of my tongue told me they

were right. He was delicious.

He moved forward until my head pressed against the headboard. His hands

gently cupped my face, and I couldn’t stop the little flip in my stomach over it. Ryan’s

kiss deepened. He stoked fires deep inside my pussy until I ached all over for his touch.

I like a good kisser. He was damn good.

I slid my hands under his shirt to feel the smooth skin of his back with my palms.

He undid buttons as we went so I could reach more of him. Fingernails scraped over his

shoulders to his chest. He nipped at my lips and I nipped back.

I raked my fingernails over his nipples as we undressed one another and he

moaned. His scent enveloped me, surrounded me until all I could taste and feel was

Ryan.

His mouth left mine to press heated kisses along my jaw and to my neck. I

arched against him when his teeth scraped against the curve of my throat. Little shocks

of pleasure coursed through my nerve endings. His fingers began working magic of

their own, weaving teasing caresses along my bare skin. My nipples grew hard and

ached for his touch. My skin grew hypersensitive to the point of painful.

His teeth raked against my shoulder and I shivered. I could taste his blood in the

air, his heat. My fangs elongated. He would be so delicious. I ran my fingers through

his hair and tugged just enough to drag his mouth back to mine. Kissing when I’m all

fanged out is difficult in most situations. The razor edges of my extended fangs were

the bane of my existence. Ryan took the worry from me by taking control of the kiss.

Small nibbles on my lips followed by teasing swipes of his tongue against mine had me

shaking. Oh yes, he was good.

My clothes slipped from my body as though by magic, but I put it more to

Ryan’s skill of seduction than any use of his wizard power. Hot lips and teeth scorched

my skin with incredible attention to my most sensitive spots.

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 22 -

He took a nipple in his mouth and sucked hard, flicking it with his tongue in

sweet torture. Arcs of pleasure sizzled along my nerves to my pussy. I slid a finger

along my wet slit, drawing slow circles to increase the heat a notch or two. His tongue

found the curve of my hip and I clenched my jaw to keep some semblance of control.

His fingers slid between us and caressed mine, increasing the pressure of self-

pleasure until I wanted to beg for his touch instead of mine. A thick finger slid into my

pussy, followed by another, and another until I was stretched full. I moaned and turned

my head into the pillow to keep from screaming. He was hitting all the right spots,

stroking deep then shallow until sweat formed all over my body. My fingers spread my

folds wide, giving him deeper access. He rotated his fingers and I arched.

“Is this what you want?” His mouth scalded my skin down my lower abdomen.

He thrust again and I gasped. “Yes. Please.” I could feel the edge, the pressure

building, until I wanted to scream for the ache of it. A flick of his fingers sent me into

orgasm. I whimpered softly, letting it slide through my body.

“This is just the beginning. Just a taste of things to come.” He nuzzled my pussy.

“Speaking of tasting.”

His tongue flicked against my clit. I could feel the heat rising in my body again.

The need. The burn. My teeth ached to taste him, to savor his blood or his cock, I didn’t

care. All I wanted was this. Him.

His fingers stroked again. Ryan’s mouth began sucking and licking. I could hear

my voice beg him. “Don’t stop. Ever.”

He laughed and rose above me, fingers caressing as they left my body. I

whimpered at their loss, but couldn’t wait to get my hands all over Ryan. His clothes

fell to the floor in a blur of motion. I couldn’t taste him, not with my fangs so eager to

slip into his skin. Instead I caressed and inhaled. Stroked and loved. I could taste the

need in his skin from inches above his body. Yes, he was delicious. The sight of his cock,

thick and hard, made my mouth salivate to taste. I allowed my tongue one swipe on the

head before moving back to slow seduction. The salty tang of his precum was as

delicious as the chocolate he’d served me earlier.

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 23 -

His heart raced in reaction to my tender tortures. The way his nerves jerked

when I tickled, and the salt of his sweat when I teased, told me everything I needed to

know about Ryan.

“Rachel.” His voice pleaded with me. I liked that.

I slid up his body and inhaled the heat of his throat. “Your heart races.” My

fingernails caressed the other side of his neck. “It races just for me, for my touch,

doesn’t it?”

His hand clenched the hair at the back of my head and pulled me away. My heart

leapt and my pussy slickened. His gaze was electric, full of power. I shuddered at its

incredible raw beauty. “Yes. It does.” His mouth crushed mine in a kiss that dominated,

owned my body and seared my soul. He spread my legs, and I wrapped them around

his body. His cockhead pressed against my slit, and I arched just enough to bring him

inside. He pulled back and began slow thrusts. Ones that had me wanting to pound my

head against the pillow.

Ryan pinned my wrists against the headboard and we both knew I could push

him away, but it thrilled me all the same. He pressed deeper and my eyes rolled. My

pussy clenched then stretched to accommodate his cock. I wanted more, faster. But he

continued slow strokes until all I could taste was us in the air; all I felt was what he

gave me.

His gaze captured mine and held it; with each slow inch he drove me insane.

“Please.” I couldn’t take it anymore.

He thrust hard and I shuddered. His cock was deeply embedded and tingles of

an orgasm were building. Ryan released my wrists and gave me a soft kiss on the lips.

“Hold onto me.”

I couldn’t do more than wrap my arms around him before he began pounding

into me. “Yes. Just like that.” I was screaming my need, aching to feel the end. Wanting

him with me.

My fingernails dug into his back and he roared, hitting that spot over and over

until I couldn’t hold back my cry of release.

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 24 -

An orgasm slammed through me. White-hot pleasure tightened my pussy

around his cock until I could only moan at each wave crashing over me. Little

aftershocks had my body trembling. I rested my head against his shoulder. The thrum

of his heartbeat against my ear had me nuzzling his throat.

It was the most natural thing in the world for me to open my mouth and lightly

pierce his skin. The dark rush of his blood on my tongue brought another orgasm.

“Fuck yes.” Ryan pumped into me harder, grinding against my clit with each

thrust. I moaned against his skin and sucked. The scrape of my teeth had been enough

to get the blood flowing. Liquid heat flooded my sex. I closed my eyes against the

pleasure riding my cunt until I couldn’t take it anymore.

Another orgasm ripped through me. Hard and fast. He followed close behind,

thrusting as deep as possible in this position. I shivered against him and sweat coated

our bodies. He held me close and I could feel an answering tremble in his limbs.

I rested my head against his shoulder and swiped my tongue against the wound.

With regret, I watched the skin close. There would be no bruising. My saliva was

potent, at least.

He touched my chin and I looked up at him. The heat from our lust still burned

in his eyes. I could feel the slow smolder of another orgasm. My mouth watered and my

sex tightened around him. My smile widened at the groan rumbling from his throat. A

throat I wanted to taste again. My eyes burned from the fever of his blood. This time I

could bite him deeper. Take more.

Make him mine.

I jerked as though slapped. In a split second I was away from the bed and the

temptation Ryan offered.

“What’s wrong?”

“I need caffeine.” It would stop the craving. I didn’t bother with clothes. Coffee

waited for me in the kitchen. I never took too much. It was a rule, a personal one. I also

never took from the same body twice in one night.

“Wait.” He grabbed my arm and I froze. How had he moved that fast?

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 25 -

“Just wait a second. What the hell is wrong here? Did I screw up some vampire

sex protocol?”

I ran a hand through my hair, but couldn’t look at him. I didn’t want to see the

pain or anger. Didn’t want to watch his pulse jump at his throat.

Liar.

“Let me go, Ryan. Now.” I cleared my throat.

“Not until you tell me what’s going on.”

I turned in his grasp until we were face to face. It took everything I had in me to

look up at his face.

“Your eyes…” he whispered and reached to touch my cheek. I turned from his

caress.

“You don’t want to touch me right now. Let me go.” My command ended on a

growl and Ryan nodded once.

“Okay, but I want an explanation.” He let me go.

I bared my teeth and wanted to sink my fangs into his throat for putting himself

in my way, but I reined it in. Barely.

Chapter Six

By the time I reached the kitchen, I could almost breathe again. When I started

the coffee maker, I could hear my own thoughts without lust crowding them.

He left the kitchen and all the coiled tension in my gut loosened. I heard some

shuffling and the familiar sound of a zipper. My heart slammed in my chest. I could

savor the flavor of his testosterone rich blood on my tongue without launching myself

at him again. I clenched my fists. Really, I could do it.

“I’ve never seen that before.”

I didn’t look up. Instead I prayed the coffee would brew faster.

He put my robe on my shoulders and I glanced up at his face. That odd twist of

pleasure in my stomach grew bigger. “What?” I slid my arms into the robe and tied it

around me.

“Your eyes. That’s the first time I’ve ever seen eyes turn that color before.”

I shrugged and wished again that vampires couldn’t blush. “I can’t help it. It’s

rare for me to fang out like that.” Rare, hell. I’d never done it.

The coffee pot beeped at me. With no little relief, I poured the brew into my mug

and added a little sugar and salt to it.

“Why salt?”

I took a long drink of the scalding liquid. With relief I met his eyes over the rim

of the mug. The burn through my stomach meant the caffeine would start working

soon. “Salt counters the bitterness of the coffee. Since I turned, most liquids taste that

way. Bitter, without flavor. Salt brings out the richness of the bean.”

We walked back to the kitchen table. “How many vamps have you been with?”

He shrugged. “One or two.”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 27 -

I burned with embarrassment. And none had probably ever gone fangy on him.

This was not a good day. “I’m sorry about earlier.”

“I’m not.” He smiled. “The sex was incredible.” That made my smile a little

wider. “Why were you in such a hurry to drink coffee?”

I could hear the underlying worry in his tone. My finger absently traced the

ridged patterns on my robe. “Caffeine tends to slow down the chemical reaction in my

body to the vampiric needs. Don’t know why, but it’s always worked. If I needed to

feed, caffeine would temporarily take away the ache. If I get too worked up, caffeine

calms the beast inside of me.”

He leaned forward and I licked my lips. His rich and spicy flavor still stained my

lips despite the coffee. At least I wasn’t ready to tear apart his soul and remake it as my

own personal toy.

“There you go again with that deep frown.” He touched my cheek. A pleasant

tingle grew from that single caress.

“I wanted to own you, Ryan. Make you mine. I don’t do that.”

“What? Get serious on the first date?” He was making light of it. Any other time

I’d have appreciated it.

“I don’t make vampires or slaves.”

“Next you’ll tell me you don’t have sex with strangers.”

I laughed. “No, actually I do. And have. It’s simpler that way.”

His gaze narrowed and I could see jealousy sparking in his eyes. Literally.

Wizards tend to get the pyrotechnics going when they’re pissed. “Is that what you like?

Simple?”

I leaned forward. “I like easy.”

He gently set a piece of chocolate on the table. I took another long draw off my

coffee. “Do you like the flavor of coffee?”

I watched his fingers unwrap the foil and could feel the rise of lust and icy fear

sliding down my spine. “Coffee slows down my body’s reactions. Sometimes I enjoy

the taste, but right now, I just wanted to calm my head.”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 28 -

He narrowed his eyes and I could feel a press of magic against my mind. It

wasn’t uncomfortable, per se, but you know that sudden pressure in your head you

sometimes get? The kind of pressure that’s just shy of a headache? Yeah, that’s what it

felt like to have my body’s insides analyzed by a wizard. “What are you doing?”

“You’re right.” His smile was devastating.

“Usually.” I took another drink. “What am I right about this time?”

His laugh wrapped around me.

“The caffeine is slowing down your body chemistry.” He held up the chocolate.

“I may be able to stop it this time.”

I took another drink. “Are you sure?” My mouth watered for another taste of

chocolate despite the chilling ache of my recent undeath.

He stared at me, really looked deep into my eyes. “Your re-dying… it doesn’t

cause any lasting damage, does it?”

“None that you need to worry about. Just make sure I have caffeine next time

you try to get close to me after my return to the land of the unliving.”

“I’m not afraid of a little bite. Vampires have no power over me.”

I laughed. He didn’t get it. My drive, my need, was almost overwhelming.

“Let’s get started then.” His eyes grew unfocused and the warm lethargy

spreading through my limbs made me want to stretch like a cat. He must be doing more

of that magic stuff. “I can see the caffeine working in your body.”

I sighed and gave a small smile. “It’s so cool that you can do that.”

“It’s just one of the things I’m good at.” His smile deepened until I caught sight

of a dimple. Too sexy for words.

“I agree with that, baby.” My body tingled from his amazing skill.

He held up the chocolate piece. “Open your mouth.”

My body was imprinted with the unique touch of his magic. He leaned forward

until his lips were barely out of reach. His eyes shimmered with magic. “Don’t die

again.”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 29 -

I smiled and brushed my lips against his. “I don’t plan on it. You’ll stop it this

time.” His tongue brushed the line of my smile and I could feel the simmer of lust just

below the surface of my skin. His heartbeat was like a pulse of temptation, begging for a

bite. “Let’s get this over with. I’ve got another hunger fighting for my attention.” I

wanted to eat chocolate. And then eat it off his lips, and fingers, and a few other

decadent places I could think of.

His finger ran along the length of my lips. “Open your mouth.”

I smiled, but complied. He placed the chocolate on my tongue and I wanted to

close my eyes at the delicious flavor burst it gave my taste buds. Instead I felt the

sudden whirl of impending redeath. It kicked my heart into overdrive and I couldn’t

quite hold down my panic.

“Shh, I’ve got you.” He was touching me. His gaze trapped mine and held it. I

could see the magic behind his eyes, the surreal glow easier to focus on than the way

my stomach was cramping.

The pressure from his magic enhanced my panic, gave it an edge I didn’t

appreciate. I closed my mouth and clenched my jaw. The chocolate melted on my

tongue. Dark chocolate. I focused on the texture and taste of the chocolate instead of the

way my hands started shaking or the intense concentration on Ryan’s face. This wasn’t

going smoothly for either one of us.

My stomach cramped and I moaned.

“Ahh, there it is.” He pressed his hands against my cheeks and the pressure

stopped. The cramping eased. “Sleep now, baby. You did so good.”

My eyes grew heavy and I must have whimpered.

“Shhh,” he whispered. I watched the swirl of magic in his eyes. “You’re safe. The

reaction is stopped. Sleep now. I’ll wake you when we have an antidote.” He grinned

and gave me a soft kiss.

I couldn’t fight the flutter of my eyelids. “You taste good in chocolate.”

“So do you.” I could hear the smile in his voice.

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 30 -

My mind went fuzzy, but I promised myself if this worked, I’d show him just

how delicious I thought he was.

Chapter Seven

I woke up with no headache, no screaming need to rip something apart. Ryan

must have done his job. I pushed back a blanket and looked around. My eyes had

trouble focusing on anything for too long. It was like looking through a fog. Shapes

looked familiar. I blinked slowly. How did I end up in my living room? My blanket. My

apartment. He’d moved me to the couch and covered me up. How sweet. My heart did

one of those flutter things that made me melt inside.

I stretched until my back cracked. With a sigh, I ran my tongue along my teeth.

The aftertaste of chocolate still lingered in my mouth and my fangs were normal size.

The vampire hunger was barely murmuring an interest. Maybe chocolate really was

what I needed. My inner clock told me it was still the daylight hour, but something felt

a little off.

My body thrummed with repressed lust.

I sensed Ryan’s movement before I saw him enter my line of sight. It was

disturbing how very focused I’d become on the wizard’s every move. Actually, it was

like he was under my skin. I could taste him in the air.

“You’re awake.” He didn’t sound surprised. I wondered if he kept me in a

magical sedation. Probably.

“I’m spending more time asleep around you than awake, I fear.” I stretched

again and shrugged my shoulders. They were unusually stiff for a short nap.

He looked exhausted. But gorgeous. He must have worked through the day.

Poor guy. “You were a tough nut to crack, Rachel.”

I sensed his underlying concern. “Are you okay?”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 32 -

His smile was wan and tight. “I’m just really tired.” He sat on the edge of the

chair across from me and rested his forearms on his thighs. In his hands was a glass vial

with an amber liquid within. “I’ve got your antidote.”

I dropped my feet over the edge of the couch and sat up. My reserves of energy

were impressive. “Just like that?”

“Just like that. Drink this single bottle and you’ll never have to fear chocolate

again.” His smile grew deeper until that one little dimple showed.

“What do I owe you?”

He set the vial down on a slate tile of the coffee table. “Payment is between you

and the Kitchen Witch Society. They contracted me for the job.”

My stomach dropped. “Will I see you again?” God, I sounded pathetic. I closed

my eyes expecting him to blow me off. Soft lips touched mine and I reached out to

touch him.

“I’m sure we’ll run into each other again soon.” There was a whirl of wind and I

opened my eyes. Damn. He was gone. The barrier no longer shimmered in my

apartment, and in a very short time I felt like I’d had my heart twisted and tied to one

very handsome wizard. It was hard to make connections as a vamp, especially with my

hard and fast rules. So how had he slipped through my defenses?

That couldn’t be the burn of tears behind my eyes.

I picked up the vial and popped open the top. I took a small whiff, but nothing

about it made my vampire senses tingle. Not that I could depend on them for much, but

I hoped it would tell me if something else was bad for me. I knocked it back and

swallowed.

The burning fluid tasted a lot like coffee and Ryan. Or maybe that was just my

imagination.

* * *

I walked into Sinful Treats with a full-fanged smile. Tonight I was going to be

oh-so-happy. Chocolate heaven. I carried the bag Raine had given me. The one full of

chocolate deliciousness.

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 33 -

The last thing I expected, however, was Raine’s reaction to seeing me.

“Where the hell have you been?” Her face was pale and I could see dark bruises

under her eyes from lack of sleep.

“I got trapped in my apartment with a sexy man who cured my chocolate

allergy.” I grinned. “You were so right about him.”

“I went by your apartment. There was this shimmering barrier thing. I couldn’t

make it past your door.” She was taking off her apron and completely ignoring how her

raised voice was making the customers beeline to the exit. This was definitely out of

character for steadfast Raine. I looked around. No one else was working tonight. Kind

of slow for a weekend.

I shrugged my shoulder so my purse straps could slide down my arm. One of the

barstools was open so I perched on the seat. “What’s the big deal? It was just a few

hours.”

“You were gone for three days, Rachel. Three.” She threw her hands up in the

air. “Not a single phone call, nothing. Three days I couldn’t reach you or your phone

line, just some stupid message by the Kitchen Witch Society saying they’d forward your

messages. You couldn’t call me?”

She sat on her stool and stared at me across the counter.

I swallowed and carefully pulled my purse onto my lap. My cell would tell me

what day it was. I slid open my phone and looked, staring hard at the date shining back

at me.

She was right.

“Three days?” I swallowed. Hard. Three days without feeding and I’d be a

walking corpse. I was still too young to go without a drink every couple of days and

that splash I’d had of Ryan after sex had…

“Son of a bitch.” I threw my phone back in my purse and gave Raine a kiss on

the cheek. “I’ve gotta go.”

“What?” She grabbed my shirt. “I’m psychic but it’s not perfect. What happened

to you?”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 34 -

I heard fabric tear as I moved through the store, avoiding the candy displays.

“I’ll call you tonight. I promise.”

The bell jingled on the way out. Ryan had some explaining to do, and if my

hunch was right, he was going to be in some serious trouble if I didn’t find him fast. I

stood on the corner and wanted to scream my frustration. I had no idea where the

Kitchen Witch Society was, or how to get a hold of Ryan.

But I knew someone who could. I opened my phone and dialed. A chipper voice

answered. I smiled. “Erin, remember how you told me how much you wished someone

would come in and bitch your boss out?”

“What’s this about?” Erin’s voice held an edge of laughter. I didn’t need her to

believe me. I just needed her to let me in to see Jared, the current president of the

Kitchen Witch Society.

“I’m unsatisfied with the service.” I looked at my nails. Three days without care

had left a small gap in the polish. I tried not to panic. It was unreal. Three days. Gone.

And a very drained Ryan Shepard? His essence buzzing around in my subconscious

and me riding a blood fat high. All of these things meant very bad things for Ryan if I

didn’t get to him fast.

“You’ve got fifteen minutes. Here’s the address.” She rambled off the address.

Even with my energy reserves and speed, I’d still be pushing it.

Chapter Eight

I shoved open the doors to Jared’s office with a bit more force than I’d intended.

The sound reverberated throughout the building, and I doubted the hinges would ever

recover. Wizard blood was a very cool thing, especially if it could startle the insanely

handsome man sitting behind the ornate desk. It was to Erin’s credit that she

announced me, if a moment later than Jared would have liked.

“Jared Daniels.”

“I prefer Mr. Daniels if you don’t mind.”

“You have Ryan Shepard in your employ, yes?”

“You are dissatisfied with our services?”

“I’m more worried about your contractor ending up dead by dawn, Jared. So

let’s cut to the chase. I need to know his address.”

His smile was entirely too much of a smirk for my taste. “You must realize we

can’t give out our employee’s addresses, Ms. Kerrin.”

I crossed my arms to keep from shaking him. “I was out for three days while

Ryan created an antidote. In that time he had to feed me. Do you know what that

means?”

Jared looked bewildered for the first time. I heard Erin come up behind me.

“How much blood do you take every time you drink?” She was never squicked out by

my vampiness. I appreciated that.

“I’ve never taken more than I needed. I’m no glutton, but I wasn’t awake so I

have no way of knowing.” I tilted my head at the president of the KWS. “Call him.

Contact him. He’s in danger, and I’m the only one who can help.”

Jared held up a hand and I was ready to launch across the desk at him. Didn’t he

get it? Ryan. Wonderful, fun, extremely talented Ryan would die without my help.

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 36 -

“Wait, Rachel.” Erin touched my arm. “He’s actually trying to communicate with

him.”

“No text messages among the witches?” I stared at Jared.

His expression darkened. Chills slid down my spine at the crack of oppressive

power suddenly pressing against me, like Ryan’s only less polite. His eyes shimmered

with magic. I dragged in a breath and inhaled the fresh scents of cilantro and onion.

Before I could move, it was over.

I gasped and could hear Erin’s shaky inhalation behind me.

Jared pulled a pen from inside his jacket and scribbled something down on a

notepad. He ripped off the paper and handed it to me. “I’ll lose my job over this if it

gets out I gave you an employee’s address.”

I took it from his hand and glanced at the address. “Far less than you’ll lose if he

dies because you trapped him in an apartment for three days with a starved vampire.” I

put on my sunglasses and walked away. “Moron.”

Vampire speed is a funny thing. You see the blurred images and amazing agility

in the movies, but in real life it’s not like that. If you’re in a crowded room, you’re going

to hit someone. Hard. Possibly killing them. And dead humans are bad for business, so

we learn the rules early on. When you run, you make sure it’s in the open away from

large crowds. I can’t fly or do anything else really cool, but I can jump flights of stairs,

and that’s what I did. In less than a minute I was on the street, and in less than ten I was

at his apartment.

Bright red paint on the door and a shiny number made his home look like any

other. I tried the doorknob and it opened with ease. “Ryan?” I could make out his

body’s outline on the dark chaise. In a heartbeat I was by his side.

“Hi, stranger.” His voice was weak and rusty. Ryan looked terrible. His face was

thin and drawn. I could hear the rapid race of his heart and the struggle of his body to

maintain at dangerously low blood pressure. I’d run out of time.

“Hey, baby. Not feeling so hot, are you?”

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 37 -

He ran a hand over his face and shook his head a bit. “I think I’ve come down

with something.”

I straddled him in the armless chair and smiled a bit at the minor spark of

interest lighting his eyes. “I know what’s wrong, baby. Will you let me help?” My

thumb ran along his jaw and settled at the joint. This could get rough if he struggled.

I didn’t wait for him to answer. In the moment I’d talked to him, he’d already

fallen back to sleep. I bit my wrist and winced at the slice of pain shooting up my arm.

The first spurt of blood caused my fangs to lengthen and sharpen. With care I dragged

my teeth just enough to open more blood vessels. I kept away from major veins or

arteries so it hurt far more. Oh how I hated the taste of my own blood. I pulled my

fangs away and saw the satisfying well of blood.

“You’re lucky I like you, wizard.” I pushed on his jaw’s joint and gently forced

his mouth open. With care I placed my bleeding wrist against his lips.

His eyes opened and I could sense the moment he realized what I was doing. I

expected him to fight. Instead, he latched onto my wrist and pulled me close.

The feel of his lips against my skin sent shivers of danger and lust down my

spine. Letting another drain my veins could be deadly if I lost control. He wrapped his

free arm around my waist and ran a hand over my ass. I pricked my tongue against a

fang to keep some semblance of control. The pain was welcome. Pleasure from Ryan’s

lips sent ripples of lust through my body. My pussy ached with unquenched need, but

Ryan wasn’t ready. Not yet. He needed more.

His emotions covered me like a warm summer rain. I absorbed them and

realized I’d felt them before. My heart was wide open so I was sure he got the same in

return. For me, this was the most I’d ever given. My sire had only taken the part of me I

let him see. This was so much more. I enjoyed Ryan on a level I’d never imagined and

realized one painful fact. I had fallen in love.

I cradled his head against my body. His pulse was returning to normal. Color

was flushing his cheeks and from the thick erection pressing against me, I’d say he was

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 38 -

almost back to normal. I caressed the planes of his face, thumb brushing against the

laugh lines.

His thoughts were as fleeting as ghosts against my mind, but I could feel his

questions. They were the same ones I’d had so long ago.

“When a vampire takes your blood, it adds an enzyme. My initial bite the first

time we had sex triggered something in your body.” His lips curved in a smile against

my skin. Some things were forbidden to speak about in the vampire community. The

way a human can accept a blood exchange is too dangerous to leak to the public. So

why was I endangering us all? “When you fed me, your blood became enriched with

the vampire enzyme and now it returns to you, absorbed before it reaches your

stomach.” I pressed a kiss to his brow.

His tongue started doing wicked things to my wrist. I shifted against him in

rising excitement. “How much blood did you give me, Ryan?”

I saw the images imprint themselves in my mind. My heart squeezed painfully

and I pressed my forehead against his temple. “You could have died.” I should have

been furious. Yelling at him for doing something so stupid. “You overfed me. I would

have drained you dry and never known the difference.” I kissed his cheek. Equilibrium

was reestablishing its foothold in my body. With regret, I knew I had to stop.

“You healed me and now I healed you.”

I pulled my wrist away from his mouth and smiled at the lustful moan he

rumbled in the back of his throat. My tongue wiped away the wounds in my wrist, but I

wondered how long it would be before it wiped away those in my heart. How many

more times would Ryan let me taste before he released me?

He ran his hand up my back and against the nape of my neck. Lightly calloused

fingertips teased the sensitive skin. Ryan’s eyes were dark with lust and something else,

something that called to the feral side of my nature.

Our lips met in an explosion of heat, tasting, biting, and nibbling. He tucked me

against his side and rolled so we were lying on the chaise. I could taste the tang of our

blood on his lips and tongue.

Dawn Montgomery

Sex and Chocolate: Decadence

- 39 -

His hands shook so I stripped us of clothes, tearing the seams of his shirt in the

process. My lips touched his throat, and I could feel the need in his thoughts. More

emotion than words; our link was still tentative.

I wrapped my hand around his thick cock and we both moaned at the way it felt

to Ryan. This residual emotion stuff was definitely hot as hell. My pussy creamed and

he shuddered. Oh yes, this was definitely hot. His fingers slid into the hot depths of my

pussy, stroking hard. I returned the favor, sliding my fingers down his length and back

up, testing until I felt the purple haze of hard lust from him.

I rolled us over so that I was on top. There was something I wanted him to do. A

way I wanted to be fucked, but I didn’t have the words to tell him.

His fingers pounded into me and I could feel orgasm riding me hard. With a

growl, I pushed his hand away to place the head of his cock against my soaked

entrance. The head pressed in and we both moaned.

I leaned forward so that my forehead pressed against his shoulder and lowered

my body until he was completely sheathed inside my pussy.

“Gods, that feels so incredible.” His raw need matched mine.

“Really?” I lifted my ass so that his cock brushed against the bundle of nerves

that begged for release and began a torturous pace.

“Rachel.” My name was a growl of warning that had the hairs on the back of my

neck rising in expectation. I buried my smile against his skin. Any second now.

He growled and rolled me over, still deeply embedded in my pussy. I shoved my

head back against the chaise at the pleasure shooting through my body. His arms

pushed my legs back until I had no control. Then the fun began. Ryan pounded into me

with all the abandon I could ever hope for, fucking us both until our emotions became

one. One need. One goal.

I clawed his back and arched, trying to push us toward the end, but he only

switched positions so that I had less control. The scent of our bodies was like an

aphrodisiac to me. Raw. Powerful. Pleasure built and my pussy clenched with

expectation. I stiffened when the first wave of orgasm crashed through me. Then

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suddenly I was crying out, every wave more incredible than the last until finally my

body could only shudder in aftershocks. Ryan stiffened and jerked before following me

into oblivion with his finishing thrusts. He almost collapsed on top of me. I rolled him

over and brushed the sweat-dampened hair from his brow.

“Are you okay?”

His beautiful eyes opened and the sparks of magic were still there, smoldering

deep within. He smiled. “Why do women ask that question? I just had mind-blowing

sex with the most beautiful vampire in existence. Of course I’m okay.” His kiss gave me

something other than my melting heart to focus on.

“I was talking about the shakiness,” I said when I could catch a breath.

“Oh that.” His smile turned boyish. “I think it’s been an eventful day. Let’s retire

to the bed, shall we?”

Chapter Nine

I could feel fatigue deep within his bones. Having wild sex after almost dying

would be enough to tire out anybody. Somehow, though, Ryan just always seemed

more capable than most. I held out my hand for him to help me up. He bent over,

kissing every fingertip in turn. I watched in wonder. He turned my hand over and

placed a kiss in the center of my palm. His eyes watched me carefully. My gaze was

drawn to the press of his lips against my skin. His tongue flicked out and a sizzle of

energy shot straight to my core. I jumped in surprise. He helped me up and I gestured

toward the results of our -- my mind shied away from the word lovemaking -- sex-fest.

That spark of energy was back and I watched as the chaise became suddenly

clean. “How did you do that?”

He pulled me into his embrace and pressed a kiss lightly on my forehead. “I

made a lot of messes when I was learning to cook. Unlike most of the students of the

Kitchen Witch Academy, I couldn’t cook. At all. My talent fell to the chemistry side of

things. How the body reacted to food.” We walked to his bedroom and I reached out to

touch some of the things he had on the wall. A frame with him in a Kitchen Witch

Society chef’s coat. A cookbook that belonged to his grandmother. I could read his

thoughts as though they were my own.

I could feel the pain and humiliation of those school years locked tight inside.

My heart reached out to soothe and his arms tightened around me. Why did he stay?

“Because I was needed. The only way to get to the classes I had to have was to

make it through the basic culinary ones.” His thoughts were tinged with sadness.

“You needed to help someone?”

I could feel his nod. “My grandmother couldn’t eat. It started with a minor

allergy here or there, then progressed into almost any food. She was never hungry and

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when she did eat, it wouldn’t stay down. We’d tried everything. She was wasting away

and I felt so helpless. I’d already been scouted by the KWA so, in desperation, I went.

They should have the answers, right?”

I ran my hands up his back, soothing the pain I could feel coiling tight within.

“What happened?”

“She died while I was inside and no one told me.” I absorbed his pain, sharing

the burden within my heart.

“Why didn’t they tell you?”

He pulled me into the bedroom and drew back the coverlet. I slid under the

sheets and he followed, tucking me close against him. Ryan’s scent surrounded and

comforted me.

“My grandmother wanted me to finish what I’d started. Help others who had

food allergies find joy where before had been fear. I’ve never found another case like

hers, but I’ve tried to help where I could.”

I placed my hand on his chest so I could feel his heartbeat. “You helped me.”

“Yes I did.” He brushed his lips against my forehead. “Speaking of which, have

you had any chocolate since I left?”

I smiled. “A tiny piece.” Right after Ryan had left.

“That explains the insane cravings I’ve had for chocolate then.” He opened a

drawer and pulled out a piece of Chocolate Sin, wrapped in gold foil. My mouth

watered.

“A man who keeps chocolate by the bed. I think I’m in love.” I almost choked.

Did I really just say that?

He unwrapped the chocolate and bit into it. The incredible scent of dark

chocolate truffle teased my nose and I leaned forward. He gave me the rest. The first

touch of the truffle on my tongue sent my taste buds into overdrive. My heart still

kicked in fear, but I wasn’t dead again. It tasted so good. I wrapped my tongue around

Ryan’s fingers and sucked the last bit of chocolate off them.

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There was something about the way he looked at me that had my heart wanting

to tell him the truth. That I loved him, though we’d just met.

Instead I chose the roundabout way. “I don’t get attached.” I waited for that itch

to leave, the burn to run screaming for the hills.

“Neither do I.” His smile was wicked and full of promise. Something I found

amazing since we’d just about drained each other to the limits of our lives. Or his life, at

least. He looked adorable with sex-tousled hair and a sexy as hell smile. I could hear his

promise beneath the hum of our blood in his veins.

He could be yours. All yours to keep.

I shuddered against the desire to make him mine. Ryan was a temptation I

couldn’t afford.

“You saved my life.” All levity left his voice. The weight of the past few days had

to have torn something up inside him.

I leaned down to give him a tender brush of my lips against his. “No more than

you’ve done for me.”

His palm cupped my cheek. The soft caress of his thumb brushing against my

skin made me swallow hard to keep from turning my lips into the touch. “Speaking of

which, I still have a craving for chocolate. Why don’t we indulge a bit more?” He

looked so hopeful. “Come on, who can say no to a little dark chocolate decadence?”

I closed my eyes and heard myself agreeing. How ridiculous was I being?

Prolonging the end. Becoming the victim I’d been called by my sire. Allowing a human

to trap me would ensure no independence. Another sire would take my training in

hand, and I’d be reduced to the status of a fledgling slave for being unable to control

my own needs. It kept our kind from bloodlust and overpopulating our people. The

only thing that kept me from that fate now was my ability to sustain a career outside of

the vampiric society. And having a nurse on your side didn’t hurt either, especially

when humans tended to get a little stake happy when panicked.

My stomach knotted, but Ryan was already out of the bed and heading to what I

assumed was the kitchen.

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My traitorous eyes followed the line of his body, the way his muscles bunched

while he walked. I always appreciated a man with a sexy ass. With a sigh I rolled onto

my stomach and scrunched the blanket up under my chin. My body tingled from

Ryan’s talented enthusiasm and my own blood frenzy sex drive.

I heard Ryan moving around in the other room and a call of his blood to magic.

The hum running through me and the refreshing brush of cool air against my skin must

have sent me into a doze.

Warmth traced its way down my spine. The rich scent of dark chocolate wafted

into my dreams. I sighed and burrowed my face deeper into the blanket not wanting to

awaken. Whorls of warmth spread over my back.

The pattern was unfamiliar yet comforting. I wanted to stretch, but was afraid

the chocolate scents would dissipate with my dreams. Years as a vamp had only

increased my cravings, my needs.

Fingers began tracing outside the still warm lines. “The nerves I’m stimulating

are some of the most sensitive on the body.” Fingernails lightly scraped against me, and

I moaned into the blanket. He leaned close until I could smell the decadent scent of rich

dark chocolate on his breath. “The warmth you feel on your back is a special recipe of

mine.” He pressed a kiss against the nape of my neck. “I’ll enjoy eating every bit of it off

your skin.”

I shuddered. His words sent my libido into overdrive. My nipples ached to be

tugged and rolled. Warmth pooled low in my belly.

“Only if I get to return the favor.”

His dark chuckle was my only reply.

“It’s the strangest thing. I can feel a shadow of your thoughts and emotions in

my mind.” His voice seemed curious.

I sighed. “It’s the bond we created. Some of my kind calls it a soul sharing. It’s

the closest you can get to a mortal.” The closest I’ve ever been. I kept that thought to

myself, but could tell by the response in his own mind that he’d heard it. He was a lot

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closer to me than anyone had ever been. And it was frightening, but peaceful at the

same time.

“I’d like to get a lot closer.” There was that wicked smile in his voice again. Right

next to my ear so I could shiver in expectation.

“Really?” I brushed my cheek against his lips. “How close are you willing to

go?”

He brushed his knuckles against my cheek. All the way.

My mouth went dry and I cleared my throat. “You need to say that out loud.”

He smiled at me. “I don’t want this to end. Stay with me. I don’t care where we

end up, or how. I just want you with me.” His heart reinforced his words.

Tears stung my eyes. “I’m not very good at breaking up. You know the more we

share, the closer we’ll become until neither one of us can leave the other.”

“Mated for life? I like that idea.”

The humor fell flat to my ears. “I can’t break the bond, Ryan. You need to

understand that.”

His tongue touched my skin and a sizzle of awareness shot down my spine. “I do

understand.” Teeth scraped where the still warm buzz from the chocolate remained.

His tongue touched. Electricity shot through me.

“How do you do that?” My voice was breathless.

“Magic.” I could hear laughter in his voice and my own lips lifted in response.

“Do you like it?”

“Very much.”

“Spread your legs, Rachel.”

My moan was full of longing but I did as he asked, spreading wide. His fingers

slid into my warm depths, stroking long and deep within.

“You’re so wet for me. Ready.” His thumb brushed my clit and I shifted against

him, wanting more. “Beautiful pussy.” His tongue touched me again and all the places

where he’d drawn chocolate on me lit up like sensual electric fire. My nerves went into

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overload and I came. My pussy clenched his fingers and I cried out, arching my back to

push harder against him.

My limbs shook. His lips kissed around the curve of my ass and to my pussy. I

screamed at the heat exploding through the already sensitive skin. “Again. Come

again.” He touched my pussy with his tongue, and I couldn’t stop the obscenities from

pouring out my lips.

“Fuck me. God, please. Don’t stop.”

His tongue flicked against my clit in rapid succession all the while fingers still

pumped into me without mercy. Every touch of his tongue shot through my body like

lightning. I buried my face against the pillow and bit. Hard. It was too much. Too

intense. I couldn’t take anymore.

“Shhhh,” he said in soothing voice. My body shook at the edge I was riding,

needing more but unable to keep my thoughts together.

His fingers moved in long slow strokes. “I’ve got you.” He rotated his fingers

and I whimpered, my core clenching around him. I was so close!

His tongue laved my pussy before sucking gently on the tender flesh. Fresh

cream slickened his fingers and he made a throaty groan of pleasure. I thrust against

him. “That’s it, ride me. Show me what you want.” His mouth continued its sweet

assault.

I couldn’t stop myself if I’d tried. My body set a hard rhythm. Fucking his fingers

and mouth until I couldn’t think. Couldn’t speak. I murmured incoherencies in a voice I

didn’t recognize as my own.

The need increased until I was unable to do more than beg for it to end. Or never

end. Pleasure tore through my body like an inferno, clenching my pussy around his

fingers as shockwaves rode through me. I shuddered, unable to keep my trembling

from his gaze.

His fingers slid free and I had a moment to cry out before his cock was

embedded deep within me. Hands clenched my hips and he rocked us back so that he

was hitting at a different angle. We found a good strong pace that had us both gasping.

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“Fuck me, Rachel. Your pussy feels so good.”

I went mindless. Before I knew it, we were both crashing over the edge. We

crumpled into a heap of shaking limbs and warmth. Sleep slid along the outside of my

mind, threatening to destroy this moment of happiness I’d found. I love you.

“I love you too.” His admission jerked me fully awake. I turned and looked at

him. “What? You can’t tell?” His heart and mind were an open book, but until this

moment, I hadn’t attempted to read deeper. Coward, my mind whispered.

“Not a coward, Rachel. Cautious. And there’s nothing wrong with that.” He

pulled out another piece of chocolate. The foil fell easily away onto the nightstand.

“Open.” His finger brushed against my lower lip. The tickle sent a spark of

warmth straight to my heart. I opened my lips and he placed a piece of Chocolate Sin on

my tongue. Intense flavor nearly overwhelmed my taste buds. My eyes rolled and a

deep moan rumbled through my chest. Yes, this was heaven. A sexy man willing to

feed me chocolate after having the greatest mind-blowing sex of my un-life. Hell, who

was I kidding? My entire life.

“This is just the beginning.” He kissed me.

Somehow, I knew he was right.

Dawn Montgomery

Writing is a driving passion for Dawn Montgomery. She’s told stories her entire

life and has no intention of slowing down any time soon. Dawn’s world is hectic and it

reflects in her tales. Reflection comes later, when you get a chance to breathe. Aside

from caring for her family, telling a great story is the most important thing to her and

she loves hearing from her readers. You can learn more about Dawn by visiting her

website at www.dawnmontgomery.com, and can reach her at

[e-mail].